Motormouth: RPM or RPMs?
"RPM" is already plural! Revolutions per minute. Argh. As a mechanical engineer, I see this all the time, even in technical literature; it's an epidemic! Thanks for your consideration and your great column.
P.F., Hoffman Estates, Illinois
A: Right you are, and I intend to mend my ways. If my memory serves me right, I learned to use RPMs when I worked in the department of redundancy department.
Q: I am on my second convertible. Love it. Because I don't drive them in the winter, I own them for many years without excessive mileage. If something happens and the top no longer works, is it more difficult to get repaired because of the age of the car? My current is a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. Just over 60,000 miles. I was considering putting money into the body, cleaning up nicks, dings and scratches, etc. I worry that it might be unwise if something happens that can't be fixed.
M.O., Elk Grove Village, Illinois
A: I suggest you get to know a convertible repair shop. Not only do they replace worn out tops, but they also know the workings of the system - often better than dealership or independent technicians.
Q: I wanted to ask someone who is not involved in sales. I know it is probably a good idea to have a dash camera. But what are the odds that some moron out there will smash into your car to steal it? I have not heard much in the news of them being stolen. Your thoughts?
L.P, Newington, Connecticut
A: I doubt that anyone would try to steal your camera. It needs to be wired into the electrical system, and a quick snatch-and-grab would be unlikely. But wouldn't it be ironic if the camera caught a video of the intruder?
Q: While leaving a local restaurant, I noticed a car in the parking lot with a solar panel on top of the car and the name Fisker Ocean. Looking up the car and model, it seems the company filed for bankruptcy. The solar panel made a lot of sense to me because most cars sit out in the hot sun. Looks like the solar keeps the EV charged. I wonder why the company went bankrupt. It seems like a great idea.
G.R., Virginia Beach, Virginia
A: This is a question for the gurus in the business section of this publication. But I agree that the idea had merit.
Q: Please tell me who I need to petition to see your very informative and easy to read columns published in book form. I think it would be a bestseller and would make a great gift to any person who attempts to do some work on the automobile from time to time. How can I help to make this a reality?
M.S., Oak Lawn, Illinois
A: I get questions like yours regularly and I frankly do not know how to make this happen. With nearly 30 years of columns, it would be a Herculean task. Just creating a taxonomy would be a challenge. I admit I am flattered, however.
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Data in the chart below may be for a different model year if the model remained unchanged from when we last tested it. 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Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 11.2/6.7 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.6/2.9 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 6.9/4.1 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 112 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 179 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 49 MPGe 75-mph Highway Driving, EV/Hybrid Mode: 101 MPGe/46 mpg 75-mph Highway Range, EV/Hybrid mode: 33/480 mi EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 48/50/47 mpg Combined Gasoline + Electricity: 114 MPGe EV Range: 39 mi C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More Features and Specs
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