Archive for February, 2009
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
The large crossover from General Motors' truck division has been judged the most pet-friendly new vehicle on the road today, thanks in no small part to its OnStar emergency notification system and other features.
Posted in Accidents, Buying Tips, Pets, Product News, Technology | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
The key tip to this story is to avoid buying auto warranty extensions if someone calls you and tells you that you need to extend your coverage.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Dealerships, Is There A Lesson Here?, Law Enforcement, Sad stories, Save Money, Warnings | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
At some time it will be just too dangerous to let Alzheimer sufferers take out the family car, and figuring out when that should be is a growing issue.
Posted in Accidents, Driving Matters, Is There A Lesson Here?, Law Enforcement, Program For Change, Sad stories | No Comments »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
They won't fight the ticket on your behalf or anything, but a new online service will do a lot of the administrative work associated with moving citations.
Posted in Driving Matters, Is There A Lesson Here?, Law Enforcement, Program For Change | No Comments »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
It sounds like a good idea to get rid of the vehicles that pollute the most, but the mechanics of it might not be so straightforward.
Posted in Financing, Green, Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change, Save Money | No Comments »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
It's not really a bad idea to buy a Sky from Saturn or a Solstice from Pontiac if you're looking for a sporty two-seat roadster, since GM will supply parts and honor the warranty no matter what.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Dealerships, Driving Matters, Is There A Lesson Here?, Product News | No Comments »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
You don't have to be in a car to be a counted as a traffic fatality, as being hit by a car gets you on the list as well. That becomes a more likely happening if you tune out the traffic around you by talking on the phone or listening ...
Posted in Advice, Is There A Lesson Here?, Law Enforcement, Sad stories, Safety | No Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
Either because fewer people can afford them, or because more people no longer want to appear too ostentatious, or maybe even because more people realize they're really not worth the extra money, "premium" cars are not selling the way they used to. The boss of Audi of America says: "This ...
Posted in Buying Tips, Dealerships, Is There A Lesson Here?, Pricing, Product News | No Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
In an effort to get some buzz going for its sub-compact Fiesta model from Europe, Ford is looking for 100 people in the U.S. to test the car for several months. There's a website you have to visit, and of course you'll be required to post something on YouTube.
Posted in Marketing, Product News | No Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
All those folks out there who like to brag about being "goal-oriented" either in work or their personal life ought to read this story, and so should the people around them.
Posted in Advice, Dealerships, Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change, Warnings | No Comments »
Thursday, February 19th, 2009
This is extremely bad news for people who want to escape the hassle and haggling of a traditional new car dealership to buy excellent new products (Aura, Astra, Vue), but General Motors says it has to be this way if the company will survive.
Posted in Is There A Lesson Here?, Product News, Program For Change, Sad stories | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
A reporter in Orlando made a small mistake the other day regarding the safety integrity around her car and is paying a big price for it. The best part is she can now help other people avoid the same problem.
Posted in Advice, Driving Matters, Is There A Lesson Here?, Law Enforcement, Safety, Warnings | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
When the time comes to actually buy a car, it's often difficult to understand which features you should make sure are part of the package. This story helps you sort out which things are worth the extra money and which aren't.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Marketing, Safety, Sales, Technology | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
The global economic problems that have forced much of the auto industry into crisis are probably going to result in the death of some iconic brands, and the many people who love Saab are afraid their favorite marque will be one of them. Right now, it doesn't look good.
Posted in Is There A Lesson Here?, Product News, Program For Change | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
Every person's situation is different, of course, but there are some generalizations that can be made for what the financial troubles in Detroit mean to consumers and this writer at the Washington Post does a pretty could job of explaining them.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Financing, Incentives, Pricing, Save Money, Warnings | No Comments »
Friday, February 13th, 2009
Not being able to buy a new car online costs most consumers money, consumer groups believe, so there's a push to change the way auto purchasing works as part of the overall restructuring of the industry.
Posted in Buying Tips, Financing, Is There A Lesson Here?, Marketing, Pricing, Product News, Program For Change | No Comments »
Friday, February 13th, 2009
Her life may not be in danger, but Lee Redmond's status in the Guinness Book Of World Record may in jeopardy following a car crash in Utah. Mostly the injuries came because she wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the car. The longest nail was about 3.4 inches ...
Posted in Accidents, Cute stories, Law Enforcement | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
This is pretty interesting, since it speaks to a growing concern across the country. It has limitations, to be sure, but it could work for lots of people feeling the economic pinch.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Driving Matters, Financing, Insurance, Program For Change, Save Money | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
This is one of those situations that makes people hate and distrust used cars dealers in general, and who can blame them? Consider this: Often when a dealer buys a used car to sell to another owner, he promises to pay the original owner with the proceeds from the sale ...
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Financing, Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change, Sad stories, Warnings | No Comments »
Sunday, February 8th, 2009
What's going on with today's new car market could be more than just a consequence of the challenging economic times, this story posits. It may in part be the result of a whole new attitude to the way people perceive cars, meaning that the age of the appliance rather than ...
Posted in Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change | No Comments »
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
When it comes to signs of an economic crisis, not much beats the rapid growth of a market that works on barter rather than cash, but that's what's going on in Russia today. Even big ticket items such as cars are included.
Posted in Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change | No Comments »
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
After getting all those enthusiastic press reports for promising a hybrid to America for less than $20,000, Honda now looks to be planning a much higher price for the compact four-door when it arrives on this continent. What a surprise.
Posted in Green, Pricing, Product News, Technology | No Comments »
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
The third version of the popular RL crossover model will go on sale soon, with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $36,800 for the front-drive model and $38,200 for the all-wheel-drive. There's also a handling fee of $825, which you do not have to pay, though the company and the ...
Posted in Buying Tips, Dealerships, Design, Marketing, Pricing, Product News | No Comments »
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
A popular position with many women sitting in the passenger seat apparently has serious erotic implications for some men, as this story about a new book on desire makes plain.
Posted in Advice, Cute stories, Is There A Lesson Here? | No Comments »
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
The next big deal in the ongoing fire sale at Ford will likely be Volvo, the Swedish firm that the Detroit firm was so thrilled to get only a decade ago, and for a lot less than the $6.8 billion it paid at that time. Just recently Ford sold Jaguar ...
Posted in Product News, Program For Change | No Comments »
Friday, February 6th, 2009
If you're in the market for a pickup truck this year, you need to know that Ford has upgraded the smaller of its two models -- the Ranger -- with some interesting safety features. There are side airbags and, most importantly, an electronic system that reduces the chance the truck ...
Posted in Accidents, Driving Matters, Gas Issues, Product News, Save Money, Technology | No Comments »
Thursday, February 5th, 2009
It's not for everyone, but some people looking for a new car will certainly be helped by a bill that earned Senate approval on Wednesday night.
Posted in Financing, Incentives, Pricing, Program For Change, Save Money | No Comments »
Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Even though female viewership of the Super Bowl has been going up in recent years, apparently the news hasn't gotten through to the companies that pay big bucks for commercials.
Posted in Advertising, Is There A Lesson Here?, Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, February 5th, 2009
By using the Microsoft-designed Sync system, Ford says, drivers can do more of the multi-tasking with voice controls, leaving their hands free to steer. Check out Ford's press release below for the full details.
Posted in Accidents, Buying Tips, Driving Matters, Gadgets, Parts, Product News, Technology | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
It's yet another variation on the classic supply and demand principal, but that doesn't mean it's still not great news for someone looking to buy a new vehicle.
Posted in Buying Tips, Financing, Incentives, Pricing, Sales, Save Money | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
Higher fuel economy and lower emissions sounds like a great idea, but there are things at play that will make them harder to achieve than Obama understands, or so says this Boston writer.
Posted in Driving Matters, Gas Issues, Green, Is There A Lesson Here?, Program For Change | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
An electric vehicle with a range of only 30 miles may not seem like much, but it's probably enough to get most people going for a day. That means these upcoming Fords can be recharged at night or while you're at work and keep you off gasoline most of the ...
Posted in Buying Tips, Driving Matters, Gas Issues, Green, Product News | No Comments »
Monday, February 2nd, 2009
As this column from a venerated international auto journalist shows, sometimes the best thing to do isn't the one that people want. When it comes to saving the environment, that could mean skipping mass transit. You'll have to forgive him the Heath Ledger crack.
Posted in Advice, Buying Tips, Green, Is There A Lesson Here?, Technology | No Comments »
Monday, February 2nd, 2009
Maybe it's not Mars that men are from, but from some planet in another universe, as this story about paying money to wreck cars makes clear.
Posted in Driving Matters, Is There A Lesson Here?, Parts, Sad stories | No Comments »
Sunday, February 1st, 2009
You might not agree with any or all of these suggestions about how to make a man happy on February 14, but they might provide you with a good idea or even a few good laughs.
Posted in Advice, Is There A Lesson Here? | No Comments »
