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#brake pads billings mt
heightscarcare · 1 year
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Are you wondering how often do brake pads need to be replaced?  Schedule a brake inspection to see if it's time to replace the brake rotors and brake pads.
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adriansmithcarslove · 6 years
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2019 Dodge Durango Pursuit Review: Hot Pursuer
Prepare to add a new grille design to that area of your brain that triggers the panic response of lifting and/or downshifting and/or braking when your peripheral rearview-mirror vision senses a police presence. In addition to the blacked-out maws of the Ford Taurus and Explorer, Chevrolet Tahoe and (increasingly rare) Caprice, and Dodge Charger, you’re going to need to start watching for the menacing grille of a Dodge Durango. Specifically, the higher-cooling grilles of the R/T and SRT models.
Dodge currently outsells Ford and Chevy in the police sedan biz but has been sitting out the hot-pursuit-ute competition. No longer. Starting late in the 2018 model year, the company rolled out a custom tailored Durango, which gets further tweaks for 2019. All-wheel drive and five-passenger seating is standard, with “bomb-bay” side-hinged doors covering the third-row seat stowage area where electronics for the police lighting and so forth can be mounted.
Engine choices include the base 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, each of which gets a beefy 200-amp alternator and a high-capacity 800-cold-cranking-amp battery from the Ram Cummins diesel to run all the lights, sirens, laptops, etc. There’s also pre-wiring for spotlights. Oh, and if you’re wondering why a “pursuit” vehicle doesn’t offer the stonking new 475-hp/470-lb-ft Durango SRT engine, there are two good reasons: 1) the engine is too expensive; and 2) providing the braking required for that hi-po engine inside an 18-inch wheel would have required too much re-engineering.
Because pursuing bad guys frequently requires jumping curbs, the only available tires are 265/60R18 Michelin Latitude Tours with nice, squishy sidewalls. The biggest brakes that fit within those 18-inch wheels are 13.8 inches in diameter in front, 13.0 in back, but high-performance pads are borrowed from the autobahn package that European export models get. That R/T and SRT grille and fascia are specified on this otherwise SXT Durango because of the added brake and engine cooling they provide. Other parts-bin chassis fortifications include R/T spring and shock damping rates, with Nivomat self-leveling rear shocks. The 6,200-7,200-pound tow rating and 6,500-7,100-pound gross-vehicle-weight rating (V-6 and V-8) carry over from civilian models, and trailer-brake controls are standard.
Inside there’s a specialized front center console with two 12-volt sockets, two USB jacks, an aux jack, and a “certified speedometer.” Three-zone climate control is also billed as “K-9 friendly.” Naturally, sensible black cloth upholstery is standard.
So how’s it drive? We only had a chance to sample the 5.7-liter Hemi variant, and it performed almost precisely like our R/T long-termer with squishier tires and a 100-pound-lighter weight (from deleting the third-row seat). We tried turning off the stability control, but it wakes right back up in a panic whenever you manage to incite a nice drifty bit of cornering. Still, it’s our bold prediction that any law-enforcement buyers with an ounce of automotive enthusiasm faced with similar “deals” on price between the Explorer, Tahoe, and Durango will appreciate the Dodge’s longer wheelbase, better driving position and package relative to the Explorer, and better weight-to-power relative to Tahoe. You have until this fall to condition your rearview-mirror reflexes.
2019 Dodge Durango (Pursuit) BASE PRICE $35,000 (est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINES 3.6L/293-295-hp/260-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6; 5.7L/360-hp/390-lb-ft OHV 16-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 4,850-5,200 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 119.8 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 201.2 x 75.8 x 70.9 in 0-60 MPH 6.4-7.6 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 14-18/22-25/17-21 mpg ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY 187-241/135-143 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.94-1.16 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Fall 2018
The post 2019 Dodge Durango Pursuit Review: Hot Pursuer appeared first on Motor Trend.
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timelessautosales · 7 years
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1941 Cadillac Series 75 Limo (MT) - $39,900
Exterior: Black Interior: Beige Transmission: Manual Engine: V-8
We are now offering this true Classic 1941 Series 75 Cadillac Limo Touring Sedan, this car has a V-8 2 barrel carburetor and is in very good running condition, and the engine compartment is very clean and detailed. There is no power steering, no power brakes, and no A/C. The undercarriage of this awesome 1941 Cadillac is straight and solid with very little surface rust found. The front and rear bumpers have been re-chromed at some time, and the rear bumper show’s some pitting where chrome is flaking off. The interior has gone through a complete restoration, from the seats being removed and re-padded & reupholstered to the headliner being removed and re-padded and reupholstered. The original carpeting and padding has been removed and replaced with new. The solid wood interior trim is still the original and has been refinished. On this year of Cadillac there were no blinkers, all of the lights dash, headlights, and tail lights are all in working condition. The newer radial tires are 15 inch with the original hub caps. The rear window section is an original glass division window car, but currently in operable. The window motor was rebuilt but still needs some attention to operate properly. Chassis Model Wheelbase Overall length Front Tread Rear Tread Tires Series 41-75 136 in (3454 mm) 226.125 in (5744 mm) 58.5 in (1486 mm) 62.5 in (1588 mm) 7.50 x 16 TECHNICAL Transmission Selective synchro manual transmission Speeds 3 forward, 1 reverse Drive position Left hand drive (Right hand optional except on 60S and 67)Gearshift location On column Clutch Single disc Drive Shaft drive Rear axle Hotchkiss, semi-floating rear axle, hypoid gears Overall ratio (60S, 61, 62, 63) 3.77 : 1 (opt. 3.36 : 1)Overall ratio (67, 75) 4.27 : 1 (opt. 3.77 : 1)Brakes Hydraulic brakes on four wheels Wheels Slotted disc wheels Wheel size 15 in. (16 in on 67 and 75) Drivetrain options Automatic transmission ($125.00), Hill-holder (Norol) $11.50 The original gauges are working The exterior chrome trim show’s some pitting, door handles, hood trim, and chrome along the side of the body. The exterior of this Cadillac has gone through a minor restoration some years back, and the newer black paint finish is in very good condition, and is extremely glossy. All of the body panels are very straight without waves; we believe that this car has all the original glass and all windows are in very good working condition. The original running boards are in good condition with newer rubber on step plate. The odometer is showing 75,952 miles, VIN#3341135. This car is being sold on a clean mileage Montana Title. “GET OUT AND DRIVE”
This vehicle is located in Billings MT 59106 Please call Frank @ 406-656-7733 to see this Limo
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robertkstone · 5 years
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2019 Hyundai Tucson AWD First Test: Going Up
How much are cute-ute buyers willing to pay? Hyundai aims to find out by offering the 2019 Tucson with a new unbadged (so discreet!) “Ultimate” trim level. As cute-ute money grabs go, Hyundai’s $2,650 premium relative to the Limited grade undercuts the $3,500 Subaru demands when upgrading from Limited to its new Touring trim on a Forster 2.5i. It’s also a considerably gentler bump than the $6,590 Mazda asks to upgrade a CX-5 Grand Touring to Signature spiffiness. Of course, the Mazda throws in the CX-9’s turbo engine while those other two leave the powertrains untouched.
OK, the Tucson Ultimate’s powertrain is definitely touched. Its newly offered 2.4-liter naturally aspirated engine and six-speed torque-converter automatic is billed as an “upgrade” from the 1.6-liter turbo and seven-speed twin-clutch automatic that powered the 2018 Value and Limited models, but it now powers the top four trim grades (SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate). That “upgrade” notion is a tough sell.
Power increases by 6 hp, but torque drops by 20 lb-ft. Making matters worse, comparing all-wheel-drive test samples, this six-speed’s gearing is 13–26 percent taller in the first three gears—a leverage deficit that isn’t compensated for by the launch-torque multiplication the torque converter provides. This posh new Tucson hit 60 mph in 8.8 seconds—that’s between 0.5 and 0.9 second slower than our last three Tucson 1.6T test vehicles, one of which was also heavier. Quarter-mile and figure-eight times trail the quickest of the 1.6T Tucsons by about a half second. None of this is meant to imply that the new Tucson feels lethargic or winded, per se. And of course torque converters launch and creep the way Americans expect them to, unlike twin-clutch trannies.
The Tucson’s quarter-mile performance ranks it in the bottom quartile of 40 similar CUVs we’ve tested recently, but more than half of those utes weigh more than this one’s 3,633 pounds. Its tidy dimensions and savvy chassis tuning stand it in better stead in our handling tests: It ranked in the top quartile in braking distance from 60 mph (118 feet) and figure-eight performance (27.6 seconds with an overall average lateral/longitudinal g-force vector of 0.60 g). Pure lateral grip is in the top 15 percent at 0.82 g. The news is considerably worse on the fuel economy front, however, where this Tucson’s EPA city/highway ratings of 21/26 mpg rank in the bottom 15/5 percent of the class.
A few editors wished for slightly suppler damping, but many lauded the chassis’ ability to quickly take a set in a turn and hang on through the switchbacks with minimal tire squeal. And on a day that involved running several CUVs around our figure-eight course—including that Signature CX-5—road test editor Chris Walton praised the Tucson’s “excellent throttle response, responsive manual mode on the shift lever, good brake pedal feel, ease of transitioning from braking into cornering, and good balance on the skidpad with sharp steering. It might not be the quickest, but it sure feels good doing this.” (Meanwhile, that Mazda was stymied by an overeager and undefeatable stability control system.)
Still, the logbook notes suggest that most hearts won over by this Tucson were won by its deluxe interior, not its dynamics. Senior production editor Zach Gale noted, “Wow, this interior. Two-tone seats with contrasting piping and stitching and a two-tone dash? At this price?” Note that some of those beautiful parts feel a tad cheap to the touch, however. Features editor Scott Evans declared Hyundai “the leader in infotainment. Their touchscreen user interface is friendlier and cleaner than anyone else’s, and you still get all the redundant buttons you need. The addition of a higher resolution 360-degree camera system just put it over the top.” The heated back seats offer great thigh support, cushier padding than most, and a limolike 18 positions of seat back recline, adjustable via a convenient lever on the side of the seat cushion. Head- and shoulder room are class competitive, but rear-seat legroom is on the tight side. And accessing the rear thrones is a breeze through doors that open almost 90 degrees wide. One odd unique selling proposition: The 60/40 split-folding rear seat back has the wide side on the right.
So does the ultimate Tucson deliver $33,995 worth of value? Sure, so long as you’re not an mpg-obsessed hypermiler. We appreciate its upscale design inside and out, the super-long warranty (10 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain!), and the all-inclusive nature of the price, which includes all the latest IIHS Top Safety Pick–earning safety gear, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, pano roof, etc. You merely select among the nine (free!) color options and a few inexpensive dealer-installed things like floormats and cargo shades. All it needs to earn a Genesis badge is an upgrade in the interior materials quality and a powertrain that’ll rank it in the top quartile of a tougher peer group.
2019 Hyundai Tucson HTRAC (Ultimate) BASE PRICE $33,995 PRICE AS TESTED $34,120 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.4L/181-hp/175-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,633 lb (58/42%) WHEELBASE 105.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 176.4 x 72.8 x 64.8 in 0-60 MPH 8.8 sec QUARTER MILE 16.7 sec @ 84.1 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 118 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.6 sec @ 0.60 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 21/26/23 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 160/130 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.84 lb/mile
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bestautochicago · 6 years
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2018 Lexus LS 500 First Test Review: Devil is In the Details
The Lexus LS has been taking it to the German triumvirate since the days when Audi was best-known for something it would rather forget. The first LS 400 changed the luxury dynamic with its unimpeachable quality and refinement, but the LS family has never quite achieved the cachet of some of its competitors. The outgoing model was no exception to that, still following the same formula of quality first and design second. This new 2018 Lexus LS, though, hopes to break the streak and shock the Germans, Americans, and now Koreans the way it did back in ’89.
Read a special feature on the 1991 Lexus LS 400 (and 1991 Acura NSX) right here
The heftiest arrow in its quiver is its unapologetic design. The Lexus “Spindle Grille” and its accompanying flourishes have been extremely polarizing, but there’s no denying sales have risen since the design language was introduced. This latest iteration is one of the best, we think, though perhaps we’re just getting used to it at this point. It’s not as good as the LC coupe it shares a platform with, but it’s less bad than the rest of the lineup.
The polarizing design carries over to the interior, as well. Once as conservative as the exterior, the LS’ new seating gallery is unmistakably Lexus. The door panels, in particular, caught our eye with their visually stimulating curves, layers, and use of materials. Likewise, we found the stitched leather surrounding the individual gauges a fresh and appealing touch and the semihidden vents integrated into the horizontal trim a neat execution. We were far less enamored with the hotel hallway art on the passenger’s side of the dash and the two handle bars hanging off the instrument binnacle.
Those knobs, controlling driving mode and stability control, are a good jumping off point for a discussion of the electronics package. On the whole, it’s a suite of good ideas with questionable execution.
Our greatest ire rests, as always, with the infotainment system and its track-pad controller. Although we appreciate the large screen, it’s only become more layered with menus and harder to navigate. At the same time, ever more functions have been buried there for you to find. As but one example, the seat heating and cooling controls are now beneath two menus. Turning either on starts with pushing the button with the picture of a seat or swiping several times over to the seat controls menu and clicking the pad. Once the seat menu is up, you must swipe down several times to get to the heating and cooling controls and click on them. Then you can swipe over to the controls for the seat you want and swipe up or down several times to get the level of heating or cooling you want. This is madness. Lexus would prefer you simply set your preferences in the system to have the heater or cooler come on when you start the car at given external temperatures, assuming you want the exact same experience every time you get in the car.
What’s truly infuriating about the infotainment system, though, is that Lexus knows better. We know this because our test car was equipped with the Luxury Package, which includes power reclining executive rear seats controlled by a touchscreen integrated into the center armrest. This screen is as intuitively laid out and easy to use—the main screen up front isn’t. Why, Lexus?
Other examples of questionable technological implementation abound. The enormous head-up display (HUD) is a great party trick, but why is your speed, the most useful piece of information, shoved way off to the side while the lane keeping system gets center billing? Why does it stay over there out of your direct line of sight even when lane keeping is turned off? The HUD also displays a frontal cross traffic alert so you don’t pull out in front of a car crossing your path. It’s a nice idea if you’re pulling out of an alley, but when you’re sitting at a stoplight and it’s going off constantly and taking over the entire HUD with flashing yellow arrows, the only information you want is how to turn it off. Finally, we must ask why the dash beeps at you when the car is in reverse. This isn’t a commercial vehicle.
It’s certainly not all bad, though. We found the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping systems to work well and ease long drives. The rear seat control screen is, as noted, very well executed. Those seats themselves are very comfortable and offer a very serene chauffeur experience. The front passenger’s seat folds up and moves all the way against the dash to give the passenger behind an enormous amount of space to stretch out, and it doesn’t block the passenger door mirror in the process.
It’s less optimal for the person sitting behind the driver. Although the new LS is even longer than the old long-wheelbase model, there’s still a disappointing amount of rear legroom with the front seats in their normal location. While the captain of industry on the passenger’s side can get the front seat out of the way, the spouse or business partner or whomever on the driver’s side will find it surprisingly small for such a big luxury car.
Still, it’s far from a bad place to spend a ride. The leather is sumptuous and the environment supremely quiet and relaxing. The Mark Levinson stereo is as velvety on the ears as anything coming out of Germany, and the car’s build quality is as impeccable as always. Our only suggestion on the luxury front would be to opt for the smaller 19-inch wheels rather than the 20s our car is rolling on. The heavier shoes with skinny run-flat tires undo some of the optional air suspension’s hard work rolling hard over road imperfections and introducing an unwarranted brittleness to the ride quality.
The new LS otherwise drives and rides as effortlessly as you’d expect from a flagship luxury sedan. Large road deformities are dispatched easily, and yet the car handles as well as you’d expect of one this size. It’s tighter and more responsive than the outgoing car but with no obvious sacrifice to ride quality. We would prefer more responsive throttle and brake pedals, but their softness suits the car and doesn’t hurt measurable performance.
Indeed, the new LS very much keeps the promise of a quicker and yet more efficient car, thanks to its new 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 and 10-speed automatic. The downsized mill returns a potent 416 hp and 442 lb-ft to the old, naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8’s 386 hp and 367 lb-ft while improving fuel economy from 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway to 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
The new powertrain similarly outperforms on a test track, needing 5.3 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop, down from 5.6 seconds for the V-8. Stopping from that speed has likewise been reduced from 119 feet to 109-113 in the three cars we tested. Although drag racing is hardly a luxury sedan’s MO, those curious will be happy to learn the LS’ quarter-mile time has dropped from 14.1 seconds to 13.7, and trap speed has increased from 101.5 mph to 103.0. Some of this is attributable to our test car being equipped with all-wheel drive and the last V-8 LS 460 we tested utilizing rear-wheel drive, namely the initial launch, but not all. When we tested a rear-drive 2018 LS 500, that car completed the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 102.8 mph.
Improvements to the handling are also more than subjective—the new LS out-grips the old car, too. Skidpad grip has increased from 0.82 average g to 0.85-0.86 among the three LS cars we tested, and figure-eight performance has improved from 27.2 seconds at 0.68 average g to 25.7 seconds at 0.73 average g (the rear-drive model was good for a 26.3-second time at 0.71 average g). The all-wheel drive helps some, but it’s prone to understeer at the limit and must be managed for a quick lap.
At the end, we return the new LS encouraged by its big leap forward in luxury and equally frustrated by its shortcomings. The car is a huge step forward from its conservative, long in the tooth predecessor. It’s properly equipped to take on the world’s best luxury sedans. At the same time, though, it’s let down by technology that’s more stressful than helpful and a comparative dearth of space. We like the new LS almost as much as we like what it has the potential to be, and we hope this time there will be continual improvement to get it there.
2018 Lexus LS 500 2018 Lexus LS 500 AWD 2018 Lexus LS 500 F Sport (AWD) BASE PRICE TBD $85,000 (est) TBD PRICE AS TESTED TBD $103,000 (est) TBD VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic 10-speed automatic 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,914 lb (52/48%) 5,103 lb (54/46%) 4,774 lb (53/47%) WHEELBASE 123.0 in 123.0 in 123.0 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.1 in 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.5 in 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.9 in 0-60 MPH 5.3 sec 5.3 sec 5.2 sec QUARTER MILE 13.8 sec @ 102.8 mph 13.7 sec @ 103.0 mph 13.6 sec @ 103.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 110 ft 113 ft 109 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.86 g (avg) 0.85 g (avg) 0.86 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.3 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) 25.7 sec @ 0.73 g (avg) 25.7 sec @ 0.73 g (avg) REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 18.8/32.6/23.2 mpg – – EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 19/29/23 mpg (mfr est) 18/27/21 mpg 18/27/21 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 177/116 kW-hrs/100 miles 187/125 kW-hrs/100 miles 187/125 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.86 lb/mile 0.92 lb/mile 0.92 lb/mile
Source: http://chicagoautohaus.com/2018-lexus-ls-500-first-test-review-devil-is-in-the-details/
from Chicago Today https://chicagocarspot.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/2018-lexus-ls-500-first-test-review-devil-is-in-the-details/
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heightscarcare · 2 years
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Brake Pad & Rotors Replacement Needed? Bring your car at Brake Shop- Heights Car Care Located at 1320 Main Street #1, Billings, MT 59105. Call 406-259-4740
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heightscarcare · 2 years
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Wondering what is the average life of brake pads?  Ask a brake specialist at Heights Car Care about a needed brake replacement.
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heightscarcare · 3 years
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Wondering when should brake pads be replaced?  Ask a brake specialist at Heights Car Care about replacing brake rotors and brake pads.
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heightscarcare · 3 years
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Curious about what is the average lifetime of brake rotors?  Ask a brake specialist at Heights Car Care about when to replace brake pads and rotors.
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heightscarcare · 4 years
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Wondering how often should brake rotors be replaced?  Ask a brake repair specialist at Heights Car Care about replacing brake pads and rotors.
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robertkstone · 6 years
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2019 Dodge Durango Pursuit Review: Hot Pursuer
Prepare to add a new grille design to that area of your brain that triggers the panic response of lifting and/or downshifting and/or braking when your peripheral rearview-mirror vision senses a police presence. In addition to the blacked-out maws of the Ford Taurus and Explorer, Chevrolet Tahoe and (increasingly rare) Caprice, and Dodge Charger, you’re going to need to start watching for the menacing grille of a Dodge Durango. Specifically, the higher-cooling grilles of the R/T and SRT models.
Dodge currently outsells Ford and Chevy in the police sedan biz but has been sitting out the hot-pursuit-ute competition. No longer. Starting late in the 2018 model year, the company rolled out a custom tailored Durango, which gets further tweaks for 2019. All-wheel drive and five-passenger seating is standard, with “bomb-bay” side-hinged doors covering the third-row seat stowage area where electronics for the police lighting and so forth can be mounted.
Engine choices include the base 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, each of which gets a beefy 200-amp alternator and a high-capacity 800-cold-cranking-amp battery from the Ram Cummins diesel to run all the lights, sirens, laptops, etc. There’s also pre-wiring for spotlights. Oh, and if you’re wondering why a “pursuit” vehicle doesn’t offer the stonking new 475-hp/470-lb-ft Durango SRT engine, there are two good reasons: 1) the engine is too expensive; and 2) providing the braking required for that hi-po engine inside an 18-inch wheel would have required too much re-engineering.
Because pursuing bad guys frequently requires jumping curbs, the only available tires are 265/60R18 Michelin Latitude Tours with nice, squishy sidewalls. The biggest brakes that fit within those 18-inch wheels are 13.8 inches in diameter in front, 13.0 in back, but high-performance pads are borrowed from the autobahn package that European export models get. That R/T and SRT grille and fascia are specified on this otherwise SXT Durango because of the added brake and engine cooling they provide. Other parts-bin chassis fortifications include R/T spring and shock damping rates, with Nivomat self-leveling rear shocks. The 6,200-7,200-pound tow rating and 6,500-7,100-pound gross-vehicle-weight rating (V-6 and V-8) carry over from civilian models, and trailer-brake controls are standard.
Inside there’s a specialized front center console with two 12-volt sockets, two USB jacks, an aux jack, and a “certified speedometer.” Three-zone climate control is also billed as “K-9 friendly.” Naturally, sensible black cloth upholstery is standard.
So how’s it drive? We only had a chance to sample the 5.7-liter Hemi variant, and it performed almost precisely like our R/T long-termer with squishier tires and a 100-pound-lighter weight (from deleting the third-row seat). We tried turning off the stability control, but it wakes right back up in a panic whenever you manage to incite a nice drifty bit of cornering. Still, it’s our bold prediction that any law-enforcement buyers with an ounce of automotive enthusiasm faced with similar “deals” on price between the Explorer, Tahoe, and Durango will appreciate the Dodge’s longer wheelbase, better driving position and package relative to the Explorer, and better weight-to-power relative to Tahoe. You have until this fall to condition your rearview-mirror reflexes.
2019 Dodge Durango (Pursuit) BASE PRICE $35,000 (est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINES 3.6L/293-295-hp/260-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6; 5.7L/360-hp/390-lb-ft OHV 16-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 4,850-5,200 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 119.8 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 201.2 x 75.8 x 70.9 in 0-60 MPH 6.4-7.6 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 14-18/22-25/17-21 mpg ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY 187-241/135-143 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.94-1.16 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Fall 2018
The post 2019 Dodge Durango Pursuit Review: Hot Pursuer appeared first on Motor Trend.
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robertkstone · 6 years
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2018 Lexus LS 500 First Test Review: Devil is In the Details
The Lexus LS has been taking it to the German triumvirate since the days when Audi was best-known for something it would rather forget. The first LS 400 changed the luxury dynamic with its unimpeachable quality and refinement, but the LS family has never quite achieved the cachet of some of its competitors. The outgoing model was no exception to that, still following the same formula of quality first and design second. This new 2018 Lexus LS, though, hopes to break the streak and shock the Germans, Americans, and now Koreans the way it did back in ’89.
Read a special feature on the 1991 Lexus LS 400 (and 1991 Acura NSX) right here
The heftiest arrow in its quiver is its unapologetic design. The Lexus “Spindle Grille” and its accompanying flourishes have been extremely polarizing, but there’s no denying sales have risen since the design language was introduced. This latest iteration is one of the best, we think, though perhaps we’re just getting used to it at this point. It’s not as good as the LC coupe it shares a platform with, but it’s less bad than the rest of the lineup.
The polarizing design carries over to the interior, as well. Once as conservative as the exterior, the LS’ new seating gallery is unmistakably Lexus. The door panels, in particular, caught our eye with their visually stimulating curves, layers, and use of materials. Likewise, we found the stitched leather surrounding the individual gauges a fresh and appealing touch and the semihidden vents integrated into the horizontal trim a neat execution. We were far less enamored with the hotel hallway art on the passenger’s side of the dash and the two handle bars hanging off the instrument binnacle.
Those knobs, controlling driving mode and stability control, are a good jumping off point for a discussion of the electronics package. On the whole, it’s a suite of good ideas with questionable execution.
Our greatest ire rests, as always, with the infotainment system and its track-pad controller. Although we appreciate the large screen, it’s only become more layered with menus and harder to navigate. At the same time, ever more functions have been buried there for you to find. As but one example, the seat heating and cooling controls are now beneath two menus. Turning either on starts with pushing the button with the picture of a seat or swiping several times over to the seat controls menu and clicking the pad. Once the seat menu is up, you must swipe down several times to get to the heating and cooling controls and click on them. Then you can swipe over to the controls for the seat you want and swipe up or down several times to get the level of heating or cooling you want. This is madness. Lexus would prefer you simply set your preferences in the system to have the heater or cooler come on when you start the car at given external temperatures, assuming you want the exact same experience every time you get in the car.
What’s truly infuriating about the infotainment system, though, is that Lexus knows better. We know this because our test car was equipped with the Luxury Package, which includes power reclining executive rear seats controlled by a touchscreen integrated into the center armrest. This screen is as intuitively laid out and easy to use—the main screen up front isn’t. Why, Lexus?
Other examples of questionable technological implementation abound. The enormous head-up display (HUD) is a great party trick, but why is your speed, the most useful piece of information, shoved way off to the side while the lane keeping system gets center billing? Why does it stay over there out of your direct line of sight even when lane keeping is turned off? The HUD also displays a frontal cross traffic alert so you don’t pull out in front of a car crossing your path. It’s a nice idea if you’re pulling out of an alley, but when you’re sitting at a stoplight and it’s going off constantly and taking over the entire HUD with flashing yellow arrows, the only information you want is how to turn it off. Finally, we must ask why the dash beeps at you when the car is in reverse. This isn’t a commercial vehicle.
It’s certainly not all bad, though. We found the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping systems to work well and ease long drives. The rear seat control screen is, as noted, very well executed. Those seats themselves are very comfortable and offer a very serene chauffeur experience. The front passenger’s seat folds up and moves all the way against the dash to give the passenger behind an enormous amount of space to stretch out, and it doesn’t block the passenger door mirror in the process.
It’s less optimal for the person sitting behind the driver. Although the new LS is even longer than the old long-wheelbase model, there’s still a disappointing amount of rear legroom with the front seats in their normal location. While the captain of industry on the passenger’s side can get the front seat out of the way, the spouse or business partner or whomever on the driver’s side will find it surprisingly small for such a big luxury car.
Still, it’s far from a bad place to spend a ride. The leather is sumptuous and the environment supremely quiet and relaxing. The Mark Levinson stereo is as velvety on the ears as anything coming out of Germany, and the car’s build quality is as impeccable as always. Our only suggestion on the luxury front would be to opt for the smaller 19-inch wheels rather than the 20s our car is rolling on. The heavier shoes with skinny run-flat tires undo some of the optional air suspension’s hard work rolling hard over road imperfections and introducing an unwarranted brittleness to the ride quality.
The new LS otherwise drives and rides as effortlessly as you’d expect from a flagship luxury sedan. Large road deformities are dispatched easily, and yet the car handles as well as you’d expect of one this size. It’s tighter and more responsive than the outgoing car but with no obvious sacrifice to ride quality. We would prefer more responsive throttle and brake pedals, but their softness suits the car and doesn’t hurt measurable performance.
Indeed, the new LS very much keeps the promise of a quicker and yet more efficient car, thanks to its new 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 and 10-speed automatic. The downsized mill returns a potent 416 hp and 442 lb-ft to the old, naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8’s 386 hp and 367 lb-ft while improving fuel economy from 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway to 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
The new powertrain similarly outperforms on a test track, needing 5.3 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop, down from 5.6 seconds for the V-8. Stopping from that speed has likewise been reduced from 119 feet to 109-113 in the three cars we tested. Although drag racing is hardly a luxury sedan’s MO, those curious will be happy to learn the LS’ quarter-mile time has dropped from 14.1 seconds to 13.7, and trap speed has increased from 101.5 mph to 103.0. Some of this is attributable to our test car being equipped with all-wheel drive and the last V-8 LS 460 we tested utilizing rear-wheel drive, namely the initial launch, but not all. When we tested a rear-drive 2018 LS 500, that car completed the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 102.8 mph.
Improvements to the handling are also more than subjective—the new LS out-grips the old car, too. Skidpad grip has increased from 0.82 average g to 0.85-0.86 among the three LS cars we tested, and figure-eight performance has improved from 27.2 seconds at 0.68 average g to 25.7 seconds at 0.73 average g (the rear-drive model was good for a 26.3-second time at 0.71 average g). The all-wheel drive helps some, but it’s prone to understeer at the limit and must be managed for a quick lap.
At the end, we return the new LS encouraged by its big leap forward in luxury and equally frustrated by its shortcomings. The car is a huge step forward from its conservative, long in the tooth predecessor. It’s properly equipped to take on the world’s best luxury sedans. At the same time, though, it’s let down by technology that’s more stressful than helpful and a comparative dearth of space. We like the new LS almost as much as we like what it has the potential to be, and we hope this time there will be continual improvement to get it there.
2018 Lexus LS 500 2018 Lexus LS 500 AWD 2018 Lexus LS 500 F Sport (AWD) BASE PRICE TBD $85,000 (est) TBD PRICE AS TESTED TBD $103,000 (est) TBD VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic 10-speed automatic 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,914 lb (52/48%) 5,103 lb (54/46%) 4,774 lb (53/47%) WHEELBASE 123.0 in 123.0 in 123.0 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.1 in 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.5 in 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.9 in 0-60 MPH 5.3 sec 5.3 sec 5.2 sec QUARTER MILE 13.8 sec @ 102.8 mph 13.7 sec @ 103.0 mph 13.6 sec @ 103.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 110 ft 113 ft 109 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.86 g (avg) 0.85 g (avg) 0.86 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.3 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) 25.7 sec @ 0.73 g (avg) 25.7 sec @ 0.73 g (avg) REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/C from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://ift.tt/2C4qqrR via IFTTT
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