Reports by Consumers

General Motors showed off 3 Minicar concepts at the recent New York International Auto Show. The Cars were designed in its South Korea design studio in Inchon. GM were asking potential customers to go to www.vote4chevrolet.com to cast a vote on their favorite of the 3. I believe GM was testing the waters to see if any of the 3 would float.

Mass Transit ridership is at a 50 year high. This is no surprise, as the costs of owning an automobile are getting very high. The costs of buying a car are getting higher; cars come with more standard features, which increases price. Insurance isn’t getting any cheaper despite the flood of new entrants in the field. Finally, gas is getting more expensive. Not only is the price per gallon going up, but average commute times are getting longer. We are filling up with more expensive gas and filling up more often, on cars that aren’t getting better mileage but cost more to purchase and insure.

Today we finally resolved the car seat issue. We went to le Carrousel du Parc which is a great store specializing in car seats and strollers. After speaking with the very friendly and knowledgeable lady, we ended up choosing a Britax Marathon, which is the best convertible car seat available in North America. So no more worrying about that - Kicky has a safe way to get home from the hospital now and we can travel without worrying about trying to borrow or rent a seat.

I have a very keen and sensitive sense of smell. It is genetic. As a child when my sister said something smelled like earwax, I knew exactly what she meant. We could describe people from church by saying. “You know who I am talking about. She smells like tissues and her husband smells like old cars and and mothballs.” “Oh, them!” Her daughter is carrying on the family nose, declaring the other day that she could not give her art project to the teacher because it smells like “old dust”.

Speaking of cars, I brought the Lexus in for its 5,000 mile first service today. It was complimentary and the invoice didn’t state how much things would have cost had they charged me, but the people in front of me in the checkout line had this conversation with a young-looking, rather air-headish receptionist/desk worker:

My weekly test drive on a recent visit to the Monterey Peninsula was the 2006 Volkswagen Passat. It's available in three versions, the 4-cylinder Value Edition and 2.0T (turbocharged) models and the higher performance V6 marketed as the sports model.

Its that time of year again! It is new car buying season. I get this question daily. When is the best time to buy a car? Well, I can tell you when it gets to the end of the year and there are still models from the previous year, it is a great time to buy.

As Summer is heating up, so are incentives to drive car sales. The question always is, do I take the low interest incentive or the rebate? It is an either or situation and usually the dealership will figure which way will be most benificial to the customer, but take a proactive approach and decide for yourself to make sure you are getting the best deal possible.

Buying a car? Make sure to do some research and to check on any consumer issues. And remember, don’t buy the extended warranty from the dealer: they mark it up. Do some research and deal directly with a warranty administrator! (That’s the word from Officer Byrd—well, never mind.)

Just remember, beauty is only skin deep. When buying a car, take it to your mechanic to have him check it out and make sure there are no problems with the car.

One of the keys to negotiation is understanding the language. Most car dealers use the trade difference method and this is very confusing to some customers. For instance, the salesperson will say "We will trade for $7000 difference, plus payoff, plus TTF-Tax, Title, Fees".

Check the tread by turning a penny with Lincoln head down and placing upright inside tread. The head should be covered to some degree. If you can see the entire head of Lincoln, it is time for new tires.

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE WOMAN, meaning that auto manufactures have discovered that 50% of the decision makers of auto purchasing are women. Manufactures have even implemented programs to train dealerships in how to work with women so they are at ease when walking in a showroom floor.

Oh me, I said the L word! Why is everyone so scared of a lease. Ask anyone who has money and they will tell you to lease anything that depreciates (ie Car) and buy those things that appreciate (ie house). The reason behind this makes sense. If you ever pay a car off before you are through paying for it, you will most likely owe more than it is worth and if you do keep it long term and pay it off, what do you have? An old car that is worth very little!

Cars depreciate at an alarming rate! There are a few things that you can do to minimize the hit you take at trade in time. Be sure to keep all service records and make sure that the oil is changed at regular intrevals, preferably every 3000 miles. Keep the car clean, inside and out. When you go to trade the car, give it a good detail inside and out to give it the appearance of a car well taken care of. If you take care of your car, chances are you will sell it to an individual rather than trade it.

The #1 thing to look at when buying a used car is the headliner. Why, because you will see how this car was treated inside and be able to tell if it was a smokers vehicle or not. Also around the top of the door window where people throw their cigarettes out, and without saying the ashtray.

One of the best car buying tips that I could give anyone is to check into certified used cars. When you buy a new car, it loses approx. 25% of its value when you drive it off the lot. Now, check the prices of certified used which are nearly half the price of new cars. I am familiar with the GM certified used car plan because this is what I sold.

Honda Civic with its sleek design, spacious room, and loads of features makes this automobile stand out in the crowd. Fuel economy wise the Honda Civic is up there with the best cars in its class. With a fuel economy of 30 to 40 miles a gallon and the hybrid getting 49/51 mpg the Honda Civic seems to be unbeatable.

By the age of forty, I realized that I would desire to be saddled with a home with a two-car garage, a beautiful (and hence, vacuous*) wife, one or two snotty nosed little kids, a nice little SUV, a sports bike, and a credit card that would allow me to buy something more than second-hand underwear without overrunning the limit. Maybe a Play Station XVI that I wouldn't let my children touch for good measure.

So Google released Google Transit that allows commuters to calculate traveling time and direction within the metro area via public transit, and that’s totally cool - but doesn’t apply to me. What’s really cool is Portland Metro made a Google Earth map for cyclists.

Renewable resources are a help, but only a stopgap measure in the mid-term. We cannot jump to renewable resources to power cars right away because there simply isn't enough of it to make it happen. That's where the conservation comes in. Having a sensible conservation effort includes improving gas mileage on cars.

In the April 2006 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, they reproted for the first time in the magazines history the top 10 automobiles were all made by japanese companies.

I ride my bike to college everyday. I live in Thunder Bay Ontario Canada. It’s usually one of the best parts of my day. It’s now Monday December, 19 2005. On Friday I was biking to school in a snow storm and everyone driving their cars looked at me and shook their head and I couldn’t help but shake back.

Wal-Mart - No. I return and order the tires. Grand total, with coupons and membership discount - just under $900. Consider this a lesson learned. I bought the old tires just over 2 years ago. I bought them at a disount tire place and they are a no-name tire. All four tires, completely shot. This time, I buying Michelens and getting a significant warranty. We knew we had to replace the tires soon and to be honest it was on my list of things to do around Thanksgiving - so it isn’t a total blow. But still, $900 - ouch.

So I’m driving to campus to drop off my girlfriend at her astronomy class. I’m trying to deal with the fact that there are a million students walking around, who like me, don’t really take notice to cars driving around campus and haphazardly walk into the streets while, unlike me, listening to the new Ashley Simpson cd on their iPod.

Considerable evidence suggests that if we use an increase in our incomes, as many of us do, simply to buy bigger houses and more expensive cars, then we do not end up any happier than before. But if we use an increase in our incomes to buy more of certain inconspicuous goods–such as freedom from a long commute or a stressful job–then the evidence paints a very different picture. The less we spend on conspicuous consumption goods, the better we can afford to alleviate congestion; and the more time we can devote to family and friends, to exercise, sleep, travel, and other restorative activities. On the best available evidence, reallocating our time and money in these and similar ways would result in healthier, longer– and happier–lives.

The Law of Supply and Demand simply states that when Supply is higher than Demand that prices fall. When Demand is higher than Supply, the price increases. Gas prices are a perfect example of this. There is far more demand currently for gas than the supposed supply, therefore prices go up. If millions of folks began driving cars that ran on an alternative source of energy and the demand for gasoline dropped, the price would fall as well.

A related issue, the Highway Bill is going to add much needed transportation capacity to our freeways. Leave us not forget, cars idling on inadequate freeways produce 7 times the pollution of cars running at 55mph.

Today, it seems obvious that this is what American auto manufacturers should’ve been doing all along: meaty rear-wheel-drive sedans with attitude, not the immitation, me-too FWD appliances that Japan Inc. executes with robotic efficiency. No, American cars have always meant attitude. And now that Chrysler has shown everybody how to do them right, it all makes sense.

So we have been debating on what our next uber-luxury car is going to be. We’ve search high and low and here are some of the cars on the list. All the cars come with a navigation system and XM or Sirius radio as options (if not standard equipment). All the prices below reflect cars that are loaded with every option. Please feel free to shoot me an email if you have any recommendations.

Just go check out this CNet article. I think the marriage or cars & technology is a great idea, and I’m in love with the idea of keyless entry & starting. It looks like the 2006 Beamer and the Prius are pretty amazing cars; if only I weren’t trying to sink my money into a house at the moment :)

The new analysis directly contradicts earlier studies about the effectiveness of airbags, which have been required for drivers and front-seat passengers in all cars since the 1998 model year in the United States.

This story from the USA Today caught my attention. Apparently theives have taken to doctoring the VINs on high priced sport utility and luxury vehicles and pass them back and forth across the Canadian and US border. They create duplicates of foreign vehicles with valid VINs and sell the cars at auctions, to individuals, and to dealerships in the US. This story details one persons experience with a phony H2 that came to Detroit via Canada and turned out to be stolen from Florida.

A software problem is causing some Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid cars to stall or shut down while driving at highway speeds, according to a published report.

Toyota spokesman Sam Butto told the newspaper the auto manufacturer identified a "programming error" in the computer systems of 23,900 Prius cars last year and sent owners a service notice advising them to bring the cars into dealers for an hour-long software upgrade.

From Monty comes an article about some states’ plans to turn the gas-tax into a per-mile-driven tax. The reasoning is that hybrid cars drive the same amount, but pay less in gas-tax so the states lose money for road maintenance. I counter-argue that all those gas-guzzling H2’s and such on the road will counter that.

Conservation can certainly reduce consumption, or at least throttle the growth of consumption. However, the gains from conservation that he cites did not come from conserving petroleum. He goes on to cite increased efficiency in refrigerators and light bulbs — neither of which have a major impact on energy imports — before mentioning hybrid cars and high-efficiency diesel engines (he also mentions windows, which in some areas can conserve fuel oil). However, he conspicuously omits calling for increases in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)...

Forget hydrogen power or hybrid cars - Germany has a new fleet of high-tech rickshaws:

“…in the past firms have mostly resisted customer innovation or not known what to do with it. American farmers were lobbying manufacturers to make cars with detachable back seats as early as 1909. It took Detroit more than a decade to “invent” the pick-up truck. Even now, carmakers respond to customer modifications such as performance-exhaust systems by voiding the warranty. Within three weeks of launching “Mindstorms”, a build-it-yourself robot development system, in 1997, Lego was facing around 1,000 hackers who had downloaded its operating system, vastly improved it, and posted their work freely online. After a long stunned silence, Lego appears to have accepted the merits of this community's work: programs written in hacker language may now be uploaded to the Mindstorms website, for example.”

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261."

In November 2001 the Georgia Supreme Court ruled in favor of two State Farm customers who asserted that wrecked cars are worth less simply because they have been wrecked — no matter how expertly they're repaired — and that insurers are liable to pay the difference. Because of that ruling, all auto insurers in Georgia must now pay diminished value claims. In January 2002, Allstate settled a similar class action case in Georgia, agreeing to pay Georgia policyholders a total of $59 million for the diminished value of their cars repaired...

Albright says that in several flood-damaged cars his group has seen, a vehicle's entire electrical system was damaged and the insurance company did not total the vehicle. Instead, insurers paid for repairs to "substantial portions" of the electrical systems. "The problem is that this type of work is almost always done at a dealership, which identifies the vehicle in a nationwide computer network as a flood-damaged vehicle. The resale value of that vehicle immediately plummets to pennies on the dollar," he says.

Including a CD player in every car was probably a pretty good idea seven years ago, but that was before portable music playing devices became fashionable again. Remember those tape deck adapters you had to use just so you could enjoy your favorite CDs instead of hastily creating a bunch of mix tapes? Now in most cars you don't have access to a tape deck, and so the FM transmitter becomes the solution.

Manual transmissions are usually more fun to drive, cheaper to buy and maintain, and offer improved performance and fuel economy versus automatic transmissions. Yet many cars are only offered with an automatic, and their numbers are growing. This site has been created to entertain and educate dedicated standard shifters and the curious alike.

Interested in learning how to drive a car with a manual transmission? See the F.A.Q.. The buying guide lists all of the new cars and trucks that come with a manual transmission in the American market. In the press links you to a forum section on stories and articles about automobiles.

Upstart automakers in China are making blatant copies of vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Nissan Frontier - and one company, Geely, is building small economy cars that look like three-quarters-scale Mercedes-Benzes.

Which is probably the most encouraging thing for western economies competing with the Chinese juggernaut. China is still a component producer rather than a finished product supplier. The Chinese don't have so much as a toehold in western consumer markets for any big ticket items. When we start seeing American showrooms being flooded with Chinese TVs and cars (because they're good stuff), then we should all commence serious worrying.

With the highest owner satisfaction of any 2005 model, according to an owner survey by Consumer Reports magazine, few Prius owners will part with their cars. But some will -- for a price.

Giving Hybrids A Real Jolt. Suggests that future hybrids will be mostly electric cars, for most day to day, in-city travel, and switch to gas power only on longer trips.

This commercial is hip & has a great message. It makes Kia look like a real player in the auto industry (which they are proving themselves to be with great cars) and they will sell a lot of cars from it. Check it out here.

Drivers have been running an “arms race” on American roads by buying increasingly large vehicles such as sport utility vehicles and light trucks. But large vehicles pose an increased danger to occupants of smaller vehicles and to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. This paper measures both the internal effect of large vehicles on their own occupants’ safety and their external effect on others. The results show that light trucks are extremely deadly. For each 1 million light trucks that replace cars, between 34 and 93 additional...

Yes, they’re appalling figures. Sadly it’s not a new issue. The road safety community has been concerned about this for as long as I’ve been aware. Even more sadly, the response from aggressive road users in the US has been that drivers of small cars are contributing to their own fatalities. They also extend this criticism to include government measures aimed at reducing fuel use by making vehicles lighter.

Panel Democrats criticized the bill for failing to improve the fuel-efficiency of US cars and trucks, and doing little to promote energy conservation.

The other day I took my car to Tires Plus to get an oil change and have the tires rotated. I usually change the oil myself, but the prospect of writhing around on the dirty, wet and cold concrete in sub-zero temperatures wasn't too appealing (of course this week the temps are in the 30s so it wouldn't have been so bad). While in the shop I noticed a "rainy day" special they had to change your oil and your wiper blades--which reminded me that I needed to change my wiper blades. Their "rainy day" service cost $50--more than twice the price of an oil change. I decided to stop at AutoZone on the way home and do it myself. The wipers cost $12 (but only because my wipers come in two different sizes--wha?!--and I had to buy two sets. Though next time I won't have to buy them, so they really did cost only $6.) and trying to install them in the parking lot took maybe 15 minutes.

Last week I bought the first brand new car I've ever purchased, a 2005 Ford Focus. I picked it partly because I found it on Edmund's list of good small cars for tall people. Then when I turned to Consumer Reports, and found it (the '04) to be the recommended small car, it was just about a done deal. I rented one just to make sure. If you look at it you can clearly see why it has some extra headroom. I got the ZX4 SES, which is a 4-door sedan. I've had it a week, about 400 miles, and so far so good. Really is a treat to have a brand spanking-new car. The kids admonished me not to eat in it, not even my customary apples. Having driven ponderous vehicles for so long, having a nimble little car is pleasant. Especially with the tight, parking garage spaces around here.

Nationwide, the cost of auto insurance is expected to rise by just 1.5 percent in 2005, the smallest increase in five years, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The average cost for auto insurance nationwide for 2005 is estimated at $870, an increase of $13 per vehicle from last year, reports the I.I.I. The projected increase represents a continued slowdown from 2004, when auto insurance costs rose by just 2.8 percent, said Robert Hartwig, senior vice president and chief economist of the I.I.I.

“The price of auto insurance is increasing by little more than one-half the rate of inflation,” Hartwig said. “Many people who, for example, drive safe cars, have excellent safety records and good credit-based insurance scores may see their rates go down.”

Hartwig cited the declining number of auto accidents, safer cars, new auto theft technology and fraud-fighting efforts as key factors behind the trend.

Every time we come up with something we think is *so* cool, our trusty tipsters trump us. Today’s tip: the Vortex hand-crank blender, which some believe is a better product than the Lehman’s one we featured yesterday. We’ll leave that up to you to decide, but here are the Vortex’s vitals: compact add lightweight (it’s base stores in the pitcher for convenience), made of Lexan, two-speed gear system works as an ice crusher or a food processor, and an ergonomic hand-crank. Hee haw. Thanks for the tip Brian B! At $69.95, it’s cheaper, too.

By purchasing a used car you can save a lot of money. You could buy a model that you may not be able to afford brand new. However, buying a used car is still a bit of a gamble as there is no guarantee that the car has not been in an accident, has real mileage, and was properly maintained. There may be some hidden problems like a worn out automatic transmission, or engine problems that may not have been obvious when you test-drove the car. Here are some essential facts you should consider before buying a second-hand car so you won't regret your decision after your purchase.

Aviva Insurance has announced that it is launching “pay as you go” car insurance in Canada. These types of programs, which have been launched elsewhere, are based on the notion that data collected by a “black box” installed in the car can, if the driver qualifies, entitle the driver to considerable discounts.

Tyler Hamilton reported on the program in The Toronto Star today - details on the Aviva program are in his story, details on others are here, here and here, and discussions of car manufacturer “black box” data collection are here, here, here and here.

Need a new car, or at least a car that is new to us. Saturday we found one that we liked & could afford. That model year has some reliability issues according to the research we did, so the sales guy offered us a bumper-to-bumper warranty & included it in a price that he quoted us.

Tonight we go back there to sign the paperwork, & the finance guy says that the sales guy is new & doesn't know what he's talking about, & that the included warranty is a manufacturer certification only, covering drivetrain only (not the gizmos that break) & that the full warranty we though we'd been promised would cost another $2000.

We walked, of course, but we're somewhat disappointed to have been baited and switched, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Based on my experience, if the sales person promises something, the cashiers should honor it......

It's not quite identical to the one in this picture -- it doesn't have turbo so there's no hood scoop, and it doesn't have the picturesque villa or lady -- but it's roughly the same body style, same color, and it has the big sunroof. Moreover, it's basically the same length as the little tiny Neon (which should make it easy to parallel park in Boston), the compartment in the back should be big enough for me to throw my bike in (and if not, it comes with a roof rack), and hopefully the mileage should be a bit better than the Neon was able to manage.

And everything works!

It would have been nice to get something that got better mileage, like a hybrid or diesel, but there's said to be a year long waiting list for the Prius around here, and -- I learned yesterday -- it's currently illegal to sell or register new diesel passenger cars in Massachusetts because they don't meet the California air pollution standards. So much for the french fries & curry bio-diesel daydream...

So, the Subaru it is, and if it holds up, it'll be the Subaru for at least another decade. W00t!

It'll be nice to have a car I actually enjoy for a change... :-)

The only problem with Nyko's decision to release an iPod accessory called the Universal Car Mount ($29.99) is the natural disbelief it inspires: it can't really be universal, right? It probably doesn't work with some iPod, or with some car? Thankfully, we were pleasantly surprised with the answers to both questions: it's a highly compatible and well-built iPod mounting accessory.

Beth from Mutated Monkeys is looking for a car. She commented here that, "If I've learned nothing else today, it's that all of the cars I'm considering have some kind of downside."

She's exactly right. All cars do. Everything is a trade-off: reliability, economy, size, performance, equipment levels, price. So there's always a downside.

If it's big enough, it probably gets bad fuel economy. If it's fast, it probably isn't big. If it's cheap, it likely isn't well-made. And so on. It's a complicated matrix. No auto maker has managed to cover all the points. That would be the perfect car.

Of course, money is the one thing that can be traded-off for gains in all the other areas. Almost always. Some very expensive cars are spacious, fast, reliable, stylish and good in bad weather. Think Lexus LS430, for example. Not my first choice in that segment, but one I've never heard a bad word about.

The bang for buck factor goes hands down to the 2005 mustang. The V-6 model, pushing 246 hp can be purchased for less than 20k and the V-8 GT goes for around 25000 if you want one reasonably well equipped. However, the GTO goes for a much higher 33000. Given the difference or similarity (depending on how you look at it) in performance, the Mustang is the better value.

I bought a new 2005 Toyota Highlander Hybrid tonight

Well, sort of. I put a deposit on one for delivery early next year. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is one of three upcoming Hybrid technology SUVs. The Ford Escape Hybrid will out this summer. The Lexus RX330 Hybrid will be out in November. The Highlander Hybrid is expected in Q1 2005.

I have a friend on a 7 month waiting list for a 2004 Toyota Prius so I decided ...

A day of fast cars, burning tires, and nitro! It's the Consumer Reports 2005 April Auto Issue Media Day. Take a thrill ride around the most exclusive auto test track in the world. Experience a day behind-the-scenes the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center, where engineers will personally demonstrate how CR tests cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans for acceleration, braking, handling, accommodations, and much more. Watch bumpers endure the "bumper basher." Ride up "Rock Hill"-a 120-foot climb up 300-tons of boulders, ...

To know how fast your teen is driving, buy Davis Instruments "CarChip." It can be purchased from discount retailers and websites (like www.sears.com) for about $100. The CarChip can be plugged into most cars built after 1996 using no tools. The only cars it won't work on are a handful of 2003 models that use the CAN computer protocol. These vehicles include certain Ford pickups, GM Saturns, Mazdas, and Saabs. Go to www.davisnet.com to learn more about the CarChip, and ...

When you buy a car, make sure it fits in your budget. In general, cars are poor investments, but you probably need one to get to work and shop. Make sure to consider used cars and lease-returns. Cars have become much more reliable, so you can drive a high-end car for a lot less if you don't need the latest model.

How much should you spend on a new car? Not more than 20 percent of monthly income, say experts. "This includes payments on all the cars you may own, whether you have one vehicle or six," says Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief at Edmunds.com. "And we're talking about your take-home pay, not your gross income."

Even if your home is paid for and you have few monthly bills, the basic rule still stands.

"By and large, cars are terrible ...

Consumer Reports provides a good explanation of mileage ratings and why Toyota Prius mileage is lower than EPA ratings suggest.

Good article on Wired today about this.

Drivers rarely see the actual EPA-rated mileage in the real world, according to John DiPietro, road-test editor of automotive website Edmunds.com. DiPietro says most drivers will get between 75 to 87 percent of the rated mileage, with individual variations based on driving habits and traffic route. "If a new car gets less than 75 percent of its EPA rating, then it should be retested."

Data from independent product-testing organization Consumer ...

This consumer reports on what a deal he got and how much he likes his car.

I never plan on buying new cars, they just happen.

I went to pick my car up at the dealer today because it was getting it’s scheduled maintenence and ended up leaving with a new ‘04 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon!

Thanks to my dad, we got a $26,000 car for under $21,000. It has the STI Short shifter, knob, and turbo gauge. He also got them to throw in rubber mats, a trunk mat, and the roof ...

This intrepid consumer writes about buying 3 cars in 5 years!

My third car in the United States since September 2000 (just above 4 years). Has to be some sort of a record : - ) I have no stability when it comes to cars, always want the latest.

I started with a black Kia Sephia LX 1998, which I bought used from my roommate Johannes. The car drove great, but it had no A.C. no power steering and was a stick shift. I loved it especially since it ...

This consumer reports on why he bought a Mazda 6i:

We bought a new car on Sunday. It's a 2004 Mazda 6i (with the 5th door). It's nothing too special, but it definitely is a step up from Lauren's dying Escort and my Ford Focus. We needed something that ran well and would last the next 3 to 5 years. We settled on the Mazda because it got high ratings on Edmunds.com, got decent gas mileage (with the 4 cylinder) and qualified for the Ford A-Plan that Lauren and ...