So after a truly exasperating experience with the dealer today, all I could think of during the drive home was: “I want people to know they don’t have to go to the dealer just because their new car is under warranty.”

Posted by Angi

I know this happens all the time because our own clients will tell us, “Oh, you guys are wonderful, but I bought a new car. I’ll be back as soon as the warranty is up.” If this were by choice, that would be one thing. We would be sad to lose them as clients for a few years, but we would understand. Sadly, however, too many consumers switch to the dealer because they believe they have to.

Let me set the record straight: You are never required to use the dealer, even when the vehicle is under warranty. (Once you click on the link, scroll down to the “Tie-In Sales Provisions” section.) Most motorists want the dealer to cover the cost of warranty repairs, which only makes sense, but you may want to go elsewhere for your maintenance. Let me clarify the difference.

Your new car warranty covers parts failures or malfunctions, such as a sunroof that won’t open, a Service Engine Soon light or an antilock brake (ABS) light. In these cases, your dealer will cover the diagnostics and repairs at no cost to you. Your warranty does not cover routine maintenance, such as oil changes, tire rotations, air filters, brake service, fuel filters, or cooling system and transmission fluid flushes. You pay for these out of pocket, and you’re free to have these services done anywhere without jeopardizing your new car warranty. Your choice is protected by federal law, the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975 (scroll down to the section about “Tie-In Sales Provisions”), and you simply need to keep records verifying the maintenance was done.

Some carmakers—such as Audi, MINI, BMW and Volvo (I heard a radio ad today)—add maintenance with the purchase of a new vehicle. (And that, along with a glove box rattle and saggy sun visor, was why I was at the dealership yesterday.) If your dealer includes maintenance or offers free oil changes, I certainly understand why you would make the trek there during the warranty period. I simply want you to realize that you’re free to choose any auto repair shop you like.

In closing, I admit that I have an inherent bias: I’ve worked in the independent (non-dealer) repair side of the industry for more than 12 years and have been with Star Auto Authority for nearly 8 years. But I also firmly believe there are basic principles of customer service and that large and small organizations alike can deliver stellar service if they choose to. And when you find a company—or dealer—that doesn’t seem to care about that, then you deserve the right to take your business elsewhere.

Posted by Angi

The concept defies logic because, after all, the 40-year campaign for safety seats has been about protecting our children in the event of a crash. But the article follows a Tribune investigation of 2008 model year frontal crash tests, during which 31 of 66 children’s car seats flew off their bases or exceeded allowable injury limits. This alarming data was included in thousands of pages of test data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it wasn’t specifically publicized. Why? Well, technically, the crash tests were evaluating the vehicles, not the car seats.

Before a car seat can be sold, it must pass a crash test on a bench sled that simulates a 30-mph, head-on collision.  They are not tested in real cars, and they’re aren’t tested for side-impact crashes. In the test results the Tribune analyzed, they weren’t even tested at the same speed: The vehicle crash tests were conducted at 35 mph into a wall.

Common sense tells you it’s nearly impossible to predict the damage from a real-world crash with tests that don’t use real vehicles. In fact, the Tribune found higher injury ratings in the vehicle crash tests when the baby dummy’s head hit the back of the vehicle’s front seats. The sled tests would not predict such injuries because there’s nothing to hit. The bench test doesn’t use anything to replicate the front seat.

Interestingly, in Europe, cars are rated specifically on how well (or how poorly) they protect children. In the United States, it’s not a factor. According to the Tribune, many child safety seats performed poorly even when they were tested in vehicles with five-star safety ratings, and ratings aren’t affected if a vehicle’s back seat breaks apart in a head-on collision.

If you want some comfort in all this, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has ordered a top-to-bottom review of child safety seat regulations and has ordered NHTSA to make crash test data more available to consumers. NHTSA also recalled the two worst performers on the crash test, and one child seat manufacturer has committed to a comprehensive overhaul of its evaluation system. NHTSA is also evaluating improvements for the sled tests, including possibly adding a front seat model.

Parents: What are your thoughts? What would make you feel safe—besides securing your young passengers in a protective bubble or full body armor?

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For another controversial look at the child seat debate, watch this interesting presentation from Steven Levitt author of Freakonomics. About 14:55 in, he advocates a different concept that has yet to take off. Watch now.

As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will not issue final rules for fuel economy standards for the 2011-15 model years as planned. The DOT says the recent financial difficulties of the automobile industry will require the next administration to conduct a review of matters affecting the industry, including how to effectively implement a new energy law requiring tougher standards.
The energy law, enacted in December 2007, requires standards to go up 40 percent by 2020 to a fleetwide average of at least 35 mpg.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a rule for 2011-15 model years, raising standards by about 25 percent by the end of that period at an estimated cost of about $47 billion to the industry. The Bush administration had promised a final rule by the end of 2008. But that was before the economic downturn reached crisis proportions for the automobile industry, necessitating federal loans to General Motors and Chrysler to keep them afloat.

Federal law requires NHTSA to give automakers at least 18 months lead time before imposing higher CAFE standards. Therefore, time remains for the Obama administration to impose higher standards for the 2011 model year which, under the CAFE program, begins Oct. 1, 2010. The deadline for a final rule would be April 1.

The Bush administration said in a statement that it “has done significant work that will position the next transportation secretary to finalize a rule before the April 1, 2009, deadline.” Meanwhile, President-elect Barack Obama has nominated former Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) as the next secretary of transportation, who oversees NHTSA.

After today’s meeting between President-Elect Obama and Presidents Bush, Bush Sr., Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, there appears to be camaraderie among these esteemed and elite leaders. There is no doubt that these interesting times will lead to what we hope are innovative solutions to our nation’s problems, and that these important fuel economy issues don’t fall by the wayside.

Source: AutoWeek

David Kelly, acting administrator of NHTSA, says that the new vehicle recall notification system is an expansion of the agency’s consumer safety communications program. Earlier this year, NHTSA also introduced automated recall alerts for child safety seats and tires.

NHTSA reports that there are about 600 vehicle recalls each year. About one in four motorists ignore these recalls when they are announced and fail to get their affected vehicles repaired, NHTSA says. Ignoring these recall notices can come at a high price: Some of these defects, if left unrepaired, could put you and your family at risk.

To start receiving NHTSA’s recall alerts, go to www.safercar.gov and select the “Email recall notifications” option.

This is great news for consumers who are looking to squeeze more mileage out of every fuel-up, but complicates vehicle production for car manufacturers that sell vehicles in the United States and that are now facing unprecedented economic challenges.

Other upsides are that raising fuel economy standards enhances energy security by improving fuel economy. In addition, the increased standards address climate change by reducing tailpipe emissions of CO2. These emissions represent 97 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. Implementation of these tougher standards are expected to add to the billions of barrels of fuel already saved since the CAFE program began.

First enacted by Congress in 1975, the purpose of CAFE is to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks. Regulating CAFE is the responsibility of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NHTSA sets fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S.; EPA calculates the average fuel economy for each manufacturer.

The Web site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ contains comprehensive information about CAFE, including a program overview, related rulemaking activities, research, fleet characteristics and summaries of manufacturers’ fuel economy performance since 1978.

Source: NHTSA

The recall, issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), includes 2004 and 2005 5-Series sedans, 2004 to 2006 X3 SUVs and some 2006 3-Series sedans. Find out if your vehicle is on the list by clicking here.

According to the recall notice, passenger-side air bags might be deactivated by a sensor in the vehicle because of wear caused by passengers entering and exiting the vehicles. To fix the problem, BMW dealers will repair a sensor system, and the company will extend the warranty for air bags on the recalled vehicles to 10 years with no mileage limit.

BMW dealerships should begin contacting owners to resolve the matter this month. They will inspect vehicles for cracks in the air bag detection mat, and replace the component at no charge.

Owners who don’t want to wait for their dealership to contact them can call (800) 525-7417 to make service arrangements.

As the world’s largest luxury auto maker, BMW sold 336,000 cars and trucks in the United States last year under the BMW and Mini brands.

Sources: NHTSA and U.S. News & World Report