Motorweek; 505

Well. A mini four by four that's a maxi contender and a pick up market and an updated two plus two that's kept its virtue intact. Both Up next on motorways. Motor We TV's automotive magazine has brought to you by the Robert barge corporation makers of barge platinum the ultimate spark plug for American and imported cars. And by presto anti-freeze in America goes with presto your host for Motor Week.

Hello and welcome again to motor week. We have a packed show today with a road test of American Motors new Jeep Comanche pickup and the latest Alfa Romeo GTV 6. Of course Pat Dawson Joyce Braga will be by to. So let's get to it. And first we'll see how the smallest kid on the block is going after the big guys. Now of course to do that with any success in the auto industry these days you've got to turn out more than just one good model. A car company has to turn out a lot of good models enough to reach out and touch all those different market segments. Well that's not easy if you're on the small side like American Motors where resources are limited. But now AMCs out with its Jeep Comanche downsized pickup. And with their Cherokee and wagon air small wagon series they have now got his versatile a line of on or off road haulers as anybody and just like the wagons the Comanche pickup has gone its competition more than just one better.

Two years ago AMC did it by making their downsized four wheel drive Cherokee Wagoneer the only model and it's class with two or four door wagon body styles. So what's the Jeep Comanche pickup got going for it. For openers this isn't your run of the mill mini pick up. The Comanche is more like a maxi mini pick up at one hundred nineteen point seven inches. The Comanche has the longest wheel base in its class. It's double wall cargo box is also the widest of small trucks seven feet four inches long. It's equal to the former class leaving Chevrolet s 10 downloads are standard and the maximum payload rating of two thousand two hundred five pounds is also greater than the Chevy and Ford's Ranger hauling a load of four by eight sheets of plywood. Does it mean that the tailgate will have to be left open here over a trailer towing limit is 40 200 lbs. The Cherokee Wagoneer is responsible for some of the Comanches broad shoulder resulting from the centerline forward. They're both more or

less the same vehicle. But in the rear the Comanche uses a unique X frame rather than the wagons parallel rails. This makes it more rigid for pick up duties. The Comanche is also the first jeep truck since 1947 to be offered in two and four wheel drive models and 75 percent of all small pickups sold are only rear drive. This is a big plus for AMC. Both variants are available and plain jane custom spiffier X and sporty X LS trim at seven thousand forty nine dollars the base 2 wheel drive Comanche is the least expensive Jeep four wheel drive models started eight thousand six hundred ninety nine dollars and come with either the standard part time command trac transfer case or the optional full time select track. Both have auto locking hubs and shift on the fly engagement. A limited slip rear differential is also available. Comanche interiors are also a lot like the Wagoneer Cherokee

and means they're wide enough for a traditional pick up bench seat to be standard equipment. Renault designed weighing the bucket seats are an option unlike most small trucks there is adequate foot room for six footers but shorter drivers may find that the pedals are too far forward which puts the steering wheel right smack into the gutter. While bass model instruments give you only speed and fuel options include a full array of readouts and a tech ometer the standard transmission is a four speed manual with a five speed overdrive shifter or three speed automatic available in both two and four wheel drive. At the business end of the cab. Three engines are offered starting with jeeps own 2.5 leader for now with throttle body fuel injection horsepower is rated at 117 and torque at 135 LB feet. The Comanche will also offer a nose two point one liter turbo diesel at 85 horsepower and 132 pound feet of torque. The most powerful engine available is this two point eighty eight or Chevrolet V-6 horsepower is slightly less than the

jeeps four cylinder at 115 but torque is 11 percent more at 150. Most Comanche off roaders will want that one. Which explains why it came on this Comanche Xcel ass that we got for a closer look see road test. With almost every option within reason our truck totaled out at fourteen thousand two hundred sixty seven dollars lofty for a pick up but he got more second glances than some racy cars we test. We were also pleased that most of the Comanches track record at our Xcel ass had the 5 speed which complete with a stump pulling first gear shifted smoothly and with precision zero to sixty fifteen point two seconds. Now that's slow for a car but very good for a four wheel drive truck. The low speed gearing and tight engine that try to resist revving much about 40 500 rpm meant that little was available for emergency passing and we think 6 seconds from 40 to 55 in third is a little slow for any vehicle.

We were much more impressed with the Comanches handling the power ball type steering is fairly quick if lacking in road feel and solid axles front hand rear even on the 2 wheel drive models. And he's into the road it's very good for a pickup. The lightly loaded rear end did twitch from one arch of our slalom to another but the driver still felt in complete control. That also goes for his braking. Thanks to a load sensing proportioning valve again the only one in its class with this important device the valve adjust brake pressure front or rear based on how heavily the Comanche is loaded. That means short stopping distances from 55 to 126 feet. Doubt the rear brake lock up and unnerving tailspin that you usually get with hard stops and unloaded pick ups. When you do want to leisurely spend the Comanche will do it at a reasonable thirty nine foot turning circle. We also like the ride of the Comanche on all surfaces our trucks off road suspension package with gas

shocks gave a smoother better controlled ride than the luxury as Wagoneer limited that one are four by four wagon comparison last year. Mileage for RV 6 is EPA rated at 21 city and 25 highway. We man is 21 on our loop acceptable considering our 4 by 4 test regs tender age. So you can see that we thank the Comanche hits the mark and a lot of ways for a small truck it has excellent cargo utility and it matches many cars and secure handling and braking with a comfortable ride. Mrs included engine power there was a bit short of its billing and uncomfortable seating position for some. Of the Comanche Maxie many pick up is more than just another version of the bigger is better routine. You might even say it's a little more is a lot more school coupled with a proven engineering derived from jeeps downsize wagons. It's an excellent small pick up contender. Oh.

My God. Now taking care of your car should be totally automatic. If you wanted to last that is. That's especially true with major components like the automatic transmission. As Pat Goss is about to tell us that. John just a little worried about automatic transmissions. Most cars today have automatic transmissions and they can be very reliable. As a matter of fact a lot of them can last the life of the vehicle but it needs a little help and a little preventive maintenance. Now the help is very simple. Doesn't cost a thing number one. All you do is driving. You don't accelerate with your foot to the floorboard every time you take off from a traffic light that produces a lot of heat in the transmission and heat is very damaging. So drive a little more gently. Makes it last a lot longer. Now along with heat here's something else that can be done. It's very inexpensive and helps the life expectancy of the transmission. This is a transmission cooler. They're very

inexpensive. You can buy them in most automotive accessory stores and parts stores. Now they generally do it yourself operations they have very explicit directions with them and it really makes the transmission last longer. OK but the most important thing. Change the fluid and the filter in the automatic transmission regularly. Now what's a regular two years or twenty four thousand miles time or the mileage whichever comes first. Now the exception to that is if you told a trailer if you tow a trailer then you have to change the fluid and filter once a year or 12000 miles. Again time or mileage whichever comes first. Now there's going to be some things that you need to know if you're going to do this yourself. And you can do it yourself. First off you have to go to your owner's manual or preferably to a shop manual and find the proper type of fluid. There are two types there is Dexron which is used in most cars except Ford. And there's type f

which is used in most Fords. So you have to know the proper type of fluid for your car and you also from this manual have to find the proper quantity. All right so now you know the type and the quantity. You also have to know the type of the transmission itself so that you can go to a parts store and buy a filter and gasket set. Now this will usually be a set that has a gasket like this. And a filter such as we have here and are generally packaged to get it. KING Now you have this right what do you do next. Well you're about ready to change the fluid and filter yourself. Real easy. But first thing that you have to do is you have to drive the car for 10 or 15 minutes to make sure that it's completely warmed up. Actually move it don't just let it sit there and idle OK then you have to get the car up in the air and enough so that you can get under it safely. In doing this you might want to use ramps or something like that. Then you're going to need a large pan to collect the fluid that's going to come out of this

transmission because you're going to drain it all at once. And there may be anywhere from four to eight quarts of fluid that you're going to have to deal with. How do you do it. Well you remove all of the bolts that go around the transmission pan. And we've taken all of them out but this one they have to be careful here because when you take the last bolt out the pan is going to come down so you have to support it. And keep in mind that this fluid is going to be hot. So be careful. Take the pan off. Set the pan aside. Then go inside the transmission and you'll find the filter. Now the filter may be held in place with one or more bolts This one has several. Take the bolts off. Take the filter off put the new one not. OK. Very simple there. Then scrape all of the old gasket material off of the transmission and off of the transmission pan and washed the transmission pan thoroughly. Take the new gasket and place it on to the transmission. You may need something to hold it in place and one of the

easiest things to do is to take a little wheel bearing grease and coat the surface of the gasket and place it onto the transmission. The grease will hold it in place. Then take the pain in put it back on to the transmission. And put the poles back in place. OK now this is where most people go wrong. They put these bolts in. Make sure when you're putting them in that you tighten them in by hand first gotta go at least two full turns and then they make the mistake to put a wrench on it and over tighten them. The best way to avoid this. Use a torque wrench one that can be set at from 8 to 10 foot pounds and tighten them gently around the pan. This will make them tight enough that they won't leak and still won't crush the gasket. After that's done you want to fill the transmission with the proper amount of the proper type of fluid and you've just done your transmission servicing. Oh and one thing that you don't want to be alarmed at when you pull that transmission pan off

you may find something that looks like this. Metal particles in the bottom of the transmission pan. Very fine powdery looking stuff. That's normal that's nothing to be alarmed at. If you have great big chunks of stuff in there that means you ought to have your transmission checked by a transmission shop. An automatic transmission does just about everything automatically except the maintenance. Time again to see how our impressions of a vehicle hold up over a longer test period. We'll be checking in with one of our long term test subjects for the last time. As for the other one we're really just beginning to appreciate it. You may remember when we last left our ality 4000 ass and early summer they had a few bumps and bruises from a slow speed fender bender. After repairs we only had time for a few short vacation jaunts before our front drive

sports sedan had to return to its maker. It arrived six months before when there was still ice and snow on the ground conditions that confirmed the alkie sure but it did. During our affair with the 4000 S. We managed nine thousand seven hundred four miles and use three hundred sixty point five gallons of unleaded EPA mileage estimates are 20 for city and 30 highway for our 5 speed manual. So we were pleased that our mid-range total test average of twenty six point nine fuel and maintenance came out to five hundred twelve dollars 61 cents spent by us out he graciously sprang for the accident damage. So our cost per mile was a very reasonable five point three cents between six and seven cents is average. So our Audi 4000 s may be gone for good but it will live a long time in our memory. But as summer vacations rolled around our thoughts turn to our other long term task model a compact Winnebago from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.

This a gasoline powered RV proved to be a nice way to take your home away from home. We've said before that one of the best things about the Charro is it's only 21 inches longer than a full size station wagon and it's almost as easy to handle as a full size passenger van. In general they are always much more nimble than its tall wide stature would end a Kate. But it can be over driven. Power in our model is quite adequate with full loads although it does have a tougher time on hills than a turbo diesel Ashar we tested once before but we did wonder how the air conditioning would work in our Mid-Atlantic summer heat on the road the engine operated AC did fine in the hottest weather parked with the small electric rooftop air conditioner on full blast. Our Wynnie only got a bit stuffy with the temperature and humidity though it rose above 90 putting up the front windshield blackout curtain helped to keep the Winnies cool over the two thousand three hundred sixty five

miles we've driven fuel economy has remained high for an RV at sixteen point four. We just did an oil change and other required checks for a cost of fifty three dollars and ninety cents a last drain tube was covered by a warranty. So with one hundred forty four point one gallons of fuel total operating costs are two hundred thirty five dollars 79 cents or 10 cents per mile. In case you're interested that's about what an airline charges per mile for one passenger on a 1000 mile trip. We're planning a long term excursion to Connecticut soon and the Winnie is making a nice showing at Area car swap an antique auto shows. So that has been a good show for us so far and we hope to continue. Well Joyce You've got some news from the Orient forest but I understand not just from Japan. Right John now first we have news about a car from South Korea.

That must be the high on die. That's right. Now you drove the high and I last fall the one they export to Canada called the pony. Yes I did it's tough it's simple and most of all it's cheap. And the Canadians love them. Now originally high on dye expected to sell about 5000 ponies the first year well they sold five times that amount. Now high on daya set up shop in the U.S. and they are going to set sales records with this all new model called the ExCel. Now like the rear drive pony it's going to be an economy car and it's a little bit more sophisticated. It's front wheel drive and the engineering comes in the Mitsubishi Colt power is from High on Di's version of the colt 1.5 lieder four cylinder. The high on the Excel is going to come standard with doors side mirrors a rear window wiper and defogger AM-FM four speaker stereo and a fairly high level of interior trim. All that standard equipment at a price of only around fifty five hundred.

Now that gives the Excel a big advantage over the cheapest imports from Japan. And that might guarantee high on guys projected first year sales in the U.S. about 100000 cars. Now this is the first model we'll see. It's the five door hatchback. A three door version and a four door sedan are going to be along later the Xcel will go on sale in early 1986 mainly on the east and west coasts. OK what else from the mysterious East. Well our next Oriental newcomer is just a little bit more familiar. That's toy Yoda. It's the upcoming Toyota Supra. Now this super is not going to be a seller anymore. The 86 Toyota Celica is now a front drive car. But the super is going to stay rear drive. OK now maybe the styling looks like all the other Japanese GTI. But the Super should be getting some pretty impressive hardware. The super is going to have a three liter six cylinder with

twin cams and four valves personal and if it's turbo charged that should mean about 190 horsepower and U.S. trim. Other possibilities well anti-skid brakes and maybe even a suspension that adjusted shock valve and spring rates to suit the driving conditions. And on the inside well expect to see a lot of electronic gadgets. Now we can expect to see the whole car sometime early next spring. Any word about price. Not yet but I am guessing that it's going to be somewhere between the high teens and the low 20s. Well that's not cheap but at least it'll keep a lot of those rear drive diehards happy. Thanks Joyce. And over here we have a car that will do the same thing. It's the Alfa Romeo GTV 6. Now for Romeo has always sold cars that were a little bit different. This is suited to a select few. Maybe too few. They only sold thirty seven hundred

cars here last year but the company's got big plans for the U.S. market. For openers it's updated a few familiar models including the GTV 6. After 12 years of production the GTV still proves in some ways that different can be better. Starting with its lines they were so handsome in the beginning that they refused to age. Over the years there have been a few outside changes a spoiler here some matte black paint there just to keep up with the trends and 1086 the GTV gets new wheels and tires. But more about them later. The engine's been out of date. Two thousand nine hundred eighty two test of the alpha but not in the typical fashion chains they have a turbo charge or just plain old fuel injection for the overhead cam 2.5 6. It makes 154 horsepower now at 500 rpm and 152 pound feet of torque. But numbers alone don't begin to do the

alpha engine justice. They don't tell you how even the best normally aspirated engine for sixty five hundred RPM redline or how well it responds to the throttle very evenly very quickly. A quarter mile went by and sixteen point five seconds and an 82 mile per hour terminal speed. Shorter sprints were just as lively. Iran took just nine point eight seconds. Our only complaints too much rear end squad. And passing time is only average 5 seconds from 40 to 55. The result of a tallish high speed here. The brakes are more than up to the speed that the alpha can generate with a ventilated desk up front and board mounted disk at the rear stops were short and consistent with 55 mph they averaged one over 12 feet with no fade but the pedal worked best with a heavy foot. Positive response seems to be the trademark the steering is unhindered by

power assist. Sure it's a little heavy but it always let you know exactly what the front tires are doing positive steering is almost a necessity of the GTV 6 reacts to a turn with mild plow followed by some lightness in the rear end as the body rolls to the suspension stops. Ditto the reaction to our 55 mph lane change front and plow followed by tail twitch with more emphasis on the latter. Nothing dangerous mind you but a quick charge in the Alfa is best left to experienced hand. Or. Overall cornering traction is fairly high. Thanks in part to the stickier Perelli P6 tires that Alfa switched to for 86. And thanks to another Alfa difference unlike any car in its class the GTV 6 has a Porsche like transaxle at the rear giving it near it. Did the weight distribution of course that also means the gear linkage runs to the back of the car which usually makes for a vague shift lever. But Alpha redesigned the linkage last year. Now the lever is like a good front drive shifter and

that brings us to the interior. Our car had the optional leather upholstery and all seats offer very good side and back support but the luxury of it all will be lost on backseat passengers. We'll have a lot of trouble getting in and out. To say nothing of sitting still for even short trips. The driver will also have a rough time of it though the steering wheel is adjustable. Most of us are still left with the famous and uncomfortable straight harmed bent legged Italian driving position and adding insult to injury. The windows don't go all the way down. The dash is more a collection of parts than a comprehensive control center markings for the heat and air conditioning are confusing and you have to open dash vents by hand but all the right gauges are there even though you have to look away from the road to see them. The main gauges are easier to see and the tax for one is right in front of the driver. Even if you could get someone to sit in the back seat long trips and the alpha are still only for two. You need the rear seat for the luggage that can't be squeezed into the truck.

Yet in other ways the Alfa is well suited to a cross-country track on the interstate. It holds true to all the traditional Gran Turismo virtues. The ride is comfortable if a little firm and the car has an almost gyroscopic stability. The faster it goes the surer it feels. And a 72 DB sound level about an average of 55 isn't too much of a deterrent for steady cruising and neither is the Alpha's fuel mileage. The EPA estimates the GTV 6 at 9000 city and 26 highway and our test confirms that right. So it's sixteen thousand five hundred dollars a copy. The Alfa GTV 6 is a car that's much more than the sum of its parts. It has near timeless styling and velvet power handling capabilities to please any enthusiast and road gripping brakes. Unfortunately it still hangs on to a mishmash of creature discomfort features. There's that unnatural driving position. The back seats a joke and there's limited luggage space

but the Alfa Romeo GTV 6 does police the senses. It's special mostly because it's such a non-conformist. Its popularity will probably still be limited to a few but they may be among the most fortunate. I will see you next week on motorway motorway quiz brought to you by the Robert Weisz corporation makers of Bosh's platinum the ultimate spark plug for American and imported cars and buy priced own antifreeze and call it America goes with Presto studio vehicles courtesy of Westminster Jeep and European Motors. Flying along in a new sedan from Sweden's aircraft known. For

cruising with a new engine and this familiar domestic sedan. It's all on motorways. Hello I'm John Davis and next time we road test the new Saab 9000 and the Chrysler Baron and we take a special look at the U.S. Army's replacement for the tried and true Jeep the Hummer. Plus our usual maintenance advice a new park preview. Join us on our next motorway.