Consumerist
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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
Honda, Toyota, Ford Top Cash For Clunkers Sellers
Some initial statistics are in on the vehicles traded in and purchased in the "Cash for Clunkers" program. Unsurprisingly, 80% of the vehicles traded in are trucks or SUVs, and the top sellers among car-buyers come from Honda, Toyota, and Ford. More » -
recalls
Airbag Defect Prompts Honda To Recall 440,000 Cars
If you own a Honda and don't like getting shot in the face with jagged metal fragments, you may want to keep an eye out for a recall notice. The automaker announced yesterday that it would recall 440,000 Civics, Accords, and Acura TL sedans sold between 2001 and 2003. More » -
complaints
Honda Owners Say Brakes Are Made Of Worthlessness — Honda Hasn't Responded
While it's OK for messages from top-secret government agencies to self destruct, that's not the case for car brakes. But more than 200 owners of 2008 and 2009 Accords have complained that keeping their brakes in working condition has proven to be a mission impossible. More » -
auto bailout
Toyota And Maybe Honda And Mazda Asking For A Bailout
It's not just US automakers that are in trouble these days. Toyota is asking its government for a bailout and now Bloomberg says that Honda and Mazda might do the same. More » -
cars
Top 9 Most Reliable Small USED Cars
Consumer Reports' annual car issue is here, and with the death-spiraling economy in mind, they've identified the most reliable used cars for all of you value-conscious consumers. Hey, there's even an American car on the list! More » -
auto
Consumer Reports' Top 5 All-Around Car Brands
Wondering which car brands are the all-around best? According to the Automaker Report Cards published in Consumer Reports', Annual Auto Issue, 4 of the top 5 brands are Japanese, with no US car makers making the list — even though there was a 4-way tie for 5th place. Ouch. More » -
fuel economy
The 7 Most Fuel Efficient Used Cars Under $10,000
You're sick of your SUV and thinking of getting a car that's new to you, but which ones get the best gas mileage for the price? Consumer Reports has the answer — a list of the 7 most fuel efficient used cars for under $10,000. More » -
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dont be evil
Top 10 Best and Worst Reputations In Corporate America
The results of the Harris Interactive survey that tracks the reputations of the 60 most visible companies in America has been released and here they are: Google is tops and Halliburton is not. Not shocking, but there are some interesting findings. Honda is the only car company to make the top 10, and Comcast, Sprint and Northwest Airlines are the least well-regarded in their respective industries. More » -
vehicle sales
Honda Civic Now Best Selling Vehicle In The Country
The era of the pickup truck is over. For the first time in 15 years, the Ford F-Series has lost its position as the nation's top selling vehicle. The new king is the Honda Civic, followed by three other economy models. That's right: the F-Series plummeted to fifth place in sales last month. More » -
followups
Protesting Honda Civic SI Get Transmission TSB
Those Honda Civic SI owners who were holding protests in front of dealerships about the widespread transmission problem (where the 3rd gear kept grinding, popping out and randomly going into neutral), finally have their day. Honda issued a TSB (technical service bulletin) on the issue, so now owners experiencing the problem can go their dealership and get it repaired for free, provided they are still under warranty. It's not quite the recall owners were hoping for, but it's something. Guess Honda has now heard of the problem they previously said they "never heard of before." Must have been all that negative news coverage. Here's links to the TSB (for Honda dealers, for Acura dealers (PDF)) so you can print it out and bring with you. Inside, one of the original newscasts covering the uproar. More »
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repairs
Circuit City Tries To Install Navigation System, Causes $12,119 Of Damage To Your Car
Circuit City caused $12,119 worth of damage to VTECnical's 2007 Honda Civic while trying to install a Pioneer AVIC Z2 navigation system. Honda later declared VTECnical's car a fire hazard and told him it was unsafe to drive. Despite destroying the car's heater ducts, stock wiring harness, and dashboard, Circuit City has refunded only $3,190, and insists that VTECnical speak exclusively to their third-party insurer. Hit the jump for Honda's damning condemnation of Circuit City's shoddy workmanship and a video of the damage. More » -
complaints
Honda Ignores Civic SI Owners' Complaints About Faulty Transmissions
A bunch of Honda owners are mad because they think Honda should issue a recall on their cars due to their transmission, things like randomly deciding to pop out of third gear into neutral and not fully engaging. When these owners confront Honda, the car company kept saying "we've never heard of the problem before," despite numerous complaints being sent in, and dealers say they "can't replicate" the problem. There's a writeup of the whole problem at AutomotiveTech.org, a list of message board forum members with the problem, and now, Fox 6 San Diego picked up on it after angry owners organized a protest at a local dealership. Suddenly, Honda's tune has changed, and they're "aware of the problem" and "investigating." Video after the jump. More » -
success stories
Local Columnist Gets Consumerist Reader's Complaint Fixed
One of our readers, Colin Madine, was able to get his consumer complaint resolved after contacting the Chicago Sun-Times "The Fixer" consumer advocacy columnist.
The issue was that he had bought a $300 service coupon book in 2006 with his Honda Odyssey minivan. These coupons were for free oil changes, discounted repairs, etc. The new owners of the dealership had decided not to honor the coupons. The were immovable. When The Fixer got involved, she tracked down the original dealership owner who ended up refunding Colin for the coupon book.
Takeaway: we're not the only shame game in town. Especially if your complaint is with a local business, try seeing if your local newspaper or news channel has a "Fixer" or "Trouble Shooter Team" you can get involved.
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security
Researchers Hack Remote Keyless Car Entry Devices
Researchers have figured out a way to hack remote keyless car entry devices. The threat to the consumer is minimal, it takes several hours to crack the code, but it does give one pause, especially considering that if the Keeloq's manufacturer added a few simple measures they could render the exploit nearly useless. More » -
fuel efficiency
New Honda Accord Diesel Gets Nearly 63 Miles Per Gallon
Fuel-economy mavens take note. Honda recently showed off an alternative to hybrid cars at a Sacramento car show: a diesel-powered Accord that is scheduled to hit the American market in 2010. Unlike a hybrid, the diesel promises more power, but it still gets a whopping 62.8 mpg. More » -
typo in your favor
Honda Dealer Sends Out Scratch-Off Tickets Where Everyone Is a Winner
Here's a typo you don't see every day. A Honda dealer contracted the services of a direct mail marketing and promotions agency. The agency was supposed to send out 50,000 scratch-off tickets, one of which was the grand prize winner—entitling the customer to a cash prize of $1,000. More »
honda
New York, 2:47 PM
Mon Nov 9
11 posts in the last 24 hours
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