2.3 million Toyotas will need to be repaired and the kits to do so are being shipped to dealers this week, says Bloomberg. The repair should take about 30 minutes and Toyota says they are “confident” the problem isn’t electronic. [More]
Need A New Car? Consider A Saturn
By October 13, 2009
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.
Was Your Cash For Clunkers Deal Rejected After Being Approved?
By September 8, 2009
Edmunds.com, the car info website, is asking people who participated in the short-lived Cash for Clunkers program to contact them if something went wrong. Although they can’t fix any problems, they’re trying to collect data on consumers who are being asked to pay back the government rebate after already being approved, which was forbidden under the rules of the program, so they can present the data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Trade In Your Clunker, Get $4,500. Maybe.
By June 28, 2009
The government is offering a $4,500 credit to anyone willing to trade in their old clunker for a new fuel efficient car, but there’s a catch. Well, several catches…
Customer Drops Off Car At Dealership For Repairs, Gets Tires And Wheels Stolen Instead
By May 27, 2009
Before you drop off your car at your local dealership for any sort of repairs, make sure you’re clear on the chain of liability should anything happen to it—especially right now, when dealerships can barely afford those flappy air things, much less tires. A woman in Charlotte, NC was left with around $1,000 in damages when the tires and wheels were stolen from the 2005 Audi she’d left with the dealership over the weekend.
Chrysler Will Close One Fourth Of Its Dealerships Next Month
By May 15, 2009
Mark Calisi, 47, who owns Eagle Auto-Mall in Riverhead, New York, says he was “devastated” to learn that his dealership would be closed. He said Chrysler accounts for a third of his business, which also sells Volvo, Mazda and Kia, and that on Thursday he had to sack 30 of his 100 employees.
Car Warranty Racket Exposed On Today Show
By April 30, 2009
The Today show recently aired a terrifically entertaining exposé of US Fidelis, one of the biggest companies behind the auto warranty racket that you’ve probably encountered via junk mail, telemarketing, or even on TV. They start by looking at an individual who spent $3,180 on one of their auto warranties only to be left stranded when her car overheated and they refused to pay.
Dealership Demands BMW Back, Then Claims You Never Returned It
By November 20, 2008
Two years ago, an arbitrator ordered a car dealership in Queens, NY to refund a customer’s money under the “lemon law.” You’d think that would be the end of the story, but no… it’s the beginning. Jessica Harrison says she returned the “lemon” 2004 BMW to “Planet Auto Mall” but the dealer claims that they don’t know what happened to the vehicle. Now Jessica has to keep making payments on the missing BMW.
Consumer Reports: 10 Car Shopping Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
By October 28, 2008
Consumer Reports has compiled a list of common car shopping mistakes from their Smart Buyer’s Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car, which, of course, you can find in bookstores.
Knoll 'Authorized Dealer' Tries To Charge 300% Restocking Fee
By September 22, 2008
Ethan emailed us to ask if we’d ever heard of a company charging a 300% restocking fee, and guess what, we hadn’t. Who does that? The authorized dealer Ethan is working with ordered the wrong parts for his Knoll Life chair, and now he’s trying to sidle his way out of treating Ethan fairly. We called Knoll and found out their real return policy, and it’s nothing like what the dealer is telling Ethan.
BMW Denies Test Drive Because You Are Not A "Serious Customer"
By March 23, 2008
BMW of Columbia refused to let reader Barry test drive a 135i because he was not a serious customer. The dealership didn’t tell Barry what would make him a serious customer, but they seemed offended when Barry explained that he wasn’t going to buy a car that day.
Cellphone Dealers Won’t Sell Nice Phones To Less Profitable Customers
By December 15, 2006
Cellphone dealers will sometimes hold new and limited quantity cellphones from existing customers, preferring to sell them to more profitable new customers or contract upgrades, members of HowardForums allege.
