Category Archives: Chevrolet

Car dealers face inventory shortages

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Posted in Chevrolet, Chrysler - DO NOT USE, Ford, General Auto News

Car dealers across the country are facing inventory shortages on some of the hottest models, as automakers struggle to meet the rising demands of consumers.

During the downturn, many dealership owners were left with an overabundance of cars for sale on their lots, as automakers still had vehicles left over from before the recession, yet few buyers interested in them. Since the car companies have slashed production at many factories, however, dealers are now facing the opposite problem – not enough vehicles to quench Americans’ increasing thirst for cars.

According to Bloomberg, car supply among the Big Three is down 30 percent at Ford, 43 percent at GM and 53 percent at Chrysler as compared to 2008. Yet analysts surveyed by the news source predict that auto sales will rise to 11.9 million vehicles this year from 10.4 in 2009.

That can only happen, however, if the automakers make enough vehicles to achieve that. Already, the major auto companies have added shifts to factories that produce the most popular models.

One dealer interviewed by the news source said he had requested 100 Ford Fusions in July and received just seven – and he owned the best-selling Ford dealership in the country.

The laws of supply and demand dictate that an inventory shortage for new cars means that prices may soon rise. Those in the market for a vehicle might be better off shopping the used car market, where they’ll also find a wider selection.

Ford tops Kelley Blue Book’s most-considered list

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Posted in Chevrolet, Ford, General Auto News, Honda - DO NOT USE, Hyundai, Toyota

In a consumer survey to find what brands buyers are looking at when considering cars for sale, Ford has come out on top.

According to Kelley Blue Book, best known for providing values for used cars, Ford topped the list with 29 percent of buyers considering the automaker when purchasing a vehicle. Ford’s turnaround, bolstered by a redesign of its lineup, has clearly resonated with consumers, as it supplanted Toyota in the previous quarter and increased its lead in this one. Much of its strength comes in the SUV/Crossover segment, where nearly half of all buyers consider the brand, at 46 percent.

Toyota held on to the second spot by a slim margin, with its 22 percent share just edging out Chevy’s 21 percent. The automaker has lost its top position due to quality concerns stemming from the company’s unintended acceleration debacle.

Rounding out the top five was Honda, at 20 percent, and Hyundai, a surprise in the fifth spot with 13 percent.

Those in the market for a used car should do a bit of research in order to narrow down their own list of brands. They might even want to consider using Kelley Blue Book values to get a good price for their current car.

Battle of the electric cars

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Chevrolet, Nissan

Both GM and Nissan have plans to introduce electric cars by the end of the year, but its unclear which approach car buyers will ultimately favor.

While the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are usually mentioned in the same breath, both cars actually have radically different philosophies when it comes to driving.

The Volt is an electric hybrid, with both a 40-mile range electric motor and traditional gas engine. After the motor’s 40 mile limit has been reached, the gas engine kicks in, ensuring that drivers can continue as long as they have gas.

The Leaf, on the other hand, can actually claim to be a purely electric vehicle, and one of the first to be mass marketed. It’s also about $7,000 cheaper than the Volt and offers the attractive possibility of never touching a gas pump again. In addition, its battery pack squeezes out 100 miles of power when fully charged. However, once the charge is gone, that’s it – it needs to be plugged in before it can go again – and charging takes much longer than filling a tank of gas, essentially meaning drivers will be stranded after 100 miles with no charge.

So how should car buyers decide? The best way might be to wait until both cars hit the used car market. By then, consumers will know all the pros and cons and will be able to purchase a used Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt at a reduced price.

U.S. may have been too hasty in closing down car dealers

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Chevrolet, Chrysler - DO NOT USE, General Auto News

A new report by the Troubled Asset Relief Program has found that the United States Treasury Department should have carefully considered its decision to order GM and Chrysler to close hundreds of dealerships while the two companies were in the bailout process.

GM and Chrysler both went bankrupt during the financial crisis, forcing the government to step in and take over the companies’ balance sheets. The Treasury Department rejected GM and Chrysler’s plan to close dealerships over a five-year period, calling the measures “too slow,” and instead asked the two automakers to close hundreds of dealerships immediately in an effort to cut costs. Now, many are questioning the decision, as GM and Chrysler have rebounded to the point that they are reinstating many of the dealers.

Special inspector general Neil Barofsky wrote in his recent report that “such dramatic and accelerated dealership closings may not have been necessary and underscores the need for the Treasury to tread very carefully when considering such decisions in the future”

With the closing of so many dealerships, many lightly used cars have found their way onto the pre-owned market. Drivers in areas with a closed GM or Chrysler dealer may want to head to a used car lot in order to find deals and savings.

Searching for efficiency with the midsize crossover

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Posted in Chevrolet, Ford, Honda - DO NOT USE, Nissan, Toyota

SUVs are a handy way to transport cars full of kids or luggage quickly and easily. For those who don’t need off-roading capabilities, a midsize crossover is the perfect fit.

When purchasing an SUV, one important consideration is fuel economy. SUVs have a reputation for being gas guzzlers, but new technology and the smaller size of crossovers has improved efficiency, according to Edmunds.

In this class, the Ford Edge and Honda Crosstour lead the way with 18 city/27 highway miles per gallon. City drivers may consider the Toyota Venza, which trades one mpg on the highway (26) for one in the city (19). The Nissan Murano gets 18 in the city with 23 on the highway, while the Chevy Equinox posts 17/25, although they are a bit roomier than the others. All of the cars feature 6-cylinder engines.

Car buyers should balance their desire for efficiency with their need for space and features. The Ford Edge has a slight, well, edge, over the competition, as it has just undergone a complete redesign for 2011, according to the Detroit Free Press.

With the new Ford Edges being introduced, drivers can search the used car market for any 2010 Edges that dealers were unable to sell. They can also find deals on all the cars mentioned above.

Mustang and Camaro battle it out

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Posted in Chevrolet, Ford

Ford and GM have recently engaged in a war of words over the sales figures of two of their models, the Mustang and Chevy Camaro.

The current iterations of these classic cars are close competitors, and sales between the two have been close. The companies proved they weren’t above a little mudslinging in marketing these new vehicles.

Press were invited to test drive the new 2011 Mustang, but not before Ford brought out a brand-new Camaro in order to point out all the ways the Mustang improved over Camaro’s design. When the May sales figures were released, Ford appeared to have gained the upper hand by outselling Chevy 10,225 to 8,931.

Some analysts were quick to point out, however, that Ford was offering steep discounts on 2010 Mustangs in order to make way for the new models. And Chevy released a press release detailing that it had outsold the Mustang by nearly 7,777 units over the first five months.

Those who like a little muscle in their car would do well to check out the used car market. As the two giant automakers trade blows, savvy consumers can find great deals on used Ford Mustangs and Camaros.

General Motors upgrades 5 factories to meet car demand

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Buick- DO NOT USE, Chevrolet, GMC - DO NOT USE

General Motors will spend $890 million to upgrade five of its engine and component plants to keep up with demand for the company’s most popular vehicles, including its four core brands Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.

About $400 million will be spent to revamp GM’s powertrain factory in Tonawanda, New York, and $235 million will be spent on the company’s St. Catharines, Ontario plant. The rest will go to engine casting and component production at factories in Defiance, Ohio; Bedford, Indiana; and Bay City, Michigan, the New York Times reports.

The new investment comes less than week after the Detroit-based company repaid a $6.7 billion U.S. loan and announced a $257 million upgrade of its assembly plants in Kansas and Michigan for the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

GM aims to build more fuel-efficient engines in response to consumer demand and future federal mileage requirements. Its North American assembly plants work on 24-hour schedules because of spikes in sales after it emerged from bankruptcy using government bailout money. GM’s sales were up 17% though March this year compared to 2009.

New driver for No. 88 Chevy in NASCAR

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet

The show must go on, and despite Kelly Bires’ departure, the No. 88 Chevrolet will still be on hand for nine races this season, which could up excitement for Chevrolet fans in New Jersey.

Jamie McMurray will take over the the driver’s seat from Bires, who drove JR Motorsports flagship No. 88, according to Fox News.

“We are extremely appreciative of Kelly Bires and wish him the best,” said Kelley Earnhardt, co-owner of JRM with brother Dale Earndhardt Jr., who created the team to train drivers in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide Series level.

Gloomy sponsorships were part of the reason of Bires’ departure, as media reports state the Earnhardts are practically financing much of this season out of pocket because sponsorships have been scarce.

The Earnhardts also said that the team’s “chemistry” with Bires “needed to succeed in this highly competitive industry was simply not there,” the Associated Press reported.

Bires responded, “I know I belong and will be successful in this sport. JRM gave me an opportunity, it just didn’t work out.”

McMurray will start driving No. 88’s first of nine races this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. JRM said the team secured sponsorship from Hellman’s while Suave Men will sponsor the other two.

GM issues recall of 1.3 million Chevy and Pontiac models

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Posted in Chevrolet, Pontiac - DO NOT USE

On Tuesday, General Motors announced that it is recalling approximately 1.3 million compact cars in North American due to a problem with the power steering system.

The recall was initiated after U.S. safety officials received more than 1,100 customer complaints. The safety initiative will cover 2005-10 Chevrolet Cobalt models and 2007-10 Pontiac G5s in the U.S as well as the 2005-06 Pontiac Pursuit in Canada and the 2005-06 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico.

General Motors has reported that vehicles affected by the recall can still be safely controlled, but the issue may make the steering feel heavier, especially at speeds below 15 miles per hour.

“When the condition occurs, both a chime will sound and a ‘power steering’ message will be displayed,” said GM vice president of quality Jamie Hresko.

The American automaker has said that it is currently working on a remedy to fix the issue and will notify customers when a plan has been put in place, according to Auto News Magazine.

GM customers have reported 14 crashes and one injury related to the steering problem.

Danica Patrick crashes in her final spring NASCAR race

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet, Dodge - DO NOT USE

On Saturday, racing superstar Danica Patrick wrecked in her third and final NASCAR race before she will head back to the IndyCar Series.

Patrick, who has had an unceremonious beginning to her NASCAR career, collided with Michael McDowell on lap 83 of this weekend’s Sam’s Town 300 Nationwide Series race.

After getting fresh tires, Patrick quickly caught up to McDowell’s slowing Dodge that had lost its rear end in a previous accident. Outside of turn one, Patrick tried to pass McDowell on the inside, but he drifted low into her path, causing her number 7 Chevy to wreck. The accident ended the day for both drivers.

“I tried to give the outside, I saw her coming into it and I closed the door,” said McDowell. “It was completely 100 percent my fault. I hate it for everyone at JR Motorsports. Like I said, I take 100 percent responsibility.”

The crash was especially unfortunate for Patrick, who was having her best race of the season and even found herself in third place after a strategic pit stop.

The media darling will now head to the IndyCar Series for four months before coming back to NASCAR for a few races at the end of the summer. Veteran driver Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag on Saturday after leading 83 of the 200 laps.