General Motors knows July and August will be important months for Chevrolet, as it’s the time when many vehicles make the switch from 2012 models to 2013 models. That’s why the company is rolling out two new plans to try and bring customers to its dealerships, including a no-haggle pricing plan and a 60-day return policy on certain vehicles. [More]
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GM Recalls 475K Chevy Cruze Vehicles Over Fire Risk
By 6.22.12
As we mentioned back in April, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration had launched an investigation into the cause of fires in two Chevy Cruze vehicles. Today, General Motors announced a recall of more than 475,000 Cruze cars for safety modifications intended to prevent engine fires. [More]
GM Says It'll Pass On Advertising On TV During The Super Bowl
By 5.18.12
First General Motors was all like, “Facebook advertising? That’s for nerds, it doesn’t work!” and now the automaker has announced it’s not going to go for Super Bowl ads in 2013, either. [More]
GM Says Facebook Ads Don't Work
By 5.15.12
GM spends about $40 million dollars on its Facebook presence, but only $10 million of that goes to Facebook itself, in the form of ads. Unfortunately for Facebook, it turns out that their cut will soon be zero. [More]
Sirius XM: Two Companies With Single Mission To Confuse Customers
By 4.11.12
When satellite radio providers Sirius and XM merged almost half a decade ago, consumers and regulators feared that the combined company would begin to act like a fearsome monopoly with a stranglehold on the entire satellite radio market. Not quite. They’re still acting as separate companies working together to confuse the hell out of their customers. Emily’s family are longtime XM subscribers who bought a car with a Sirius receiver, assuming that since it’s all the same company, the services are interchangeable. No, not even close. [More]
Treasury Freezes Compensation For Top AIG, Ally, GM Executives
By 4.6.12
While a majority of the American corporations that received “exceptional” bailout assistance form the Troubled Asset Relief Program, there are still three businesses — AIG, Ally Financial (you may know it by its pre-bust name of GMAC), and General Motors — remaining. Today, Treasury Dept. announced that the Acting Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation has determined that the top executives at this trio of companies will not get a pay raise in 2012. [More]
U.S. Car Buyers Seeing Less Difference Between Car Brands
By 1.24.12
Not so long ago, saying the name of any of the top car brands — Toyota, Chevy, Ford, Honda, etc — conjured up very distinct associated images and preconceptions, especially when compared to the smaller and newer brands on the market. But it looks like that line between champs and challengers is blurring as consumers re-think what they prize in an automobile. [More]
NHTSA Says Don't Worry About Your Chevy Volt Erupting Into Flames More Than Other Cars
By 1.23.12
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is shutting the books on its recent safety investigation into Chevrolet Volt battery packs when a few erupted into flames after crash tests. The verdict: Chevy Volts are just as likely to explode as any other cars. [More]
OnStar Working With Verizon To Bring 4G LTE To Your Car
By 1.9.12
Last year, OnStar used its platform at the Consumer Electronics Show to announce that it was finally going to make its service available for installation in vehicles that were not made by General Motors. This year, the company showed it wants to branch out from its established position in the crash-response/locked-out-of-my-car industry by announcing a partnership with Verizon Wireless that could be bringing all sorts of other content to your car via 4G LTE. [More]
Saab's Money Struggles Finally Lead It To File For Bankruptcy
By 12.19.11
After trying for months to be the little Swedish car company that could, Saab has given in and filed for bankruptcy amid long-standing money problems. The trouble started last March, and the company stopped making vehicles in April. [More]
Automakers Getting Rid Of Spares To Cut Costs, Reduce Weight
By 11.9.11
Hey buddy, can you spare, a spare? That’s what some stranded motorists find themselves asking AAA when they pull over and discover that the spare tire, once standard, has become optional. [More]
The Electric Car Gets Its Revenge
By 10.14.11
Last night I caught an advance screening of a new documentary, “Revenge of the Electric Car.” It’s by the same director who did “Who Killed The Electric Car?” except this story ends in triumph instead of tragedy. [More]
GM Introduces First Front-Center Air Bag
By 9.29.11
In an effort to protect folks in the front seat during side impact crashes, General Motors announced earlier today that it plans to introduce the industry’s first front-center air bag in three of its vehicles starting with model year 2013. [More]
OnStar Scraps Plans To Track Your Car After You Quit Service
By 9.27.11
Less than a week after it was revealed that OnStar was going to change its Terms and Conditions statement to allow the service to keep tracking customers’ vehicles even after they cancel their subscription, the company has bowed to the massive negative reaction and decided to, uh, not do that. [More]
OnStar Says Not To Worry About It Tracking Your Car Even After You Cancel It
By 9.26.11
Last week, OnStar raised some eyebrows when they emailed their customers to say that the company will tracking their car even after they canceled service. They then followed up with an emailed statement to the press to let everyone know they’re not bad guys. [More]
GM Recalls 16,000 2012 Chevy Impala & Buick LaCrosse Vehicles
By 8.12.11
It isn’t even 2012 yet but General Motors is already recalling nearly 12,000 model year 2012 Chevrolet Impalas and more than 4,000 new Buick Lacrosse cars, each for different reasons. [More]
Car Dealerships Adding Cafes, Beauty Salons & Other Gimmicks To Give Customers Something Different
By 7.14.11
In an attempt to rid U.S. consumers of the idea that domestic car dealerships are dreary, antiquated places with only a pot of burnt coffee to keep you awake while you wait in uncomfortable chairs, a growing number of car sellers are sprucing up their showrooms to keep potential buyers from running across the street to the cooler looking import lot. [More]
GM Giving Out 1 Free Year Of Auto Insurance With New Car Purchase
By 7.7.11
To try to lure customers back into the dealership, GM is trying out a novel idea. They’re giving new car buyers a free year of car insurance with their purchase. [More]
