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LIGHTS, $1.3m Porsche Supercar, and Action – Porsche Centre Langley's VIP Grand Opening

Chris Eastwood on May 10, 2015

Photos by Andrew Ling

 

In 2000, OpenRoad Auto Group formed to offer car buyers and owners an experiential automotive retail service.

One of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, CADA Laureate and the recipient of multiple Canadian Best Employer Awards, OpenRoad celebrated the official grand opening of its latest dealership, Porsche Centre Langley, with an exclusive VIP event that showcased the premium culture and iconic heritage of the German sports car brand.

With the addition of Porsche Centre Langley, the OpenRoad team now comprises of over 800 associates representing 12 import brands at 15 dealership locations across British Columbia.

To celebrate the Fraser Valley’s first certified Porsche dealership, which is one of only two Porsche sales and service centres in the Greater Vancouver area, more than 400 VIP guests were in attendance on Wednesday May 6th, 2015, for the grand opening ceremony. 

Dignitaries included Mayor Ted Schaffer from the City of Langley; Alexander Pollich, President and CEO of Porsche Cars Canada; Christian Chia, President and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group, and Aly Jiwani, General Manager of Porsche Centre Langley.

“We congratulate Porsche Centre Langley and its team for the opening of their new location and welcome them to the family,” said Alexander Pollich, President & CEO, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. “The greater Vancouver area is one of the markets around the country that has helped the brand grow substantially. As such, we are pleased to now offer our customers an address in Langley.”

Wednesday night’s event featured a private performance by Juno-award winning artist, LIGHTS, and featured live stallion horses, a line-up of vintage Porsche cars, as well as the sold-out limited edition $1.3 million Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar – the fastest production road car in the world to have lapped the famed Nurburgring track.

“When we started to plan this event, I told our marketing team, ‘No matter what you do, just make sure that there is a lot of horse power’”, joked Christian Chia, President and CEO of OpenRoad.”I think they only heard the ‘horse’ part of my request”.

“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to partner with Porsche Canada to bring one of best brands in the world to the Fraser Valley,” added Chia. “Our goal is to offer more than just a great Porsche sales and service centre. We’re fully committed to creating new opportunities for motorsports enthusiasts in B.C. while building a unique community of people who are passionate about Porsche’s beautifully engineered, high performance cars and a best-in-class experience.”

If you have a chance, stop by and visit Porsche Langley’s 20 car showrooms at 6016 Collection Drive (corner of Glover Road and Langley Bypass). The 42,000 square-foot building features Porsche’s latest facility design concept and is part of the Langley Auto Collection, Canada’s only luxury auto mall.

Time Lapse video of the event:

More photos below:

Photos by Andrew Ling

 

Bose, Lexicon, Mark Levinson: comparing premium car stereo systems

Benjamin Yong on April 30, 2015

The 17-speaker Mark Levinson stereo in the Lexus RC 350 is an example of hi-end audio found in today’s vehicles. Photos by Benjamin Yong.

With the overall fit and finish of new models produced by automakers at an all-time high, it’s easy to take the audio systems in vehicles for granted. It wasn’t so long ago that swapping out a lackluster OEM head unit and speakers for aftermarket replacements was almost a no-brainer — but now, many manufacturers across the board are partnering with high-end sound specialists to bring you a premium auditory experience straight from the factory. These are some of the best examples out right now.

2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan

Hyundai Genesis

The 2015 Genesis debuted in Canada at this year’s Toronto Auto Show, and one of the highlights is a standard 14-speaker Lexicon surround sound system. Buyers opting for the 5.0-litre Ultimate trim receive an upgrade to 17 speakers and 900 watts. If you don’t recognize the name Lexicon, it is part of Harman International Industries — often known for its Harman/Kardon product line — that provides OEM audio technology for multiple automotive brands.

2015 Lexus RC 350 rear

Lexus RC

A car as visually stunning as the Lexus RC luxury coupe needs an equally sexy stereo. That’s provided in the form of a 10-speaker in-house Lexus system, or an available 17-speaker Mark Levinson package. Both use Class-D amplifiers and a centre-rear mounted subwoofer for deep bass.

High-end audio guru Mark Levinson founded the company in 1972, which is also now run by Harman. The equipment, possessing a signature exterior black anodized finish, is used in several Lexus vehicles including the IS, ES, GS and RX, to name a few.

2105 Mazda6 GT

Mazda6

Mazda is proving you don’t need to drive a luxury car in order to enjoy a luxury listening experience. Going with the American-based Bose Corporation as the provider of its audio hardware, the 11-speaker system in the Mazda6 GT is more powerful and 20 per cent lighter than the one found in the previous generation, fitting perfectly with the brand’s SKYACTIV philosophy of increasing both performance and efficiency.

2015 Mazda6 GT Bose stereo

A new low-energy-consumption amplifier drives the setup, featuring Centerpoint digital signal processing and AudioPilot 2 that utilizes a microphone in the cabin to monitor ambient noise, automatically compensating for unwanted sound coming from the road or engine.

Demystifying prepaid maintenance plans

OpenRoad Auto Group on April 25, 2015

Reliability is often one of the top buying points in people’s minds when it comes to new car shopping. These days, all new cars come with strong warranty plans to offset the cost of unexpected repairs.

However like all things mechanical, in order for that great reputation for reliability to hold true, regular maintenance still needs to be performed.

If your new car does not come with a free scheduled maintenance plan, such as what BMW Canada offers on their new cars, your dealer’s service department may still offer a pre-paid scheduled maintenance plan.

Prepaid maintenance plans make it easy to keep your vehicle running at its best by ensuring it gets the recommended scheduled maintenance as outlined in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

By by pre-paying, you can take advantage of the significant savings compared to a pay-as-you-go approach.

But are these plans right for you? Let’s take a closer look at some examples.

This is not an extended warranty

First of all, it’s important to understand that a prepaid maintenance plan is not an extended warranty. Typically, prepaid maintenance plans cover only the regularly scheduled maintenance listed in the vehicle’s service manual. Unless specified, wear-and-tear parts (such as brake pads, rotors, or clutch) are not covered.

If the prepaid maintenance plan you purchase is for 60,000 kilometres and three years, then you have prepaid for just what is listed in the plan’s contract — usually comparable to the maintenance listed in the owner’s manual.

It can save you money if you drive enough

This convenience and piece of mind factor is one of the key benefits as to why these plans are increasingly popular.

A pre-paid maintenance contract can often be rolled into the monthly payment, spreading fixed maintenance costs across the life of the car loan or lease.

If you expect to reach the mileage that is covered by the prepaid plan, it makes sense to invest up front and pocket the savings over the long haul.

Additionally, by prepaying for all the required maintenance, you never have to worry about paying for an oil change or budgeting for any other maintenance item for the duration of the maintenance plan.

Since the cost of the plan is fixed, you also are sheltered from any parts or labour rate increases.

BMW Service Inclusive and Service Inclusive Plus

All new BMW vehicles purchased from an authorized BMW Retailer in Canada are covered by No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance or four years or 80,000 km, whichever occurs first.

Coverage begins on the date of the first retail sale, or the date the vehicle is first placed in service as a demonstrator or company vehicle, whichever is earlier.

If you plan on keeping your BMW past the four year or 80,000 km mark, BMW’s “Service Inclusive” extension option allows you to prepay for the same scheduled coverage up to eight years or 160,000 kms.

BMW’s “Service Inclusive Plus” kicks it up another notch by also covering wear-and-tear parts, including wiper blades, brakes, and the clutch, up to the same eight years and 160,000 kms.

BMW Canada’s website offers a handy cost calculator for their maintenance plans. Prices will vary depending on the model.
 

Audi Care

Audi Canada’s Audi Care Plan also covers the manufacturer-required regularly scheduled maintenance services at 25,000 km, 40,000 km, 55,000 km and 70,000 km, or five years from the original vehicle in-service date, whichever comes first.

The plan may be purchased any time within 12 months of the original vehicle in-service date or 20,000 km, whichever comes first, after you purchase your Audi.

All scheduled maintenance services covered under Audi Care must be completed within 5 years of the original in-service date of the vehicle.

Here is an example of the savings that are offered:

On on a 2015 Audi TT Quattro (S-tronic transmission) if the customer chooses to pay for the maintenances separately, the total cost will be $2,314.00+tax versus $945.00+tax (price of the package). The savings will vary based on the model but are still significant ones.


 

Infiniti Elite Prepaid Maintenance Plan

Infiniti Canada offers two levels of coverage within their Elite Prepaid plan.

The first level includes basic oil and filter changes and tire rotations which you can prepay up to 7 years or 112,000 kms, whichever comes first.

Upgrade to their Platinum pre-paid plan and the benefits are a lot more comprehensive.

In addition to the basic plan’s oil and filter changes, and the Platinum plan also covers wear-and-tear parts, rental car coverage during servicing, and includes a tire road hazard warranty coverage of up to three years or 36,000 kms.

Top Reasons to purchase a prepaid maintenace plan

  • Can save you money if you plan on driving the mileage or owning the car for the duration covered by the plan
  • No budgetary surprises if parts or labour rates rise
  • 100% backed by the manufacturer
  • Honoured at authorized dealers in Canada
  • Regular schedule maintenance serviced by factory-trained technicians using genuine OEM parts
  • Helps to ensure that your vehicle is maintained properly by keeping up with your vehicle’s regular maintenance needs
  • Depending on the manufacturer, if you sell your vehicle, the remaining prepaid maintenance coverage may be transferred to a new owner, which can add to the resale value of your vehicle
  • Zero deductible in most cases
  • May be included in your finance or lease contract in most cases

Top 3 reasons why you should change back to summer tires ASAP

OpenRoad Auto Group on April 25, 2015

After a typically rainy and somewhat snowy Lower Mainland winter, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and spring is finally in the air.

With temperatures consistently above the 7 degree Celsius mark, it is now time to change your winter tires over to your summer or all-seasons tires.

Whether you do it yourself in your garage, or take your car into your dealership’s service department, here are the…

Top 3 reasons why you need to swap to summer tires

1. Winter tires are all made for a lower temperature range than all-season or summers tires.

All tires start life with differently engineered rubber compounds, each designed for specific temperature ranges.

Whereas summer tires turn hard as hockey pucks in the winter, all-season tires lose grip below 7 degrees C and are virtually useless on snow or ice below 0 degrees C.

Conversely, winter tires are designed to have flexible tread below the freezing mark. This means that they have a lot more sipes and tread blocks for gripping on snowy or icy surfaces. But not for consistently dry and warm pavement.
 

2. Your winter tires will wear much faster above 7 degrees Celsius.

As the aforementioned sipes and tread blocks come into contact with the dry and warmer spring pavement, heat is created as the rubber blocks are compressed.

This is because the sipes rapidly open and close as they come into contact with the dry pavement with nothing to cool them down. And too much heat is the worst enemy of a tire.

3. You won’t be able to brake as quickly or avoid collisions as effectively.

By design, winter tires are designed to be more flexible to dig in for traction in the snow. Compared to a good all-season tire, a winter tire will have 2-3 times as many tread blocks and significantly more sipes.

On dry and warm pavement though, this flexible-by-design construction can make stopping distances significantly longer.

Regardless of the type of tire, too much heat makes a tire’s tread blocks too flexible and therefore squirmy. The tire will get a greasy feel because it is chemically dissolving. And obviously greasy tires do not grip!

Final Tip

When you are swapping your tires, be sure to take a look at the amount of tread left on your winter tires. For the best traction in snow, tire manufacturers recommend a minimum tread depth of 6/32 of an inch. For comparison, most tires come with new with about 11/32 to 12/32 of an inch tread depth.

If you do not have the recommended amount, now is a good time to plan ahead to save money for new winter tires well in advance of the next winter season.

What's the difference between a sunroof and a moonroof?

Benjamin Yong on April 19, 2015

I let in light, but I’m not a window. I used to be rare, but now I’m almost as common as a radio. What am I?

The answer is a sunroof — or a moonroof, depending on whom you talk to.

Before we get specific, let’s get into a little history. The sunroof has been around in some form or another since the early days of the automobile, and the name moonroof wasn’t thrown around until the 1970s. The two terms today are, for the most part, interchangeable.

The former is a retractable roof panel that lets light and air into a vehicle, and sometimes made from an opaque material. The latter serves the same function, but is fully glass and lets in light even when closed. Modern manufacturer-offered units are fully electric and feature manual or motorized sunshades that slide underneath to keep out the sun when unwanted.

Now that that’s cleared up (is it?), here are three varieties of sun/moonroofs you will most likely run into.

Honda Civic EX moonroof inside

Built-in

The built-in sunroof is arguably the most ubiquitous of all the different types. The panel slides inside the metal roof of the car and out of view, affording a generous opening at the cost of some headroom. It only fits vehicles that have a large roof to accommodate the full panel, and usually also includes a one-touch open/close button, and a tilt operation that props up the rear half to allow air ventilation. This can be found on cars like the Honda Civic and the Mazda6.
 

2015 Lexus RC 350 spoiler moonroof outside

Spoiler

For smaller vehicles that can’t accommodate a built-in sunroof, the solution is a spoiler. I’m not talking about an aerodynamic wing, but a sunroof that slides up and overtop of, rather than into, the metal roof. It still normally has the same functions as the built-in, like rear tilt. This type works perfectly for two-door sport cars like the Porsche Cayman and Lexus RC 350.

MINI Cooper S panoramic moonroof

Panoramic

Found more and more on newer models, a panoramic moonroof features multiple glass panels spanning much of the roof area. Often the forward-most panel will open, while the rearward sections remain fixed. An advantage of this system is that it lets in a lot of ambient light, and can provide a particularly magnificent view on a clear night. Examples of vehicles with available panoramic moonroofs include the Hyundai Santa Fe and MINI Cooper.

Hydraulic vs. electric power steering systems explained

Benjamin Yong on April 13, 2015

2015 Infiniti Q50 Drive Mode Selector
Infiniti was the first to feature a steer-by-wire system in the Q50 where users can change steering feel on the fly. Photo by Benjamin Yong.

While the switch from conventional (hydraulic) power steering to electric is a more subtle change for the average driver than, say, a gasoline to electric motor, it is nonetheless a big step in automotive evolution. You’ll find this technology in modern offerings from Hyundais to Porsches, and some brands like Infiniti take it one step further with the introduction of a steer-by-wire system. Here’s how it all works.

hydraulic power steering diagram

Hydraulic power steering

Most cars sold a few years ago use this type of a steering setup. A hydraulic piston connected to the steering gear uses pressurized fluid to provide assistance when turning the wheel. The fluid moves via a pump that is driven by the engine — The issue is the pump is always using energy even when the steering wheel isn’t touched. The amount of assistance can also feel different depending on how fast the vehicle is moving.

Toyota Prius electric steering

Electric power steering

An electric power steering (EPS) system deletes the piston and pump altogether and instead utilizes a small, independent motor and torque sensor mounted directly to the steering column or gear. The sensor monitors force being applied to the wheel and gives the appropriate amount of help to the driver. The benefit is less energy drag from the engine, resulting in slightly better fuel economy, as well as fewer moving parts and lighter weight.

2015 Infiniti Q50 Direct Adaptive Steering

Steer-by-wire

Infiniti was the first to introduce steer-by-wire to the market with the launch of the Infiniti Q50 luxury sedan a couple years ago. Calling it Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS), it largely eliminates any mechanical connection between the driver and the wheels. So where as EPS removes hydraulics, DAS goes one step further and takes away the traditional steering linkage as well (although there is a mechanical backup system in case the electronics fail), using actuators instead that turn the wheels directly.

Infiniti Q50 Direct Adaptive Steering description

Steer-by-wire is definitely the wave of the future as more and more traditional car functions are digitized. DAS is already showing what is possible with its ability to tailor steering feel to accommodate the user’s preference, and features like Active Lane Control where the computer can automatically keep the car in its lane to compensate for environmental changes such as heavy crosswinds or uneven road surfaces.

Here’s a short video of Active Lane Control in action: