The Mitsubishi Starion has fallen into relative obscurity, and we predict that is a disgrace. The rear-drive, four-seat, turbocharged coupe was a staple of inexpensive Eighties efficiency, with boxy fender flares and a manual transmission. This one’s been sitting forgotten in a storage for the previous 12 years. Now, it is lastly getting the eye it deserves.
The people at WD Detailing took the time to get well the automobile from its dusty slumber and take it again to their store for a full beauty restoration. While the mud and dirt caked to the outside aren’t nice, the actual catastrophe lies within the cabin.
Years of neglect has allowed mildew to fully envelop each inch of the inside, from the dashboard, to the seats, to the shift knob. The odor is dangerous sufficient for the WD Detailing staff to begin coughing as quickly because the door is cracked open. An intensive scrub is so as, then.
The WD Detailing staff dons masks, removes the entrance seats, and will get to cleansing the carpet and the rear bench. There’s a thick layer of mildew on each floor, so it takes a great deal of product and elbow grease to get every part wanting like new. When every part is ultimately cleaned, it is just like the mildew was by no means there.
Same goes for the outside. A rinse adopted by a wash and polish is sufficient to get this Starion wanting prefer it simply rolled off the showroom flooring, regardless of not seeing the sunshine of day for over a decade. When the WD Detailing staff reveals the completed automobile to its proprietor, a components provider for Starion lovers, he is understandably shocked by its situation. Considering his career, we’re positive it will not take lengthy for this automobile to get again up and working.
Another addition to Beta’s 2024 lineup is the release of their four dual-sport bikes. These models, the 350, 390, 430, and 500, have been renamed as the “RS” models and have received some refinements for the upcoming year. Beta USA is excited to introduce the 2024 RS Dual Sport model range, which was originally designed specifically for the USA market. These popular performance dual sport bikes share the same platform as the off-road RR models, including the frame, engine, suspension, brakes, and many other parts. To comply with EPA regulations, street legal items have been added without compromising the trademark “Rideability” that Beta is known for. These RS models come in four engine sizes, each with its own unique riding personality.
Formerly known as the RR-S models, they have reverted back to their original name of RS since the standard off-road RR models were reintroduced to the USA market in 2023. The 2024 models come with a few enhancements, including formed radiators that improve turning capability, a reshaped and softer seat for increased comfort, an improved front brake hose that ensures proper position, and an upgraded front fork for a smoother ride on any terrain. The new graphics provide a finishing touch, maintaining the distinctive Beta look. Additionally, the rear taillight and license plate holder have been redesigned, offering improved safety and a sleek appearance.
All RS models come equipped with a Trail Tech Voyager GPS unit, offering riders a full-featured GPS with the ability to upload and download riding routes. Other notable features include a total miles counter with a trip meter, a speedometer with a tachometer, engine running temperature display, outside temperature display, and a battery volt meter.
These RS models also boast electric starting, fuel-injected four-valve engines, a durable O-ring drive chain, folding mirrors that can be adjusted downward for off-road trail riding, and fully adjustable suspension. The RS front fork features an adjustable preload setting, allowing riders who carry a large amount of fuel to reduce the preload without tools for a softer ride as the fuel is consumed and weight decreases. Compression and rebound can also be adjusted as needed. The rear suspension includes a linkage and a shock that can be adjusted for rebound and hi/low-speed compression.
The air filter on these models can be serviced without the need for tools. The push-button seat removal system and large left-hand side panel make changing the seat quick and easy. This system has been a feature on all full-size Beta models since 2010. The slim design of the RS models adds to their light and agile feel. These bikes are designed in Florence, Italy by engineers who are avid off-road riders, ensuring a confident and enjoyable riding experience.
Pricing:
350 RS: $11,499.00
390 RS: $11,599.00
430 RS: $11,699.00
500 RS: $11,799.00
*plus a $489.00 destination fee.
Professional dealer setup, taxes, license, and other required fees are not included.
An analysis by the RAC has revealed that the amount of road being resurfaced or improved in the UK has reached its lowest point in five years.
The number of miles of road that were completely resurfaced decreased by 29% from 2017/2018 to 2021/2022, with 1588 miles done in 2017/2018 and 1123 miles done in 2021/2022.
The Department for Transport (DfT) sampled 153 road authorities and found that 31% did not carry out resurfacing works, while 51% did not carry out surface-dressing work, which extends the lifespan of a road without full resurfacing.
Surface dressing itself was also down by 34% compared to 2017/2018 levels.
Earlier this year, it was reported that compensation paid by councils for road defects could have been used to repair 340,000 potholes.
According to a survey by the 2023 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (Alarm), local authorities in England would have needed an average of an extra £7.7 million each last year to meet their own target road conditions. It is now estimated that it would cost £14.02 billion and take 11 years to bring the network up to an efficiently maintainable standard.
The RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, said, “These figures paint a clear picture of the decline in the state of the country’s roads. While the government has provided more funding to fill potholes, the overall reduction in road improvement work is causing potholes to appear.”
Council areas that have resurfaced the highest proportion of their roads include Kent, which refreshed 29 miles of its 502-mile A-road network, and Southend-on-Sea in Essex, which resurfaced 21 miles. Lincolnshire carried out surface dressing on most of its A-roads, with 50 miles out of 661.
It is no secret that the world has fallen in love with crossovers & SUVs. No matter where you go, the roads are almost guaranteed to be filled with them. From small to big, off-roady or sporty, the SUV has taken every possible form. But is it really the car to have?
If you think about it, the modern SUV is mostly a sacrifice. It performs great at nothing, but it is mediocre at everything. SUVs offer a lot of space, but not the most space. SUVs can be sporty, but they are certainly not the sportiest. You get the point, everything the SUV does has a trade-off. So, in the case of a family vehicle, is the SUV really the best choice? Or should you ditch the cool factor and spend your hard-earned money on a Minivan instead? Let’s have a look.
Crossovers are extremely popular today, this is a fact. However, what is the reason behind this recent boom in high-riding vehicles? You see, these vehicles aren’t the most practical cars, yet people still prefer them suggesting that there is a deeper psychological reason behind this.
We believe that this reason is relatively simple. A higher vehicle gives the driver a sense of superiority. You feel safer, you get a better view of the road, and smaller cars tend to feel lesser than you. Of course, people love this feeling of authority, and this might also be the reason why they love the SUV.
Furthermore, let’s not forget that owning an SUV has also become somewhat of a trend. Trends influence the market drastically no matter the product as most buyers want to fit in. So, if the SUV is the current hot thing, then it is what most people are buying.
Both the sense of authority and the need to fit in can perhaps be linked to the more primitive part of our brains. The ones responsible for our survival in older years were the ones who either needed to have power or needed to fit in. This may sound weird, but if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
The Pros Of SUVs
Toyota
3/4th Front-view of Toyota Grand Highlander.
As is the case with everything, the SUV has some good and some bad parts about it. The good ones include safety and capability. The higher ride high and heavier weight of the SUV means that in the event of an accident, passengers are less likely to be injured. In many cases, the second vehicle in a crash tends to be lighter than the SUV giving passengers of the taller riding car an advantage.
This is also true in accidents involving stationary objects as the SUV offers a lot of real estate for crumple zones and airbags. In simple words, an SUV typically provides more steel and material around its passengers than something like a Van or more profoundly, a normal sedan.
There is, however, a downside to the SUV’s taller ride high and that downside is its risk of rolling over. Studies have found that passengers are more likely to be injured or killed in the event of an accident solely because the vehicle has a higher chance of ending up on its roof.
Aside from safety, the SUV also offers the benefit of capabilities. Sure, not all SUVs are capable of off-roaders, but some of them are. This means that if you enjoy heading out into nature, you will have choices available featuring proper 4x4s that fit such needs.
The cons of SUVs are that most of them are a sacrifice. Let’s take the BMW X5 as an example. The X5 is useless off-road because it tries to be good on the road. However, it will never be as good as a BMW 5 Series on the tarmac because its ride height is way too tall.
Therefore, we end up with a sacrifice both in off-road abilities and on-road abilities. Inside, it does offers a decent amount of space, but it’s cool design and high floor eat away cargo that can be found in excess in something like a minivan. Oh, and let’s not forget that SUVs tend to come at a price premium when compared to other types of vehicles.
The Pros Of Minivans
Toyota
Front three quarters of 2022 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD White
Minivans are perhaps the most versatile and functional family vehicles one can get. First and foremost, in most cases, they feature much more space than their SUV counterparts. This is mostly because they can have a low floor and a tall roof. Since designers aren’t too concerned with making a cool-looking vehicle, they can solely focus on the functional part of the design.
This is also observed with the sliding doors most vans come equipped with. Sure, they might be geeky, but there is no denying their usefulness. Kids can’t bump them into nearby vehicles, they are extremely easy to use in thigh spaces, and they provide a huge opening that can be used to access the interior easily.
But wait, there is more. In many cases, Minivans use the same engines as SUVs or crossovers meaning that they offer the same power but better economy. This is because the Minivan is more aerodynamic, and it has smaller and light wheels. And let’s not forget that if you need to, some of them can be bought with AWD systems that make them perfect all-season vehicles.
Finally, Minivans are cheaper to insure due to lower theft and accident numbers. No one wants to steal something from inside a van as they will most probably only find baby wipes rather than something valuable.
Front-end action shot of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
The cons of minivan ownership are mostly just the image associated with them. They are viewed as geeky vehicles boring people tend to buy. This means that mums or even dads that want to be cool don’t tend to buy them as the SUV has a far trendier image associated with it.
Sure, one could argue that they also have less clearance but when compared to most crossovers that isn’t really the case. Crossovers aren’t meant to go off-road. They just have taller floors and cabins that make them feel higher without them offering much more clearance than something like a minivan.
So Which Body-Style Is Better?
Jeep
Front three-quarter shot of the 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon 20th Anniversary Convertible SUV
Well, the choice here is relatively simple. If you need a taller riding vehicle to use off-road, then the SUV makes perfect sense. Be careful though, we aren’t talking about SUVs that are based on normal sedan platforms. If you want to go off-road, well, you get a proper Off-roader, something along the lines of the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, or Ford Bronco.
If you aren’t planning on off-roading, the Minivan will be more comfortable, more spacious, more practical, more economical, and will also cost less. So, if you can deny the urge to buy what’s currently cool, you can get yourself a better vehicle that will cost you less.
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