product review
Product reviews for car care, performance parts, tools, equipment and auto accessories.
The Honda Quality Paradox: Why Older Models Often Outlast Newer Ones.
Obviously, we’ve all seen it—or maybe even lived it: in a lot of countries, the first car people drive is a Honda. And they last. Toyota’s right there too, but Honda is still one of the big names. But why? Shouldn't all cars be basically the same? That’s what I used to think a few years ago.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
The Muscle Car Meltdown: Why Camaro and Mustang Sales Are Stalling.
A simple example is the Ford Mustang. A while back, people weren’t too happy when Ford dropped an inline-4 turbo engine into the Mustang. It didn’t really fit the image, and now that version has been discontinued. But that’s just how things are now—people have moved on to cars that are more economical. The days of V8 muscle cars dominating the streets are kind of over.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Conquering 1000 HP: Engineering Hurdles for Chevrolet’s Corvette Engines
Chevrolet recently announced that they have a special edition of the Corvette that produces 1,000 HP from a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Obviously, you know that turbocharging stresses the engine, and engineers have to make strong parts for it. Those of you who are familiar with tuning will understand how difficult it is to make a 1,000 HP engine that is safe for daily driving; hence, that is probably what Chevrolet engineers are facing; however, that is not a big problem now.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Why Are Tesla Sales Slipping?
Outside of Musk’s political drama, Tesla is slowly starting to lose its appeal. For years, they’ve basically stuck with the same handful of models and haven’t done much in the way of major updates. Eventually, people are going to get bored and start looking at other brands. And that’s not even counting the Cybertruck mess and all the other weird stuff going on.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Why Tesla Is Pushing for Lower EV Tariffs
There's no way Tesla can make all their cars in just one country—it's just not possible nowadays. One part might be made in Canada, others in Mexico or China. Why? Cost. Sometimes it's way cheaper to have a part made somewhere else than to do it in-house.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Volkswagen vs. Competitors: Why Does VW Favor Front-Wheel Drive?
As far as I know, VW switched to FWD for the Golf because they needed a more modern car. The Beetle and other rear-engined cars were based on older technology from the 1930s. Plus, rear-engine layouts were becoming less popular, and VW probably felt the need to keep up with the times. Besides, it’s almost impossible to fit a boxer or flat engine into a car like the Golf. An FWD layout made more sense.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Ford Mustang: Why This Muscle Car Survived While Others Died
The Mustang was the original pony car. That’s why they’re called pony cars. Some versions, like those made by Shelby, are definitely muscle cars. But most Mustangs aren’t muscle cars. Even today, the Mustang is still a top contender in the pony car segment. It’s a big part of Ford’s identity, and it’s one of the first cars that comes to mind when you think of Ford.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Why Do Automakers Install Speed Governors?
Basically, manufacturers don’t want to kill you. Any car that goes 100 mph can turn into a deadly machine, so they install a speed limiter or governor (call it whatever you like) to keep you from exceeding certain speeds. Plus, the engine has its own limits too.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Badge Engineering: Does Badge Engineering Impact Car Resale Value?
Badge engineering usually isn’t just done for no reason. It’s often because some brands are more popular in certain countries, so the manufacturer figures the product will sell better with a different name slapped on it. Sometimes, though, it’s about testing the waters — selling a car under another name to see how it does. Honestly, it’s tough to pin down their exact reasons because there are so many possibilities.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Ford Pulls Out of NASCAR: What Caused the Exit Despite Racing Success
A quick Google search says Ford’s decision to stop building NASCAR vehicles was a mix of things—mainly a shift in focus toward trucks, SUVs, and electric vehicles, plus a general sense that the market is changing. The move was meant to set Ford up for future success by leaning into areas with more growth potential and staying in step with what buyers actually want. Basically, Ford doesn’t think racing is their strong suit anymore, and they’re slowly running out of money to keep doing it anyway. Racing’s always been expensive, and that’s not changing.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
Over 50,000 Unsold Teslas: Is Elon Musk’s Political Ambitions a Factor?
I think this is probably just a manufacturing issue. Maybe Tesla miscalculated demand and ended up producing more cars than they could immediately sell — which, let’s be honest, happens all the time. You’ve probably seen those huge lots full of brand-new cars just sitting there, waiting for someone to buy them. It’s not that weird.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
The Demise of the Nissan Skyline GT-R: What Happened?
It’s actually pretty simple. Nissan figured having two cars with nearly the same engine (even if slightly different) wasn’t profitable, so they dropped the Skyline and went all in on the GT-R with a V6. Most likely, the GT-R and Z-Series share similarities because they both run V6 engines — maybe the GT-R’s engine is just an upgraded version of the Z’s.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowoabout a year ago in Wheel
