November 24, 2009
The latest highlights from Edmunds.com and its blogosphere.
Green Car Advisor: 2011 Chevrolet Volt; Our A-Z Guide
So much has been written about the 2011 Chevrolet Volt that it can be hard to make sense of what facts are true and what was part of the concept model. Green Car Advisor has created a Cliff's notes- style collection of the most important Volt details.
Auto Observer: GM Orphans Up for Adoption
GM is offering discounts on certain models to the nearly 1 million customers of closed GM dealerships, if they go to the next closest dealer by January 4. The automaker also is giving customers of closed dealerships a vehicle inspection and tire rotation at remaining dealerships through May.
Karl on Cars: Bottom 10 Things About Auto Show Season
The Auto Show Season is about to kick off and while we're all pretty excited about it, there are a few things that we could do without.
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- Ron Montoya November 24, 2009, 1:00 PM
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- Chevrolet, Edmunds Roundup, General Motors
November 24, 2009
Last month, the Camry reigned supreme as the best-selling vehicle in the land. Can its winning streak continue? Find out by taking a look at our list of October's best-selling vehicles.
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- Warren Clarke November 24, 2009, 11:00 AM
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- Tuesday's Top 10 List
November 24, 2009
For General Motors, bad luck really does come in threes. Today GM announced that Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg Group AB has pulled out of plan to acquire its bankrupt Saab unit, making it GM's third cancelled brand sale this year, after Saturn and Opel.
This doesn't bode well for Saab: After the Saturn sale fell through, GM decided to kill the brand. "We're obviously very disappointed," said GM President and CEO Fritz Henderson.
No formal word yet on what will happen to Saab. GM will announce plans within a few days; Edmunds' AutoObserver is actively staying on top of the situation.
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- Joanne Helperin November 24, 2009, 10:13 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, General Motors, Saab
November 24, 2009
GM announced that the 2010 Chevy Equinox will get a programmable lift gate as an option, a feature typically found only on more expensive vehicles. The lift gate can be set to open fully or at a specific height via a knob on the overhead console and then pressing a button on the lift gate to lock the height setting.
The feature is designed to help prevent damage when the lift gate is opened in a space with a low overhead, such as a garage. GM points out that the feature is available on much more expensive vehicles, but not on some of the in-class competitors of the Equinox: the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Santa Fe.
It's another example of how less expensive vehicles are starting to come with technology usually found on more expensive ones -- and in some cases it's even better.
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- Doug Newcomb November 24, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Automotive Technology, Car Audio and Electronics, Car Tech Tuesdays, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Toyota
November 23, 2009
Crossover consumers looking for a sleekly styled, sporty ride should know that December 15th is the official on-sale date for the Acura ZDX. With a 300-horsepower V6, road performance-oriented all-wheel drive and fastback coupe-like body styling, the ZDX joins BMW's X6 as a crossover SUV that puts style and performance at the top of the priority list. The company has also firmed up pricing, which is shown after the jump along with feature highlights:
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- John DiPietro November 23, 2009, 3:05 PM
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- Acura, Automotive Consumer News
November 23, 2009
Volvo has issued a recall on 8,438 of its 2010 XC60 SUVs due to a glitch with the driver-seat side-cover panel that could cause seatbelt failure in side-impact collisions. The impact from these collisions could free the seatbelt from the seat frame, thus increasing the risk of driver injury.
Owners should take their XC60s in to Volvo dealers, where the side-cover panels will be modified free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before December 15, 2009. Visit SaferCar.gov for more information.
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- Warren Clarke November 23, 2009, 12:40 PM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Vehicle Recalls, Volvo
November 23, 2009
Next Sunday, Edmunds will get behind the wheel of the 2011 Chevy Volt, or rather the closest thing to a production Volt made available thus far in the car's very public gestation. We've already driven a test mule in a Chevy Cruze body, but this will be the first full test drive of the Volt in its production body with a (presumably) working interior. It will also be the first test involving a Volt with a depleted battery, meaning we will be able to experience what the car is like with its 1.4-liter four-cylinder generator running.
Look for a wealth of coverage next Monday here on Edmunds.com as well as over on GreenCarAdvisor and InsideLine.com. Besides the Edmunds Chevy Volt Test Drive, we'll have blogs, photos, videos, Tweets and Facebook updates starting from the second we get behind the wheel in the Dodgers Stadium parking lot next Sunday.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
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- James Riswick November 23, 2009, 10:30 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Chevrolet, General Motors, New on Edmunds
November 23, 2009
Would you like to sell your car in just 10 days without having to take phone calls from prospective buyers? That's completely possible. What's the catch? You probably won't get the highest price.
It had been a long time since we had sold a used car on eBay and we decided it was time to give that site another try by using it to sell our 2009 Nissan GT-R.
Before we did that, we put the two-door coupe up on the new site Mota (www.mota.com) and tested their VIP car selling service. A Mota representative photographed the car, created the ad, posted it on autotrader.com, and screened calls for us. The GT-R was still under warranty so we didn't opt for their service which would've presented potential buyers with an independent inspection of the car.
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- Philip Reed November 23, 2009, 12:26 AM
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- Selling Cars, The Savvy Shopper
November 20, 2009
The latest highlights from Edmunds.com and its blogosphere.
IL News: G.M Holding "Exit Interviews" with Disgruntled Customers
Fewer than two hundred consumers have returned vehicles under GM's 60-day Money Back Guarantee program, including one who wanted something "roomier" than a Chevy Silverado. GM plans to contact these buyers to find out why they aren't satisfied.
Auto Observer: As Inventories Deplete, Who Will Blink First -- Carmakers or Customers?
Edmunds.com data researchers say the coming months may be a tug of war between still-cautious buyers and right-sized-but-cash-strapped automakers anxious to hold the line on pricing.
Greencar: U.S., China Agree to Cooperate on Electric Vehicle Education, R&D
President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao have agreed to develop common technology standards as well as a shared road map for electric vehicle developers. Select U.S. and Chinese cities will share joint demonstrations and data. The two countries will also alternate hosting annual U.S.-China Electric Vehicle Forum, the next one being in the U.S.
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- Joanne Helperin November 20, 2009, 1:00 PM
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- Edmunds Roundup, General Motors, Hybrids and Alternative Fuels
November 20, 2009
Shopping for a car is difficult enough without trying to overcome a language barrier. Many dealerships have salespeople who speak Spanish so they can serve the Latino community, but this can create a false sense of security for car buyers.
When a salesperson speaks your language, you tend to let our guard down. Be careful. Just because they can communicate with you doesn't mean that they'll be on your side. Salespeople are there to make the most money they can in order to improve dealership profit and boost their commissions.
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- Joanne Helperin November 20, 2009, 11:30 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Car Advice Articles, Car Buying, The Savvy Shopper
November 20, 2009
Our friends, families and readers ask us what's the "best car" all the time. But the answer's not quite so simple as, "Well, I recommend X car or Y truck." It's better to ask, "What's the right car for my needs?"
You've come to the exactly the right place to find the answer.
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- Joanne Helperin November 20, 2009, 11:00 AM
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- Car Advice Articles, Car Buying, FAQ Friday
November 20, 2009
Chrysler announced that its "Year-end Wrap-up" will kick off today and run until January 4, 2010. The program will be offered on various Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep vehicles. The details on the various incentives and freebies (which vary according to model) that buyers may choose from are as follows:
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- John DiPietro November 20, 2009, 10:45 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Car Buying, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Vehicle Incentives and Rebates
November 20, 2009
Look, I'll be the first to admit it: sometimes automatics are just better. Take my friend's late-'60s Saab in high school, for instance, which had a cranky three-speed manual shifter mounted on the steering column. Any automatic would constitute progress there. But some modern manual transmissions are just so danged user-friendly and rewarding that they leave me muttering to myself, "If all sticks were this good, everyone would drive one." I figure it's about time I turned that sentiment into a column. Here are my three current favorites.
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- Josh Sadlier November 20, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Weekly Top 3
November 19, 2009
Back in the early '90s I worked for a couple of months during the summer at an Acura dealership selling new and used cars. Being a somewhat naive car nut and needing a job, I figured my automotive expertise and honest demeanor would work with a respected, high-line brand.
Yes, I was wrong; I distinctly remember the sales manager telling me "You gotta hammer these people!" because I would try to arrive at a mutually-agreeable price rather than go for the jugular. I nicknamed him "Gino" because he looked and talked (in a low, husky voice) like he was in the mafia. But I digress. I did learn a few things there, such as what pushed buyers' hot buttons...
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- John DiPietro November 19, 2009, 11:05 AM
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- Used Car Corner, Used Cars
November 19, 2009
BMW's first foray into the hybrid vehicle market, the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6, will go on sale starting December 5 for $89,725. That's quite a bit of green to go green, and, as our associates at Inside Line pointed out, the new X6's fuel economy falls short of groundbreaking. EPA estimates the ActiveHybrid X6 at 17 mpg city/19 mpg highway, compared to 13/18 mpg for the gas-only powered V8 and 15/21 mpg for the V6 models. Considering the price increase on top of the X6 V8 model ($67,050) and meager fuel savings, we're curious to see how well ActiveHybrid X6 sales will fare.
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- Mark Takahashi November 19, 2009, 10:00 AM
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- BMW, Hybrids and Alternative Fuels
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- 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6
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