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A host of mystery shoppers sent to critique dealerships across the country gave luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and Lexus high marks and put Ford and Lincoln above the industry average.
The study of dealerships, released Monday, also found that fewer salespeople offer vehicle brochures that customers can take home. Only 57 percent of dealerships offer brochures, compared with 62 percent in 2007. Get the full story »
The sweeping legislation that grew out of Toyota Motor Corp.’s sudden-acceleration crisis — heralded as the most important auto safety bill in a decade — has been scaled back significantly in the face of auto industry opposition.
The bill originally gave federal officials the power to levy unlimited fines against automakers for safety violations, which regulators said could have resulted in multibillion-dollar penalties. But the House version now caps fines at $200 million.
While sales of cars and trucks in the U.S. continue to be more sluggish than expected, automakers – especially the Detroit Three — are seeing the largest increase in average transaction prices in more than five years.
Industrywide, consumers spent an estimated average of $29,217 on a new car or truck from January through May, an increase of $1,057, or 3.7 percent, from last year, according to estimates provided by Edmunds.com. Edmunds’ estimate is based on a sampling of data from about 40 percent of U.S. dealers. Get the full story »
From the Wall Street Journal | Chrysler is recalling 22,118 2010 Dodge Nitro, Dodge Ram, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Wrangler trucks and SUVs over a potential brake defect.
And Ford is recalling 33,728 2010 Transit Connect vans to replace pushpins holding up the cabin headliners.
Chrysler Group says it will make the first two months’ payments on most new vehicles bought this month in a bid to boost sales after a weak June. Chrysler will pay up to $500 per month for a total of $1,000 on most vehicles.
From the Chicago Sun-Times | Three Chicago area Chrysler dealerships that were among 789 that lost their agreements with Chrysler last year have settled or lost their appeals. The former Continental Chrysler Jeep in Countryside, now selling used cars and parts as Continental Auto Center, lost its appeal. Gregory Chrysler Plymouth Jeep of Lake Villa and Currie Motors of Forest Park reached cash settlements.
Chrysler says it’s adding 500,000 square feet for a larger body shop at its assembly plant in Belvidere. Chrysler senior manager Ross Good told city leaders Tuesday that the company needs the extra space at its north-central Illinois plant but has no immediate information about what will be made there or any work force changes. Good spoke to Belvidere’s mayor and city council.
From CNN | Consumer Reports is now offering a service that, it says, can get car shoppers a guaranteed dealer price quote, without subjecting them to phone calls and emails from salespeople. Get the full story »
Only a select few Chrysler dealers will earn the right to sell the Fiat 500 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in December, the company said Monday.
Chrysler is inviting about 2,300 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram truck dealers to bid for about 125 Fiat franchises in 41 states. Get the full story »
Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday that it had received reports more than three years ago of faulty engine valve springs at the center of a U.S. recall of nearly 139,000 luxury Lexus vehicles it announced last week.
Toyota plans to recall 270,000 luxury Lexus and Toyota Crown vehicles across the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia, Europe and other countries due to the potential defects that could lead to engine failures. Get the full story »
Ford Motor Co. sold a record 301,524 vehicles in China during the first six months of the year, up 53 percent from the same period in 2009, the company said. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker said its passenger car joint venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, sold a record 205,563 vehicles, up 46 percent for the six-month period. Its commercial vehicle venture, Jiangling Motors Corp., sold 88,363 vehicles, also a record.
The government is opening investigations into possible power steering problems in Mazda3 and BMW Z4 cars.
The investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involve more than 290,000 Mazda3s from the 2007-2009 model years and nearly 50,000 Z4s from the 2003-2005 model years. Get the full story »
General Motors Co. plans to file its initial public offering in mid-August, a source familiar with the situation said Friday.
General Motors is also in talks with banks for a revolving line of credit worth $5 billion. Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley each have agreed to provide $500 million worth of credit. Get the full story »
Toyota Motor Corp. will recall 270,000 Lexus and other vehicles worldwide to fix faulty engines in the latest quality lapse at the world’s No. 1 automaker. Flaws in valve springs, a crucial engine component, could make the vehicle stall while it’s moving, Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma said Friday in announcing the recall. Get the full story »
General Motors’ first-half sales in China, the world’s biggest auto market, exceeded sales in its home U.S. market for the first time, according to data released on Friday. GM’s China auto sales jumped 48.5 percent to 1.21 million units in January through June, compared with the 1.08 million light vehicles it delivered in the U.S. over the same period, company data showed. Get the full story »
