The final pieces of Volkswagen’s efforts to put the “Dieselgate” scandal behind it are beginning to fall into place, as a judge approved yet another billion-dollar settlement from the carmaker, this time relating to compensating dealers affected by the carmaker’s decision to equip more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” used to skirt emission standards. [More]
dealers
VW Reaches Tentative Agreement To Compensate Dealers For Dirty Diesels
By 8.25.16
Volkswagen took another step in putting that whole “Dieselgate” thing behind it Thursday, filing a settlement agreement that would compensate dealers affected by the carmaker’s decision to equip more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” used to skirt emission standards. [More]
Volkswagen May Compensate Dealers Over Diesel Emissions Scandal
By 7.18.16
Last month, Volkswagen agreed to compensate owners of more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” used to skirt emission standards. Now, the carmaker is reportedly promising to also make it up to dealers affected by the scandal through an unspecified restitution plan. [More]
New Policy Means AutoNation Won’t Sell Vehicles With Open Safety Recalls
By 9.8.15
Although there is no specific federal law prohibiting used car dealers to sell recalled vehicles, nearly a year ago AutoNation – one of the nation’s largest pre-owned vehicle dealers – suspended the sale of cars with potentially deadly Takata airbag defects. Now, the company plans to take things a bit further, announcing it will no longer sell any vehicle that has an open safety recall. [More]
Ford Orders Dealers To Stop Selling New Edge Vehicles Over Leaks
By 7.14.15
It’s not often that a car manufacturer tells dealers to stop selling a certain model, but that’s exactly what Ford Motor Company has done with the new 2015 Edge, after finding out the vehicles can leak water. [More]
RadioShack Franchisees Don’t Want Surprises In Corporate Bankruptcy
By 3.17.15 — Updated: 5.30.17
RadioShack has declared bankruptcy and plans to liquidate, closing or maybe continuing to exist in a co-branded venture with Sprint. However, there are about 700 RadioShack stores that are doing okay. These stores are dealers and franchisees, stores that carry RadioShack merchandise and perhaps their brand, but might sell other merchandise too. The bankruptcy of RadioShack has some terrible effects on these merchants, and they’re working together to make sure that they aren’t hurt as parts of RadioShack are sold off. [More]
Chrysler Warns Consumers About Their Own Shady Hellcat Dealers
By 3.2.15
You may have heard that Chrysler debuted new supercharged, high-powered Charger and Challenger vehicles known as the Hellcat earlier this year. The limited-edition muscle car is already in high demand with consumers, but with such popularity comes concerns about shady behavior on the market. [More]
Epic Toyota Cluster#$@% Continues: Repair Kits Shipping To Dealers
By 2.1.10
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 10.13.09
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 9.8.09
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 6.28.09
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 5.27.09
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 5.15.09
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 4.30.09
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 11.20.08
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 10.28.08
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 9.22.08
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 3.23.08
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.
