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.
Say the three letters "GMC" and chances are folks are going to think of big, big trucks -- you know, Yukons and Sierras. For 2010, General Motor's truck division is looking to change that as it dips its toes...no make that does a cannonball into the compact crossover pond with the 2010 GMC Terrain.
Yes, the Terrain is a platform twin to the redesigned Chevy Equinox, so there's not a heck of a lot different under the skin, but it offers a more rugged presence. Just look at those massive fender flares and in-your-face grille. The Hummer H3 and your kids' Tonka trucks have nothing on this rig for attitude. We recently attended a press preview of the Terrain and our impressions follow 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.
Holidays mean specials on new cars. And what could be more patriotic during Independence Day weekend than buying an American car? From today through July 6, GM is offering 0 percent financing for up to 72 months for qualified buyers on select 2009 and 2010 vehicles in dealer stock, including Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups; Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL; Chevrolet Impala; and the Pontiac models: Vibe, G3, G5, G6 and G8, Solstice and more.
Most other vehicles, such as the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, will have reduced rate financing of 0 percent for up to 60 months, instead. Note that you have to take delivery by July 6 according to the current offer. For details on all GM offers and models, see here.
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.
Due to appear in showrooms sometime in September, the 2010 GMC Terrain will start at $24,995 (including destination). That'll get you a two-wheel-drive SLE powered by a direct-injected, 182-hp, 2.4-liter inline four that's paired with a six-speed automatic. That powertrain offers impressive fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. Another eye-opener is the base Terrain's generous standard features list, which includes a rear-view camera and a six-speaker audio system with satellite radio and a USB jack.
Stepping up to the SLT trim will run you five grand more ($29,995) and gets you a 264-hp, direct-injected, 3.0-liter V6, a power sunroof, a power liftgate, extra chrome trim, leather seating and a Pioneer audio system.
All-wheel-drive versions of the Terrain will run $1,750 more. For more on the Terrain, see this article on our Inside Line sister site.
In a series of press conferences today, President Obama and GM's CEO Fritz Henderson released details on GM's earlier filing for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection.
Saying, "give us another chance," Henderson promised that the bankruptcy filing would be "the start of a new and better GM." He predicted that the restructuring process would take from 60 to 90 days. GM has launched its own site to help keep the public informed of its latest efforts and promotions.
Henderson was preceded by President Barack Obama who essentially said that Chrysler's apparent reemergence from bankruptcy bodes well for GM's long term success. He noted that after entering Chapter 11, Chrysler sold more cars in May than in April. However, he didn't mention that most of those sales were at fire sale prices.
You may need the utility offered by a pickup, but that doesn't mean you have to completely forsake fuel-efficiency. These days, there are more compact and hybrid trucks available than ever before -- a development that spells good things for those seeking trucks that will help them mind their finances at the pump.
These 10 choices are the most fuel-efficient pickups on the market.
Day two of the downsizing of the American auto industry brought GM's announcement that it would "wind down" its dealership group over the next year by eliminating 1,100 outlets.
Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, speaking from his car via OnStar, said that dealers would be receiving letters today notifying them that they would not have their contracts renewed next year. This will allow these dealers to make an "orderly transition" to another business or close their doors permanently.
The long time frame will also allow dealers to sell off their remaining inventory. LaNeve said that if the dealerships were simply to close, GM would have to take control of their unsold cars.
The dealerships receiving letters today were selected due to low sales levels or poor CSI (Customer Service Index) levels. These dealers only constituted about seven percent of the total sales for GM.
In an effort to lure in younger buyers, boxy econo cars are packing a great deal of technology for less than $20,000. Edmunds.com's Technology Editor Doug Newcomb recently tested a 2010 Kia Soul equipped with a Bluetooth hands-free system, iPod integration, an eight-speaker stereo system, and a USB port for playing music files on a flash drive. Is that technology any good? Follow the link for the full story.
Subaru believes that the lack of interior room was the reason why the previous generation Legacy didn't sell, so they went back and took a "bigger is better" approach to the new model. The automaker will be unveiling the upsized 2010 Subaru Legacy at the New York Auto Show this week. Inside Line got the early details on the midsize-sedan that will be 3.2 inches longer, 3.6 inches wider and 3.2 inches taller than the outgoing model. But while the new sedan makes its entrance, the Legacy wagon bows out.
If the standard Yukon Hybrid is too pedestrian for your tastes and the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is out of your price range, General Motors has the answer for you. The 2009 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid gets 21 mpg in city driving while riding on 22-inch chrome wheels and offering a host of luxury features.
GMC has previewed its 5-passenger Terrain cross-over utility vehicle. Based on the same architecture as the Saturn Vue and upcoming redesigned Chevrolet Equinox, the Terrain shares no sheet-metal with either and has its own unique look. In fact, the styling will likely be what gets the most attention, as it has a love-it or hate-it decidedly truck-like look that contrasts greatly with the Euro-style of the Vue and the contemporary style of the Equinox. Catch an extended video and more details after the jump.
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
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