Friday, May 31, 2013

2011 Toyota Sienna LE SE and Limited



All too often, advertising is better than the product.

The advertising is great. I love the whole "Swagger Wagon", "Mommy Like" and "Daddy Like" thing.

The product is better.

Front 3/4 view of 2011 Toyota Sienna

You see, to me, minivan haters have it wrong. At least from a standpoint of timing. 15 years ago, minivans were dreadful. The original Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vans were expanding...and not gracefully. GM and Ford didnt have a clue and the Japanese were trying to be unique...and succeeding all too well. That would have been the time to rebel against them.

But now? There are some very, very good minivans out there. And the new Sienna is at the top of the list.

I had three different trim levels of Sienna over the summer. There are five. But the Swagger Wagons on loan to TireKicker were the one-step-up-from-base LE, the next-step SE and the top-of-the-line Limited.

The Limited? Well, lets just say that exposure to it caused one die-hard minivan-hater I know to go into a spasm of "Oh my God"s...and in a good way. Reclining captains chairs with footrests in the second row with which to enjoy the split screen entertainment system will do that to you. And the Limited is decked out very nicely. Its the Lexus of minivans. And ours had the $4,025 LTD Premium package. 

Base price? $39,770. As tested? $45,890.

Yeah...thats a lot for a minivan. But its good enough that if I was looking at family vehicles (SUVs, wagons, minivans) with a max budget of $50,000 (have you priced vehicles that seat seven lately), Id pop for the Sienna Limited in a heartbeat.

But if you listen to your inner CPA, stepping down to the SE is by no means trading riches for rags. Its a wonderfully solid piece, with the same engine and transmission as the Limited, but less weight, resulting in a boost from 16 miles per gallon city, 22 highway to 18/24. And its hard to argue with the savings...base price drops to $30,550 and our tester topped out at $33,518.

However, my favorite (no surprise to regular TireKicker readers) was the second-from-base LE. The 3.5 liter V6 is replaced by a 2.7 liter 4-cylinder which is more than adequate and bumps the EPA numbers up to 19/24. Base price drops down to $25,345 (ours had the LE Preferred Package, adding power sliding doors and drivers seat, backup camera, sunshades, upgraded audio system and Bluetooth) and the as-tested was $29,703.

Well-equipped minivans under $30K are not everyday things. But then, neither is the Sienna. Id happily make the LE my daily driver.
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Nissan Leaf Electric Car Reservations Start Tomorrow


Want the new Nissan Leaf? You need to register like...oh, now. And then stand by for a priority reservation tomorrow. Oh, and have money ($99) ready.

Full details in the Nissan press release.
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Automotive News Toyota Sales Up 40 Deep Discounting May Go Past End Of Month

 


Its a clear case of intended acceleration. Toyota sales are up 40% in the first 10 days of March and Automotive News says the financial incentives believed to be driving the sales may keep rolling beyond the end of the month.

Full story here.
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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Disassembly and reassembly of the front hub on a Toyota car Vista

Disassembly Using a screwdriver, remove the anthers and the inner gland (from the fist) of the knuckle holes. With the forceps for removing circlips remove the retaining ring from the knuckle. With a special puller, remove the hub from the knuckle. Now remove the inner bearing (from the knuckle) of the wheel bearing. With a special puller Pull the inner bearing from the wheel with the wheel hub. Use a screwdriver to remove the outer gland (from the wheel) from the opening the knuckle. Install the inner bearing from the knuckle, and with the help of a brass rod and a hammer knock out the bearing hub. If necessary, replace the hub bearing only in the package. Assembly through the press zapressuyte bearing in the knuckle bore. Install the outer gland (from the wheel). First, a uniformly rotating outer gland, set it to spec. the mounting gaskets, so that the step "groove" seal came into contact with the tab specials. devices. Then, with the help of professional. adaptation set in the gland opening the knuckle. Place the protective cover the front brake on the steering knuckle and tighten its mounting bolts to the knuckle. Zapressuyte wheel hub bearing in the hub (steering knuckle). For this purpose grease seal on the working edge of the universal grease and lay it in the space between the working edge of the gland and stuffing box with one hand and the bearing hub on the other. Then, with the mandrel and press zapressuyte hub into the bearing hub (steering knuckle). With the forceps for removing and installing the retaining rings, set the snap ring into the hole knuckle. Install the inner gland (from the knuckle). First, a uniformly rotating seal, place it in special devices for the installation of seals, so that the step "groove" seal came into contact with a projection of a special device. Then, with the mandrel, set the seal into the opening the knuckle. With the help of professional. fit into the opening set duster knuckle. Hub with swivel is ready to install on the car. If you want to stand out from the traffic, make tuning your car. Qualitative car tuning online magazine tuning studio. All the most useful and important information about tuning in our magazine. If you are fond of tuning, then this magazine is for you.

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6 Million GM Light Duty Trucks Under Fed Investigation Rusty Brakes


The feds say theyve had 110 complaints, 37 confirmed by dealer inspections. Full details from Automotive News (free registration required).
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How do I replace the fuel pump

Replace the fuel pump on the forces of any motorist. In that case, if the car will not start and battery and candles in order to inspect the fuel system. When the petrol does not flow into the filter, you want to check fuel pump. It is located under the rear seat, next to the fuel tank. And if the power is supplied, and the pump is not working, you need to take it off, check and change. Before you begin to lift the fuel pump, fuel tank needed emptying. Need to consider precautionary measures: fuel leak, and its vapors are toxic, avoid contact with skin, fuel, produce work near open flames, pay attention to ventilation, it is desirable to produce work in special clothes. So, unplug the mass of the battery, reduce fuel pressure, then remove the rear seats. Unscrew the lid, which is based on the four bolts. Cloth clear the plug and the place where the wire joins the fuel. Disconnect the plug unit of fuel. Clamps relax and disconnect the fuel hoses (they need to mark the tape). Disconnect the fuel supply unit, gently pull out from the fuel tank. Important: The fuel level sensor - not to damage during extraction. Fuel, which leaked to collect cloth. Disconnect the clamp, which fixes the holder and the pad of rubber disconnect, plug the fuel pump is detachable, the clamps open and pull out the fuel pump. Look around the net, through which fuel enters the pump, but usually without replacing the fuel pump (and filter, respectively) - can not do. Install in reverse order of disassembly. Please note that when installing the pump in the connecting hoses, need not break the connection fitting pump, so the pump must be straight. Anchoring clamp, shifts the plug connection, establishes the mount with rubber grip, install fuel pump in the holder, it is necessary to pull down. At the pump put on the locking clip, the unit fuel with a new gasket set in a fuel tank, anchoring, attach fuel hoses, sticking labels, secured by clamps. Connect a plug, fasten the lid, put in place the rear seats. Before you start the engine, to pressurize fuel.

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Mitsubishi To Triple Electric Car Output Sell i MiEV In U S In 2011


Mitsubishi says it plans to triple its electric car output over the next three years, and will sell the i-MiEV, currently on sale in Japan, here in the U.S. in 2011.

A seven-hour charge is good for up to 100 miles in the i-MiEV, according to Mitsu, but even they admit that its a pricey vehicle...it costs double what a Prius does in Japan...the equivalent of $51,000 in todays American dollars.

Full story from AP and The Detroit News here.
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