We just purchased an Altima 2.5 SL from Nissan Canada. We are absolutely thrilled with the car and all of the features and capabilities of the car. We drove and Infinity G35 for four years and decided that we were not going to spend the kind of money that a G35 represents, opting for a car that was lower priced and also more economical when it comes to gas mileage. We did not expect to have all of the features that are standard with the infinity class, however we were pleasantly surprised.

One of the features we particularly liked on our previous car was the key less FOB. Basically the way this works is that you must have the FOB on your person or in a ladies purse that is within about 10 to 15 inches of the car. There is no need to take it out of your pocket. Instead all you need to do is push a button just under the door handle on the outside to unlock the doors. No need to fish for your keys while trying to balance packages held in your hands. The same feature applies to opening the trunk of the car as well. Of course you can use the FOB to open the doors and the trunk if you want by pressing the appropriate button on the key fob. Read the rest of this entry »

So I’m getting itchy to buy a completely ZERO emission car like the new Chev Volt or the Nissan Leaf. I don’t like the fact that the Volt has a small combustion engine to generate power for the batteries during longer trips – I want to get away from any kind of petroleum product if I can.

The Leaf can only go 100 miles and only 90 miles an hour, which I have no problem with really, it’s just that we have to drive from Calgary to Saskatoon a few times each year, and now we have to drive to Courtney on Vancouver Island. We want to drive long distance, so I suppose we’ll have to settle for our 2006 Prius. Read the rest of this entry »

So my wife and I just bought a used 2006 Prius this week and this video post is for my Mom and Dad (and whoever else comes along her to Zazbot shopping). I have added a few pics of this light blue Prius as well. Every time we drive this Prius the more we love it. We like everything about it. Smooth, quiet, extremely fuel efficient, and fairly done good lookin’ if you ask your humble narrator today. Ask me in another year and we’ll see if I don’t hate the Prius beyond belief. Once the novelty has worn off you never know.

As you can see in the video, we cart big Golden Retrievers around with us everywhere we go. Anyway, here are some picture of this used 2006 light blue Prius.

Well there is no doubt that I don’t personally have the budget to afford a Porsche Cayenne, but I have the vision of owning one. Now, in saying that, I fully understand that the cost of maintenance on any Porsche is high, and I will be in for some big bills whenever I need to remove and replace parts. Read the rest of this entry »

As promised we’re writing this piece on Japanese mini truck manufacturers. There are several Japanese truck makers that mass-produce these handy utility vehicles. Below is a short list of manufacturers, and further below that, we detail some information on each Japanese mini truck.

Note: these lists are not in any particular order.

Japanese Mini Truck Manufacturers

• Daihatsu Delta Mini Trucks
• Honda Acty Mini Trucks
• Hino Mini Trucks
• Isuzu Mini Trucks
• Mazda Scrum Mini Trucks
• Mitsubishi Mini Trucks
• Toyota Dyna Mini Trucks
• Nissan Mini Trucks

Japanese Mini Truck Web Sites (sample)

• America’s Mini Truck Center – Excerpt – “With our handy Japanese Mini Trucks you have the comfort of your truck for both the winter and the summer months, they are equipped with a full heating system and can have a great cooling system as well.”
• Best Trade Blog – Excerpt – “Mini Trucks are small trucks from Japan which are very popular for off-road use in the U.S. The Mini Truck also known as the Kei Truck originated in Japan in 1964. In Japan they are used for everything from work on the farm to deliveries to fire engines. in Japan these mini trucks can be seen everywhere from downtown Tokyo to remote villages in the mountains. The term Kei refers to a the Kei class of vehicle in Japan which is a sub-compact class with engine displacement limited to 660cc.”
• MacTown Mini Trucks – Excerpt – “In Japan, mini trucks are used for normal travel. However, the cost of owning an older model mini-truck increases significantly. The Japanese government imposes high taxes and fees on older models because the emissions increase considerably. There is little to no market for used or older mini-Trucks in Japan because of the high costs of owning one.
• Buckeye Mini Trucks – Excerpt – “these trucks have a thousand different uses like farm utility vehicles, off-road hunting vehicles, maintenance vehicles for schools, university campuses, golf courses, large factories, shipping yards, warehouse facilities, large ranches or dairies, horse stables, theme parks, camp grounds, airports, orchards, landscaping companies, nurseries, local municipalities, security companies, movie sets, cemeteries, the possibilities for these trucks are endless.”
• Kei Cars – Excerpt – “Kei Cars are extremely popular in Japan for a few reasons. Firstly, substantial insurance and tax savings are given by the government as an incentive to owning these cars. Secondly, due to their compact nature, these cars are a perfect fit for driving in the city as they offer excellent maneuverability and handling. Thirdly, all Kei Cars are incredibly fuel efficient in both city and highway use. Typically 40-60 MPG is the norm.”

Our Japanese Mini Trucks Resources

We have started a new Japanese mini truck resource for Zazbot.com visitors. The mini truck phenomenon is one we’re very interested in, and we will be commissioning auto industry writers to add their two cents worth. Our Kei truck (or Japanese mini truck) home page is here. We have separated our Japanese mini truck information into specific pages of interest. Below is a short list of just a few mini trucks.

• Japanese Mini Truck (Zazbot Official Home Mini Truck Home Page)
  
• Nissan Frontier Mini trucks
• Daihatsu Delta Mini trucks
• Mazda Japanese Mini Trucks

We will be doing an in-depth post on Japanese mini trucks before the end of the week. Looking forward to this as I’ve personally been fascinated with these incredibly durable, practical, and efficient. You can see them on farms, on golf courses, campuses, and resorts. Read the rest of this entry »

 Passion Cabriolet

The Passion Cabriolet is one of the more popular Smart Cars and it has many exciting features for you to discover. The smart environmental policy follows strict DaimlerChrysler environmental guidelines, and is consistently implemented in all phases of the product life. Protecting the environment, energy efficiency and preservation of natural resources are hallmarks of this policy. It starts with smart development through to the production of the cars in smartville.

The Passion Cabriolet has all the features of the passion coupe plus an upgraded radio and sound system that includes an mp3 compatible in-dash 6 CD changer. The main difference lies in the soft top with a heated rear glass window that is fully automatic and can be infinitely adjusted to any position while driving at any speed. For the full cabriolet experience, simply remove the side roof bars – taken out in no time – and stow them in a special compartment in the tailgate.

To see the smart fortwo in every color, click here.

Standard Equipment

Engine/ Drivetrain
1.0 L, 71 HP, 3 cylinder engine
5 speed automated manual transmission
Paddle shifters

Wheels/tires
9-spokes alloy wheels (15″) with front tires: 155/60 R15; rear tires 175/55 R15
Tire pressure control system

Exterior

Fully automatic convertible top with glass rear window
Projector beam halogen headlights
Side indicators in yellow
Exterior mirror cap in tridion color

Interior

3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with steering wheel shift paddles (incl. leather gear knob)
Basic seat with weight detection and seatbelt recognition
Flat folding passenger seat with backrest adjustment
Storage areas beside the steering wheel and in both doors
Coin holder
Dome light
Mirror in passenger sun visor

Storage

Lockable glove compartment

Audio

smart premium radio (AM/FM, mp3-compatible 6 disc CD changer; aux input jack for mp3 device [radio 10])
smart sound system (2 tweeters, 2 mid range, subwoofer)

Safety

Full-size driver and passenger airbags
Head/Neck side airbags
esp – electronic stability program with hill start assist
Anti-lock braking system (abs) with electronic brake force distribution
Hydraulic dual-circuit brake system
Integral safety seats
Seat belts with belt tensioner and belt-force limiter
Drive lock – auto-activation of the central locking when driving
Top Tether for child restraint system
Panic button on key
Tire repair kit

Functional/electrical equipment
Air conditioning with automatic temperature control (incl. dust, pollen filter)
Power windows with one-touch lowering function
Electronic and heated side mirrors
Central locking system with remote control
Instrument cluster with multifunctional display (fuel-level indicator, coolant-level indicator, residual fuel indicator, service interval indicator, trip mileage indicator, clock)
Outside temperature indicator
Indicators with lane changer function
Front windshield wiper with speed-dependent interval wiping and wiper-/wash function
Electric rear window defroster
Electric tailgate release
Locking gas cap
12-volt socket, with cover

Factory installed options:   

Single options  
Metallic paint $225
Silver metallic tridion safety cell $175
Alarm system $160
Power steering $450
Heated seats $220
Fog lamps $110
Additional instruments $120
   
Option packages:   

Comfort Package $850
- Power steering
- Leather seats
- Heated seats
- Rain and light sensor
- Auto-off headlamps with exit delay

The Passion Cabriolet by Smart starts at $17,000. You can test drive one any of the Smart car dealers in your country.

First things first. Watch this airbrush artist create a custom skull motorcycle helmet.

Motorcycle Helmets

Motorcycle helmets are the featured products today on Zazbot.com. Motorcycle helmet purchasers have different criteria depending the kind of biking they do. There are different ways to ride the highways and streets on a bike, and the whole riding experience can be extremely different.

Some people ride slow and easy, and ride big motorcycles meant for cruising. Sometimes these riders will wear character helmets that may not be as protective as a full face shield, reinforced helmet (click see top inset photo to enlarge).

Novelty Motorcycle Helmets
Some of these “novelty motorcycle helmets” are unique in design, such as the German military motorcycle helmets. (click inset image to enlarge German motorcycle helmet).

These military, or vintage style helmets only provide basic protection for the skull. They only have a chin strap, which provides limited security, but you wanna talk about character? These are cool for sure.

Graphic Airbrushed Motorcycle Helmets
Motorcycle helmets can be state-of-the-art in design and protection. You can look “cool” as well as save your life. You can use stickers and/or paint to give your helmet a myriad of different looks. The very best way to decorate the outside of your helmet is to have a custom air-brush job done. The inset photo shows a popular air-brush design painted on motorcycle helmets in North America. It’s the American Flag design. (click to enlarge)

Modern Technology in Motorcycle Helmets

Modern technology has bumped up the whole experience of riding a motorcycle, with helmet extras like intercoms, speakers, and rear lighting. One of the coolest motorcycle helmets out at the time of this writing is the Akuma Stealth Motorcycle Helmet.

Modern motorcycle helmets use extremely light-weight materials averaging 3 lbs. or 9-1/2 oz. The character helmets vary greatly however. There are generally three categories of modern motorcycle helmets. The full face helmet, the open face helmet, and the modular motorcycle helmets. Below are some helmet weight comparisons. [source]

Open-Face Helmet Weight Comparisons

1 URBAN N350 Moto L 1056 2 lbs. 5-1/4 oz. R
2 Bell Shorty XL 1143 2 lbs. 8-3/8 oz.
3 Dainese Jet Stream Tourer XL 1179 2 lbs. 9-5/8 oz. R/N
4 Draxtar P-104 XL 1341 2 lbs. 15-1/4 oz.
5 GPA “Aircraft” XL 1365 3 lbs. 0 oz.

Full-Face Helmet Weight Comparisons

1 BMW SportIntegral Carbon L 1000 2 lbs. 2 oz.
2 OGK FF-4 L 1409 3 lbs. 1-3/4 oz. R
3 Airoh TR1 XL 1411 3 lbs. 1-3/4 oz. R
4 Nitro N1200-VX XL 1426 3 lbs. 2-1/4 oz.
5 M2R MR10 XL 1426 3 lbs. 2-3/8 oz.
6 Airoh S4 (Enduro) XL 1445 3 lbs. 3 oz. R
7 Bell Mag-8 L 1445 3 lbs. 3 oz.
8 Schuberth J1 XL 1480 3 lbs. 4-1/4 oz. R/LO
9 HJC AC-12 Carbon XL 1489 3 lbs. 4-1/2 oz. R
10 ROOF LeMans (Modular) L 1492 3 lbs. 4 oz. R
11 CMS GP-4 XL 1495 3 lbs. 4-3/4oz.
12 Zamp JS-1 (Open face) XL 1497 3 lbs. 4-3/4 oz.
13 Nolan N94 Casey Stoner Replica XL 1499 3 lbs. 4-7/8 oz. N/LO
14 Shoei VFX-R Air (Motocross) XL 1508 3 lbs. 5-1/4 oz.
15 URBAN N20 Astro L 1511 3 lbs. 5-1/4 oz. R/N
16 Craft RX6 Revolution L 1518 3 lbs. 5-1/2 oz.
17 Marushin X-Moto XL 1518 3 lbs. 5-1/2 oz. N
18 ROOF Rover L 1525 3 lbs. 5-3/4 oz. R
19 Shoei Hornet (Enduro) XL 1542 3 lbs. 6-3/8 oz. R
20 Schuberth R1 XL 1552 3 lbs. 6-3/4 oz. LO/R
21 ROOF Boxer (Modular) L 1558 3 lbs. 7 oz. R
22 Shark RSI XL 1565 3 lbs. 7-1/8 oz. LO
23 Vemar VSR XL 1566 3 lbs. 7-1/4 oz.
24 Suomy Extreme Spec-1R XL 1570 3 lbs. 7-3/8 oz.
25 Z1R ZRP-1 XL 1572 3 lbs. 7-1/2 oz.
26 Zox Azuma R XL 1578 3 lbs. 7-5/8 oz. R/LO
27 AGV Ti-Tech Rossi XXL* 1582 3 lbs. 7-3/4 oz.
28 Arai Vector XL 1583 3 lbs. 7-7/8 oz. IO
29 Akuma V-1 Ghost Rider L 1591 3 lbs. 8-1/8 oz.
30 Shark RSR XL 1601 3 lbs. 8-1/2 oz. R
31 Osbe X-Race XL 1601 3 lbs. 8-1/2 oz.
32 Shoei TZ-R XL 1606 3 lbs. 8-5/8 oz. R
33 Baehr Silencer (aka FM F10) L 1607 3 lbs. 8-3/4 oz.
34 Shoei RF-1000 XL 1610 3 lbs. 8-3/4 oz.
35 Caberg Trip (Modular) XL 1614 3 lbs. 8-7/8 oz. R/N
36 Shark S 650 XL 1615 3 lbs. 9.0 oz. LO
37 Vega Summit II (Modular) XL 1615 3 lbs. 9.0 oz.
38 KBC VR-1 L 1616 3 lbs. 9.0 oz.
39 Bell Apex XL 1620 3 lbs. 9-1/8 oz. R/LO
40 Bell Zephyr XL 1620 3 lbs. 9-1/8 oz. IO
41 OGK FF-3 L 1623 3 lbs. 9-1/4 oz.
42 Arai Quantum II XL 1624 3 lbs. 9-1/4 oz. R
43 Akuma Stealth XL 1631 3 lbs. 9-1/2 oz. R/N
44 Icon Mainframe XL 1632 3 lbs. 9-1/2 oz.
45 ROOF Boxer V L 1638 3 lbs. 9-3/4 oz. R
46 Shoei X-Eleven XL 1635 3 lbs. 9-5/8 oz. O
47 HJC FS-10 XL 1641 3 lbs. 9-7/8 oz. R
48 KBC VR-2 XL 1652 3 lbs. 10-1/4 oz. R/LO
49 Vox Flip-up XL 1652 3 lbs. 10-1/4 oz. LO/N
50 KBC VR-3 Stealth XL 1653 3 lbs. 10-1/4 oz. R
51 Arai Profile XL 1658 3 lbs. 10-3/8 oz. LO
52 Craft R2 Aerospeed L 1660 3 lbs. 10-1/2 oz.
53 AGV Miglia (Modular) XL 1666 3 lbs. 10-3/4 oz. R
54 HJC Sy-Max (Modular) L 1667 3 lbs. 10-3/4 oz.
55 Bell Sprint XL 1688 3 lbs. 11-1/2 oz. R
56 Arai XD (Enduro) XL 1693 3 lbs. 11-3/4 oz.
57 HJC CL-XS (Enduro) XL 1697 3 lbs. 11-7/8 oz. R
58 HJC CL-14 XL 1704 3 lbs. 12-1/8 oz. R
59 KBC Force RR XL 1705 3 lbs. 12-1/8 oz. R/N
60 Zox Nevado R (Modular) XL 1706 3 lbs. 12-1/4 oz. R/N
61 Lazer Century (Modular) XL 1710 3 lbs. 12-3/8 oz.
62 HJC CL-SP XL 1713 3 lbs. 12-3/8 oz. R
63 Caberg Convertible (Modular) L 1717 3 lbs. 12-5/8 oz.
64 Shoei Syncrotec Police (Modular) XL 1731 3 lbs. 13 oz.
65 Scorpion EXO-700 XL 1733 3 lbs. 13 oz. R
66 Joe Rocket RKT 101 XL 1737 3 lbs. 13-1/4 oz.
67 Zeus ZS-508 (Modular) XL 1741 3 lbs. 13-1/2 oz.
68 Fulmer AFS7 XL 1749 3 lbs. 13-3/4 oz.
69 Vega Summit XPV (Modular) XL 1762 3 lbs. 14-1/8 oz.
70 Z1R Eclipse (Modular) XL 1765 3 lbs. 14-1/4 oz. E/R
71 AFX FX-11 Lightforce XS 1771 3 lbs. 14-1/2 oz.
72 Scorpion EXO-400 XL 1785 3 lbs. 15 oz. R/N
73 Shoei Multitec XL 1786 3 lbs. 15 oz. R
74 Schuberth S1 XL 1789 3 lbs. 15-1/8 oz. O
75 AFX FX-87X (Snowmobile/Street) XL 1799 3 lbs. 15-3/4 oz. R
76 Caberg Justissimo (Modular) L 1806 3 lbs. 15-5/8 oz.
77 Scorpion EXO-1000 XL 1821 4 lbs. 0-1/4 oz. N/O
78 Schuberth C2 (Modular) XL 1827 4 lbs. 0-3/8 oz. O
79 Nolan N102 (Modular) XL 1850 4 lbs. 1 oz. R
80 Nolan X-lite X-1002 (Modular) XL 1855 4 lbs. 1-3/8 oz.
81 KBC FFR (Modular) XL 1867 4 lbs. 1-7/8 oz.
82 HJC FS-Max (Modular) XL 1911 4 lbs. 3-3/8 oz. R

Modular Helmet Weight Comparisons

1 ROOF Boxer L 1558 3 lbs. 7 oz.
2 Caberg Trip XL 1614 3 lbs. 8-7/8 oz. R/N
3 Vega Summit II XL 1615 3 lbs. 9 oz.
4 ROOF Boxer V L 1638 3 lbs. 9-3/4 oz. R
5 Vox Flip-up XL 1652 3 lbs. 10-1/4 oz. LO/N
6 AGV Miglia XL 1666 3 lbs. 10-3/4 oz. R
7 HJC Sy-Max L 1667 3 lbs. 10-3/4 oz.
8 Zox Nevado R XL 1706 3 lbs. 12-1/4 oz. R/N
9 Lazer Century XL 1710 3 lbs. 12-3/8 oz.
10 Caberg Convertible L 1717 3 lbs. 12-5/8 oz.
11 Shoei Syncrotec Police Helmet XL 1731 3 lbs. 13 oz.
12 Zeus ZS-508 XL 1741 3 lbs. 13-1/2 oz.
13 Vega Summit XPV XL 1762 3 lbs. 14-1/8 oz.
14 Z1R Eclipse XL 1765 3 lbs. 14-1/4 oz. E/R
15 Shoei Multitec XL 1786 3 lbs. 15 oz. R
16 Caberg Justissimo L 1806 3 lbs. 15-5/8 oz.
17 Schuberth C2 XL 1827 4 lbs. 0-3/8 oz. O
18 Nolan N102 XL 1850 4 lbs. 1 oz. R
19 Nolan X-lite X-1002 XL 1855 4 lbs. 1-3/8 oz.
20 KBC FFR XL 1867 4 lbs. 1-7/8 oz.
21 HJC FS-Max XL 1911 4 lbs. 3-3/8 oz. R

Of course the purists will tell you that motorcycle helmet design and fashion is ridiculous, and that all you should be concerned with is your safety. We at Zabot.com think it’s wonderful to do both. Why not look unique and have character as you protect yourself against road rash or death.

 2005 Malibu Maxx

We’ve owned the 2005 Malibu Maxx since July 2005 and it’s been very reliable. See the video below. The Malibu Maxx picture on the left can be clicked for a bigger view. My wife and I love this car and it’s worked for us in every aspect of life. This Malibu Maxx is the 6 cylinder engine. Lots of power.

Like I mention in the video review, we’ve had zero problems except for the hatch-back shocks not holding when in cool temperatures.

Speed & Power: allot of torque for quick speeding up, and can cruise on the highway at 160 Km an hour with no vibrations or issues. I really likes 130 Km an hour. I usually cruise at 120-130 Km an hour. Lots of passing power quickly – you can “hit er” and you’re flying past any vehicles that are going 140 Km or less. You’ll blow past traffic in a flash. 

Room: Excellent as I mention in video. I have long legs at 6’2″ and I have plenty of leg room for long trips. The back seat area is very comfortable for passengers that are 5’9″ and below. Bigger and taller folks may not like sitting in the backseat if there is a long-legged passenger sitting directly in front of them.

Reliability: We’ve had no problems yet, in 2 1/2 years. No engine problems, electrical problems, or drive chain problems. Maybe we were lucky – don’t know.

More Info: You can click here to read more on the Malibu Maxx.