Reading Car Specs

[B2Bomber]

Apart from entries which are there for really obvious reasons, let's talk about entries in a car's spec sheets and why car buyers ought to review such entry. Let's start with: wheel base.

[OTEP]

Here is the reference I use: http://www.caranddriver.com/glossary...-of-terms.html

Unfortunately wheelbase is not there.

Wheelbase on a two axle vehicle is the distance between the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel on the same side.

[Radical!]

I remember, shopping for a Japanese minivan in California in the late 80's, we chose the Nissan Van (ette) over the Toyota Minivan due to its longer wheelbase. The Salesman was quick to point out that with a (slightly) longer wheelbase vs its Toyota counterpart, the Nissan has less rocky motions in the freeway. I'm a sucker for logical Sales pitches...

[boybi]

Longer wheelbase usually means bigger cabin space, but bigger turning radius.

[OTEP]

Wider vehicles can potentially have a tighter turning radius because the wheels can turn harder to one side before hitting the engine/inner fender.

Large engined vehicles can also have a bigger turning radius. Nissan Sentras with 1.6 engines have a bigger turning radius than Sentras with 1.3 engines.

[B2Bomber]

nice link doc, so apart from turning radius, cabin space and obviously to some extent category, does it really affect the ride comfort?

wala rin pala dun tread width(?)...

[OTEP]

Tread is the width between the centerline of a tire and the centerline of the tire on the opposite side.

[alwayz_yummy]

ang di nasasama pero essential sa 4wd machines: approach angle, ramp-break angle at departure angle...

some brochures have the gear-ratios-->usefull pero minsan di bearing sa performance on paper...

ang gusto ko makita, kahit sa review, yung katulad sa 4x4mag-->showing yung blindspots ng sasakyan (while seated sa driver's seat)

ang wala din/bihira are the cabin dimentions...

[B2Bomber]

Tread is the width between the centerline of a tire and the centerline of the tire on the opposite side.

yup. so, why do manufacturers think the buyers need to know this? or why do buyers need to know this?

*a_y: parang mahirap ata sukat-sukatin yung cabin dimensions ah. hehe. not unless pwede na yung tipong parang sa mga external OAL, OAW, OAH...

[niky]

The tread width and wheelbase show the "footprint" of the car.

As Doc Otep has said, this does have an effect on riding comfort and stability.

A car with a long wheelbase is usually more stable and comfortable to drive with better control of body motions (note the Civic and the Honda Jazz... which has a very long wheelbase for its size).

Cars with a square footprint (Suzuki Swift for one, new Eclipse, for another) tend to turn quickly and be very nimble, but the ride can get very choppy (Toyota Echo/Yaris) because of the ratio of tread to wheelbase.

Larger engined front-wheel or four-wheel drive cars tend to have larger turning radii than their small-engined counterparts because of the restrictions imposed by the location of the transmission and drive-axles. My Lynx has a ridiculous turning radius for a small car.

But then, turning radius mostly matters in parking. Lots of sports cars and "fun" cars have a large turning radius, this allows manufacturers to give them quick steering and quick steering lock. The Noble M14, for example, can't even make a U-turn on a four-lane road!