Any interest in an AMA with a Car Manufacturer?

[tuanies]

Hey guys, its Anh Tuan.

I'm the one doing all the car reviews and automotive related stories. Since we've been doing a lot of AMAs with hardware manufacturers, I wanted to see if there would be enough interest in an AMA with a representative from an automotive manufacturer.

It would be more focused on automotive technologies such as infotainment systems and driving aids. If we get enough interest, I think we can get something going.

Any thoughts or input is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Anh Tuan

 

[wip99gt]

I'd be very interested with some of the more exotic companies like Fisker, koenigsegg, Mclaren, etc. Mercedes could be good too considering the level of tech they put in the S class models. My guess would be that Fisker would be the easiest to contact as well because the publicity would be a much easier sell to them.

 

[MU_Engineer]

YES! I would love to be able to ask them some questions. Of course my questions would be in no way tech related though

 

[wip99gt]

Yeah mine would mostly be power train related.

 

[MU_Engineer]

The biggest questions I would ask would be:

1. What are the warranty liabilities so far on the hybrid powertrains and on the tiny turbo four-bangers?

2. How many customer complaints have they heard about the hybrids and tiny turbo four-bangers, such as less than expected fuel mileage, CELs/limp mode activations, and lack of performance?

3. How much for warranty liabilities and customer complaints on the pee water and soot sock equipped newer diesel engines?

4. How much trouble are customers having in running pre-2007 diesel engines on the lower-lubricity ULSD?

 

[tuanies]

Judging by the interest in this post I don't think its going to happen. Kia was interested but I don't think this will happen. Sorry guys :-(

 

[MU_Engineer]

I am a truck guy and Kia wouldn't necessarily be the manufacturer I would hunt down to do an AMA with (Ford, I am, looking at YOU.) However, I would still have a few questions for them:

1. How was it working with Ford and having the Fiesta as your first car sold in the U.S.?

2. About 1/3 of Kia is owned by Hyundai Motor Company but the current Kia lineup seems to be little more than rebranded Hyundais. Do you seek to try to differentiate yourself for Hyundai in the future and if so, how?

3. Is there any chance that Kia will enter the North American truck market? (Side note: Kia does make trucks and buses but does not sell them in the U.S. They range from the KM-42 which is much like the Jeep Wrangler all the way up to 7 ton trucks and city buses like the Granbird.)

4. Any chance Kia will make a sporty car based on the Genesis Coupe's RWD platform? Putting turbos on the 3.8 Lambda V6 or stuffing the 432 hp 5.0 L Tau V8 would make something that eats 370Zs, Subaru BRZ/Scion FRSes for lunch and would be a perfect sleeper car. Turbocharging the 5.0 V8 would be even more awesome and would probably give the Corvette and some of ze Germans a hard time.

 

[wip99gt]

That's some good questions MU. I'd be interested in a lot of those especially about a Genesis with the Tau V8, it'd be a heck of a lot of fun.
Concerning your ULSD Diesel question I've seen a bit of an effect on industrial diesels because of the fuel. The older Yanmar diesels seem to go through injection pumps more often than years ago. For some reason B series Isuzu engines have more injector issues. The wierd thing is that it's not the nozzles going but the spring compressing causing a lower cracking pressure. Most of the time a quick adjustment on the injector tester fixes it. Most of my customers are using fuel conditioners now year round which helps. They've always had to run it all winter because even winter diesel doesn't like -55c.