Category Archives: Auto Industry News

Ford, Nissan announce production changes

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

As part of the continuing fallout from the Japanese earthquake, both Ford and Nissan have announced changes to production at some of their major plants

Ford has announced that it will be halting production at its Louisville, Kentucky, manufacturing plant, which primarily builds "Super Duty" pickup trucks, as well as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. The automaker said it was partially tied to supply chain issues due to the earthquake in Japan, but it declined to state which parts it was waiting on. A sales analyst for Ford told Reuters that the decision wasn't solely tied to the disaster, however. With rising gas prices, large SUVs and pickup trucks are in less demand and Ford anticipates that it won't need as many as originally thought.

Nissan, meanwhile, is addressing the issue by adjusting its schedule. The automaker assigns "non-production" days to factories every year. Rather than take those days later on in the year, they have been moved into the present. This way, Nissan can make up the production at a later date if need be.

With less new vehicles out on the market, demand could spike in the coming month. Fortunately, the used car market is unaffected by these developments, so those who shop New Jersey State Auto Auction will still be able to find great deals as always.

Top cars for the month of March

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

The month of March is in the books, and most of the major automakers have reported their sales totals. So which cars were the best sellers throughout the month?

Despite all the talk of drivers switching to smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles thanks to the higher gas prices, Americans still love their pickup trucks. The Ford F-Series was easily the best seller for a month that also saw Ford as the best selling brand. In fact, the F-Series outpaced the second-place vehicle, the Honda Accord, by nearly 20,000 units. Sales for the pickup were up 23 percent year-on-year. Although it is a truck, Ford's new powertrains for the vehicle give it a significant boost in fuel economy, which may have helped it outsell the Chevrolet Silverado, the third best-selling car for March.

The Hyundai Sonata was able to get on the list in the tenth spot, selling a whopping 64 percent more than the previous year. Mainstays like the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and Honda Civic took up most of the middle slots.

In many cases, these are vehicles that have not seen significant improvements in recent years. That means drivers can essentially be getting the same vehicle for a lot less money by shopping used car dealerships like New Jersey State Auto Auction.

Chrysler may delay IPO until 2012

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Posted in Auto Industry News

After the U.S. government was forced to bail out both Chrysler and General Motors during the economic downturn, all eyes have been on the two companies to determine when they'll be paying the U.S. Treasury Department back. GM repaid much of the money invested in it with its recent IPO, and many analysts assumed Chrysler would be soon to follow.

Yet things aren't quite that simple at Chrysler, which is now owned by the Italian automaker Fiat. CEO Sergio Marchionne previously said an IPO would be in the works for later this year, but recent comments seem to suggest that the company may hold off until 2012.

Fiat holds a 25 percent stake in the automaker, while the United Auto Workers health care fund owns approximately 63 percent. Over time, Marchionne hopes to slowly increase his company's share in the automaker until it reaches 51 percent. Then, he wants to pay off nearly $7 billion in loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments.

This new timetable has caused many to believe that Marchionne is actually planning to hold off on the IPO this year and instead push it back to 2012.

Drivers interested in a Chrysler or any other vehicle may want to consider New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide variety of cars for sale at affordable prices.

Hyundai ends job-loss protection

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Hyundai

Hyundai is dropping its job-loss guarantee program, which gained national attention during the economic downturn, in a sign that the nation may finally begin to recover from the sky-high unemployment numbers of the past few years.

The South Korean automaker introduced the Hyundai Assurance plan in January of 2009, according to the Detroit Free Press. Essentially, the automaker felt that many buyers were ready to make a purchase on a vehicle, but were worried about their job security in the tough economy. So Hyundai offered drivers an escape clause. If they financed or leased a vehicle and then lost their job within the first year of owning the car, Hyundai would take the vehicle back and the driver would be free of their financial obligation.

It's tough to quantify how many people ended up buying a car because of the guarantee, but analysts say that the Assurance program at least partially accounted for the strong sales that Hyundai showed even during the economic downturn. Hyundai says that it ultimately took cars back from 350 people who lost their job.

Now, however, Hyundai says that not many people are taking advantage of the program, which the automaker says is a good sign.

"It's another small indication that things are getting a little bit better," spokesman Jim Trainor told the news source.

Drivers interested in a Hyundai or any other vehicle may want to consider New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of cars for sale. 

More Japanese automakers announce changes due to earthquake

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Toyota

More news seems to be coming in every day on the effects that the Japanese earthquake has had on automakers around the world, and analysts are still not sure quite how widespread the problems will be. However, recent word from the automakers involved seems to indicate that issues will continue for quite some time.

"We have no idea how bad this really is. The one thing I'm absolutely certain of is that everything is completely uncertain," Rebecca Lindland, veteran auto analyst at IHS Automotive, told USA Today.

Although the full extent of the complications may not be completely known, automakers have given some indication of what the future problems could be. Honda announced that it will be adjusting production levels at many of its North American factories, in some cases slashing hours in half. Subaru also announced that it will be cutting production at many plants.

Toyota, meanwhile, has said that workers should expect "some production interruptions" at the manufacturer's North American plants, although it has yet to make any official announcements. Still, the automaker took steps to address the shortage of critical parts that many manufacturers seem to be suffering from. Toyota has placed restrictions on dealers ordering parts for their repair shops, hoping to cut down on franchises panicking and "hoarding" parts.

With production levels down, it's possible dealers could be seeing vehicle shortages in the near future. Drivers planning on purchasing a vehicle may want to act sooner rather than later.
 

Honda issues recall for Odyssey due to window issue

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Posted in Auto Industry News

Drivers in the market for a vehicle should be sure to do research on all the latest auto safety news before making a decision, as cars are frequently recalled for a variety of problems.

The latest company to issue a recall on one of its vehicles is Honda. Most issues serious enough to warrant a recall typically involve the engine or critical parts beneath the car, but this recall, targeted at 2,800 units of the 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan, actually affects the windows.

According to the automaker, the issue seems to deal with the front windows on both the driver and passenger sides. Due to a power failure, the window can become inoperable or possibly even become stuck within the door. In some cases, the company says that the window can actually shatter, sending glass into the cabin. Although the company has not heard of any crashes or injuries due to this problem, it was enough to make Honda issue a recall for the affected vehicles.

Drivers considering purchasing a used Honda or any other vehicle may want to head to New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of cars for sale at affordable prices.
 

Japanese automakers recovering from earthquake effects

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Toyota

After the devastation of the March 11th earthquake forced many automakers to suspend production, speculation has run rampant over what the effects would be on the auto industry. Some analysts believe that the disaster will amount to nothing more than a minor hiccup, while others predicted some major shortages for popular models.

Several of the big-name Japanese automakers recently provided updates on their production schedules in the wake of the disaster. Toyota has announced that it will resume production on the Prius and two Lexus hybrid models based on the same platform, somewhat quelling fears of a shortage on the popular hybrid. The automaker predicts that some U.S. plants may have to shut down temporarily, however, as getting parts to the factories may be difficult.

Nissan, meanwhile, is telling its dealers to expect normal, routine service from the company. The automaker is taking orders for May as normal and doesn't anticipate any delays in the delivery of models. The company also says that most dealers have a healthy stock of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles already.

Honda is continuing to suspend production at its two major auto production plants through April 3rd, when it will reassess the situation.

Drivers in the market for a Toyota, Nissan, Honda or any other vehicle may want to shop at New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers various models from all of these brands at affordable prices.

Edmunds predicts Ford could overtake GM in March

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

The official sales total for March aren't actually in yet, but analysts are predicting Ford will end up the big winner when all is said and done.

General Motors has long been the king of U.S. auto sales, and its crosstown rival Ford has only been able to surpass GM once since 1998. The big moment for Ford came in February 2010, when both GM and Toyota, which occupied the top two spots for many years, were left reeling by a government bailout and recalls, respectively. Ford only held the title for a month before GM regained its footing.

Now, Edmunds.com reports that Ford may once again end up in the top spot. The company believes that GM's recent scaling back of incentives offered in January and February will allow Ford to slip by.

"GM seems to have pulled back on incentives in March and could suffer a sales hangover through the next few months, given that the company’s earlier offers have been quite generous and may have pulled ahead future sales," said Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell.

The website estimates that Ford's sales will grow by approximately 34 percent compared to February, while GM's will remain nearly even.

Drivers interested in a Ford or any other vehicle may want to visit New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of cars for sale at affordable prices.
 

Audi to utilize T-Mobile for new wireless system

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Posted in Audi, Auto Industry News

Audi will be partnering with T-Mobile for its new in-car wireless system, Connect, a feature that will be debuting with the A7 sedan in April.

Connect allows drivers to access a broad range of web-based services via a wireless network, which is where T-Mobile comes in. Much like a smartphone, drivers will be able to select a monthly data plan upon purchase of the car, although the luxury automaker will also offer a free six-month trial.

"The launch of Audi Connect is part of a foundational strategy to help Audi lead with first-to-market, cutting-edge connected services," said Johan de Nysschen, President of Audi of America. "We're looking forward to a productive relationship with T-Mobile USA as we give motorists and passengers the ability to access the most current information and enhance their enjoyment of their Audi vehicle."

AT&T's recent acquisition of T-Mobile for approximately $39 billion is not expected to affect the agreement between the two companies.

The new system will surely send drivers flocking to the new A7 sedan, but buyers should keep in mind that the older versions of the model are excellent cars as well. Those looking to score a deal on a used Audi may want to head to New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of new and used cars for sale at low prices.
 

Chevy Colorado will come to U.S.

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Chevrolet

Chevrolet has unveiled its new compact Colorado pickup truck ahead of its official debut at the Bangkok International Auto Show later this week, confirming that the model will be coming to the U.S. in the process.

The compact pickup truck, once a viable market segment, is all but dead in the U.S., as American buyers tend to prefer trucks that are large and in charge. However, after Ford announced that it will be making the Ranger for foreign markets only, Chevrolet appears primed to step into the vacuum and snatch up any consumers who still prefer the smaller trucks.

"There's a market for compact pickups in America," said Haykel Ammari, general manager of a Chevy dealership just outside Boston. "It may not be the biggest segment in the country, but there are drivers out there who need the versatility of a truck but don't need the fuel costs of a full-size model."

International demand for the models remains strong, which perhaps explains Chevrolet's decision to debut the truck in Thailand rather than the U.S. A version of the GMC Canyon based on the same platform of the Colorado is also rumored to be in the works, although it hasn't been confirmed yet for U.S. shores.

Drivers interested in a new or used Chevrolet Colorado may want to visit New Jersey State Auto Auction, where they can find a great deal on the truck and many other models.