New Car Warranties

Ford is making plans to retool some of its plants in the U.S. to manufacture small cars that the company has already been selling in Europe.

This move serves the purpose of aiding the company in increasing the production of cars with fuel-efficiency in North America.

In an effort to make more vehicles in the U.S. that are fuel-efficient, Ford has looked into bringing over models from Europe, such as the Mondeo.

This is the biggest step to date by any of the Big Three carmakers in response to the grave bind that is faced by the auto industry.  Damaged by the poor economy, car sales this year have dropped dramatically.  And with fuel prices at $4 a gallon, motorists are seeking small, fuel-efficient cars and leaving behind the SUVs and pickup trucks that the Big Three were known for.

Consumers are doing everything possible to protect their wallets, such as purchasing new car warranties, and fuel-efficient cars.  And automakers, like Ford, are trying to survive by suiting consumers’ needs.

The poor economy has taken quite a toll on domestic automakers.  Especially since they bet heavily on selling large SUVs and pickup trucks, which have now been virtually abandoned due to fuel prices that are at a record high.  Will domestic automakers be able to weather the storm?

GM is planning to cut costs of $10 billion from its current operations by late 2009.  These efforts include additional buyouts from the 32,000 workers on salary, freezing their rates of pay, cutting out health coverage for people retired over 65 yrs old, and quickly shutting down four SUV/truck plants.

In addition, GM will sell more of its product lines.  For example, behemoth Hummer is going to be sold off.  Doing this will earn them $4 billion-$7 billion cash.  It is even rumored that Buick is going to be auctioned, which has been successful in challenging Lexus brands.

According to GMs chairman and CEO Rich Wagoner, performing these actions will allow GM to survive this hard period in the U.S. and come out strong, lean and successful.

Consumers are seeking small, fuel-efficient vehicles to survive the high gas prices, and are protecting themselves by purchasing new car warranties.  GM has to change their thinking to suit customers and weather the storm.

With gas prices on the rise and summer traveling in full gear, Americans are trying to find ways to save at the gas pump.  Ford has put together some easy tips for all motorists, which suggest ways to alter their driving behavior.

First of all, drivers should slow down and keep a steady speed.  Consider driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph.  Just by following this simple tip you can improve your fuel economy 10-15%.  Also, by maintaining a constant speed and not pumping the accelerator you can avoid sending more gas to the engine.

Next, avoid aggressive driving to avoid wasting fuel.  Also, this will help you avoid wearing out brakes and tires.  Try to have a smooth acceleration and soft brake.

Don’t waste money idling.  Even in frigid temperatures, engines today don’t need to warm up.  After starting the vehicle, drive away gently.  Instead of idling in traffic and fast food drive-thrus, just turn you engine off.

Finally, purchase an auto warranty so that you aren’t afraid to have maintenance and repairs performed.  Maintaining your vehicle will ensure that it is running efficiently and has the best fuel economy possible.

Do you have to pay $40,000 to get an exciting, engaging vehicle?  Of course not, there are many models out there that come complete with an auto warranty for less than $25,000.  Here are several great choices.

First, there’s the Honda Civic Si, costing $21,110.  This vehicle gives you high performance and has a sleek shape.  In addition, it has a sport-tuned suspension system that is grippy.  This car utilizes a 197hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder I-VTEC engine.  Driving this smooth ride will have you smiling from ear to ear.

If you’re looking for a muscle car with a little bit of retro, the Ford Mustang V6 Pony Car won’t disappoint.  With the Pony Package you will get a rear spoiler, 17-inch wheels, along with striping and floor mats. With a 210hp V6, you will get tons of thrust.

If you’re looking for a convertible, you might want to try the Pontiac Solstice.  This has a 173 hp, 2.4-liter engine.  Standard with this car is an 18-inch rolling rock, balanced chassis, and big brakes, giving you an exhilarating ride.

Any of these cars will have you feeling like you’re driving a $40,000 car, when in actuality you will pay less than $25,000.  All of these vehicles have good new car warranties that will have you feeling rest-assured that you won’t be shelling out extra money for repair costs.

For car accidents in the future, a circuit may be as crucial to safety as seat belts. In the 1960’s, Congress made safety belts mandatory, which has reduced deaths drastically. Now, a new safety revolution is going on. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made electronic stability control equipment mandatory in all cars. This decision will prevent approximately 10,000 deaths a year.

ESC is a current feature available on most luxury cars, and it is an option on most other cars. This feature serves the purpose of not just protecting passengers, but also preventing accidents all together. Most of these features have a microchip as a base, and are still being perfected. This is why it is important to purchase new car warranties in case of costly technical repairs.

Many drivers opt to purchase a package of various safety options, not just individual gadgets. For example, Lexus markets their safety features as a system that works together. One package they offer has smart cruise control, lane-departure warning, and ESC.

The U.S. has been sideswiped by gasoline over $4 per gallon and the auto industry believes that these gas prices are here to stay.  Car companies have had to reconfigure their lineups to accompany this shift.  Consumers are staying away from gas-guzzlers and instead purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles.  Here are the three most fuel-efficient vehicles in America.

The #1 most fuel-efficient car is the 2008 Toyota Prius.  This car has impressive fuel economy at 45 mpg on the highway and 48 mpg in the city.  Also, the base price of the Prius is unbeatable at $22,160.  Hollywood types giving it iconic status made this vehicle popular.

Next on the list is the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid.  This car appeals to people who don’t want to publicize their environmentalism because of its classy look.  The Civic Hybrid handles more like a typical car than other hybrids and is very responsive.  This vehicle has great fuel economy at 40 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway, and the price is right at $23,270.

Coming in at 3rd is the minuscule Smart fortwo. An amazingly small vehicle that makes parking a snap. Not much acceleration in this tiny package, so you better put the pedal to the metal on highway on-ramps. Great price though at $12,272.

With fuel prices on the rise, fuel-efficient vehicles are in demand.  Consumers are trying to protect their wallets by purchasing small cars that offer good fuel economy and by buying new car warranties.  After all, you don’t want to get stuck with unnecessary repair costs down the road.

GM is saying that they are going to make it a high priority to decide if they are going to bring the Chevrolet Beat mini car to the market in the U.S. by 2012. This car came in first place in an online voting poll by 1.8 million consumers around the world on three of GMs mini-car concepts.

GM is altering the product plans that they had planned for the next decade, reacting to the lack of demand for vehicles that use a lot of gas. The upcoming generation of GMs mini cars, which the Beat is based on, will debut in years to come and will have the capability to get 40mpg.

In the first part of this year U.S. sales for GM declined 16%, and the carmaker is scrambling to meet the demand for its small, fuel-efficient vehicles.

GM is just one of the automakers planning to enter a mini-car into their lineup. Smart cars are the only minis on the market that are serious at this point, but their sales far exceeded their expectations.

With fuel prices exceeding $4 per gallon, consumers are protecting their wallets by demanding fuel-efficient cars and purchasing new car warranties. People are feeling the pinch in all aspects of their lives.

Around the world, automakers are realizing that motorists are concerned with cars that are ecologically responsible, and therefore are putting out more and more of these vehicles.  With all of the new models on the market, consumers have options.  There are many vehicles that offer fuel-efficiency and style.  Here are some to look for.

The Audi TT TDI proves that you can have hot sports car that doesn’t guzzle gas.  This vehicle goes from 0-62 mph in just 7.5 seconds.  Its engine has 170 hp with 258 lb-ft of torque.  This Audi combines a sports car’s power with a compact car’s fuel-efficiency.

The VW Golf TDI Hybrid offers low emissions, and with longer legs.  This vehicle is a hatchback that is compact and has seen great popularity in Europe.  Its engine is high-tech; diesel with a start-stop that is automatic.  Also, it features a DSG 7 speed gearbox and an electric motor, and gets 69 mpg.

Motorists are realizing that fuel-efficient vehicles are the way to go, with gas prices over $4 a gallon.  People are making an effort to protect their wallets with vehicles that are ecologically responsible and new car warranties.

If you are planning on doing some car shopping next month you will probably see a new sticker on some of the car windows.

This week the California Secretary of State signed a regulation requiring that by January of 2009, all vehicles being sold in the state must display a sticker, which will allow shoppers to know the environmental impact of different vehicles.  Each car will have a score for global warming and smog, based on an assessment by the state.  According to the California Air Resources Board, dealers will probably start putting them on soon.

The information on the label will allow motorists to choose a car that will fight smog, save gas, and reduce greenhouse emissions.  Consumers will be better able to make an educated choice about the impact of the car that they are buying.

The stickers will score each category on a scale of 1-10.  Average new cars will earn a score of five in each category.  The higher a vehicle scores, the less of a negative impact it has on the environment.

Now, not only can motorists buy a car based on its sticker price and new car warranties, they can also factor in environmental impacts.  Education is the key to consumers getting the car that suits them best.

Many people agree that they would buy domestic cars over foreign cars if they were made better. Well, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu could be the car that has more people buying domestic.

The Malibu can be compared to the Toyota Camry, which dominates the midsize sedan category of cars. GM has designed the Camry to be very close to the Camry in its measurements. This includes the length, trunk size, interior space, and engine displacement. However, these cars differ in style, in which the Malibu excels. In fact, the Malibu mimics cars that are more expensive, such as the Corvette.

It’s clear that GM put their money into the interior of the Malibu. It has comfortable seats covered in leather or an expensive fabric. Also, rear passengers will appreciate the large amount of legroom that the scalloped backs of the front seats provide.

The new Chevrolet Malibu also handles well. It takes curves flat and accelerates quickly, making it competitive in its class. The V6 252 hp allows for fun when needed, yet performed its job well on standard driving.

You can purchase the basic Malibu for $19,995, or get the LTZ for a little over $26,000. Also, this car comes with new car warranties that will protect drivers from unnecessary repair expenses down the road.