Category Archives: Auto Industry News

Owners may find poor crash tests for new vehicles reason to buy used cars in New Jersey

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Chevrolet, Ford

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently crash tested a set of midsize sedans at low speed, and the sticker shock of repair costs could lead buyers to consider used cars in New Jersey.

Bumpers on the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and 2010 Ford Fusion performed poorly compared to earlier models, and none of the six cars tested attained the institute’s top rating of good.

At speeds of three to six miles per hour, the tests are designed to simulate minor mishaps like backing into another vehicle in a parking lot.

The IIHS reports that construction choices in the Fusion would cost more than $2,500 to repair in tests of the front bumper, while owners of a new Malibu could expect a bill over $2,000 if they backed up into something accidentally based on test results.

“Consumers buy midsize cars for practical reasons,” said Joe Nolan, IIHS senior vice president. There’s nothing practical about a $1,000-plus repair bill after a minor bump in commuter traffic.”

Concept car could inspire purchases of used Mazda Miatas in New York

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Mazda - DO NOT USE

Looking at concept cars at auto shows can show buyers updated versions of popular cars, and a new design could inspire buyers to consider used Mazda Miatas in New York.

Set to be displayed at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, the MX-5 superlight concept takes a Miata and strips it of windshields, door handles and anything else that engineers thought could be eliminated to save weight, reports Car magazine.

Internally, the car also reduces bulk through technologies to lower emissions and improve fuel mileage that the automaker says will be revealed this fall as part of the 20th anniversary of the Miata’s introduction, according to the website.

The popular two-seat convertible was designed to be a lightweight in stock form throughout its history, and buyers looking for an affordable cruising option could be enticed by a 2005 used Mazda Miata in New York.

It is “still the standard when it comes to delivering top-down thrills” at an affordable price point and offers good handling for its class, noted Edmunds.com editors.

Low dealer satisfaction may lead customers to used cars in New York

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Auto Loans & Financing News

Dissatisfaction with the financing options and availability at new car dealerships for leasing and purchasing vehicles may turn potential buyers to used cars in New York.

A recent analysis by J.D. Power and Associates finds that buyers have been increasingly unhappy with the “captive” financing wings of several automakers, with satisfaction ratings dropping 5-10 percent in 2008.

It’s not the rates that make up a large portion of a consumer’s experience, but rather the services provided by financiers that help to explain the reduction in buyers’ happiness with the experience, the marketing firm found.

Some of the lowest ranked firms include GMAC and Chrysler‘s captive financing wing, with General Motors receiving the equivalent of a C grade and Chrysler a D based on their ability to offer loans for new cars.

“Current economic conditions have created something of a ‘perfect storm,’ as declines in new-vehicle sales, tightened lending and reduced inventory funds have combined to put extreme stress on dealer business,” said David Lo, J.D. Power and Associates financial services director.

Buyers considering used cars in New Jersey may soon see electric version of Audi R8

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Posted in Audi, Auto Industry News

F1 drivers have been using regenerative braking technology to add power to their supercars this season, and rumors are circulating that buyers looking at used cars in New Jersey may see an Audi sports car with similar technology at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show.

An Audi R8 ePerformance would include an all-electric motor and a new look incorporating a smaller grille and redesigned headlights, reported Automobile Magazine in France.

The car would also likely do away with the side scoops used by the current R8 to bring air to the large V8 and V10 gasoline engines that presently power the super car.

While an electric car may improve fuel efficiency for former guzzlers like high-horsepower sports cars, a used Audi A6 in New Jersey may offer better fuel numbers and room for more passengers.

The sedan comes standard with all-wheel drive and “heavenly cabin furnishings,” and while it won’t be as powerful as an R8, it does come with an optional 335-horsepower V8, according to Edmunds.com.

Nissan Leaf may inspire buyers to consider green used cars in New York

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Nissan, Toyota

Nissan has introduced its first purpose-built electric vehicle for mass consumption, the Leaf, but buyers who don’t want to wait until 2010 to get an affordable car that’s good for the environment may consider several models of used cars in New York.

The new car is expected to come as a hatchback with seating for five, powered by an all-electric motor that produces no emissions and has a range of 100 miles on a single charge.

Automakers like Nissan, Honda and Toyota have taken different routes to reducing emissions, and Nissan has released fewer cars that incorporate electric motors than its two Japanese competitors until now.

For buyers who may need a new vehicle now, looking for a used Toyota Prius in New York may make more sense, with the Leaf not likely to be available for at least a year.

A 2004 model offers fuel mileage of 60 miles per gallon in city driving, and similarly to the Leaf is a midsize car with room for five occupants, according to Cars.com

CARS program may run out of funding to exchange used cars in New York

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Auto Loans & Financing News

Buyers who had been considering a new vehicle using refunds from the Cash for Clunkers program may want to take another look at used cars in New York as the program faces a funding shortage.

The appropriated money ran out in less than a month, and although the House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing a new infusion of money, there are some doubts that the Senate will allow for more than $2 billion to be approved before Congress goes on recess for a month, reported the New York Times.

Senators Dianne Feinstein and Susan Collins issued a bipartisan statement saying that they would not approve any more funds for the program unless the mileage numbers were increased, limiting the options of those who had been planning to make an upgrade from used cars in New York, reported the newspaper.

Car dealers had told buyers beginning on July 30 that the program had been suspended, and although the government has promised dealers that they won’t be asked to pay any refunds themselves, the head of the National Automotive Dealers Association is cautioning members to wait, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Some early Cash for Clunkers purchases may not receive discount from used cars in New Jersey

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Posted in Auto Industry News

One company has become on advocate for consumers, calling for the government to explain how it will deal with used cars in New Jersey and elsewhere that were traded in as part of the Cash for Clunkers program but are no longer eligible because of revised fuel mileage numbers from the EPA.

Edmunds.com had previously shed light on the fact that the pool of less fuel-efficient cars had shrunk, even though many were originally listed at the maximum of 18 mpg when they were sold, because the federal government refreshed the numbers and made several models ineligible.

But the program was already running for three weeks when those updated ratings were announced, and Transportation Department spokesperson Rae Tyson said, “We’re evaluating our options, [although our] mandate is clear and based on fuel economy ratings.”

“Consumers acting in good faith should not be penalized for undisclosed and last-minute changes made by the government,” said Kevin Smith, Edmunds.com editorial director. The company wonders whether consumers will have to forgo the savings they had expected.

Cash for Clunkers may limit buyers’ choices of used Dodge Rams in New Jersey

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Dodge - DO NOT USE

One of the byproducts of the federal Cash for Clunkers program is that all qualified used cars in New Jersey that are given to dealers must be completely scrapped with their engines rendered unusable to prevent fraud.

Many of the vehicles that qualify for the rebates are SUVs and pick-ups, and some industry websites are finding that owners of these vehicles have been researching their options online.

Some of the most likely candidates to go to a junkyard are Ford F-Series pick-up trucks, Chevrolet Silverados, and used Dodge Rams in New Jersey, according to web traffic statistics.

For those who may want to get a Ram before they’re put out to pasture, the 2004 model was one of the first that offered a “Hemi” V8 engine that provided more power than previous versions, along with “sharp handling,” according to the editors at Edmunds.com

End of an era could lead enthusiasts to used Pontiac Solstices in New York

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Pontiac - DO NOT USE, Saturn - DO NOT USE

In Newport, Delaware, the final car rolled off the line at General Motors’ Boxwood Road factory, and buyers considering used Pontiac Solstices in New York may be able to purchase a car that celebrates the plant’s history.

The final coupes produced at the GM assembly line in Delaware were two models based on the automaker’s Kappa platform, the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky roadsters, and it was a Pontiac Solstice that capped production activities after more than 60 years, reported the News Journal.

Saturn and Pontiac have both been cast aside by the struggling automaker as it looks to re-focus on core brands and increase sales, and the plant has been closed following GM’s bankruptcy hearing, according to the newspaper.

Enthusiasts of the convertibles may still find used Pontiac Solstices in New York, including the 2006 model which brought the car from concept to the salesroom.

Affordable when new, buyers may enjoy a car whose “stubby roadster proportions are perfect, with the compact aggression of a Japanese short sword,” according to an L.A. Times review.

Cash for Clunkers backlash could increase sales of used cars in New Jersey

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Posted in Auto Industry News

One industry group says that car buyers who thought the Cash for Clunkers program would help make new cars more affordable are likely to find that they’re better off with used cars in New Jersey.

The program offers vouchers of up to $4,500 for owners with low fuel mileage who have owned their vehicle for at least a year and then trade it in for a more fuel efficient new car.

It would be just as easy to trade up to a newer used car or through better maintenance of existing cars, argues the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there is a consumer backlash once car owners realize that ‘Cash for Clunkers’ is nothing more than a … program to fund a government subsidized vehicle trade-in to help new car dealers sell cars,” said Kathleen Schmatz, the association’s president and CEO. “Consumers will soon learn that they are simply trading in their vehicle and will still have to jump through all of the hoops to qualify for and purchase a new vehicle.”