The minivan is the latest of a suite of hydrogen powered cars developed by Mazda. Last month, the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid was displayed and demonstrated at the G8 Hokkaido Tokyo Summit, alongside Mazda’s RX-8 Hydrogen RE, in the summit’s Environmental Showcase.

The Premacy forms part of Mazda’s long-term project to develop vehicles powered by hydrogen energy. Mazda developed the world’s first hydrogen-fueled rotary engine vehicle, the HR-X, in 1991. The RX-8 Hydrogen RE followed in 2003, featuring a dual fuel system allowing the driver to select hydrogen or gasoline fuel with the push of a button.

The RX-8 Hydrogen RE was the first dual-fuel system vehicle in the world to undergo public road testing. Leasing to corporate clients began in 2006, making it the world’s first commercially available hydrogen rotary engine car.

Mazda considers hydrogen to be the best potential source of clean energy for the future. Its hydrogen rotary engine emits no CO2 gases and almost no NOx. It can also be built using conventional engine parts and manufacturing processes, which keeps costs low.

Mazda is a world leader in new motoring technologies. For more information, call in and see the team at Eurocars Mazda Artarmon.

Under its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom environmental plan, Mazda intends to upgrade almost all of its gasoline engines and introduce a more efficient diesel engine within the next few years. It is also developing safe lightweight vehicle platforms to reduce car weight by 100kg or more, thereby reducing the amount of fuel required to drive them.

Next year, it will begin mass production of its proprietary Smart Idle Stop System in one of its cars. The System is the only one of its kind in the world and improves fuel consumption by up to 8%. Also in 2009, it will introduce an advanced version of its unique Three Layer Wet Paint System, thereby vastly reducing VOC and CO2 emissions and making Mazda’s paint shops the cleanest in the world.

Further, Mazda aims to be using carbon neutral plant-based bio-plastics in the manufacture of all its vehicles by 2013. Currently, the car industry uses petroleum-based plastics for car parts such as the interior trim. In collaboration with industry, academia and government, Mazda has developed the world’s first bio-plastic that can be used in cars, thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as bodyweight.

For more information on the eco-friendly features of Mazda vehicles, call Sydney Mazda’s Artarmon Mazda dealership, Eurocars Mazda on +61 2 8905 5555 or contact through its web enquiry form.

Over the years I have purchased numerous cars from numerous car dealers. Mazda, BMW, Porsche to name but a few. The service John provided on Saturday can only be described as outstanding. His product knowledge, particularly in the area of safety, was excellent.

He is certainly a credit to your organisation.

Should I have the need to purchase a new Mazda in the future, I would have no hesitation in contacting you again.

NW, North Sydney, July 2008

The Australian Federal Government currently legislates that ethanol can be added to petrol in blends up to a maximum of 10%. This is called E10. Legislation states that E10 pumps must be labelled, giving you the choice of whether or not to purchase ethanol blended fuels.

View list of Ethanol compatible (E10) Mazda models: from Mazda

What happens when ethanol is used in non-suitable vehicles?

•  There is an increased possibility of metal fuel tanks and lines corroding or rusting
•  The chance of plastic fuel tanks swelling and breaking down is increased
•  The possibility of plastic and rubber fuel lines deteriorating is increased
•  There is a possibility of fuel injector O-rings breaking down
•  Carburettor floats and seals are susceptible to deterioration
•  Certain engine components may not be compatible with ethanol
•  Engine management mapping parameters may not be fully compatible with E10, creating idle, driveability and starting concerns, plus hot weather performance issues

Important points

• Ethanol is an oxygenated fuel. E10 (which is oxygenated gasoline) may reduce fuel economy by an average of 2-3% because oxygenates contain less energy than non-oxygenated petrol. This means you may get fewer kilometres per tank when using E10
• Ethanol has a high affinity to water. Ingress of water could result in ethanol fuel blends breaking down into separate water/ethanol and petrol layers. This could create driveability concerns, as there’s a possibility of water/ethanol slugs reaching the engine
• In some older vehicles, deposits in fuel systems can be loosened by E10, which may cause fuel filters to become blocked
• Coarse ethanol, which is of poor quality, may cause poor idling plus driveability and starting issues, even if the vehicle is suitable to operate on E10

Signs of drowsy driving
A recent US study showed that 20 percent of crashes and 12 percent of near-crashes were caused by drowsy drivers. How did the researchers determine a driver was drowsy? Each of 100 vehicles was outfitted with five cameras that linked to computers to record driver action and reaction. Monitoring the drivers for more than one year and nearly 2 million miles of driving, researchers determined that the drivers were drowsy if their eyes closed for longer than a blink, or if their heads bobbed forward and then bolted back upright. Also making the cut were drivers who didn’t move at all, staring fixedly ahead instead of reacting to oncoming traffic or checking the rearview or sideview mirrors. (Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

How to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel
Here are the top 10 things to do to avoid falling asleep at the wheel
1.    Stop driving if you feel sleepy. Stop and drink a caffeinated beverage.
2.    Since it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream and take effect, use that time to take a nap.
3.    Get plenty of sleep the night before taking a long trip — at least six hours, though more is better.
4.    Don’t plan to work all day and then drive all night.
5.    Drive at times when you are normally awake, and stay overnight in a hotel or motel rather than driving straight through.
6.    Avoid driving at so-called sleepy times of day. Take a midafternoon break for a short nap and find a place to sleep between midnight and dawn. If you can’t nap, at least stop your drive and rest for awhile.
7.    Avoid carbohydrate-laden foods that can make you sleepy, in favor of protein-laden foods.
8.    Avoid allergy and cold or flu medications containing Diphenhydramine, such as Benadryl, which can contribute to drowsiness. And don’t take prescribed sleep aids, such as Ambien, until you are finished driving for the day.
9.    On long trips, keep an awake passenger in the front seat. Increasing the volume on the car stereo is not a substitute for somebody you can talk to.
10.    Take a break every two hours or every 100-200 Kilometers, even if you don’t need a pit stop or fuel. Get out of the car, take some deep breaths and do some stretching exercises, especially neck and shoulders, to relieve cramping and stress. And try to set a limit of 300-400 miles of driving per day.

This post covers fuel requirements and restrictions of Mazda diesel engines in relation to biofuel. Your Mazda will operate efficiently on diesel fuel with specification EN590 or the equivalent.

While diesel fuel with 5% or less biofuel concentration can be used and won’t affect engine and fuel system performance, anything more then 5% concentration could be damaging to the engine.

You should take extra care and responsibility to ensure the fuel does not contain more than this amount.

What can happen if I use diesel fuel with more than 5% biofuel?

• Never use fuel other than specification EN590 or the equivalent for your vehicle. Use of petrol or paraffin in diesel engines will result in engine damage
• Never use fuel with a concentration of more than 5% biofuel in your vehicle. Use of such fuel could cause poor engine performance or serious engine damage
• Never add fuel system additives for cleaning engines. These may cause damage to the various components of the fuel system such as injectors and fuel injector pumps

Important points

• In some cases, if a diesel fuel is marked as “biofuel” or “containing biofuel”, this could indicate that it contains more than 5% concentration of biofuel
• Mazda does not recommend such products and owners and drivers of diesel vehicles have the responsibility to ensure any product under consideration for use contains 5% or less biofuel before use.
• Be extra careful when selecting your fuel, as any fuel system and engine related issues arising from using fuel with more than 5% biofuel won’t be covered by your warranty.

Engine oil filters
Engine oil filters trap minute particles of carbon and metal as they circulate in the engine lubricating system.

If the filter is not replaced in accordance with the manufacturers schedule, the effectiveness of the filter is decreased which can reduce oil flow within the engine and also allow the solid particles to circulate and cause accelerated wear.

Engine air filters
Engine air filters remove highly abrasive dust particles from the air that is drawn into the engine to mix with the fuel in order to make the correct air fuel mixture that is required for proper engine performance.
A blocked air filter will result in a high fuel consumption and poor performance.

A damaged or blocked air filter will allow the abrasive particles to be drawn into the engine. They will quickly cause engine wear which can’t be reversed.

If a vehicle is operated in sandy or dusty conditions, the air filter will need cleaning or replacement more often than specified in the maintenance schedule.

Cabin air filters
The function of the cabin air filter is to remove pollen and grass from the air being drawn into the vehicle through the vehicle air-conditioning and cabin ventilation systems.

A blocked filter will reduce the effectiveness of these systems by reducing airflow.

Fuel filters
Fuel filters trap rust, water and other foreign material that may originate in the fuel tank or from contaminated fuel.

Water and other particulates circulating in the fuel can at best, result in poor engine performance, but can also cause costly damage to fuel injection systems.

Again, failure to replace these filters as scheduled can result in costly repairs.

Make sure you get your filters checked, cleaned and replaced by qualified Mazda experts.

• Keep your Mazda regularly serviced. It will run more efficiently, reducing fuel costs
• Avoid aggressive acceleration to reduce fuel consumption
• Regularly check your tyre pressures
• Don’t carry heavy loads you don’t need to - a lighter vehicle is more fuel efficient
• Remove roof racks when not in use. They add aerodynamic drag, increasing fuel use
• Avoid excessive idling. If waiting to pick kids up or stopping to read a map, switch the engine off

Biofuels
Biofuel is a renewable fuel source that reduces pollution. Common biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. More information on these will be posted soon.

During normal operation, engine oil becomes contaminated due to the by-products of combustion and normal wear.

Oil is normally replaced at specified service intervals. If a vehicle is operated in any of the following conditions, it may be necessary to change the engine oil and filter more regularly due to increased contamination rates.

• Dusty conditions
• Extended periods of idling or low speed operation
• Driving for long periods in cold temperatures
• Regular driving of short distances only

Genuine Mazda Engine Oils

To ensure engine longevity, Mazda recommends using Genuine Mazda Engine Oils. They’re specifically formulated to help your Mazda deliver maximum Zoom-Zoom, and are available through the Mazda Sevice Centre network.

All Mazda passenger vehicles (incl. BT-50), except: Mazda3 Diesel, Mazda6 Diesel and RX-8
Mazda recommends Mazda Premium Engine Oil. It’s specifically formulated and tested to meet the stringent Mazda Engineering Standard (MES) for your Mazda.

Mazda3 Diesel & Mazda6 Diesel

We recommend Genuine Mazda Diesel Engine Oil. This low-ash oil meets the specific requirements of the MZR-CD engine. If oil other than specified is used, the Diesel Particulate Filter may be damaged.

Mazda RX-8

We recommend Genuine Mazda Rotary Engine Oil, a mineral based oil meeting the rotary engine’s specific requirements. Synthetic or semi-synthetic oils may adversely affect the rotary engine’s starting performance.

Mazda also recommends using an authorised Mazda Service Centre to change your oil, as the M-MDS (Mazda Modular Diagnostic System) equipment must be used to reset the engine control system whenever the oil is replaced.

Level 3 water restrictions were eased in late June following sizeable rainfalls that have kept dam levels consistently above 65%. Sydney Water decided to ease its ‘no hosing of hard surfaces at any time’ rule to allow hosing of cars and homes with a trigger nozzle.

All other level 3 restrictions remain. Sydney Water estimates that car washing with hoses will increase water consumption by less than 0.5%.

Eurocars Mazda Dealer Principal, Tim Garner, said the easing of water restrictions would save Mazda drivers time, as previously they could only use buckets of water. However, for maximum care, he said Mazda owners should have a sealant applied to their vehicles.

“For maximum preservation of the paint and exterior body, we recommend having a sealant applied to your Mazda to protect from wear and tear and any damage,” Mr Garner said.

“With a sealant, dirt and grime will come away easily with cold water hose washing. Without a sealant, we recommend using warm soapy water to actually wash the car, and a cold water hose for the rinse.”

Mr Garner said Mazda owners who chose to visit commercial car washes should steer clear of conventional car washes with large automatic rubber brushes and choose brushless car washes, which use water pressure to remove dirt, or hand car washes.

“We recommend against washing your Mazda in a rubber brush drive-through car wash, as the rubber can damage the paint,” he said.

“Brushless car washes are a great option, but they use cold water so it’s best to only go to these car washes if you have a sealant on your Mazda.”