Back in the early ’00s, I saw Smart cars zipping around my neighborhood in France and thought, “Europe is so weird! They’d never sell those in the US.” But I was wrong. And the relative success of tiny cars like the Mini Cooper and, the Smart fortwo has led to the inevitable. The world’s cheapest car, India’s Tata Nano, is coming to America and Europe in about three years. [More]
cars
Ford Doing Well. Chrysler… Yeah, Not So Much.
By 1.5.10
So after sucking for quite a while, Ford ended the year with higher sales, says the NYT. Meanwhile, Chrysler still sucks. [More]
Cash For Clunkers Customers Entitled To More Cash
By 1.3.10
Some customers who purchased cars during the 2009 CARS rebate program, popularly known as Cash for Clunkers, were entitled to a portion of the scrap value of their old cars, in addition to the government rebate of $3,500 or $4,500. What? And the dealerships didn’t tell them? Gasp! [More]
U.S. Fidelis Stops Selling Useless Car Warranties
By 12.31.09
Remember US Fidelis, one of the nation’s leading companies in the useless auto warranty market? Since the company’s anti-consumer practices were uncovered this spring in a Today Show exposé, they haven’t been doing very well. The company has laid off over half of its employees, and now has stopped selling new service contracts altogether. [More]
Was Fatal Car Accident Caused By Stuck Toyota Accelerator?
By 12.27.09
Police in Southlake, Tex. are investigating whether a fatal automobile accident could have been caused by the same mechanical issue that led to the recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles and multiple fatal accidents in the U.S., including one involving a California Highway Patrol officer and his family. In the accident on Saturday morning, police say that the vehicle ran a stop sign, hit a tree and a fence, and drove into a pond. Two people were killed, and two were injured. [More]
In Praise Of Old Cars
By 12.22.09
Maybe someday when frugality takes over, beat-up 1988 Honda Accords will trump fresh-off-the-lot Porsches as four-wheeled sex symbols. Blogger Well-Heeled can envision such a future, hyping the money-saving virtues of hoopties. [More]
Spyker Makes One More Offer For Saab
By 12.20.09
Saab may not die after all! Spyker Cars made another offer yesterday, along with a proposal addressing the concerns that led GM to turn down their initial offer. [More]
Too Bad: Your Incinerated Belongings Are Not Zipcar's Problem (Updated!)
By 12.18.09
We have an update to this story, with a happy ending for everyone except for the ill-fated Mini Cooper.
Is John asking too much from Zipcar? He writes that he and his wife rented a Mini Cooper for a weekend trip. On their way home, their car first overheated, then burst into flames just minutes after they pulled over. The couple survived uninjured, but didn’t have time to get all of their belongings out of the car. Zipcar sent roadside assistance, reimbursed John and his wife for their car ride home, and gave them a credit good for another daylong car rental. However, the company will not cover any of their personal items destroyed in the fire.
Buy A New Car Without Getting Ripped Off
By 12.18.09
There is a rare breed of individual who enjoys shopping for a new car. Likening it to one of our last remaining instances of socially acceptable bare-knuckle-boxing, Rob Gruhl is one such person. He shares his tips for not getting screwed at the dealership in this fun and lively and short presentation. [More]
41% Of Sudden Acceleration Complaints Are Toyotas. That's A Lot.
By 12.7.09
Here’s a beauty contest you don’t want to win: 41% of the 2008 model safety complaints about “sudden acceleration” problems were for Toyota and Lexus models. That would be the same complaint lodged by that California family this summer when they crashed into a highway barrier at 120 mph when their loaner car wouldn’t stop speeding up, if they were still alive to make it. [More]
Toyota Will Shorten Recalled Vehicles' Gas Pedals
By 11.25.09
If your car is one of the 3.8 million Toyotas affected by the stuck gas pedal recall, soon you’ll put your driver’s side floor mat back in. Starting in December, Toyota will begin repairing the defect temporarily by removing 3/4″ from the bottom of the pedal. They’ll begin installing replacement pedals in April. [More]
Customer Finds Dead Mouse In Toyota
By 11.23.09
Greg was replacing the speakers in his 2003 Camry and uncovered a stinky little tomb in the rear of the car. He thinks it must have happened at the plant, but I can’t tell. Who wants to weigh in on whether the mouse tried to build a nest, or whether Toyota used mouse-enhanced stuffing on the assembly line? Oh, there are pics after the jump, but I made one of them less disturbing by adding a little sweater.
Man Gets Defective Mini Refunded With Awesome And Polite Letter
By 11.20.09
At first he thought it was an earthquake, being in California and all. Then Eric realized, no, it was his Mini Cooper that was violently shaking.
Warning Signs That Your Mechanic Is Scamming You
By 11.18.09
Mint has a great article on how to protect yourself from getting ripped off by a mechanic. First and foremost, read your car’s manual and learn what to ask for when you take it in. Just saying you need a tune up with a modern car flags you as an easy mark.
New York State Holds License Plate Fundraiser
By 11.15.09
As part of an attempt to make up a budget shortfall, New York State is holding a huge fundraiser. No, not a bake sale: starting in April 2010, the state is forcing all car and tractor-trailer owners in the state to buy new license plates when they renew their registrations. And not just any license plates. Ugly license plates.
How Epic Bureaucracy Led To GM's Doom
By 11.13.09
Have you ever wondered how a profit-seeking entity could have possibly produced the Pontiac Aztek? The answer lies in GM’s century-old bureaucracy. Like all good bureaucracies, it helped to stifle innovation, squash dissent, and perpetuate bad ideas.
Why Does The Federal Government Hate Truckasaurus?
By 11.12.09
Last night, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” addressed one of the crucial economic policy questions of our time: why do the Ivy League snobs in the Obama administration hate Truckasaurus so much? See, the Cash for Clunkers program thoughtlessly deprived demolition derbies and monster truck rallies of the elderly cars they need in order to remain totally awesome.
