G8 - awall storia rho - Leet OS lhgé yahna
38 - Faay. Apa 29, 1994 - North: Shore News

AUTOMOTION

WHEN CANADIAN
Automobile Association
members were asked which
features they most wanted in
their next vehicle, the top
three choices were power
steering/power brakes,
AM/FM radio with cassette
‘and delayed wipers.
These features were rated more
important than air conditioning,
automatic transmission, anti-lock
brakes, airbags, cruise control,
power duor locks, tilt steering,

power windows, extended warranty

‘and power seats — the remaining
top-10 most-wanted features.

The 1993 CAA member survey,
which includes
the responses of
more than

, 22,000
motorists, is
published in the
CAA’s annual
car buyer’s
guide

- Autopinion.

*- Although

: power brakes are
now standard on
every new vehi-
cle soldin ~
Canada, power:
steering is still
optional on
many entry-level vehicles,

The CAA survey didn't reveal

.why power steering was rated the
most wanted feature, but if you've

“ever driven a front-wheel-drive car
with manual steering, you’ll know
why. ;

The amount of effort needed |

with manual stecring at low speeds
or when parked is very high and

makes parking a chore. .

In addition, the change from the
easy turning effort experienced at

speeds above 20 km (12.4 m.p.h.)

$6 Power-steering
is still optional
on many entry-
level vehicles. 99

eering tops CAA most-wanted list

to the difficult turning effort when
slowing down can be surprising.
unnerving and frastrating.

If power steering is available on
the options list. | would recommend
it. It will pay for tisell in years of
telieved frustration,

Unfortunately. many vehicle
manufacturers won't sell power
steering as an individual option. It
often comes as part of a package
that includes automatic transmis-
sion, air-conditioning. or some
other feature or features.

In addition, it is simply not
available on some cars with manual
transmission.

However, power steering is stin-
dard equipment on a growing num-
ber of vehicles. With such a great
consumer demand for it, it's only a
matter of time until power stecring,
like power brakes, becomes stan-

- dard on all vehicles.

- Basic power steering systems
require the same steering effort no
matter at what speed the car is
going, but many cars are now avail-
able with systems that vary the
aniount of steering assist depending
on the speed of the vehicle,

Typically, the steering effort is
light when paralle! parking but firm
at highway speeds in order to give a
greater sense of steering control.

There are three types of vari-
able-assist systems now available:
vehicle-speed sensitive, engine-
speed sensitive, and tire-resistance
sensitive.

The first type varies boost with
speed — the faster you go, the
harder the
steering wheel
is to turn. -

The second
lype varies
boost with
engine speed,
using the theo-
ry that the
faster you go,
the higher the
engine speed.
The problem -
with this type
of system is
that if you rev
the engine
while parallel
parking, steering effort may vary
from light to firm while you are try-
ing to park.

The third type of system, used in

‘the new Honda Accord; measures

the power steering boost according-
ly. ; .
For example, at a dead stop,
turning resistance is most severe as
the steering receives the most
boost. Although this is an unortho-
dox system, it seems to work.
Before, you buy a new car with
power steering, it’s a good idea to

‘COMPLETE RANGE »
OF. ALL SEASON. TIRES |

W BRAKES w SHOCKS wy TUNE UPS

@ EXHAUST .

“(ALIGNMENT — WeRagce

Great Selection of USED Tires

test the steering effort required te
parallel park and make lane
changes at freeway speeds. Both
should feel comfortable and con-
trolled,

Another worthwhile test is to
make quick U-turns ina parking lot
— sort of a mini-slalom test.

At about 10 kiv/h (6.2 pi)
turn the wheel quickly all the way
to the left. then afl the way to the
right, then all the way to the left.
This willaest how fast the power
system reacts to'steering input.
Some systems hesitate and briefly
lock up the steering wheel when
subjected to this kind of test.

It's worth noting that power
steering is not as important in small
rear-wheel drive cars (although
there are very few of these cars left
on the market).

MAZDA SERVICE

GENUINE PAR Ts
AND AND ACCESSORIES

The effort required to turn the
steering wheel ina rear-wheul-drive
car is less. since the front wheels
are net also required to drive the
car.

Manual seering can be more
accurate, quicker, tnd more respon-
sive: however, modern variable
assist power steering systems in dri-
ver-orteated cars like BMW's and
Mazda Miatas provide much of the

(“TAYLOR MOTIVE™

A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE

SERVICE (TD,

LC.8.C. - B.C.A.A. -

uccuracy and responsiveness of tra
ditional manual systems without the
effort.

Even though niost power sys-
tems are hydraulically operated,
brake-by-wire systems are now
under development.

Electronically operated braking
systems are the wave of the future:
they're lighter. less complicated and
sasier and cheaper to manufacture.

COLLISION SPECIALISTS

FREE COURTESY CARS FOR COLLISION

‘LIFETIME GUARANTEE
174 PEMBERTON AVE. N.VAN.

 ACONSULTATIONK
985-7455

V.6 2.5 litre 170 HSP.

24 valve front wheel

. drive & many more -

‘ standard features

REGENCY

(NORTHSHORE) MAZDA
700 block, Marine De. North Vancouver

987-4458