Auto repair tips available at online car portal

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Posted in General Auto News

For used car buyers concerned about common problems with their potential purchase, a new online partnership may help them figure out what’s wrong with their vehicle.

RepairPal is a website that allows car owners to gauge what certain repairs should cost based on the problem and the make and model of the car they own, and it and other resources are now available at Cars.com thanks to an agreement between the two sites.

Other resources available to car owners include being able to ask certified mechanics for advice about conditions, updated recall information, and common problems organized by model for used car buyers.

“Through our new relationship with RepairPal, we are able to offer consumers innovative auto repair content, making Cars.com a comprehensive destination for all of their automotive needs,” said Cars.com CEO Mitch Golub.

For those who are truly on the go, the new partnership will enable those with certain cellular phones to access estimates of repair prices no matter the location, and a database of user reviews may enable used car owners to pick the best local service shop for their next repair.

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Young adults don’t trust American automaker’s longevity

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Posted in Auto Industry News

Although two major American automakers, General Motors and Chrysler, are struggling to stay afloat and have had to merge with other companies or take government money to keep operating, most Americans say that would not affect their next car purchase.

Nearly three-fifths of Americans say that the automakers’ troubles don’t concern them, according to a recent cars.com survey, but only about one of every 10 who responded that were aged 18-24 thought that the automakers would last for long.

If they’re in the market for an American car, however, they can still choose from used American cars that have gotten strong ratings from one website.

For example the 2005 PT Cruiser, one of the cars in the Chrysler family, was lauded by Edmunds.com editors for its styling and roomy interior, good acceleration with the turbo model, as well as pricing that can be affordable.

Now, that may be even more true, as the car is estimated by the news provider to cost less than the in-state tuition of many state colleges and universities.

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Online calculator may help used car buyers

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Posted in Auto Loans & Financing News

For those who are looking to buy used cars, or make other big ticket purchases, an online calculator may help those looking to make purchases understand how long it will take to finish paying off their choices.

The Time is Money Calculator allows buyers to input their annual salary, and the likely purchase price of an item in order to gauge how many weeks it will take to make enough money to pay it off.

“A price tag that reads ’44 hours of your time’ instead of ‘$500’ drives home what that purchase means to you,” says CEO Raj Khera. “The Time is Money Calculator helps you decide if it is really worth your time and money.”

The tool also incorporates federal and average state tax information to give people a better understanding of how much of their take-home pay would be used to pay off purchases such as a used car.

Since used car loans may require a loan with an interest rate up to 7 percent, according to a MyFox Tampa report, a calculator such as this may help buyers figure out what price point best fits their budget.

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New Volkswagen marketing campaign has familiar faces

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Posted in Volkswagen - DO NOT USE

Television viewers who have already seen Volkswagen‘s latest marketing campaign have seen Max the Beetle, a character based on the original Beetle beloved by millions.

New commercials for the brand will also bring back a 1963 Micro bus as the two cars have conversations in the 30-second spots about models like the Jetta TDI.

For those who may find more nostalgia in the old cars than be interested in their newer brethren, some Volkswagens may offer great bang for the buck.

For example, the Jetta, which competes against the Honda Civic and other high-quality compacts, gets more than 30 miles per gallon when equipped with a diesel engine.

The 2008 Jetta was complimented by Edmunds.com editors for its strong performance against the competition, luxury features like one-touch power windows in an entry-level model as well as easy-to-use interior controls for things like the radio and air conditioning.

While Volkswagen hasn’t made any cars like the Micro Bus, those looking for an updated Max may find the New Beetle an attractive option, since Edmunds.com cited the 2005 model for great safety and a laundry list of standard features.

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EcoDriving month includes race team with carbon-neutral goal

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Posted in Auto Industry News

May is National EcoDriving Month, and one association says that tips that could reduce the environmental impact could help save money for new and used car owners as well.

EcoDriving USA wants drivers to reduce their carbon footprint and improve mileage by driving more efficiently.

Simply driving at a steady speed, either through cruise control or good pedal control, could save drivers up to $200 a year in fuel costs, according to the Department of Transportation figures, and observing posted speed limits can increase mileage by nearly a quarter.

Grand Prix driver Nelson Philippe is part of this effort with a team he is heading, which has an interesting goal: become the first race team at the Indianapolis 500 to run a carbon-neutral race.

For Philippe, it may include tactics he already knows, saying, “Race car drivers need to practice EcoDriving too because a race can be won or lost on the track by saving fuel. I apply that same principle when I’m on the road.”

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Crazy car construction takes “use”d cars to new extreme

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Posted in General Auto News

Used cars may eventually end up unable to be driven, but some enterprising young people have found a way for their image to live on.

At a high school in Colorado, a well-thought out high school prank left a flagpole looking like a pen embedded into a Hot Wheels car after four seniors managed to enclose it with a welded together AMC.

The flagpole emerged intact, and Fruita High School Principal Jody Mimmack told the Grand Junction Sentinel that the teens were probably off the hook as long as they helped to remove the car and clean up the area.

Across the pond, one British art student took camofluage paint to a whole new level with a paint-matched Skoda junker that she says she painted for class, according to a Telegraph report.

For a class, she decided to paint the car to match the exterior of her studio and the parking lot, finding the right shades for the asphalt and paint lines, and she told the news provider that “people have been stopping in the street to look and coming up and almost bumping into it, so it’s had the desired effect.”

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Congressmen sign on to support Right to Repair Bill

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Posted in Auto Industry News

A bi-partisan group in Congress has put its weight behind the Right to Repair Bill, including representatives from across the country.

Currently eight members of the House of Representatives, including initial sponsor Democrat Edolphus Towns, have signed on to support the bill that would require auto manufacturers to provide any information that may be used by independent shops to repair cars that it does to dealerships.

While language in the bill supports the protection of trade secrets, it also states that car owners and repair shops should have any tools and information used by dealerships made available at a similar cost.

One of the principal concerns is the more advanced computer systems that control most modern cars, which may require special esoteric information in order to decode.

It may also benefit owners of new and used cars looking to keep more money in their pocket: the bill as written recognizes that if enacted, it would help to promote competition that could benefit consumers.

“Right to Repair has become more important than ever as motorists seek new neighborhood repair shops because a dealership has closed in their area,” said Kathleen Schmatz, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association CEO. “This … ensures that local auto repair remains available to car owners throughout the country.”

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Actor Ben Stiller prefers German engineering for his ride

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

While he has the money to plunk down payments on some of the most expensive cars in the world, Night at the Museum star Ben Stiller was recently spotted by photographers stepping out in an Audi Q7.

Reports didn’t mention Stiller’s rationale for buying the Audi SUV, but the Tropic Thunder actor may enjoy the powerful V8 engine in the top-of-the-line trim package that puts out 350 horsepower and still gets up to 18 miles per gallon on the highway based on EPA estimates and retails for around $60,000.

The Q7 was introduced in the U.S. in 2006 for the 2007 model year, and base models from then may be had for below $30,000 for the luxury make’s seven-seat SUV, according to Edmunds.com editors.

They also praised the vehicle’s handling with adjustable air suspension and top-notch design and craftsmanship.
Stiller, of course, may be using his to tool around in preparation for Little Fockers, the third installation in the Meet the Fockers series that is currently in pre-production.

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Proper maintenance may limit engine deaths

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Posted in Saturn - DO NOT USE

Car rental companies sometimes suffer from the same beliefs as some car owners: if there’s nothing wrong with the car, why worry about maintaining it?

Enterprise recently learned the potential downfalls of such a belief when it delivered a Saturn Outlook to a local dealership with 30,000 miles on it and reportedly only one oil change, according to a Jalopnik report.

The engine, which may cost thousands of dollars, needs to be replaced according to the news provider, providing a sobering image for those considering skimping on routine maintenance to save some money.

Prices for routine maintenance for used cars on the other hand, may cost a fraction of that. For example, a 60,000 mile service on a 2004 Ford Explorer costs around $350 to $600 in New York or Los Angeles according to Consumer Reports.

While the Outlook may be a somewhat unique case of auto negligence, the economic downturn may lead to more people ignoring the check engine light.

Used car buyers who want to make sure they are not buying a car from such an owner may want to consider an inspection that, if done by a qualified person, can turn up such information prior to purchase.

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New venues allow drivers to vent about others on the road

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Posted in General Auto News

Until cars come with scrolling billboards or other instant communication possibilities with other drivers, it remains difficult to vent about poor driving habits such as speeding and cutting other cars off.

Using Twitter, the online site that allows users to post short messages, has allowed some in Alaska to make posts about questionable driving habits, according to a CNN.com report.

It was designed to provide more relief because when “you yell out the window or give them the finger, you really don’t get any vindication,” the Twitter feed’s co-creator, Molly Hutchins told the news provider.

Another website, platewire.com, goes one step further by allowing users to list license plate numbers of vehicles that annoy posters, and is part of a growing number of websites that give voice to frustrated motorists, according to a Slate report.

Websites that have been effective in modifying driver’s behavior, notes the news provider, include a blog by a bicycle rider in Wisconsin who took video footage of the close calls that trucks and other vehicles had while he was using the same roadways, or one Chinese city’s posting of traffic violators at their work place.

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