Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
For a decade, the 8-Series was the flagship car of German automaker BMW due to a high-performance orientation then unparalleled in the company’s line-up. However, the car’s production run was winding down by the time the 1997 8-Series hit showrooms. In the North American market, the 850Ci marked the pinnacle of the nameplate’s performance for the 1997 model year.
The 1995 BMW M3 almost never made it to America. Initially BMW did not plan to make a North American version due to disappointing sales of the car’s first production cycle. However, when the BMW Car Club of America initiated a popular letter-writing campaign, BMW finally relented. Production started in February 1994, and soon the high-performance ride hit showrooms nationwide. The 1995 M3 marked an improvement over previous years in overall refinement of the nameplate’s signature blend of luxury and performance.
Small sprint cars powered by motorcycle engines fall into either mini sprint or micro sprint classifications. The cars are very similar in design, differing primarily in their size, weight and engine displacement. Mini sprint cars are governed by the American Mini Sprint Association, and micro sprint cars are regulated by the Universal 600cc Sprint Association. The organizations publish rules that determine how cars must be configured in order to compete in sanctioned events.
The 2003 Mercedes Benz C230 was equipped with a DOHC 1.8-liter, in-line, four-cylinder supercharged engine that produced 189 horsepower and 192 foot-pounds of torque. The 2003 C230 came standard with air conditioning, power windows and door locks, and a six-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The 2003 C230 had an onboard diagnostic computer using the OBD-II system. The OBD-II system provides codes related to different faults that the vehicle is having. Diagnostic trouble codes is abbreviated as DTC.
Though the first compact luxury car that Mercedes-Benz offered was the 190, which it released in 1982, the C-Class – the “C” standing for “compact” – didn’t arrive until the 1994 model year. The 2001 C-Class came as either the base-level C240 or the top-level C320. The 2001 C240 has four side marker lights, two in the front and two in the back. The front lights double as the turn signal bulbs, but the rear lights don't perform double duty. Replacing the front or rear side marker bulbs on the 2001 C240 is a simple task that almost any owner…
The Northstar engine was a 90-degree V-8 engine produced by General Motors for -- among others -- its Cadillac marque. Production of the Northstar engine ceased in 2010; in the foreseeable future, Cadillacs will be fitted either with V-6 engines or a Chevrolet V-8.
The Mercedes Benz 500 SL is a two-door, two-wheel drive Grand Tourer sports car. The Baja 500 is a desert-based off-road race held annually in Mexico. The 500 SL being a low-profile sports car, it is ill-equipped for this form of competition. The vehicle could be entered, however, although other Mercedes Benz products are more suitable.
The 1982 Mercedes 240D is equipped with a 2.4-liter diesel four-cylinder engine that produces 72-horsepower and 106 foot-pounds of torque. The 1982 240D is equipped with a standard four-speed transmission, and a five-speed manual transmission is available. The alternator on the 1982 240D is responsible for charging the battery of the car. The alternator has a V-belt. separate from the air conditioning compressor. The 1982 240D alternator belt is adjusted by moving the alternator.
Volvo Penta engines can trace their lineage back to the beginning of the 20th century, when a Swedish engineer designed an engine to be used in his company's foundry. By the middle of the century, automaker Volvo had acquired the engine manufacturer and was looking for ways to bring unprecedented power to its cars. Thus, the Volvo Penta V-8 was born.
Audi buyers have long known Audi as a company that seems to always have a car to fit their needs. Having full access to the Volkswagen group of vehicles – Volkswagen, Bentley and Lamborghini – certainly helps them release an eclectic lineup of vehicles. The 2007 S8 made full use of this free rein by borrowing the most important component of this power machine from Lamborghini.
The mini JCB backhoe loader is a small backhoe made by J.C. Bamford Excavators LTD. Because of its smaller size, you can use it for smaller landscaping or digging jobs where a full sized backhoe is not necessary or is too large. Although you can easily maneuver this smaller machine into smaller areas, its operational use is similar to that of a full-size backhoe loader.
Volvo Penta, a prominent global supplier of power systems for marine and industrial applications, offers drives, propellers, auxiliary engines, accessories and complete engine systems. Although auto enthusiasts know the company as the co-developer of Volvo's first car, Volvo Penta's long history includes many marine innovations. Much of the company's history remains to be written, as Volvo Penta actively produces internal combustion engines for the modern era.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SD was built on the full-size W126 S-Class chassis. The 300 SD combined the reliability and serviceability of the German automaker's diesel engines with the refinement and luxury of its flagship S-Class sedans. The 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300 SD's power sunroof was a true luxury amenity at the time and offered a care-free driving option while maintaining the pampered feel synonymous with Mercedes sedans of the period.
The 2004 Volkswagen GLI 1.8T and GLI VR6 were sporty small family four-door sedans and five-door estate wagons. VW positioned the Jetta above the hatchback Golf. The 2004 Jetta was a member of the fourth-generation Jettas produced from 1999 to 2004. The GLI is the top-end trim level above the GL and GLS.
Cooper, a long-standing American engine company that introduced many engineering “firsts,” has gone through numerous name changes and iterations since its foundation in the 1830s. The company used the name Cooper-Besssemer from the 1920s through the 1960s, one of the most fondly remembered eras of its history. Much of the history of Cooper engines remains to be written; as of 2011, Cooper was still in the business of manufacturing engines and other products.
Ever heard of Josiah Franklin? If you haven't, then you're not alone. He was a little-known tallow chandler and soap boiler who lived in Boston during the 18th century. Mr. Franklin's only real claim to fame is that he fathered no less than 17 children, among them a little boy named Benjamin. The VW Quantum is the Josiah Franklin of the German car world; a humble and largely forgotten presence that went on to sire one of the most respected names in history.
The Mercedes 190E debuted in 1983 and was manufactured through the 1990s. Some models of the sports luxury sedan featured a sunroof. If the sunroof stops working, there are several courses of action a Mercedes owner can take to fix the problem. The three most common problems include a blown fuse, a bad sunroof switch or a dirty or jammed track. All of these problems can be repaired at home and don't require extensive mechanical experience.
The 2000 ML320 is a mid-sized SUV manufactured by Mercedes Benz. To operate the brake lights, there is a brake light switch connected to the brake pedal of the vehicle. When the pedal is depressed, the brake light switch turns on the brake lights. If the brake light switch begins to malfunction, your brake lights may not work properly. In this situation, replacing the brake light switch is your best course of action. Thankfully, it's a simple process that should only take a few minutes to complete.
The Passport 9500CI radar detector, made by Escort Radar, is a multi-component car radar and laser defense system. The Passport 9500CI device includes radar and laser receivers, display modules, a speaker, radio mute cable and interface module. The interface module contains all of the wire ports to connect to your audio system. Connecting a phone mute wire to the audio system allows the phone to automatically mute the radio when a call comes in. The Passport 9500CI mutes the radio with a similar wire when it activates. In order to install the phone mute wire, you are required to run…
The Mercedes-Benz C 230 Kompressor, like the rest of the German automaker's 1999 vehicles, utilized a central locking system. The trunk could be released via an electronic button inside the passenger cabin, or the remote key fob could be used to remotely open it. In the event of a dead battery, though, these convenience-oriented gadgets are rendered useless, and you must resort to opening the Mercedes' trunk manually.
The 1990 Mercedes-Benz SL has both a removable hard top and an electrically operated soft top, which can fold away completely when opened. As with most items operating electrically, they are great labor-saving devices when they are working. If the motorized unit fails on your Mercedes-Benz, however, you will need to know how to manually remove the soft top so you can enjoy the exhilaration of driving your German-manufactured sports car with the top down.
The 190E is a sports sedan manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 1984 to 1993. There is a fan switch on the central dashboard of the 190E to control the air conditioning of the vehicle. If the switch breaks, you can replace it fairly quickly using only a few tools. The fan switch is necessary for operating the air conditioning so it can be a nuisance driving around in extremely hot or cold weather with a broken fan switch.
The Malibu Mini X is a sporting kayak that is often transported to water via automobile. When transporting the Malibu Mini X kayak, secure it to the car with the proper rigging. Improper rigging may result in the detachment of the kayak from the roof rack which may endanger other drivers, cause a traffic accident or damage or destroy the kayak. To properly secure the kayak, the automobile must have a roof rack. Have a friend help you lift the kayak onto the roof of the car.
Smaller pulleys in the Mini Cooper S play a role in the operation of components such as the power steering pump and the alternator. You can usually install these pulleys in just a few hours, and the effects of the upgrade can range from unnoticeable to extensive, depending on the size of the pulley. Even novices can usually install this type of pulley, as long as they're willing to get their hands a bit dirty in the process.
Accessing wires inside the center stack on the Mini Cooper is a simple procedure when you want to access faulty wires, and perform do-it-yourself car modifications such as adding an aftermarket stereo, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation aids or DVD players. As with any electrical work on an automobile, disconnect the car battery's negative terminal using an adjustable wrench before starting your project.
If you have a Mercedes-Benz and an iPhone, you can pair these two gadgets with the official Mercedes iPhone app, "mbrace." This app can perform many functions, including acting as a wireless key remote, sending geographical information to the car's navigation system, calling for help, checking your account and finding or contacting a local dealer. This app is available for free from the iTunes App Store.
At the end of World War II much of Europe was in ruins. There were shortages of natural resources, food, electricity and gasoline. While Americans were enjoying relative prosperity, reflected in ever larger cars being produced in Detroit, European engineers tackled the challenge of providing economical, fuel efficient cars that could easily navigate the narrow and often bomb-riddled streets of European cities. The result was a variety of small, mini cars or microcars being produced throughout Europe until the early 1960s.
Stock VR6 fuel injectors were installed in a lot of Volkswagen automobiles, primarily the Passat. In the late 1980's the Volkswagen Group introduced a new 6-cylinder engine design, with staggered cylinders instead of a typical straight-six of conventional V6, with three cylinders on either side. The stock VR6 fuel injection system works the same as it does on the other engines, but was designed differently to accommodate the new engine.
BMW introduced its first motorcycle model, the R32, in 1923. In 1983, 60 years later, the Bavarian Motor Works introduced their K line of motorcycles with the K100. The K series was based on the idea of BMW engineer Josef Fritzenwenger to mount a longitudinally positioned in-line engine horizontally. The K100 series was powered by a liquid-cooled, four-cylinder engine with electronic fuel injection, a first for a BMW motorcycle. In 1986, BMW introduced the K75 series, which had three-cylinder engines.
The Mercedes-Benz 240D was perhaps the most durable diesel-powered Mercedes ever to hit the market. It had a successful production run from 1974 to 1985 with 454,780 units sold worldwide. In 1981 alone, 73,162 240Ds left showrooms. At its launch, Mercedes marketed the 240D model as its most luxurious. It was also the most expensive model at $7,712 ($33,707 in 2010 dollars.)
The Ferrari F1 racing team can trace it origins to Enzo Ferrari -- the founder of the famed high-performance racing and luxury sports car manufacturer -- organizing a racing team for Alfa Romeo for the 1920 Targa Florio race. The Alfa Romeo factory was destroyed in bombing raids during World War II, and Ferrari struck out on his own to develop a race car that exceed Alfa's initial brilliant performances on the track.
The nuvi 250 GPS unit by Garmin launched in 2007 as a choice for "the budget conscious consumer who is looking for basic navigation without all the bells and whistles of the higher end" nuvi models, as GPS Magazine put it. The model came with a 3.5-inch touch screen, turn-by-turn guidance and 6 million Points of Interest listings in its database, among other features. The 250 gained critical acclaim for its directional technology, with many options but also some limitations.
Mercedes-Benz has been producing diesel-powered passenger cars in various body styles since 1936. Diesel- and gasoline-powered Mercedes generally share the same body styles of the coupe, four-door sedan, station wagon, convertible and the sport utility vehicle. Diesel-powered Mercedes are more fuel-efficient and less expensive at the pump than gasoline versions, but are considerably more favored in Europe than in the United States.
The ST3 and ST4 S are both high-performance motorcycles made by the Italian company Ducati. The ST3 was last released for the 2007 model year, while the ST4 S last came out the 2005 model year. While both motorcycles have a few things in common, there are also differences in their specifications.
Automotive engineering has gone through a lot of evolution over the years, with the crush zone and other safety innovations being prime examples. The crush or crumple zone descends from a number of different racing technologies, with Formula 1 and Grand Prix racing contributing the lion's share of design philosophy.
BMW produced the R100 GS from 1988 to 1996. At the time of its launch, it was the largest production dirt bike available. The original "G/S" designated the R100 GS as a Gelände Strasse or country/street, and later the "GS" for Gelände Sport. The R100 Paris-Dakar, later called the R100 PD, joined the R100 GS in 1990. By1992, the GS version received some of the PD's fairing styling.
Heated motorcycle garments can make riding your BMW F800GS more comfortable when you're riding in poor weather and colder conditions. As a touring motorcycle, the F800GS features an on-board power adapter that accepts standard cigarette-lighter sized AC power supplies. This is what's used to serve power to the electrical heating elements embedded in the heated garments.
A number of things go into determining a vehicle's towing capacity. The first and most important is its Gross Combined Weight Rating, which is how much the truck the truck and trailer are federally rated for. Engine, transmission, drivetrain and hitch options can get the truck closer to its rated GCWR, but the unit as a whole can never exceed it.
Motor homes, travel trailers and fifth wheels can provide the comforts of home as you roll through the countryside or relax in the woods. But these houses on wheels can accumulate a lot of dirt on their travels and it's important to keep the vehicles as clean as possible to preserve the appearance and increase the lifespan of your rig.
Mercedes-Benz produced well over 160 types of engines since the automaker's inception in 1886 when it introduced its first gasoline-powered, belt-driven six-horsepower two-cylinder engine. Since then, Mercedes developed the V-12 in the 1930s and its conventional in-line four- and six-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines before launching a series of V-6s and V-8s, and a limited run of V-12s starting in the 1990s.
In 1957, the Classic Mini Cooper was born out of a desire to battle high gas prices in England. A car company executive asked a designer to create a small, fuel efficient, affordable car that could seat four adults. The result was the Mini Cooper. Innovations included moving the wheels to the edge, flattening the roof and turning the engine sideways. These made the car a top seller in Europe. In 2002, with the release of the new Mini Cooper, the car became available in the United States for the first time. It crossed the ocean with several new options,…
BMW produced the entry-level luxury E36 3 Series coupe, sedan, convertible, hatchback and the European wagon from 1992 to 1999. The E36 was part of the third generation of 3 Series compact cars that also included the E36 M3 performance model. Its sleek dolphin-shaped body style made it was one the most sporty luxury vehicles on the road in Europe and North America.
The 1950s were a sort of golden age for the newly formed Formula One racing series, a transitional period where prewar designs reached their zenith while playing host to some of the most legendary drivers the sport would ever know. This period would see the last and most advanced of the traditional Grand Prix car, which in the next decade gave way to the mid-engined configuration that we know today.
The V-8 powered supercar is perhaps one of the most beautiful contradictions known to man -- a heavyweight boxer with the grace of a ballerina, a sledgehammer with the precision of a scalpel. This combination of brute force and lithe capability has proven something of an ultimate trump card for nearly a century, laying the ultimate smack-down to any competitor with sporting pretensions and an attitude to match.
The 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 was the performance version of the 190E four-door sedan commonly called the "Baby Benz" in the United States for its small 104.9-inch wheelbase. Mercedes collaborated with the London-based Cosworth Technology Ltd. to produce the engine for a 31,000-mile high-speed endurance run in Nardo, Italy and subsequent use in production models.
Leather and leatherette, one name for artificial leather, are two materials commonly used in fashion and upholstery. Makers of purses, belts and shoes commonly use both materials. The auto and upholstery industries make extensive use of both leather and leatherette for seating material while the equestrian industry is increasingly producing high-quality leatherette saddles and bridles. Deciding between these two materials is easier if you know the basic differences between them.
The British sports car of the 1960s was king of the road in the United Kingdom. Many automakers, particular Lotus and Austin-Healy, demonstrated their prowess on European racing circuits. Their racing pedigree mattered less to North American buyers who bought two-seater roaders just for the pleasure of driving. British automakers generally produced sports cars in limited numbers. Few of those cars made it to U.S. shores, making them particularly rare among North American buyers.
The Mini Cooper has undergone numerous changes since the first version of the famed British compact hit the streets in 1961. A 2001 redesign and relaunch breathed new life into the Mini, which is now manufactured by BMW. For owners of Mini Coopers looking for custom detailing ideas, a variety of options are available.
The 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE is part of the 1968 to 1972 generation of SE four-door saloons, or sedans. It was the first luxury S-Class saloon. The 280 designation identifies the engine as having a 2.8-liter displacement. "SE" derived from the 1958 Mercedes 220 SE. The "E" denoted "Einspritzung," which means injection in German. Mercedes also produced the 280 SE 3.5, 280 SE 4.5 and 2380 SE 6.3, which had 3.5-, 4.5- and 6.3-liter V-8 engines, respectively
The Oliver 1250 and 1250A model tractors are antique tractors produced in the 1960s. The tractors were produced by Fiat in Italy and exported to Canada, where they were first imported by Cockshutt Farm Equipment of Ontario. The 1250A was the follow-up to the 1250 model.
