General Motors' bold marketing strategy that allows customers to drive its cars for up to 60 days with a money back guarantee has been extended. The "May the Best Car Win" program, whose advertisements show a given GM model going up against a rival, has gotten folks who may not have considered a GM car into the showrooms, and more importantly, into the cars.
The program has been such a success for the company -- with very few cars returned -- that it has earned an extension. Originally slated to end on November 30th, the program has been extended to January 4th, 2010. All the details on the program are provided on the 60-day Guarantee site, though note that they haven't yet updated the extension date on the bottom of the page.
Autonet Mobile and General Motors last week announced a deal to bring on-the-road Internet to the rest of the domestic automaker's brands: Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. The pair previously made the service available on Cadillac vehicles last spring.
Positioned as a tool for business people on the go who need to stay connected, the service also makes a great backseat babysitter for the connected-tech generation. If rear-seat entertainment system with a built-in DVD player kept kids quiet a decade ago, as teens they probably now prefer texting friends on their iPhones.
Some cars get more credit than they deserve, while others languish in obscurity because of any number of factors -- lack of brand prestige, poor advertising, odd styling. Yet here are five from popular segments that are certainly worth a test drive.
The latest highlights from Edmunds.com and its blogosphere. Inside Line: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Full Test The redesigned Buick LaCrosse has set its sights on the Lexus ES 350. Will its larger size and and modern styling be enough to lure new buyers? Follow the link for more details.
Green Car Advisor: 'Clunkers' Program Costing Wounded Vets, Other Needy People, Millions in Aid A number of charities are seeing a sudden drop in car donations. Cars that would otherwise be donated to their organizations are instead being used as Cash for Clunker trade-ins to purchase new vehicles. This unintended consequence of the federal program has many charities estimating a 25 percent drop in donations.
IL News: Priced: 2010 Audi S4 and A5/S5 Cabriolet Pricing was announced on the 2010 Audi S4 performance sedan and the A5/S5 convertibles. The S4 will start at $46,725, the A5 cabriolet will start at $42,825, and the S5 cabriolet will start at $59,075.
Say you like the idea of driving a luxury vehicle, but you have a large family or you need to carry more than the typical 4-passenger vehicle will comfortably accommodate, what are your choices? Minivans, even the fully loaded $40K top-of-the-line variety, don't offer much in the way of a true luxury experience. Luxury SUV's, like the Cadillac Escallade or the Mercedes GL-class, give you the luxury experience, but at the expense of fuel economy that is measured in the teens. Is there a happy medium?
The Buick Enclave might just be that very solution, silly commercials not withstanding. With a library-quiet interior, premium materials and such luxury amenities as cooled seats, panoramic sunroof and power everything, it offers a luxury experience that no Honda Odyssey can match. At the same time, it promises fuel economy that is significantly better than those of most other full-sized luxury SUV's.
Of course, just because you are interested in a luxury ride doesn't mean you don't want to get a good deal. Read about the incentives that are available on Buick's luxury cross-over, after the jump.
General Motors Co., which suspended leasing last year during the credit crunch, has today reinstated leasing on eight models in five states, though the 2010 Cadillac SRX will be available to lease nationally.
The leases are offered by U.S. Bank on the models sold in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Ohio.
Leasing allows many consumers to drive a more expensive vehicle than they could afford to buy, so GM's pull-back from leasing hit sales of GM's high-end vehicles particularly hard. GM is waiting to see the response to its pilot program before deciding how extensively to approach leasing on a nationwide basis.
The latest highlights from Edmunds.com and its blogosphere.
Green Car Advisor: Chrysler to Build Four Versions of Fiat 500 in U.S. Automotive News is reporting that the Italian automaker Fiat will bring its Fiat 500 subcompact vehicle to the United States under the Chrysler nameplate. Fiat, now a 20 percent owner of Chrysler, expects to have the car stateside in about 18 months. It will be offered in four styles plus a possible SUV configuration for the U.S. market.
Auto Observer: "Good" GM May Not Be All That Good As General Motors hurries through its bankruptcy proceedings, analysts have questioned the viability of the core brands that are left in the wake of their restructuring. The fate of GM will be largely dependent on the success of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. But are these remaining brands ready to provide a solid foundation on which to build a better company? Regardless of the where the company stands in its restructuring process, GM has pledged to honor any product-liability claims made prior to the bankruptcy filing.
Inside Line: 2010 Jaguar XF Supercharged Makes Debut, Priced at $68,000 Jaguar XF buyers who are looking for more power, but feel that the XFR is a bit much, now have another option. The 2010 XF supercharged debuted Monday, and commands an $18,000 premium over the base XF. Follow the link for more details on the XF Supercharged and the XFR.
Look up the word "dowdy" in the dictionary, and you'll probably see a picture of a Honda Odyssey (or any one of its segment-mates). Happily, minivans aren't the only choice these days for drivers seeking safe family transportation that seats up to eight.
General Motors is recalling 1,497,516 vehicles equipped with its 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6. The problem involves drops of engine oil that may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire. This recall effects the following vehicles equipped with the aforementioned engine.
Buick Regal (1997-2003) Chevrolet Impala (2000-2003) Chevrolet Lumina (1998-1999) Chevrolet Monte Carlo (1998-2003) Oldsmobile Intrigue (1998-1999) Pontiac Grand Prix (1997-2003)
The fix involves dealers removing the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of the engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers. If you happen to own the Intrigue, call 1-800-630-6537 or visit www.gmownercenter.com.
This new feature for Edmunds Daily about car repair and maintenance is written by Tom Torbjornsen, the popular host of America's Car Show on satellite radio. His column will appear weekly on Wednesday afternoon.
Dear Tom, I own a 2004 KIA Amanti with 15,000 miles. At the last inspection, the mechanic said the vehicle would need brakes all around in a couple of months. He quoted me a price of $772, and he said that I should have ceramic brake pads installed. Is it necessary to go with ceramic pads and is this a reasonable price? What type brakes do you suggest? -- Cindy from Rochester, NY
Cindy, Ceramic pads will hold up better to high-speed stops compared to metallic brake pads. In addition, ceramic pads are quieter, they do not produce "brake dust," and they wear less on brake rotors. Overall, I prefer ceramic brake pads. The price you were quoted seems high. Call for a couple more quotes and make sure you tell them the specifics of what the first shop quoted you. That way you will be comparing apples to apples. In my area (Western New York) the going price for pads and rotor replacement is usually about $150-$200 per axle set. -- Tom
Dear Tom, I own a 2004 Chrysler Town & Country minivan (small V-6 engine) with 78,000 miles. I hear a single clicking sound in front under the floor when I shift from drive to reverse or vice versa. The car seems to shift fine (no gap in gears). However, the sound worries me. I don't notice this problem when shifting from low gears to drive or from park to drive or reverse. Could the noise be an indication of a future transmission problem? -- Ed from Jamestown, NY
