Kia K5 vs. Civic Si!

A couple of car guys talking car things!

I love meeting other car enthusiasts, and that's what happened recently as I was going down the highway. I ran into Joe Regits and we promptly had to have a quick (and safe) pull. He ended up coming out the victor, because his 9th Gen. Civic Si has some pretty serious mods on it. But it was fun! We stopped after and talked cars for a good while, and we even had a chance to talk about our car collections. His collection also included an Acura Integra Coupe, which he's now sold, but got plenty of use out of. 

If you have the time, follow him on Instagram, @slow_joe_fg4! Thanks for the fun Joe, let's meet up again! I'll likely have a few more upgrades besides just a K&N air filter on my K5 by then!

(SN: A short time after this pull, I encountered some stalling issues with my K5 due to improper fuel being in the tank. To see how I handled this, visit my YouTube page and watch the video.)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdamRichardsonAdamsAutosBlog/featured

Stalled Out Photos:

If you contact UVO Roadside Assist, the info will be displayed on your navigation screen. Also,
getting towed to your local Kia dealer via the UVO services is complimentary.

I believe I had bad gas in the tank, as I normally put midgrade in and then stopped once
gas prices went up. Thus, if you have a K5, I recommend using AT LEAST midgrade for
optimal performance.

Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

FYI: Do Not Drive Your Jeep, Range Rover, HUMMER, or any other “Highly Capable” Vehicle Through a Big Body of Standing Water Just Because It’ll Make You Look Cool

Water is a powerful element. Do yourself and those you care about a favor and don't try to drive through deep water during flooding, even in a very capable truck or SUV.

This is what happens when you don't acknowledge

the limitations of your vehicle and heed nature's warning...

Don't be like this guy (me) a couple winters ago...

Michigan is flooding in places, particularly in Midland. But don’t be a bro. Be smart. Drowning is NOT COOL it turns out. Don’t drive your Jeep, or Range Rover, or anything else “highly capable” into a dangerous situation like a flood just because “you think its badass” or “the manufacturer said you can.” Most vehicles, even the most capable ones, can only handle up to a couple of feet of water (~30 inches) before everything goes downhill. And this water fording capability will vary based on the vehicle.

A very, very basic rule of thumb: If you can’t see the ground through the water, or if it looks like it’ll cover your whole hood (which means it’ll flood your engine) and you don’t have a snorkel, turn around. Don’t drive around barricades. And if you absolutely MUST drive thru standing water, drive steady and slow enough so you don’t cause a big wave. Check your brakes and other components after. But mostly - NEVER put yourself or your passengers in danger. 

Also, if not that, you at least don’t wanna submerge and ruin your fancy $30,000-$100,000+ SUV or truck, do you???

Range Rover (top) and Jeep Gladiator (bottom) water fording abilities.

Click for a larger image. Even the most capable vehicles have a limit. 

The flooding we're seeing far exceeds the capabilities of 

even the most capable cars. So don't try it - you're not invincible.

Your Car's Ability vs. Yours

For good reference, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator can wade in water up to 30 inches (2.5 feet). A 2020 Land Rover Range Rover can wade in water up to 35.4 inches (2.95 feet). That’s a lot of water! But guess what? There’s even MORE water than that in parts of Michigan – up to 9 feet of it I’ve heard! And some of it is rushing water! Yeah. Your Range Rover ain’t getting through that, bro. And neither are you.

So, take it from someone who’s slid their own Jeep into a ditch in a blizzard while just “having fun” and got stuck for two hours waiting for help – driving in hazardous conditions is never as cool as staying alive. Stay home (if you’re able), stay well and stay safe. Especially during this pandemic time (almost forgot about that, didn’t you?). If you must evacuate, still be careful and pack what’s needed. My prayers are with everyone affected in my home state. I’ve put links to a news story, resources for flood victims, and also on flood safety and driving below.

Links:

• https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Michigan-National-Guard-activated-to-help-with-Midland-flood-relief-570613961.html
• https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/flood-safety-tips/
• https://www.211nemichigan.org/covid-19.html
• https://www.abc12.com/content/news/See-how-you-can-give-to-Midland-flood-relief-get-information-on-investigation-570643401.html

Copyright © 2020 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

Engine Stop/Start Fuctionality

Note- if you have a vehicle like this with stop/start, where if you stop the engine will cut off to save fuel, it won’t work if it gets too cold (and I ASSUME too hot) outside.

Usually, mine doesn’t kick in because the car isn’t warm yet or because a message saying “stop/start not ready, battery charging” comes up. I can believe that keeping accessories running and restarting the car puts quite a strain on the battery and starter. Especially in the winter.

You can usually turn this feature off if you dislike it.

Copyright © 2019 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

"Gimme a Break" - Short Hiatus

Even the fastest sports cars need to pump the brakes eventually. I'm about to make a pit stop for a little bit...

Howdy world,

Let me first just start by thanking everyone that has been with Adam’s Autos since DAY 1! I like to come thru with some life advice sometimes - There’s nothing like your day 1’s! Know who they are, who’s in your corner, and cherish them forever! To that end, I’ve also always believed that no one can truly look out for you better than YOU in life. Whether you’re driving or studying for your next degree, have the motto “I’m looking out for ME!” Trust me, it will take you far AND keep you sane.

All that said, I’m going to take some time to look out for me. Adam's Autos will be going on a short hiatus after next weekend’s postings on this main page and on Facebook so I can prepare for the next steps and transitions in my personal life and on this blog as well. Life is busy, I’m no exception to that fact. And it’s good to just be able to think things thru and PLAN AHEAD. I will be working hard behind the scenes to bring even more new, creative, timely, and relevant auto industry content your way in the coming weeks.

Reminder: Subscribe to my blog to stay up-to-date with the newest postings and news. And speaking of news - remember that there is a LIVE FEED on the desktop site that continuously updates with stories each day. Share recent postings, check the live feed, and most importantly, stay woke to all the happens around you.

Now continue to ROLL ON my riders! After this hiatus, I will be coming back swinging even harder. Talk more soon.

-Adam Richardson (ARich)

Copyright © 2018 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

Winter Driving Advisory

Given the snow that's already hitting parts of this state for the Christmas holiday, it's always good to remember: Ice and snow, take it SLOW!

Also remember: AWD/4WD will help you get going, but it WON'T help you stop. Basically all modern cars have 4 wheel brakes, ABS, traction and stability control, etc. Larger vehicles also tend to roll easier due to a higher center of gravity. Time is always your best ally!