March 6th, 2007 by Ann Walker
“Ford Motor Co. said Friday it will sell a subsidiary that offers vehicle service contracts and related products to dealers to a private equity fund. Terms were not disclosed.
Ford’s Automobile Protection Corp. is being sold to Trident IV LP, a private equity fund managed by Greenwich, Conn.-based Stone Point Capital LLC.
The Dearborn-based automaker is in the midst of a massive overhaul under which it is cutting jobs and closing plants as it loses market share at home to Asian automakers.
Ford said in a news release the sale was the result of its review of strategic options for the service contracts business announced in October. The deal is expected to close during the second quarter and is subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.
Ford bought Automobile Protection in 1999.
Ford shares fell 18 cents, or 2.3 percent, to close at $7.59 on the New York Stock Exchange.”
(Source)
March 6th, 2007 by Ann Walker
As you shop for your new car and consider new car warranties and extended warranties and all the bells and whistles on the options sheet, it doesn’t hurt to day dream about the cars you wish you could buy. A great site to peruse is Super Cars.net. Pictured here is the 1936 Delahaye 135 Figoni et Falaschi Torpedo Cabriolet. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be able to pronounce it in order to dream.
“If the Talbot T150 Teardrop is Joseph Figoni’s masterpiece, then the runner up is his Torpedo Cabriolet. Eleven of these striking bodies were manufactured, and some feature the best two-tone paint schemes ever used on a car. In comparison, these Cabriolets make almost every other Delahaye look second rate.
Everything on these roasters has an attractive and diminishing flow that’s extended to details such as light surrounds and accent lines. These bodies can be marveled from every angle, but the defining trait is a highlight dash that runs along the side of the car and complements similar detail on the wheel skirts. Other features, such as fully enclosed wire wheels, lights pushed to the extremity of body and a distinct rear fin further set these cars apart from the rest.
Inside, a plush interior is surrounded by gorgeous woodwork and an intricate dashboard dons color-matched O.M. gauges. Hidden behind the two seats is a disappearing soft-top that’s concealed by a hinged body panel that pivots from near the rear bumper. Underneath this huge panel, there is also room for a spare wheel and modest storage.
Built on a sporting chassis, the Torpedos benefit from a triple carbureted version of Delahayes 3.5 liter inline six. Good for 120 bhp, top speed is around 100 mph (160 kph). Only the very best cars, like the Alfa Romeo 2900, Duesenberg Model J and Bugatti Type 57SC could rival this level performance.”
SuperCars.net
March 6th, 2007 by Ann Walker
Buying a new car is exciting and sometimes confusing. Often the consumer is presented with the option of buying an extended warranty and wonders why that would be necessary with a brand new car. Depending on the individual circumstance, an extended warranty can be an excellent safeguard against future emergency expenses. How Stuff Works.com offers the following counsel on buying new car extended warranties.
“Most manufacturers offer at least 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection on their new products. In addition, many offer extended warranty coverage on engine and powertrain components and limited warranties on certified used cars. In most cases, these plans offer consumers excellent protection. But if you drive more than 12,000 miles per year or plan to keep your vehicle for a long time, then an extended service plan might offer the kind of security you are looking for.
According to Ann Tomlanovich at DaimlerChrysler, “many consumers choose to purchase extended bumper-to-bumper warranties to match Dodge’s free 7-year/70,000-mile extended warranty plan. This guarantees that consumers won’t have to pay for repairs for at least seven years or 70,000 miles.” Tomlanovich also went on to state that roughly 30 percent of consumers are purchasing extended warranties-up considerably from past years.
Keep in mind that it is less expensive to purchase the plan while the vehicle is still covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. If you wait for the bumper-to-bumper warranty to expire before looking into and extended plan, then you will pay considerably more. Most of these plans are self funded and insured, so the earlier you pay, the lower your rate.
If you think of an extended warranty as a security blanket then you might not mind paying money up front to avoid a large repair bill in the future. Consumers also need to look into the reliability history of their automobile. Some models with higher-than-average repair histories might necessitate an extended warranty. Also, consider the cost of parts. Many domestic models have repair costs that are half that of imported models, making an extended warranty appealing to owners of foreign cars.”
February 26th, 2007 by admin
Energy Efficient Technology the Key to Automakers’ Future
Ford Motor Companies are betting on hybrid technology to take their vehicle sales out of a slump and into the energy-efficient-car-making revolution of tomorrow. The new Ford Edge was showcased at the Washington D.C. auto show in January as an example of Ford’s advancement.
Ford finds the Washington audience of particular interest in that congressional participants and government leaders fighting for the environment and encouraging safer fuel-emissions practices are readily available for criticism. Ford and like-minded auto companies are working with the government in an attempt to produce energy efficient, significantly less pollutant vehicles for America’s consumers. Ford is even cleaning up their diesel act;
In the U.S., 2007 promises to be a milestone year for diesel vehicles. Cleaner diesel fuel was phased in nationwide in October 2006, enabling a new generation of diesel engines for 2007 and beyond.Ford researchers are developing new concepts to address the challenges with diesel of preserving high torque and efficiency, while reducing noise, smoke and odors.
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February 23rd, 2007 by admin
Cars.com Reports SUV and Crossover Models are Still In Demand
Cars.com’s bet is in favor of a good year of sales for SUV and Crossover car models over the next year. Many automobile industry leaders were assuming the opposite in practical application of higher gas prices and the reputation of SUV style vehicles to be gas guzzlers. Fortunately for SUV and Crossover sellers, the popular design isn’t going sour due to the cost of gas.
Automakers can thank innovation and the pressure for releasing vehicles with better fuel efficiency for saving their precious SUVs. The public is aware that auto manufacturers are being scrutinized for energy efficiency and SUVs are going in the right direction.
"Manufacturers are doing a good job of making SUVs and crossover vehicles more fuel-efficient, which will be more attractive to consumers," said Patrick Olsen, managing editor of Cars.com.
As long as SUVs are performing more highly on energy consumption tests, their overall design appeal will win over customers ready to drop thousands on a new means of transportation. The SUV is what consumers want to be driving around, and as long as the public is keen on looking good in their vehicle, SUVs and Crossovers will stand a chance.
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February 21st, 2007 by admin
2007 Saturn Aura Sedan Repeatedly Beats Competition
The 2007 Saturn Aura is continually proving is top position in competition against other midsized sedans. It is being recognized as the “2007 Car of the Year” by Motoring Television, “Driver’s Choice Award for the Best New Family Sedan” by MotorWeek, the “North American Car of the Year” by independent automotive journalists, and adding to the slew of awards; “Editor’s Choice for Family Sedan” by World of Wheels.
Car buyers can appreciate the extend of GM of Canada’s praise for the Saturn Aura because multiple awards means a much easier decision over competition at the car lot. It’s easy to find some sort of accolade somewhere for nearly every car, but there is substantial value to several straight wins.
The impressively equipped 2007 Aura XE starts at just $24,990 and the up-level 2007 Saturn Aura XR starts at $31,080. This spring, a Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid model will also be offered starting at just $27,290 – making it Canada’s most affordable – and most stylish – midsize hybrid.
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February 19th, 2007 by admin
Automakers Not Making Fuel Efficient Vehicles Available in U.S.
A disturbing statement released from CSI/40mpg.org says that their latest research study is showing that while automakers continue to come out with vehicles that boast the increased standards for fuel efficiency, these models are simply not available in U.S. territory. American consumers are feeling gypped, and rightly so.
The ability of automobile manufacturers to create cars that meet fuel efficiency standards are partly due to the demand from the consumer, and an inability to offer the product that the public has insisted upon is irresponsible and unfair for car buyers.
To combat the problem of fuel efficiency unavailability, consumers are going to Congress. The concerned are asking Congress to raise the standards for vehicle fuel efficiency so that automakers must make their energy-efficient products available in the United States like they are in many countries overseas.
CSI President Pam Solo said: "We have to face the unpleasant facts here: America is needlessly losing the race to develop the best fuel-efficient technology and then deliver it to the American consumer, which wants these cars and other vehicles that would use less imported fuel and create less global-warming pollution. The Europeans, Japanese and Chinese are already committed to far more aggressive MPG standards than we are in the United States."
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February 16th, 2007 by admin
A Look at Several Crossovers for ’07, ’08
Soccer moms around the country are trading in the standard family taxi – the minivan – for a much improved crossover style that is highly popular in suburbia and, unlike the minivan, envied by highway observers. The auto world hasn’t quite narrowed down a standard title for the new design, not quite a minivan, but not quite and SUV, the term "crossover" will have to do for now.
The main benefit of a crossover model is its ability to seat seven persons in a comfortable setting without boasting the aged-out design of the minivan and the gas guzzling hardship of an SUV.
There are several options for car buyers interested in purchasing a crossover model; the 2007 GMC Arcadia, 2008 Buick Enclave, 2008 Ford Taurus X, 2007 Hyundai Veracruz, 2007 Mazda CX-9, and the 2007 Saturn Outlook.
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February 14th, 2007 by admin
Automobile Affordability Continues to Decline
The state of automobile manufacturing and automobile buying trends is more tedious than ever as gasoline prices fluctuate between all-time highs and still-too-steep averages and automakers strive to make up for a recent decline in consumer respect and demand by jacking up prices on every car lot. The public’s basic need for transportation is at the mercy of an auto industry that has turned its production mindset from providing to prospering.
According to a report in Autospectator, the price tag on new vehicles is only getting substantially higher every year, requiring households to fork over amounts they can’t afford in order to get the family from point A to point B.
The purchase of an average- priced new vehicle took 26.2 weeks of median family income in the fourth quarter, according to the Auto Affordability Index compiled by Detroit-based Comerica Bank. That 2.2 rise in the number of weeks of work required to purchase a new vehicle was the biggest one-quarter deterioration in affordability ever recorded by the index.
While automakers argue that as automobile prices rise, so do family incomes, the affordability rate is what financial analysts consider the telltale sign of who’s taking advantage of whom. Fortunately, consumers have options in combating price gauging – whether at the gas pump or the car dealership. Extended warranties can prolong the life of an expensive vehicle and allow buyers to get the most from the thousands put toward reliable transportation.
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February 12th, 2007 by admin
Consumer Reports’ Ratings of Fuel Efficiency
If you’re on the hunt for a new vehicle, this is an article you need to read. Consumer Reports has released its 2007 take on the best and worst vehicles in their class for fuel economy. Drivers know there’s no guarantee about gas prices and when it comes to paying at the pump and feeling guilty about those fuel emissions, you’re better off safe than sorry.
As the automotive industry strives to produce automobile transportation that meets the public’s and governmental standards, in the meantime car buyers can support what progress has been made through a little research about the difference in fuel intake between each vehicle.
“With more crossovers, hybrids, and car-based SUVs entering the market, it’s now much easier to find an SUV that gets gas mileage similar to a midsized sedan,” said Consumer Reports’ Automotive Editor Rik Paul. “You can save hundreds of dollars a year at the gas pump simply by doing your research before you buy.”
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