2010 Kia Forte EX

When I heard that I was getting a Kia Forte to review my first thought once again turned to how manufacturers come up with names for cars. But that aside I was anxious to check out the new sedan because Kia has been making some pretty nice cost, effective vehicles lately so my curiosity was piqued to get behind the wheel of this all-new model.

Calling the Forte sporty is a bit of a stretch as this is pure an simple an economy sedan, albeit with some new design cues like a trapezoidal mesh grille, new swept-back headlights and a higher beltline, all of which are in vogue today. The Forte is a bit bigger than the Spectra it’s replacing, with a greater emphasis on styling and there’s no doubt that it’s a much better looking car than the Spectra.

One of Kia’s strengths in the market is the warranty offered. The base warranty is 5 years and 60,000 miles which is nearly double most manufacturers’ time table and the powertrain warranty is 10 years and 100,000 miles. Warranties are a very strong selling point especially in this market where people most likely keep their cars over 3 years.

The Forte also comes with some pretty nice safety features including include dual-stage front airbags, side curtain airbags, active front head restraints, ABS, four-wheel disc brakes, traction control, electronic stability control and tire-pressure monitoring system along with the LATCH tethering system for the kiddos. Also included is 3 months of SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Bluetooth Hand-free connectivity and USB + Aux inputs and six-way power driver’s seat. Extras in the $1800.00 EX package that my tester came with included leather seat trim, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, a power sun-roof and 16-inch wheels. Not bad for a total price of $19,290 including $695 in destination charges.

Inside the Forte there is plenty of room and its relatively nice with large easy to read gauges and ergonomics that are well laid out and easy to understand and use. The seats are comfortable enough for running around town but I’m not sure I’d like to spend 5 or 6 hours at a stretch behind the wheel, they’re not quite that comfy.

The week I spent with the Kia Forte, while not scintillating it was pleasant enough and certainly easy on the wallet. It came very close to matching its EPA rating of 25/34 and as I’m always quick to point out, my driving style doesn’t exactly squeeze the most mileage from a vehicle but I did average over 25mpg during the week, with most of my driving in town. Handling is solid and I certainly wouldn’t expect anything more then solid from this segment of the market which is pretty competitive with some relatively strong newcomers to the genre.

The usual suspects include the Civic, Nissan’s Sentra, and Mazda’s 3 series which are all good cars, but now you have to add the Chevy Cobalt, and the Ford Focus as strong contenders so we’ll have to wait and see if Kia is able to make a dent in the segment. That said, if you’re looking for a great, inexpensive little grocery getter for under $20,000, you should take a Kia Forte out for a spin. You may be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Click here for more on the Kia Forte….

2010 Buick LaCrosse press preview

Phoenix Az.
June 2009
By Bill Z & Cathy D

We attended a virtual press preview of the 2009 Buick LaCrosse in the comfort of our office and while traveling to these events can be fun, I have to say it was interesting and informative and much less stressful to attend the virtual event. The LaCrosse is the first vehicle to emerge from the new GM with Buicks new tagline, Take a look at me now, and I have to say from what I saw, the LaCrosse is a great vehicle to “take a look at now.”

According to Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president, “The new LaCrosse builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick’s renaissance and great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology,” “It offers unique features such as all-wheel drive and a new, efficient four-cylinder engine that will attract new customers to Buick.”

The 2010 LaCrosse is offered in three models;
CX – equipped at the start of production with a new 3.0L direct injection V-6, premium cloth seats and 17-inch wheels and has a six-speed automatic transmission. Later this year, a new, 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder replaces the 3.0L as the standard engine.

CXL – also equipped with the new 3.0L direct injection V-6, adds leather-appointed heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lamps, outside rearview mirror with LED turn indicators and puddle lamps, and 18-inch alloy wheels. An advanced, intelligent AWD system is available.

CXS – equipped with a 3.6L direct injection V-6; real-time active-dampening suspension (optional); perforated, leather-appointed, heated and ventilated seats, and chrome-plated 18-inch alloy wheels with 19-inch wheels optional.

The LaCrosse design is beautifully sculpted with smooth flowing lines with the “sweep-spear” body side styling portholes that have been synonymous with Buicks for decades. But make no mistake; this is definitely not your father’s Buick. Inside is where the LaCrosse really shines though with a beautiful sweeping center console that swoops upwards to a instrument panel with ice-blue ambient lighting that you’ll find throughout the cabin.

In the video we could see how Buick’s QuietTuning keeps unwanted noise out of the cabin so one can enjoy the contemporary atmosphere of the LaCrosse’s cabin that’s highlighted with available digital connectivity and personal technologies that include in-dash navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and a USB port. For rear-seat passengers, a DVD entertainment system is offered. It is a very plush interior.

EAST MEETS WEST: 2010 BUICK LACROSSE’S INTERIOR BLENDS EASTERN AESTHETICS WITH CLASSIC BUICK STYLE is how a press released I received was titled and because the interior design was a collaborative effort between Chinese and American designers, it makes sense.

So while attending the virtual press preview of the new Buick LaCrosse was much less stressful then traveling, we miss the up close and personal contact with the engineers, designers and the car itself, not to mention wheel time in the LaCrosse. That’s supposed to happen soon and when it does, we’ll look forward to telling you all about the 2010, Take a Look at Me Now, Buick LaCrosse. For more information on the LaCrosse go to: http://www.buick.com/vehicles/2009/lacrosse/overview.do

When Two for the Road faces the LAW

May 19, 2009
Scottsdale Arizona

Every once in a while one gets and opportunity to meet someone that is completely thrilled with what they do in life and Cathy and I met one of those very special people today at our May Phoenix Automotive Press Association meeting. His name is Darren Law and if you’re even remotely familiar with endurance racing, you know of whom I speak. Darren is one of those rare people that knew what he wanted to do from early childhood, and then set out paying his dues to become on of the top drivers in the world. Darren began racing karts at age 11 and after winning several championships he worked his way into full-fledged racing where he continued and continues his winning ways.

It’s important for me to point out here that while doing what Darren and other professional race car drivers do is thrilling and exciting and a serious adrenalin rush, it doesn’t come without years of paying dues to learn the skills required to handle unbelievably powerful machines running at speeds over 150 miles an hour, screaming in and out of hair pin turns during 6, 8 and 24 hour endurance races; races that many times, after all those hours at top speeds, are won by mere seconds.

I’ve had the immense pleasure of spending time behind the wheel of very fast cars on the track at Bondurant and what I learned was that after 20 or 25 laps at speeds that honestly, a professional would chuckle at, I was exhausted from the stress and focus required to try and hit apexes to get in and out of turns at just the right point to maximize speed. It’s impossible to explain just how much focus and concentration it takes to hit those points at just the right moments and at just the right speed. Learning the art of heel-toeing, down-shifting, trail braking and squeezing the accelerator and up-shifting at exactly the right moment takes thousands of miles worth of racing at top speeds to master. It is simply stated an amazing feat. After winning the 2008 American Le Mans series GT2 championship, Darren and the team are off to his first 24 hours of Le Mans which needless to say he’s just a tad excited about.

We also had an opportunity to spend some time with the man that helped give Darren his start in endurance racing and that would be racing legend Bob Bondurant. Bob is recognized internationally as the go to guy on advanced driver training. For over 40 years the Bondurant school has trained over 85,000 students ranging from little old me, to race car drivers throughout the world. He’s also trained celebrities the likes of Paul Newman and Tom Cruise as well as teenagers, police officers and professional drivers. The school is world renowned and I can testify to just how important the skills I learned are. I always considered myself a very good driver until... I took the highway safety course at Bondurant. The things I learned during the course without a doubt make me a better, safer driver and oh by the way, I’d been driving for well over 40 years before I took the course. So if you have a teenager driving, check out the courses offered for teens. You'll more than likely find that you'll want to take it with your teenager.


You can find out a whole lot more about Darren at; http://www.darrenlaw.com/.
Find out more about Bob Bondurant at; http://www.bondurant.com/

Woody Car Show Benefits Vicki’s Cure

May 15, 2009
By: Cathy D and Bill Z

Retired firefighter Jerry Witt of Phoenix, Arizona has been battling fires and making our city a safe place to live for most of his life. However, his real battle was the one he shared with his beautiful wife Vicki Witt since l972.

Witt’s wife Vicki suffered from NF1, a tumor disorder that occurs in one out of every 3,000 births. Vicki’s wish was to make awareness of this disorder and raise funds for research and clinics, as well as assisting other family members whose loved ones suffer from the disorder. This was her dream, and the Witt family is making it come true through the Children’s Tumor Foundation and the Arizona chapter, Vicki’s Cure.

On May l5th, Jerry Witt and his sons along with Sanderson Ford and KOOL radio raised money to bring awareness to this disorder and show off some of the classic Woody automobiles in Arizona. Jerry is the president of the Woody’s Car Clubs of America, and his gorgeous ‘46 Mercury was a prize possession of his and his wife Vicki. They drove their Merc everywhere and had fun wherever they went.

As Jerry emerges as an advocate for the Children’s Tumor Foundation and travels all over to raise funds and speak on behalf of Vicki’s Cure, he shared his story briefly at the Sanderson Ford Woody Event. Along with David Kimmerle, the owner of Sanderson Ford and Tom Peake from KOOL radio, Wally Cahill of Motorsports Mania the KOOL oldies band and a gift from Hawaiian Airlines over one thousand dollars was raised.

For more information on Vicki’s Cure, NF1, Jerry, Vicki and their family, go to http://www.vickiscure.org/. You can also donate to this cause on the website.

Jerry Witt and Dave Kimmerle in front of Jerry's
'46 Merc Woody. Jerry will be on Interviewed
on Two for the Road USA in June.

DID YOU KNOW - By Julia Droz

To understand why Ford built woody’s in the first place, you must understand the peculiar nature of Henry Ford. He believed that his company should be completely self-sufficient, from mining ore and operating rubber plantations to growing maple, birch, gum, and basswood for Model T floorboards and body frames. In its quest for self-sufficiency, Ford Motor Company bought vast forest reserves on the rugged Upper Michigan Peninsula some 500 miles northwest of Detroit, and constructed a plant there, at Iron Mountain, in 1920. Ford grew its own trees, cut its own timber, ran its own sawmill, and cut and formed its own wooden body parts. But no matter how many Tin Lizzies the assembly lines turned out, they never seemed to exhaust the company's forests. Typically, Henry wasted nothing: even sawdust and leftover wood pieces were turned into Ford Charcoal Briquettes. It was almost inevitable that the Iron Mountain operation would be tapped for production of wood station wagon bodies.

Welcome to Julia’s Garage both inside and out!

My day in Wonderland AKA Evo Motorsports

by Rod Zervakos

You no doubt remember that upon entering the rabbit hole, Alice is transported to a magical world where the impossible is reality and the norm is nowhere to be found; A world where conventional right and wrong is tossed out the window and replaced by abstract dimensions, governed only by those with the imagination and foresight to forge their own path. I am happy to say that I have found the rabbit hole.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a few hours with the crew from Evolution Motorsports, a world leader in aftermarket exotic car modification, and I gotta tell you, I felt my inner Alice pushing her way through. I had entered a fairy tale land where a 5000 lb SUV could send shivers up your spine with its menacing scowl and sinister growl and, more importantly, its ability to leave your average prancing pony or raging bull owner rethinking their place in the automotive food chain as you leave them in the dust. A place where 1100 horse power Lamborghini’s, 231 mph Porsche’s and super exotic Gumpert Apollo’s all play together harmoniously. A place where innovation and creativity rule the land a place where conventional wisdoms, rules and regulations are tossed right out the window and replace with passion, dedication and advancement.

As my time at Evo was coming to an end and I knew my journey back up the rabbit hole was nearing, I couldn’t help but take note of one last thing, and quite possibly the most impressive. The staff. It is very easy, and sadly very common, for leaders in this industry to be self absorbed and in many cases not very pleasant to be around. If you are at the pinnacle of your game, or in this case industry, you can sometimes have a feeling of entitlement that convolutes your true purpose. I have seen it before and it always made me wonder. I have always believed that if you are truly passionate about what you are doing and you are a good person, you will reflect that to the people around you. This is not something that you can hide, and despite all of the incredible machines in the showroom or the unbelievable dyno room or the absolutely spotless installation bay’s, the thing that impressed me the most were the people behind it all.

It’s funny, we spend so much of our time these days running around in a fog just trying to make it from day to day, always needing to get something done, always running behind screaming I’m late I’m late. Every once in a while you have to live a little. Next time you see that white rabbit, with the EVOMotorsposts banner across its forehead, do your self a favor and follow it down the hole. See for yourself at http://www.evoms.com/

Another Award for Community Tire and Auto Service

Cathy and I take great pride in the people that help us put our radio show on the air and it makes us even more proud when they win awards for outstanding service to the community. Once again Howard, Patty and their staff has been named as the 2009 BBB's Business Ethics Award winner.

We know how hard they work to take care of their customers so it makes it very easy for us to recommend Community Tire to our listeners and readers.

Here's a vignette of Howard talking about Community Tire.

Congrat's guys, we're very proud of you.

Camelback Ford Lincoln Mercury hosts…2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid test drive and alternative fuel overview..

Two for the Road USA were guests at the Ford Fusion Hybrid event on April 20, 2009.

There was an Engineer, Doctor, Clean Air Specialist, Ford executive and dealer all speaking within their category of expertise with praises for Ford past, present and future.

Each professional had a few words about alternative fuels with the Ford Fusion in the spotlight. Over 100 people were in the audience and verbalized how good they felt about the direction of Ford Lincoln Mercury and then had the chance to test drive the new 2009 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Fusion and Milan deliver an amazing 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The Fusion hybrid has a base price of $27,995 the well-equipped Milan Hybrid is priced at $31,300.

We understand that with the purchase of a new Fusion or Milan Hybrid by March 31, 2009 a buyer may qualify for a $3,400 federal tax credit on their 2009 Tax Return. This is a nice added incentive.

What’s new for 2010? Six speed transmission, 2.5 liter 1-4 engine, 3.0 liter , V-6 Durantec, Flex-Fuel engine, variety of 16 to l8 inch painted and aluminum wheels, easy fuel capless refueling, available reverse camera system, available 12-speaker Sony sound system, available voice-activated navigation system and SIRIUS, Travel Link, available SYNC with 911 assist and vehicle health report.

The interior has a more contemporary technical look with metallic finishes all the way through. The display and switches have fashionable Ice Blue Lighting which makes night driving, while checking gauges a breeze. The exterior of the Fusion is both sportier and more upscale. The new Aerodynamic enhancements and new underbody shields surely helped further boost Fusion’s fuel economy.

In talking with the crowed that generally feel in the over 40 range, we found that they indicated that the Fusion might be their next car. The other comment was what a great first car for their teens and young adults. The word out there is that the 20+ generation likes the Fusion as well. The SYNC availability is a must for the technically savvy drivers.

Bill and I will have a Ford Fusion Hybrid to test drive for a week in April so that can then give you a more detailed report at that time.

We want to thank Darrin Delfelder of Camelback Ford Lincoln Mercury for hosting this event and inviting the Phoenix Press Association.