It used to be that your new car came with two infotainment systems: a radio and a tape or CD player. (8-tracks were briefly a thing, too, though record players in cars didn’t quite catch on.) Now even basic-model cars come with complex infotainment systems, but they also come with a catch: subscriptions to services that you’ll have to renew if you decide to keep them. [More]
car buying
Cheap Gas Makes Car-Buyers Lose Their Short-Term Memory
By 9.17.15
It wasn’t that long ago that Americans were sneering at SUVs and clamoring for compact, hybrid, and compact hybrid cars. That was years ago, though, and you can’t expect adults to remember things that happened during the period that they’ve owned their current car. That’s why shoppers now aren’t giving much thought to fuel economy. [More]
Lexus Will Experiment With No-Haggle Car Pricing
By 8.5.15
Would no-haggle car pricing make the car-buying process more pleasant, and make you feel more warm and cuddly toward car dealers and toward the brand? Lexus apparently hopes so, and they plan to test this kind of pricing at a dozen of their dealerships. [More]
FTC’s Auto Industry Crackdown Includes Deceptive Advertising, Fraudulent Add-Ons & Improper Loan Modifications
By 3.26.15
A two-country crackdown on auto dealers’ deceptive, fraudulent practices culminated in six enforcement actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission resulting in more than $2.6 million in judgements and consumer refunds. [More]
Buy Your First Car
By 11.24.10
Never bought a car before? Here’s a good guide that covers the basics, from going into the dealership with your price beforehand, the importance of doing all your researcher and resources for doing so, and the best tactic of all: always be prepared to walk away from a bad deal. [More]
