Seeing Double: Look Alike Cars
When you look at the cars from Detroit Chevrolet Dealerships and compare them to American competitor Ford, it is like you are going to see some similarities. That is because auto engineers are running out of designs and so they are copying one another. That might be a far stretch, but think about how many CEOs have worked at more than one auto brand; you don’t think that carries through to the design and production of current models? What about the cars from Philadelphia Dodge Dealerships? They have started to design their cars on cars from 40 years ago! At least no matter what kind of car you drive, you can always seek repairs at Collision Center Reading.
Here is another prime example. The new boxy car look is trying to take off, but some cars are making the design work while others are just failing. We might have to give credit to Scion with their xB design. The square shape is supposed to hold more cargo, but part of us really thinks it is an attempt to stand out in a crowd. The problem here for Scion is that Nissan and Kia have mimicked their boxy design, but they might be making a higher quality product. That really comes down to personal preference, but Scion sales are decreasing while Kia sales are soaring.
When you look at the Nissan Cube, you see a lot of similarities. The same shape rear pillars, comparable cargo room, and the obvious marketing aim at the youth. Kia was even more blatant with their media advertising, putting the Soul on Facebook, creating the hamster commercials, and sponsoring concerts with trendy Vans shoes. No one can really tell if this shape is going to work for long in the auto world, but we do know that we would like to see a bit more originality.
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Imports Beat Americans in Reliability Reports
Americans spend a lot of money when they purchase a new vehicle from Morton Chevrolet Dealers, and they should be getting a high level of quality for their money. That is starting to become more of the case, according to Consumer Reports and their reliability surveys. When it comes to American auto brands, the Lincoln Electric Service in Vineland supplies vehicles from Ford Motor Company, which has the highest ratings of the three Detroit names. With all that being said, the highest satisfaction ratings still come from import owners like Honda, Toyota, and even some of the Volvo Discounts Manchester. So what is it about some brands that are leaving consumers wanting more from their vehicle?
Out of 27 brands that Consumer Reports put into their rankings, Chrysler came in dead last. Their vehicle family includes Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Mopar, and soon Fiat will be added to that list. Other American brand, Ford Motor Company, has earned their spot at number 10 on the list but they are also the highest ranking American brand. Their quality is evident in their Fusion, Taurus, and F-150 vehicles. Even GM is moving up in the world, and Chevrolet is now ranked 17. With the success of their Equinox and Traverse, their ratings should continue to increase.
Nonetheless, the highest ratings still go to import brands. The bargain priced Scion, a branch of Toyota, ranked number one for all categories overall. Toyota earned a number six spot on the ranking list and Lexus took ninth place. Despite all of their bad press from recall after recall after recall, people who own a Toyota vehicle are still pleased with it. There is inherent peace of mind knowing that your car is going to last longer than you need it to. So kudos are in order for the import brands, and American auto engineers need to keep working harder than ever.
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Why Do Hybrids Cost So Much?
Why is it that the good and healthy things in life cost more than they should? There is always Rowe Auburn Ford Financing available when you are in the market for a new car, but the fact that the more environmentally hybrid choice costs so much more is frustrating. When hybrids were first released, there were plenty of government incentives to help lower the cost. But now that electric cars are popping up at places like Aiken Chevrolet Dealers, the government help has changed their tune. Now, you can get plenty of financial assistance if you purchase an electric vehicle, but if you still want to go with a traditional hybrid, you are on your own.
Many consumers are thankful that there are Portland Bad Credit Auto Loan programs in existence. The surprising thing here is that hybrid prices haven’t come down all that much, it any at all. The new Toyota Prius will cost you between $22,800 and $28,070, and that price range doesn’t include all the optional features you can upgrade to. The saving grace here is that hybrid vehicles retain their resale value exceptionally well. But, the question still remains, why are hybrid vehicles priced so high in the first place?
Consumers purchase hybrid vehicles because they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. It is hard to stay motivated to do that when you can pick up a little four cylinder car for a lot less money and still get the same, if not better, fuel economy ratings than the hybrid vehicles. Many shoppers are after a hybrid because they are under the impression that the amount of money they save in gas will help pay for the vehicle over the life of the vehicle. This is true, but you have to drive the hybrid for ten to sixteen years before breaking even. How many people keep their cars for that long anymore these days?
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Car Controls Too Technical?
We may have the new technology features found on the cars at Kansas City Ford to blame for how confusing the controls have become on vehicles today. Sure, the hands-free technology that SYNC and Bluetooth provide have been instrumental in reducing the amounts of highway crash fatalities, but we have to wonder if they are now causing more than they are preventing. When you look at the new cars found at Minneapolis Toyota, you will be impressed with how technologically savvy they have become over the years.
Auto industry growth is an every changing beast, and the new and improved reputation of the vehicles at Boston Hyundai are living proof of that. As drivers become increasingly familiar with the features that they can come to expect on models, the auto brand reputation will increase as well. But as auto engineers and designers continue to try to win first place among all the competition, perhaps they are losing sight of what really works and what really doesn’t. Some of the new technology and design features are just too high tech to even be practical.
Some people refer to this whole topic as ergonomics; yes, the same thing technicians try to improve at your computer work station so that your body is in proper alignment. Car designers do the same thing. For years the speedometer and instrument panel was directly in front of the driver. Then, Saturn tried placing it at the center of the vehicle to be more in-line with the rearview mirror. It must not have been too popular because we still see cars with the instrument panel in its tried and true position. What is more frustrating is trying to learn how to use all the features of your new vehicle. It takes a week just to get through the owner’s manual to figure out how to sync your phone with the Bluetooth feature. Then you have the touch screen navigation to try to figure out; what is intuitive to one person might mean something completely different to another.
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Used Cars to Walk Away From!
When you are in the market for a used car, you are usually doing so to save money. Sadly, not all the vehicles that have been produced in the last decade or so are up to current standards. Consumer Reports is a trusted resource that reviews and researches products so that consumers can make informed decisions. If you want to pick up a used car from Ford Richmond, you are probably going to get a great deal. Ford’s overall quality has significantly improved over the last decade and they don’t have any blaringly obvious models you should avoid. However, some of the vehicles from Chevrolet Minneapolis over the years haven’t been as great.
Consumer Reports looked at vehicle reliability for vehicles that were produced from 1999 through 2008. The vehicles from Dodge Reading all got decent reviews with the exception of the all-wheel drive versions of the Grand Caravan. You will want to stay away from the Chevy Blazer, Uplander, and Venture, all three of which are no longer in production. The smaller trucks that offered four-wheel drive like the S-10 and Colorado also weren’t rated very high in terms of reliability. General Motors had a few other models on the list, ranging from the Buick Rendezvous to the Saturn Relay to the Pontiac Aztek, G6, and Montana.
Import brands weren’t exempt from criticism. While Volkswagen is usually known for producing high quality vehicles, that reputation might be based on more recent data. The V6 versions of the Passat and Jetta haven’t held up over time, nor has the Cabrio or Toureg. Surprisingly enough, as much heat as Kia has taken for being a less expensive and less quality version of Honda and Toyota, only the Kia Sedona made the list of used cars to avoid.
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Annoying Driver Habits.
Sure, this article really has little to do with the actual cars from Honda Hattiesburg, but rather how people in this country drive them around town! This is a challenge to auto makers to find ways to improve their vehicles so that people behind the wheels are better drivers. Right now there are functions on some of the cars from St. Petersburg Chevy Dealer that will actually parallel park your car for you! That definitely is a plus for those of us that are spatially challenged, but what can we do about other drivers who have misplaced their driving manners?
Try and think back to driver’s education and one of the first things you learned to do consistently was use your turn signal. Think of those really new and young drivers that even use their turn signal in parking lots or when they are going around a natural curve in the road! But, as time goes on, people become more and more complacent and comfortable behind the wheel of their car from Dodge Washington that they fail to use their signals when they should. How annoying! On the flip side, it is just as annoying when someone forgets to turn their turn signal off and you are stuck behind them for 50 miles on the freeway. We are unaware of a way to indicate to someone they have forgotten to turn off their signal, and some cars will alert drivers if their turn signal has been on too long.
Another obnoxious trait that many drivers have come to think is all right is blaring your music so that the cemetery residents think its too loud. There is no reason that when at a stop light that the car next to you is vibrating and the passengers are holding their ears in agony. Simple solution: remove some sub-woofers and speakers, and possibly you won’t need hearing aids later in life!
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Owner’s Manual: More Than A Book!
As a consumer, it can be incredibly frustrating to go and get your car serviced at Acura Washington DC following a rude customer. Chances are that the person who is going to help you now is not in their best mood and you get the remnants of whatever shreds of patience they have left. Sure, we have all been frustrated as consumers, whether it is from the number we were quoted at Bad credit car loans or the overall customer service we got (or didn’t get) from a business around town. Just like people are blaming the current economic standing of our country on just about anything, from people having too much debt to the war to politics to faulty mortgages to corporate misconduct, people will blame their negative experience at a car dealership on anyone and everyone but themselves.
When you buy a new car from Lexus Washington DC, or even a used model, it is going to come with an incredibly informative booklet in the glove box. It is called the “Owner’s Manual.” That’s right, when you take ownership of a vehicle, you will need to know how to care for that vehicle. Auto makers have yet to come up with a vehicle that reminds you of all the service maintenance needed or a “help” function built into the in-dash navigation. As technological as our cars are becoming, there are a lot of features that you simply need the manual to figure out.
This is especially helpful for the elderly population. It is not their fault that technology advanced too quickly past them, but now they need assistance keeping up. I think back to the last time I was in a dealership and there was an elderly gentleman at the counter complaining that the garage door sync feature of his brand new vehicle didn’t work, nor did the cruise control, nor did the keyless entry. I give kudos to the professionalism of the staff who took the gentleman aside and explained everything to him and then directed him to his owner’s manual for further guidance. Story made short: use your manual rather than frustrating the customer service people!
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Hidden Costs in Compact Cars!
When you are in the market for a new car, you might find yourself heading over to Bradenton Used Cars in hopes of finding a great deal. You could always check out the great inventory of small cars from your local Volkswagen dealer, plus their hybrid and diesel engine models have great fuel efficiency. There is nothing more frustrating as a consumer than thinking you can spend about $15,000 on a compact car because that is the advertised price and then you show up at the dealership and all the prices are starting at about $19,000. Where did that extra $4,000 come from? Well, Cleveland Honda and other Honda dealerships have been doing it for years with their Honda Civic. Sure, the base MSRP is only $15,455, but the average selling price of a Civic is closer to $18,500.
Because the Civic comes with so many engine and trim level choices, dealerships don’t always carry a base model. Plus, Honda is known for keeping their base models pretty sparse. You can get a fully loaded Civic EX-L including navigation for $23,805. That isn’t an outrageous price for what you are getting, but when the commercials on TV are saying something in the market of $15,000, that is an $8,000 difference.
Possibly the worst compact car at the price switch is the Subaru Impreza. Its base MSRP is only $17,495 but some buyers get tricked into the STI performance version which will set you back about $34,995. According to Edmunds, the Impreza usually sells for about $21,136; still, a long way from $17,495.
The Toyota Prius is going to drain your pocket book, but only if you let it. It is an incredibly affordable hybrid, with a starting MSRP of $22,800. But if you want to get the best Prius you can get, it will cost you about $36,000. Keep in mind though that the luxury and amenities you will have purchased will rival that of a BMW.
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Poor Visibility, Poor Design: Part 2
From our earlier article, we know that the Malibu from Charlotte Chevy Dealer not only has great crash safety test ratings, but the windows are large enough that you can adequately see out from them. While it is annoying that drivers have to take all this into consideration before even purchasing a vehicle and we should be able to trust the auto designers and engineers to make safe and drivable vehicles, the fact of the matter is, some consumers prefer stylish exterior finishes to safe and practical designs. Other things you need to watch out for when you are taking advantage of VW Deals is how much your windshield slopes, which can impair your vision and create blindspots. Also, check out the Ford Flex from Ford Greenfield; their headrest design has been praised by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Backseat headrests have gotten larger and larger over time. If you remember cars from the 1960s, the backseat bench seats lacked headrests and seatbelts! But they were also made of super strong steel and highway speeds were not anywhere near the high speeds they are today. Headrests are synonymous with the term head restraints and that is because that is what they are designed to do. The IIHS suggests that larger headrests were mandated to catch the head during an accident and prevent neck injuries. The IIHS says that in addition to the aforementioned Ford Flex, the Honda Civic, Saab 9-3, Subaru Impreza, Subaru Legacy, Mercury Sable, and Hyundai Entourage all have great backseat headrest designs.
Not only do you need to be cautious of the rear windshield pillars but the front windshield pillars can pose visibility impairment problems as well. These pillars are termed A-pillars, and they seem to be larger than normal on the new hybrid models; examples are the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. These new fuel efficient designs have made their front windshields incredibly aerodynamic to improve the fuel economy as much as possible! When buyers will choose a vehicle with the highest fuel economy rating, even if it is just 1-2 mpg difference, engineers are doing whatever it takes to get the best rating.
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Poor Visibility, Poor Designs: Part 1
Choosing a new vehicle is tough enough with how many choices are out on the market today. As consumers, we put a big amount of faith in Ford Philadelphia and other auto manufacturers that they make safe vehicles for us to drive. Well, the VW Deals going on really are a great deal because several of their cars have received the highest crash test rating you can get. But what about some of the features of a vehicle that don’t lessen your chances of getting into an accident? We are talking about visibility issues, here! Make sure on your test drive at Cincinnati Used Cars you check out all the blind spots and take note of the following issues so you get yourself into a safe car!
Think of when you are driving, how much you rely on your mirrors. Especially people who drive big trucks or trucks with canopies on the back; you pretty much have to use your mirrors to avoid backing into something. A lot of consumers write in to trusted auto experts at Edmunds complaining that their rearview and side mirrors are too small. As drivers, we can do our part to correct this problem by properly adjusting your mirrors whenever you get into the vehicle. And, if you adjust your seat, then you probably need to adjust all your mirrors!
Another common complaint is how small some of the windows are in your vehicle. If you have ever sat in a Toyota FJ Cruiser, you will know what we are talking about (see picture above)! Auto engineers have the difficult task of creating a structurally sound vehicle that you can visually see out of. The main concern is rollover accidents; a piece of metal is going to protect you better than excess windows. That piece of metal surrounding the back windshield is known as a pillar. Larger pillars are needed for vehicles with a high rollover risk. Some good choices for visibility include the Toyota Sienna, Subaru Forester, Chevy Malibu, and Dodge Caravan.
