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follow ups
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follow ups
general motors
Maybe GM Can't Sell Cars Because Its Dealerships Won't Sell Them
Consumerist reader Chris decided to take advantage of GM's please-buy-a-car Employee Discount sale that we wrote about yesterday, so he headed off to two different dealerships in the NY/NJ area. What he found were deserted showrooms with salesmen who ignored him or argued with him over the existence of specific models he'd looked at online. He adds, "tonight I’m off to Toyota for some hard numbers on a Corolla and Camry." More »
gm
GM's 'Employee Pricing' Sales Mean Big Discounts On Cars Right Now
GM is desperate to boost its sales this month, so the company is offering some steep discounts under its "Employee Pricing" sale. The car blog KickingTires is covering the discounts and points out that "almost all of the prices are around 10% off, which is big in terms of car sales." For example, you can save $9,000 on a Hummer H3. Of course, you'll spend that much on gas for it in the first week, but there are other options as well, like Saturns, Chevys, and even the 2008 Corvette Z06 (which we mention separately because KickingTires says powerful sports cars are usually exempt from this sort of sale, but not this time). More »
prius
UPDATE: Consumer Takes Sleazy Prius Salesman To Court
23 months after we first posted her story, Angela Weigold writes in with the latest update about a Prius salesmen who left multiple harassing phone messages daily, calling Anela a "whore" and put her phone number on online escort websites. More »
In an effort to spur sales, General Motors is offering no-interest, six-year loans on new vehicle purchases through June 30th. Unfortunately, only the slow-selling models (i.e., not very fuel efficient) are included in the sale. Oh, also they're raising prices on 2009 models. [New York Times]
gas prices
Beware The "MPG Illusion" When Comparing Fuel Efficiency
Sure, switching from a gas guzzler to a highly efficient (and probably much smaller) car is best for the environment, but it's not a realistic solution for large families or people who can't afford it. But don't let the fact that you can't buy a 40 mpg car turn you off of a trade up in efficiency anyway. A couple of economists have pointed out that "using 'miles per gallon' as a measure of fuel efficiency leads people to undervalue the benefits of replacing the most inefficient automobiles." Their point: if you're driving a gas guzzler, even a small improvement in fuel efficiency can generate significant savings. More »
fuel sippers
Sixteen Sweet Fuel-Sipping Cars
To help you fight the battle against high gasoline prices, Consumer Reports has put together a list of the 16 best used fuel-sipping cars. The list only contains cars under 10 years old and the criteria is based on fuel economy and reliability. It does not take into account driver comfort or fancy options. Check out CNN's full article for more detailed information on each car. The list, inside... More »
rust
Toyota Announces Tacoma Buyback Program For Severe Rust Corrosion
If you own a Tacoma made between 1995 and 2000, Toyota would like to inspect it free of charge—and if the rust corrosion is severe enough, they will either repair the truck on their dime or buy it back as a vehicle in "excellent condition" no matter what state it's really in. Toyota announced this a little over a month ago and said thy would start sending letters to Tacoma owners in the weeks to come, so if you haven't received yours yet, be on the lookout for it. More »
bad rentals
Zach tried to rent a truck from Budget last month, and not only did he not get the truck, but he didn't get the compensatory gift card they offered by way of apology. In fact, pretty much the only real thing he got from Budget was a $50 fee on his credit card for being a "no show"—even though he arrived at the location a half hour before closing only to find it locked up. Oh, and the location was 150 miles from his home.
More »
Budget Rents Man A Truck, Then Closes Early And Charges $50 "No Show" Fee
Zach tried to rent a truck from Budget last month, and not only did he not get the truck, but he didn't get the compensatory gift card they offered by way of apology. In fact, pretty much the only real thing he got from Budget was a $50 fee on his credit card for being a "no show"—even though he arrived at the location a half hour before closing only to find it locked up. Oh, and the location was 150 miles from his home.
More »
rip-offs
