Archive for October, 2006

Green vehicle guide available for download from their site. The Environmental Protection Agency posts a guide online called the Green Vehicle Guide that gives data on the environmental impact of vehicles. They have recently updated their website with information on the 2007 models of popular cars. You can also go to their site to look up […]

“10 best and worst cars for depreciation” From the article printed on the Consumer Reports site: …affordably priced models–such as the Toyota Prius hybrid, Mini Cooper, and youth-oriented Scion models–hold their value better than higher-priced sports and luxury models. And while all of the top 10 models have either Japanese or European nameplates, nine of […]

“To win customers, many automakers are looking to improve their warranty offerings “ According to an article in Businessweek, the gap between quality and safety from one automobile company to another is closing, and is resulting in a search for new methods of product differentiation. A popular way for the car companies to distinguish themselves […]

Ad agency CEO Ludwig defends against mixed consumer reviews: “The biggest risk you can take is to play it safe.” In a recent article called Striking a Nerve, Autoweek lets us peek into the creation of the latest Silverado pick-up truck commercial. The television ad, which aligns historical images of major events that have affected […]

Could we see the first electric cars by 2008? According to an article in the San Jose-Mercury news, the first fully electric car to run on American roadways is now in the planning stages. No major automaker currently sells a purely electric-powered car that can be used on public roadways in the United States. Mitsubishi […]

The drop in self-serve gas prices in LA county and surrounding areas sets records Though the price of crude oil remains steady, the average self-serve price of gas at the pump in LA and Orange County has dropped dramatically since this past August. From an article in the Daily Breeze: The average price of a […]

“New rules go into effect on Sunday that require fuel makers to produce a much cleaner diesel” Automobile manufacturers are in the process of moving to more efficient engines, ahead of US legislation that will go into effect on Sunday, demanding cleaner diesel that is almost completely free of sulfur. From an article in the […]

Tips for a Successful and Useful Purchase The savvy shopper knows that many extended warranties aren’t used. High-pressure, point of sale warranties, such as those on consumer electronics don’t give you the option of comparison shopping, and as such, are ill-advised by consumer experts. The exception on warranties across the board is the vehicle warranty – if you […]

CEO reportedly still open to alternate North American Alliance A dispute over the terms Nissan-Renault posed to GM has lend to the end of talks between the three companies. Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of both corporations, said before the talks ended that he’d still consder working with another North American company if talks didn’t work out. […]