Car Culture
Cash for Clunkers Catching On Globally -- Russia Joins Up
Posted: Aug. 17, 2009 10:08:15 a.m.
Think of it as V8 Perestroika.
MarketWatch reports, "Russia plans to boost its struggling car industry by adopting a scheme similar to the so-called cash for clunkers program used in the U.S." Under the program, Moscow will offer discounts of up to 50,000 Rubles (about $1,500) to buyers who trade in a vehicle that is at least ten years old when buying a new vehicle.
Reuters adds, "The rebate can only be spent on Russian-made cars." But ...
Survey: Americans Opening Up to Chinese-, Indian-Made Cars
Posted: Jul. 31, 2009 11:07:44 a.m.
Americans are warming up to Chinese and Indian cars, according to a new survey.
Motor Trend reports, "American new car buyers would consider buying Indian and Chinese manufactured cars if they were offered, a recent study by auto industry consultant AutoPacific found. The survey called 'Opportunity for Chinese and Indian Brand in the USA' questioned more than 30,000 buyers from around the nation. After tallying the results, researchers discovered that 15 percent of the group would consider buying a ...
What Clunkers Are We Trading In?
Posted: Jul. 30, 2009 10:07:42 a.m.
So, Uncle Sam is buying back our junkiest cars. What are we selling him?
For the most part, we're trading our SUVs in for cars. The Houston Chronicle reports, "More than 70 percent of the clunkers are SUVs, and 84 percent of the new vehicles are passenger cars." That means the program is helping to meet some of its goals, such as cutting into our oil consumption. "Early statistics provided by CARS show that the average clunker trade-in gets ...
Roving Bands of Youth Throwing Smart Cars into Water
Posted: Jul. 28, 2009 11:07:00 a.m.
Smart car owners, be warned: don't park next to water.
The warning comes to us from Holland, where a strange new trend has popped up. Wired explains, "Dutch pranksters have taken to throwing the tiny two-seaters into canals throughout Amsterdam, a trend police worry may spread to other European cities." After all, at about 1,600 lbs, the Smart Fortwo weighs even less than the first-generation Volkswagen Beetles that pranksters were fond of picking up and moving in the ...
Drunk Driving is Down, but Many Drivers are on Drugs
Posted: Jul. 17, 2009 11:07:07 a.m.
The good news? Drunk driving is down. The bad news? A surprising number of the drivers around you have their judgment compromised by other chemicals.
The New York Times reports, "Random roadside checks show that the percentage of people driving under the influence of alcohol appears to be declining, but many weekend drivers test positive for drug use." A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study looked at "breath, saliva, blood samples and questionnaires taken from randomly selected drivers in 300 ...
Mercedes, Lexus Top Dealership Experience Survey
Posted: Jul. 16, 2009 10:07:52 a.m.
If you want to be treated well at a car dealership, buy a Mercedes-Benz or a Lexus. That's the conclusion reached by researchers based on a new study that looked at how various dealerships treated potential car shoppers.
Reuters reports, "Daimler AG's Mercedes and Toyota Motor Co's luxury Lexus brand topped a ranking intended to measure how well U.S. car shoppers were treated in dealer showrooms whether they bought a new car or not." The study ...
Study: Toyota Camry More 'American' Than Ford F-150
Posted: Jul. 07, 2009 10:07:55 a.m.
Last year, if you wanted to buy the most red-blooded American vehicle you possibly could, you would have been best served with a Ford F-150 pickup. This year, if your goal is to support the good old U.S. of A, you would have to buy a Toyota Camry.
The Detroit News explains, "The Toyota Camry is more American than the Ford F-150, at least according to Cars.com's annual American-Made Index."
Cars.com explains, "There's no easy ...
Report: Texting Behind the Wheel More Dangerous than Drunk Driving
Posted: Jun. 25, 2009 11:06:19 a.m.
What's safer, texting a friend while driving, or downing a few beers and getting behind the wheel? Car and Driver decided to do us all a favor and find out.
"We decided to compare the results of texting to the effects of drunk driving, on the same day and under the exact same conditions," they write. "Not surprisingly, Car and Driver doesn't receive a lot of research grants."
Testing on an airport runway, the magazine mounted a light ...
Survey: New York City Drivers Love Obscene Gestures
Posted: Jun. 19, 2009 10:06:20 a.m.
You will die. You will be taxed. The sun will rise in the morning. And if you drive in New York City, someone will lay on their horn behind you and give you the one-finger salute. These things are certain.
To prove the last one, we have the results of a recent survey.
Kicking Tires explains, "An AutoVantage survey asked drivers about the courteousness of their fellow road warriors, and New York came out on top for the city with ...
GM Cuts NASCAR Support; Honda to Step In?
Posted: Jun. 15, 2009 10:06:17 a.m.
General Motors, facing the need to justify its expenses to a bankruptcy court and a skeptical public, has cut its investment in NASCAR.
Autoblog explains, "The scalpel of bankruptcy that is slicing off GM's sponsorship activities hasn't touched NASCAR's top tier Sprint Cup series, but the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series' have been trimmed." Teams led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick "have been told by GM that they will lose funding." Harvick has not ...
