November 9, 2009
For some years, people who are buying an airplane or large motorboat have had a sample of the oil analyzed to see how healthy the engine is. By running the oil through a lab, small amounts of different metals indicate which engine components are wearing abnormally fast.
The price of an engine oil analysis has dropped in recent years making this process affordable for regular old car buyers and owners. We recently sent oil from a 2000 Mitsubishi Galant ES, which had been used for about 3,000 miles, to Blackstone Laboratories. Guess what they told us?
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- Philip Reed November 9, 2009, 1:12 AM
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- Car Maintenance, The Savvy Shopper
November 6, 2009
The latest highlights from Edmunds.com and its blogosphere.
IL News: Toyota Showcases Eco-Sensitive Twins at 2009 SEMA Show
Toyota showcased a pair of eco-friendly modified Priuses at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas. Both the exterior and interior of Aerius and Aemulus concepts were outfitted using environmentally friendly materials.
AutoObserver: Chrysler Outlines the Plan, Can it Work?
Chrysler conducted a marathon eight-hour press conference Wednesday highlighting its all-encompassing, five-year business plan. This AutoObserver post includes a breakdown of that plan and analyzes the possibility of its feasibility and effectiveness.
Green Car Advisor: GM Gets Grant to Develop Prototype Exhaust-Heat Generator
GM, which has been working on energy recovery from exhaust heat for decades, has just received a small federal grant to develop a prototype exhaust-heat generator using a material called Shape Memory Alloy. Green Car Advisor explains the significance of that.
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- James Riswick November 6, 2009, 1:00 PM
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- Chrysler, Edmunds Roundup, General Motors
If your credit score has gone up or down 20 - 30 points lately, it might have nothing to do with your recent borrowing habits. FICO (formerly Fair Isaac Corporation) has radically changed its methodology to the new "FICO '08." As a result, the three-digit FICO scores you get through credit reporting bureaus Experian, Equifax and TransUnion may have changed dramatically in recent months.
FICO's rationale and how it applies to specific types of borrowers is detailed in our new article. FICO says that half of the U.S. population will see their score fall under the new system, while the other half's score will stay the same or go up. That's going to affect thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of the nation's car loans.
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- Joanne Helperin November 6, 2009, 11:00 AM
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- Car Advice Articles, Car Loans and Financing, Car Negotiating, FAQ Friday
Thanks to positive feedback the concept version received at the 2008 SEMA show as well as at TDI Cup races, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup "Street" Edition will become a reality. This race series-inspired version of the turbodiesel Jetta will have some substance under the obligatory body kit (revised front and rear fascias, lower body skirting). A sport-tuned suspension (similar to that found on the Jetta GLI), 18-inch alloy wheels, and bigger brakes with red calipers give the "Street" some, umm, street cred. The cabin will have some upgrades as well, including sport seats and a leather-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel with (for DSG-equipped versions) paddle shifters.
Pricing is slated to come in around $25,000, however thanks to this clean diesel's efficiency, you'd also quality for a $1,300 Federal Tax Credit. Those who were wishing VW would have a sport version of the TDI can look forward to this belated Christmas present come this January, when the Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition is due to hit showrooms.
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- John DiPietro November 6, 2009, 9:25 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Volkswagen
Thus far, the Kia Sorento hasn't made much of a name for itself in the overcrowded world of SUVs. Saddled with an outdated body-on-frame design and excessive girth throughout its first generation (2003-09), the Sorento aimed for both off-roaders and suburbanites -- and ended up impressing neither.
But as Hyundai/Kia products are wont to do, the Sorento is stepping up its game in a big way for generation two, which goes on sale as a 2011 model in January. The new Sorento shares its unibody platform with the Hyundai Santa Fe, and it should start just under $20,000. Three more reasons why you should care are a single click away.
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- Josh Sadlier November 6, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Kia, Weekly Top 3
November 5, 2009
Earlier today, Ford announced its introduction of the auto industry's first-ever inflatable seat belts for production vehicles. The belts will be used to protect rear-seat occupants, and represent a combination of airbag and seat-belt technology.
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- Warren Clarke November 5, 2009, 3:07 PM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Automotive Technology, Car Safety, Ford
Pricing has been announced for Suzuki's new midsize sedan. The Kizashi will start at $18,999 for the 2WD, S model with a manual transmission, and tops out at $26,749 for the 4WD, SLS model with a CVT transmission. Suzuki says that the volume seller will be the SE model, which starts at $21,499, and adds larger wheels, cruise control, power driver's seat, and the CVT transmission.
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- Ron Montoya November 5, 2009, 11:40 AM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Suzuki
In the olden days, headlights were made of glass and were round (okay, sometimes rectangular). Most modern headlights have plastic lenses/covers that in time get hazy and even yellowed as they age. Thousands of miles of getting bombarded with dirt, sand and grit are to blame for clouding up these headlights. And until recently, you had no option but to replace them with expensive new units. Depending on how far gone they are, you can probably save them with a headlight restoration kit, provided you don't mind mimicking Daniel-san in the Karate Kid.
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- John DiPietro November 5, 2009, 11:02 AM
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- Car Maintenance, Car Safety, Used Car Corner, Used Cars
Porsche released details and photos on the latest iteration of the wildly popular Boxster line. The new model, dubbed the Boxster Spyder, clearly has the high-performance enthusiast in mind. The new model weighs only 2,811 pounds - 176 pounds less than a Boxster S - thanks to the elimination of the regular convertible top. The conventional articulating power top has been replaced by a fabric tonneau-like cover that looks to be intended for unexpected showers.
The six-cylinder boxer engine gets a 10 horsepower boost over the Boxster S to 320 hp, while a stiffer suspension lowers ride height by 20mm. Lower side windows and a twin-cowl rear deck lid gives a sportier, Carrera GT or 911 Speedster look. The price? A cool $61,200, about $4,500 more than a Boxster S and it's due to hit showrooms in February, 2010.
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- Mark Takahashi November 5, 2009, 9:45 AM
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- Porsche
- Technorati Tags:
- 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder
While the official start of winter is still more than a month away, many areas of the country have already had their first encounter with the white and powdery (and then dirty and slushy) stuff. This means that, unless you live in southern California or Florida, buying a new convertible is not at the top of your list.
In the wake of the government-backed bankruptcy and a failed Penske buyout, GM announced that the Saturn brand would cease to exist in 2010. What do these two dissimilar topics have in common? The Saturn Sky, and the great incentives that are being offered as the sun sets on this convertible and all Saturns, to clean out the dying brand's inventory.
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- Lee Scott November 5, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Deal of the Week, Saturn
November 4, 2009
Though there was certainly plenty of media buzz around Jay Leno and his new Camaro, the poor economy has definitely reduced the crowds and the number of electronics companies exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show. Marquee car stereo companies such as Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony are either no-shows or have a very low-key presence.
Instead the coolest new car electronics products are coming from small companies you probably never heard of. Some of their gadgets are available now and some will be soon. The best new tech products we saw at SEMA 2009 can be summed up in two words: cameras and connectivity.
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- Paul Seredynski November 4, 2009, 6:00 PM
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- Auto Shows
Chrysler made a number of significant announcements today at its press conference, where the company laid out its five year product plan. In terms of product highlights, expect to
see fewer V8 engines and more 4 cylinder engines in the coming years. Unfortunately, EV's and hybrids won't surface until their next five year plan.
The Ram brand is now officially separated from Dodge. This will be their truck division.
The Dodge Challenger will live on, but the Viper's days are numbered. Dodge also announced a small hatchback based on their Hornet concept car.
Fiat and Chrysler will now begin to share their powertrain technology. In late 2010, the Fiat 500 will make its way into U.S. showrooms. A diesel version of the Jeep Wrangler was announced. Also, Jeep will become an more SUV focused brand.
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- Ron Montoya November 4, 2009, 1:50 PM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
This weekly 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.
Dear Tom,
I own a 2000 Lexus ES 300 Platinum Series. I purchased it about three years ago, and at the time it had only 4,400 miles on it. It now has nearly 39,000 miles. It seems to be running fine and the Lexus dealership has never indicated any problems when I get the car serviced. However, I wonder whether there might be sludge buildup because the car sat idle in its early years (only 4400 miles driven by previous owners over a 6-year period). Could this be a problem later on? And would it be evident by now?
Michael from Long Island, NY
Contrary to Michael's concern, sludge does not set up as a result of an engine that is rarely used. It occurs due to extensive engine use in an environment where the engine is not maintained (infrequent or no oil changes).
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- Ron Montoya November 4, 2009, 1:00 PM
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- Car Maintenance
GM is recalling some 2006-'07 Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and Pontiac G5s because a couple crack-prone parts could lead to a fuel leak -- and the wrong kind of ignition when you turn the key.
Here's what NHTSA has to say: "The plastic supply or return port on the modular reservoir assembly may crack. If either of these ports develops a crack, fuel will leak from the area. If the crack becomes large enough, fuel may be observed dripping onto the ground." So what? "Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition, could result in a fire." Yikes.
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- Josh Sadlier November 4, 2009, 11:00 AM
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- Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, Vehicle Recalls
November 3, 2009
On December 1, Ford dealers will start taking orders for the new 6.2-liter V8 Raptor. The pickup, now the most powerful half-ton truck on the market, makes 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque -- 91 hp more than the standard 5.4-liter Triton V8. The high-speed off-roader will start at $41,995, including destination and delivery.
Also today, Ford announced a limited-edition racing version, the $99,950 2011 FR Raptor XT.
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- Joanne Helperin November 3, 2009, 2:52 PM
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- Automotive Consumer News, Ford
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For some years, people who are buying an airplane or large motorboat have had a sample of the oil analyzed to see how healthy the engine is. By running the oil through a lab, small amounts of different metals indicate which engine components are wearing abnormally fast. 
