Consumerist
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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 » -
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 » -
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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 » -
money-saving tips
How To Save Money On Gas
Thanks to insurance, auto loan payments and especially gas, it's your car that owns you and not the other way around. Gas Buddy checks in with some tips on how to cut down on fuel costs. More » -
api
Auto Service Plan Promises Refunds, Then Goes Bankrupt
If you asked us, we would recommend that you not buy a third-party extended warranty for your car. If the main selling point for said warranty were that you would receive a full refund if you never filed a claim...we'd suspect that something might go wrong with this plan. More » -
distracted driving
Federal Employees Banned From Texting While Driving
An executive order issued this week bans federal employees from texting while driving when using government vehicles or phones, or while on government business. Given the safety risks of texting while driving, we think this was a good move, and hope that it extends to the general population. Take our poll and tell us what you think, inside. More » -
investigations
Hidden Cameras Catch LA Valets Breaking All Kinds Of Laws
An excellent piece of investigative journalism by NBC Los Angeles catches valets all over the city putting up fake no parking signs, jamming meters, and using customers' cars to shuttle valets around. More » -
automobiles
GM And Penske End Saturn Sale Talks
Saturn will not have a new life as part of Penske, the company that, among other things, distributes Smart cars in the U.S. Talks between Penske and GM fell apart today, and so did any chance for a deal. More » -
Remove Floor Mats Immediately
Toyota Recalls 3.8 Mil Cars For Stuck Gas Pedal Danger
Toyota is recalling 3.8 million cars and warning owners of certain late-model cars to immediately remove their driver's side floor mat to avoid accelerators getting stuck. The affected Toyota and Lexus models are: More » -
what could go wrong?
Update: Tire Lights Actually Still Exist, Are Completely Absurd
After reading our post on dumb inventions from the last century, many commenters declared that lighted tires were actually a great idea and wondered why they haven't caught on (especially among rappers). So we did some more research. More »
cars
New York, 5:01 AM
Sun Nov 8
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