It was a nightmare of a year for Toyota in 2010. With the vast recalls made public as tragedy amounted from car defects, Toyota developed a reputation so bad that it will be a wonder if it can shake it.
One family touched by this tragedy was granted some sort of closure. The accident was caused by a rental Lexus that accelerated out of control in San Diego. The unintentional acceleration caused the death of four members of the same family. A lawsuit pended since the time of the accident, but the lawsuit will no longer be necessary. The family reached an agreement of $10 million and decided to throw away the lawsuit against Bob Baker Lexus. This Lexus dealership lent the family who suffered the tragedy the faulty vehicle.
While both parties seem to be satisfied with the outcome, Lexus representatives voiced disappointment that the sum was disclosed publicly.
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During the recession, many companies chose to close as often as they could without causing too much employee upset. This included creating four-day work weeks and giving employees as much holiday vacation as possible. But as the recession smoke clears and automakers look forward to the surge in sales, some factories stayed open during the holidays.
According to an article with the Detroit Free Press, German automakers reportedly remained open between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. This time had traditionally been reserved for vacation – but car companies avoided the close, “…to meet a surge in demand that is contributing to the nation’s strong economic rebound from the recession.”
Reportedly, the car factory employees were happy to work during the days usually reserved for vacation. Some luxury automakers that joined in on the extended work hours are BMW and Daimler.
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Heat rises as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration moves into higher stages of investigation of the Ford Windstar Minivan.
Models from 1999-2003 were recalled this August, due to corrosion in the rear axles. This corrosion is reportedly caused by road salt used during winter months. Because of this, only twenty-two states where salt is predominantly used in the winter were involved in the recall.
According to the Detroit Free Press, “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting in its Web site that it had begun an engineering analysis, an advanced state in its investigation, of about 550,000 Windstars…”
Aside from corrosion issues, drivers have also reported air conditioning leaks that amount in condensation, “…dripping from the front subframe.”
A family has reportedly claimed that they were not informed of the recall until a week after a member died in a Windstar crash.
All of these incidents will hopefully be answered soon. In the meantime, fill all your vehicle shippers needs through our website.
While there has been lots of talk in the auto industry of prices increasing (from vehicles to gas prices), there’s also been news of one industry that may be falling.
The Detroit Free Press wrote in late December about a man named Chris Gay and his insurance company, MileMeter. A whole new kind of insurance company, Gay is seeking to change the insurance industry in a way that will help drivers and not necessarily insurance executives. MileMeter is only allowed to offer insurance in Texas as of the article’s publication, but is looking to make its way into other states.
MileMeter offers insurance costs based on the number of miles a car drives a month. This has been largely unheard of before this company. If this coverage catches on, those who drive only small amounts (college kids, senior citizens, families with more vehicles than people) will begin to save large amounts of money. According to the article, over 2/3 of American households will be able to save money using this mile-based coverage.
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With so much buzz about the major power players in the electric car frenzy, it’s easy to overlook smaller companies who are doing the same thing for a more reasonable price.
The Detroit Free Press took the time at the end of the year to spotlight a new three-wheeled, completely electric car called the Triac. The company that makes them, Green Vehicles, is excited to get out the word about what they created.
The Triac boasts a 100-mile range and a $25,000 price tag. Though costly, this small wonder still costs less than the Tesla. Mike Ryan, president of Green Vehicles, says, “It’s centered around what we call the Green Core. They want to better their environment and lower their carbon footprint. We want to do that within the limits of sustainable manufacturing, careful materials selection and affordability.”
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It’s a good thing that car companies are focusing their energies on improving fuel economy to align with the EPA’s tight fuel expectations for 2016. According to an article with AOL’s Auto Blog, one fuel insider is predicting lofty prices in the coming year.
John Hofmeister, former president of Shell, shared his scary forecasts with Platt’s Energy Week Television in late December. According to AOL, “…Hofmeister said that he fully expects gas prices to be above $5.00 per gallon by the end of 2012.”
This may seem extremely pessimistic, but according to another expert in the field, it might not be so far off. Tom Kloza, the chief oil analyst with Oil Price Information Service, says that the price will happen – just not as fast as Hofmeister believes.
While Americans may be balking at this high price, other drivers across the globe are already suffering from this kind of inflation. AOL reports that, “…the UK recently saw gas prices spike to $7.30 a gallon.”
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While it is important to start a new year looking forward, it is equally important to reflect in order not endure the mistakes from the previous year.
An article with AOL Autos delivered a slightly cynical, though extremely relevant, perspective on the biggest auto blunders that we saw in 2010.
Which disaster topped the list? Not surprisingly, British Petroleum (or the now notorious BP) ranked at number one over the oil spill that alarmed the world as we watched helplessly. The article jeers, “Clearly, British Petroleum and its merry band of PR professionals and executives deserve their well-earned place at the top of the list of blundering companies of 2010.”
Toyota comes in at number two, though the article claims the seemingly endless string of recalls to be more vivid in the author’s memory. This writer would have to disagree – BP reminding the world just what happens when man tampers with nature just a bit too loosely.
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There is no exact science to building customer loyalty among car brands. Consumers tend to stick with what they know works. According to a study released in late December by J.D. Power and Associates, consumers seem to know what they want and that they plan to stick with what they know.
Car brand loyalty was polled among drivers, and there was a tie for the top spot – Ford and Honda are sharing the crown, with 62% of drivers staying loyal to the brand. Saab came in last place, with only 6% of previous drivers willing to re-purchase from the brand.
Followers have different reasons for sticking with Ford and Honda. According to an article with USAToday.com, Ford drivers are more likely to stay with Ford because Fords are, “…fun to drive [and] features snappy styling.” Honda drivers stick with the brand because, “…resale value and safety.”
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It’s amazing what’s to be found in people’s barns. An article with USAToday.com shared the latest discovery in late December.
The article says, “The latest near-perfect car to have the straw blown off the hood is an original 1964 Shelby Cobra.” The vehicle will be auctioned off in Scottdale, Arizona in January. The car is expected to sell for, “$525,000 to $625,000.”
The Shelby Cobra is also called the CSX-2289. It is one of 22 vehicles with a blue painted exterior and red-leather interior. Reportedly, the car was used for a year, “…as a demonstrator, picking up 12,000 miles and some minor damage.” The car was then sold to a man named Marshall Munger from California. The car stayed in Munger’s barn for over 30 years, until it was sold in 2004.
After only minor work, the Shelby still remains mostly in its original form. We’re interested to see who will pick up this find.
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Fuel economy seems to be on everybody’s minds. For consumers, it’s a concern that is going to last way after the recession fades, as gas prices increase with no sign of relief. Fuel economy is also becoming top priority for car makers – the EPA recently announced an extremely strict fuel standard that will be put into place in 2016.
Car makers are striving to meet these standards as new models are designed and produced. Many car companies are choosing for sleeker, more aerodynamic cars that offer less wind-resistance and therefore use less gasoline. Other car makers are going the more expensive route – changing materials in order to lessen weights.
According to an article with USAToday.com, General Motors is tackling its big boys – their pickups. GM is looking to install, “magnesium-alloy chassis and aluminum body panels, which could shave 800 pounds,” off trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado.
While these materials are lighter, they’re certainly more pricy than steel.
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