Ed Bozarth - Newsletter: Find Chevrolet Articles, Specials, Vehicle Maintenance Tips

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

We have just received an all new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox into our Top Speed test fleet and it will certainly be interesting to try out the crossover that started the trend at GM. Crossovers are interesting vehicles, they utilize many of the same construction techniques as smaller cars, like unit body construction, transverse mounted engines and independent rear suspensions that allows owners to have the practicality of a truck while paying the gas bill of a car. That is mainly in part to our Equinox’s direct injected 3.0 Liter V6 engine that makes 264 HP and 222 lb-ft of torque and is connected to a fuel efficient six speed automatic transmission. Our car was an all wheel drive model, so it gets an EPA estimated 17 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, not bad for almost 100 cubic feet of passenger room. However, this particular Equinox is not the most efficient of the bunch, a front wheel drive 2.4 Liter direct injected four cylinder making 182 HP will get as much as 32 MPG on the highway, that is not far off from the government mandated 35 MPG Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations.

Don’t let the numbers fool you, the Equinox is more than just a boring old gas sipper, it is also a very fun people mover full of high tech creature comforts on the inside and a couple of stylish touches on the outside. Our Equinox rides on optional 18 inch ten spoke machined aluminum wheels that give the CUV a much more rugged look, everything from 17 to 19 inch rims are available. Chevrolet’s design team also took great care in applying just the right amount of shiny chrome trim around the grill opening, fog light surround and window frames. The interior is dressed up with two tone leather chairs held together by red stitching, a theme that continues onto the door cards and steering wheel. Just like the seats, the dash features contrasting tones that really make it an attractive interior. Continued after the jump. The real beauty of this kind of vehicle are the electronic gadgets hidden inside that entertain passengers and make life easier for the driver. The oversized sunroof lets in enough light to brighten up any occasion and the power lift gate can be an invaluable tool when both arms are occupied holding onto brown paper grocery bags. One of the nicest features is that when you double click the key fob to unlock the doors, the Equinox will automatically lower all four windows, allowing fresh air to flow throughout the cabin. It is nice to see that our Equinox came equipped with a back up camera, and that the lines that turn with the steering wheel. The infotainment system consists of an AM/FM/XM radio with AUX and USB inputs, voice guided turn by turn navigation, 40 GB hard drive for storing tunes and a CD/DVD player that will feed images to some of the nicest factory rear seat entertainment setup with the flip up screens integrated into rear of front seats.

Cash for Clunkers Car Buying Stimulus Program

Cash for Clunkers — now officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) — is a federal program signed into law by President Obama on June 24, 2009. The Cash for Clunkers 2009 program is meant to encourage consumers to trade in older, less fuel-efficient vehicles for new vehicles that get better fuel economy by providing a credit of either $3,500 or $4,500. There are also credits available for some very large vans, SUVs and pickup trucks irrespective of their fuel economy. Modeled after several programs that have already been successfully implemented in Europe, the Cash for Clunkers program covers qualifying transactions that occur between July 1 and November 1, 2009 (or until the funds allocated to the program are exhausted).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was tasked with hashing out the details and implementing the Cash for Clunkers program.

The program divides cars, trucks, SUVs and vans into four categories, in most cases based on weight and length of their wheelbase. Vehicles that are traded in are to be destroyed, not resold, and the base manufacturer's suggested retail price of the new replacement vehicle cannot exceed $45,000. Miles-per-gallon (mpg) figures set out below refer to the EPA's published "combined" mpg.

If you have a used vehicle you want to trade in that is worth more than $4,500, the Cash for Clunkers program will probably not make financial sense for you.

We recommend that you use our Cash for Clunkers calculator to evaluate whether you might want to take advantage of the program. You may also find it helpful to review the following chart in which we show, for each category of used vehicle, the mileage requirements to receive a credit (and the amount of the credit).

Fire up the engine and let's have a carbecue
Don't bother turning the oven on, prepare dinner on the go - in your car

When it's 115 degrees outside, the last thing you want to do is turn on an oven.

Why not make your car do the work instead? It's already parked outside, soaking up the sun. All you have to do is harness some of that heat. Talk about energy efficient!

We tried three different methods of vehicular cuisine. Here's how our food turned out.

Car dogs

It's possible to cook just about anything on your car engine, except soup.

Obviously, you don't want to drive around the block 300 times just to cook dinner. That would be a waste of gas and time. Rather, if you're already driving somewhere, find something to cook that fits into your travel plans.

A quick trip is long enough to heat up hot dogs or a sandwich, while longer drives make for dishes like braised meats or vegetables.

Cooking times vary, depending on your car and how fast you drive.

On average, engine block food is going to take longer than a conventional oven but far less time than a crockpot. Hot dogs will take about 30 miles, while a pot roast will be more like the drive from here to Los Angeles. In traffic.

Here's how to do it:

Wrap the food completely in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Find a hot spot on the engine for your food. First drive for a few minutes, turn off the car and check under the hood. Find the hottest spot by lightly (and quickly) touching your finger to metal parts on the engine. You could also dribble some water on the engine — the hottest parts are the ones that sizzle the most.

Once your food is securely placed on the engine, add enough crumpled foil around it to keep the package snug, even while you're speeding down the freeway.

Dash cookies

While Meat Loaf saw paradise by the dashboard light, we see an opportunity for fresh cookies.

A vehicle's window acts like a greenhouse, trapping heat inside. That means the temperature in a closed car can climb as much as 40 degrees in about 10 minutes, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.

That kind of heat is deadly for kids and pets, of course. But it's perfect conditions for baking.

Here's how to do it:

Prepare your favorite cookie dough recipe. Slice evenly and place on lightly oiled baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet on top of your vehicle's dashboard. (Use towels underneath the sheet if you're worried about any possible damage to the dash.)

Let the cookies sit, about three hours. Total cooking time depends on a lot of variables, including the temperature outside, the size of your car and the direction you're parked. (Note: In our totally scientific experiment, three hours was not quite enough time.)

You'll have to feel the cookies for doneness, since the sugar does not brown and caramelize the way it does inside an oven.

Hood eggs

People always say it's hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Is it?

Not so much. According to the Library of Congress, an egg needs a temperature of 158 degrees to become firm.

In order to cook, proteins in the egg must modify, then coagulate, and that won't happen until the temperature rises enough to start and maintain the process.

Sidewalk temperatures, though scorching hot, vary depending on composition, amount of sunlight, humidity and the temperature of the air around it. Even the hottest blacktop only gets to about 145 degrees.

We figured the hood of a car might be a better conductor of heat, mimicking the metal of a skillet.

We were wrong.

Our eggs didn't exactly cook, but perhaps we didn't have a hot enough car. I guess we'll have to wait until the next 158 degree day.

Top Off Your Washer Fluid

From Matthew Wright,

A clean windshield can be very important in terms of your safety. If you can't see, you can't drive! Or you shouldn't be driving. Luckily, there's no excuse for driving with a dirty windshield since your car came equipped with its own cleaning system. All you have to do is keep the bottle full and pull the little lever inside the car.

Summer and Winter
A clean windshield is important all year long, but as long as you use real windshield washer fluid (come on, it's cheaper than bottled water!) you have a built-in anti-icing system, too. Washer fluid doesn't freeze, so if you spray it onto your windshield when you have some freezing problems, it helps to break down the frozen layer.

Fill It Up
It's a one-step deal. With your hood open and safely propped, look for the opaque white plastic bottle with the picture of the windshield and wipers on the cap, which is usually blue.

Pop it open or unscrew it, and fill 'er up! You don't have to be scientific about it, putting too much in won't hurt anything. Done!