The Case for Buying Used

If you're not married to the idea of buying a new car, used vehicles have their own benefits:

• increased choice: Both new and used-car dealers are feeling the side effects of a tough economy. The positive side of this is that consumers win in a bear market; as dealerships close prices of large, used SUVs and even midsized cars are down, and there should be more vehicles on lots due to slowing sales.
• improving reliability: Although used vehicles typically don't carry the same warranties as new ones, the original factory warranty on a new car is transferable to a second owner, usually at no charge. Buyers of certified pre-owned cars from an authorized dealer can purchase a late-model used car with the original warranty and then choose to add to it. The combination of a glut of late-model used vehicles, the greater reliability and durability of vehicles, and the availability of warranties make buying a used car less of a gamble.
• just like new: Another trend that makes buying used a better option is the proliferation of certified pre-owned programs. The idea started with luxury brands such as Lexus and Mercedes-Benz and has become a popular alternative for car buyers.

The Case for Buying New

For some people, buying used isn't an option; they want a brand spanking new car. They want to select the color and all of the features that go on it. There's definitely a pride of ownership and peace of mind in being a vehicle's first owner. Some of a new car's advantages include:

• reduced maintenance: A new vehicle won't need maintenance for the first several thousand miles, and then only an oil change and tuneup are required. Some manufacturers even cover the cost of those routine maintenance items. The new vehicle likely won't need new tires, a battery, exhaust system or brakes during the first few years of ownership or longer.
• warranty coverage: The manufacturer covers its new vehicles under warranty for at least three years, and some warranties last even longer. Many luxury makes now offer warranties of four years and 50,000 - 60,000 miles. With manufacturer warranties, if something goes wrong it's the responsibility of the dealer and manufacturer to fix it.
  
  In addition to comprehensive warranties, automakers provide warranty coverage for both corrosion resistance and powertrains. Many manufacturers offer coverage beyond three years/36,000 miles, the previous norm. It's good to keep in mind that if you buy these vehicles used, what's left of the warranty may not be fully transferable.
• peace of mind: If you encounter problems with your new car, you have legal recourse through state lemon laws — offered in all 50 states. If you can prove that your new car is a lemon, you could receive a replacement vehicle or get your money back. Lemon laws apply only to new cars. You also can find out if your vehicle was returned to the used-car market as a lemon by looking at the vehicle's title and using a free look-up service provided by Carfax.
• roadside assistance: In addition to a comprehensive warranty, virtually all mainstream new cars and light trucks come with free roadside assistance while the vehicle remains under warranty, and, in some cases beyond. Only exotic car makers do not provide roadside assistance. In addition, some automakers reimburse you or provide alternate transportation if you get stranded far from home. A few manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Lincoln and Volkswagen, offer free routine maintenance during the first couple years of ownership. These generally cover oil changes and tuneups.

Advantages of New and Used Cars

All car purchases start with one decision: New or used? With automakers selling hundreds of new models, and more used cars than there are people to drive them, there are plenty of good vehicles out there ready for an owner and driver.

In the end, the decision to buy new or used boils down to what you can afford and what will give you peace of mind.

If you're on a tight budget, then buying a used car gets you the most vehicle for the least amount of money. You can count on one hand the number of new cars that list for less than $10,000. That buys you a tiny car, probably with two doors and certainly with a manual transmission instead of an automatic, no air conditioning, a lack of safety features and few other common amenities.

For less than half the price of the average new car, you can buy a three- or four-year-old used vehicle that is larger and loaded with more features than the small, bare-bones new one. But buying a used vehicle has its risks, which could cost you more over the life of the vehicle. The fact is, you are buying a vehicle that someone else has owned and driven. You don't know how it's been driven or how well it's been cared for. A used vehicle will require maintenance and possibly expensive repairs far sooner than a new one, and these repairs probably won't be covered by a warranty.

Myth: A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car's factory warranty valid

Reality: As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner's manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you're knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.

Myth: Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving

Reality: That might have been good advice for yesteryear's cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they're driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don't rev the engine high over the first few miles while it's warming up.

Myth: After a jump-start, your car will soon recharge the battery

Reality: It could take hours of driving to restore a battery's full charge, especially in the winter. That's because power accessories, such as heated seats, draw so much electricity that in some cars the alternator has little left over to recharge a run-down battery. A"load test" at a service station can determine whether the battery can still hold a charge. If so, some hours on a battery charger might be needed to revive the battery to its full potential.

Myth: If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better

Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste money on premium.

Myth: If the brake fluid is low, topping it off will fix the problem

Reality: As brake pads wear, the level in the brake-fluid reservoir drops a bit. That helps you monitor brake wear. If the fluid level drops to or below the Low mark on the reservoir, then either your brakes are worn out or fluid is leaking. Either way, get the brake system serviced immediately. You should also get a routine brake inspection when you rotate the tires, about every 6,000 to 7,000 miles.

Myth: Engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles

Reality: Despite what oil companies and quick-lube shops often claim, it's usually not necessary. Stick to the service intervals in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn't hurt the engine, but it can cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous terrain, or dusty conditions.

Maintain Your Air Conditioning

If you've ever lost your air conditioning on a hot summer day, then you know what a big difference a little cool air makes. The best way to tell if your air conditioner has a problem is if it can't generate or maintain air temperatures that are 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) below the ambient outside air temperature.

The most common cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of refrigerant. This could be caused buy a leak somewhere in the system. Since modern air conditioning systems are complicated creatures, it's best to have a professional check out the problem.

The air conditioning maintenance industry has changed a lot since 1994, when the Federal government outlawed the use of a refrigerant called R-12, known by its brand name Freon. In the past, if your air conditioner wasn't blowing cool air, you'd head down to the service shop, they'd top your car off with a little Freon and you'd be on your way.

The problem is that Freon, a chlorofluorocarbon, is extremely destructive to the ozone layer. Most people needed Freon refills because they had leaks. By simply refilling the leaky air conditioning units, millions of pounds of Freon were entering the atmosphere every year.

If your car was built before 1994, then you need to have your refrigerant checked out by a licensed professional who knows how to dispose of or recycle the material. In some states, it's illegal to refill a leaky system with R-12. However, even older cars can be easily retrofitted to use the newer, safer type of refrigerant called R-134a.

Check the Coolant and Radiator

Cars are designed to run hot, but there's a limit to how hot they should run. A combustion engine is most efficient at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius). But if an engine is allowed to get too hot, moving metal parts can actually start to melt and fuse together, causing a variety of internal problems for your engine -- and, you guessed it, a hefty repair bill.

Luckily, all modern cars have an ingenious cooling system that uses a chemical coolant, called antifreeze, and a series of pumps, hoses, thermostats and fans to keep the car at its optimal running temperature. But any problems with this system -- low coolant levels, cracked hoses, loose or broken belts, a leak in the radiator or even a loose or missing radiator cap can cause your car to overheat and break down.

The summertime is tough on cooling systems. Sitting in traffic on a hot day is one of the quickest ways to overheat your car. This is because there's no air flowing across the engine to help keep it cool. A well-tuned cooling system can take long idles in hot weather, but if you have low coolant levels or a busted fan belt, your engine temperature is going to go up -- and fast.

Check under the hood and make sure that your coolant levels are fine. The general rule is to flush your radiator and add new coolant at least every two years. Flushing the radiator is done with a special chemical that cleans debris and build-up on the inside of the radiator. For summer driving, coolant should be added as a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. You can even buy premixed coolant so you don't have to bother with the measurements.

If you see a small puddle of coolant under your car when it's been parked for a while, then you have a coolant leak. Take it to the service station as soon as you can to get your system checked out.

Change the Air Filter

Over the winter, your car's air filter can get clogged with salt and other thick debris. A clogged air filter can really lower your fuel efficiency. Replacing a dirty or clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

But how do you know when to change your air filter? The recommended interval is every 12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers), but that can be affected by the particular road and air conditions in which you drive. If you do a lot of driving on dirt or gravel roads, then your air filter is going to clog up much faster than an air filter in a vehicle that's used strictly for highway driving. The only real way to know if you need to replace your air filter is take it out and give it a quick inspection.

Interestingly, a slightly dirty air filter works better than a totally clean one. This is because the debris in the filter becomes part of the filtering process, trapping smaller particles that might have otherwise slipped past.

There's no real science to knowing when it's time to replace the filter. If it's really filthy, then it obviously needs to be changed. Otherwise, go with your gut. If you're preparing for a long summer of hard driving, then you might as well replace it. Air filters are relatively inexpensive.

Change Oil and Oil Filter

Oil is the lifeblood of your car. It keeps hardworking engine parts running clean, smooth and cool. Most owner's manuals suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles (12,070 kilometers). Oil change specialists suggest every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) or three months. The fact is, most of us do a lot of heavy driving during the summer when an engine is more likely to overheat. So at least check your oil before you head out on that road trip with the family.

To check your oil, let your car run for a few minutes, then park it on a level surface and shut off the engine. Open the hood and locate the oil dipstick. You're looking for two things here: the level of oil and how the oil looks. If you're low on oil, you can either add another quart or simply change the oil completely. The oil should look brownish yellow and clean on the stick. If the oil is a dark color or there's a lot of dirt and grime in it, then you definitely need an oil change and oil filter replacement.

Check Your Tires

Tires are one of the most overlooked parts of a car. According the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), only one out of 10 drivers checks his or her tire pressure correctly, compared with almost seven out of 10 who wash their cars regularly. But the truth is that an under-inflated, over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous, particularly in hot summer weather.

Tire pressure changes with the rising temperatures -- approximately one to two PSI (pounds per square inch) for every 10-degree increase in outside air temperature. Consult your owner's manual or the sidewall of your tire to see what your tire pressure should be and check it with a hand pressure gauge or just let the guys at the service shop do it for you.

An under-inflated tire bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the sidewalls of the tire. With enough heat and pressure, that tire eventually will blow. An over-inflated tire, on the other hand, makes less contact with the road and can lead to hydroplaning in wet conditions.

Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears, you're good. Your local service shop or specialty tire store can also check your tires for proper alignment and balance.

And don't forget about your spare! There's no point in having a spare tire if your spare is in worse condition than the rest. Make sure the spare is properly inflated and has ample tread depth.

Beware the wet thumb

If you top off your tires at a service station, check to see if there’s moisture coming from the air pump. Simply depress the pin inside the inflator valve with your thumbnail. If your thumb gets wet, advise the station manager that his tanks need to be drained and go to a different station. Moisture, trapped inside a tire, can cause pressure variations and corrode rims.

Wax to protect your car’s paint job

No way around it! Waxing your car is work. But it’s satisfying work that will help keep your car looking new. Car wax preserves paint by slowing oxidation and forming a barrier against bird droppings, sap, and pollution. Plus driving a nice shiny car is just plain fun.
Here’s what to do to ensure the maximum in protection:

• Liquid and spray waxes are tempting to use — they make the car shiny with less work than rubbing in paste wax. But there’s still no beating paste wax for the hardest, longest-lasting finish. Look for paste with a high carnauba wax content.
• Apply a thin, even coat of wax to the car’s surfaces with a damp sponge. Avoid applying too much, or it will be difficult to remove and some residue will inevitably mar your finish.
• To avoid fine scratches, use a clean, soft cotton or microfiber cloth to remove wax once it has dried.
• Apply an extra coat of wax to the nose and hood. The wax film in these areas wears away quickly.

Fill with washer fluid only

Don’t add water to the windshield washer reservoir. It won’t clean as well as washer fluid, and it may freeze in cold weather and damage the system. Don’t try to run your windshield washer system once you suspect there’s no more fluid in the tank, or you may damage the washer fluid pump.

Keep leather from drying out and cracking

Leather cars seats are durable and don’t require a lot of maintenance. After a few years, however, the seats can become soiled. Use a leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains.Then apply a leather protectant formulated for pigmented or top-coated grain leather (the leather used for most leather car upholstery). Protectants will resist stains and make the upholstery easier to clean in the future. Choose a protectant that includes conditioners to keep your leather supple.

Clean the inside, too

Vacuum and sponge your interior every time you wash your car. Dirt particles are abrasive, and spilled liquids, such as soda, can be corrosive.Vacuum your interior thoroughly with a powerful vacuum (small cordless models are generally too weak). Use the appropriate wand heads when vacuuming. The bare metal wand can mar and scratch surfaces. Sponge vinyl surfaces clean with a solution of mild detergent and water.

Fix bad weatherstripping immediately

If your weatherstripping is letting rainwater leak into the interior of your car, take a look at it and decide if you can repair it or if it needs to be replaced. Small leaks can be handled with brush-on seam sealers. Resecure loose sections, not otherwise damaged, with trim adhesive. Torn sections may be repaired with special caulking available at auto parts stores. You may also be able to extend the life of worn-but-intact sections by inserting foam rods, available at automotive stores, into the hollow section of the weatherstripping. If you decide to replace entire sections of gasket, don’t simply buy generic stuff such as you’d use around the house. Buy a product that matches your car’s original weatherstripping — it’s available in a wide variety of profiles from dealerships and automotive mail-order catalogues.

Preserve your car during long-term storage

If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return.

• Fill the gas tank to help prevent condensation from accumulating in the gas tank. Add a fuel stabilizer and drive the car around a bit to distribute the additive to engine parts.
• Wash and wax the car thoroughly to protect the finish.
• Place a vapor barrier on your garage floor. A 4-mil polyethylene drop cloth will do.
• Disengage the parking brake to help avoid brake corrosion.
• Put the car on jack stands to take the weight of the vehicle off the wheels and tires.
• Disconnect and remove the battery to keep it from draining. Place the battery on a trickletype charger. Or periodically drain the battery, using a small light bulb, and then recharge it with a low-volt charger.
• Plug the tailpipe with a rag to prevent moist air from infiltrating into it.

Drive with care everyday

Being car considerate shouldn’t stop after the break-in. Drive with care every day and your car will reward you with longer intervals without repair.

• Do not race your car’s engine during start-up.This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine, especially if it’s cold outside.
• Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive.The most wear to the engine and drive train occurs in the first ten to twenty minutes of operation.
• Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea.The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components.
• Put less strain on your engine and automatic transmission by shifting to neutral at red lights. Otherwise, the engine is still working to push the car even while it’s stopped.
• Avoid driving at high speeds and accelerating quickly, especially when it’s very hot or very cold outside. Such driving behavior will result in more frequent repairs.
• Extend the life of your tires with careful driving. Observe posted speed limits. Avoid fast starts, stops, and turns. Avoid potholes and objects on the road. Don’t run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking. And, of course, don’t burn rubber.
• When turning your steering wheel, don’t hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds. Doing so can damage the power-steering pump.
• Consolidate your short driving trips. Most of the wear and tear — as well as the pollution your car generates — takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Doing several errands at once, during low traffic hours if possible, will keep your engine happier longer.

Be patient during the break-in period

You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:

• During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
• Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
• Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
• Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.

Trivia

A black hole is, some theories predict, infinitely dense. So can one ever be detected?

Yes, from its effects on nearby things. Yes, the immense gravitational fields surrounding black holes deflect electromagnetic radiation (such as light) passing nearby. This is the only obvious way, as looking straight at one would not reveal it (hence the term 'black'). Anything getting close enough to a black hole to detect it directly would be unable to send any details back to us, as they would be drawn in to the black hole.

Random Car Fact

The first self-propelled car was invented by Nicolas Cugnot in 1769. It was designed with three wheels and an engine in the front along with the boiler. The car was able to run at a speed of 6 km/h. The first self-propelled car was first used by French Army to move cannons.

Trivia

Finally, which great mathematician's work do modern concepts of infinity stem from?

Georg Cantor. The Russian Georg Cantor (1845 - 1918) revolutionised maths by overcoming resistance to investigating infinity. His concepts were so novel that he famously said "I see it, but I don't believe it".

Trivia

One googol is 1 with 100 zeroes after it (10^100). One with one googol zeroes after it (10^[10^100]) is termed a 'googolplex'. So is a googolplex closer in value to infinity than one is?

n. No, it isn't. A googolplex is a very, very big number. But it is different in concept to infinity, which is not a number. The remaining numbers can still be put in a one-to-one correspondance with the 'set' of all whole numbers. So you can't be any closer to infinity, as you've still got just as many numbers left to go.

Random Car Fact

Windshield wipers were introduced by a woman.

Random Car Fact

The first auto insurance policy was purchased in in 1897 in Westfield, MA.

Trivia

As there are an infinite number of whole numbers, how can the number of even numbers between one and infinity always be described?

Infinity. There are also infinitely many. You could write any whole number with an even number twice as large alongside. This is called a one-to-one correspondence, and it is important because for any list of numbers with this one-to-one relationship to whole numbers, it can be seen there are infinitely many (and this infinity has the same value).

Trivia

So what is infinite? Is time infinite?

Maybe. Scientists are uncertain as to whether time is infinite. It all depends on whether the total mass of the universe is sufficient to drag it all back together in a reversal of the Big Bang, which would effectively end time, or whether the universe will continue expanding, which would mean an infinite amount of time lies ahead.

Random Car Fact

The world's longest traffic hold-up was between Paris and Lyon on the French Autoroute in 1980. it was about 110 miles long

Trivia

If you want to move from A to B, you must first move half the distance from A to B. Then you must travel half the remaining distance. Then half of that, and so on, doing infinitely many moves. So, assuming you are moving at a constant speed, how is it possible to ever get anywhere?

Because each move takes proportionally less time. This is known as Zeno's Paradox after Zeno of Elea, a fifth century BC philosopher who proposed many paradoxes on the subject of infinity. Fortunately, this particular one can be refuted, otherwise nothing would ever get done!

Random Car Fact

An airbag takes only 40 milliseconds to inflate after an accident.

Random Car Fact

The first cars used lever instead of steering wheel.

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Trivia

So if there are different kinds of infinity, which is the biggest?

There is no biggest infinity. Confusingly, it can be mathematically proven that whichever infinity you might create, there is always a bigger infinity. As to whether 'everything in the universe' is infinite, cosmologists are debating that as we speak. It depends on the shape of four-dimensional space time, which is slightly too complex to explain here, but the answer is a resounding 'perhaps'.

Trivia

It can be shown that the total number of real numbers (that is, numbers including fractions, pi, etc.) is different to the total number of whole numbers (1,2,3,etc.). So how is the second of these, the total number of whole numbers, described?

Aleph0. Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it is used with a subscript to describe these two kinds of infinity. Other infinities are described Aleph1, Aleph2, and so on. The total number of real numbers might be equal to Aleph1 - but all that is known for sure is that it is at least Aleph1 - it might be more!

Trivia

There are an infinite number of whole numbers between one and infinity. So, using that definition of infinity, which of these amounts is the greatest?

They are all the same. They are all the same. Infinity is everything, so there is nothing to add to it, and nowhere to add it. No matter how you try to increase it, it remains infinity.

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Trivia

The mathematical symbol for infinity looks like which character turned on its side?

The number '8'. The Romans sometimes used this symbol to represent 1000, a big number, and this led a mathematician named John Wallis to suggest in 1650 that it should be used as the symbol of infinity. It stuck.

Freeport boat restoration duo aims to put SUV motor on water

FREEPORT — A chance encounter in 2009 landed Freeport Boat Outlet owner George “Do Do” Brockman in Pebble Beach, Calif., last August to dine with design executives from the Japanese car maker, Infiniti.
The question before them: How might an 8-cylinder sport utility vehicle engine fit into a classic wooden boat?
The project, Brockman said, is part of a new marketing effort for Infiniti, pairing the company’s QX56 SUV engine with a 1962 Chris-Craft Holiday boat to show the luxury vehicle’s towing power.
While the project is not typical for Brockman, who mostly deals in used boats and racing and restoring stock cars, he and Freeport boat restorer Jim Martin are versatile.
As an 8-year-old, before riding out in a flat-bottomed skiff on Maquoit Bay, Martin said, he solved the problem of a leaking hull by melting candle wax into the seams of the boat.
That kind of problem-solving might come in handy for the restoration project that Martin said still has a lot of questions to be answered — questions that, a year ago, Martin and Brockman had not deeply considered.
Alongside shrink-wrapped boats in Brockman’s yard sits a Busch North stock car he hopes to restore and a 1952 Chris-Craft Riviera boat that Martin has his eye on.
But then the Infiniti project came along.

“It just kind of happened,” said Martin, who regularly does repair work for Brockman’s used boat business.
Brockman said the story has a beginning at his Route 1 boat business.
In 2009, Brockman sold an 18-foot 2004 Celebrity Bowrider to Nate Chapnick, a senior editor for the Atlanta-based luxury magazine “Men’s Book” and a Camden Hills High School graduate.
GEORGE “DO DO” BROCKMAN, 63, left, and Jim Martin, 57, are restoring a 1962 Chris-Craft Holiday in Brockman’s Freeport garage for the Infiniti luxury car makers. The boat will be fitted with an Infiniti engine. Above left, mahogany sawdust and tools of the trade litter a work bench. TROY R. BENNETT / THE TIMES RECORD Chapnick arrived that day — in the pouring rain — in a Lotus streetcar and decided that he would take the boat, Brockman said.
Brockman and Chapnick became friends during that exchange, and on a later visit to Brockman’s boat yard, Chapnick saw the 1952 Riviera boat Martin plans to restore.
In October 2010, Chapnick called Brockman with an idea.
“He said he has a friend with Infiniti USA who is working on a boat project and asked if I was interested,” Brockman said.
Brockman and Martin had a boat in mind. By then, Brockman said, both had driven countless times by the vessel that is now the centerpiece of the project — a boat that they dug out from the snow at Wheels and Deals along Route 302 to show to Infiniti communications director Kyle Bazemore.
At that time, the boat had major weaknesses in the hull and an engine that Martin junked, but the duo saw potential.
“We told him that this is the boat we should use — fancy lines and the fastest hull ever made in wood,” Brockman said.
The hull of that particular boat will need to be rebuilt, Martin said, but the lines of the boat are just right.
“It is easy to come up on plane and it corners well and handles well,” Martin said.
In August, Brockman traveled to Pebble Beach with Chapnick to meet with Infiniti executives and discuss the project now under way.
With most of the hull removed, the 50-year-old boat is now overturned in Brockman’s garage, awaiting new framing, an improved inside hull crafted from marinegrade Sapele plywood, and an outer hull of mahogany.
“We’re making it a more water-tight boat,” Martin said. “Back when it was built, this boat would have to go into the water for two or three days before you could take it out — now, it will be what’s called a dry launch boat.”
But that work is all preparation for the main event: the installation of the 2011 Infiniti SUV engine, which Martin said will raise a lot of interesting questions.
“That engine isn’t going to turn 5,800 RPM as we intend to do in this boat,” Martin said. “The car has a 7-speed transmission that at 70 mph is doing around 1,800 RPM. In a boat, when you put it in forward gear, it’s one speed.”
For the problems of making a modern automotive engine swim, a team of mechanics at Tennessee Technical Center, Nashville, and Nashville State Community College in Tennessee are preparing the engine’s aquatic transformation in a process Martin called “marinization.”
So far, that work has been the only part the project to happen out of state, Martin said.
“We’re trying to keep as much of our outsourcing here in the state of Maine,” Martin said.
Custom interior to match Infiniti’s QX56 will be handled by Andrew Arsenault of Freeport; wood planing will be done by Maschino & Sons Lumber of New Gloucester; the boat will be rolled upright at a facility in Fryeburg; and work on the bell housing and transmission was done by Brackett Machine in Westbrook.
With all of the help, Brockman and Martin said they will still rely most on each other to bring the project to completion.
“If I was going to take on a project like this, I couldn’t do it alone,” Brockman said.

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Infiniti looking ahead to Geneva with mid-engined EV sports car concept

The Detroit Auto Show media days are still in full swing, but Infiniti is already looking ahead to the Geneva Motor Show with another teaser of the company's plug-in hybrid electric sports car. Yes, we've seen other sketches of the car (this one) but not of this section, the general rear pillar area. You can click to enlarge the image above for a better view of what could become Prince's favorite concept car. See, it's purple.

The vehicle does not have a name yet, so Infiniti is calling it the "Advanced Sports Car Concept." We do know it's mid-engined, with a battery pack in there to extend the range. Infiniti says the purpose of this concept is, "to explore what might be the next stage in how to deliver a vivid, engaging and sophisticated driving experience from an electrically propelled vehicle." The EV range should be respectable, since Infiniti is promising "zero emission operation in urban situations," which we do hope means more than just a few spare miles in a lithium pack. We'll learn more in Geneva.

Infiniti has also been teasing an all-electric luxury sedan that is supposed to launch in 2014. See what little we officially know about that car here.

Detroit Auto Show: Infiniti Etherea Hybrid Concept

 Check out the Infiniti Etherea Hybrid Concept!

http://www.earthtechling.com/2012/01/detroit-auto-show-infiniti-etherea-hybrid-concept/

2012 Infiniti EX35 Journey AWD SUV

Journey trim, Graphite Shadow exterior and Graphite Leather Seats. Back-Up Camera, Rear Air, Satellite Radio, Bluetooth, iPod/MP3 Input, Heated Seats, Alloy Wheels, Leather Interior, Sunroof, Overhead Airbag, All Wheel Drive CLICK NOW

Review

The experience was great and to the point. Pat and Joe were the two individuals involved with my purchase and they were very thorough and polite. Pat showed me the ins and outs of the vehicle, and Joe did the financial paperwork and explained everything clearly.

Review

Infiniti of Bedford has always outperformed my expectation for a dealership. They have always given me the best quality of service that I expect from a high end dealership.

Review

My service advisor, Chuck, is a true asset to the Infiniti of Bedford organization; his professionalism and aim-to-please attitude are very much appreciated. Presumably, having one's car serviced at the dealership is usually more expensive, however, I always feel it's a good value for the quality of care received.

Review

I liked the sales experience because I finally got what I wanted. I had been thinking about getting an Infiniti automobile for a few years and during the summer clearance event I decided to go for it. So I was an easy sale for Infiniti of Bedford as I was already sold on the vehicle before I arrived on their lot. The people at Infiniti of Bedford were very friendly and helpful.

Review

I found the salesman Ed Johnson to be the easiest car salesperson I have ever worked with-a real pro.