Tag Archive
1 million cars to be recalled.
Toyota announced on Tuesday that they will be recalling about 1 million cars world wide. A little over half of these cars are in Japan but another 400,000 or so will be recalled from around the world.
The reason for the recall is to replace bad intermediate shafts and sliding yokes. Some of the models affected are the wish, Isis, and the Prius. A few others will be recalled as well but the focus is on cars manufactured in the last three years.
So far, there has not been any reported accidents where the cause was due to the defects in question. That is good news, and it is good to see Toyota fixing this problem. It will probably cost them a pretty penny, but we won’t know how much for sure; because, Toyota does not release those numbers to the public.
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Toyota out sells Chrysler in the month of April.
Everyone knows that the North American automobile market has been dominated by the big three (GM, Ford, and Chrysler) for a long time now. Pretty much since people have been driving the things. However, Toyota, Japan’s top auto maker, has been steadily gaining ground over the past few years. Recently, they have benefitted from increased sales among smaller more fuel efficient cars.
This trend has helped them to out sell Chrysler (number 3 of the Big 3) in the month of April as Chrysler’s sales dipped and Toyota’s rose. During this same month, GM and Ford both saw a drop in sales as well.
Does this mean that Toyota will be able to out sell Chrysler for the year and cut the Big 3 down to 2?
To that end, both Toyota and Chrysler spokesmen were noncommittal. "We don’t really care" that Toyota’s sales are increasing, said Jason Vines, Chrysler Group spokesman. Vines noted that strong sales of the new Caliber compact and a slew of upcoming new models would keep Chrysler’s sales momentum strong for the rest of 2006.
Toyota has been equally aloof about this possibility but you know it has to be in the back of their minds. The North American companies have had many struggles of late but Toyota seems to keep expanding its American market.
No matter what happens, hopefully this competition will bring about good result for the industry and for the drivers.
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Top cars for safety.
Everyone knows that sex sells; sex sells tv shows, books, and even vehicles. Forbes.com has an article about how safety does not sell. Safety, to most westerners, is not preeminent when purchasing things. Although we talk a lot about safety, our purchasing habits don’t always reflect our concerns, which translates into companies building things that sell well. Thus, we have sexy cars outselling safe cars by a large margin
There are plenty of fast sexy cars on the road, but how many earn the highest safety marks?
Sex appeal can translate into big sales volume, but safety technology almost never does. With the exception of Honda Motor, the brands that are most famous for building safe cars– Volvo and German car companies such as DaimlerChrysler’s Mercedes-Benz subsidiary–are not volume players.
So how many cars had the highest possible safety rating this year? Not many. In fact, just four cars can boast this achievement. These are the Acura RL, Honda Civic, Saab 9-3, Volvo S-80.
If you are not concerned about safety, check out this very interesting fact about the safety ratings.
The difference between a good crash-test rating and a poor one is significant: A five-star NHTSA frontal-crash rating means a chance of serious injury of 10% or less in a head-on collision in which each vehicle is going 35 mph. A one-star rating means a chance of 46% or higher. NHTSA defines a "serious injury" as one that requires immediate hospitalization and may be life-threatening.
So that’s what those stars mean. I think I will check those ratings a little more closely from now on. How about you? It’s great to buy a sexy car, but hopefully it will be a safe one too.
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How to know if your Check Engine light means something big or small.
Everybody, at one time or another, has more than likely seen the “Check Engine” sign light up on their car’s dashboard. But what does this mean? Should I be worried? Well Joe Thompson, who owns an auto body shop, has written a short but informative article about what to do when your Check Engine light is illiminated
You shouldn’t panic because the problem could be something very simple. Many people know that tightening the gas cap could make the light turn right off. However, if that is not the problem take Joe’s advice.
Try reducing your speed and the load of your vehicle. The loss of power could actually trigger the "check engine" warning light to go on. Or you can also try slowing down, or remove any accessories that need the power of your engine.
If none of this helps you should take your vehicle to a professional. It might be beyond your ability, but the problem could still be minor and very fixable. If you wait or ignore the sign altogether, you run the risk of your car becoming seriously damaged. Not only that but if you wait and the problem becomes more serious it may not be covered by your car’s warranty were a lesser problem would be.
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Audi joining the diesel crowd
Audi is promising by 2008 they will have their first prototype of a diesel auto. The car would be called the Q7. No one really doubts Audi’s technology, but people are wondering why it has taken so long for them to announce it. Clean diesel seems to be a popular alternative of gasoline.
Audi engineers are about two years away from nailing an execution of after-treatment technology that, in concert with low-sulfur diesel fuels, will enable the European Q7’s 3.0L V-6 diesel to meet stringent U.S. federal emissions standards and, more importantly, those in California.
The automaker expects the diesel car to sell 35,000 units in the debut launch in America. And, Audi suggests that the Q7 will retail at$49,000. For me, this does not mean too much because it’s way over my price range. However, with more companies adopting the diesel mindset, cheaper cars may begin featuring the new technology.
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The Smart Unit is hurting the company
The Smart Unit is a next generation car; it has all the bells
and whistles that you can imagine. But the Smart Unit has long been a drag on DiamlerChrysler’s finances, and investors are pushing for the Smart series to be done away with because of lackluster sales and below par performance.
However, DiamlerChrysler made this statement regarding the Smart series, "based on current figures, we’re convinced that Smart, will achieve a break-even by 2007, as previously announced," Chief Financial Officer Bodo Uebber told reporters at the company’s Stuttgart headquarters late Monday.
Smart cars have not posted a single cent of profit since 1998, when it was created. That, to me brings a bit of worry. Is something flawed with the design? Is it an eye sore? Is it too expensive? I’m not sure what the problem is, but I do hope DiamlerChrysler can figure something out and not be blinded by ignorant optimism.
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New technology from the auto world
Most Automakers are looking into the future. However, it looks like Nissan maybe the first off the line with the next generation of safety features. Nissan’s newest development is the "Safety Shield" which is an "an electronic system that helps drivers control the distance between their car and the vehicle in front."
The system uses a front bumper-mounted radar sensor to determine the following distance and the relative speed of both cars. If the driver releases the gas pedal the system automatically applies the brakes. If the system itself determines that braking is required (presumably because the vehicle ahead is slowing), the driver is alerted by a lighted indicator and a buzzer, and the gas pedal automatically moves upward to "assist the driver in switching to the brakes."
This distance control assist system with pedal feedback will be very helpful in high traffic areas and in low traffic areas, where the drivers alertness may be at risk. There has been no word when this new technology will see production.
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A breakdown of where your money goes when you buy gas
Gas prices are a hot topic here at AutoWarranties.com, but I want to make sure everyone knows where his or her money is going. That’s what being a smart investor is all about, right? And, with the fluctuation of gas prices, it’s only natural for people to wonder in amazement about the rapid change in prices from day to day.
Crude oil: Crude oil suppliers require the largest share of the pie at about 45%. This share is determined by the oil-exporting nations and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in particular. The price of one barrel of crude oil depends on how much crude oil these oil-exporting countries produce.
Taxes: Federal and local taxes take about 31% of the price you pay at the pump. Federal excise taxes account for about 18 cents per gallon, while state excise taxes require about 20 cents per gallon.
Refining costs: Refining crude oil makes up approximately 13% of the price you pay at the gas pump.
Distribution and marketing: The costs of transporting and marketing gas make up about 13% of the price of gas. Crude oil must be transported from oil-producing countries to refineries, then the gasoline must be transported to distribution points, and then lastly to the gas stations that fill your tank.
Gas station markups: There is no set percentage for this number. Gas stations are at their own discretion as to how much to add on to the price in order to actually make a profit on the gas that they sell. Some stations (usually the larger ones) will only tack on a couple cents, while others will add a dime or even more.
There you go! A simple breakdown of where each penny goes when you buy gasoline.
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Gas prices are raised again
Gas prices are back on the rise.
U.S. gas prices are up 11 cents in two weeks which cancels out the 9 cents drop at the beginning of January.
Retail gas prices across the country climbed an average of 11 cents in the past two weeks, according to a new survey. The weighted average price for all three grades increased to $2.38 a gallon by Friday, according to Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations around the country.
With gas prices on the rise, it’s now becoming as apparent as ever that we need new technology, such as hybrids or better ethanol. I sure hope automakers and/or the government can figure something out soon, because bicycles are looking more and more attractive to this car enthusiast.
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Auto Warranties provide peace of mind
Ever had vehicle problems?
A reliable auto warranty can give anyone peace of mind while dealing with auto problems. A good auto warranty will cover large problems like engine overhauls and smaller ones like water pumps malfunctioning.
You don’t want to end up parked with no way to go, and an auto warranty can give you the peace of mind you need when your car fails. Everyone needs to consider buying a reliable auto warranty.
Christopher Luck gives us an inside view of what a good auto warranty can do.
An extended warranty can more or less cover anything you want it to cover, so that the unknown demons of blown tires, dead batteries, or other disasters which need the aid of a towing company, can be no longer a dreaded nightmare. As far as the repairs go, the company you buy your warranty from will offer you an array of choices for paying deductibles when you visit the repair shop.
Protect, insure, and invest in your vehicles so they’ll last you a very long time.
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