According to The American Consumer Satisfaction Index, the results from its Q2 aren’t good for domestic auto manufacturers.  The people at ASCI claim that customer satisfaction is higher than ever for the whole industry, however there aren’t any American automakers that made the top four.  And the bottom three on the list are made in America.

Domestic car companies are having problems because they are lagging further behind their counterparts overseas.  This will be of no help when the Big Three lose more power with pricing.  They will have to continue their dependency on discounting and rebates, in a car market where consumers are deciding to turn to foreign cars.  People feel foreign cars are more reliable, and with the addition of an auto warranty, they enjoy the peace of mind that they get with them.

The ACSI is a representation of a customer’s overall satisfaction, which includes customer service and doesn’t necessarily determine the quality of cars.  In addition, carmakers don’t have any control over a dealership’s customer service.

Gooding & Co. just released the closing tally for its auction in Pebble Beach. This sale follows the Concourse d’Elegance and is among the most elite auto auctions in the world. It is also an important barometer for the market of collectible cars.

The auction this year concluded Sunday and made $64.2 million, which tops last years tally of $60 million. Twenty vehicles went for over $1 million, which is triple the 2006 number. Five vehicles were sold for over $2 million, and Peter Williams sold the Bugatti collection, which is made up of 12 cars, for above $15.5 million.

However, the news wasn’t all good. One in five vehicles didn’t sell.

Still, the large amount of price records crushed over the weekend implies that the business of rare cars remains strong.

In addition, there was the highest price ever paid for a car in North America. A 1937 Bugatti Type 37SC Atalante Coupe sold for $7.92 million. This is the kind of car you wouldn’t dare drive out of your driveway without an auto warranty.

The collectibles boom probably won’t last forever, after all, most people are opting for used cars with used car warranties, but for now, it’s still strong.

Recently, J.D. Power and Assoc. revealed that Toyota is the best car company when it comes to keeping its customers coming back for more.  Their data also shows that GM comes in second place in this category.

Among recent shoppers of new vehicles who have owned a Toyota, Lexus, or Scion, 69% bought another car from Toyota Motor Co.

Meanwhile, motorists who owned a Chevrolet, GMC, Saab, or other cars by GM bought another car by GM 65% of the time.

This shows an improvement for GM of 3% from last year.

Isuzu scored the lowest for retaining customers in the study.  In fact, only 1.6% of Isuzu owners purchased another one.  The next lowest was Mitsubishi, who kept approximately 31.7% of their customers.

There are typically a few things that hurt car companies in customer retention.  These include poor dealership service and poor vehicle quality.  Yet, no matter what brand of car you buy, you never know when repairs will be necessary.  This is why you should always buy an auto warranty.

Why do people buy sports cars?  They aren’t designed to be practical, they are designed for fun.  They are available in different models, such as hatchbacks and two-seat roadsters.  Most models have very little cargo space, while others provide rear cargo room that is ample.  If you’re looking to purchase a sports car, here are some important considerations.

Even similar car models can vary a great deal in fuel-economy.  In order to save money on gas, make comparisons on gas mileage.

Many sports cars have limited head-room and smaller doors that can make it difficult to get in and out.  If you’re looking for a car with a little more ease, it might be smart to consider a sedan or four-door hatchback.  Often, they have easier access.

Sports cars will have between two and five seats; depending on the model.  Even sports cars with five seats usually have a rear seat in the middle that is too small for adults.  It is wise to try out all of the seats and make sure they are comfortable.

For motorists who want a thrill ride, a sports car is an excellent choice.  However, make sure you purchase an auto warranty in case of unforeseen repair costs down the road.

When people are renting cars from companies like Hertz and Enterprise, they are now asking for a hybrid.  To meet demands, the rental car industry is adding more and more hybrids to fleets.

In the next several months, Enterprise will have a hybrid fleet of 5,000, while Hertz, is planning to add 2,400 hybrids to its current 1,000.  Is this all because of high gas prices?

Not really.  Hybrids actually cost approximately $24 more per day to rent than non-hybrids.  The rental companies believe that people want more eco-friendly cars, not just cars that will save people on gas costs.

Now offered by National, Enterprise, and Alamo are a carbon offsetting option.  In other words, for an extra $1.25 you can pay so that the average carbon emissions from your rental are offset.  The money is donated by the companies to programs that aid in removing carbon out of the atmosphere and plant trees.

The increased hybrid demand for rental fleets will make it even harder for consumers to find hybrids to purchase.  However, at some point the rental car companies will end up selling their hybrids to consumers.  This is beneficial to consumers because the cars will most likely still have an auto warranty.

When the Toyota Highlander was redesigned for 2008, it only had a V-6 drivetrain, and defended it by claiming that people wanting four-cylinders would instead buy a RAV4. Apparently, that has all changed. With fuel prices through the roof, it seems like a smart move to have a four-cylinder Highlander.

The new 2.7-liter four-cylinder comes from the Venza, and with 189 hp it is a strong gain over the current 157-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder. The fuel-economy will be 20/26-mpg city/highway for a four-cylinder FWD, which is approximately 10% better than the 18/24 rating for the FWD V-6.

The four-cylinder version of the Highlander comes in a FWD two-row, base model. It has the option for a third-row seat and a stereo upgrade. Also, it can become equipped to tow approximately 3,500 pounds compared to the V-6, which can tow 5,000 pounds. The four-cylinder Highlander is expected to start at just under $25,000, and comes with an impressive auto warranty.

People are always asking their dealership service departments, “Isn’t that repair covered by my auto warranty?”  A lot of motorists make the assumption that an auto warranty covers all kinds of repairs regardless of important things, such as environmental conditions, car mileage, and maintenance requirements.

What many people don’t realize is that an auto warranty is actually an agreement between the car manufacturer and you.  As the purchaser of the auto warranty, you must follow maintenance requirements that are specified.  The car manufacturer is only obligated to have repairs performed if you do the maintenance.

Auto manufacturers tend to scrutinize each auto warranty claim since dealers have done questionable practices in the past.  This leads consumers to believe that manufacturers are trying to get out of paying for the cost of repairs.  Yet, the reality is actually that the repair may not be covered under the auto warranty terms.  For example, car abuse, expiration, or parts that aren’t covered could cause the repair to not qualify.

When purchasing an auto warranty, people should read the terms of the agreement carefully.  You need to fulfill your part of the agreement in order to get repairs paid for.

Don’t purchase a pre-owned car without first having it looked at by an independent mechanic.  It is hard to know the true state of a pre-owned car until you have a professional examine it.  You don’t want to find out after you buy a car that you bought a lemon.

If you leave a photo I.D. with a dealer they shouldn’t have a problem with you having a private inspection performed.  Even if the dealer tells you that they have already had an inspection done, insist that you want to have an inspection by an independent shop.

A good mechanic should inspect the undercarriage of a car by putting it on a lift.  It will cost you approximately $100 to get a thorough diagnostic, but find out in advance.  You can ask the mechanic to give you a written report, which will give you details of the car’s condition.  The report could come in handy when it comes time for you to negotiate with the dealer.

If you aren’t sure how to find a good repair shop, ask around for a referral from someone trustworthy.  You can also ask for advice from your local auto-parts store.  But, whatever you do, don’t pick a mechanic’s name out of the phone book.

Buying a used vehicle can be a great option, but you need to protect yourself by getting a private inspection and purchasing an auto warranty.

Now, people search the Internet to purchase cars, an auto warranty, and car loans.  One great resource for this is Autoopia, or autoopia.com.  This is a new search engine that has revolutionized the way that people search for cars, just like Google revolutionized the way in which people make general searches.  The people who created this website have made a search engine dedicated solely to cars.  Also, the interface is simple and clean, which allows users to easily search for cars.

To do this Autoopia gathers car ads and online listings in the thousands.  Their database is growing continuously, and it lists millions of cars.  Also convenient is that the site saves people’s searches automatically, which allows people to return to the site later and use previous search results.

Consumers are pleased with Autoopia because they have a great first impression with the smooth interface, yet the extensive search results leave people coming back for more.

Another plus to this search engine is that people only get results for the specific car that they looked for, no others.

Shopping online can be a great way to buy a car, and Autoopia is a great place to look.  People can find good deals on cars, and then easily search for new car warranties and car loans.  The Internet has now revolutionized the way motorists shop.

As the carmakers around the world race to build electric cars, North America isn’t prepared in regards to mining the battery material and producing batteries.

North America doesn’t have a hearty supply base for the market.  In fact, South America provides over half of the required lithium for batteries.  In about a decade, approximately 40% of lithium will derive from China.

The key is to come up with a long-term investment that is strategic.  This sort of investment came today.

Johnson Controls-Saft made an announcement that it won a contract of two years from an advanced battery group, made up of several carmakers and battery suppliers, including the Detroit carmakers, to build lithium-ion battery systems for hybrid cars that are plug-in.

Included in the contract is an $8.2 million allotment in research money that comes from the U.S. Department of Energy.  This joint venture between Saft and Johnson Controls Inc. will try to make the technology ready commercially for mass-market plug-ins.

It is essential that the manufacturing base is developed to make batteries in North America, so that we don’t have a dependency on other countries.  After all, consumers want to save money on gas by purchasing hybrid cars with a good auto warranty.