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The automobile is precious comodity for all vehicle owners. It is not only a transport solution, but also a status symbol and comfortable meansof transport. To keep it protected, warranty is a must. Be it the manufacturers warranty or the extended warranty.
To keep you posted on the latest developments in the automobile warranty, the auto warranty news is a must for all vehicle owners. It provides you with the up-to-date news on the costs of labor, repairs and accessories.
Also available is the information about the recognized and qualified repairing facilities. It has news on the various types of warranties available in the market. There are specific warranties for your engine and transmission. Breakdown warranties are also available which will cover only breakage, no wear and tear.
The auto warranty news also provides you comparisons between various warranty companies in terms of price, service, inspection and coverage. It has detailed news on the extended warranty facilities and also suggests and provides advice on when to purchase the extended warranty. The news also gives information about how to finance your warranties and from whom to purchase it. It helps in clarifying all your doubts and gives the real picture on the warranty news to help you differentiate between the fact and the fiction.
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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Volkswagon Releases the Versatile Crossgolf
Volkswagon meets car consumers with an addition to the latest trend in automobile innovation: small and spacious with an SUV appeal – the very recipe of an MPV, or, multi-purpose vehicle. Vehicle owners want larger-sized benefits in a compact model. The Volkswagon Crossgolf hopes to provide that very ideal for auto buyers around the world.
[The Volkswagon Crossover] unites the can-do qualities of a compact SUV and the versatility of a small MPV into a new crossover model.
Besides combining SUV style with MPV qualities, the Crossgolf boasts a modern design with the inherent convenience of spaciousness and adding to those the multiple manipulation options of the interior.
Volkswagon is offering the Crossgolf with the buyer’s choice between two gasoline and two diesel engine variations.
The top gasoline and diesel engine variants have identical power output: The TSI and the 2.0 TDI each deliver a powerful 103 kW / 140 HP.
And, as always, Volkswagon assures consumers that its newest release meets the utmost standards of safety.
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Looks like GM and Toyota Will not work together
Last week a story broke about a hopeful alliance between Toyota and GM. The alliance would combat the Nissan-GM-Renault deal. However, Toyota has now denied all reports of the GM partnership.
Toyota and GM have already been working together in a "partnership" for a few years. But, the partnership had nothing to do with business, they were trying to co-develop fuel cells, and that relationship supposedly has ended.
But as for a new business relationship between GM and Toyota, that does not seem too likely.
"They haven’t approached us, and we haven’t approached them," the Toyota executive told the News.
I Think before anyone needs to risk their own necks for GM, GM really needs to show some improvement. GM is still suffering and it would not be the best business decision to risk a healthy company for a company that’s a few billion in red ink.
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Mechanics Still Assert 3,000 mile interval oil change is good
How long do you go without changing your oil? My father grounded me every time I went over 3,000 miles in my car without changing the oil. Every time I came home from college, he would check the mileage and oil of my car to see if I had disobeyed his command. He always told me that oil is the lifeblood of my car, and I believe him and still do; however, I’m not so sure I think my vehicle needs an oil change every 3,000 miles. (but old habits die hard, I’m afraid)
The reason I bring this up is that Valvoline conducted a study saying that the majority of certified mechanics still believe the 3,000 mile mark is the best mileage to get your oil changed without doing damage to your car. However, beware of a "study" done by an oil company. Each of the mechanics they surveyed also said Valvoline was the best choice, so obviously the study was partial toward Valvoline.
Many people today are starting to think the 3,000 mile mark is antiquated because of better oil and better engines that cars use. I am one of those people, however, I still get the oil changed every 3,000 miles just because that’s what I’ve done my whole life and I feel like I owe it to my father (crazy, huh?).
I would imagine that engine erosion varies largely from car to car and driver to driver. Maybe this Valvoline study/survey will persuade a 3rd party non-biased group to conduct another survey.
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Delphi’s future looks bleak
Sometimes in the auto world and in the business world, bad news is always delayed and that happens to be the case with Delphi Corp. Delphi has been delaying their annual report for months, however, when the report finally dropped Tuesday, their total loss for 2005 was 4.8 billion.
That’s a magnificent number. Not too many companies can pull that off and still be around to talk about it.
Delphi has been wrestling with unions and General Motors Corp over the past year about how to cut costs. It seems as though they failed.
About 12,600 Delphi and 35,000 GM workers already have agreed to leave their plants, giving Delphi, GM and their unions more flexibility in creating a cost-cutting plan of wage and benefit reductions without the threat of a damaging strike.
So far, Delphi is still promising to meet all pension plans, and let’s hope they do keep that promise, especially since the CEO still made 3.75 million last year and Rodney O’Neal, the president, made 2.1 million
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Key American Auto Makers are feeding China’s hunger for cars.
While the American auto industry is struggling to stay alive, China’s auto sales have risen 50 percent for this year. And guess who’s taking the lead for most cars sold in china. You’re wrong, it’s not who you think.
General Motors is actually selling the majority of cars in China.
The data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed total sales in the first half at 1.8 million units, up 46.9 percent from the same period of 2005.
The main reason for GM’s success is that they have a joint venture in China, with a state owned auto maker. It’s odd that GM is losing relevance quickly in the US but gaining interest/relevance in China. GM’s sales in China, over the past year, have risen 49 percent, which accounts for the majority of what’s going on with China’s auto sales
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Police Department begins using Ethanol
In Illinois the Morris Police Department will be introducing a new fuel flex car to their squad. The Morris Police Department is getting a Dodge Durango that uses E85, which is 85% ethanol.
This is a major step for the Morris Department, and they’re excited about the new technology. The E85 will save the police department 30 cents a gallon with the new dodge Durango. Next year the police department plans on retiring five cars, and they hope to be able to use Fuel Flex vehicles.
It will not be long until the majority of vehicles use E85, and this publicity for E85 may in fact push it a little closer to main stream use.
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Ford is investing in hybrid tech, now that’s a suprise
Ford Plans to invest $1 Billion into hybrid technology. Since Ford has abandoned their promise to have 250,000 hybrids by 2010, they’re now trying to show they still care about hybrids.
Ford plans to build a center for developing new fuel efficient or hybrid cars in Gotenborg, which happens to be where Volvo, it subsidiary company, is located.
The center will produce new hybrid technology for all of Ford’s brands in Europe, and for Volvo models worldwide, the companies said.
The plant will be run by Volvo but will provide Ford with the new technology too. To be exact about the investment, Ford plans to spend 1.36 billion to supplement technological changes that will occur.
This is a good move of Ford’s part. Though it may be a bit late, it’s better to be late than never to do it at all. To ride the hybrid wave, Ford is going to have to really get into gear and do things right the first time; one more mistake of Ford’s part could spell disaster.
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Ford and GM look to crossover vehicles
Detroit’s automakers, Ford and GM, will be cutting back their midsized SUV’s, and in some cases, popular mid-sized SUVs will be cancelled completely. In fact, the infamous Trailblazer will be axed by 2010. In 2009 GM was going to give the trailblazer a remake, however, it seems it will instead be cancelled.
The moves come as sales of mid-sized SUVs slump. U.S. sales of the Trailblazer and Envoy peaked at a combined 418,381 units in 2004. That dropped to 352,012 units last year.
When the trailblazer is killed off, GM will begin implementing crossover vehicles that will be more economical for larger families to buy. Most of the cross over vehicles are still in concept design, so it will be a year or two before we see any of them.
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