(upbeat music) - [John] What world car has grown two more doors?

Stay with us and find out on, 'MotorWeek'.

(optimistic music) - [Narrator] 'MotorWeek', televisions automotive magazine, with your host, John Davis.

- Welcome to, 'MotorWeek'.

I'm glad you're with us.

This is a television series for people who love cars.

And for those of you who just like to find out a bit more about them.

Each week, we'll have our own road test of new models.

Our chief mechanic, Pat Goss, will tell us how to keep our cars in good repair, and Joyce Braga will give us a close look at other new products on the automotive scene.

So let's get things moving now with our first MotorWeek road test.

For months now, you've probably been hearing the term, 'World Car'.

Well, that's the auto industry's name for a car that's put together in different countries from parts made all over the world.

The best known of these has to be the, Ford Escort.

It's currently the top selling car in America.

The basic Escort starts at $5,500, but can climb to the near $10,000 Mark with options.

The subcompact comes with a European design 1.6 liter, four cylinder engine and a Japanese designed four speed overdrive manual, or an American automatic.

The front drive Escort was all new in 1981, and for 1982 Ford has made a number of refinements.

Such as what?

You might ask.

Well, come along with us now and find out.

In 1981, the Ford Escort and his twin the Mercury Lynx were available in both a two door hatchback and a four door station wagon.

What's new this time around are two more doors for the hatchback.

This is the Escort four door.

The model that Ford hopes will entice a lot of families who hate crawling over each other to fit into a small car.

Our car was the very top of the line G L X.

But it did come with the standard manual transmission.

That's the most popular choice.

Ford seems to have taken the styling of an Econobox about as far as it can go.

The so-called two box design, one box for the engine and one for the people has been wind tunnel, smooth.

The hood is sloped and the fenders are rounded.

The tail has what looks like a mini truck.

Actually, it's a wind cheating spoiler that Ford claims reduces wind resistance and improves fuel economy.

Open the door and the interior says, 'I'm a small Ford.'.

There are however, a lot of Japanese and European touches for comfort and practicality, such as, the front bucket seats.

They're firm, offer very good side and back support, and they're fully reclinerable.

All our drivers from short to tall we're able to find the seating position that was just right.

There is more in complaint.

Every time I release the clutch pedal, my knee hit the window crank handle.

Visibility on the other hand was quite good, despite the fact that many of us felt that the rear view mirror was much too small and the front window pillars, too wide.

Since it's a Ford, the dash can also best be described as convenient.

Our Escort has the optional gauge package, a temperature gauge, and a tachometer.

All instruments were clear and the gauges had white numbers on black faces.

The rest of the dash is single tone plastic, and to most seemed a bit bare.

I expected the manual shifting Escort to accelerate a bit better than it did but as I picked up speed, the car seemed to find some spirit.

That led us to the impression that the car responds best about 2,500 RPM.

But this is not a fast car.

On Hills, you long for a five-speed transmission.

In many cases, third was too high and second to low.

Ford intends to have a close ratio four speed on the market this year, and a five speed is probably not very far behind.

Ride was difficult to judge.

Your first impression is too soft, but in corners, the Escort leans very little and bumps were soaked up quickly.

The steering, it was a joy.

It was precise and had good road feel.

Now for a more detailed analysis, let's turn the car over to our testing staff.

First on their agenda is a test for passing acceleration.

That's how fast the car moves from 40 to 55 miles per hour.

Even at these speeds, the Escort doesn't respond as well as we'd like.

It took a slow six seconds, five or less would be better.

You expect small cars to be maneuverable and you can gauge this by the diameter of their turning circle.

The Escort took 36 feet, curb to curb not as tight as we expected.

Our handling course simulates the emergency lane changing.

The pylons represent a two lane highway and all drivers enter the course at 35 miles per hour.

They can exit the course at whatever speed feels safe for each car.

Most managed 40 to 45 exit speeds, that's a good showing.

The Escort was a fine handler, it was competent, secure with good control and little body lane.

The only gremlin was a quite noticeable amount of torque steer.

That's the tendency for the steering wheel to pull to one side, when you lift your foot off the gas.

That's a trade of front wheel drive cars.

We put all the cars through a series of breaking test.

First from 30 miles per hour, after six stops, the Escort four-door average was 45 feet.

A good showing but nothing special.

Breaking from 55 to zero, gets more interesting.

Here we can really tell what the breaks are like.

The Escort average, 141 feet in our six stops, again an okay, performance.

On the other hand, the brakes felt very secure, they had no fail and there was only a little bit of nosediving to let you know that the stop was abrupt.

Opened the hood of our loaded Escort, and you have to be amazed at how much hardware they can put into a small space.

Front wheel drive cars are complex.

On the Escort, you can reach the spark plugs, distributor and dipsticks all right.

But any service to the front of the engine, especially to the accessory belts, it gets more difficult.

Although you won't have to climb over anyone to get into this Escorts back seats, you can't just glide into them either.

Small cars means, small doors.

The Escorts are tall but you need to enter carefully not to snag your clothes on handles and ashtrays.

Once in, the need lag, and headroom are a more than adequate for all but the longest trips.

Under the large hatch lies a deep narrow trunk.

our standard four piece set of luggage fit easily.

Grocery bags are also no problem.

And with little effort, the rear seat folds down to provide the space of a small station wagon.

The Escorts temporary spare tire, is located under the rear cargo floor and the jack we found was adequate.

If you're a first time tire changer, you should allow about 24 minutes to change a flat, and we found that a reasonable amount of time.

The Escort is designed to deliver a good gas mileage, and it does.

For this 2,200 pound car the environmental protection agency rates the manual version at 31 MPG city and 47 highway.

Checking the mileage during our test, we came up with a combined figure of 34.

That's a good number for such a heavily option car.

The Escort is fun to drive and handles just fine.

Acceleration, Ford seems to have that cure in the works.

As for now, owners tell us that, 'Get up and go gets better after 20,000 miles.'.

That's what you might call a long break in period.

The Escort Four-Door Hatchback.

It's a fun and practical addition to Ford's world car line.

(optimistic music) As part of their effort to revive the U S auto industry, dealers and manufacturers keep throwing incentives at us to get us back to buying cars.

One of them seems to appear every few weeks in the newspapers.

That's Rebates.

They're factory rebates, dealer rebates, rebates on cars, rebates on trucks.

Does all this mean you're getting a good deal?

Well, it could, if you're careful, there are different types of rebates and they have different effects on the type of deal you can make.

In the beginning, there were only full factory rebates.

Meaning that all the money came from the factory and none from the dealer.

But nowadays the factory often puts up a percentage of the rebate money and the dealer must put up the rest.

When the dealer contributes to the rebate the money comes out of his profit margin.

This means that to make a profit the dealer will have to give you a smaller discount on the sticker price of the car.

Why?

Well, because you already received a discount of sorts, when the dealer contributed to the rebate.

Another factor.

Full dealer sponsored rebates are usually a misnomer.

They are in fact discounts given by the dealer.

On an $8,000 car, it really doesn't matter whether you receive a $500 dealer rebate or a $500 dealer discount.

You're still paying 7,500 for the car.

Now there are various ways to receive factory rebates.

You can wait for a cheque from the factory, the dealer may write you a cheque on the spot or you can apply the rebate to the down payment.

But here's where you have to be careful.

Some States do put a tax on the total purchase price of the car.

If you get a $500 rebate, you'll be paying sales tax on that $500, since it's part of the cost of the car.

If the car were discounted $500, you wouldn't pay any tax on that 500.

Only on the balance of the cost of the car.

On the same $8,000 car, there should be the difference between taxes on $8,000 or 7,500.

Rebates, they're optional to the dealer and they may not choose to participate, especially if the rebate requires the dealer to contribute.

Not all dealers need to rebate certain models and they may feel that they can increase their sales and give better deals through straight discounts.

So when you go shopping for rebates, ask how much the rebate comes from the factory and how much from the dealer.

A full factory rebate is your best bet, as it allows the dealer to give you the most discount he can allow.

While the buyer still gets money back from the factory.

When you hear the word rebate, just remember, it's the final purchase price of the car that's important.

And an important factor to us here at MotorWeek, is you the viewer.

That's why we want to hear from you.

Tell us what you'd like to see in upcoming weeks to do that, just drop us a line at MotorWeek.

Owings Mills, Maryland two, one, one, one, seven.

That's to MotorWeek, Owings Mills Maryland.

Two, one, one, one, seven.

Now each week, about this time we go to our very own mechanic, Pat Goss.

He'll be giving us some expert advice on maintaining your car.

The subject this week, is motor oil.

Now, if you've ever changed the oil in your car yourself, you probably have noticed that there's a wide variety of different types of oil you can buy.

But any good mechanic can tell you that not all oils are created equal.

So, how can you tell what kind to get?

Pat Goss, is about to tell us.

Pat.

- Suppose you have a new car or maybe even a good used car?

And you don't want the engine to start looking like this inside after a couple of years.

What can you do to prevent it?

Well, the one single thing that is most important as far as the life expectancy of your automobile's engine, is changing the oil.

You might even want to change it more frequently than what the manufacturer recommends.

Ideally, you want to change the oil every three months or 3000 miles, whichever comes first.

By doing this, you're going to extend the life expectancy of your engine.

Many times two to three times, what it would be, if you didn't do this.

Now, there's a little bit more to changing the oil than just physically changing it.

There are different qualities and different brands of oil.

We're certainly not going to get into brands because I don't endorse products or anything like that.

But more important is the quality.

And how do you tell the quality?

Well, very simply, I'm the top of the oil can or sometimes on the side, there will be, what is called an API service rating.

These are two letters, symbols.

They start with S-A and they go through S-F. S-A, is the least quality oil you can buy, S-F is the best quality oil.

S-F is what is recommended and mandatory in virtually all automobiles, manufactured since 1979.

It's also the best oil you can use for just about any car.

So, if you have any question about it always look for S-F on the top of the can.

Now, don't confuse this with what we see on the top of this one.

It says S-A-E, 10 W 40.

Now, this has nothing to do with the quality of the oil, all this is dealing with is the weight or the thickness of the oil.

Follow the owner's manual for what's recommended for your particular automobile and use the S-A-E oil that is recommended for the type of driving and the temperature and so on.

Be very careful that you don't mix these up, however.

Now, you may find, if you start shopping and comparing oils that not all oils have these S-F ratings on them.

You might find one like what we have over here.

On the top of this oil can, it says first service S-C.

It also says, 'Recommended only for car engines built before 1968.'.

So, we're looking at, at least 10 years since this oil could be used safely in an automobile engine.

Now, we also might have a can like this.

This says S-A, S-B.

It's been 15 to 20 years since any automobile engine could use this oil.

We might even go a little bit further.

Here, We have a can and we find the API service spec on the side of the can, and it says S-A.

Now, there hasn't been an automobile manufactured for many, many years that could safely use this oil.

As a matter of fact, it's been probably anywhere from five to 10 years since there was a lawnmower manufactured in this country that could safely use this oil.

So, be careful.

Then of course, we have a can like this.

We look at the top of it, there is no rating on it.

We started looking around the sides of it no place on this can is there any rating as to the quality of the oil.

Therefore, we have no idea what it could be used in and therefore we should never use it in any internal combustion engine.

Also, I'm sure some of you will have diesel engines.

The diesel engine is different than the gasoline engine and you have to be absolutely certain that you use the right type of oil in it.

Follow your owner's manual instructions to the letter as far as the type and quantity and quality of oil that you use in your diesel engine.

Be very, very careful about this, because on diesel engines, if you use the wrong type or quality of oil you can very easily do a thousand to $3,000 worth of damage to the engine, and you can do it just in a few hundred miles too.

Now, a lot of people also, they're very much convinced that they have to put additives into the oil in their car.

Well, this is not the case.

Now, true additives do have a place.

Suppose you have an engine that's making strange noises or maybe it's burning large quantities of oil or something like that, and you want to prolong the agony.

Well, that's fine.

Buy the additive that is designed to correct your particular problem and use it, it may keep your engine running longer.

But, if you have a new car or a good used car, don't use an oil additive.

It can, in some cases actually damage the engine in the used car, it can also void the warranty in some cases on the new car.

Remember, that this is very simple advice, and that by doing it, you can extend the life expectancy of your car anywhere from two to five times, what it would be otherwise, and you can definitely avoid situations like this.

(optimistic music) - By now you should be getting a recall notice if you own a certain 1980 or 1981 general motors X-Car with a manual transmission.

The trouble can be found right here.

It's in the self-adjusting clutch linkage.

This affects Chevrolet Citation, Pontiac Phoenix, Oldsmobile Omega, and Buick Skylark.

According to GM, the self-adjusting linkage can over adjust that allows the clutch to engage more quickly than designed.

A sign that the linkage has slipped as an audible clicking noise and the clutch linkage itself coming up from under the dash.

What does this mean to U-G-M car owners?

Well, GM will replace the self-adjusting linkage with a semi-manual linkage.

The new linkage will require owners to periodically raise the clutch pedal to strike a bumper pad under the dash.

This will then adjust the clutch linkage and GM will make this replacement at no charge.

Of the 245,000 cars, call back by GM for the clutch problem, about 47,000 may also have faulty valves in the braking system.

GM says, and this is a quote that it could cause rear brakes to lock up prematurely during a severe break application, unquote.

GM will also replace the parts free of charge.

From across the Pacific, we have news from the, Honda Motor Company.

They have signed a proposed consent agreement with the U S federal trade commission.

They'll replace front fenders on approximately 700,000 Honda Civics and Accords built between 1975 and 1978.

Honda has agreed to write to the owners in 24, so-called, Salt Belt States and Washington DC, explaining a premature rusting problem on front fenders.

They'll tell customers, how they can go about getting reimbursed.

Apparently, the effected fenders are rusting in areas where moisture and road debris and salt get kicked up by the front tires.

The stuff gets lodged underneath the fender and rust first appears in the forms of bubbles and blisters in the paint.

Soon after though, holes develop in the metal.

To quote Honda, 'We are doing this because we want to satisfy our customers and keep them satisfied.'

end quote.

For our second road test tonight, we turned to one of the largest manufacturers in Europe.

Italy's, Fiat.

Fiat, is a big name overseas, but their fortunes have been declining in the U S in recent years.

The reason, well, Fiats have been plagued by the public's perception that Italian cars are somewhat unreliable and offer unacceptable comfort for the average American.

Our test though, focuses on their entry into the extremely competitive Econobox market.

The Fiat Strada like this car here.

It has a wheel base of 96.4 inches and a weight of 2100 pounds.

And it looks pretty good too against its subcompact competition.

The base price of the four-door hatchback is $6,400.

Options in our test car included, air conditioning, a well-designed sunroof and an AM, FM radio.

None of which are necessary for the true economy seeker.

How did it perform for us?

Well, let's find out.

Here we have Italy's answer to the economical VW rabbit.

After a successful debut in Europe the Fiat Strada was introduced in the U S in 1979.

So far though, it's not been quite a successful here.

Like most Italian cars, the styling on the Strada is very unique from the pointed grill to the off center hood scoop to the round door handles, very little about this car says, 'Econobox'.

As a matter of fact, the Strada was originally designed as a subcompact car, but the U S government which classifies cars based on their interior room calls this, A Compact Car.

In that roomy interior, you'll find an ocean of two-tone plastic, very Spartan and very much European.

However, that Italian heritage does make for some, confusing designs.

Most switches were of a strange looking rocker type.

And they're only marked with international symbols to tell you what they do.

I found it easy to mix up the headlight dimming and turn signal stocks.

Although on the left side of the steering column they're much too close together.

The instrument cluster consists of a speedometer, fuel and temperature gauge, lots of warning lights and a real live tachometer.

Something that comes in handy for knowing when to shift the small engine economy car.

Putting this little item into gear and taking off has a pleasant experience.

The Strada is peppy.

The nicely spirited 1.5 liter engine, does provide good acceleration.

And it has pretty good handling too.

The only thing that I didn't like, was the five speed manual shift linkage.

There was little feel to it, a fact that it's not uncommon for a front wheel drive car.

And it was all too easy to up shift from second, right to fifth gear, instead of third, a most embarrassing feet.

Once I was done, our test staff was able to put the Strada in even better perspective.

Passing acceleration was good.

From 40 to 55 miles per hour in five and a half seconds.

The Strada also performed well on our handling test.

Our drivers said that, 'The car felt tight, held the road well.'.

There was a fair amount of body lane but the steering was quick and precise.

Just what you'd expect from an Italian manufacturer.

When it came to turning circles the best we could do is 35 feet curb to curb.

That's a bit wide for this car but acceptable.

Breaking was another acceptable performance, from 30 miles per hour, the Strada took some 55 feet to come to a halt.

From 55 miles per hour, our average of six panic stops yielded a figure of 145 feet.

In both tests, our drivers said that, the brakes felt firm with no fail.

Stopping the Strada can be done with complete control and no brake pad squeal.

Under the hood, the Strada is about average for front wheel drive accessibility.

The spark plugs and oil dipstick can be easily reached.

Also in the Strada, the spare tire is mounted under the hood, on top of the engine.

That feature helped make this little Fiat, one of the few imports to pass the government's 35 mile an hour crash test.

Because this is a hatchback, there's a little problem with loading luggage.

Our standard four piece set fit nicely into the covered trunk.

And with no spare tire hanging about, you'll not have to unload all your baggage, should you ever have a flat?

And just in case you need even more room the rear seat does fold flat for even more cargo area.

(car door clicking) Open highway driving in the Strada proves small does not have to be uncomfortable.

The seats in our Strada felt more at home than the living room.

Lower back support was a high mark and like most imports, the seat backs are fully adjustable, so that all drivers should be able to find comfortable positions.

When changing lanes, you'd better use your outside mirrors.

There are some rare blind spots, despite the otherwise panoramic view from the driver's seat.

The mileage estimates we got during our tests range from 24 to 36.

The EPA says, 'You should be getting anywhere from 28 in the city to 38 on the highway.'.

All in all, those figures are kind of low for an economy car but maybe that explains why the Strada is so peppy, it's scared just a bit more for acceleration.

All in all, the car was fun to drive, we enjoyed it.

It does have a few annoying things, it'll take some getting used to, but if you're looking for a car that's a bit different you might want to consider the Fiat Strada.

And we think it's probably the most suited for the American market of any Fiat ever to grace, our shores.

(optimistic music) Hi there?

- Hello.

- Each week on, 'MotorWeek', reporter Joyce Braga will give us an inside view of, 'What's New On Wheels'.

Hello Joyce?

- Hello John.

- It's all yours.

- Thank you.

As usual Chrysler is ready to make a huge impact on the market.

And GM is gearing up to stir in a new letter in the car World's, Alphabet Soup.

This photo is showing up everywhere and no wonder it's hot news.

This is the new 1982 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible.

Ready for the street and spring 1982.

The first convertible from Detroit, since 1976.

It's on a lengthened K body platform with new quad lights and an Imperial style grill.

Our reports indicate a 13 to $14,000 price tag.

You've probably heard a lot about the March, Bailey Hood J Car.

including the fact that most GM models already have a version.

Most, but not all.

Come next, March Buick and Oldsmobile will also join the crowd.

We were lucky to get these great spy photos of the newest two in the J lineup.

the Buick Skyhawk and the Oldsmobiles Star Fire.

This is the first time that every division of GM will have its own version of the same car.

The major difference between the various models is in the front sheet metal.

The first year on the market, look for the Star Fire and the Sky Hawk to have the original 1.8 liter drive train with minor improvements.

By 1983, most of the J cars will switch to the new lightweight four speed overdrive automatic.

Now, let's take a look at one of the new tools on the market.

This is a Palm operated ratchet, and it works like this.

This one is made by Davenport Tool Company.

It's designed to get in those tight little spaces, where there isn't room to swing the handle of an ordinary ratchet.

The manufacturer indicates it can also be used as an ordinary ratchet by simply swinging the handle.

And that's, what's new on wheels this week, John.

- Thank you, Joyce.

And next week we'll be testing one of those J cars you were talking about.

The Pontiac J 2000 and a Honda Civic four-door.

For Joyce Braga, Pat Goss and myself, John Davis, thanks for joining us and have a pleasant and safe motor week.

(optimistic music) - [Narrator] Studio vehicle provided by Village Dodge, Volvo Fiat, incorporated.

(bright upbeat music) (car engine roaring)