November 30, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #115: Bad News for the Diesel Tax Credit
As we mentioned briefly in yesterday's podcast, it appears that the much-promised diesel tax credit is actually a no-go for 2006.
We verified this suspicion through two sources, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the Diesel Technology Forum, and also by reading the actual language in the Energy Bill that declares diesel vehicles must pass the tougher Bin 5 Tier II emissions requirement in order to be eligible.
In plain words, diesels currently on sale in the U.S. will not get tax credits because their emissions are not clean enough.
This situation could be remedied in 2007, with the introduction of low sulfur diesel, accompanied by new particulate filters expected to be installed by automakers.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer.
Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)
VW Unleashes New Beetle as Force of Good
Volkswagen has a minisite dedicated to spreading the "Force of Good" that is the New Beetle -- essentially it's a light-hearted series of features that put a smile on your face.
Two of the functions are interactive, "do battle" is an animation where the Beetle disables bad haircuts, banana hammocks and burnt toast. The "Beetle Game" is a simple online video game, similar to the old space invaders, that is suitably addictive.
There's also a featurette on Beetle People -- owners with miniprofiles exhibiting their goodness, and there's a trailer for a Beetle Movie which you can get a copy of at any VW dealer. There's also details from the recently completed seven-city Force of Good tour that just wrapped up.
It's not all fun and games, though. Volkswagen is donating one dollar to worthy organizations for every New Beetle or New Beetle Convertible built online at www.vw.com. Customers can build their car and select one of three organizations: Young Audiences, America's Second Harvest or ComedyCures. Volkswagen will donate one dollar to the organization in the customer’s name.
Posted by Frank at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)
Pontiac Torrent to Challenge Survivors on Dec. 8
The Pontiac Torrent will be integrated into a "challenge" on the TV show Survivor during the December 8 episode, echoing a similar campaign with the Solstice coupe last spring.
Pontiac has already been working with the program, through a campaign called Survivor Search in the City, that involves taking a photo of a former Survivor contestant in a Torrent. By sending in the photos, contestants have a chance to win a Pontiac Torrent. Over 18,000 entries have been submitted, according to Ad Age.
The Pontiac Solstice campagin was a big success for GM, with 1,000 units of the vehicle getting sold online in 41 minutes. In addition to the challenge integration, Pontiac will unveil a vehicle promotion at the end of the Dec. 8 Survivor.
Posted by Frank at 04:43 PM | Comments (0)
You Don't Really Want to Join the "Volvo Saved My Life" Club, But ...
...If you do get into a vehicle wreck, you want to be able to walk away like the five families featured in this dramatic feature at the Volvo website.
The "Volvo Saved My Life Club" is an interactive audio and picture scrapbook, that has the real-life stories of Volvo owners who were in pretty nasty collisions in their vehicles, and survived to walk away and give some of the most sincere testimonials for a car brand we've ever heard. The real strength of this web feature is the audio, and it's well worth a listen.
One woman, Elizabeth Malsin of Portland, Oregon, visited the fire station of the crew who pulled her out of her 2004 XC70 and said the firefighters also gave her vehicle an endorsement: "They also said that it's always Volvos where people walk away relatively unscathed."
If you have been involved in a collision where you believe your Volvo saved your life, you can submit your story to customercare@volvocars.com.
Posted by Frank at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
Happy Honda Holidays
Honda has a lease promotion running through January 3, 2006, and while the 42 month terms are longer than what other manufacturers are offering, the money due to sign is only $1,500.
For us, the most appealing of the offers which include the Accord sedan and Pilot SUV is the opportunity to get into the Honda Ridgeline pickup for only $279 a month. We think the design concept on the Ridgeline really points the way to the future of pickups, though sales for the radical model have not been as robust as Honda would like. Of particular importance is the trunk in the bed of the pickup, which we've dubbed a "category killer."
Posted by Frank at 08:52 AM | Comments (0)
Attend the 2006 Buick Lucerne VIP Premiere Night
You can attend an invite-only preview of the 2006 Lucerne at any of your local Buick dealers by going to www.buick.com and clicking on the "You're Invited" button. We just signed up, took about 3 minutes, and have a date for December 13.
Buick is offering a 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper warranty on all 2006 models, longer than the standard GM 3-year/36,000-mile protection, which shows they're confident in what they're bringing to the table.
The Lucerne comes in three trim levels, the CX starts at $26,990, the Lucerne CXL goes for $28,990 and the Lucerne CXS starts at $35,990. The CX and CXL both come with a 3.8L V6 SFI Series III engine, the Lucerne CXL gets a 4.6L DOHC V8 Northstar engine with 275 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
Posted by Frank at 08:18 AM | Comments (0)
BMW Lease & Lifestyle Offers
BMW has a whole page of lease offers, which you can find here, but the one on the 2005 Z4 stands out -- only $299 a month for 27 months, with $3,099 cash due at signing. You can download a Z4 PDF brochure here.
The Bavarians also have lots of BMW branded goodies you can buy at their lifestyle website, and there's a new catalog, also in PDF.
Posted by Frank at 08:07 AM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #114: Hybrid Tax Incentive Confusion
This podcast investigates a tricky question -- the matter of exactly how much the tax credits for hybrids will be in 2006. While you may have heard or read estimates about the actual dollar amount, the fact is the IRS has yet to publish official rates for individual vehicles.
We interviewed Mark Steber, Vice President of Tax Resouces for Jackson Hewitt, who explained the difference between a tax deduction and tax credit, and why consumers may want to check in with a tax advisor before making a purchasing decision.
By the way, there is an estimate of 2006 tax credit for hybrids from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, which you can find at this page.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer.
Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)
Nissan Trading Cards -- Collect Them All!
These nine trading cards featuring Nissan vehicles came as a sheeted insert in several magazines, and contrary to what you might think they weren't printed by the car company.
They're actually from the Mississippi Development Authority, and are designed to cross-promote Nissan, the state's business-friendly environment as well as some of it's tourist attractions.
They're set up like baseball cards, with a picture on the front and "stats" on the back. So you get to learn factoids such as Nissan's Canton plant can make up to 400,000 vehicles a year with 4,000 workers -- and that the company received a $365 million dollar investment from the state to help things along.
The cards feature the Altima, Titan, Quest and Armada [that's from Nissan], as well as photos of J.P. Coleman State Park, Vicksburg Bridge, the Biloxi Lighthouse and the Natchez Trace Parkway [of Mississippi].
To learn more about doing business in Mississippi, check out http://www.mississippi.org/.
Posted by Frank at 02:05 PM | Comments (0)
What is OnStar?
For most of us the image of OnStar, GM's telematics service, is what we see in the commercials -- someone in trouble pressing the red button and getting connected to a friendly voice that helps them out of a jam.
While emergency service is one cornerstone of the OnStar program, we've come to think of it as more of an onboard concierge -- one that can unlock your doors, send the cops if your airbags deploy, and even help you get directions, and reservations, to that famous restaurant in an unfamiliar town. Oh yeah, it's also a telephone, but more on that in a minute.
General Motors is equipping more than 50 of their vehicles, across their brands, with the OnStar hardware in 2006, and each comes with a one year subscription to the Safe & Sound plan. [Click here to see the full list of vehicles].
This basic level service with OnStar costs $16.95 a month after the free year, and there are two other levels, Directions & Connections for $34.95/month, or the Luxury & Leisure Plan for $69.95/month. To see a breakdown of the plans and what they offer, click here.
To get technical for a minute, OnStar is a telematics service, which means it uses a combination of Global Positioning System [GPS] satellite and cellular technology, along with onboard diagnostics, to link the vehicle and driver to the OnStar Center. The OnStar Center is staffed with advisors on the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist their 3 million subscribers. GM expects to hit 4 million subscribers this December.
The core of the OnStar user interface lies in the three buttons you see pictured above. The blue button is similar to a home page on a web site -- it gets you into the system, and you can use it to verify your account information and get questions answered. The blue button is also used for non-emergency roadside assistance such as flat tires, running out of gas, or to run the vehicle diagnostics program.
The red button with the white cross in the middle is self-explanatory -- it's the OnStar panic button, to be used in case of an accident, to get help summoning the police, or to repsond to an Amber Alert or simply to be a good Samaritan.
The phone button is also obvious -- you can elect to purchase phone minutes through OnStar, that are good for a year and can be used through your vehicle's microphone and speaker system. Rates for the phone service can be found here.
Now there are times of course, when the buttons won't help you -- like when your car gets stolen, you get locked out of your vehicle, or even if you can't find it in a huge parking lot at Christmastime. For these occasions, subscribers can call 1-888-4ONSTAR, to get the specific assistance they need. Namely, they can call the cops, remotely unlock your doors and even flash the light and horn to help you locate your missing ride.
But that's not all! In September, GM announced an e-mail service in which users can receive monthly diagnostic reports, that will keep them up to date on the status and maintenance necessary for their vehicle. GM reported over a 100,000 subscribers signed up for this extra level of protection in the first month, by going to this page, or by pressing the blue button and talking to an advisor.
The e-mail adresses four vehicle systems -- engine/transmission, anti-lock brakes, airbag and OnStar, and gives the status of each. [Click here to see a sample report.]
Other information includes the percentage of remaining oil life, the mileage and corresponding recommended maintenance, the remaining OnStar Hands-free calling minutes, and the expiration date of the OnStar subscription. Only vehicles after 2004 year models, equipped with the GM Oil-Life System and vehicle diagnostics capabilities are available. [Click here to see an image of how Remote Diagnostics works.]
Now, that certainly was a lot to digest, wasn't it? In our opinion, OnStar is a valuable service for those looking for practical help and assistance related to their vehicle, and this explanation shouldn't scare you off. In our opinion, it's like trying to explain how e-mail or Tivo works -- it's a learning curve, but once you understand the value and benefits, it easily becomes an integrated part of your daily life.
Posted by Frank at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)
Dodge Nitro to be Built at Toledo Jeep Plant
Starting in late summer 2006, Dodge will begin building their first-ever midsize SUV at the Toledo, Ohio Jeep plant. Neither sales goals nor pricing for the new model has been released.
Chrysler Group is spending $600 million overall on the Nitro project, which is built on the Jeep Liberty 4x4 platform. The Toledo North Assembly Plant, which will assemble the Nitro already builds the Liberty.
Part of the overall Nitro investment is going into the Toledo plant, which will expand over 160,000 square feet and have 150 new robots installed. The plant, which started making the Liberty in 2001, currently employs 2,500 workers and occupies 2.1 million square feet.
Posted by Frank at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)
Super-Luxe Auto Show in Anaheim
The creators of Hot Import Nights are launching a new kind of show on December 3, dubbed VIP Auto Fashion, that will showcase super-luxe autos, dream cars and celebrity rides. The event is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center from 1-9 p.m. Entry fee is $25.
The show will feature the 2007 Escalade, the only U.S. public appearance of the Rinspeed Indy, Porsche 997 S, more than a dozen Lamborghinis and more.
The event, set up more like a party than a boring trade show, will incorporate a sports bar featuring poker tables, multiple plasma screens broadcasting college football and motorsports events as well as sport spokesmodels and celebrity poker players.
Posted by Frank at 08:38 AM | Comments (0)
Toyota Chooses China for First Overseas Production of Prius
Beginning in December, a Chinese car factory will be the site of the first foreign production of Toyota's Prius hybrid vehicle. Toyota chose China for their initial overseas effort due to requests from the government for assistance in producing vehicles that are less polluting, according to the Asahi Shimbun.
The factory, located in China's northeastern Changchun, Jilin province, is part of a joint venture with China FAW Group. Toyota recently announced they broke the 500,000 unit mark in Prius sales worldwwide, with about half of those sold in the U.S.
For Toyota, the effort to expand hybrid production, which will soon begin in the U.S., is part of a larger effort to reduce costs of manufacturing the vehicles. Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe has said the company's goal is to cut hybrid costs in half. Toyota will begin building a new Camry hybrid at the company's Georgetown, Ky., plant in late 2006.
Posted by Frank at 08:11 AM | Comments (0)
Hey Santa: Thanks for the Gas Prices!
Gas prices continue to fall, with the latest national average down to $2.148 per gallon, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report. That's only 10.5% higher than the same time last year.
Only two states, Missouri and Oklahoma, have sub-$2 prices, but who knows, Xmas is only a few weeks away!
Posted by Frank at 07:37 AM | Comments (0)
Ford to Staff: Get on the Bus or Start Walking
In an audio message e-mailed to staffers Monday, CEO Bill Ford made it clear: either you're with me or you're against me.
Reported in the Detroit News, Ford's message said in part, "Anyone who thinks or attempts to convince you that it's business as usual at Ford is wrong and would best serve us all by pursuing their interests elsewhere."
On Sept. 21, Ford gave a speech staking the company's future on the twin pillars of innovation and environmental standards, and has been making moves ever since to restructure the company's leadership and focus on new products. The company is cutting jobs as part of the restructuring, with 4,000 white collar positions to be cut by early next year.
The audio message was part of a new initiative that not only chides employees to get behind the push to reinvigorate the company, but invites them to contributes ideas directly to Ford and senior management. The company is looking for ideas that will improve all facets of operations, and nothing seems to be out of bounds.
Posted by Frank at 07:24 AM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Video Cast: Volvo's Safe Winter Driving Tips
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Caution: Reindeer crossing!
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Posted by Frank at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #113: The Revolutionary Suspension from Bose
In this podcast, we discuss the electro-mechanics of the new suspension developed by Bose -- the audio people.
Also, there's a website update -- some new features have been installed!
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer.
Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 04:24 PM | Comments (0)
Updated: Toyota Hybrid Billboard Hits 100 Million Gallons Saved
We ran this story over the weekend, that Toyota has a billboard touting how many gallons of gas have been saved by people driving the 76-horsepower gas-electric Prius. Now the billboard has reached 100,000,000 gallons saved.
Posted by Frank at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
Mercedes Crash Test-cum-Train Wreck
Let's begin with the moral of the story: You should never start lying because you can never stop.
A friend of the Notebook sent us the original version of this story a couple weeks ago and it fell through the keyboard. According to this story, a Mercedes test of an automated radar braking system in the S-Class ended in an embarassing failure. Actually it sounds like adaptive cruise control, but anyway, the explanation was that the radar failed due to the steel sheeted hall in which the test was conducted.
Fair enough, embarassing for Mercedes, but explainable, because we normally don't drive in steel encased rooms, unless we're the Ubermenschy Superman and are trying to avoid Lex Luthor's latest Kyrptonite attack.
But, the story gets better.
It seems that Mercedes' engineers knew in advance the test would fail, and tried to talk the TV journalist out of conducting it. No, no, said the journalist, Michael Specht, of AutoBild. Sprecht suggested they fake the test, and that he would manually brake the car before hitting the one in front.
Didn't work, obviously. According to this follow-up story, Specht couldn't see the car in front of him due to smoke machines, so the Mercedes engineers put a piece of wood across the path so he would know when to brake.
Problem was, Sprecht never felt the bump in the road due to the fine suspension on the S-Class.
And thus, the fender munch.
While it only looked as if Mercedes got injured in this pile-up, it turns out that Sprecht had an audio recorder with him in the car that recorded his part of the conspiracy. Sprecht has now been fired from his position as an automotive journalist. The only part of this story that hasn't been covered is who got to Sprecht's audio recorder and ratted him out.
Original hat tip: Matt B.
Follow-up hat tip: Jalopnik.
Posted by Frank at 01:35 PM | Comments (0)
Mercedes Winter Lease Event
Mercedes is running a lease deal through January 3, 2006, on some of their C, E, M, and R-Class models. The lease terms are for 39 months -- enough to get them back in time to resell as Certified Pre-Owned -- but with these deals you can act as your very own Santa.
For more info, especially the legal matter, check out MBUSA.com.
The deals include:
2006 R350 Sports Tourer
$599/month payment
$3,395 Total cash due at signing, first month free!
2006 C230 Sport Sedan
$329/month payment
$3,874 Total cash due at signing
2006 C280 Luxury Sedan
$365/month payment
3,910Total cash due at signing
2006 C280 Luxury Sedan 4MATIC
$379/month payment
$3,924 Total cash due at signing
2006 E350 Sedan
$529/month payment
$4,274 Total cash due at signing
2006 E350 4MATIC Sedan
$569/month payment
$4,314 Total cash due at signing
2006 ML350 SUV
$499/month payment
$4,244 Total cash due at signing
Posted by Frank at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
Fifth Wheel: Saudi Marriage of Automotive Convenience
Four female Saudi teachers, forbidden to drive under Islamic law, married their male driver, which is legal under Islamic law.
The women joined in the communal marriage to live closer to work, according to Reuters, and cited the man's "good morals" as part of their decision.
The women moved to the village where their school, and the male driver, are located. The women agreed to pay the man a portion of their salaries, but it was not reported whether that amount is equal, less or greater than their former cab fare.
Posted by Frank at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
You, Too, Can Learn From Toyota's Kaizen Approach
This interview with Seizo Okamoto, president of Toyota's truck plant in Princeton, Ind., explores the Toyota Production System, and touches on the concept of kaizen, or continuous improvement.
Reading the article for insight into automotive manufacturing is one thing, but it also struck us that the kaizen principle can be ported easily into other areas -- namely, any business, and personal activities as well.
Here's some quotes from the Detroit News interview conducted by Christine Tierney, with our own emphasis added:
Q. What's the most difficult aspect of the Toyota Production System to grasp?
A. Kaizen -- it's not easy to maintain continuous improvement. You have to motivate [people] to have the kaizen mind-set. Then management has to give them higher targets, and then higher targets. It's easy to introduce the system. The difficulty is to keep finding problems.
Q. How do you motivate your team members?
A. We try to let them know the strengths and weaknesses of our rivals.
We give that information to team members so that they can come up with ideas as to what we should be doing. Then everyone understands that without kaizen, we can't maintain our competitiveness.
Posted by Frank at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)
D1GP: Drifting Grand Prix in Cali, Dec. 16-17
Heard about this krazy kid sport called drifting? The Japanese-originated sport has quite a hold out in California as well, and the sport's top event, D1GP, is staging a USA vs. Japan competition at the Irwindale Speedway this December 16 and 17.
Friday the 16th is a a qualifying round where licensed D1 drivers from both sides of the Pacific compete for a spot to race on the 17th. Competition day will start off with an equal number of drivers on both sides that will be competing. Once the drivers are selected, tandem drifting, known as Dog Fights, at speeds over 110MPH will take place.
The D1 Grand Prix Vendor Village will preview the Tokyo Auto Salon, which runs January 13-15, 2006. On display will be the RE Amemiyas 2006 FD3S, TopSecret's Skyline & Stream-Z and other 2006 Japanese tuner cars.
Want to learn more about drifting? Check out this Wikipedia article, as well as this one on the D1 Grand Prix.
Posted by Frank at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Detroit Auto Show News
If you're looking for some juicy, in-depth information on what's happening at the Detroit Auto Show, get it straight from the source -- they put out a monthly newsletter, ShowTalk, and the November issue is 12 pages full of up to the minute announcements.
If you really want to be an insider, you can get ShowTalk, plus news flashes from the organizers via e-mail. To sign up, send your e-mail address to naiasmail@dada.org. Use ShowTalk/NAIAS News Flash as the subject line.
As for product releases for Detroit, here's the list so far [pictured above-right is the Mazda RX-8 hydrogen car.]:
Production vehicles
BMW Z4 M Roadster
Cadillac Escalade ESV
Cadillac Escalade EX
Ford Shelby GT500 convertible
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jaguar XK convertible
Lincoln Aviator
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder
Mercedes-Benz
Nissan Versa
Kia Optima
Volkswagen Passat wagon
Concept vehicles
Hyundai HCD-9
Mini Traveller
Volvo Honda FCX
Mazda RX-8 [hydrogen powered]
Mazda5 hybrid
Subaru B5-TPH
Posted by Frank at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)
L.A. Auto Show News
The Los Angeles Auto Show, running from January 6 to January 15, may have a tough time this year as the Detroit Auto Show's new dates [Jan. 14-22] means the two are butting up against each other.
That will change as the LA show is rescheduling its 2007 show for November of 2006.
Yes, that means two shows in one calendar year, but Detroit is the 800 pound gorilla of the show world. For journalists, they have to go where the news is, and that means Detroit. But if the LA organizers move fast, they may be able to snag some important announcements and '07 unveils for their newly rescheduled event.
As far as auto shows in general, meaning for the general public, they are about revenue. Shows bring in exhibitors, and attendees, because the majority of the car-interested public doesn't travel to the big events. Which is why there are shows in all major cities, and even so me minor one -- check out the list!
Some of the debuts scheduled for LA include:
BMW M6
Based on the new 6 Series, the new M6 shares its drivetrain with the recently introduced M5. The new V-10 produces 500 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. Designed to rev with a redline of 8,250, this new engine offers an impressive 100 horsepower per liter of displacement.
2006 Bugatti Veyron
The Veyron may be the ultimate exotic sports car. It is a 1,001-horsepower, $1.2 million super sports car that can reach a top speed of 252 mph in refined elegance. The 16-cylinder Veyron crushes many traditional automotive standards and receives its North American production premiere in Los Angeles.
More after the jump --
2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the company's flagship sedan, highlights dramatic design and advanced technology. The new S-Class will be powered by the first model of Mercedes-Benz’s next generation V-8 engine family, which features increased displacement, four-valve-per-cylinder technology, variable valve timing and a lightweight crank assembly.
2006 Porsche Cayman S
The Porsche Cayman S is a new addition to the Porsche line-up for 2006. Positioned between the Porsche Boxster Roadster and 911 Carrera, the new Cayman S is a two-passenger coupe that runs on a mid-mounted 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine that generates 295 horsepower.
2006 Volkswagen GTI
The 2006 GTI is derived from the fifth-generation of VW’s popular Golf model. The new GTI, available in both two- and four-door models, is powered by VW’s new gasoline direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Chassis features include a lowered sport-tuned suspension, stability control and 17-inch alloy wheels.
2007 Volkswagen Eos
Enthusiasm is running high in anticipation of this stunning all-new five-passenger hardtop convertible from Volkswagen. The Eos features an innovative hardtop that also uniquely contains a sunroof. It is equipped with a full complement of standard features to appeal to discriminating drivers. It arrives at dealerships in summer.
2006 Ferrari F430 Pista
The F430 Pista is the next generation race car version of the F430 for the Ferrari Challenge series. Its powerful 8-cylinder engine produces an impressive 490 horsepower and can quickly propel the F430 Pista to a top speed of 196 mph.
2006 Fisker Tramonto
A sculpted statement of exotic, two-seat open air motoring, the Fisker Tramonto’s true depth is more than meets the eye. Based on the engineering and architectural excellence of the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, the new Tramonto boasts upgrades with its engine, and braking and exhaust systems.
2006 Fisker Latigo
Currently nearing production status, the Fisker Latigo’s architecture is based on the BMW 6 Series Coupe – modeled out of lightweight, high-strength aluminum and carbon fiber. The low-slung, road-hugging Latigo is handcrafted, which makes it a compelling statement of individualized elegance.
2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
The new Gallardo Spyder is not just an open-top version of the Coupe – it is a completely new model. Its V-10 engine generates 520 horsepower at 8,000 rpm. The six-speed gearbox has lower ratios that create a more lively performance, along with addition of increased direct steering and a recalibrated suspension. It features a fully retractable soft top.
2006 Maserati Quattroporte GT
The Quattroporte Sport GT builds upon the luxury car’s international success. The aggressive look is captured in the carbon fiber interior, 20-inch wheel rims, sporty steering wheel and handbrake grip and aluminum pedal covers. It also features the latest gearbox software for 35 percent faster shifting and a newly designed exhaust system delivering an even sportier sound.
2006 Maybach 57S
As if the Maybach didn’t have enough power before, now Mercedes-Benz has added an S version – with S representing “Special.” The new engine has been specially tuned by AMG and boasts an astounding 612 horsepower. Luxury features include gold accents and trim of either carbon fiber or lacquered wood.
2006 Spyker C12 LaTurbie
The new Spyker C12 LaTurbie will be the first Spyker powered by the robust 6.0-liter W-12 Audi aluminum engine, which generates 500 horsepower and 0-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds. Spyker’s stylish in-house designed 19-inch Aeroblade™ wheels are standard and the double twin exhausts produce the breathtaking signature Spyker sound.
2006 Spyker C8 Laviolette
The stylish two-seat C8 Laviolette Coupe is Spyker’s closed-roof version of its C8 Spyder. The 2006 C8 Laviolette is powered by an all-aluminum Audi V-8 engine that produces 400 horsepower with a top speed of 187 mph and 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.5 seconds. The Spyker C8 Laviolette exterior is constructed from aluminum and features a glass canopy.
Posted by Frank at 08:32 AM | Comments (0)
Chrysler to Expand Sprinter Van Assembly in the U.S.
Chrysler is expected to announce today that they are opening a new plant in South Carolina to assemble the Dodge Sprinter van, which is proving to be a quietly successful model. Dodge sold 1,855 Sprinters in October, a 101% increase over the year before; year to date sales are also up 104.3%, for a total of 16,276 units.
Sprinters are currently assembled at a Gaffney, South Carolina plant. The new facility will be in North Charleston and will employ 200-300 workers.
Sprinters come with a 2.7 liter, 5-cylinder diesel engine and are sold under the Dodge and Freightliner brands.
Posted by Frank at 07:24 AM | Comments (0)
Ghosn Still Cautious About Hybrid Kool-Aid, Thinking Diesel for Trucks
Despite going ahead with plans to build a hybrid Nissan Altima in the U.S., CEO Carlos Ghosn said he remains "cautious" about producing hybrid cars. "Hybrid is a serious technology and it may be a very competitive technology," he said Friday during a Tokyo press conference.
Ghosn said that until consumers make the final decision, Nissan will explore multiple options, including putting diesel engines in their U.S. trucks and SUVs. "You'll probably see large diesel pickups and SUVs," Ghosn said. "We are preparing it."
Posted by Frank at 06:53 AM | Comments (0)
November Sales Projections -- It's Anybody's Guess
After a tough October, and the onset of new incentives from GM, Ford and Chrysler, analysts are putting wet fingers to the wind to foretell what the sales results will be in November. We'll find out for sure on Thursday, December 1, but so far Merrill Lynch predicts sales will be down 7%, and Edmunds says they'll be up 3%.
Merrill Lynch thinks the domestics will lose more market share to the internationals, while Edmunds prognosticates that domestic share will be 56.1% in November, "down slightly from 56.3% in November 2004 but up from the record low of 52.3% in October 2005."
In an earlier story, the J.D. Power Information Network [PIN] found that sales in the first nine days of the month were down 15% compared to November 2004, but that was before the domestic incentives kicked in. PIN did indicate at the same time that SUV and truck sales were recovering. We'll see on Thursday.
No matter what happens in November the domestics still have a full month for their new incentives to work out. Check this story for links to all the plans.
Posted by Frank at 06:31 AM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2005
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Posted by Frank at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota's Getting a Lot of Mileage Out of Hybrids
The photo of this Toyota billboard is dated as I write this, and will be even more so by the time you read it. Toyota installed this running counter of gallons saved to give people an idea of how much they've been helping the environment by buying the Prius.
As we pointed out in this post, Toyota has a virtual version of the billboard at a Hybrid Synergy Drive minisite you can access through this link.
When we took this screenshot around 1 p.m. on Sunday, it had already passed 100 million gallons saved. Toyota figures the number by the number of Priuses on the road, times approximate miles driven, and comparing extimated fuel efficiency to other cars people might be driving. In other words, there's a lot of blue sky figuring going on.
Letting our fingers do the googling, we found yet another Synergy Drive website, which you can find here. You can follow the instructions to assemble a big PDF of info about Toyota's hybrid systems, or you can right-click on this link and download the one we made. All 18.8 MB of it.
Posted by Frank at 01:02 PM | Comments (0)
Revolutionary Bose Suspension Controls a Different Kind of Vibration
The Bose name is famous in audio circles for producing breakthrough speaker and radio technology, and now, the company wants to get into the automobile suspension business.
Actually, the company wants to sell the research its founder, Dr. Amar Bose, has been working on since 1980 -- a suspension based on electromagnetic motors attached to each wheel that control pitch and body roll to produce the smoothest ride mathematically possble.
In essence, the motors raise and lower the wheels when encountering either road hazards or aggressive maneuvers, stabilizing the ride by raising and lowering the wheels.
Twenty-four years. That's how long Dr. Bose has been engaged in analyzing the problem and devising a solution that will probably only find its way onto very high-end autos. The company's white paper said it took five years simply work out the math.
What we like is this phrase: "In 1980, Dr. Bose conducted a mathematical study to determine the optimum possible performance of an automotive suspension, ignoring the limitations of any existing suspension hardware."
That's a long way to describe out of the box thinking. To get information about the system straight from Bose, check out the mini tutorial they have set up here -- along with ten very short Quicktime movies showing the system in action. In this case, seeing is believing!
Posted by Frank at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)
Photo Gallery: L.A. Design Challenge Concept Vehicles
Ten automakers competed in the L.A. Design Challenge, a competition that encourages "free thinking" among car designers to explore the possible outside of "rigid production restrictions." So goes the marketing copy.
The premise is that each designer had to come up with an L.A.-themed adventure, and then imagine a vehicle to fulfill it. Pictured above is the GMC entry, known as PAD, "which offers an innovative look at an urban loft with mobility." In other words, a hip, high-tech RV.
The winning entry will be announced January 5, 2006 Design L.A. Conference, which is being held in conjunction with the L.A. Auto Show.
After the jump we've got pictures of all ten entries, with info about the designers and the ideas behind their creations.
Audi Nero
Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California
Designers: Jess Harder, Raul Cenan
The Audi Nero (Latin for black) concept is an evolution of the 1930s streamlined record-breaking Auto Union racers. The aerodynamic surfaces, covered wheels and low ground clearance create a stealthy modern interpretation of its inspirational ancestors. The carbon black color reflects the LA mood, while its strong silhouette is punctuated with compelling technical details. The aggressive front end is followed by a translucent hood that showcases its powerful engine. The Nero super coupe is an expression of pure power, speed and style that turns any LA night into an adventure.
GMC PAD
GM West Coast Advanced Design Studio
Designers: Steve Anderson, Senon B. Franco III, Jay Bernard, Phil Tanioka, Sidney Levy, Brian Horton, Alessandro Zezza, Christine Ebner, Frank Saucedo
Why commute? Adapt. That’s the thinking behind the GMC PAD, which offers an innovative look at an urban loft with mobility. It’s a home ownership concept that enables cultural and geographic freedom for the modern city dweller. The GMC PAD features a diesel-electric hybrid system for propulsion while in DriveMode, and serves as a generator for the onboard power grid for LifeMode. The media rich environment is unlike any other, and comes with an endless variety of entertainment, information and security options. With the GMC PAD, home is where you want it. And commuting is what other people do.
Honda LA Rolling Film Festival
Honda Research & Development
Designers: Honda Research & Development
The Movies! That’s one common worldwide attribute of LA. So the designers of Honda, in honor of LA’s movie persona, created vignettes of vehicles and lifestyles for several of the cultures, lifestyles and images of LA. And they designed them with the imaginative consideration of the second most important characteristic of LA – living on roadways. For the fitness crowd there’s “The Running Bus,” an ingenious human-powered hybrid that features 10 stationary runners inside the bus for power; or the “Jacarzzi,” which is a sleek sports car that doubles as a hot tub. And, the vehicles are presented in the best language of Los Angeles – the Movie Poster.
Hyundai Greenspeed Gator
Hyundai Kia America Design Center
Designer: Eric M. Stoddard
What happens when drag racing moves beyond internal combustion and nitrous oxide? The Hyundai Greenspeed Gator, which pushes the boundaries of design and fuel cell performance. Inspired by the top fuel racers of the ‘60s, this alien shape is rooted in pure function. The overall design consists of a main fuselage with integrated roll protection and “seat sling” that hangs underneath, tied together by a center spine chassis with integral fuel cells. The giant hood blisters house the hydrogen storage tanks, and the rear wheels house gargantuan electric motors.
Kia Sidewinder
Hyundai Kia America Design Center
Designer: Marc Mainville
This Kia is a two-seat, lean, mean, drifting machine! The Sidewinder’s power comes from a compressed natural gas turbine, which feeds electricity to a series of in-wheel, high torque, electric motors. This environmentally-responsible vehicle would surely grab the most attention while carving lines sideways through the race course. Kia chose drift racing as its theme for the “LA Adventure,” because Los Angeles was the scene of the first officially-sanctioned American drifting event.
Maybach California Gourmet Tourer
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America
Designer: Andre Frey
The Maybach California Gourmet Tourer is the ultimate machine to enjoy a culinary adventure. Fully automated, the Maybach is safely chauffeured by software using GPS guidance. Offering panorama style windows to enjoy the scenery, it comes fully equipped with every onboard feature imaginable to store and prepare food and wine. It features refrigeration, espresso machine, microwave, wine rack, food preparation area, recycler, foldout tables and other accessories to make any picnic an unforgettable adventure.
Mercedes-Benz Mojave Runner
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America
Designer: John Gill
The gas-electric hybrid Mojave Runner is designed to thrive in extreme heat, rough terrain or unpredictable weather. It features night vision, sandstorm radar and GPS sensors and is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell generator to provide electrical power for tools and rescue equipment. The strong, lightweight exoskeleton frame is a combination of carbon-fiber and pressurized aluminum tubing that stores air for pneumatic power tools. Its off- and on-road capability is optimized by intelligent adaptive tires that automatically changes tread depth for top performance.
Mitsubishi Roadster Konzept
Mitsubishi Research & Design of North America
Designer: Mark Kim
The Mitsubishi Roadster Konzept (MRK) is a sporty hybrid compact that combines LA’s hip stylish image with a sophisticated look. Environmentally-responsible, all four wheels are equipped with Mitsubishi’s AWD in-wheel electric motor technology. The 280 hp provided by the in-wheel motors combined with the 80 hp rear-mounted engine brings an impressive 360 hp to zip around congested freeways. The MRK has two front sport seats, plus rear rumble seats, which allows for two rear passengers or extra cargo space for Southern California adventures.
Scion Exile
Calty Design Research
Designer: Matt Sperling
The Scion Exile is designed to whisk its individualistic occupants to the snowy slopes, sandy beaches and hip nightlife all in the same day. To appeal to the upscale/sport crowd, the cab-forward Exile is proportioned similar to that of more expensive and impractical exotic sports cars, yet with a go anywhere attitude. A clever trunk doubles as a moveable cargo pod that can be extended, lowered and wheeled as a portable mobile storage locker. With so many activities to choose from in a single day, the Scion Exile accommodates all LA has to offer.
Smart Rescue Vehicle
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America
Designer: Hubert Lee
From Smart comes the ideal cruiser for crowded Southern California beaches. The Smart Rescue Vehicle is designed for the adventures and tasks that a lifeguard endures on a daily basis, such as first aid, beach patrol, safety and water rescues. The driver sits high in a personal water craft-styled seating position, and can accommodate four passengers. Its mid-engined 800cc turbo Smart engine sits between the front and rear foam seats and can do double duty by powering the jet pump when in amphibious mode.
Posted by Frank at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)
How to Escalate Road Rage into Senseless Violence
To make road travel even more dangerous and populated by psychotically-leaning drivers, a company is selling a flip book of 43 "Road Rage" cards, with the kind of messages we may all think to ourselves, or even yell out loud, but rarely present to the offenders.
Many of them are profane, which is why we won't show them here, and most will cause already unbalanced folks to pull over and get it on. The thing we find truly humorous is that each message comes with a reverse face, which allows the target of your ire to be able to read it in their rear view mirror. And you can cause all kinds of havoc with these cards for only $19.95.
The real grabber, though, is the legal disclaimer the misery entrepreneurs have on their site. In order to erect a thin sheet of legal immunity from the result of using this product, here is the disclaimer. The emphasis is ours:
8. USE OF MATERIALS – AT YOUR OWN RISK. MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED ON THIS SITE INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE “ROAD RAGE CARDS” (COLLECTIVELY, THE “ROAD RAGE CARDS”) ARE INTENDED SOLELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES AND ARE MEANT MERELY TO BE HUMOROUS. ACTUAL USE OF THE ROAD RAGE CARDS, WHETHER BY POSTING SUCH CARDS ON CAR WINDOWS, REPEATING STATEMENTS IN SUCH CARDS TO OTHERS OR ANY OTHER USE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED OR ENDORSED BY US OR OUR PROVIDERS. THE ROAD RAGE CARDS MAY BE DEEMED HARMFUL OR OFFENSIVE TO OTHERS AND MAY GIVE RISE TO PHYSICAL OR VERBAL RETALIATION, WHICH MAY RESULT IN INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. USE OF THE ROAD RAGE CARDS WHILE DRIVING MAY DISTRACT USERS OR TARGETS OF SUCH USE, WHICH MAY CAUSE DRVING ACCIDENTS, WHICH MAY ALSO RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Posted by Frank at 08:32 AM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2005
Rent a Ferrari for $500 a Day
Exotic Car Share is a company that provides "fractional ownership" of exotic and super cars to over 600 members - meaning you can rent one of their two Ferraris for $500 a day, or spin a Plymouth Prowler for $330 a day or even enjoy a '68 Pontiac GTO or '69 Mustang Mach 1 for only two hundred bucks a day.
A five year membership costs $125, and the company has two locations to serve -- Palatine, IL outside Chicago and Bedford Hills, NY about 40 minutes from Manhattan. New York area residents, though, have to add $800 for three-day rentals, which essentially are triple the day rates.
Posted by Frank at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
Movie Review: Sin City
Cars are presented in one of two ways in Sin City: either stylized and elongated, or short and squat. Most of the main character sequences use the former, and we get to see several beautiful vehicles in this format, such as a red Cadillac convertible and a blue Chrysler.
The best line about cars belongs to Mickey Rourke, playing Marv, who says: "Modern cars, they all look like electric shavers." Rourke, by the way, wuz robbed of award honors in this flick -- the face makeup that made him look like a blockhead gave him freedom to try a different kind of characterization. Think Frankenstein with a heart of gold. But still sociopathic. We particualrly liked his Kris Kristofferson vocal cadence, which made it hard to recognize Rourke either physically or audibly.
Posted by Frank at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2005
First Look: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS
We've been waiting for the '06 Eclipse and consider it showing up this week as an early Xmas gift -- thank the powers that be we got the 5-speed. The car took some getting used to off the line, it's got an awful lot to give, which is made obvious b y switching form econo-5-speeds to something as performance oriented as the Eclipse.
And the amazing thing -- this is the 4-cylinder GS model, which produces 162 horsepower and 162 lbs-ft. of torque. The GT model, with its 3.8 liter V6 kicks off 263 hp, with 260 lbs-ft of torqueage.
So in the beginning the wheel chirping noise you may have heard was because I was trying to get my fine motor skills calibrated between the gas pedal and the gearing, but after I got used to it, well, I must admit there was some intentional asphalt spinning thrown in as part of my self-delivered holiday cheer.
Driving it at night, I liked the blue instrument lighting, there's even a little light to help you find the power window button, and the audio system pllays nice and loud, the way it should. I took a leggy friend for a ride, at over 6'4", he was surprised at the room for his limbs, but not so surprised at the way the Eclipse took in-town corners without so much as a breath on the brakes.
One of the most pleasant surprises so far on the Eclipse GS is the sticker price -- the MSRP is only $19,399, putting it, as another friend said, squarely in the zone of being, "a great 20s car."
Posted by Frank at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
Ford's 4-Trac Pickup Concept
Ford's unveiled a concept pickup at the Thailand Auto Show, dubbed 4-Trac, that proves the Hinda Ridgeline premisie that trucks are moving in the directon of becoming more comfort and all-around utility oriented.
In other words, SUVs with an open bed. Just like the Ridgeline, we applaud the concept. While we are currently in a pickup love frenzy, the more the companies can do to make them better appointed and sleeker looking -- while maintaining pickup brawn and ability -- the happier we're going to be.
Some of the extra features in the 4-Trac include a double-folding, power assisted rear tray with three-step access. This “tailgate within a tailgate” offers inner and outer sections operating together or independently: the outer body-color section folds down to the ground, acting as a ramp; the inner aluminum section folds 90 degrees for ease of loading and unloading.
The rear cargo area features six portable containers – inspired by offshore rescue boats – for carrying a variety of gear, including rescue equipment. Another innovative feature adding to 4-Trac versatility is a rear hatch that enables access from the cargo area directly into the cabin.
Posted by Frank at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
Chrysler Podcast on the Dodge Challenger Concept Vehicle
Chrylser Group has released a sketch of a Dodge Challenger concept that will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and as expected, the greasy enthusiasts are all agog. I can understand why Chrysler keeps going to the muscle car well -- they're doing well with the 300, Charger and Hemi, but for me it feels like they're taking an unwelcome encore.
Of course, I would love to drive the thing if they have a working model, so color me hypocritical. It's just that as a brand they're going to have to start showing they can play another note in the automotive symphony.
Anyway, you can listen to a podcast with head designer, Kevin Verduyn, who gets interviewed by Ed Garsten, who runs the company's media blog. Verduyn talks about going to the nostalgia well, whether or not they'll stick with two doors and the prospects of building the thing for the consumptive.
Click here to play the file, or, if you know what you're doing, right click on the link to download it on your 'puter.
Posted by Frank at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
Fifth Wheel: Albanian Roadblock
What is it about vigilante justice that makes us want to break out the torches and pitchforks? It's just so satisfyinng to take things into your own hands.
Take an enterprising group in Albania, for instance. Unwilling to trust the police to track down a stolen Mercedes, a parking lot owner called his friends, and with cellphones and driving skills located the jacked ride. They set up their very own roadblock to confront the thieves. On seeing the irate masses, the carjackers abandoned the rig and bailed.
The Mercedes owner didn't believe the tale until he was shown that the radio was damaged, according to Reuters.
Posted by Frank at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)
Carlos Ghosn: "Nissan is an American Company"
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn refusing to speculate on GM's woes during a talk in Japan, pooh-poohed the possibility of trade friction due to domestic automakers' troubles. "Nissan is an American company," Ghosn said, referencing the company's commitment to the American economy.
Nissan recently announced they are moving their U.S. headquarters to Tennessee, in a cost cutting move that will put the execs closer to two company owned plants in the state. Current gossip is that the majority of the 1,300 employees are looking to jump ship rather than move to the Volunteer State. This is early stuff, though, and people's emotions will certainly cool, especially if they can't find comparable jobs. We still say the real estate break Californians will get from the move is a big carrot, though.
In other Nissan news, the company received an incentive package worth $197 million from Williamson County, TE, which includes a 30-year property tax break.
Posted by Frank at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
Use an $8,900 Coupon to Buy a Chrysler Crossfire
Chrysler has made a deal to market their Crossfire Roadster and Coupes through Overstock.com, an online "closeout" retailer, to sell the various permutations of 2005 models still available. Top discount is $8,900 for the SRT6 Roadster, going down to as little as $7,140 for the stanadard Crossfire Coupe.
To get a coupon like the one pictured above, all you have to do is fill out your e-mail address, it'll get mailed to you and then you have to take it to the nearest Chrysler dealer to redeem it. Under the rules of Chrysler's Miles of Freedom promotion, you will not be able to redeeem the coupon and get the free maintenance goodies from the plan -- it's one or the other. Here's the direct link to the Overstock Crossfire page.
Posted by Frank at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
We Are the Mudds, Webisode 3: Splendour in the Mudd
Love is an optometrist's nightmare, obscuring your vision with no known scientific cause or cure. In the third webisode of the Mudd family's adventures, a hormonal boy falls so hard for Summer Mudd he can't see the muck all over her face.
But finally, finding the geocache overtakes the desire for romance, and the Mudd family cruises off once again in their Jeep Commander.
Don't know what all this means? We're talking about the online adventures of the Mudd family, Jeep's marketing concept for the new seven-seat Commander.
You can check out our previous coverage here, and here, and we also did a videocast of one of the Mudds' adventures here.
At the end of this week's webisode, the "virtual geocache" is tricky to find -- hint, do a sector search of the map. But it does pay off, with three videos, including a six and a half minute piece on a Gobi desert race, a behind the scenes video on the making of the Mudds, and another vignette from Victoria.
There's also an interactive video demonstration, the "Trail-Rated Challenge" that's sort of a game on how to use Jeep vehicles to tackle a variety of different off-road condictions.
Posted by Frank at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2005
Photos of the San Francisco 49er Cadillac Escalade
We recently wrote about the unveiling of the special edition Cadillac Escalade customized for the San Francisco 49ers, but only had an artist's sketch at the time.
By the way, you still have two days to register for a chance to register for the "Kick to Drive" contest, where you can become one of nine kickers competing to win a spot at a chance to win the big burgundy Cad-Doo. Check the original story for details.
Enjoy these pics!
Posted by Frank at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)
Video: Brilliantly British, Funny, Interesting Review of the [Diesel] Audi A8
This link was sent to us by Rich, and we are all grateful! In this 12:41 video, Jeremy Clarkson, a British car reviewer for the show Top Gear, takes the diesel Audi A8 on an 800 mile roundtrip from London to Edinburgh -- simply to see if he can squeeze 800 miles out of a 19.8 gallon tank.
The video is funny, because Jeremy is stunning in his exuberant, droll way. At one point, when the fuel gauge in on empty, he remarks, "What is this thing running on? ... I wonder if Audi know that they have inadvertently built the world's first airpowered engine?"
That's all we're writing -- watch the video!
Posted by Frank at 09:52 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #112: Chrysler Exec Debunks "Big 3" Concept
In this podcast, we've got audio clips from Jason Vines, Chrysler Groups's VP of Communications. Vines takes issue with the journalistic term, "Big 3," saying it's inaccurate to link Chrysler's sales success story with the woes of their Detroit counterparts.
This is a great podcast, straight talk from a car exec, so listen for yourself!
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota Increasing U.S. Production
Thanks to its recent acquisition of 8.7% of Fuji Heavy Industries stock, Toyota is expected to begin assembling 100,00 vehicles annually at the company’s Subaru manufacturing plant in Lafayette, Indiana.
Expected to begin in 2007, the move was first reported by the Asahi newspaper in Japan, according to AP. Toyota spent $315 million on the shares, after GM unloaded their stake in Subaru's parent company. This is turning out to be an incredibly shrewd move, because Toyota in essence picked up production capacity for the U.S. market at fire sale prices -- in other words, instead of having to build a new plant, for a little over a billion, they got the use of one for a third of the cost. Schmart, verry schmart.
Toyota will also begin making 200,000 new trucks next year at a plant the company is building in San Antonio, Texas, and its capacity will be boosted by another 100,000 vehicles in 2008, when Toyota’s new RAV 4 plant comes online in Canada. There are five to six models being considered for production at the Subaru plant, the Japanese paper said, other reports have indicated Toyota might build hybrids at the Fuji plant.
Posted by Frank at 05:51 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #112: Test Driving the Audi A6
Overall, Audi is the Sleeper Luxury Brand of the Year -- and the A6 is an avatar of the company's status as a maker of premium motorcars. Is that strong enough for you?!
We had the Audi A6 [4.2 liter V8, all-wheel drive] for a week and were overwhelmed at the combination of performance, luxury and technology - that comes wrapped in a package designed primarily to be at your service -- like a concierge on wheels!
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)
First Look: 2006 Suzuki XL-7
We've got the 2006 XL-7 SUV this week and our first impression is that it is another great value offering from Suzuki. The vehicle provides al the functionality of a mid-size SUV without the knockout sticker price.
Driving it around town is comfortable, with appropriate pickup off the starting line and smooth, car-like maneuverability. Our model is the one notch under the top of the line with seven passenger seating and four-wheel drive, and the sticker price is only $24,889.
For 2006 Suzuki simplified the XL-7 line, offering one trim version but with several option levels. The base 2WD model starts at only $21,999, and includes remote keyless entry; cruise control; air conditioning with automatic climate control; 16-inch alloy wheels; power windows, door locks and mirrors; AM/FM/CD XM Satellite Radio-ready audio system with six-speakers; and five-passenger seating. The four-wheel drive goes for $23,199.
WIth seven passenger seating, there are three options, starting at $23,699 with rear air conditioning. As stated, our four-wheel drive is $24,899, and a top-of-the-line Premium Package starts at $25,499 and also comes with leather seating; a six-disc in-dash XM Satellite Radio-ready audio system with seven speakers including a subwoofer; a power sunroof; fog lights; and running boards.
The engine in the XL-7 is a 2.7-liter, six-cylinder, 24-valve, DOHC engine that generates 185 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, with a tow rating of 3,000 pounds. Transmission is a standard five-speed automative and the XL-7 gets an estimated 17/22 mpg city/highway [4WD] or 18/22 [2WD)].
Posted by Frank at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)
The Return of the Saab 9-3
In a previous entry, we wrote about the wreck of the 2001 Saab 9-3, my beloved's favorite-ever vehicle, and how we were going to watch the insurance claim/repair process. The car wound up not getting totaled by the insurance company, though the front end was mashed into little bits. The total bill for the repair was $6,610.
Of course, it took nearly a month to get it back, and out insurance company, Progressive, went out of their way to ensure the car was fixed correctly -- they even sent it back to the shop three times to get a few details right.
I drove the Saab home from the claim center, and found it to be driving like normal, no shakes, shimmies or off-center tracking. Let me take this opportunity to recommend you have rental insurance coverage in case of a collision -- over three weeks of a rental car would have been another five-six hundred on top of the deductible, and on top of the medical bills.
Another thing we learned from our medical folks is that some insurance companies get awful stingy when it comes to paying for things like x-rays and other check-ups. The lawyer, however, has got the other guy's company right in line.
Posted by Frank at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)
Hyundai Announces Prices for 2006 Azera Flagship
Hyundai's new flagship, the Azera, starts at just $24,995, and the company is looking to wedge its way into thE premium sedan market. The Azera comes with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and eight airbags and a 3.8-liter 263 horsepower V6. Prices for the Azera Limited start at $27,495, and the Azera Limited with Ultimate Package goes for $29,995.
Robert Cosmai, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America says the "Azera is designed to take on Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, and other large premium sedans with an unbeatable combination of power, interior roominess, upscale features, and segment-leading standard safety technologies...all for under $25,000."
Hyundai is being aggressive with comapring the Azera to other models in the class, for instance, touting that "tThe Azera's 3.8-liter engine is the largest in its competitive set, offering more standard horsepower than Ford Five Hundred and the Buick LaCrosse, and more torque than the Toyota Avalon."
Hyundai also says the Azera is faster from 0 to 60 mph than the BMW 530i and Mercedes-Benz S430, and that it has more standard safety features than Toyota Avalon or Nissan Maxima -- including the 8 standard airbags and standard Electronic Stability Control.
Full details on each model after the jump:
AZERA SE
The Azera SE is an upscale, stylish large sedan designed for consumers who are interested in a unique combination of spaciousness, performance, and safety technologies. It includes an impressive range of standard features that give it a competitive edge, including a powerful 3.8-liter DOHC V6 engine with 263 horsepower, a smooth-shifting five-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC(R) manual control, standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS), eight airbags, active front head restraints and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 capability. Upscale features include LED tail and brake lamps, auto dimming inside rearview mirror with HomeLink(R), power driver and passenger seats, and automatic headlight controls. Available options include a power sunroof, premium 10-speaker (in eight locations) Infinity(R) audio system with an in-dash CD changer and heated front seats. EPA ratings for all Azera models are 19 miles per gallon city, 28 highway.
AZERA LIMITED
A truly impressive array of standard features and amenities define the prestigious Azera Limited. Additional standard features include 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels with 235/55VR17 tires, leather-trimmed seating, heated front seats, an electroluminescent gauge cluster, power rear sunshade, and other upgrades. The Limited also has steering-wheel wood trim and bumper moldings with chrome-inserts.
AZERA LIMITED with ULTIMATE PACKAGE
The Ultimate Package defines Hyundai's flagship Azera offering. This package adds a 10-speaker Infinity audio system with subwoofer and an in-dash 6-disc CD changer, power sunroof, power adjustable tilt-and-telescopic steering column, integrated memory system, power-adjustable foot pedals, rain-sensing wipers and power folding side mirrors.
WARRANTY
The all-new 2006 Hyundai Azera is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty(TM). Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Azera buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) that includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. There is no deductible on any of these coverages.
Posted by Frank at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)
Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes & Subaru Top Crash Test Results
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] gave five stars Monday in front and side-impact protection to the Hyundai Sonata and Tucson SUV, Honda Odyssey minivan, Mercedes-Benz M Class and Subaru Tribeca SUV.
Five stars means there is a 10 percent or less chance of serious injury and four stars estimates an 11 percent to 20 percent chance of serious injury. NHTSA conducts the front-impact test at 35 mph. To find out more about NHTSA's crash test program, and to look up specific vehicles, visit http://safercar.gov/.
In addition to the vehicles that earned five stars on both tests, other top-performing vehicles included the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Dakota, Nissan Armada and Ford Freestar. The majority of vehicles reviewed received either four or five stars in front and side-impact protection.
The Mitsubishi Lancer fared worst in side-impact -- the four-door was the only model to get two stars on side-impact protection for the driver. The score was based on a previous test and signifies a 21 to 25 percent chance of serious injury in a real-world crash. A Mitsubishi spokesman said it was an old test and said that side curtain air bags will become standard equipment on the vehicle in the 2007 model year. The Lancer, however, did receive top scores in front protection.
Posted by Frank at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)
Motor Trend Names Honda Civic 2006 Car of the Year
After two weeks of track tests, benchmarking and walk-arounds, the Honda Civic bested 27 other vehicles to be crowned Motor Trend's 2006 Car of the Year.
The editors were so impressed with Honda's redesign of their compact entry that all four models – sedan, coupe, high-end Si and hybrid versions – all shared in the accolade.
"Honda deserves a standing ovation for not playing it safe again," Angus MacKenzie, Motor Trend editor in chief, said in a statement Tuesday. "The engineering passion that Honda ... was founded on radiates from these new Civics."
Other models included in the test were the Audi A3, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac DTS, Chevrolet HHR, Dodge Charger, Ford Fusion, Mercedes-Benz R-Class, Pontiac Solstice, Toyota Avalon and the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat.
"With their bold, contemporary styling and innovative technology, the new Civics are primed for success in one of the most competitive market segments in the country," Motor Trend said in its announcement. Last month, the publication named Nissan's Xterra as its sport utility vehicle of the year; last year's car winner was the Chrysler 300.
Posted by Frank at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2005
What is Adaptive Cruise Control?
When I asked someone what "Adaptive Cruise Control" was, he answered simply, "the closest thing you can get to autpilot."
While that's not exactly true, the technology does perform a pretty am amazing function -- what's more amazing to me is how much crazy high tech stuff has become so routine in our lives it doesn't register more than a, "oh, that's cool."
In a nutshell, Adaptive Cruise Control [ACC] use a radar sensor in the front of the vehicle to sense when other cars or trucks in front of you are too close. When the system, part of the traditional cruise control setup, senses a vehicle in front, it will slow the vehicle by up to as much as 25% of current speed.
ACC adjusts your vehicle's speed by either easinng off the throttle or applying the brakes; when the way ahead is clear again, the system will accelerate back up to the preset speed.
But where it differs most radically from autopilot is that the driver is responsible for abrupt braking or having to slow down more than the 25% -- or to do it faster.
On the Audi A6 I test drove, the ACC system will sound an alarm if more severe braking is necessary. The Audi also has four settings on its ACC, that allow you to determine how aggressive you want your cruise to be.
Distance 1 [Sporty], Distance 2 and 3 [Standard], and Distance 4 [comfortable]. The Sporty program maintains a short distance from the vehicle in front and accelerates swiftly back up to speed if the road ahead becomes clear. The Standard programs allow the vehicle to flow along quickly with the flow of traffic. The Comfortable program is used on country roads or when towing a trailer.
Posted by Frank at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
Roundup: GM, Ford and Chrysler Year-End Deals
It would be hard to miss all the publicity surrounding the year-end deals from the domestic auto brands, but still, we felt you might need a central place from which to investigate all the prices.
General Motors is runing a Red-Tag Event, through January 3, which features prices about 2% higher than the employee discount program from the summer. You can investigate the deals on Chevy, GMC, Buick and Pontiac through a single site: GM.com/redtag.
Ford is running the Keep it Simple Plan on their Lincoln, Mercury and Ford brands, also through January 3, and the links can be found here: www.forddirect.com, www.lincoln.com, www.mercuryvehicles.com and www.lincolnmercury.com.
The Chrysser Group has their plan, called Miles of Freedom, also running through Jan. 3. Excluded from the program are the 2005 and 2006 Chrysler 300; Dodge Viper, Magnum, Charger and Sprinter; and all SRT8 vehicles. The Links to their brand promotion sites are: http://www.chrysler.com/freedom, http://www.dodge.com/freedom/index.html , and http://www.jeep.com/freedom/.
Posted by Frank at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
GM to Lose 9 Plants, 30,000 Jobs; UAW Still in Denial
In a media conference call this morning CEO Rick Wagoner announced General Motors will close 9 plants and reduce their workforce by 30,000 to get production in line with demand. The cuts were higher than expected -- analysts previously though the number was 25,000. Since 2000, GM has reduced their workforce by 40%.
The moves will cut production by about 1 million vehicles annually by the end of 2008, when the plan will be completed. GM currently runs at about 85% capacity; the company will be have remaining capacity to build about 4.2 million vehicles a year in North America, down 30% from 2002. GM said the plan is to achieve $7 billion in cost savings by the end of 2006.
Meanwhile, the United Auto Workers released statements that simply do not square with reality. For example, the union said GM's actions will make contract negotiations in 2007 "more difficult," and UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and Vice President Richard Shoemaker said in a joint statement: "Today's action by General Motors is not only extremely disappointing, unfair and unfortunate, it is devastating to many thousands of workers, their families and communities."
They are still living in the realm of "magic money," as if union workers have a right to a job even though the company isn't selling the products that bring in the money to pay for those jobs. Stunning. We're all about worker rights here, but the UAW has had a hand in steering the domestic automakers to ruin, and for them to keep blaming the suits is absurd.
Memo to the UAW: There's no money to pay you, guys, you don't have a right to a paycheck if there's no business.
Posted by Frank at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
Home Depot Sells Ultimate Nascar "Toy" for $62,500
If you're lucky enough to have $62,500 laying around, you can buy an authentic replica of Tony Stewart's Chevy Monte Carlo SS, which he just won the Nascar Cup with.
Going on sale December 1, the fantasy packages include the car and a vacation to the Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway in Fontana, Calif., where the purchasers will meet Stewart. The vacation includes round-trip air transportation for the purchaser and three guests and hotel room, along with race tickets for the Speedway on Feb. 26, 2006.
The car, at a minimum, will be equipped thusly:
- Custom paint job that will match Tony Stewart's #20 Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.
- Interior color and material as specified by the purchaser.
- 40/40 bucket seats, including (KA1) seats with heated driver and front passenger option.
- 5.3L small block V8 SFI engine, including displacement on demand.
- 4-speed automatic, heavy-duty, electronically controlled transmission with overdrive.
- 18" polished aluminum wheels..
- Universal home remote, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, outside rearview power-heated mirror.
- Dual-stage, frontal, driver and right front passenger and side-impact, seat-mounted air bags.
- ETR AM/FM stereo with 6-disc CD changer and MP3 playback, w/8 speakers.
- XM Satellite Radio.
Posted by Frank at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
Kia Looking to Expand in Middle America
Kia wants to double sales to over 560,000 units within the next five years and intends to target the country’s vast middle to accomplish its aims, according to Automotive News.
Newly installed COO Len Hunt said, "If you look at mid-America, places like Indiana, places that aren’t the image markets, this is where Kia can make huge advances.” Hunt also said the company was looking at the vast market of consumers with weak credit: "Sixty percent of Americans have credit issues, yet they’re not villains," he said.
Kia’s sales are up 4.6 percent increase over last year; Hunt joined Kia on Oct. 7 after serving as executive vice president of Volkswagen of America. Hunt said the company needs a “halo vehicle” to drive showroom traffic, though Kia does have six new or redesigned vehicles on tap for 2006.
Posted by Frank at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)
EPA to Revise Fuel Economy Tests, Finally
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to revamp its fuel economy testing program to more accurately reflect actual driving results, reports USA TODAY.
The tests, which have remained relatively unchanged since the 1970s, will be changed to include such variables as air conditioning use, abrupt acceleration and cold weather driving. EPA administrator Stephen Johnson made the remarks during a tour of the agency’s Detroit test site.
"Everyone agrees that the test procedure and calculations are outdated," Johnson said. The revisions are expected to show up on 2008 vehicle stickers.
Consumer Reports magazine has reported that actual city MPG runs 35-50 percent worse than the EPA numbers, and that combined city-highway numbers are an average 9 percent.
Posted by Frank at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
Get Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive Newsletter
Toyota has a newsletter and a minisite touting the advantages of their Hybrid Synergy Drive, and you can sign up to get the regular updates here.
The link to the minisite is at the top of the page, and when you click through one of the first things you'll see is a running counter that tells you how many gallons of gas we've saved thanks to vehicles such as the Prius, which is rated to get an average of 55 miles per gallon.
There's also a fuel economy calculator on the site that will tell you how many gallons of gas you could save annually by going hybrid. Jeanne, a woman in our pottery class, bought a 2005 Prius in May and reports she gets an average of 49 miles per gallon.
Posted by Frank at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
Gas Prices in Free Fall
The average price for a gallon of regular gas has fallen to $2.21, still almost 14% higher than a year ago, but many are speculating that sub two bucks a gallon natiowide could be a reality by Thanksgiving weekend.
Oklahoma and Missouri already have statewide averages below that mark, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.
Not that this would have anything to do with the recent Congressional hearings that questioned why oil companies recently posted record profits. It's all about supply and demand.
BTW -- the oil can pictured at right was made by our pottery teacher, Bill van Gilder.
Posted by Frank at 07:22 AM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2005
Volkswagen's No-Money Down Lease Deals
Through January 3, VW is offering no-money due at signing lease deals on the Jetta and Passat. It looks like a pretty good deal -- you get either car for 39 months at $249 or $299 a month respectively, with a 1,000 mile a month allowance.
Using rough math, the Jetta deal comes close to being a wash -- meaning that if you bought, held and sold the car after 3 years, you get the use of the car at the same price as purchase -- without having the burden of having to sell the car, or financing negative equity.
Here's how I came up with the concept:
-- Total Jetta lease payments of $9,462.
-- Compared to Kelley Blue Book value of a 2003 Jetta as $10,505.
-- Creates a rough total cost of $19,967.
-- A new Jetta lists for $18,515.
-- That's a $1,452 premium, not adjusting for differentials in pricing, inflation rate or anything really complicated.
-- BUT: That's also not taking into account interest payments or potential negative equity.
-- SO: We think it's a good deal for someone who wants to drive a new VW without the psychic burden of ownership. At the end of the lease, just hand 'em the keys.
Of course, it's a little more complicated than this. The best way to figure out if it's best for you is to get a purchase deal on paper, complete with interest rates and monthly payments. Then try to figure out what you'd owe at the end of 3.25 years, and what the trade-in might be ... you get the idea.
And we did mention the no-money down aspect, didn't we?
Posted by Frank at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)
Volkswagen's Sleek Convertible Not Due 'Til July
Volkswagen has had to push back the launch of their hot hard-top convertible to July 2006, citing production problems with the five-part powered lid, among other issues. The car was originally slated for rollout in March, then nudged to May, and now will be available as 'vert season is half past.
What's interesting about the convertible space, is that what was once a stratospheric luxury, a power hard-top, is now becoming de rigeur for any company wanting to get into the luxury drop-top arena.
Posted by Frank at 08:00 PM | Comments (0)
The Logic of Subcompact Design
In a recent article we wrote about the waves of subcompacts from Nissan [above], Toyota and Honda on the way, and wondered if there were enough customers, seeing as how there's only four vehicles in the segment right now.
Each company wants to sell 4,000 to 6,000 of the vehicles every month, not that much of a stretch, but the real logic behind this deluge is gaining the entry level customer on your brand's team.
According to J.D. Power's Information Network, subcompact buyers are more likely to trade up to a larger car made by the same brand than any other automaker. Perhaps it has something to do with the psychographics of proving to the salesman you were indeed worth talking to the first time around.
Posted by Frank at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)
The New Rush, or The New Bling?
If you haven't seen a Range Rover Sport on the street, you may not fully agree with this assessment. But a colleague of mine was driving one, same color as above, and I'm convinced you'll start seeing the famous, infamous and no-right-to-be-famous driving them soon enough.
My call is that the Range Rover Sport is the new Blingmobile, SUV Division.
Matter of fact, after I saw the RRS, I was wondering where the marketing was -- surely Land Rover wanted to get the word out about this vehicle that is even outselling the new LR3 so far this year. It's fast-looking, with an aggresive posture that makes it look like some sort of off-road chase vehicle, more than a daily driver. Maybe Rover will cook a deal with someplace like Lake Tahoe, because that's the crowd for this baby.
Oh, so my point about marketing has been answered recently, with Land Rover pushing a new campaign, The New Rush, all over the Internet. And elsewhere I'm sure, but we don't own a TV and only use newspaper to fill shipping cartons.
There are two RRS's available, the HSE with a naturally aspirated, 4.4-litre, 300-hp V8, starts at $56,750. The Supercharged Range Rover Sport has a 4.2-litre, 390-hp supercharged V8 and starts at $69,750.
Posted by Frank at 06:20 PM | Comments (0)
Last Chance to Enter “49ers Kick to Drive” Kicking Contest and Win Special Edition Escalade
"Kick the Ball -- Cadillac!" That's all you have to do to win the special edition Cadillac Escalade just unveiled at the San Francisco Auto Show.
Caddy and the 49ers have been running a contest all season, where five contestants are chosen to attempt to kick field goals at home games. The winners of each of the nine rounds will compete at halftime of the January 1, 2006 home game to win the big Cad-Doo. To register for a chance to kick the pig at the November 28 home game, you have until 11/25 to fill out the form you can find here.
The Special Ed Escalade features a multi-hued paint job, specialty grille featuring a 49ers logo, “49ers Edition” badging, 20-inch wheels with red painted calipers and team branded wheel caps, exterior chrome touches and color-matched running boards. The interior has 49ers logo-embroidered headrests, two nine-inch headrest monitors plus wireless remote, installed Xbox video game system with Madden NFL 06, red suede seat inserts on luxurious shale leather, tone-on-tone 49ers logo floor mats, and more.
Posted by Frank at 03:37 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota Sending 20 U.S. High School Teachers to Japan
As part of its International Teacher Program, Toyota is sending 20 high school teachers to Japan for an all-expenses-paid, 10-day program. Teachers in the following ten states are eligible: Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee.
Eligible teachers can apply now, through January 9, 2006, by going to this website www.iie.org/programs/toyota or by emailing toyotateach@iie.org for an application.
The program is in its eighth year, and is administered by the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C., the nation's largest nonprofit education exchange organization.
Posted by Frank at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #111: Fifth Wheel Friday
In this podcast we go over four funny items that crossed our electronic desk this Friday, including Dieter Zetsche's jetpack, the case of "Who Shot the Rapper" and Diamond Cabby, and a field report from a NYC blogger who caught a ride in the back of one of the new Ford Escape Hybrid Taxis.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)
Zetsche Ready to Take DCX to New Heights
At the annual dealer's meeting, outgoing Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche was given a hero's farewell by the attendees, but we don't think anyone lit the bottle rockets on his back.
Matter of fact, former Bond star Sean Connery showed up and asked Zetsche, "Who the hell are you? -- and why are you wearing all my stuff?"
Zetsche is leaving his North America post to become CEO of the overall DaimlerChrysler operation in Germany, where he has also chosen to act as the chief of Mercedes in an effort to cut costs and make the luxury marque profitable again.
Zetsche said one of his jobs at Mercedes is to break down the barriers between the three-pointed star and other divisions of the company, to help reduce costs and make sure every division has access to the best intel.
Also at the meeting, Zetsche said he plans to make an announcement within six months as to whether the DCX's Smart car will be imported into the U.S. The company had previously announced a plan to set up mini sales points inside Mercedes' dealerships, but that was called into question amid continuing financial losses at Smart, as well as the leadership change that has just been affected.
Posted by Frank at 06:14 PM | Comments (0)
5th Wheel: Who Shot the Rapper and Diamond Cabby
The Washington Post devotes 1,880 words to the mystery of who shot the rapper Cam'ron on October 22.
There's a vague allegation it was staged, but getting shot in both arms is a tough way to get publicity.
What's astounding is that the assailants wrecked their getaway vehicle, shot out the windows and took off on foot, and the cops still can't find out who did it.
The cops are "frustrated" Cam'ron won't rat on the assailants, ruining his cred in the process, but they also found the gun, so come on, who's falling down here?
More likely to inspire your belief in human competence is the story of Los Angeles cab driver Haider Sediqi who found $350,000 worth of diamonds in his cab -- and tracked down the lucky owner who left them behind.
Money quote from the story of the Afghanistan-born cabbie: "Other people's jewels are 'not what you earned,' he said lightly. 'Someone else earned that.'"
Posted by Frank at 02:46 PM | Comments (0)
First Hand Experience with Ford Hybrid Cabs in NYC
We've run across the first field report of someone who's ridden in one of the new Ford Escape Hybrid cabs currently crawling through New York City.
It comes from a self-titled blog, The Assimilated Negro, and is it hilarious:
-- Well it appears not only do the new hybrid taxis in NYC help the environment, they also pick up negroes. Hallelujah!
-- There are no partitions in these taxis, so you can smack the driver directly in the back of the head whenever he's going the wrong way.
-- The leg room is pretty tight. These will definitely hinder your late-night taxi-cab-confession lovemaking session.
-- In lieu of the partition there's a security camera. He didn't say, however, that there's anyone actively watching it. So you can still still shoot the cabdrivers instead of paying them on those extra long rides.
Posted by Frank at 01:13 PM | Comments (0)
Early November Sales Results: Not Quite as Bleak as October
J. D. Power's Information Network is reporting that auto sales for the first 13 days of November were down 15% versus the same period last year.
This compares to the early results for October, when sales in the first nine days of the month were down 33%. October sales recovered slightly from that bad early showing, winding up down 22% over, or I should say under, October 2004.
The real surprise here, which will infuriate the treehuggers, is that pickup and SUV sales are recovering. In contrast to the overall grim news, pickups are actually up 4%, SUVs are up 2% and larger cars are up 7%.
Underscoring the notion that softening gas prices have made Americans less eager to cram themselves into small vehicles, the compact car segment is down 19% so far this month.
This data, of course, will be a useful benchmark to measure the effectiveness of the domestic brands' year-end incentive programs, just getting started. Overall, J.D. Power projects vehicle sales will increase 3% over 2004.
Posted by Frank at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
Right to Repair Act Gains Momentum
The Right to Repair Act, which would require automakers to share technical information more widely with independent service shops, now has 70 sponsors. We wrote earlier this week about a hearing that illustrated the opposing parties are still far apart.
To see if your representative has signed on, click here; to learn more about the bill, click here.
Posted by Frank at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)
Ford's Keep it Simple Prices Online
Ford has launched the websites for its "Keep it Simple" year-end incentive plan, which you can find at http://www.fordvehicles.com/ and a couple prices I've picked out are pretty juicy.
For example:
2005 Ford Explorer, 4x2 -- $20,657.21
2005 F-150 4x2, Regular Cab -- $15,010.39.
2005 Focus ZX3 2.0L -- $10,951.73
Keep it Simple extends to Mercury and Lincoln as well. Mercury prices can be found here by clicking on the program tab:
2006 Mercury Mariner, FWD, I4 -- $19,605
2006 Mecury Montego FWD, V6 -- $22,778
2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, V8 -- $19,436
Lincoln prices can be found here:
2005 Lincoln Aviator, 4x2, V8 -- $34,188
2006 Lincoln Mark LT, 4x2, V8 -- $31,986
As a reminder, GM's Red Tag Event prices can be found at this site; Chrysler's Miles of Freedom price are expected to be available Monday, November 21
Posted by Frank at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #110: More Hurricane News, plus Tie One on for Safety
In this podcast we discuss the disturbing implications of a lawsuit against State Farm, where they were found to have concealed the salvaged status of 30,000 used vehicles.
Plus, we encourage all our readers to Tie One on For Safety this holiday season.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)
Price War: Chrysler Introduces "Miles of Freedom"
Well, the final hat is in the bare-knuckle price war ring.
Chrysler Group has joined GM and Ford with a year-end incentive program, "Miles of Freedom," that stands out for its creativity.
Of course, there's no prized for that in the real world, but it may be intriguing enough to make bargain hunters cross-shop Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products.
The Miles of Freedom campaign rewards consumers with a $2,400 debit card, [what Chrysler figures 2 years of gas costs], free scheduled maintenance for as many as 24,000 miles and an extended warranty of five-years, 60,000 miles, compared with the standard three-year, 36,000-mile warranty.
Chrysler's plan begins Monday, Nov. 21 and runs through Jan. 3, 2006. Excluded from the program are the 2005 and 2006 Chrysler 300; Dodge Viper, Magnum, Charger and Sprinter; and all SRT8 vehicles.
Customers can choose existing Chrysler rebates, which range from $1,000 to $7,000 cash back on 2005 and 2006 models, instead of the Miles of Freedom option.
Like I said, inventive. Maybe customer will go for the cash and the extra peace of mind component, or maybe they'll go for more of GM's rock bottom prices.
Or maybe, which is what happened over the summer with the three companies' employee discount variants, traditional brand customers will simply opt to go in and buy the vehicle they were intending to buy a few months earlier, to take advantage of the spiffs.
Miles of Freedom will be supported by commercials scheduled to begin airing Sunday during NFL telecasts. The commercials feature testimonials about the benefits of the Miles of Freedom Plan when owning a Chrysler Group vehicle.
All current cash-back incentive offers for 2005 and 2006 model-year vehicles will remain in effect through the scheduled termination date of Nov. 30, 2005.
Posted by Frank at 05:06 PM | Comments (0)
Bitter Lemonade: State Farm Sued Over Mistitled Vehicle
A couple days ago we tipped you to databases where you could submit a Vehicle Identification Number [VIN] to see if a car or truck had been declared a total loss. It's not clear if these services would have helped a Pennsylvania consumer, who bought a used vehicle that had its history misrepresented by State Farm insurance.
According to this press release and this advocacy site, State Farm sold at least 30,000 salvaged vehicles without indicating that status on the vehicles' titles.
Now State Farm has negotiated a settlement with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, which urges consumers to accept a cash settlement for the difference in value between what they thought they were buying and what they actually got.
Robert Beaves, the Pennsylvania motorist who bought a used Honda Civic that was incorrectly sold by State Farm, is suing the insurer and the car lot where he bought the car, and is refusing to accept the approved settlement amount of $2,700. Beaves contends that he's lost more than that amount, now that he's the proud owner of a vehicle with a "salvage" title.
Going back to the hurricane databases, if the salvage action isn't reported relative to those VIN numbers, it's not clear if you will actually be getting good information or not. Beyond the Beaves' lawsuit, it will be interesting to see if any agency or watchdog group will oversee correct reporting of the hurricane damaged vehicles.
Posted by Frank at 12:05 PM | Comments (0)
Mercedes to Make Sirius Standard on Some Saloons
Mercedes-Benz USA will start offering Sirius satellite radio as standard equipment on some 2007 models, which will be available in the spring of 2006.
Sirius will come as stock equipment on all SL-xlass, CL-xlass, AMG and 600 model vehicles. The two companies have also extended an exclusive marketing and distribution arrangement through September 2012.
Posted by Frank at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)
Ford Recalls Vans, Pickups Over Windshield Wipers
Ford is recalling about 235,000 vehicles over a manufacturing defect in windshield-wiper motors.
The motors, installed in 2006 E-series vans, F-series pickups and SUVS, may have been made without grease applied to moving parts; during continuous operation the motor might cease to function, a serious problem during inclement weather.
The recall is expected to begin next week. Dealers will inspect the wiper motor and grease the motor gears if necessary at no cost.
Affected models include E-150, E-250, E-350 and E-450 vans, the Escape, Expedition and Explorer SUVs, F-150 and Ranger pickups and Taurus sedan. It also includes the Lincoln Navigator SUV and Lincoln Mark LT pickup and Mercury Mountaineer and Mariner SUV.
Posted by Frank at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
MADD's Tie One on For Safety Hits 19 YOA
The brutal question that must be asked: how many victims of drunk driving never lived to see their 19th birthday?
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is now running the 19th annual, "Tie One on For Safety" campaign that urges motorists to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holiday season.
To support this effort, MADD, along with seat belt manufacturer Takata, are out to distribute millions of silver and red ribbons this season, for motorists to tie to their vehicles to show they support the commonsense solution to preventing unneccessary traffic fatalities.
You can order free ribbons through this page on MADD's site.
Posted by Frank at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Video Cast: Welcome to the Price War
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
Check it out to watch the latest GM commercial!
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120.
That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)
Influence the Auto Industry: Participate in Monthly Consumer Surveys
Vehicle Voice, a company that conducts online consumer surveys related to the auto industry, is looking for consumers to participate in monthly polls.
For your trouble, you might be one of four monthly winners rewarded with a $100 gimme for taking part, and/or you might win one of two annual $1,000 prizes, OR, you might just take home the grand annual prize of $6,000 [or car payments for a year].
Vehicle Voice conducts surveys like the one we covered in this podcast about gas prices, as well as other surveys about future vehicles and brand awareness.
To sign up as a survey panelist, you need to sign up on this page; if you want to know more, check out the FAQ.
Posted by Frank at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #109: Consumer Survey on Gas Prices
In this podcast we interviewed George Peterson of Auto Pacific, an automotive research company that has a new survey out on consumers' opinions, re: high gas prices.
While folks are still bummed, the gentle downdrift of prices has made them less incensed and intent on going out and buying three-cylinder Yugos.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 07:45 PM | Comments (0)
Price War: Ford Fires Back with "Keep it Simple" Program
In response to GM's Red Tag sale, Ford today introduced it's own year-end clearance plan, called "Keep it Simple." Chrysler is expected to announce its counter-attack on November 17.
In line with the single price formula that boosted domestic sales during the summer, Ford will add new window stickers to vehicles on the Lincoln, Mercury and Ford lots. The sticker will show the MSRP, the Simple price, cash incentives and the bottom-line price.
What's surpising is that Ford's two hybrids -- the Escape and Mercury Mariner -- are included in the plan. The Escape Hybrid has a base MSRP of $27,515 and a Simple Plan price of $26,104, which is not a bad discount for a hot selling vehicle.
Ford will roll out an integrated Internet plan which will be live on the following sites by Friday, Nov. 18: www.fordvehicles.com, www.forddirect.com, www.lincoln.com, www.mercuryvehicles.com and www.lincolnmercury.com. The company will also be advdertising on NFL and college football games this weekend, and during Sunday's Ford 400 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ford has not yet released full pricing details of the plan, but a 2006 Ford Escape with an MSRP of $20,685 would cost $17,294, about a 16% cost reduction. A 2006 Lincoln Navigator with an MSRP of $53,175 would go for the Simple price of $46,747, or a 12% break.
The program runs from today through Jan. 3, 2006 and covers all models except the Ford Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Mercury Milan, Ford Mustang and Ford GT.
Posted by Frank at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)
President Bush Gives Segway to Japanese Prime Minister
President George W. Bush has gifted a Segway electric scooter to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, as part of the president's goodwill tour in Asia.
The president has given a pair of Segways to his own parents, though his father has proven to be a more adept rider than his son.
[The current POTUS famously fell off a Segway a couple years ago, as is still famously documented in this Google search, "Bush Segway."]
Koizumi apparently took his new scooter for a short spin and was delighted.
Posted by Frank at 01:14 PM | Comments (0)
Ford Recalls Over 220,000 Cars in U.S., Canada
Ford has issed two recalls for 2005 vehicles, one for a battery cable that rubs against the vehicle frame, the other for a fuel tank strap that could wear out after 100,000 miles. No injuries have been reported due to either problem.
The battery cable problem led to a recall of more than 98,000 Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis sedans. Due to the rubbing the cable can chafed and become exposed to the frame, electrifying the vehicle body. Four fires have been reported due to this defect.
The fuel tank strap problem is due to inferior grade steel and affects more than 123,000 Ford Freestyle crossover vehicles, Ford Five Hundred sedans and Mercury Montego vehicles. Ford discovered this problem itself.
At about 100,000 miles and up, Ford was concerned the strap would separate and cause the fuel tank to drop. Most 2005s haven't attained this amount of travel, but Ford said it wanted to adress the problem before the potential became a reality.
Posted by Frank at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
Kia Sponsors Round-the-World Driver
File this guy under "Really Cool Gig." Christer Gerlach, a Swedish adventure driver and journalist has arrived on our shores after completing half of a projected 14,900 mile drive around the world.
He stopped at Kia HQ in California to show off his ride, a stock Kia Sorento, that will take him across our asphalt via Route 66 to New York.
Gerlach will then continue on to Europe to finish his latest drive. Previously he's done similar treks that have earned him the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to drive round our big blue marble.
What makes this circumnavigation different is Gerlach drove across Siberia for the first time, thanks to the addition of a muddy highway across the wasteland.
To find out more about Gerlach, you can visit his site, but it is mostly in not-English. You can go to Kia's worldwide site, however, and click on the Expedition icon, lower mid-right, where you will be directed to a flash minisite of his adventure.
Posted by Frank at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)
New SUV/Truck Crash Standards on the Way
In a bid to make trucks and SUVs less dangerous to the cars they hit in a head-on collision, automakers have agreed to make front ends more rigid, according to USA TODAY.
Besides this compliance move in bigger vehicles, a move is under way to install side curtain airbags in smaller vehicles to minimize injury. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims side curtain airbags reduce fatalities by 45% in side impact crashes.
The automakers have also agreed to participate in tests looking at the impact of head-on collisions between larger and smaller vehicles.
Posted by Frank at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)
Volvo Extends Warranty on Throttle Controls
Volvo has voluntarily extended warranties on approximately 356,000 vehicles with defective throttles in the U. S. and Canada, according to AP.
The car maker will extend the warranty of the ETM throttle, which can become corroded and force the car to stall or slowdown. Affected vehicles include 1999-2002 C70 coup and convertibles; 1999-2000 S70, V70 and V70SX; 2000-2001 V70, V70XC and S60 models with turbocharged engines; 1999-2001 S80 models; and 2000-2002 V70 and S60 models with non-turbocharged engines.
The warranty will be expanded to 200,000 miles or 10 years. The warranty now offers protection for up to seven years or 70,000 miles. The deal would also reimburse consumers who have paid up to $1,000 to have the part replaced.
Posted by Frank at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #108: Red Tag This!
In this podcast we cover GM's Red Tag Sale, speculate on responses from Ford and Chrysler, tell folks how they can spot Hurricane fraud and discuss the hybrid situation -- all in one five minute show!
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota to Make Smaller Hybrid System
Toyota is planning to deploy a smaller hybrid system by 2008 that they can use in a broader range of their vehicles, according to a report in the Japanese paper, the Asahi daily.
The company will also begin making portions of the hybrid systems in the United States, approximately doubling its current output of 300,000 units annually. The expanded production is expected to help reduce the price premium that currently hampers greater market penetration.
Posted by Frank at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)
Scam Alert: Check Free Databases for Hurricane Damaged Vehicles
With as many as 500,000 vehicles destroyed in the aftermath of the hurricane season, consumers are urged to research vehicles to see if they might be buying a previously "totaled" vehicle.
There are three online databases consumers can use to enter a Vehicle Identification Number [VIN] to see if an automobile was declared a total loss by an insurer, all free of charge.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau [NICB] has one, as does Carfax and Experian Automotive.
Insurers are taking extreme measures to help avoid the vehicles being sold to unsuspecting consumers, according to the Wall St. Journal.
Progressive and Allstate are scrapping vehicles they declared total losses, and State Farm is retaining possession of vehicles they likewise declared.
Posted by Frank at 09:48 PM | Comments (0)
Gas Prices Still Falling
According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, a gallon of regular gas costs $2.29, marking the sixth consecutive week of falling prices.
The price is still 32 cents higher than a year ago, but substantially lower than the over $3 a gallon peak after Hurricane Katrina jolted the country into realizing how important the Gulf Coast is to America's energy supplies.
Posted by Frank at 09:27 PM | Comments (0)
Honda Introduces New Home Hydrogen Station
Honda and its research partner, Plug Power, have unveiled their third generation hydrogen generation system that provides heat and electricity for the home as well as refuel Honda's FCX fuel cell vehicle.
Like the first two generations of the stations, the HES III uses natural gas as its energy source, yet is 30% smaller than its predecessor and produces 25% more electricity, Start-up time is faster, too, now about one minute.
The unit has been installed at Honda's North American headquarters in Torrance, California; the goal is to provide high overall energy efficiency and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the more effective use of natural gas.
The HES III has improved hydrogen storage and production capacity by about 50 percent with the use of a new natural gas reformer and is also able to function as a backup power generation system during power outages by using the hydrogen in the storage tank to power the internal fuel cell, providing as much as 5 kilowatts of electrical power to the home in normal and emergency conditions.
Posted by Frank at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
Get Ready for a Price War
With GM's Red Tag Event a couple days old, you can bet that Ford and Chrysler are formulating their counterattacks.
With six weeks to go in the year, neither company wants to lose more domestic-inclined customers to their price slashing rivals.
One factoid -- when GM ran solo with their employee discount program in June, their pickup truck beat the Ford F-150 for the first time in a dog's age, and I don't think Ford's going to let that happen again.
Already, there are big discounts available from both companies. For example, this Ford site shows up to $5,000 off an F-150, after you enter your zipcode. And this Dodge site shows up to $6,500 off a Ram pickup.
Stay tuned.
Editor's note -- picture above right is from the original Star Trek series episode, Day of the Dove. Wherein Kirk & Crew are drawn into irrational battle versus the Klingons, by a force that lives on destruction. Metaphor?
Posted by Frank at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Video Cast: Escalade on Rodeo
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
What actually happened is this -- Cadillac chose Rodeo Drive -- and a couple dozen of their closest celebrity friends -- to unveil the 2007 Escalade -- and we've got footage!
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120. That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)
Test Drive Volvo's New Xbox Video Game
Volvo has grabbed the video game industry's fascination with autos by the joystick and is the first brand to build a complete game around its product.
Title 'Volvo Drive for Life' the Xbox platform game will be available at Volvo dealers nationwide, and through special promotions and events.
Designed around Volvo's core brand identity -- safety -- the game allows players to drive the S40 and S60 R sedans, as well as the Volvo XC90 V8 SUV, around the company's proving grounds in Gothenburg, Sweden. The trick at first is to try and do so without having the vehicles' safety features engaged -- such as Dynamic Stability and Traction Control [DSTC] and Roll Stability Control [RSC].
The players will find it nearly impossible, of course, but then the safety features are engaged, and players can try again to pass the course. After getting past this skill level, players then move on to drive the Volvo S40 along the Pacific Coast Highway, race the Volvo S60 R at the Italian Grand Prix or take the Volvo XC90 V8 on the treacherous road to the Ice Hotel in Sweden.
The game also includes real-world videos them inside Volvo's Safety Center in Sweden, as well as crash test footage from the Safety Center and other safety-related video clips on each model.
Posted by Frank at 03:54 PM | Comments (0)
Phaeton's Fate is Sealed in U.S.
Volkswagen will pull the poorly selling Phaeton luxury sedan from the U.S. market by the middle of 2006, citing an inability to sell the model near its European price point. The entry level price for the Phaeton in the U.S. is $66,700 for an eight-cylinder, with a twelve-cylinder model starting at $96,600
In 2005, VW has sold 686 unit of the model through the first ten months of the year, a 52.1% drop from 2004.
Posted by Frank at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #107: Driving the Hummer H3
Yes, it's big and bold [in a midsized kind of way] and we've been driving the Hummer H3 around making all the people stop and stare [and track].
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)
Details: GM Red Tag Event
Starting with advertising that began November 13, GM is running a "Red Tag Event" through January 3 that will give consumers the same pricing that employees of the company's suppliers are entitled to. The promotion is limited to GM's Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands and covers 2005 and 2006 vehicles.
While not included in the Red Tag promotion, GM says their other brands -- Cadillac, Saturn, Saab and HUMMER also have year-end programs. Cadillac has a ‘Season’s Best’ theme, with $500 bonus cash; Saab also has $500 bonus cash and Saturn is giving away a $500 Target gift card. HUMMER is running “Holiday Attractions,” which includes special pricing on a rear entertainment system.
To check out Red Tag Event prices for yourself, go to this site.
Posted by Frank at 09:58 AM | Comments (0)
First Look: Audi A6
Driving the Audi A6 confirms my prejudice that Audi is the Sleeper Luxury Brand of the Year. A friend of mine who lives in Santa Fe owns one, and says it's the best car she's ever owned -- this, coming from a seasoned Mercedes and Lexus owner.
She also pointed out another thing about the A6 -- since the car, and the brand, are quietly building their cachet in this country, folks don't know they're supposed to make a big deal out of the car. Which suits my friend just fine -- she's driving around in a high-tech, superbly designed luxury sedan and doesn't have to deal with outside ogling. She prefers her success low-key.
In the few days I've had the A6, I've found there's a lot to prefer. This is the 4.2 liter V8 edition, with Audi's four-wheel drive Quattro system standard, and it came with a lot of goodies that drove the $53,770 base MSRP another ten grand. The 3.2 liter V6 starts at $40,820 with front wheel drive and $43,970 with Quattro.
Sitting in the A6 for the first time nearly takes your breath away. Audi's got a breand new bag -- the comfort and luxury are first rate, and you feel ensconced in a multitiude of technology that, rather than be off-putting, is actually comforting because you feel it's made to serve the human and not the other way 'round. Check back for the full review!
Posted by Frank at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)
Right to Repair Act Stalled by a Schoolyard Fight
The "Right to Repair Act" is one of those incredibly boring, tedious legislative arguments that no one pays much attention to, yet impacts every single American who drives an automobile.
The fight is between the automakers and independent repairs shops, and invloves access to diagnostic codes aboard today's complicated vehicles. As it stands right now, independent shops say they don't have access to the codes and other information necessary to service their customers' vehicles; automakers say sharing the info could jeopardize trade secrets.
The arguments, then, are really between the automakers' rights to protect proprietary information, and the independents' argument that without the info, they are effectively out of business. While the intellectual property argument should trump the independents, by arguing that consumer choice is really the issue, the independent shops have allies in Congress.
But last week, during a hearing convened by Rep Joe Barton [R-TX], the congressman admonished both sides for failure to reach a negotiated agreement after two months of talks. Barton has sponsored the Right to Repair Act, and prefers the two sides come to a negotiated agreement.
The Federal Trade Commission also participated in the talks, and appears to back the consumer argument for giving independent service stations easier access to automaker information.
For more infomation on the Right to Repair Act, here is a site sposnsored by the coalition of independent service station owners and like interested parties.
Posted by Frank at 08:29 AM | Comments (0)
$1,200 Incentive on Accord Hybrid
Through December 5, Honda is offering a $1,200 incentive on their Accord Hybrid -- but you have to know about it or the dealer can keep the cash.
Under the program, not publicized on Honda's consumer site, dealers receive the $1,200 bonus for every Accord Hybrid they sell. They can use that number to soften the selling price or throw in extras to the consumer -- but if the consumer knows about it, they can ask for it directly.
The Accord Hybrid lists for $30,140, and delivers an estimated fuel economy of 37 mph on the highway, 29 in the city.
Posted by Frank at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
Chrysler Pledges a Buck a Car for Iacocca's Diabetes Quest
For the next 13 months, Chrysler will donate $1 per vehicle sold to former CEO Lee Iacocca's charity that is raising funds for a clinical trial to test a potential cure for type 1 diabetes. The program applies to Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products.
Iacocca appeared in a string of five ads for the company this year and donated his $1.5 million fee to the cause. Chrysler's new pledge, estimated to being as much as $3 million, brings the total to $9 million raised and will allow the trials to begin at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
More details can be found at www.JoinLeeNow.org, a project of Iacocca's foundation which he started after his wife mary died of complications from the disease in 1983.
Posted by Frank at 07:18 AM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2005
Movie Review: Used Cars with Kurt Russell
Polyester pants, plaid jackets and a junkyard dog that plays dead to close a deal.
What else would you want from a movie about selling used cars?
Kurt Russell stars as Rudy Russo, a smarmy, lying used car salesman who wants to become respectable by buying an election for state Senate. But the feud between the Fuchs brothers [Jack Warden in a dual role] interrupts his plans, especially after Roy Fuchs pays a demolition derby driver to give his brother Luke a heart attack.
Hilarity does ensue, the movie poster claimed the "Estimated Laugh Count" 287 city/410 highway, and while I didn't track my laughage I'm sure the flick comes close.
Other highlights include Lenny and Squiggy as a pair of TV transmission hackers, and Grandpa Muenster as the hanging judge.
I doub't you'll be able to find this 1980 release in a video store, so you just may have to join Netflix.
Posted by Frank at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2005
Breaking News -- GM's Red Tag Sale, Just Like Employee Pricing
General Motors has announced another massive incentive program, starting Monday, November 14 and running through January 3, 2006.
Under the GM Red Tag Sale, consumers will pay the same price as employees of the company's suppliers. In other words, it's another employee discount program, though prices are about 2% higher than they were with GM Employee Discount for Everyone program, which ran for three months during the summer.
In addition to the new low price, consumers will be able to add existing incentives to the deal, making the next seven weeks another hot time to buy a car.
GM brands including Buick, Pontiac, GMC or Chevrolet car or light truck are eligible, with the exception of the Pontiac Solstice, Chevrolet Corvette and new Buick Lucerne.
Posted by Frank at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #106: Getting Your Car Ready for Resale, Part II
In this podcast, we interview Ted Craig, managing editor of Used Car News, for some additional tips on how to get your car ready to sell. Besides the basics, Ted gave us a couple of insider pointers you may have never figured out for yourself.
As pointed out in the first installment, we thought getting a vehicle history report from a company like Carfax might be a good idea, and Ted not only agreed with us, he went on to make a point of how "stories sell used cars." That is, the more information, the better.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)
Nissan's Brilliant Shift to Tennessee
Despite having had some Photoshop fun with Nissan's announcement they're moving the coportate shop to Tennessee, we think it's a great, shrewd idea. Here's why:
1. It shows Carlos Ghosn don't have to get his groove back. He's still got it, still committed to making bold moves that defy conventional wisdom. Could you imagine if the domestic automakers had made bold moves 20, 30, 40 years ago? Carlos Ghosn may prove to be one of the best automotive CEOs, ever.
2. The company will save money by moving from California and is sending a clear message to high-priced locales that no one, no place is immune to competition. Usually, geographic bidding for company locations is limited to new plants -- what Nissan has done has created a new standard, and by doing so, has become a corporate leader.
3. By moving their actual headquarters, where all the jive-talking executives work, to the South, Nissan has done more than any other internationally-owned automaker to prove they are truly committed to the American market. In other words, it's easy to put a plant in a rural area where blue collar people work, but with the HQ somewhere else, that's akin to saying, "But WE don't want to live there." Nissan is walking the talk, and again, in one move, has vaulted ahead of the other international auto companies.
4. For the smart Nissan workers willing to move with the company, Ghosn has in essence given them at least a $250,000 cash bonus. How? In the real estate transaction alone, for Southern California homeowners to move to Tennessee, they can get out of their high-priced homes and buy a five-acre spread, all cash. We're talking early retirement here. Rather than bitching, they should be wearing t-shirts that say, "Carlos Don't Need to Get His Groove Back."
Another way to think about this is that the downward pressure on costs is going to continue. Not only has Ghosn saved Nissan money, he's liklely created a situation where the stability of employees' jobs is even stronger.
Not to mention all those California snobs are reportedly going to be able to keep their geographically-adjusted salaries intact when they move to Elvis country -- where the cost of corn bread and chitlins is decidedly lower than if they had to buy them in a chic, "retro-hillbilly" type of joint. Except in Tennessee, such a dish won't be served with a sense of irony.
But you know what they say, "you don't eat the irony -- it's for decoration." My bet is the smartest people will follow the Nissan Armada to Tennessee.
Posted by Frank at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)
Ode to a Hit and Run Driver
San Francisco Chronicle columnist Mark Morford had his brand new, "barely driven hot-as-love little Audi A3" wrecked by a hit-and-run driver this past Sunday, and he's still so furious about it that he wrote a 1,134 word essay on the topic.
It's not an essay really, so much as a rant, where he bemoans the loss of the "new car I had saved for for 10 years. The new car I loved like Jesus loves wine. The new car that had a mere 732 miles on it and was so new I didn't even have my plates yet. Broke my car-lovin' heart."
You've got to feel for the guy. Who hasn't had something they've worked hard for get stripped away and mashed underfoot, either by a real bully or just a casual manifestation of Nature?
According to Morford's essay, despite someone grabbing the license plate number, neither the insurance company nor the cops have been able to find the car and/or the driver.
Posted by Frank at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)
2006 Volvo C70: Three-Piece Hardtop Convertible
Scheduled to be available in the spring, just in time for drop-top weather, Volvo's C70 convertible features a three-piece, power retractable hard-top and has a base price of $38,710.
The C70 has room for four adults, who will be carted around in hair-ruffling speeds by the 218-horsepower engine, and Volvo has high hopes for the vehicle in the U.S. -- of 16,000 projected unit sales globally, the company plans to sell half of those on our shore.
If you've never driven a hard-top convertible, they really are the best of both worlds. When the top is up, it looks and drives every bit as a regular car, and down, well, it's a ton of fun.
The U.S. edition of the C70 comes with a turbocharged 2.5 liter T5 engine that produces the aforementioned 218-hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.
Posted by Frank at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
2006 VW GTI: Sure to Please Hardcore Fahrvergnugenites
VW's press folks have announced the arrival of the brand new GTI here in the states -- but all you can get from the VW consumer site right now is a minisite popup with an option to sign up for e-mail updates.
It's well known this GTI is fitted with a 2.0T turbocharged four-cylinder engine that creates 200 hp. And many know about the four-wheel independent, sport-tuned suspension. Top speed is limited to 130 mph here in the states.
The new GTI also boasts VW's new DSG Tiptronic transmission, which the company touts as being their most performance-oriented "automatic manual" to date.
The 2006 GTI comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission and 17-inch tires.
VW is offering two basic GTI option packages. The first adds a power sunroof, and satellite radio with a choice of XM or SIRIUS service. The second option package includes dual-zone automatic climate control, top-level front sport seats with leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, and heated windshield washer nozzles.
Price is estimated to be about $23,000.
Posted by Frank at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
Honda "Recalls" 25,000 Civics
Honda has discovered a potential problem with an impoperly installed gas pedal on their new 2006 Civic, but luckily, the majority of the vehicles have not yet been sold and are still on dealers' lots.
According to AP, if the pedal is improperly installed, it could come loose, cause the throttle to stick and raise the potential for a crash. The problem was detected by a dealer who informed the company.
For those affected Civics that have been sold, owners have been notified and will have the problem fixed at no cost. Honda says no accidents have occurred due to this problem.
Posted by Frank at 08:20 AM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2005
Cadillac Unveils 2007 Escalade to Hordes of Invisible Celebrities
So after making a huge deal out of introduding the 2007 Cadillac Escalade with the help of their closest B and C-list celebrity friends, Cadillac posted photos of the new vehicle on their website.
Plenty of the photos of the car, which we like, but no celebs. Not one pic of their guests at the highly touted "Escalade on Rodeo" event. Not one pic of any of these folks, who were all given the 'reverse-cupped hand' to lend their names to the event: Allison Janney, Paris Hilton, Stavros Niarchos, Wilmer Valderrama, DJ AM, Regina King, Chris Kattan, Wolfgang Puck, Virginia Madsen, Jadakiss, Frankie Muniz, Eduardo Verastegui, Anthony Anderson, Billy Morrison, Eddie Griffin, John Salley, Rachel Hunter, Rodney Peete, Styles P and Vida Guerra.
What, are these folks charging a la carte? Is it one price for me to show up, one price for my name and one price for a photo? Without a decent celeb-encrusted photo, I may just have to run a pic of Paris Hilton's wrecked Bentley which are all over the Internet.
It pays to give Car Buyer's Notebook good pictures, or we will be forced to unleash our formidable Photoshop skills on you, as we did in this story of the Nissan Hillbillies.
Or worse, you might get the kind of treatment we gave Lemons In Flagrante.
Oh yeah, about the 2007 Escalade. I'm so worked up all I can stand to do is cut and paste some stuff from their press release:
-- Powerful 6.2L all-aluminum small-block V-8 with VVT rated at 403 hp.
-- Efficient six-speed automatic transmission with Drive Shift Control.
-- Stronger frame chassis with responsive coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering for the best ride and handling in the segment.
-- Standard roof-mounted head curtain side air bags and StabiliTrak stability control system with new rollover mitigation technology
New radio family, including available navigation radio with touch-screen control.
-- A myriad of luxury features including factory installed 22" chrome wheels, climate controlled front seats, power fold and tumble 2nd row seats, remote start, power articulating running boards, power liftgate and IntelliBeam headlamps.
-- Enhanced four-wheel disc brake system.
Posted by Frank at 05:07 PM | Comments (0)
Six Pack of Ford Hybrids Hit Streets as NY Taxis
Half a dozen Ford Escape hybrids began life today as New York City taxis.
Now late night, drunken revelers can ride around in environmentally-conscious style!
Seriously, with the average NYC cab clocking a 100,000 miles a year, hybrids make more sense for cabs than they do for average folks.
While the NYC initiative is a good start, what would be more impressive would be if governments started mandating more fuel efficient vehicles, because it makes sense to apply the technology to the biggest fuel consumers [and emissions producers] first.
Posted by Frank at 04:55 PM | Comments (0)
Nissan Moves U.S. Headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee
As has been rumored for weeks, Nissan North America has now made official it is relocating its Los Angeles headquarters to a new facility in the Nashville area. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has said he is more concerned with running a profitable car company, and would rather not pay high rent and operating costs merely to have a fashionable address.
Nissan currently employs about 1,300 people on its headquarters campus in Gardena, Calif., near Los Angeles.
The move will put Nissan's headquarters closer to its manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, where the company has 6,700 employees.
For a more sober analysis of this event, see, Nissan's Brilliant Shift to Tennessee.
Posted by Frank at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
Strange Bedfellows: Lemon Lawyer Endorses Certified Pre-Owned Programs
In a press item released Wendesday, Lemon Lawyer Craig Thor Kimmel put out six points of advice for buying a car. We agree they are pretty useful, and found one of the items particularly noteworthy -- namely, that you shouldn't purchase a vehicle without a manufacturer's warranty.
Kimmel's release also notes that consumers should make sure the vehicle is certified by the manufacturer's program, and not just the dealer. In other words, a tacit endorsement of manufacturers' CPO programs. Full release after the jump.
NORWELL, Mass., Nov. 9 -- The winter is an ideal time to purchase a car, according to Lemon Law Attorney Craig Thor Kimmel. With an assortment of 2005 and 2006 models on the dealership lots and competitive pricing initiatives, consumers have plenty of opportunities to get behind the wheel of a shiny new car, truck or SUV that fits their lifestyle.
However, drivers need to take certain precautions to make sure they aren't taken for a ride or stuck with a lemon car. "An automobile purchase is something that should not be rushed," warns Kimmel. The nationally recognized Lemon Lawyer, whose firm has offices in Norwell, MA offers consumers the following tips:
1) RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! Make sure the car you are looking at has a strong customer satisfaction rating, provides the features that you are looking for, and is priced within your range. Consumer Reports remains an exceptional research tool. Also check out Jack Gillis' "Ultimate Car Book."
For pre-owned cars, check out carfax.com and Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/). Kimmel's website also offers a "Lemon Dodger" worksheet at http://www.lemonlaw.com/lemondodger.html to insure that used car drivers don't discover problems down the road.
2) ASK YOUR FAMILY, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. These people can provide useful information and recommendations. They may know someone who adores their SUV or someone whose sport car is constantly in the shop.
User forums on the Internet can also provide some useful perspectives and uncover common complaints consumers have with their particular vehicles.
3) KNOW THE MSRP! The MSRP stands for the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Unless a car is in high demand, most dealers will offer their cars at a price that is lower than MSRP. Knowing the MSRP can help you when you are discussing costs.
Also, don't forget to call other authorized dealerships to see if they can get a better offer for you.
A little legwork can save you thousands and if you are not one who likes to haggle, take along someone who does, or consider one-price shopping offered by Saturn and other manufacturers. Remember, this is your hard-earned money and you want to get the best ride for your dollar.
4) TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT! This is a common error in judgment. We often order cars in special colors or with additional features and when they arrive, we sign on the dotted line and drive off. STOP!
Before you take possession of the car, you need to check out the exact car you are buying, not one just like it. Make sure you try every feature (i.e. air conditioner, defroster, trunk latch, cruise control, sunroof, etc.)
Also take it for a quick test drive before you sign any papers. If something isn't working right, don't sign anything. This is the one time you are in control. Demand perfection.
5) DO NOT PURCHASE A USED CAR WITHOUT A MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. Make sure that any car you purchase is protected with a warranty from themanufacturer.
This is the only way a manufacturer will stand behind a pre-owned vehicle. And make sure that if you are buying a "pre- certified" car, it is certified by the manufacturer, and not the dealership. Otherwise, you will not be protected under the State and Federal Breach of Warranty Statutes.
6) KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! If you have purchased a new car or a car with an existing manufacturer's warranty and you have a reoccurring problemthat they can't seem to fix, you do have legal rights.
If a car is in the shop 15 business days in the first year, or has a reoccurringproblem under the manufacturer's original or extended warranty period, you could be entitled to a new car, or a full or partialrefund.
Best of all, in Massachusetts, there are Federal laws that provide 100% cost-free legal help. Don't be afraid to consult an attorney if needed. For more information regarding you Massachusetts Lemon Law rights, call 1-800-LEMON-LAW or visit http://www.lemonlaw.com/.
Based in Norwell, MA, Kimmel & Silverman is the oldest and largest lemon law and consumer advocacy firm in the Northeast. Founded in 1991, the firm has offices throughout Eastern and Western Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Massachusetts.
The Firm has successfully handled over 35,000 cases and has been honored for their efforts by the American Bar Association.
Posted by Frank at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
November 09, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Videocast: Teen Driving Fatalities
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
New research, and new messages, are working, however, to address the kids where they live -- so they can stay that way.
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120. That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
Reader Tips: Detailing Your Car to Get it in For Sale Shape
In response to this podcast and accompanying giveaway contest, six readers have sent us tips on how to detail a car to get it ready to sell.
To thank them for their efforts, we're going to send them each a car CD-ROM of their choice, from our schwag collection. [Ed. note -- Pete W. and Mark B., use the contact link at the top of the page to send us your e-mail address, thanks.]
Here they are in no particular order:
From Mark B.
Here are two tips:
1) Before you advertise your car on any site, put the word out to friends, family, and work colleagues that you are selling your car. Many times you can sell through word of mouth and safe money on advertising.
2)If you are selling a car worth over $15,000 go ahead and pay the money to have it detailed professionally. Its a small investment that will have great returns.
From Andy W.
1. Clean the door jam's they are often over looked.
2. Use a tire wet.
3. Change your oil, clean oil says you care.
4. Make sure you clean both side of the glass, use something like Bon-Ami or other non-abrasive cleaner on the windshield, it really gets the bugs off.
5. Use something like Fabreze to clean up any nasty smells.
From Sean M.
One thing that I've found is cleaning under the seats. Especially if you have power seats, don't forget to jack them all the way up and see what is hiding underneath. Its even better if you just unbolt the seats quick and vacuum it out really well. I'm amazed at what I've found under the seats of used cars I've purchased [tapes, love poems to unknown parties, ubiquitous french fries, services records, few dollars worth of coins.]
From Pete W.
I've found that you get the best results when you are willing to spend the extra money and time on the little trim bits that you normally just sort of swipe during the run-of-the-mill detail... The main things are going to be rubber, plastic, and carpeting.
For rubber and plastic, I just get Armor-all and coat most of the interior trim that it's safe on. It makes everything shine and soaks the dust into the cloth. Then I open the doors and the hood and use it on all all the rubber hood seals, bumper rubber/plastic, door-seals, roof-runners, and weather stripping.
Armor-all has a great way of taking grayed, weathered bits and turning them a shiny, supple black all over again. It also works great on scrubbing off old wax-deposits and spiffing up the plastic window inserts should you have them in the rear door.
For the interior cloths, vacuum everywhere ... and I mean everywhere ... haul your old canister vac down on an extension cord with the crevice tool and get under the seats, in the armrest, on the rear shelf, you'll be surprised at how much change and food ends up under the drivers seat.
After that if you can get your hands on a Little Green Clean Machine or a rug doctor, go ahead and scrub down all the floor panels and seats. It will get out the smells and stains that you thought had wrecked your car.
Car interiors tend to be made of heat, sun, and Armageddon resistant synthetics, so don't be afraid to scrub. After it is all dry, go ahead and spray it down with Scotchgard.
Also, take out the floormats and evaluate them. If the drivers-side floormat has that "heel rut" from the pedals you might just want to replace it. Give the others a thrice-over with the upright vacuum and carpet cleaner too.
If you have leather upholstery, get the leather protectant and wipe down everything. Like the armor-all, it really is amazing what scrubbing out the dirt and grime and fading will do to a car seat.
Otherwise, do all this before you wash the car, and do the windows last. Al the protectants are great but basically sprayable grease that will create a window mess. You will have to take some Windex to the glass to get it all off.
From Rich C.
A few often overlooked areas in prepping a car for private sale are car door frames, trunk seals and the plastic engine/battery covering under the hood. It takes only a few minutes using an all-purpose glass cleaner with a degreaser to wipe these areas clean.
Potential buyers might decide a car has been poorly cared for if there is a striking contrast between exterior shine and grungy door frames. Many people know about Armor-all to freshen up tires, it also does a good job under the hood in cleaning up plastic noise shields found on most newer engines.
It's also great on door seals and rubber seam moldings. Don't forget the trunk lip seal as well as the painted area around the trunk hinges; it is often overlooked when cleaning the car's exterior and 'pockets' dust, pine needles and small leaves.
A final note about places to list your car for sale: Don't overlook the online car clubs. They often have "For Sale" areas for particular models and are generally free listings tailored to precise makes and models buyers are shopping for.
From Dave L.
I like the Q-Tip idea but, I use a paint brush. It gets a bigger area and is great for cleaning around the vents, controls, radio and instrument cluster.
What I can not believe is when I see people spend all kinds of time cleaning their car and forget the one biggest thing that will set their car apart from the rest - Tire shine.
On my 2003 Passat wagon I use it on not only the tires but the black lower body molding. With the contrast it makes, it sets my car apart from the rest.
My boss has an X5 4.8 and I could not understand why he would spend the time to wash it and not enhance the black plastic moldings and tires with a little dressing.
Posted by Frank at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #105: Behold the Gecko, He is Golden
Did you know the Geico Gecko was sponsoring a short film contest?
I didn't either, but 90 aspiring filmmakers and/or people with lizard fetishes entered the contest, and the 15 finalists should be annnounced any minute.
Check out www.GoldenGecko.com.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 07:48 PM | Comments (0)
Geico's Affordable Extended Warranty
A podcast listener wrote in to tell us about an affordable extended warranty program from insurance giant Geico.
Called Mechanical Breakdown Insurance [MBI], it sure sounds like a good deal. For a nominal fee, our tipster says it cost him $15 every six months, you get what is essentially an extended service contract with a $250 deductible.
You can buy into Geico's MBI if your newer vehicle has less than 15,000 miles on it, and can renew annually until the car reaches seven years of age or 100,000 miles.
Essentially what you're doing is paying for an extended service contract via [an incredibly affordable] payment plan. In real terms, it'll cost you $210 for the life of your car, as opposed to well over a $1,000 for the typical extended service contract.
Geico claims their MBI includes all parts and systems and will allow you to get your car repaired wherever you like. They also encourage you to dump your extended contract for their service, by demanding a refund! [Most contracts give you a full refund if you cancel within 30 to 60 days.] It sounds like a great deal, but Caveat Emptor.
After the jump, read our tipster's original note -- thanks Mark!
[Ed. note -- Here is the original e-mail tip from Mark P.]
Something you might want to look into and tell your listeners. I just listened to "Jack & Jill" part 2. You talked about extended warrenties.
I have Geico insurance and the have a "Mechanical Breakdown Coverage". It costs me $15 every six months on my insurance and I am covered for major breakdowns until 100,000 miles [$250 deductable] or 7 years. You can add it for cars that are less than 15 month/15,000 miles. It says you can also do it on leased vehicles.
I have only had my Honda Odyssey for a little over a year so I have no idea if I will have a problem with getting Geico to pay for a repair later but they have been good so far on a few accidents my wife has had.
It was also helpful to me because 2 years ago this past summer I bought a Buick Rendezvous. It was a lemon! Before it was a year old I used the NY State Lemon Law and got GM to buy it back. Since I was paying for this mechanical breakdown coverage I did not have to try to get any money back on an extended warrenty for a car I no longer owned. I was only out $30 for the year of coverage.
I do not know if any other insurance companies do this but I think it is a good idea for me. No upfront cost and only $30 a year. And a maximum of $210 for 7 years if you take that long to drive 100K.
Posted by Frank at 06:45 PM | Comments (0)
Ford's New 250 HP V6 Engine to Power 20% of Fleet
Ford's got a new powerplant, a 3.5-liter V-6 that will first see duty in a pair of crossover vehicles -- the Ford Edge and Lincoln Aviator -- and will eventually run 20% of Ford vehicles.
The new V6 produces 250-horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque, and is built to approximately the same dimensions as the current, smaller Duratec V6, which will allow the engine to be placed into a number of vehicles -- perhaps even the Five Hundred platform, which currently only has a 203 hp plant.
Mated to the new engine is a new 6-speed transmission for the Ford Edge and Lincoln Aviator that will improve fuel economy by approximately 7% compared with a 4-speed automatic.
Posted by Frank at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)
We Are the Mudds, Episode #2: Clay Finds a Geocache
In the second online installment of the Mudds' adventures, son Clay discovers a "geocache" inside a creek -- after a day of flaming hibachis, church climbing and general middle class picnic bickering.
Don't know what this all means? Where've you been? The Mudds are a fictional family created by Jeep to help promote the new Jeep Commander. The website, We Are the Mudds, has video adventures of the muck-encrusted family as they enjoy outdoor life in their Commander.
After you view the video, and you can check out our story on the first installment here, there is a box of goodies known as a "virtual geocache" that includes other video downloads, games and links to outdoor adventure stuff.
[We've also done one of our very Zero to 120 videocasts on the Mudds, which you can check out here.]
This week's virtual geocache includes a trailer of Tugger, an animated jeep that wants to fly, and a grainy home video style production, titled "The Horror of Parental Affection," as well as an eight-plus minute rock climbing video.
Posted by Frank at 01:44 PM | Comments (0)
New Prices, Front-Wheel Drive for Lexus Hybrid SUV
Lexus has added a front-wheel drive option to their RX400h luxury SUV hybrid, with a starting price of $44,660 for 2006. Production began November 1 and vehicles will arrive at dealers in late December.
The FWD version is in addition to the all-wheel drive model, on sale since April. Lexus has dropped the price of their AWD model, mainly by taking the DVD navigation system/rear back-up camera off the standard features list and making it an option. The company said they made this move in response to customer requests.
The base price for the RX 400h AWD is now $46,060, a decrease of $2,350 or 4.9 percent, also beginning with November production.
Posted by Frank at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
Oil Execs Face Hot Seat in Congress as Seniors Face a Cold Winter
Executives from the major oil companies that have posted a record breaking profit of over $25 billion in the third quarter alone will testify before the Senate today.
At issue is whether the companies are price gouging in the retail price of gasoline, as well as the status of heating oil prices for the coming winter.
The executives will be facing lawmakers who passed two energy bills this year that aided the companies' bottom line, so it may wind up being a game of pot and kettle.
At least two suggestions are on the table to remedy the situation -- a tax on windfall profits and/or a volutnary program where the oil companies will donate to a fund to help lower income citizens heat their homes.
Posted by Frank at 08:51 AM | Comments (0)
2007 Cadillac Escalade: GM Teases Out the Info
GM is unveiling the 2007 Cadillac Escalade this week, and they are using both their blog and their podcast to teeeeease out the information -- they intend to actually show the vehicle in Beverley Hills tonight, and on Friday at the South Florida International Auto Show.
At GM's FastLane blog, there is a podcast interview with Jim Taylor, Cadillac's General Manager, pictured here.
Without giving out any real details, Taylor talks about how Cadillac and the Escalade work with celebrities to help introduce a vehicle that is designed to appeal to folks with fame and cash and the people who want to be like them.
Posted by Frank at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)
24 Million Reasons to Drive a VW Golf
The Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany cranked out the world's 24 millionth Golf yesterday, this 2.0 liter TDI.
VW's best-seller, the Golf has been made since 1974, and it's the best selling vehicle in Europe, where they deliver 719,000 units last year.
This is the fifth generation Golf, which now stands as the company's best selling vehicle.
Posted by Frank at 07:50 AM | Comments (0)
November 08, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Videocast: The BMW Z4 M Roadster
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120. That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #104: Fabuloso! Gettting Your Car Ready for Resale, Part I
In this podcast we talk about some of the things you should do to get your car ready for resale -- PLUS, we have a fabulous offer for you:
We want you to write in with your ideas for detailing your car for resale -- and to reward you for taking the time, we are giving away free car swag to the best five ideas.
In this case the swag comes from our collection of product CDs from the carmakers, and we've literally got dozens of different titles.
The companies give them away to journalists writing about their vehicles, and while I don't feel comfortable selling them, there's nothing that says I can't give them away.
So write in with your best ideas for detailing a vehicle for sale, and we'll get back to you so you can choose from our collection of car swag.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 06:10 PM | Comments (0)
First Look: Hummer H3
In a word, Yippee.
Just got delivery of the 2006 Hummer H3, and this is one of those vehicles where photos do not do justice to the reality.
The H3 is a decidely three-dimensional vehicle, with prominent body and fender flares that make it look like a real-time Tonka toy. Photos simply flatten it out too much -- you've got to see one of these things up close and personal.
My GM rep tells me the vehicle, Hummer's first midsize SUV, was designed to attract as many female as male buyers, outdoors capble but not off-putting. For those looking for a vehicle that might remind you of an Irish Spring commercial, "Manly yes, but I like it too," the H3 can satisfy both sides of the gender gap.
On the outside, it looks rugged tough, like it wants to get muddy, and on the inside you get the satisfaction of a command cockpit without going too over the top into militarization mode.
Inside you've got two rows of seats, with the back row folding flat to give you more storage space. The H3 comes standard with a 3.5 liter inline five-cylinder engine that develops 220 horsepower and gets 16 MPG in the city, 19 on the highway.
The sticker on this particular H3 starts at $28,935 and ends up at $33,059. Along the way it picked up a 4-speed automatic transmission with Stabilitrak [$1,695], a trailer hitch and wiring [$270], and three dealer installed accessories, including the black wrap-around brush gaurd [$600], black tubular running board [$595] and a roof rack [$399].
Posted by Frank at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota, Nissan, Honda Minivans Ace Side Impact Test
In its first-ever test of minivans for side impact crashes, teh Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found minivans with side airbags do the best job of protecting occupants from serious injury.
Three minivans that come with standard side airbags -- the Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest and Honda Odyssey -- were each given "good" ratings. The Toyota Sienna received a "Double Best Pick" designation for having previously achieved a good rating for frontal impact.
Two vehicles that do not come with standard side airbags, the Ford Freestar and Mazda MPV, achieved poor ratings.
For IIHS, which has achieved a position of authority in the crash test game, when vehicles do not come with standard airbags, they choose to test the lesser-equipped vehicle.
The Ford Freestar and Mercury Moneterey, with head curtain airbags for all three rows, achieved a rating of acceptable in the side impact test.
IIHS claims their test is more realistic than the federal government's side impact program, due to a redesigned impact barrier that more closely resembles the front end of a pickup truck or SUV.
IIHS reasons that since the larger vehicles represent more than half of what's on the road, their test is more likely to represent real-world results.
To see the results for this test, click here.
Posted by Frank at 02:44 PM | Comments (0)
Sneak Peek: The 2006 BMW Z4 M Roadster
BMW is adding an M class edition of their popular Z4 roadster for 2006, and full details won't be available until the Detroit Auto Show, which will be held in January next year.
What we do know is that the M edition will come with a 3.2 liter in-line six-cylinder engine that can do 0 to 60 in less than five seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
The standard-issue 2006 Z4 roadster will also be featured in Detroit, and options include two different 3.0 liter inline sixes.
All Z4s comes standard with six-speed manual transmissions; a six-speed Steptronic automatic with shift paddles will be available.
BMW says there are improvements to the Dynamic Stability Control as well, includes features such as Brake Drying, and Brake Standby, which places the brake pads closer to the disc when the driver takes their foot off the accelerator, anticipating a quick stomp on the brakes.
There's also "Start-Off Assistant," a version of hill hold, which applies the brakes briefly on a hill after the pedal is released to prevent rollback.
Posted by Frank at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)
Hot Wheels: In 2004, a Vehicle was Stolen Every 25 Seconds
In other words, by the time you finish reading this article, your car could be gone. Did you lock it?
You sure?
The list of the ten most popular cars to steal was again topped by import brands, with most analysts attributing this to the tuner craze that makes older imports tasty for midnight parts shoppers and joy riders.
In 2004, 1,237,114 motor vehicles were reported stolen which is a decrease of 23,357 vehicles from 2003. Overall in the United States, motor vehicle theft was down by 1.9 percent.
Compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau [NICB], there is also another cool component to the "Hot Wheels" data. Go to this page at the NICB website, and you'll find an interactive map of the United States, where you can find out the most popular felonious rides in various locales.
And wouldn't you know it, demographics rules again! In states such as Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, et al, the most exciting vehicle to steal is a good 'ol American pickup. Dukes of Hazzard indeed.
Posted by Frank at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)
Top 10 Misperceptions About Hybrid Vehicles -- From Ford, of All Places
When the Ford Hybrid Patrol gave a presentation to the Alexandria Police Department last week, we expected it to be a pretty straightforward show about how wonderful hybrid vehicles are.
And while there certainly was some of that, there was a component of the talk we didn't expect -- Ford engineers presented a balanced list of misconceptions about the technology, taking care to deliver the pros and the cons.
What was this we thought -- honesty in advertising? While there is definitely some pro-Ford messaging here, it was encouraging to listen to the company reps not fall into the trap of overhyping a technology that definitely has some good points, but is also not the magic potion to end the oil crisis or anxiety over high gas prices.
Here then are the Top Ten Misperceptions of Hybrid Vehicles, courtesty of the Ford Hybrid Patrol:
1. All hybrids are the same: There is a "full" hybrid system that gets best fuel mileage in city driving, and a "mild" hybrid system that gets best mileage on the open road. [Ed. -- Ford vehicles have a full hybrid system.]
2. Gas savings will quickly neutralize the premium hybrid sticker cost: Even cab and other prolific drivers won't break even the first year -- and it could take a small town farmer a decade to break even.
3. The hybrid model's EPA sticker is the mileage you'll get: The mileage depends on how you drive. A group of Ford engineers achieved 38 MPG in Manhattan -- 5 MPG higher than the EPA estimate.
4. Hybrids have a limited driving range: A tank of gas in the Ford Escape or Mercury Mariners hybrids will take you about 500 miles in a combination of city and highway driving under normal conditions.
5. Hybrids are the future: Hybrids are only part of the future. Other mileage and emissions breakthroughs are coming, including hydrogen-powered vehicles.
6. You have to plug them in: No, the gas engine and the brakes recharge the electric battery.
7. Hybrids are less powerful: The electric engine in the Espcape and Mariner hybrids provide more torque at low speeds than their gas-only versions.
8. Everybody is buying hybrids: Although 29.4% of new-vehicle shoppers will consider a hybrid, they only account for less than 1% of current new-vehicle sales.
9. Replacement batteries will cost a fortune: The battery warranties on hybrids are extensive. The Escape and Mariner hybrids both have eight-year, 100,000-mile warranties.
10. The federal government is increasing the full hybrid tax credit for all hybrid buyers next year: The new energy bill taking effect January 1, 2006 will increase the tax break, but the full credit only applies to the first 60,000 hybrids sold from each manufacturer.
Posted by Frank at 10:46 AM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast Receives 5 Star Award
Popspider, a podcast directory and software firm, has awarded the Car Buyer's Notebook podcast a five star award from its database of 20,000 shows. The criterias for the award are continuity and technical operativeness as a guide for podcast listeners.
The five star award make the Car Buyer's Notebook podcast eligible for the 2006 international contest and award for the best show among five star award winners.
The Car Buyer's Notebook podcast is a daily, 5 to 10 minute long audio program with over 75,000 listeners. Shows can be directly downloaded from this website, or listeners can subscribe to the show by adding this RSS feed to their podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
You can find the archives here.
Posted by Frank at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)
Here Come the Subcompacts
With Toyota, Nissan and Honda committed to bringing new subcompact vehicles to the United States in early 2006, the market for these B-class cars is going to be tested -- are there another 200,000 or so vehicle buyers willing to get into small, affordable cars?
When the company’s made their announcements, gas prices were cresting the threshold of consumers’ willingness to stay in SUVs -- over the last two months, cars have taken a historically larger share of the market [49% in October] than they have in several years.
But with gas easing to under $2.40 a gallon, will this impetus remain strong enough to support such vehicles as the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit, to the tune of 50,000 to 70,000 annual unit sales for each?
The answer may be yes, taking into account other factors, such as the relatively thin lineup of vehicles already in this category, and given that these vehicles represent an advance in quality and feature set, all for starting prices expected to be under $13,000.
Vehicles such as the Hyundai Accent and Chevy Aveo already move 40k to 70k units a year, and the Scion lineup of three models will sell about 150,000 combined units in 2005.
Compared to other crowded segments such as midsize sedans and SUV crossovers, there just aren’t that many subcompacts to choose from. Mitsubishi is also considering bringing their Colt to the U.S. market, and is studying whether they can sell enough to build them at their Normal, Illinois plant.
Each of the companies is promising to bring in vehicles that are better equipped than one would expect from such "starter’ vehicles -- Toyota says the Yaris will have anti-lock brakes and front and rear side-mounted airbags, and the Nissan Versa has front and rear MacPherson strut suspension and comes with 15-inch wheels. Each of the vehicles is also designed to offer more interior space, for passengers and gear, than is normally expected from vehicles in this category.
Consumers can sign up for e-mail updates at minisites for each of the vehicles. The Nissan Versa site is the most robust of the three, offering consumers the ability to build and price their vehicle, which is available as a hatchback or more pricey sedan. The Toyota Yaris site includes a videocast of the vehicle’ s introduction at SEMA, and the Honda Fit site has an option to get e-mail updates.
This article originally appeared at AIADA.org.
Posted by Frank at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)
November 07, 2005
Where Can I Park? Ask your Car
Navteq, the mapping company that power Mapquest and XM radio's Navtraffic system, is hosting a demonstration in California that will help you find a parking spot while you're still en route to your destination.
In cooperation with ParkingCarma, a company that has run a pilot project in the Bay Area to help drivers reserve parking spaces, Navteq says they are about a year away from being able to deliver real-time parking info via your cellphone or car's nav system.
The demonstration project is working off the Bay Area's existing 511 website, which helps commuters stay current with traffic conditions and driving times. Telematics company ATX is also participating in the project, which is being showcased at this week's Intelligent Transportation Society's World Congress.
Posted by Frank at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
Nissan Chooses XM Radio for Factory Install
Beginning in the 2008 model year, about 500,000 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles will be shipped with factory installed XM radios. The number is expected to hit 1,000,000 by 2010.
In January, Nissan chose XM to be its supplier of satellite-delivered data and telematics services, such as in-vehicle messaging and XM NavTraffic, which delivers current traffic information to vehicle navigation systems.
Nissan currently offers XM Satellite Radio as a feature on a variety of Nissan models including the Nissan Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Quest, 350Z Coupe, Murano, Armada, Pathfinder, Frontier, Xterra, and Titan, as well as the Infiniti FX45, G35, M45, Q45, and QX56.
Posted by Frank at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)
Gas Prices Fall Again
Gas prices are down to an average of $2.38 a gallon, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.
That's lower than the price following Hurricane Katrina in late August, but prices remain 19% higher than a year ago, when a gallon of the precious fuel cost $2.
The question now is twofold -- will consumers stick to their car-friendly buying pattern, and what to make of several car companies' plans to introduce a bunch of new subcompacts?
Speculation: anything over $2 a gallon is still high, and consumers will continue to buy versatile cars and SUV crossovers. Whether or not there are an approximately 200,000 more people willing to buy teeny-tiny wheels is subject to debate, and praxis.
Posted by Frank at 09:13 AM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #103: Slow Down and Get Better Gas Mileage
It's just that simple. Drive the speed limit and get mileage that may shock you, please you and might even beat the EPA rated numbers.
We got 33.8 mpg in the 2006 VW Jetta 2.0T, simply by using the cruise control and keeping speed to only about 5-10 miles an hour over the limit.
There's also some gas saving tips we got from Ford's recent hybrid patrol, and finally, we promote our new video program, Zero to 120.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)
Audi First Company to Earn Three Double Best Picks in Crash Tests
When the Audi A3 earned high marks in crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety [IIHS], the carmaker became the first to have three of its vehicles earn "Double Best Picks."
IIHS has also rated the A4 and A6 as double best -- what this means is all three vehicles scored very good performances in front and side impact crash tests.
In the same round of tests, the Volkswagen Passat and Subaru Legacy also earned double best picks for front and side crash tests. The Fird Five Hundred and Mercury Montego earned a best pick for frontal crash tests, and a good rating on side impact when the cars were equipped with side airbags.
To read the release from IIHS, click on this link to download the PDF.
Posted by Frank at 06:31 AM | Comments (0)
GM Kicking in an Extra $1,000 Cash on 2005s
General Motors is offering an additional $1,000 cash on leftover 2005 vehicles, bringing total cash deals to as high as $7,000 for the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon.
To key in to GM incentives, check out their GM BuyPower site, and click on current offers. Be sure to enter your zip code, as GM deals may differ in their five national incentive regions.
Besides big SUVs, GM is also offering great deals on Buick and Pontiac models, with an average of $4K to $5k off -- exceptions include the Pontiac GTO [$3,000] and Vibe [$2,500]. On many models, including Buick, Pontiac and SUVs, there's also 0% financing.
Posted by Frank at 05:59 AM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Videocast: The Blue Smoke Jet Luge
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
In case you're wondering, it's exactly what it sounds like -- a street luge outfitted with a jet engine. Swartz has reached 89.5 MPH on his jet-powered boogie board and he's shooting to break the 100 MPH barrier.
Swartz has been profiled in the Washington Post and will appear on an upcoming Discovery Channel bit, and he was kind enough to give us permission to use his footage so the Car Buyer's Notebook audience could have a look.
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120. That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
You can also check out our previous story on The Blue Smoke Jet Luge.
Swartz's personal site for the project is www.jetluge.net
Photo credit: Patrick McKnight
Posted by Frank at 04:29 AM | Comments (0)
Subaru, Nissan, Ford Invest in Latino Marketing
With Hispanic spending estimated to be worth $1 trillion by 2010, it makes sense for car companies to go where the money is -- speak the language of car buyers.
Spanish language marketing is not new, but with the demographic shift in America it's becoming a cornerstone of marketing budgets. Subaru has just sponsored the 2005 International Latino Film Festival, which runs in San Francisco from November 4-20, and Nissan ran two commercials for the Altima on the Latin Grammy's Nov. 3.
Ford also has a new spanish language campaign for their Fusion mid-size sedan, at this site: www.fordenespanol.com/cars/fusion/.
Using the theme, "chispa," the Spanish word for spark – Ford has an integrated Spanish-language television, print and digital marketing campaign to launch the 2006 Fusion. At the Fusion site, visitors can use the “Fusion Music Mixer” to blend Latin styles like reggaeton, salsa and tango with other genres, such as country, R&B and hip hop, to create their own dance music.
Posted by Frank at 03:48 AM | Comments (0)
November 06, 2005
The Secret to Getting Good Gas Mileage Is ...
... Driving the speed limit. It's really that simple.
You can talk about monitoring tire pressure, changing your oil regularly, or choosing your time of travel to coincide with downdrafts, but it really comes down to driving the speed limit.
Driving responsibly, in other words.
The picture of the fuel gauge you see here is from a 2006 Jetta 2.0T with six-speed manual that I'm currently test driving. On a trip that included about 75% highway miles and 25% city driving, I achieved a top mileage of 33.8 miles per gallon.
This is 1.8 miles per gallon over the EPA's highway rating for the car, which is such an acknowledged fantasy that AAA is agitating to have the govermment change their testing procedures.
Now the funny thing about driving the speed limit is that it is incredibly uncomfortable. You feel like you're barely moving. Or that you could get out and push the car faster.
On one road with a posted speed limit of 40 MPH, I set the cruise control to 45. I felt like I could have started reading a book. Or writing one.
On the other hand, just so no one thinks I was in full AARP mode the whole trip, while driving on the Capitol Beltway [495] and Route 270, I did drive for periods at 75 MPH, or ten miles an hour over the limit.
In both cases, while I enjoyed the high readout from the gas use-ometer, I did fear for my life at times from drivers who were infuriated I would drive so slow.
Posted by Frank at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)
November 04, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #102: Last Weekend for Fall Foliage
Make sure to get outside this weekend for what will probably be the last of the year for peak fall foliage! Check out weather.com or the Foliage Network for up to the minute information.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 06:14 PM | Comments (0)
To the Barricades! San Franciscans Smash Gas Guzzlers in the Name of Charity and Zipcar
Today's Zipcar promotion in San Francisco went smashingly well, thank you. To celebrate the opening of their car sharing service in the City, Zipcar put on a car bash promotion, where otherwise peace loving Franciscans ponied up $5 to swing a sledge hammer at a gas guzzling vehicle. It's symbolic of ending the oppression of car ownership.
Proceeds from the event went to a breast cancer fund, and participants were given the opportunity to join Zipcar at half the usual rate, or $25.
We did a podcast on the event yesterday, and if you're interested in Zipcar's car-sharing service, which is now operating in 9 states and 28 cities, check out their website.
Posted by Frank at 04:28 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota Increases Prius Prices
Toyota is increasing the MSRP for the 2006 Prius to $21,725, an increase of $450, or 2.1 percent. I'd tell you to go out and pick up a 2005 at the cheaper rate, but you can't because there's a waiting list for the #1 best selling hybrid vehicle in the land. The new price takes effect when the 2006 Prius goes on sale in mid-November.
Toyota has added some features to the 2006 Prius, including a tire pressure monitor sensor, as well an "occupant classification sensor" that determines if the front passenger seat is occupied and if an occupant meets the adult weight requirement for airbag deployment.
There's also a new, optional new rear back-up camera, and the toyota says the optional voice-activated navigation system has been improved.
Exterior cosmetic changes include restyled headlights and taillight clusters, an updated front grille and new front lip spoiler. On the inside, there's new darker seat fabric and a black textured instrument panel; Toyota is offering optional leather seating and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
You can also order a new audio system with MP3-media capability and a mini-jack port -- this would be for your iPod.
The Prius has an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 60 mpg in the city, 51 mpg on the highway and 55 mpg in combined driving.
Posted by Frank at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
Looking at the Crossover/Wagon Market -- or, the Death of the SUV Has Been Greatly Exaggerated
Yes, it's true that large SUV sales are down in general, and took a big 44.1% dive in October. However, this trend has been going on for several years, and as we wrote in this article on form factor, we believe consumers who need larger, multifunction vehicles will move into crossovers and wagons, rather than abandon the SUV concept altogether.
From the top 15 vehicles in the crossover/wagon category, it's obvious this covers a wide range of vehicles. The main difference is that crossovers are built like cars, with unibody construction, while traditional SUVs employ "body on frame" which is more like a pickup truck.
This segment accounted for 46.9% of all SUVs sold in October. For the year to date, crossovers account for 43.5% of SUV sales, an increase from 37.8% in 2004.
So obviously this is not a new phenomenon, but the speed of conversion by consumers is accelerating. In real numbers, over 200,000 more crossovers have been purchased so far this year, compared to the same ten months of last year.
Posted by Frank at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)
2006 Pontiac GTO -- An Exercise in Affordable Brawn
For only $32,995 you can have a brand new 400 horsepower vehicle in your driveway. The 2006 Pontiac GTO is all that, with a standard 4-speed automatic transmission -- the six-speed manual will cost you an extra $695.
The 6.0 liter V-8 engine is an aluminum block that produces 400 lb-ft of torque and will get you an average of 18 miles per gallon, if it were driven responsibly.
But for a car that's advertised as being able to go from 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, I'm not sure the target market will be driving for fuel economy. After all, it is subject to the gas guzzler tax.
GM is proud of this powerplant, as you can see in this marketing copy: "In fact, the specially-tuned dual exhaust was designed to invoke memories of a time when hearing a car was just as important as seeing it."
The GTO seats four and sits on 17-inch alloy wheels. The brakes fitted to stop this thing are 4-wheel vented discs, power assisted with 4-channel anti-lock braking system.
Posted by Frank at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)
Best Selling Cars for October 2005
WIth ten months of the year gone by, the traditional lineup of the top four has reasserted itself, with Toyota and Honda taking alternating slots -- though for awhile the Camry and Corolla were actually the number one and two best sellers.
Looking at the top four, we see sales are either stagnant [Toyota] or soft [Honda]. The new Civic performed well this month, however, and should continue to put in good numbers for months to come.
The point is that the new competitors in these categories, specifically the Hyundai Sonata and Ford Fusion, probably see an opportunity to poach some of these customers. In addition, we've reviewed the Kia Spectra, which is an economical alternative to the Corolla/Civic. While the top spots are probably not in danger of switching hands, it's more than likely potential customers will also be cross-shoppping the new entries.
Of note this month is the reappearance of the Chrysler 300 and Ford Mustang in the top ten. Both cars have flirted with the list several times this year, dropping on and off at various times.
Posted by Frank at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)
Test Driving the Kia Spectra
Goldilocks would drive a Kia Spectra. If the fabled character was looking for a four-door sedan to drive around the countryside, shop for porridge and even go for outings with Papa, Mama and Baby Bear, this is the car that's just right.
We had the Spectra SX for a week and were impressed at how well-equipped the car is, its roominess and versatility and the driving pleasure it delivered.
A five speed manual is standard on the SX as well as the entry level EX model, and it helps you get the most out of the 138-horsepoweer engine. An added plus was that the gears were well spaced and the medium length shifter throws easily.
The SX has 16-inch wheels, versus the EX's 15-inchers, and we found the combination of steering, gearing and wheeling to be just right -- the car is a sure-footed sedan that drives smoothly under everyday conditions and has plenty of passing power.
Looking at the specs, the Spectra is considered a "compact" sedan, which puzzle me now that I'm writing this, because it never flet like a small car. This in itself is an endorsement to add the Spectra to your list of test drives because what matters is actual driving impression, not tech stuff on a page.
The Spectra is well-thought out -- to give you an idea, my sunglasses actually fit in the overhead storage compartment, which I was able to close without crushing them. This may seem like a small detail, but about half the cars I apply this test to actually fail, because the compartment is too small to accommodate glasses that aren't flat.
And we also put it to the practical hauling test, as seen in this story on pass-through seating, which I think is sactually one of those mundane features that car buyers actually look for when making a purchase.
Pass-through is more of a "need" than a "want" but when it comes down to it, cars are first and foremost a practical tool for helping us live our lives.
Another reason to consider the Spectra is the extensive list of features it offers -- in tandem with its low, low sticker price which makes it a value alternative to cars such as the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla.
For 2006, the EX starts at $14,840, the SX, $16,140. For these prices you get six airbags [two front, four side curtains, front and rear], A/C, power windows and locks with keyless entry, AM/FM/CD stereo with six speakers, four-wheel independent suspension and more. The SX adds a sport tuned suspension, strut tower bar, rear spoiler, the larger tires with alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and more.
Posted by Frank at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)
November 03, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #101: Zipcar's Throwing a San Fran Car Bash
Zipcar, the revolutionary car sharing service, is throwing a "car bash" in San Francisco tomorrow, to benefit breast cancer and publicize their new West Coast expansion.
Armed with a $10 milllion investment, Zipcar has been expanding and is now in 9 states and 28 cities. Essentially a simplified, affordable and decentralized car rental service, Zipcar costs $50 to join and charges consumers an hourly fee to drive around in one of their 800 vehicles.
At the San Fran event, participants who pay either $1 or $5 will get a hammer to swing at an old gas guzzling vehicle -- and will also receive a half price membership and a $25 Zip credit. The first 2,000 attendees will also get a coupon for a free XM satellite radio [monthly service fee not included].
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 04:48 PM | Comments (0)
First Look: VW Jetta 2.0 T[urbo]
I knew there was something different about this Jetta. This is the 2.0 T-for-turbocharged 2006 Jetta, with a 200-hp engine and standard six-speed manual. [The standard Jetta hass a 150-hp engine.] Since I've been on a manual transmission bent lately, I was doubly happy to get my first VW in awhile, and with a stick at that.
VW says the 2.0T gets from 0-60 in under seven seconds and is "electronically limited" to a top speed of 130 mph. While the quotation marks are mine, the phrase might possbily be construed as a wink and a nudge to get thee to a tunery.
Rated at 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway, this Jetta gets respectable mileage in these gas price conscious times, while at the same time delivering a refined cabin. Seating is leather with a power sunroof, equipped with a graduated twist dial, so you don't have to ficcle with a button and tap it to get the roof to stop where you want it to. There's also heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The cabin is spacious -- I felt like I was in a right-sized mid-sized sedan, if that makes any sense at all. In other words, I didn't feel cramped, especially since the Jetta is no land yacht in terms of exterior dimensions.
Starting price for the 2006 Jetta 2.0T is $23,590 with the standard six-speed manual, $24,665 for the six-speed automatic with Direct Shift Gearbox.
Posted by Frank at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Videocast: Ford Hybrid Patrol Hits Alexandria, VA
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
The carmaker introduced the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids to the local police department, and also handed out free $25 gas cards to area drivers.
Hands down, though, the star of the day was "Shack" from local radio station WPGC who was spinning fast and furious about the benefits of Ford's new vehicles.
At one point on the clip he can be seen convincing a driver to trade in their week-old vehicle for a new hybrid -- he was awesome!
To watch the episode, you can right click on this link and choose "Save As," or, even better, you can get on the Apple iTunes bandwagon and subscribe to Zero to 120.
That way, your computer will automatically download a new episode when we publish!
To add Zero to 120 to your daily iTunes fix, add this RSS string to your iTunes or other podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 06:46 AM | Comments (0)
November 02, 2005
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #100: Jack & Joan Buy a Car, Part II
This is the second installment of the podcast where I cover the basic things you need to do in your own search to buy a new vehicle.
This project came about from a conversation I had with a woman named Joan and her husband Jack, and my offer to help walk them through some of the basic steps involved in the new vehicle purchase.
If you're not a subscriber to the show, you can listen to Part I here.
To listen to today's show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)
October Sales Down 14.1%, Domestics Lost Market Share, Cars Reach Near Parity with SUVs
October new vehicle sales met analysts expectations as reported Tuesday, with volume down 14.1% over the same month last year. Sales for the year are still up 1.2%.
Both domestic and international brands were down, but with domestics down 20.7%, compared to international losses of 5.4%, the net effect is that internationals gained market share, to a historic high of 47.6% for the month. For the year-to-date, domestic brands have a market share of 57.4%.
General Motors and Ford suffered the biggest drops, 25.6% and 26.1% respectively, but Nissan also fell 16.5%, as did Hyundai, 11.2%. Toyota and Honda essentially treaded water, with gains of 1.3% and 0.4% respectively. Chrysler was down 3.1%.
The consumer move away from SUVs and into cars may now be an actual trend -- 49% of new sales were for cars, 51% for light trucks, in October. Over the last several years the split has generally been that SUVs and light trucks account for 54%-55% of sales, with cars stuck in the minority position.
Posted by Frank at 06:44 AM | Comments (0)
Child Safety Technology Bill Introduced in Senate
New York Senator Hillary Clinton [D] has introduced a vehicle safety bill that would require a rear visibility performance standard that would provide drivers with a means to detect persons or objects behind the vehicle to prevent backing-up accidents. The bill would also require autoreverse power window technology to further prevent avoidable injuries.
Approximately three children are killed every week by vehicles involved in "non-traffic" incidents, often in driveways and on private property. At least two children per week die as a result of being struck when a vehicle is backing up -- most of the time by a parent or other relative, according to the safety organization, KIDS AND CARS.
The rearward performance standard could include rear sensors, backup cameras or increased glass surface to improve visibility, according to Janette Fennell, founder and president of KIDS AND CARS.
The bill, similar to this House legislation introduced in May, would also require the Department of Transportation to collect and disseminate information related to these kind of vehicle accidents. Currently no government agency is collecting information related to deaths and injuries that occur as non-traffic incidents on private property.
Known as the "Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act of 2005," the bill includes a proviso that automatically lower power windows when they touch an object, which is touted as a means to prevent accidental strangulation, and a feature that would not allow a vehicle to get into gear without applying pressure to the foot brake.
Posted by Frank at 06:16 AM | Comments (0)
Street Luger Seeks Speed Record -- With a Jet Engine
Bob Swartz doesn't back down from a challenge. After street luge got dropped from the X Games in 2001, he soldiered, or rolled on, feet first, sticking with the sport and trying to help build recognition.
As part of his plan, Swartz has rigged a five pound jet engine to the back of one of his boards; to date he's reached a top speed of 89.5 mph -- the goal is to break the 100 mile an hour speed barrier.
What started as an obsessive, gotta' try it experiment for the engineer has turned into a side business -- he's been performing exhibitions at drag racing events where he averages 75 mph on the strip.
Oh yeah, he's 46 years old. To check out an article about Swartz's "Blue Smoke" jet luge, click here. His personal site for the project is here.
Posted by Frank at 05:39 AM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Video Cast: Mazda MX-5 Report
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| To watch the video, right-click on this link and choose 'Save As.' |
The new, third generation MX-5 delivers -- it's fast, nimble and even sharper looking than its predecessors with its new, more prominent grill and beefy fender flares.
To watch the show, click here to play it directly on your computer.
Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Video Cast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebookvideo.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 12:14 AM | Comments (0)
November 01, 2005
Toyota Barely Breaks Even in October
Toyota's sales were up 1.3% in October -- not, and I repeat, not up 5.2%, as the company's press release states.
Toyota sold 173,086 vehicles this October, versus 170,815 units last year. In other words, they sold 2,271 more vehicles this month, which equates to an increase of 1.3%.
Toyota, like some other companies, use a financial reporting tool known as DSR, for Daily Selling Rate, to make the small increase look like a bigger one.
The rationale is that because there were 26 selling days this October, versus 27 last year, they get to put the numbers through an additional calculation which accounts for the loss of a business day.
This is ridiculous. I've written about this hocus-pocus before, but let me put it this way:
-- What if Hollywood posted their box office numbers for last weekend, adjusted for daylight savings time?
-- What if a football coach said, "we scored a lot of points given the amount of time we had the ball."
See how silly this is? Especially in the case of the football coach, because everyone would be looking at the scoreboard, saying "you still lost."
Still, most reporters will skew the results along the press release's Orwellian arithmetic.
Posted by Frank at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)
Ford Fusion Performs Strong in First Month
Sales of the new Ford Fusion in October were "way above what we expected" said George Pipas, sales analyst for Ford. With 4,078 units sold, Pipas said the Fusion's performance was especially surprising given that TV and print ads only hit yesterday, when the month was effectively over.
The Fusion's sibling models, the Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr, also did well with sales of 1,336 and 1,204 respectively.
"They were the only products we had this month that exceeded their expectations," Pipas said. Overall, Ford Motor Company's sales were down 25.4% compared to last October.
The big drop for Ford came in trucks, as was expected by analysts, but the introduction of the Fusion platform is a bright spot that shows they are in the right place at the right time as consumers show a greater interest in cars.
"Just to give you an idea, we only had 700 Ford Fusions on hand at the beginning of the month and we wound up selling 4,000," Pipas said. "That doesn't happen that often."
Ford has projected sales of 130,000 Fusions in the 2006 calendar year. Pipas said the number one task for Ford right now is to get more Fusions in stock.
"We've only got 5,800 in dealers right now -- building stock is going to be problematic if sales keep up at this pace."
Posted by Frank at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota Yaris SEMA Webcast
On Wednesday, November 2 you can click on this link to watch the live webcast of the Toyota Yaris introduction at SEMA. The cast will be live at 12:10 EST/9:10 PST. Enjoy.
Posted by Frank at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)
Volkswagen's Top 3 MPG Diesels
As high gas prices are compelling consumers to purchase cars that get better gas mileage, Volkswagen is poised to capitalize on this trend with diesel powered cars that get best in class mileage with a proven technology.
In the EPA’s new fuel economy guide three of the 2006 vehicles rated for best fuel economy in their class were powered by diesel engines -- and each of them were Volkswagens.
[To see the 2006 Fuel Economy guide, click on this link, to download the PDF; you can also find out more at www.fueleconomy.gov.]
As a matter of fact, diesels tied hybrids among the best economy picks for 2006, each winning three categories.
In the subcompact class, the New Beetle took top honors with a rating of 37 miles per gallon in the city and 44 MPG on the highway, and in compact cars the VW Golf and Jetta were a virtual tie, both getting 35 MPG or better in the city and 42 MPG or better on the highway.
The diesel-powered Jetta wagon is not included in the guide, but with a rating of 33/44 MPG according to the Diesel Technology Forum [low on page], it represents the best fuel economy in the midsize station wagon class as well.
If these stellar fuel economy numbers weren’t enough to please frugally minded car shoppers, three of the models -- the New Beetle, Golf and Jetta wagon -- can be had at starting prices under $20,000. The diesel-powered Jetta sedan starts at $21,290.
Tony Fouladpour, VW’s public relations manager, said the company’s diesel strategy is key here in the United States as well as internationally, where VW is the leader in European diesel sales.
"Here in the United States, with the price of gasoline, obviously diesel’s become the smarter choice for a lot of people," Fouladpour said. "Basically, the diesel engine has always been the most efficient use of oil and has always provided savings from a comparable gasoline engine."
At the heart of all VW’s diesel cars is a single engine -- the 1.9 liter TDI, which is a fuel-injected diesel, using the company’s new Pumpe Duse technology, which injects fuel at extremely high pressures into the combustion chamber. Pumpe Duse allows for more complete combustion, making the TDI engine quieter, more powerful, and more efficient than diesel engines with traditional fuel injection systems.
"In some cases, I’m sure our dealers would like to have more of the TDI engine, we’ve heard turn rates as high as fifty percent, which means that before the car even arrives at the dealership, fifty percent of those are already sold."
Fouladpour said the Jetta TDI accounts for 14-15% of that models sales, and the future for VW diesel is bright -- if the company can solve the technological hurdles posed by emissions standards that will be imposed nationwide in 2007. Currently five states prohibit the sale of new diesel-powered passenger vehicles, due to emissions rules -- including California and New York, two of the country’s biggest markets, as well as Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.
These standards will be universal starting in 2007, but with the introduction of new Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel [ULSD], and the introduction of new technology, VW is striving to have TDI-powered vehicles that are "50-state cars."
The new ULSD fuel will reduce sulfur to near-European levels -- currently diesel in America contains about 150 ppm sulfur, but the new diesel will be only 15 ppm. This compares to European diesel, which contains 5 ppm sulfur. While the cleaner fuel will help reduce emissions significantly, VW will still have to install a filter system on its TDI cars in order to "trap" particulates before they exit the tailpipe.
Fouladpour said VW is working on particulate trap technology to ensure that their vehicles meet the new emissions standards in consort with ULSD, but the "big question" is whether they can do so while maintaining each individual vehicle’s price point.
"It’s one thing to bring technology that’s a step forward but its another thing to bring technology that’s a step toward that’s also economical," Fouladpour said. "We’re not in this business to lose money and we’re certainly not in the business of building cars that people can’t afford. So that’s the big question right now."
This article originally appeared in AIADA.org.
Posted by Frank at 09:54 AM | Comments (0)
Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast #99: Jack & Joan Buy a Car, Part I
I'll be helping a couple buy their next new vehicle, sometime in the next few weeks, and as a prelude to that project, I decided to do this podcast covering the basic things you need to do in your own search to buy a new vehicle.
Since there's a lot to cover this topic is broken into two podcasts, one for today and one for tomorrow.
To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 09:29 AM | Comments (0)