Metric Curiosity

[pawprint]

Does everyone use the term PSI (pounds per square inch)? It is my understanding that pounds, squares and inches are not metric.

I read this about Canada, so I'm curious, "Canadians typically discuss the weather in degrees Celsius, purchase gasoline in litres, observe speed limits measured in kilometres per hour (km/h), and read road signs and maps measuring distances in kilometres. Cars have metric speedometers and odometers, although many speedometers include smaller figures in miles per hour (mph) for trips to the United States. Fuel efficiency for new vehicles is published by Natural Resources Canada in litres per 100 kilometres but window stickers in dealer showrooms include "miles per imperial gallon" conversions even though neither of these units has been used in fuel sales or road signs in three decades. The railways of Canada continue to measure their trackage in miles, and speed limits in mph. Canadian railcars show weight figures in both metric and imperial."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_Canada

Also, does the speedometer look like this everywhere or are the big numbers switched to kilometers?


Does the print on the temperature dial switch to Celsius?


I just find it interesting how cars can adapt to being driven on the left side or right side, the drivers seat can be on the right or left, and measurements can be metric or standard. I guess I was wondering if anything gets lost in translation...

[harryg]

To answer the last two questions yes in the Canadian Model Rogues the KM/H is the bigger font and yes it is in Celsius.

[philipa_240sx]

There are still a lot of measurement units used in Canada that aren't metric:

- Lumber dimensions
- Pipe sizes & threads
- Nuts & Bolts
- A lot of the construction industry still uses yards, feet, inches, and tons.

Much of this stems from the fact our closest neighbour is the USA... but some habits die hard. We officially converted to Metric in the 1970's but we still aren't completely there.

As for the 'lost in translation'... IMHO, it's the other way around! Every Nissan vehicle is engineered in metric, uses metric fasteners, etc. If anything, Nissan had to convert to miles and Fahrenheit for the US market! The rest of the world just gets the metric version with no conversions required.

[kerrton]

Does everyone use the term PSI (pounds per square inch)? It is my understanding that pounds, squares and inches are not metric.

I read this about Canada, so I'm curious, "Canadians typically discuss the weather in degrees Celsius, purchase gasoline in litres, observe speed limits measured in kilometres per hour (km/h), and read road signs and maps measuring distances in kilometres. Cars have metric speedometers and odometers, although many speedometers include smaller figures in miles per hour (mph) for trips to the United States. Fuel efficiency for new vehicles is published by Natural Resources Canada in litres per 100 kilometres but window stickers in dealer showrooms include "miles per imperial gallon" conversions even though neither of these units has been used in fuel sales or road signs in three decades. The railways of Canada continue to measure their trackage in miles, and speed limits in mph. Canadian railcars show weight figures in both metric and imperial."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_Canada

I just find it interesting how cars can adapt to being driven on the left side or right side, the drivers seat can be on the right or left, and measurements can be metric or standard. I guess I was wondering if anything gets lost in translation...

Basically the entire world uses metric units and the US is the oddball!! But hey, sometimes it's good to be different and not succome to peer pressure!! And yes, the standard we use for measuring tire pressure is still psi because it's just always been that way.

Good on you for asking the question, I bet there are a lot people who weren't totally sure about how things work way up here in Canada either...

[takeshi]

Does everyone use the term PSI (pounds per square inch)? It is my understanding that pounds, squares and inches are not metric.

Squares aren't metric/non-metric. They're used to denote cubic volume (versus a linear measurement). You can have square inches, square centimeters, square cubits, square parsecs, etc etc.

[sckeith]

Does everyone use the term PSI (pounds per square inch)? It is my understanding that pounds, squares and inches are not metric.


Does the print on the temperature dial switch to Celsius?


I just find it interesting how cars can adapt to being driven on the left side or right side, the drivers seat can be on the right or left, and measurements can be metric or standard. I guess I was wondering if anything gets lost in translation...

I'm in Canada and have a 2011 Rogue AWD.The dial on the auto climate control is in degrees fahrenheit but I just recently got a letter from Nissan telling me that the dial will be changed to one reading in degrees celsius so I may take advantage. I can work in f but I find myself converting to C

Celsius

[pawprint]

I noticed that engines are always in liters, though I would love to try a 2.5 gallon engine!
Or a 5.0 gallon V-8...

Are the rims on your tires 17 inches or 431.79999999999995 MM??

[philipa_240sx]

I noticed that engines are always in liters, though I would love to try a 2.5 gallon engine!

We still use HP and lb-ft too... instead of kW and N-m.

Are the rims on your tires 17 inches or 431.79999999999995 MM??

P metric tire sizes but rim sizes are still in inches. The bolt circle for Nissan's is 4.5" but is more commonly printed as 114.3mm.

More weirdness...

My favourite is watching Mythbusters... (great show BTW)

They constantly use a mix of metric and US/imperial units. Grams, lbs, m/s, mph, etc.

[pawprint]

Good on you for asking the question, I bet there are a lot people who weren't totally sure about how things work way up here in Canada either...

Our news channel just said it's 40 below somewhere in Canada. Don't know how ya'all survive those temps.
You're right, I don't know how things work up there!

[ncsu]

I noticed that engines are always in liters, though I would love to try a 2.5 gallon engine!
Or a 5.0 gallon V-8...

Are the rims on your tires 17 inches or 431.79999999999995 MM??

Most are listed in metric and cubic inches.

5.0 L is a 302 CI and that is actually a 4.948 893 328 liter but the 5.0 badge looked way cooler.

[sckeith]

Good on you for asking the question, I bet there are a lot people who weren't totally sure about how things work way up here in Canada either...

Our news channel just said it's 40 below somewhere in Canada. Don't know how ya'all survive those temps.
You're right, I don't know how things work up there!

It's nice if you can stay home but if you can't, for the first few minutes it feels like your tires are square and the leather seats are really cold

[philipa_240sx]

It's cold weather like this that I am thankful my Rogue comes with heated cloth seats. This option was only available in Canada...

[kerrton]

Our news channel just said it's 40 below somewhere in Canada. Don't know how ya'all survive those temps.
You're right, I don't know how things work up there!

Most Canadians live very close to the American border and I know most Americans don't believe it, but our climate is almost identical to your northern States. If you're familiar with weather in New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Montana etc.., that's what we get in Canada, and in summer we get scorching heat routinely in the 30 deg. C range.

Way up in northern Canada it gets very cold but a very small percentage of the population lives there.....

[Nick 568]

It's cold weather like this that I am thankful my Rogue comes with heated cloth seats. This option was only available in Canada...

Oh man, that's a nice option. I wish I had that available to me up here in Alaska. (in fact, they should've just sold the Canadian Rogues here due to how better suited they are towards colder climates...)
Only other cars I've seen it available on here in the US have been some of the newer Subarus..

[ncsu]

It's cold weather like this that I am thankful my Rogue comes with heated cloth seats. This option was only available in Canada...

Oh man, that's a nice option. I wish I had that available to me up here in Alaska. (in fact, they should've just sold the Canadian Rogues here due to how better suited they are towards colder climates...)
Only other cars I've seen it available on here in the US have been some of the newer Subarus..

There are aftermarket kits - I just put them into my S2000 and am seriously thinking about putting them in the Rogue. They run $100 per seat or less.

[philipa_240sx]

There are aftermarket kits - I just put them into my S2000 and am seriously thinking about putting them in the Rogue. They run $100 per seat or less.

I was looking at these awhile back for my wife's car. Never got them as she is buying a new car this year.

http://www.heatedseatkits.com/heatedseatkits/index.html