Autoblog

STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets

Chris Shunk — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Trends, Hybrid, Lifestyle

2010 Honda Insight EX - Click above for high-res image gallery

Conventional wisdom is that hybrid vehicles reduce our dependence on foreign oil and emit fewer environment hurting CO2 emissions. When comparing a hybrid to a conventional gasoline-powered model on a mile-by-mile basis, there's some logic to this argument provided the pricing disparity between the two models isn't too broad. However, a new study by Quality Planning shows that hybrid owners drive much more than non-hybrid owners, potentially negating the benefits of the added battery pack and electric motor.

Quality Planning studied nearly 360,000 vehicles throughout 2007 and 2008 to analyze driving habits, and some of the study's findings are pretty surprising. According to the survey, hybrid and non-hybrid drivers have statistically similar commutes, but hybrid owners drive their vehicles 25% more (2,000 miles) in non-commuting scenarios.

Dr. Raj Bhat, president of Quality Planning, thinks part of the reason for these findings has something to do with the fact that high mileage drivers are typically more interested in hybrids than infrequent drivers.

"What we don't know is whether owning a hybrid vehicle encourages people to drive more miles each day or take more pleasure trips. High-mileage drivers appear to be attracted to these vehicles, so insurers should take steps to verify the intended use of hybrids and validate actual miles driven wherever possible."

The study also shows that hybrid owners are significantly more likely to receive traffic tickets. According to the survey, Toyota Prius owners received .38 tickets per 100,000 miles driven, versus a non-hybrid average of .23 tickets per 100,000 miles. That's a 65% differential. One possible explanation for the ticket disparity has to do with where hybrid owners live. Quality Planning found that hybrid owners are more likely to live in an urban setting, where tickets are more frequently issued.

If you really want a hybrid and you don't want to hear any more bad news, you should stop reading. QP also found that repair costs are significantly higher for hybrid owners. The Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, costs 31% more to repair than the gasoline-only model, while repairing the Toyota Highlander Hybrid will reportedly add 45% more cost. A recent report by IntelliChoice that found that, in the long-term, hybrids and diesels are actually cheaper than gasoline-only vehicles.

The text below illustrates how much on a per dollar basis hybrid repair costs for collision and comprehensive coverage versus one dollar for a non-hybrid. The disparity is shrinking every year, but according to QP, hybrids still cost more to fix. Hit the jump to view the Quality Planning press release.

Collision Comprehensive
Coverage Coverage
2006 Hybrid Models $1.16 $1.75
2007 Hybrid Models $1.09 $1.35
2008 Hybrid Models $1.13 $1.17

Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX

[Source: Quality Planning via Marketwire]

Continue reading STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets

STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Does brake dust affect a car's quality? J.D. Power thinks so (w/POLL)

Chris Shunk — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Etc.

When wheels are covered with brake dust, the entire car looks dirty and in many cases, a basic wash will do little to rectify the problem. Most associate brake dust as a mere nuisance, but others actually see the sight of pad particles as a fundamental problem with the functionality of a vehicle's brakes. That may sound a bit strange to some, but J.D. Power seems to agree that brake dust is indeed a quality problem.

The long-running quality survey added brake dust as one of its 228 quality concerns back in 2006 in response to several survey-takers filling in "brake dust" as a write-in complaint. David Sargent, vice president for automotive research at J.D. Power, told The New York Times that brake dust is given the same weight as serious mechanical malfunctions. The reason, says Sargent, is that customers don't feel that brake dust is "trivial," and while malfunctions can be repaired, brake dust lingers for a very long time.

When asked by The Times why brake dust is even on a quality survey, Sargent mentioned that the survey gauges consumer perception, adding "the purpose of the study is to report back problems as defined by consumers."

Conversely, Consumer Reports does not use brake dust as a quality issue. Vehicle testing head Mark Champion admitted to the Times that cleaning brake dust is annoying, "but it is not actually a failure of the brakes." What say you? Hit the jump to take part in our poll.

[Source: NY Times Wheels Blog]

Continue reading Does brake dust affect a car's quality? J.D. Power thinks so (w/POLL)

Does brake dust affect a car's quality? J.D. Power thinks so (w/POLL) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BREAKING: Early Camaro SS manual transmission failures reported, factory hold issued

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:26:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Coupe, Recalls, Safety, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Sporadic reports have begun popping up in the Camaro5 forums about issues with V8-powered SS models equipped with the manual transmission. It seems that doing a hard launch or using the launch control system occasionally results in a broken output shaft, a serious failure that will most likely leave the car immobile and in need of repair. We spoke with General Motors spokesman Adam Dennison about the problem and, as this is being written, a factory hold has been put on deliveries of manual transmission V8 Camaros while Chevrolet engineering teams investigate the problem.

Based on the reports, the transmission issues may not be related to the launch control system as the failures seem to happen whether or not launch control is engaged. The Camaro SS uses the Tremec 6060 six-speed gearbox - the same transmission fitted to the Dodge Viper, Mustang GT500, Corvette Z06 and other performance cars - so this is likely a manufacturing issue with a batch of gearboxes.

Dennison told Autoblog that an engineering meeting is being held this evening to identify the cause and establish a timing for the fix - and a recall seems likely. In the meantime, if you have a manual model Camaro SS, you might want to go easy on the launches for now - and if you have one ordered, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Thanks to Bailey and Derrick for the tips!

Gallery: One Night Stand: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

[Source: Camaro5.com]
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.

BREAKING: Early Camaro SS manual transmission failures reported, factory hold issued originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz E-Class commercial features malfunctioning car

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes ~~wardrobe~~ commercial malfunction -- Click above to watch video

The voiceover for Mercedes' "Ignite" commercial for the new E-Class starts with "It is, quite simply, the most advanced automobile we have every created." However, during the start-up sequence before that voiceover, the actual commercial begins with a warning light: when the driver turns the car on, the message "Front Right SRS Malfunction Service Required" appears in the dash - not the type of message you expect to see when your car fires up and does its system check. Still, knowing how these things work, we suspect this commercial was probably filmed early on in a pre-production prototype with an inactive airbag - a common enough occurrence with these sorts of vehicles.

In any case, to watch the commercial and check out Mercedes' official response to the flub, hit the jump. Hat tip to Wai.

UPDATE: Mercedes-Benz USA blocked access to video of the commercial on YouTube, but they didn't get rid of all the copies. Follow the jump for a salvaged excerpt of the commercial.

Gallery: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

[Source: YouTube, Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz E-Class commercial features malfunctioning car

VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz E-Class commercial features malfunctioning car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn

Chris Shunk — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Truck, Videos, Toyota, Carsumer Advocacy

Click above to watch video after the jump

Have you ever had the feeling that the service guy at your local dealership is rummaging through your things? Perhaps even a few quarters are missing. A guy named Jason knows all too well about dealership employees going through his stuff - on two different occasions, Jason noticed that things were missing from his Toyota Tundra after getting it serviced at Hampton Toyota of Lafayette. One time, over $10 in quarters were reportedly stolen, and the next time, Jason says about half his quarters were gone.

After complaining about his problems to dealership management, he received no response. So he rigged a digital video camera to the passenger side door and recorded his Tundra's next service appointment. What he saw from the video footage was priceless. In one video clip, the technician rummages through his pills, even licking the medicine's residue on his hand. He also takes some quarters from the truck. Videos that were later removed from YouTube reportedly shows one man watching what sounds like pornography on a diagnostic computer.

Instead of again complaining to dealership management, this time Jason took the DVD to the local media, and sent a copy to the owner of the dealership, along with a letter detailing what happened to him. Consumerist reports that the dealer's owner immediately fired the three workers caught on video, along with the service manager that ignored his complaints. Jason also received an extended warranty on his truck for his troubles. Hit the jump to view the videos showing the technician rummaging through Jason's things. Hat tip to FaLex!

[Source: Consumerist]

Continue reading VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn

VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Government/Legal, Safety

What would you think to be the leading contributor to fatalities in car crashes here in the States? Failure to use seat belts? Speeding? Drunk driving? Think again. According to a new study commissioned by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), the leading cause of highway fatalities is deficient road conditions. In fact, the study asserts, with a roadway-related crash occurring every minute on American streets, inadequate roadway infrastructure is responsible for the majority of highway fatalities in the United States and over a third of injuries incurred in non-fatal crashes as well.

Given the state of many roadways, you might think that the situation - like America's road network - is beyond repair. However, the study, entitled "On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways," assesses the financial cost alone of crashes caused by these substandard roadways - as a whopping $217 billion annually, including medical bills, loss of productivity and property damage. That's more than three-and-a-half times the $59 billion which local, state and federal governments in the United States invest in improving America's roadways. PIRE's solution? Improving road conditions, of course, including better signage and markings, widening shoulders and removing obstacles from roadsides. Follow the jump to read more on PIRE's findings and suggested solutions for what it deems is one of the largest killers in America.

[Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation | Image: STR/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions

STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

STUDY: UK police officers confuse diesel and gas pumps four times a day, cost taxpayers £1 million

Chris Shunk — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Etc., Government/Legal, Police/Emergency, UK, Diesel

British police have an expensive problem. It's not crime and it isn't corruption, it's much worse. The £1 million problem is stupidity. Over the course of three years, UK cops have on 4,709 occasions put the wrong fuel in their police cruisers. That's an average of four cars damaged per day, with damages of £6,500 a week. That's more than $1.6 million USD. Blimey.

Each time the wrong fuel is added, the very expensive fuel has to be drained, and in many cases engines have to be repaired. According to the Mirror, one force, The Met, had four times as expensive a problem as any other group, with £194,212 in damage ($316k USD) over three years. In one year alone, the pump-challenged bunch had 287 erroneous re-fuels from its 6,500 unit fleet at a taxpayer cost of £84,992 ($138k USD). That's a mis-fuel rate of .09%.

A group called TaxPayers' Alliance demanded fueling info under the Freedom of Information act from 52 forces in the UK. Eight forces rejected the request, and four more didn't respond. The public action group poured over data over a four month period to come up with the staggering sum of bungled fill-ups.

TaxPayers' Alliance chief Matthew Elliott doesn't mince words when talking about the size and scope of the fuel problem. "Every car damaged is thousands of pounds diverted away from the fight against crime. One would hope our police were more on the ball." One would hope.

To combat the expensive fuel mix-up issue, North Wales placed yellow stickers labeled 'DIESEL' back in 2006, but that didn't stop officers from pumping petrol on 39 different occasions. Many forces have stated that they've tried many things to combat the problem, but apparently only one solution has worked. Humberside has had only one mis-fuel, at a cost of £51. They have an all-gas fleet, which they say saves £250,000 a year. Hmmm....

[Source: U.K. Mirror]

STUDY: UK police officers confuse diesel and gas pumps four times a day, cost taxpayers £1 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

FOLLOWUP: Chrysler, Fiat reportedly agree to honor lemon law claims

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Maintenance, Government/Legal, Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat, Carsumer Advocacy

On a recent episode of The Chrysler Files, customers who purchased Chrysler vehicles that were later officially certified as lemons were being reimbursed by the company with checks... that bounced. The snafu stemmed from the fact that while said claims were made before Chrysler's bankruptcy, after the automaker's Chapter 11 filing, the judge had to clear the funds to be paid from Chrysler's account. Since the judge hadn't cleared the funds, the checks were worth precisely zero dollars.

Those owners will be happy to know that the judge has finally approved Fiat and Chyrsler honoring "all warranty and lemon law obligations" for cars purchased up to five years before April 30. With the ruling, those affected will also be eligible for additional costs and attorney's fees. Of course, that news still doesn't detail when you stranded motorists can expect a check to arrive -- or when they can cash the ones they already have -- but help is on the way.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

FOLLOWUP: Chrysler, Fiat reportedly agree to honor lemon law claims originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Volvo's new Safe + Sound Coverage Plan covers everything but the kitchen sink

Chris Shunk — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Plants/Manufacturing, Volvo

Lost in the bevy of numbers that is the Autoblog monthly sales report is the fact that Volvo just isn't selling very many cars in the U.S. any more. The Swedish automaker only sold 5577 units in May, and the downward trend started way before the automotive market hit the crapper. Given the sad state of Volvo of late, it's little wonder that Ford is desperately trying to sell the once profitable automaker.

Just because times are tough at Volvo doesn't mean it's time to give up. Volvo's new marketing initiative for the month of June addresses cost of ownership head-on. The Safe + Sound coverage plan is one of the most comprehensive warranty programs ever offered by any automaker. It includes 5 year/60,000 mile warranty coverage plus 5/60,000 free scheduled maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance, and - get this - wear and tear coverage that includes everything from wipers to brakes and rotors. Hit the jump to view the details on Volvo's Safe + Sound plan.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo's new Safe + Sound Coverage Plan covers everything but the kitchen sink

Volvo's new Safe + Sound Coverage Plan covers everything but the kitchen sink originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Smart offering 2008 ForTwo owners a transmission upgrade?

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Green, Recalls, Hatchback, Smart

Smart ForTwo - Click above for a high-res image gallery

If you poll owners (and reviewers) of the Smart ForTwo you'll find one consistent gripe: the transmission. The automated manual gearbox herks, jerks and is about as dynamically pleasing as petting your dog with a broom.

Apparently, Smart is listening, and in addition to tweaking the software on the 2009 ForTwo, the automaker is offering 24,622 owners of 2008 models the same transmission fix. Letters are being delivered to let owners know about the free software upgrade, and while the fix supposedly makes a difference, the few people we've talked to who've driven the 2009 model assure us that while the shifting is better, it's still very far from perfect.

Gallery: smart fortwo

[Source: USAToday via KickingTires]

Smart offering 2008 ForTwo owners a transmission upgrade? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 May 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chrysler reportedly bouncing checks to owners of lemon law vehicles

Chris Paukert — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Maintenance, Government/Legal, Chrysler, Carsumer Advocacy

Going through the process of having a troubled vehicle legally branded as a 'lemon' is difficult enough, but now, according to The Los Angeles Times, Chrysler's bankruptcy is making seeking recompense even harder for affected owners in California. According to the daily paper, settlement checks for Chrysler vehicles that have already been agreed upon as defective are apparently bouncing, costing already irked consumers additional time and money.

Apparently, the heart of the issue stems from the fact that financial claims made prior to the company's April 30 Chapter 11 filing can only be paid out if the bankruptcy judge approves the action. To date, Chrysler has apparently not requested the court's permission to make good on these lemon law payments, leaving little recourse for affected consumers.

Many affected owners have apparently spoken with attorneys, who apparently can't do much unless the lemon law payback accounts in question are unfrozen by the bankruptcy court. That means consumers could be out anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to the entire cost of a new vehicle - one attorney, Alex Simanovsky, is quoted as saying that he has "a stack of six or seven checks in my drawer right now from Chrysler that have bounced" - settlement payments ranging from $2,000 on up to $40,000. Some consumers have already turned-in their defective vehicles to Chrysler, compounding the problem.

For its part, the LA Times says that Chrysler is telling customers with lemon law claims to get in line - by filing a claim with the courts, in effect joining the automakers other unsecured creditors seeking payment. In that scenario, however, defective car owners aren't expected to see much more than "pennies on the dollar."

Consumer groups have reportedly met with auto task force members to discuss the matter, but as of yet, there is no word on any remedy in the works. Thanks for the tip, MopePar!

[Source: The Los Angeles Times]

Chrysler reportedly bouncing checks to owners of lemon law vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy

Chris Tutor — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Etc., BMW

Sometime today, astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis are scheduled to begin fitting the Hubble telescope with three new gyroscopes. But why does Autoblog care? Well, apart from the fact that the whole mission is super cool, one of the galactic grease monkeys wielding a wrench today will be Andrew J. Feustel. He's one of us car guys who really wanted to be an astronaut and found a way to make it happen.

His official NASA bio reads like your typical lab-coat-wearing science geek. He graduated from Purdue with an M.S. in geophysics and from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario with a Ph.D. in geological sciences. Under "Organizations" he lists membership in the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the American Geophysical Union and, to top it off, the BMW Car Club of America.

ABC's World News Tonight interviewed Feustel in his garage as he worked on his M3. In the background is the 1966 Austin Healy he gave his wife. To help pay for his college education, Feustel restored old cars. His son races karts. In short, Feustel is one of us. He's a car guy. And today, he'll be looking for 4mm sockets several miles above the planet.

Good like Andrew. If you get time, we'd love to get our first comment from outer space.

[Source: ABC World News Tonight]

Continue reading Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy

Andrew J. Feustel: Astronaut, Hubble mechanic, car guy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BMW introducing upgraded maintenance coverage... for a price

Michael Harley — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, BMW

These days, all new BMW models sold in the United States are delivered with "BMW Ultimate Service." The package includes the BMW Maintenance Program, Roadside Assistance, and the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. In a nutshell, it means that fuel and tires are the only service costs owners of new BMW models pay for during the first 4 years/50,000 miles of ownership. In the past, BMW has allowed owners of certain models to "upgrade" and extend the term of the program, but not all vehicles were eligible.

As of today, the German automaker has announced that a "Maintenance Program Upgrade" will be offered for all BMW models (except the ALPINA B7). The program generously covers factory scheduled services and most wear items for up to 6 years/100,000 miles. However, it doesn't come cheap. The announced MSRP of the extension ranges from $1,395 to $2,995, depending on the model.

"BMW's Maintenance Program keeps vehicles well cared-for and more valuable in the pre-owned marketplace," says Alan Harris, Vice President of Aftersales for BMW of North America. "Our decision to make the six-year Maintenance Program Upgrade available to purchase for all BMW models makes it possible for more vehicles to remain under the care of an authorized BMW Center for a longer period of time." Reading between the lines, this an excellent way to guarantee consumers comply with the factory maintenance - keeping BMW's warranty repair costs low, and resale values high. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW, Image: Michael Harley]

Continue reading BMW introducing upgraded maintenance coverage... for a price

BMW introducing upgraded maintenance coverage... for a price originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

California to require mandatory tire-pressure checks at automotive businesses

Chris Shunk — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Government/Legal, Green, Safety

Keeping your tires properly inflated is a very good idea. An under-inflated radial can increase wear while also decreasing performance and fuel economy. But if the state of California can help it, under-inflated tires may soon be a thing of the past.

California has passed a new law requiring most auto servicing sites to check tire pressure at each visit and add air when necessary. The law will affect 40,000 businesses in the state, although the mandate does not effect body shops, car washes, glass repair shops, or parts stores. The state's government will let the service stations, smog-check stations, oil change places, and so on determine how much to charge for the check, and they must have a high-accuracy pressure gauge on hand. The tire pressure monitoring law will go into effect in July 1, 2010.

California's Air Resources Board says the state-wide law will save 75 million gallons of fuel per year, while also eliminating 700,000 metric tons of greenhouse gasses. That sounds mighty impressive, but if the Sacramento Bee is to believed, that's less than 0.5 percent of what California's greenhouse-gas reduction goals for 2020. Better is the CARB estimate that optimized tire pressure will save drivers about $12 per year (about six gallons of gas at today's prices), along with added safety and tire longevity benefits.

Those figures are based off statistics which show that vehicles lose 1% efficiency for every 3 psi a tire is low. Testing by Consumer Reports showed little or no impact on fuel economy when tire pressure is off by 10%, though most agree that low tire pressure will shorten the life of tires. Fewer tires in state landfills figures to be a good thing, too.

Check out CARB's official press release by clicking here, and find more information at the link below. Thanks for the tip, Mark!

[Source: Consumer Reports | Image: Einstein/Getty]

California to require mandatory tire-pressure checks at automotive businesses originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some Bargain: Inside Line reports $2000 routine maintenance bill for Nissan GT-R

Noah Joseph — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Coupe, Supercars, Nissan

2009 Nissan GT-R in the Autoblog Garage - Click above to view in high resolution

Our fathers always told us there's no such thing as a free lunch, and if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Then along came the Nissan GT-R, billed as a "bargain supercar" for those of merely elevated means. With a list price below eighty grand and performance to embarrass exotics worth several times as much, it seemed like the shoestring exotic had finally arrived like Santa Claus on Christmas. Couple that with what you'd be forgiven for assuming would be reasonable ownership costs - it is, after all, a Nissan, not a Ferrari - and the impossible had appeared to have happened.

However, such optimistic judgments about upkeep may have been premature. That's what the boys over at Inside Line found when their GT-R was called in to have its fluids changed. With transmission fluid selling for over $100 a quart, plus labor, the costs added up rather quickly, resulting in a routine refresh of the car's fluids and filters adding up to a sign-of-the-times-if-we've-ever-seen-one total of $2009 and change. If that's a bargain, we don't want to know what expensive is. Follow the link below to see IL's full breakdown.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Nissan GT-R

[Source: Inside Line]

Some Bargain: Inside Line reports $2000 routine maintenance bill for Nissan GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Details on Government's Warranty Commitment Program

John Neff — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM

One of the issues that is central to the survival of General Motors and Chrysler is how comfortable people are buying their vehicles while they attempt to restructure. The media paints a pretty bleak picture of these two automakers, so some buyers may avoid General Motors and Chrysler vehicles altogether because they fear that the companies won't be around to honor their warrantees. Part of the President's announcement today was the establishment of a Warranty Commitment Program backed by the federal government that ensures if you buy a GM or Chrysler vehicle, your warranty will still be honored regardless of what happens to each automaker.

The plan is open to any domestic automaker, and GM and Chrysler have already agreed to participate. The door is open for Ford to participate later, but right now the lone domestic automaker that has not requested government aid will not participate in the warrantee program.

The program mandates that an accounting reserve be established on paper that contains 125% of the projected warranty costs for each new vehicle sold by GM and Chrysler. The automakers will contribute 15% of those projected warranty costs for each vehicle, while the U.S. government will cover the remaining 110% from Treasury funds. A separate company will be established to manage the funds, which, in the event an automaker goes under, will facilitate the transfer of warranty obligations from the automaker to a new warranty service provider.

Buyers don't have to do anything to participate in the program, which just happens automatically when you buy a new GM or Chrysler vehicle during their restructuring periods. The government hasn't stated who determines when these restructuring periods are over, but suffice it to say that for the foreseeable future, any new GM or Chrysler vehicle will be fully covered under its original warranty. Who will service that warranty, be it the automaker or a different service provider, is an open question.

Follow the jump for the government's official details on the Warranty Commitment Program.

[Photo by The Toad | CC2.0]

Continue reading Details on Government's Warranty Commitment Program

Details on Government's Warranty Commitment Program originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Quality problems afflicting Jaguar XF

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Sedan, Jaguar

Few would argue that the Jaguar XF is a great looking car and those who have driven it admire its dynamic characteristics. Unfortunately, as soon as you get in and press the start button, you can't help but wonder if the disastrous quality reputation that British cars have seemingly carefully nurtured for decades will afflict this car as well. The gear selector knob that rises out of the center console and the vents that roll over to expose themselves seem like bits that are destined to fail in time.

If the results seen by Automobile Magazine and respondents to TrueDelta's Car Reliability Survey are any indication, those fears are likely to come true. Automobile's long-term XF has been afflicted by a litany of issues ranging from faulty window regulators and bad rear axles to a failed power steering system. TrueDelta surveys owners and has found the XF requires far more trips to the dealer than competing models such as the BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CTS and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. While the other models range from 33 to 97 dealer visits per year for every 100 cars, XF owners ended up back in the service bay 141 annually per 100 cars. Hopefully these are just first year production glitches, but this sort of news does not inspire confidence. Thanks for the tip, Leo!

[Sources: Automobile, TrueDelta]

REPORT: Quality problems afflicting Jaguar XF originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Honda tops Consumer Reports 2009 Automaker Report Cards... again

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Maintenance

In what may be the least surprising news you read all day, Consumer Reports has released its annual 2009 Auto Issue that contains Automaker Report Cards. These report cards compile all of CR's road test data and predicted reliability ratings for all vehicles in its database, and Japanese automakers have again earned top rankings just as they have for as long as we can recall.

Honda, Subaru and Toyota came out on top after all the scores were tallied, with every single Subaru model earning a Recommended rating from CR. Honda was the brand that fared the absolute best in predicted reliability, with just its Element small SUV barely failing to make the grade as a Recommended nameplate. Toyota also fared very well in reliability testing, as we've come to expect from the world's largest automaker. European automakers managed to get a shout out for offering unmatched performance, comfort and safety along with incremental increases in overall vehicle reliability.

American automakers got their own separate report cards, which you can see by clicking here. Of the Detroit-based manufacturers, Ford came out victorious with its Flex and F-150 earning top ratings and many of the rest of its models scoring well. General Motors managed to sneak eight vehicles on the Recommended list: the new Pontiac G8, Cadillac CTS and Chevy Malibu, along with the Corvette and each of the Lambda-based CUVs. Chrysler pulled up the rear again this year among all automakers without a single vehicle earning a positive score from CR.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Honda tops Consumer Reports 2009 Automaker Report Cards... again originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Oregon introduces bill to ban aftermarket car parts

Dan Roth — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Maintenance, Government/Legal, Green

Cars are such an easy target for politicians looking to bolster their green image. The latest is Oregon Governor Theodore Kulongoski, who has had the Speaker of the House introduce a bill that could make many aftermarket parts unavailable.

Tires are the main aim of the bill, which seeks to prohibit parts availability if there are choices that decrease greenhouse gas emissions. It amounts to a back-door fuel economy standard, which is the jurisdiction of the federal government unless you're California -and even they need a waiver. The prospect of fitting Pilot Sports to your Geo Metro will be out the window if H.B. 2186 finds traction, and it could stick you with zero alternatives based on some myopic metric like rolling resistance. Putting our legislators in charge of what equipment should be fitted to our cars doesn't strike us as the brightest idea. Hit the linked article for contact information, so you know who to call and excoriate. Thanks, Charlie!

[Source: SEMA]

Oregon introduces bill to ban aftermarket car parts originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Motor Trend getting into the used car business?

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Maintenance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Lifestyle

Motor Trend is lending its name and brand to a certified used car program at Planet Honda in Union, New Jersey. The program is actually "powered by" EasyCare, a company that provides a suite of contract services like maintenance and repair warranties and GAP insurance to new owners. (EasyCare was a Motor Trend "Best Buy" last year.) Formerly called APCO, EasyCare was until last year a Ford subsidiary. As a private company, it still oversees the certified used car programs for Land Rover, Volvo, Mazda and Jaguar, and works with 3,000 dealerships in the U.S.

Planet Honda - a three-time Honda Excellence Award winner - has been named a Motor Trend Certified Advantage Dealership. That means it has a vehicle certification program approved by MT and provides "a noticeably better buying and ownership experience." Now, not only does Planet Honda guarantee the quality of the vehicle, but buyers will also get other EasyCare services like paintless dent removal and 24/7 concierge service with the car.

There are three MT Certified Advantage dealerships as of now, and probably more on the way. Sounds like a fine idea; after all, if you have the brand equity, no reason not to cash in on use it. If this does well for them, we just hope they don't pull a Ferrari and keep squeezing the licensing teat until every possible appliance has been sprayed with the Motor Trend logo. You can read the press release on the program after the jump.

Continue reading Motor Trend getting into the used car business?

Motor Trend getting into the used car business? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments