Auto Warranty News

If you are thinking new truck, Toyota is doing their best to make sure that you think Tundra.

“If it looks like the pickup truck wars are on, and one automaker from Japan is not declaring “Mission Accomplished”. Within the span of a couple months, the new “game-changing” Tundra was launched, Toyota then placed cash on the hood of the new truck, the guys and girls over at Nissan canceled their HD version of the Titan, and now more cash is needed to move Tundras.

The newest incentive calls for an additional $1,000 towards the trade-in of a regular or extended cab Tundra. The Crew Max still has zero incentives on it, but the base Tundra now carries up to $3,000 in cash on the hood, depending on the model and what region in which it’s purchased, which is very close to the $3,500 in incentives that you can get with a four year-old F-150. Special financing is also available on the Tundra for customers with Tier 1 or Tier 2 credit ratings.”
(Source)

Here is the basic 2007 Tundra new car warranty.

Basic: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi.

Drivetrain: 5 yr. / 60,000 mi.

Rust: 5 yr. / Unlimited mi.

Contrary to everything you’ve been told, changing your oil every 3000 miles may no longer be the rule of thumb.

Due to advanced engine design and better quality oil the old maxim may be a couple thousand miles off the mark.

“Ford Motor Co. became the latest manufacturer to extend its oil life guidelines, making public that it is raising the recommended oil change interval from 5,000 miles to 7,500 on its newly redesigned 2007 models and all subsequent redesigned or new models.

The company, like many other manufacturers, said Tuesday that higher oil quality standards and new engine designs were responsible for the change, which affects vehicles driven under normal conditions.

“The oils have advanced a lot since the days when 3,000 miles were the typical oil drains,” said Dennis Bachelder, senior engineer for the American Petroleum Institute, an industry organization that sets quality standards. “They’re certainly more robust than the oils of 10, 15 years ago.”

These days, motor oils start with a higher-quality base oil than in the past, and they have more antioxidants that make lubricating properties last longer and other additives that keep deposits from forming on engines, Bachelder said.

Pete Misangyi, Ford’s supervisor of fuel lubricants, said the company conducted numerous fleet and laboratory tests with newer oils before it raised the interval.

“That allows more comfort, if you will, in extending the intervals using the new oils,” he said.
(Source)

Many manufacturers are recommending sensors to calculate when a vehicle needs an oil change but find that customers would rather have a set intervals of miles recommended as opposed to trusting a sensor even though data confirms their reliability.

“We are absolutely confident of the technology. We back it with a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty now, so there’s no doubt in our mind that this technology works,” he said.

The longer oil life can save customers money. Ford estimates that drivers would save $600 over a five-year period by going from 5,000 miles to 7,500 between oil changes.

“From an environmental perspective we can save an enormous amount of oil,” Lord said. “There’s no point in wasting precious oil changing it prematurely. And we don’t have to dispose of so much waste oil, either.”

If you have never purchased a car on your own before, there are some basics that you should be aware of. UsedCarWise.com promises to give the novice buyer more than the basics. For less than $20 you can delve deeply into a multi-faceted tutorial on car buying savvy garnered from over 25 years in the business.

“I started UsedCarWise.com after seeing first-hand how car dealerships and sellers rip-off buyers. It hurt me to see good people being taken advantage of, so I made it my mission to teach people how to buy a used car so they would be on an equal footing with unethical car dealerships. In my course I will give you the upper hand when buying a used car and negotiating with car salespeople.”

Some of the points  covered:

• How to spot paint and body damage that indicate an accident
• How to measure paint thickness with a simple tool
• How to inspect for flood damage
• How to check for engine sludge
• How to perform a “Proper Test Drive” that reveals the truth about a car
• How to get and interpret a vehicle history report and why it’s not all you need.
• How far you should trust Certified Used Cars.
• How to obtain and interpret a warranty history report that can uncover hidden problems

It is actually not a bad deal if you face this daunting purchase on your own.

However, for sound advice on used car warranties and extended warranties, you can count on us.

The first Hoosier grown Toyota Camry should be rolling out of Subaru of Indiana’s Lafayette factory on April 20th.

Under an agreement made with Fuji Heavy Industries Toyota was able to start production in one year instead of the normal three years it would have taken to build a plant from scratch.

“Subaru will make the Camrys at its only U.S. factory under a contract from Toyota and expects to hire 650 full-time and 450 part-time workers.

The deal allowed Toyota to start making cars about a year after its announcement, instead of the three years it normally takes to build a factory from scratch, said Toyota spokesman Mike Goss.

“We share a lot of the same manufacturing philosophies with Subaru, so it’s really been a good match,” he said.

Subaru expects to reach full production for its first shift on the new Camry line by July, and then complete the second shift by November, spokeswoman Ann McConnell said.”

Hoping to reach full production by July, Subaru has fielded over 18,00 applications for an approximate 650 full-time and 450 part-time jobs.

“The Lafayette Redevelopment Department provided 10-year tax abatements on the investment because of the new jobs, director Dennis Carson said.

“This is one of the biggest economic development deals for 2006 anywhere,” he said. “When you get Toyota in town, that’s a good thing.”
(source)

Toyota Camry’s offer the following new car warranty.

Basic
3 yr. / 36,000 mi.

Free Maintenance
N/A

Drivetrain
5 yr. / 60,000 mi.

Roadside
3 yr. / 36,000 mi.

Rust
5 yr. / Unlimited mi

.

Some things bear repeating. When examining various used car and new car warranties, check to see if the business soliciting your trade is listed with the Better Business Bureau.

A recent tactic employed by a warranty company involved soliciting business by incorrectly informing owners through the mail that their current factory warranty was about to expire and that the letter represented their “final” opportunity to renew.

The company has been the recipient of many complaints beside their use of scare tactics, apparently failing to provide refunds and poor service.

“The Bureau processed a total of 57 complaints about this company in the last 36 months. Of the total of 57 complaints closed during that period, 48 were closed in the last year.

The BBB has challenged some advertised claims with this company concerning the mail solicitation. The solicitation states that the consumer’s vehicle factory warranty had expired, that this was their final notice to renew their warranty coverage, and that if he or she would purchase warranty on their first call, they would receive a 20% discount.

The BBB brought to the firm’s attention that an ad as a whole may be misleading although every sentence separately considered is literally true, and that misrepresentation may result not only from direct statements but by omitting or obscuring a material fact. The firm failed to respond to the BBB’s request to modify, cease, or substantiate the advertisement.”
(Source)

It simply pays to do your home work,using the internet to comfortably shop for all available warranty options.

A bit off the beaten path for auto warranties but an interesting development with a warranty written for a computer hard drive. It requires that you take an anti-terrorists oath.

The hard drive buyer explains:

“I essentially had to promise that I would not use the replacement Seagate hard drive to build or disseminate information on building a nuclear bomb, or participate in any other ‘terrorists activity.’ I was laughing so hard that I had to calm myself down in order to give the ‘proper’ answer to this ludicrous question. By the time I finished assuring the Seagate representative on the phone that I would NOT use the replacement hard drive to build a bomb, even he was laughing.”
(Source)

Well, you do have to laugh, even though it is quite true that a computer, and a car as far as that goes, can both easily be used in an act of terrorism. I rather think an oath would not serve as much of a deterrent to a terrorist.

When they start serving up auto warranties with the same request, we’re in trouble.

When you are studying used car warranties and extended warranties, have you ever wondered where warranties came from anyway? OK, so you just care about cost and reliable providers, but it gives you pause when you consider there was a time when warranties didn’t exist at all.

“Back in the 1950s, people started complaining that their cars weren’t working very well, and that companies weren’t standing behind the cars,” Wojcicki said. “Eventually, the complaints made their way to Washington and Congress took heed. In the late 1960s, Congress started looking into the question, and a Presidential Task Force was born. The Federal Trade Commission was asked to do an investigation.”

“In 1968, the FTC issued its report,” he said. “They found that automobiles were not manufactured to an acceptable quality standard; that manufacturers and dealers were not standing behind the warranty — were not making repairs as promised; that because of the quality problems, the automobiles required more types of service, more frequent preventative service than was acceptable; and that an increase in private litigation, while it would apply pressure on the industry to provide better cars and improved services, does not represent an efficient or generally satisfactory way to achieve proper performance under the warranty.”

In other words, the FTC conceded that litigation wasn’t the best way to improve product quality.

Warranty Legislation Proposed

“Nonetheless, legislation was proposed,” Wojcicki said, in the form of the Automobile Quality Control Act, which he said would have made warranties a statutory requirement, had it become law. “You would have had a set of federal requirements that you would have to comply with if you were an automobile manufacturer.”

There are a few states that have demanded minimum warranties, and in Europe manufacturers have no choice, a minimum 2 year warranty must be available on all consumer goods.

Magnuson Moss Act

Before legislation did pass in the states (Magnuson Moss Act), complaints were rampant; warranties that took away a consumer’s rights, deceptive language, manufacturers that wouldn’t comply. The new law provided for the following:

“The new law required that entities that choose to issue product warranties must characterize them as either full or limited warranties. The warranty must also describe 1) what is covered, 2) what is not covered, 3) what is the period of coverage, 4) how to obtain coverage, and 5) how the warranty is affected by various state laws. But it does not require that warranties be granted in the first place.”

Read more of this informative article, “Warranty and the Law”, at Warranty Week.com.

To inquire about a warranty, Auto Advantage have been specialists in Extended Warranties/Vehicle Service Contracts for New and Used Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles,RVs since 1979.

“All Buick models come standard with the industry’s best coverage, including a four-year/50,000-mile vehicle warranty, and a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.”

And that good warranty is the most boring thing about Buick’s new models. Buick is reclaiming it’s prominence in
the car buying public’s consciousness by reintroducing Buick’s definition of “super”.

“Buick has rekindled a name from its storied 20th-century past to mark the beginning of a new level of refinement: Super. The badge is designated exclusively for Buick’s most premium, powerful models and returns to Buick vehicles after 50 years. It will debut on the 2008 model year LaCrosse and Lucerne sedans.

“We’re bringing back the Super badge to represent our most premium models,” said Steve Shannon, Buick general manager. “Our Supers are not just about increased horsepower; they represent an elevation in design, premium content and ride characteristics that are exclusive to the Super badge.”

GM Performance Division

The Supers are engineered for Buick by the GM Performance Division to inspire performance on demand. The LaCrosse Super is powered by a 300-horsepower (224 kW)* 5.3L small-block V-8 with GM’s Active Fuel Management technology. The LaCrosse Super’s chassis has been sport-tuned to deliver responsive handling characteristics, and the vehicle maintains Buick’s renowned quietness inside.

The Lucerne Super adds a more powerful version of the legendary 4.6L Northstar V-8. It is rated at 292 horsepower (218 kW)*, an increase of more than 6 percent over existing models. The Super has an enhanced chassis with a specially tuned version of Lucerne ’s Magnetic Ride Control system, for a refined, premium ride that simultaneously enables crisp, responsive handling.”
(Source)

Hyundai faces grave challenges even as they seek to become the world’s fifth largest car maker. Their chairman, Chung Mong Koo, privy to every decision made at Hyundai, faces a year long appeal and possible jail time stemming from charges of embezzlement.

Chung was pivotal to bringing Hyundai from being the “butt of jokes” to standing as a viable competitor to Toyota, hoping to soon introduce  Hyundai’s  new mystery luxury brand, the BH, to challenge Toyota’s Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti. Unfortunately Chou’s legal crisis has delayed that.

“Delays in such symbolic and significant projects as the BH are very negative for the company, especially when the head of company’s legal problems caused them,” says Hyun Hye Jung, an analyst at Woori Credit Suisse Asset Management Co. in Seoul, which manages $5.7 billion, including Hyundai Motor shares. “It’s such a critical period to become a real global player and further delays will hamper its growth.”

Chung, the son of Hyundai founder Chung Ju Yung, took office in December 1998 amid the Asian financial crisis. He immediately introduced a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on vehicles sold in the U.S. to counter a sales slump.

Sales in the U.S. began rising the next year and increased fivefold from 1998 through 2005. The carmaker also improved the quality of its vehicles, ranking third among brands last year in J.D. Power & Associates’ annual study.”
(source)

Yes, we know you know all about seat belts. Does your teenager know? Have you met a parent who has been told that a seat belt would have saved their teen’s life? Just makes it a worth repeating.

Plus, we had to have an excuse to post this great picture (click to enlarge), found via All Auto World.com. Their comment is to the point.

“Here is quite a hard-hitting image to remind people to buckle up, even in the back seat. We should all know the benefits of seat belt usage by now, but some people still seem to think they might be immune in an accident, should they choose the rear seat rather than the front, for some reason. This powerful visual reminder might help to convince them they’re wrong.”

Safety Belt Statistics

• One out of every five drivers will be involved in a traffic crash this year.
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people age 44 and younger and the number one cause of head and spinal cord injury.
• Approximately 35,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year. About 50 percent (17,000) of these people could be saved if they wore their safety belts.
• More than 90 percent of all motorists believe safety belts are good idea, but less than 14 percent actually use them.
• For every one percent increase in safety belt use, 172 lives and close to $100 million in annual injury and death costs could be saved.
• For maximum protection safety belts should be fastened before traveling any distance or speed. Seventy-five percent of crash deaths and injuries occur within 25 miles of home. More than half of all injury-producing motor vehicle crashes involve low speeds under 40 m.p.h.
• Motorists are 25 times are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when they are “thrown clear” than when remain inside their vehicle.
• In a 30 m.p.h. collision an unbelted 160 lb. Person can strike another passenger, crash through a windshield and/or slam into the vehicle’s interior with a 4,800 lb. force.
• A common cause of death and injury to children in motor vehicles is being crushed by adults who are not wearing safety belts. On out of four serious injuries to passengers is caused by occupants being thrown into each other.
• About 80 percent of all injuries to children in car crashes are injuries to the head, causing brain damage, permanent disfigurement, epilepsy or death.
• Of every 100 children who die in motor vehicle crashes at least 80 would survive if they were properly secured in an approved child safety seat or safety belts.
• Three out of four families with child safety seats fail to use them correctly. Adults need to follow manufacturer’s instructions and secure seats properly before every trip.
• An estimated 80 percent of American children area immunized against contagious diseases, but less than 10 percent are properly restrained when riding in a motor vehicle.

(source)