Q: I have a 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE with Bridgestone P215/55R17 93 V tires. The recommended tire inflation according to the car's door sticker is 33 pounds per square inch. The maximum pressure listed on the side walls of the tires is 51 psi. The guy at the oil-change shop said the information on the tire trumps that on the post and filled them to 51. It's easy to find statements about adverse consequences of underinflation, but I've seen none about over inflation. Are there any?
-- R. J. Ballman,
Moline Ill.

A: Eek! Your tires are definitely overinflated. It's best to stick with the inflation pressure listed on the car's door frame or in the owner's manual. The maximum pressure figure on the tire sidewall is more an indication of the tire's load limits that of the correct inflation level for everyday driving.

Q: I have heard that the Volkswagen Touareg diesel is supposedly getting 30-35 miles per gallon on the highway. If true, why don't they sell it in the U.S.?
-- Ted Bourne,
Portland, Ore.

A: You must have heard about the six-cylinder diesel model slated to arrive in 2009, not the current 10-cylinder diesel Touareg model. I just drove the latter and found its fuel economy about even with gasoline-powered SUVs. So there's no big advantage there.

The new version, however, is supposed to be capable of surprisingly high fuel economy. Having driven diesels with similar engines from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, I would expect the VW to flirt with 30 mpg. I'll believe 35 miles per gallon when I see it. Sounds like it could happen on a long, gentle downhill journey.

Q: Our busy family has put 80,000 miles on the 2005 Honda Odyssey. Given that we are going to continue to need a larger vehicle for the next four to five years, should we drive it till it dies, or is it a good time to trade it in on a 2008 Odyssey?
-- Tom and Kathy Beckley,
Pittsburgh, Pa.

A: I believe in getting your money's worth out of a vehicle, especially a family hauler. You should keep the Odyssey. It should take you through the next four or five years without much trouble and I think 200,000 miles isn't too much to expect.

Q: In light of today's fuel prices, why aren't more people trading in their lumbering SUVs for good old-fashioned station wagons if they need the cargo room but want better gas mileage and handling? I read recently that J.D. Powers & Associates predicts a continued decline in wagon sales, and that crossovers are fading fast now too. Not everyone can fit kids, pets, and sports gear into a sedan. Am I just a geek for liking my Subaru Outback, and lusting after the wagons from BMW, Audi, and Volvo?
-- Andrew Rittgers,

A: I think people are buying more station wagons, especially if you include so-called crossovers in that category. What are Mazda CX-9, GMC Acadia and Kia Rondo if not large station wagons. And how about the Ford Flex? I wish the company would just put faux-wood paneling on the flanks and call it a Country Squire.

Seriously, though, more traditional wagons ranging from the Subaru Outback and Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen to the Suzuki Forenza are looking more attractive to drivers who need extra space but want to continue drive a car instead of a "truck."


Jonathan Welsh is a reporter with Personal Journal. He joined the Journal's spot news department in 1994. Before that he was reporter and photographer at a weekly newspaper in Montclair, N.J. He lives in Montclair with his wife, Alexa, and sons, Samuel and Benjamin.