Well, that didn’t last long. Back in January, we were hopeful that Monster Cable had seen the error of its stupid ways and stopped suing everyone but the dictionary for using the word “monster” in their title. They were just hibernating, it seems, and now they’re back and bullying another company—this time a family-owned transmission manufacturer in Florida named Monster Transmission.
autos
Hertz Holds Your Rental Hostage For Cash Deposit, To Be Returned In 2 Weeks
By 3.6.09
Ryan’s wife is currently traveling alone with their 3-month-old son on the way to an unexpected funeral near Salt Lake, Utah. Despite the fact that she paid for the rental up front as part of an Orbitz package, the local Hertz jerks are refusing to give her the car unless she goes to an ATM and brings back $200 cash, which they say they will mail back in check form a few weeks after she returns the car. Even Hertz says this isn’t their policy, but they can’t seem to stay on the phone long enough to help Ryan and his wife.
Top 5 Best Value New Small Cars
By 3.4.09
If you’re one of the like, 6 people who are buying new cars this year, you’re probably looking to get the most for your money. Our sister-publication Consumer Reports took a look at this year’s cars in a new way — judging them based not only on their test results but on their total cost of ownership. Let’s take a look.
The State Of The Global Economy As Measured In Unsold Cars
By 3.2.09
WeSeed directed us to this sad photo album of cars backed up at ports and manufacturer lots around the world. Maybe they can be handed out in clusters as executive bonuses at the end of the year.
Top 10 Recent Model Used Car Deals
By 2.6.09
Consumer Reports has put together a list of the quickest depreciating new cars so that you bargain hunters can snatch up a lightly used car for a good price. In case you weren’t aware, new cars take a big hit in depreciation in the first few years of ownership — a smart buyer lets someone else pay that “new car” tax.
Really Creepy Ads Killed The Electric Car
By 2.4.09
I watched the Who Killed The Electric Car documentary last night and was thunderstruck by the “ad” that GM made when California made them make electric cars against their will. If you want to sell a car, you put a hot person in it and shoot them skidding at high speeds across desert plains. This was like trailer for a sequel to The Ring.
Three Cheap Recipes For DIY Windshield De-Icers
By 1.17.09
Throwing vinegar or alcohol on your frozen windshield might be more efficient than hacking away with an ice scraper and cursing the snow, according to Wisebread. Inside, three easy do-it-yourself de-icing recipes that are sure to make those frigid mornings a little more bearable.
Cars: Is It Worth It To Buy American?
By 12.24.08
Should consumers snap up some of the best deals ever on American-made cars, or is there no price low enough to encourage buying from a business so close to ending it all?
Zombie Trade-Ins! When The Dealership Goes Under, Your Old Cars Come Back To Haunt You
By 12.4.08
Meet Christine O’Kelly. She just bought a new Kia and traded in her old car. Kia of La Quinta, California sold her a new Sorento and offered her $4,000 for her trade-in. They then took the other $4,000 she owed on her old car and rolled it into the new loan. That was in October. Now she’s getting calls from former employees of the now out-of-business dealership — telling her that she is still responsible for the trade-in and had better come pick it up.
GM's Prez Begs Customers To Plead On GM's Behalf
By 11.18.08
Consumerist reader Darkrose writes, “I just got this in my e-mail. Thought you guys might be interested in it.” In the email, GM’s president Troy Clarke is in high PR mode, pointing out the grave consequences and emphasizing that GM wants not “a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.” We thought other readers who aren’t GM customers would find it interesting.
Car Title Loans Are Liable To Leave You Taking The Bus
By 10.8.08
You surely already know better, because you’re a loyal Consumerist reader, but stay far, far away from the form of legalized usury known as car title loans! CNN has published an overview of the industry, noting that APRs frequently exceed 200%, and that added fees and loan “rollover” options help keep borrowers in a cycle of debt.
Chairman Of Advantage Rent-A-Car Investigates 49-Day Repair Claim, Waives It
By 9.11.08
Earlier this summer, we wrote about how Paul was being gouged by Advantage Rent-A-Car on repairs that had to be made after his rental was damaged in a hit and run. Paul was willing to pay the repairs on the vehicle, but Advantage wanted almost double the amount. After we posted his story, Paul was able to get in touch with a higher-up at Advantage who passed him along directly to the Chairman. Here’s what happened.
Washington Considering $25 Billion Loan Handout For U.S. Auto Makers
By 9.9.08
What do you do when your industry starts to go belly up and you can’t make enough revenue to stay afloat? If you’re a short-sighted U.S. auto maker, you beg the government for $25-50 billion in immediate, low-interest loans in order to retool your plants, so you can start producing the hybrid cars you should have been planning years ago.
10 Cheapest Cars To Drive
By 8.26.08
Hybrids are all the rage right now but fuel costs aren’t the only thing you should be thinking about. After taking into account repairs, maintenance, and financing, these 10 cars offer great deals.
Maybe GM Can't Sell Cars Because Its Dealerships Won't Sell Them
By 8.21.08
Consumerist reader Chris decided to take advantage of GM’s please-buy-a-car Employee Discount sale that we wrote about yesterday, so he headed off to two different dealerships in the NY/NJ area. What he found were deserted showrooms with salesmen who ignored him or argued with him over the existence of specific models he’d looked at online. He adds, “tonight I’m off to Toyota for some hard numbers on a Corolla and Camry.”
GM's 'Employee Pricing' Sales Mean Big Discounts On Cars Right Now
By 8.20.08
GM is desperate to boost its sales this month, so the company is offering some steep discounts under its “Employee Pricing” sale. The car blog KickingTires is covering the discounts and points out that “almost all of the prices are around 10% off, which is big in terms of car sales.” For example, you can save $9,000 on a Hummer H3. Of course, you’ll spend that much on gas for it in the first week, but there are other options as well, like Saturns, Chevys, and even the 2008 Corvette Z06 (which we mention separately because KickingTires says powerful sports cars are usually exempt from this sort of sale, but not this time).
When Does It Make Financial Sense To Downsize Your Car?
By 6.17.08
Over at Consumer Reports they’ve been running the numbers, trying to figure out when it makes financial sense to downsize into a more fuel efficient car.
