HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: granteri@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Grant Erickson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Tire width vs wheel width question
Date: 5 Oct 92 04:25:01 GMT
Organization: People-Net [pnet51], Minneapolis, MN.

grante@aquarius.rosemount.com (Grant Edwards) writes:
>How do you know what tire sizes will fit on a given width wheel?  I've
>seen OEM arrangements with 185mm tires on both 5.5 and 6 inch wide
>wheels, and 185mm or 195mm tires on 6 inch wide wheels.  It appears
>that on some width wheels (6.5 inch?) you can use either 205mm or
>215mm tires.
>
>Assuming that I'm bright enough to pick the aspect ratio to get the
>height I want, how do I know what widths can be mounted on a given
>wheel, let's say 15 X 6?
>
>Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I spent a couple hours trying
>to figure this out to no avail at the library.  Thanks.
>
>--
>Grant Edwards                                 |Yow!  Loni Anderson's hair
>Rosemount Inc.                                |should be LEGALIZED!!
>                                              |
>grante@aquarius.rosemount.com                 |


Well, traveling (especially in the southwest) about this nations roadways, it
seems that a certain number of people--particularly "lowriders" and Suzuki
Sidekick owners-- seem to completely abandon all concern over tire width and
wheel width, thereby creating sidewalls that look like:

 /-------\    \--------/
/         \    \      /
-----------     ------    rather than a more "standard" straight up and down
sidewall profile.

Disclaimer: No flame or shred is intended by this post to those who choose to
drive automobiles with tires such as these.
 
Grant Erickson
 
UUCP:  {crash tcnet petrus quest}!orbit!pnet51!granteri
-or-      
UUCP:  granteri@pnet51.orb.mn.org
From: rjl@sei.cmu.edu (Robert Lang)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Can I get out of these 2 tickets?
Date: 30 Sep 92 17:21:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: sei.1992Sep30.172116.23737
Organization: The Software Engineering Institute




OK. I was stopped for speeding. The cop says I was doing 45mph
(in a 25mph zone.) So he gave me a ticket. I didn't have my license with
me (honest, officer, I always carry it with me), so he gave me a ticket for
that too.

I noticed on the tickets that there's a space where I'm supposed to sign my
name--to ackowledge receipt of the ticket. I did not sign them. My question
is: does that mean anything? Presumably, my signing the ticket is part of the
procedure, and he didn't follow it. But the thing is, I have no defense other
than that--I was speeding, I did not have my license.

So what do you think: can I get out of paying these tickets? Anyone else have
a similar experience? What if I fight it and lose? Will it cost me even more?

Thanks,

-Bob 
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,rec.autos.driving,rec.autos.sport
From: mike@nowaksg.chem.nd.edu (Michael George Buening)
Subject: Re: *** Design Logic Faults ***
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 15:24:22 GMT

In article <6qwyRB1w164w@cellar.org> blu@cellar.org (Dan Reed) writes:
>abe@nutmeg.ntu.edu.au (Abron Lukitsch) writes:
>
>> Has anyone ever come accross a similar problem to this:
>> 
>> On the Mitsubishi Magna (early models TM, TN) the electric radiator
>> fans switch on when the engine temperature is above a certain level.
>> This is controled by a temperature switch... if the temperature 
>> switch fails then the fan does not turn on so you drive around for a 
[bunch of stuff left out]
>
>Well, My 89 VW Golf, did just this, and I was luckey, to *See* that my temp, 
>was up, and that my fan was not turning on.  So, I hopped out, poped off the 
>conector to the rad. switch, and wired it "on" with a paper clip.  Yes, this 
>worked, my fan was now on, all the time... even when the car was off.  This 
>was no good, as my batt, would/could not take this. 
>
>So, what I did, was wire up a relay, from the ing. coil, to the fan.  When my 
>car is "on" the fan is also on.  Ive had no problems since, and my car seems 
>to run a bit better, as it does not get as hot as it did.

I had a very similar problem with a 1984 VW rabbit when I was in high school.  
When the fan ran normally it would start when the coolant temp reached a preset
level and would stay on until the coolant temp dropped, even if the engine was 
off, thus depending on the battery.  Fortunately, it never actually eat up the 
battery doing this.  Shortly after my mom blew a hole in the original block, we 
had a srioco (sp?) engine put in real cheap.  I inhereted the mutant and then 
the temp switch for the fan went.  I hot wired the fan to the battery until I 
got around to going to the dealer to see what the problem was.  They charged my 
$50 bucks to install a $2 switch and the fan worked normal from then on.  They 
didn't like the engine swap we had done and they gave a $1200 dollar estimate 
on rebuilding the srioco engine in the car.  I laughed as I drove home.  We got 
an inflated $2500 trade in on that car when my mom bought a used cavelier (sp?).  
Seems the fan switch should have some sort of warning if the whole engine depends 
on it.  By the way, I later had to have the head gasket on the second engine 
replaced but it seemed to not be related to the overheating with the fan switch
problem.

Mike
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: eliot@lanmola.engr.washington.edu (eliot)
Subject: Re: downforce and cornering g's (was which car handles the best?
Organization: clearer than blir
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 08:00:29 GMT

In article <1992Sep27.014313.33542@datamark.co.nz> thomas@datamark.co.nz (Thomas Beagle) writes:
>I remember reading about the Honda NSX before it came out - they were
>saying that they weren't just aiming for low drag, but also good
>stability. So, it looks as though they're already on the right track.

yes, i think they sacrificed the last hundredth's of c.d. for some
downforce.  but i have not seen them bragging about the car being zero
lift or generating net positive downforce so i assume that the current
nsx, like everybody else except the 959 and escort cosworth is still
generating lift at speed.  what i'm saying is that this trend of
"aiming for good stability" will soon break out into all-out numbers
war on who generates the most positive downforce (and hence the most
all-important-to-u.s.-consumers cornering g's)

>(BTW, I referred to it as the Honda NSX because I refuse to bow to the
>overwhelming US pressure on the net. We don't have Acruas. :-)

ditto. i can't stand that silly name, but if you visit the dealerships
here you can see the difference and understand why.


eliot

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: smn@netcom.com (Subodh Nijsure)
Subject: Ford Probe GT, 240 SX, Acura GS (not R) any recos?
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 15:23:49 GMT

Hi,
	Well, I have narrowed down my choices to Ford Probe GT,
Nissan 240 SX, Acura Intergra GS or Saturn SL2.  Can anyone recommend
+/- of these cars? Somehow, all the magzines that I have read are afraid
to criticize any cars ( except Hundai).  
	For the bay area readers I would like to know good Ford dealers
in south bay. If anyone can provide me with approx. figures
for base model Probe GT, that would be GREAT.
	BTW, I had a real nice exp yesterday at Sunnyvale Saturn, no 
usual sales stuff, "Would you by this car today if I sell it for $5000?"

Thanks in advance.

-Subodh ( smn@netcom.com ) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: ayers@adobe.com (Robert Ayers)
Subject: Handling versus drivetrain layout
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 16:37:27 GMT

With the thread "fwd/rwd" containing mostly "I liked FWD
instance F better than I liked RWD instance R" and vice-versa, 
I decided to look at the current Road and Track's "Summary"
car-test listing and see what one might derive.

Here's a list of all of the cars in the October 92 Road and Track 
summary road-tests (they go back to 1990) that achieved a 0-60
time of less than eight seconds and a slalom speed of 62mph or 
greater.  (The slalom is an attempt to measure some aspects of 
"handling" and the 0-60 criterion eliminates several very
small, light cars that one wouldn't consider sporty.)

  Corvette (3 models)
  Dodge Stealth & Mitsu 3000
  Dodge Viper
  Ferrari 348
  Lotus Elan
  Maxda RX-7
  Mazda MX-6 LS
  Nissan 300 ZX (2 models)
  Olds HO Quad
  Plymouth Laser Turbo
  Porsche 911 (4 models)
  Porsche 968
  Toyota MR2
  
Scan the list.  You will find F/F cars, R/R cars, and F/R cars.

Interestingly, you won't find many AWD cars.  I double checked:
the Mitsubishi Eclipse GTX and Audi Quattro are in the summary, 
and they don't make the slalom cut.  (The Porsche Carrera 4 is 
the only AWD car in this list.)

Bob

PS: As the owner of a 1966 Porsche, I was amused by the thread
asserting that F/F cars spin out more.  Trust me: a R/R Porsche
can go from parallel to the roadway to perpendicular to the roadway 
so fast that the driver is unaware of the intermediate states :-)

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: zenith89@bcarh1eb.bnr.ca (Chris VanFleet)
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Reply-To: zenith89@bcarh1eb.bnr.ca ()
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ltd., Ottawa, CANADA
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 19:40:58 GMT

In article <5282@balrog.ctron.com> smith@ctron.com writes:
>In article <13355@texsun.Central.Sun.COM>, dbernard@thewho.Central.Sun.COM (Dave Bernard) writes:
>>How many new RWD automobiles are still offered? 
>
>I tried this once before, let's see how I do this time:
>
>Rear Wheel Drive _cars_ for sale in the USA, 1992:
>
>Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis/Lincoln Town Car
>Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar
>Ford Mustang
>Buick Roadmaster/Chevy Caprice/Cadillac Brougham
>Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird
>Chevy Corvette
>Dodge Viper
>
>Did I miss any this time?
>
Wadda know. A complete list of the only decent cars left in the
world. ...CPV
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: GEO METRO
Date: 6 Oct 92 13:47:45 GMT
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <1as2c3INN5f2@bigboote.WPI.EDU> beuf@wpi.WPI.EDU (Richard J Fuller) writes:
>	well I Saw a demolished Geo STORM in a junkie and I can
>	say that I hope that I never get nto an accident.......
>	
>	but almost all cars in this price range are 'deathtraps'
>	I dare you to name one car under $10,000 that is very
>	safe....

For $10,000, you could spend $6500 on the Metro, and the rest on, say,
a 72 to 80 era Chevy Caprice. Fix the Caprice up, and keep the Metro
for an ego boost (new car :-))

>	from my understanding not all Geo METRO's have 3 cylinders
>	I think that one model the XFI is the V3 with 55 mpg

V3? Hmmm.

>
>	other METROS have a V4 if I am not mistaken......and get more 

V4? Nope. I believe Suzuki does sell their own badged with a 4 cylinder
engine. A really spiffy Metro was the Metro Turbo, there's a few in our
city. I think it was made in red or white only, from 1986 to 87 or so.

Spiros
-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       striantafyll@kosds1.gm.hac.com
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tim@prelude.tcs.com (Kam Tim Chan)
Subject: Real good Honda auto body shop ?
Keywords:  Honda, body ... paint ...
Reply-To: tim@tcs.com
Organization: Teknekron Communications Systems
Distribution: ba
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 17:47:32 GMT

Hi everyone,

	I hope I won't upset everyone in this newsgroup, but I am
in desperate need on some extremely good body shop in the Bay Area. I
have a 1991 Honda Prelude Si, and was rear-ended by another car, and
wanted to fix it as good as I can so that I won't notice any different
in both body repair and paint job. I may be very picky, but it's a new
car and less than a year old ;-( ....

	I was recommended by my insurance company to a place called
"World Class Collision" in Berkeley, said they specialized in Honda
since they have contracted work for Doten (Berkeley) Honda. Then my
mechanic recommended me a shop called "Mike's Auto Body" in Concord, and
said they also contracted work for Concord Honda, and have a lot of
experience in fixing Hondas ... does anyone has any other good
recommendation or any experience with these 2 shops ? 

	Thanks in advance ...

					Tim Chan

-- 
================================ Address ===============================
Tim Chan, Systems Engineer,	Teknekron Communications Systems
	(510)-649-3645		2121, Allston Way, Berkeley, CA94704
Internet : tim@tcs.com     uucp : uunet!tcs!tim	     fax: (510)-649-3600
From: jhansen@convex.com (James Hansen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Paint on Chrysler's LH(Last Hope) models
Date: 2 Oct 92 15:34:38 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In <7740227@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> bruno@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bruno Melli) writes:

>They also mentionned that they had an earlier recall (can't remember for 
>what but it was a fairly minor problem) which was not a big deal
>at the time because there were less than 500 LH in circulation.

It was a problem in the steering mechanism.

>Now I can understand bugs in a new car but pistons shattering ???
>Seems to me that you really need to be patriotic to buy one of the early
>models...

Are you sure it was a shattering piston?  I thought it had more to do
with the link between a piston and the crank shaft.  Anyway, it was
traced back to human error in production, *not* design.

--
James B. Hansen                                  {sun,uunet}!convex!jhansen
CONVEX Computer Corporation                              jhansen@convex.com
3000 Waterview Parkway, P. O. Box 833851
Richardson, TX 75083-3851                              Phone: (214)497-4802
From: brad@buck.viewlogic.com (Bradford Kellogg)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Date: 29 Sep 92 23:48:48 GMT
Organization: Viewlogic Systems, Inc.
Originator: brad@buck


In article <_ajzx4a@rpi.edu>, seeree@vulcan.ral.rpi.edu (Sanjeev Seereeram) writes:
|> 
[stuff deleted]
|> 
|> Even shorter answer:
|> 
|> FWD:   Chevy Citation, Ford Escort, Chevy Cavalier, ...
|> RWD:   all Ferrari's, Lambo's, Aston Martin's, Corvette's, BMW's, ...
|> 

RWD: Chevy Chevette, Dodge Dart, AMC Matador, ...  :-)
FWD: Alfa 164S, Honda CRX, VW Corrado, ...  =-)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rrusk@ssd.csd.harris.com (Bob Rusk)
Subject: Re: Whats a Geo Metro (explained)
Reply-To: rrusk@ssd.csd.harris.com
Organization: Harris Computer Systems Division
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 21:30:53 GMT

On 5 Oct 92 17:59:37 GMT, blu@cellar.org (Dan Reed) wrote:

>A Geo, is a car comany here in the states, that sells several small, crummy, 
>magot shit box cars under the Chevy name.  The cars are made by Isusu, 
>Toyota, and Diahatsu (sp?).  All sold under the Geo name.  One such car, the 
>Geo Metro, is a small, 4 person car.  The car, is *Very* small, and sports (I 
>think) a 3 cyl. engine, and gets 56Mpg.  Needless to say, this car, does not 
>have that much power...

Geo is a division of GM.  They sell a variety of imported and quasi-imported
cars.  The cars are designed by or in conjunction with Isuzu, Toyota, and
Suzuki.  No Daihatsus anywhere.

The Geo Metro is a relabelled Suzuki Swift built in Canada.  It does have
a 3 cyl. engine, and it is quite slow.  Even worse, GM insists on offering
it with an (optional) automatic!  It is also very inexpensive and easy
on gas.

--
--
 Bob Rusk
 rrusk@ssd.csd.harris.com
 My thoughts, probably not Harris'.
From: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: ACURA LEGEND UPGRADES
Date: 28 Sep 92 14:39:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525
Reply-To: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 

-> I have a '91 Acura Legend Coupe and was wondering if
-> anybody knows of any performance upgrade kits for the
-> car.

  As far as computer chips, there may be some around in California, but
I'm not sure.  There should be an exhaust system out by either Dynomax
or Ansa.  If they don' have a particular application for the Legend, you
can get a universal muffler installed with the tailpipe of your choice.
You can always get simple things like a K&N air filter, Splitfire
sparkplugs, or a modified ignition that will yield a little performance
gain.


Erich Lim
erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us

From: johnl@pcx.ncd.com (John Light)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Date: 30 Sep 92 19:49:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: pcx.1992Sep30.194955.6966
Organization: Graphic Software Systems, Beaverton, OR

In article <5294@balrog.ctron.com> smith@ctron.com writes:
>
>Moral1: whatever you drive, learn how it handles and don't exceed the limits.
>Moral2: If you refuse to learn moral1, buy all-wheel-drive.
>

Actually, Moral2 isn't so great.  AWD can provide greater limits, but when
you exceed them, you are drifting on all four wheels at high speed.  Too
many idiots are buying AWD and 4WD as it is.

John Light
johnl@gss.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen)
Subject: Re: Keystone Wheels
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 06:41:52 GMT

In article <BvBrAA.FE5@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Mike Mshar) writes:
>> CENG51@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Craig Witkowski) writes:
[looking for center caps]
>Sure. You can find the center caps wherever the theives that took
>my Keystone rims are, along with the Trans Am they were attached to.
>
>Seriously, though. Look in the yellow or white pages under auto parts.
>Look for a place called "Hubcap World", or something like that. If you
>live near a large town or city, there is sure to be one. Judging by the
>ones I have been to, I would say that they should have some, probably at
>a reasonable price, too.

and who knows, maybe the ones Hubcap World sells him came from your
late departed Trans Am...

-teddy
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: dstarr@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Dwight Starr)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: New Dodge Catch-phrase
Date: 29 Sep 92 20:01:39 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University

In article <0elp3ym00YV7A4oV4L@andrew.cmu.edu> Janviere S Thuman <jt3u+@andrew.
cmu.edu> writes:
>
>Here is what the popular Dodge commercial phrase SHOULD be:
>
>Put a new Dodge -new Dodge- in your Garbage.
>
>
>That seems more appropriate to me!!
>
>Shellie

Uh-Oh   Looks like your kid sister was using your account again! ;^{)
-- 
 INTERNET dstarr@magnus.asc.ohio-state.edu
 CAMPUS   dstarr@gate.us.ohio-state.edu  or starr@x1.us.ohio-state.edu
From: gkc@freddie.udev.cdc.com (gordon k chace x2367)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Are Saturns really "rattletraps"?
Date: 29 Sep 92 18:56:14 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <Sep25.050129.65881@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>, wayman@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Jeffrey Wayman) writes:
|> I'm looking into buying a Saturn....
|> I asked my mechanic about them and he said mechanically they
|> are great, but they are "rattletraps".  He went on to explain
|> that GM took only 3 years to engineer the car (where most cars

The 90/91 engines were roundly criticized for excess "buzz".  92/93 models
have a redesigned engine mount to reduce this problem.

As of 92, they admitted that the dashboard can occasionally make a single
"pop" sound due to thermal expansion and contraction.  That is not a rattle.

I consider mine to be quiet regarding wind noise and low-power engine noise,
and average for high-power engine noise, compared to similarly-priced
cars.  Mine is the SOHC engine, I cannot speak for the DOHC engine.  With
a new Minnesota winter approaching any day now, I'll soon find out about
pothole noises.

-- 
Gordon K. Chace
Control Data Systems, Inc.   phone (612) 482-6524   fax 482-2791
email gkc@udev.cdc.com
RISC: Really Invented on the Sixty-six-hundred by CDC
From: grund@pyrite.SOM.CWRU.edu (Victor Grund)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: I HATE MY DODGE
Date: 4 Oct 92 18:44:41
Organization: International Business Machines, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
	<GRUND.92Sep20215252@pyrite.som.cwru.edu>
	<1992Sep21.162012.10223@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: pyrite.som.cwru.edu
In-reply-to: jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu's message of 21 Sep 92 16:20:12 GMT

In article <1992Sep21.162012.10223@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen) writes:

   >I'd say that all car manufacturers produce lemons from time to time.

   Yes, but what matters is who produces *more* lemons.


Point made, I suppose.  Is such data available anywhere?

--
Victor D. Grund        | grund@pyrite.som.cwru.edu *
IBM Cleveland Mktg Ops | grund@vnet.ibm.com        * November '92:
RISC System/6000 & AIX | DETVMIC6(VGRUND)          *   Use your vote to 
(216) 664-7381         | FAX: (216) 664-7348       *     reform Congress.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Mike Mshar)
Subject: Re: RPM vs MPG
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 04:03:27 GMT

In article <25976@oasys.dt.navy.mil> tobias@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Tobias) writes:
>
>Despite the large difference in RPM @ 60, the mpg figures were only 1
>or 2 miles per gallon lower for the Camaro. Note that the tires were
>almost identical (225-55ZR16 for GT, 235-55ZR16 for Camaro), in case
>that would be a factor. My question: How can the mpg figures be so close
>when the rpm @ 60 numbers are so different??? The only thing I can think
>of is that the mpg figures weren't from cruising at a constant speed
>in fifth (the auto rag didn't explain how they were derived).
>

The main reason is probably that all engines are designed differently. 
Engines are designed to have peak efficiency at different rpms, depending
on the engine and its application. At 1500 rpms, the Ford engine
might be lugging a bit, where as at 2000 rpm, the Chevy 305 might 
not. If you could get a torque curve graph for the engines, it might
help make it more clear. Generally speaking, the rpm in which the 
maximum torque is produced is the most effiecient. But, is it better
to have maximum torque at high rpms where fuel flow is high or low
rpms where fuel flow is low?? It is all a big compromise, and different
engines meet these compromises in different ways. 

Moral of the story, all engines are different, and without hard numbers,
it is hard to tell why a given engine will do anything the way it does.



-- 
|       Michael G. Mshar        | My Life-Long Goal: To keep common sense    |
|   mmshar@mn.ecn.purdue.edu    | alive and keep the idiots from taking over.|
|  mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu   |     \\President, Nice Guys Anonymous//     |
|____>>> United States Steel, Mechanical Engineer, Technical Services <<<____|
From: tonya@hpldsla.sid.hp.com (Tony Arnerich)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Touch-up paint
Date: 3 Oct 92 00:14:30 GMT
Organization: HP Scientific Instruments Division - Palo Alto, CA

ejhupper@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Huppertz) writes:

> 1:  What do I use to strip the wax off my car without
> damage to the paint?

I've successfully used Ivory Liquid dish detergent to get really nasty
stuff like road tar off car paint, with zero apparent damage to the
paint. Perhaps it'll also get wax off (after all, wax is made up of
hydrocarbons, just like the tar). Dry the bare metal immediately.

> 2:  What do I do about the couple chip marks with a
> little rust? (if anything)

Your car has now been innoculated with car cancer. Get the rust off!
Some touch-up paint bottles come with a stainless steel wire brush
built into the cap, but in my experience it's awfully difficult to
use without severely scratching the surrounding paint area.