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novelties
ford f-150 recall
Ford Recalls 655,000 F-150 Pickups To Fix Hose Problem
No, not that kind of Toby Keith hose problem — the only way to fix that problem is with Viagra. And really, that doesn't fix it, it just makes the problem a bit more hard. No, what we're really talking about is Ford recalling more than 655,000 Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks to fix some bad brake hoses in... More »
i feel gassy
Chrysler's $2.99 Gas A Good Deal... For Chrysler
As with other auto media outlets, we've been closely following Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" program, which is offering three years of $2.99 gas for anyone who buys a Dodge, Jeep or Chrysler vehicle (that isn't a Challenger, Viper, Wrangler, Sprinter Van or other popular vehicles). After a few back-of-the-envelope calculations we're starting to see this is a good deal for Chrysler and, at best, a mediocre rebate for consumers. For one thing, in lieu of other rebates, Chrysler doesn't necessarily have to put all of these expenses on their books right away when it records the sale, which could be a PR boon for the automaker while it tries to buy time for the "New Day" that's coming. But most importantly, the amount of money that a consumer can save is maybe less than most expected. More »
i feel gassy
Gas Is $5.40 Per Gallon On The Cali Coast, We Cry
Think the prices at your local pump are high? If you aren't in California, don't feel so bad. Sure, you may be paying $4 per gallon, but whatever. Because as our auto-loving friends on the Cali coast know, yes, it really does cost $5.40 per gallon. You non-Americans may scoff, what with European prices being around eight thousand dollars per gallon, but for us this cost is simply outrageous. Don't oil companies know this is America? We'll never stand for such prices. Or at least we'll just sit here in our cars and wait it out. [CNN]
free cars
By way of Toyota's own Open Road Blog is word of a new scam using Toyota's name in vain to obtain financial info for use in identity theft and raiding bank accounts. The scam involves a letter and sometimes an included check branded with Toyota's logo. A couple of different forms of the scam are circulating — one of them involves a mystery-shopper program. Another is a about a lottery awarding free money and a Toyota vehicle. And let's be clear here — if you fell for this, we've got a Nigerian lottery we'd like to discuss with you.
More »
Scammers Using Toyota's Name To Rip Off Consumers
By way of Toyota's own Open Road Blog is word of a new scam using Toyota's name in vain to obtain financial info for use in identity theft and raiding bank accounts. The scam involves a letter and sometimes an included check branded with Toyota's logo. A couple of different forms of the scam are circulating — one of them involves a mystery-shopper program. Another is a about a lottery awarding free money and a Toyota vehicle. And let's be clear here — if you fell for this, we've got a Nigerian lottery we'd like to discuss with you.
More »
offbeat news
Canadian Man Blames Lost Chrysler Data Tape For Irrational Identity Theft Fears
A man from the Canadian city-to-the-south-of-Detroit, Windsor, Ontario, is miffed at Chrysler (or more likely Chrysler Financial Canada) for losing a data tape and potentially making the possibility of identity theft happen sooner rather than later. Seems a tape containing the names, addresses and Social Insurance Numbers of some Canuckian Chrysler lessees was lost in transport by UPS. The carrier informed Chrysler of the loss by March 12th, and in turn, letters to folks with compromised identities were sent by March 27th. This chap from Windsor didn't get his note till April 21st and it's rubbing him the wrong way. More »
gadgets
Paint Thickness Tester Can Bust Shady Craigslisters
We all know that Craiglist posters can be some of the most trustworthy individuals on this planet, but for those few occasions when you need to double check their honesty there is this great invention: the paint thickness tester. It's a keychain-sized device that can determine if a car has had any body work needing repainting. It works by setting a reference value at a designated spot on the car and then comparing all other spots to that value. For example, you make the reference value a spot on the hood that you're pretty sure hasn't been repainted. Then you go to the common areas for damage like fenders and the bumper to check if the same value exists. The paint thickness tester is available for $20 and could save you thousands. Unless, of course, the paint tester itself is a scam. [Product Page via TRFJ]
novelties
We're there again, that part of the year when the bony finger of Uncle Sam slips its way into your wallet and takes what it deems to be a fair share of your hard earned money. That's right, it's tax season. That time honored tradition of putting everything off until the last minute then filing as close to midnight on April 15th as possible will be once again in full glory, and local TV will once again run 11PM news coverage of the blessed event. But how about we talk about lowering those taxes the only way we know how *— with your car.
More »
Top Ways to Save On Taxes With Your Car
We're there again, that part of the year when the bony finger of Uncle Sam slips its way into your wallet and takes what it deems to be a fair share of your hard earned money. That's right, it's tax season. That time honored tradition of putting everything off until the last minute then filing as close to midnight on April 15th as possible will be once again in full glory, and local TV will once again run 11PM news coverage of the blessed event. But how about we talk about lowering those taxes the only way we know how *— with your car.
More »
4:41 PM on Fri Apr 11 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
7,424 views,
18 comments
Latest by PaperBoy: @eltonito: You can get 100% value if the charity is giving the car to people in need, and in some other cases. You get only the actual sale price when the charity auctions the car to raise money for its more »
industry news
Saab has just announced that the 2008 Turbo X — the new range-topping version of their 9-3 sedan — will start at $54,995 — just shy of 55,000 loonies. Do the math and that's $53,898 in real money, $11,388 (USD) more than the car will start at south of the Windsor-Detroit line. Yet vehicle sales in Canada remain strong, despite continuing price disparities and in contrast to US sales, which are on the decline.
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2008 Saab Turbo X Priced $11K Higher In Canada, Canadian Car Sales Bouyant Despite Price Disparities
Saab has just announced that the 2008 Turbo X — the new range-topping version of their 9-3 sedan — will start at $54,995 — just shy of 55,000 loonies. Do the math and that's $53,898 in real money, $11,388 (USD) more than the car will start at south of the Windsor-Detroit line. Yet vehicle sales in Canada remain strong, despite continuing price disparities and in contrast to US sales, which are on the decline.More »
offbeat news
Dealer Sets Scion xB On Fire, Destroys It
A forum member over at ScionLife took his Scion xB to the dealer for a technical service bulletin issue this past week and got a call no car owner ever wants to receive. Somehow, the dealer managed to set his car on fire. The customized xB was totaled in the blaze and the Scion dealer has promised to replace the xB. Although there's no word on the aftermarket parts destroyed in the fire, we're assuming they'll be replacing those as well. We knew the xB was a hot little car to Scion fan-boys, but this is ridiculous.[ScionLife via MotiveMag via Autoblog]
novelties
[UPDATE: Also check out our top ten list of the best...or was it the worst...April Fools' Day automotive gags.] Occasionally, an automaker likes to have a little fun on April Fools' Day by announcing a car so ridiculous it couldn't possibly be real. Unfortunately, what happens more often than not is that an automaker will announce a car so ridiculous that it couldn't possible be real... and it is. Some are poorly-styled and ill-conceived, while others seem to fill no foreseeable niche other than a need to show they're doing something, anything. Below is our list of new cars that are punch lines to jokes no one ever told (i.e. the least dragon-able new cars). [UPDATE: We've added a poll so you can proclaim the most foolish car of them all]
More »
Seven New Cars We Wish Were April Fools' Day Jokes
[UPDATE: Also check out our top ten list of the best...or was it the worst...April Fools' Day automotive gags.] Occasionally, an automaker likes to have a little fun on April Fools' Day by announcing a car so ridiculous it couldn't possibly be real. Unfortunately, what happens more often than not is that an automaker will announce a car so ridiculous that it couldn't possible be real... and it is. Some are poorly-styled and ill-conceived, while others seem to fill no foreseeable niche other than a need to show they're doing something, anything. Below is our list of new cars that are punch lines to jokes no one ever told (i.e. the least dragon-able new cars). [UPDATE: We've added a poll so you can proclaim the most foolish car of them all]
More »
3:16 PM on Tue Apr 1 2008
By Matt Hardigree
79,545 views,
114 comments
Latest by jackyan: The Routan is so named because Volkswagen had the letters already moulded from their Touran badges. As to the BMW X6, the AMC Eagle SX/4 did the whole coupé-Jeep crossover thing so much better. more »
offbeat news
Infiniti G35X Pricing Magically Fixed But Spoiler Disappears Too
Remember yesterday when we told you how the pricing on the Infiniti G35X was a bit funny? How the "Sport Package" appeared to be included in the price of the vehicle yet calls to Infiniti dealers said otherwise? Well today the option doesn't even seem to be listed on the website — not only that but they took away the optional spoiler too. Funny how that kind of thing happens isn't it? We hope all of you in the market for the all-wheel-drive sports sedan fired up the printer and walked into the dealership with a copy of the website, you know, just as a bargaining tool. By the way, you're welcome Carlos.
offbeat news
Infiniti G35X Practicing Bait And Switch Pricing?
Looks like Nissan's Infiniti brand has some splainin' to do with regard to their online pricing. Tipster Steve D pointed us to a bit of pricing which we agree seems a bit odd. Seems the online car builder on the Infiniti website says the price of the "Sport Package" is included in the price of the G35X at no charge. After a quick ring to the local area Infiniti dealer, this was confirmed as a situation which is less than true. Actually the salesman on the other end of the line had to stifle a guffaw when asked if the sport package was indeed included. Seems "included" actually means "$1,100" when speaking about Infinitis. We're not terribly surprised to hear this considering what's included in the package: More »
junkyard find
Maybe A Sincere Note Will Dissuade The Tow Truck Guy!
One of the fun things about the junkyard is that you often find items in cars that tell an interesting, though often sad, story. As I've mentioned before, I love cool found objects from cars, and one of my very favorite junkyard finds is a heartfelt, pleading note left on a car by an owner desperate to avoid the towing-away process they (correctly) sense is approaching. I've got a pretty decent collection of such unsuccessful notes found beneath the wipers of junked cars, and today I'm sharing a few. The one written in blue crayon looks as if it served its intended purpose (get the owner out of paying tickets and fines), but it was also a failure- I found the car at a different junkyard than the one referred to in the blurred-out text.
i feel gassy
Racing USA's the self-proclaimed "most frequently shopped, independently owned Nascar store in the world." That's probably true considering Nascar's official store ain't so independently owned. But now the rubbin'-is-racin' store's gone and one-upped the "official store" by providing one helluva employee benefit given the ever-upwardly-moving price of gas. The company all about promoting the oval-track racers will now guarantee employees' gas at $2.85 per gallon when they come to work. Guess they'll still have to pay full price for gas for track days, but you know what else they get as a benefit? All the Nascar tchotchkes they can carry. Actually, we can't verify that — but the deal on gas ain't too shabby. Full press release below the jump.
More »
Nascar Store Gives Employees Nascar Tchotchkes For Nothing, Gas For Free
Racing USA's the self-proclaimed "most frequently shopped, independently owned Nascar store in the world." That's probably true considering Nascar's official store ain't so independently owned. But now the rubbin'-is-racin' store's gone and one-upped the "official store" by providing one helluva employee benefit given the ever-upwardly-moving price of gas. The company all about promoting the oval-track racers will now guarantee employees' gas at $2.85 per gallon when they come to work. Guess they'll still have to pay full price for gas for track days, but you know what else they get as a benefit? All the Nascar tchotchkes they can carry. Actually, we can't verify that — but the deal on gas ain't too shabby. Full press release below the jump.
More »
chicago auto show
Porsche Cayenne GTS Bound For Chicago Auto Show, Pricing Announced
The newest addition to the Porsche SUV lineup, the Porsche Cayenne GTS, is going to set you back $69,300 when it goes on sale next month, putting it closer to the $57,900 Cayenne S than the $93,700 for the Cayenne Turbo. Unfortunately, the performance is also closer to the Cayenne S with a 405 horsepower version of the 4.8-liter DFI engine, as opposed to the 500 horsepower version in the Turbo. But if the Turbo is out of your price range but a recent stock split means you can do better than the basic Cayenne S, the GTS might be for you. Press release below the jump.More »
12:15 PM on Tue Jan 29 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,638 views,
19 comments
Latest by TomAnderson: @austinminiman: They make (made) one for Europe with an inline-5 TDI. Sigh... more »
news
TheCarConnection is telling us today starting prices on the new BMW M3 Coupe and M3 Sedan will ring in at less than $60k. The V8 powered, 414 hp fraternal twins will be rolling out the door with the coupe priced at $57,275, the sedan will set you back $54,575. We're not sure if this is a bargain or not yet since the last copy of the M3 ran in the $50k range with 333 ponies from the inline 6. First copies will be available for flogging sale in March. What say you? Will you be lining up for the performance bargain of 2008, or passing on a BMW that's jumped the shark?
M3 Pricing Details: Available for Less Than $60,000
TheCarConnection is telling us today starting prices on the new BMW M3 Coupe and M3 Sedan will ring in at less than $60k. The V8 powered, 414 hp fraternal twins will be rolling out the door with the coupe priced at $57,275, the sedan will set you back $54,575. We're not sure if this is a bargain or not yet since the last copy of the M3 ran in the $50k range with 333 ponies from the inline 6. First copies will be available for 
offbeat news
