Consumerist
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lemon law
Man Gets Defective Mini Refunded With Awesome And Polite Letter
At first he thought it was an earthquake, being in California and all. Then Eric realized, no, it was his Mini Cooper that was violently shaking. More » -
advice
Warning Signs That Your Mechanic Is Scamming You
Mint has a great article on how to protect yourself from getting ripped off by a mechanic. First and foremost, read your car's manual and learn what to ask for when you take it in. Just saying you need a tune up with a modern car flags you as an easy mark. More » -
government
New York State Holds License Plate Fundraiser
As part of an attempt to make up a budget shortfall, New York State is holding a huge fundraiser. No, not a bake sale: starting in April 2010, the state is forcing all car and tractor-trailer owners in the state to buy new license plates when they renew their registrations. And not just any license plates. Ugly license plates. More » -
general motors
How Epic Bureaucracy Led To GM's Doom
Have you ever wondered how a profit-seeking entity could have possibly produced the Pontiac Aztek? The answer lies in GM's century-old bureaucracy. Like all good bureaucracies, it helped to stifle innovation, squash dissent, and perpetuate bad ideas. More » -
the daily show
Why Does The Federal Government Hate Truckasaurus?
Last night, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" addressed one of the crucial economic policy questions of our time: why do the Ivy League snobs in the Obama administration hate Truckasaurus so much? See, the Cash for Clunkers program thoughtlessly deprived demolition derbies and monster truck rallies of the elderly cars they need in order to remain totally awesome. More » -
cars
How to Get the Best Deal on a New Car
For those of you looking to take advantage of this year's tax deductions for buying a new car, Smart Money has a few tips to save you even more money. They list five suggestions for getting the best deal on a new car as follows: More » -
insurance
10 Strategies To Lower Your Auto Insurance
Over at the Mint blog they've posted a list of 10 ways to reduce your car insurance premium. You'll want to contact your current insurer and ask some questions, like whether they offer a discount for paying up front, or if they'll cut you a deal for being a long-term customer. More » -
safety
Toyota Says It's Not Hiding Anything In Runaway Cars Investigation
One of Toyota's execs said today that the company isn't covering up information about its suddenly accelerating cars, but the Department of Transportation doesn't seem to agree. More » -
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oh snap
Edmunds.com Estimates Real Cash For Clunkers Cost, Gets White House Smackdown
Edmunds.com crunched some numbers, and came to the conclusion that the federal Cash for Clunkers program was not a terribly effective use of taxpayer money. They argue that the bulk of rebates went to consumers who were going to buy cars anyway. The White House, however, begs to differ. So how did the Obama administration respond? With a snarky blog post. More » -
marketing
GM Extends Satisfaction Guarantee Deal After Only 15 People Return Their Cars
You may have seen GM's recent commercials touting their "60-day satisfaction guarantee" on all new vehicles. It seems that the stunt has been successful. Last week GM spokesperson Tom Henderson told the AP that only 15 cars had been returned. Now the company says they are extending the offer to Jan. 4, 2010. More » -
consumer reports
Some Ford Cars Are Reliable, Actually Worth Buying
Several Ford cars are among the world's most reliable vehicles, according to the latest annual car reliability survey from Consumer Reports. More » -
cars
What You Know About Car Care Is Probably Wrong
Most Americans drive cars, but haven't the faintest idea how they work. Often we have car care axioms inherited from our parents or driving teachers that apply to cars from a generation or two ago. What are some commonly believed car care myths that simply aren't true? More » -
video
How To Choose The Best Tires
The Consumer Reports Cars blog has posted a video on how to choose the best tires for your car. Here's one interesting trick we learned from the clip: how to measure tire tread depth using coins. More » -
the more you know
Testing Stuck Accelerator Survival Strategies
The recent recall of millions of Toyotas due to their floor mats' unfortunate tendency to trap the cars' accelerators, a flaw which has caused at least one confirmed horrific fatal accident, has caused people to wonder: if this happened to me, what would I do? Equipped with several different makes of cars and a test track, our colleagues at Consumer Reports Cars decided to play Mythbusters and put different stuck-accelerator survival strategies to the test. More » -
cars
Fake Engine Sounds Being Added To Hybrids
By the time you get around to purchasing an electric car, the New York Times writes, you may be able choose a fake engine sound for it the way you customize your phone with ringtones. Safety experts worry that the nearly silent operation of upcoming cars mean pedestrians won't hear them sneaking up, so they're adding artificial engine noises—and some manufacturers are considering letting owners customize the sounds. More » -
ford
4.5 Million Flammable Fords Recalled
Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have announced a recall of 4.5 million vehicles spanning back to 1992. A mixup in the manufacture resulted in the "self-immolation" button being labeled "cruise control." In all seriousness, though, a vehicle fire could occur on these models, so be sure to check this out. More » -
cars
Need A New Car? Consider A Saturn
The Washington Post notes that although Saturn dealerships have until this time next year to close, many will be saying goodbye sooner due to low inventory, and that's partly why now is a good time to buy a Saturn. That is, if you don't plan on reselling it in a couple of years. More » -
hummer
GM, Tengzhong Close To Hummer Brand Sale
So long, Hummer. Sort of. GM and Chinese company Tengzhong are closer to their deal to sell the Hummer brand. More »
cars
New York, 9:55 PM
Fri Nov 20
28 posts in the last 24 hours
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