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Skip the ripoff: Do small repairs yourself

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/skip-the-ripoff-do-small-repairs-yourself.html We probably all have horror stories about being taken advantage of at a dealership service department. While some car repairs should be left to the professionals, the fact of the matter is, it's often easier to do something yourself than you might think.Case in point: An overly zealous valet broke the window switch on my 2001 BMW 325Ci. I called around for repair estimates, and was quoted anywhere from $140 to more than $200  to fix it (one Los Angeles-area dealership wanted $145 just to "diagnose" the problem -- parts and labor were extra). The service advisers all left me with the impression that it was quite a laborious job, because "you can't just pop the window switch off and install a new one, you have to take off the entire center console."Instead of blindly believing their stories, I did some research online with the help of a friend to see just how difficult it would be to install the switch myself. Lo and behold, I found a priceless resource of how-to info for my car that seems to have been put together by one or more enthusiasts who just like working on their cars (the site is an unofficial collection of information and is not associated with the manufacturer). Turns out the job was as simple as popping off the shifter boot, removing four screws, lifting up the loose section of console and unplugging the old switch. And the entire console did not have to come off, contrary to what I'd been told. As for the part, I found it online from a few different places for about 50 bucks.  Installation was a snap, and thanks to careful research, I was able to replace the switch in about 15 minutes. And it cost me only a fraction of what the dealer would have charged -- never mind the time I would have been without my car.Of course, these circumstances were all specific to my car, but you'd be surprised what kind of information you can find -- and how much time and money you can save -- with just a little digging.Laura Burstein, Automotive Editor

Gas Prices Continue to Drive Industry and Market Shifts

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/gas-prices-continue-to-drive-industry-and-market-shifts.html Earlier this week, Honda announced that in August it would reduce production of the Odyssey and all-new Pilot at its Lincoln, AL plant. At the same time, they are looking to increase production of the hot selling Civic. Toyota will idle its Princeton, IN Tundra plant for three-months, starting in August. Sales of the Tundra dropped nearly 53% last month. Today, Ford will announce that they are going to retool three plants that had been producing SUV's and trucks. Production will shift from Navigators and Expeditions to more fuel efficient smaller cars. Ford is also investigating the possibility of reinventing the Mercury brand as a channel for many of Ford's well-regarded small (and fuel efficient) European models. Even with the recent drop in oil prices over the last week, it is clear that the cost of energy has had a fundamental impact on both consumers and the industry alike. With the notion of cheap oil likely a thing of the past, you can expect a continued shift to smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles. It is very expensive to idle a vehicle assembly plant. It is even more expensive to re-tool one. These announced production shifts and plant closures demonstrate that manufacturers believe that the shift to fuel-efficient vehicles is a long-term reality. Will higher fuel economy be a major influencing factor on your next vehicle purchase?

Dark Horses: Worthy Cars You Might Not Have Considered

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/dark-horses-worthy-cars-you-might-not-have-considered.html This is one of my favorite topics -- dark horses in the automotive world.  Cars that fly below the radar of the general public come car shopping time.  In the past, I've recommended a Pontiac Vibe to a friend looking for an economy car with some style and a large dose of functionality thanks to its space efficient design.  Car people know that the Vibe's a platform twin to the Toyota Matrix, and thus sports Toyota running gear and the solid reputation that brings.  The beauty of it is that chances are very good you'd get a new Vibe for less than an equivalent Matrix.  The Pontiac doesn't have the all-important Toyota name so discounts are typically higher for the Vibe.  On a recent business trip, I had a Chevy Impala rental car. Okay, not exactly my (or any driving enthusiast's) cup of 93 octane, but I'm not ashamed to say I grew to like the car.

Top 3 Teaser: Reputations Can Be Deceiving

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/top-3-teaser-reputations-can-be-deceiving.html     Quick -- name that interior! If you're not a complete car dork, the answer may surprise you. In fact, there are a lot of surprises in today's automotive marketplace if you look beyond the reputations of various brands and scrutinize their products closely. Want details? You're in luck. Edmunds.com's our name, and close scrutiny's our game. Tune in later on Friday for this week's Top 3 List, where we'll call out some automakers who are doing it right -- and some who are resting on their laurels and hoping you won't notice. Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

Chrysler Cancels Leases August 1 Through it's Financial Arm

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/chrysler-cancels-leases-august-1-through-its-financial-arm.html The 2008 Pacific is one of many Chrysler vehicles affected by declining residual values. Dealers are being told not to lease any Chrysler vehicles through its financial arm after August 1, sources report. The carmaker is trying to control losses as its lending institution, Chrysler Financial, struggles with $30 billion in debt. Declining values of SUVs and trucks, which Chrysler sells a large percentage of, have been worth less when they are turned in at the end of a lease. This translates to losses and increased debt. The company plans now to focus on convential financing. It is thought that current Chrysler lease holders it will be unaffected. However, going forward, those people who enjoy the flexibility of leasing (not to mention the tax break) will have to look elsewhere. Chrysler said it will continue to offer "lease cash" incentives that can be used to lease through other lending institutions.  Consumers who prefer to lease a Chrysler vehicle can still do so through other channels such as banks. A Chrysler spokesman told Edmunds he does not think this change will have a big impact on consumer behavior. An Edmunds analyst commented that Chrysler's move is not likely to be followed by Ford and GM because their fleets are more diversified. However, Ford yesterday announced it took a $2.1 billion hit in part by falling residuals of large vehicles. 

Weekly Top 3: Reputations vs. Reality

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/weekly-top-3-reputations-vs-reality.html Conventional wisdom can be a drag when it comes to car shopping. Many shoppers will settle on a particular brand because it has a reputation for this or that virtue, only to discover that the reality is rather different. Or maybe they'll go on believing in that mythical reputation, simply because no one's told them otherwise. That's where this week's Top 3 comes in. We're going to break it down for you -- three examples of brands that either deserve more credit or aren't living up to their reputations.

The End of the Oil Age? The Dawn of Electric Cars?

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/the-end-of-the-oil-age-the-dawn-of-electric-cars.html A Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid connects to a smart recharging station in San Jose. I felt that I was watching a turning point in history last week at the 2008 Plug-In Conference in San Jose last week. It seemed that, for the first time, electric cars were being viewed as the future of transportation. I know that we've had electric cars in the past. And everyone knows that electric cars are in development. But what I sensed was the death knell of the internal combustion engine, the beginning of the end of the oil age and the dawn of the electric car era. One sign that electric cars are really coming was evidence by the fact that both GM and Ford were well represented at the conference. And their attitude was vastly different that in the past. Up to now, talk of electric cars brought a condescending sneer from Detroiters, the kind of look that should be accompanied by a snarled remark: "Keep dreaming."

Commentary: Why I Think Chrysler Is Dropping Leasing

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/commentary-why-i-think-chrysler-is-dropping-leasing.html As Phil reported on Friday, Chrysler will no longer lease vehicles through its captive finance arm, beginning in August. Truck product-heavy Chrysler claims that they are losing too much money on vehicles as they return from leases, especially in light of the recent market shift away from gas-guzzling trucks and SUV's. I am not buying that reason and I think the real reason is something much more profound and far-reaching than just depressed resale value. Find out what that reason is after the jump.

Incentives Extended -- But You Have to Know Someone

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/incentives-extended----but-you-have-to-know-someone.html Chrysler is reaching farther to get buyers by extending 0 percent APR financing to other vehicles such as the Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. The low-interest financing is even being offered to buyers with less than perfect credit, according to information from Chrysler. Not to be out done, GM is offering all their U.S. employees a one-time opportunity to extend their employee discount to anyone they choose now until the end of July. Not only that, but this employee discount is "Option 1" which is the strongest discount offered, substantially below invoice. The GM offer is not something we can post on our Latest Incentives page. However, here's more information about Chrysler's low interesting financing. With gas prices retreating below $4.00, America is "about to be told the problem is solved," a friend of mine said today. Anyone think that gas prices will keep falling and car sales will rebound?

Beyond the Groucho Glasses: How Car Companies Disguise Their New Vehicles

- posted: 02.08.08
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/07/beyond-the-groucho-glasses-how-car-companies-disguise-their-new-vehicles.html Before an all-new vehicle arrives in dealer showrooms near you, before pre-production models are driven by drooling and/or jaded automotive journalists at "first drive events," before the cars we buy ever make it to a single auto show, they have to be test-driven, a lot. Much of this testing can be completed at private, secluded "proving grounds" -- testing facilities with various road surfaces and track types that can simulate many different driving conditions and scenarios. But there are times when real-world on-road testing is necessary. In that case, car designers and engineers must take their vehicles to the streets and highways, but they must do so with the cars in disguise, which is where professionals like General Motors camouflage engineer Lionel Perkins come in. It's the job of Perkins (who's featured in that video up there) and his colleagues to do everything they can to obscure the actual shape of the vehicles using fabric, foam and wild graphics so that lurking paparazzi and everyday citizens out on the road won't recognize that 2010 Honda Hybrid sedan or 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible under there. So the next time a strangely draped sedan slinks by you on the highway, don't feel too bad if you can't get a good look at it. That's just Lionel doing his job. (Bonus points for anyone who can guess what car that is in the video.)

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