Only Good Till…..

The Department of Transportation has reported that the government will conclude the CARS rebate program on Monday.  In speculation of such an occurrence, dealerships across the country had already begun ending the program voluntarily.  Fear from some dealers of not receiving payment spawned the less than enthusiastic drive to keep the program going.  All of which was a valid concern, as various dealers who have already received repayment have waited lengthy periods.  Others are still anxiously awaiting reimbursement.  Dealerships would rather be safe and risk potential sales, than be sorry, having to absorb the extra money that was promised by the program as a debt.  Some manufacturers, such as General Motors and Chrysler, have provided cash advances so that dealers can meet regular expenses like payroll and taxes.

The Administration announced today that the successful, endearingly named CLUNKERS program would end on Monday, August 24.  Due to its popularity, deals worth $1.9 billion have already been reported; with many more still expected to be in the pipelines.  Early estimates had funds lasting through the beginning of September.  President Obama has stated that all dealers will get their money, yet Administration officials have stated that rebate applications will not be accepted after Monday at 8. p.m. EST.

Bottom line:  If you are planning on using the program to purchase a vehicle, do not procrastinate any longer.  Great deals are still available….for now.

 

Cash for Clunkers…..CANCELLED?

Like a thief in the night, the government-created financial stimulant has come and gone.  Apparently, the $1 billion in funds set aside for the federal program has run out, well prior to the November 1, 2009 deadline.  Is this due to the popularity of the program, or is it tragically another example of mismanagement of funds?  Do the Katrina debit cards ring a bell?

Interestingly enough, at time of this publishing, the official Car Allowance Rebate System website (http://www.cars.gov/) currently states nothing of this occurrence, as the site posts that there are still $779 billion in estimated funds available when it was last updated at 10 a.m. Thursday morning.

Ironically, manufacturers and dealerships like Ford and Toyota have spent hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in advertising for the program, enticing potential buyers to trade in registered, running, fuel-inefficient vehicles that they do not want anymore for possible rebates worth $3,500 or $4,500.  A representative from a local Atlanta dealership has stated an increase of “at least 20 cars” sold in the past week, due to the program.  This may not sound like a lot of sales, but with above average salespersons closing deals of about 4 to 6 cars a month, and many dealerships having as few as 4 sales representatives working, period, (One particular dealership that AutoAcademics is aware of has only ONE salesperson working the floor, daily.) these are substantial increases.

I’m sure many of us know of someone who has capitalized on the Cars for Clunkers program.  And if not, ask someone else and I’m sure they know someone who has.  Bottom line is, the program seemed to be working.  And whether due to its success, or some other unfortunate reason, Cars for Clunkers apparently was too good to last.

Update (8/4/09):  The White House is asking that the Senate allot for another $2 billion to be added to the CARS program before its recess this Friday.  For fear of losing money, many dealerships have put the incentive on hold until they hear more certain information about the program’s continuation.

Update (8/5/09):  The Senate has agreed to vote on a plan that adds $2 billion to the Cash for Clunkers program, increasing the available $3,500 to $4,500 rebates to a total of $3 billion.  This will extend the program into September and increase possible sales under the program by 500,000 vehicles.

 

U.S. Auto Show Culmination

The domestic auto show circuit has gradually come to a close, culminating with the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.  The large showcase allows those of us on the East Coast premier views of vehicles otherwise only previewed at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California or the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.

Although the New York show took place in April, a colleague of AutoAcademics recently shared some exclusive footage of the show.  Take a moment to enjoy some cars (and the music, if you’re so inclined) that were at the show.

 

 

Spring Forward

 Last week introduced springtime to 2009 with the advancement of clocks another 60 minutes.  Although the weather in various places has said otherwise, paying homage to any of the four possible seasons – 80’s in Georgia, snow in Philadelphia and North Carolina, and cold in California – spring is right around the corner.

The past few months have also represented the season for automotive shows around the world.  Due to the economic climate, some things have changed, such as the focus on more fuel-efficient vehicles, or as with many of the U.S. shows, fewer manufacturers, period.  Eight brands in all did not participate in the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit – Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Nissan, Infiniti, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, and Land Rover all joined Porsche, a company that did not participate in 2008.  The idea, however, of using the platform of displaying upcoming vehicles in cities around the globe is still the same.

This past weekend, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) International Auto Show hosted its Night of Cars and Stars at the Georgia World Congress Center.  This private reception and opening ceremony for the Atlanta-based auto show was an enjoyable way for automotive enthusiasts to support Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.  AJC’s auto show contributed 100% of the proceeds to the charity.

As participants donned their business attire, be it Hugo Boss suits or Wrangler jeans (yes, there were some who took the code “business attire” literally), the cars were the stars of the night.  This was primarily due to the fact that it was an auto show, but also because there were no celebrities to be seen in the building that evening.

As with Detroit, certain brand attendees were MIA (or very fashionably late).  However, there were enough of the popular brands to get a glimpse of what 2009, and even 2010, will offer.  Ford had on display its new 2010 Mustang GT and, even more notably, its all-new 2010 Taurus.  The new F150 Raptor and Fusion Hybrid were also presented.

       

 

Lincoln showed its C Concept, a quirky-styled 5-door vehicle that has sportbike-style radial disk brakes and the new trademark grill.  There was nothing Lincoln about the rear, which may or may not be a good thing.  The MKT was much easier on the eyes, being based on the Ford Flex platform.

       

Last year, Hyundai introduced its hot-selling Genesis sedan at the New York International Auto Show.  This year, they shared the Genesis Coupe.  The production-looking model had Brembo brakes and an attractive price tag, but contained design cues reminiscent of the Tiburon.  It wasn’t half bad, but wasn’t half good, either.

                                       

Toyota shared its third generation Prius and Lexus, its HS 250h, which is a dedicated hybrid vehicle.

        

Chevrolet’s amazing Corvette ZR1, and a production-ready Camaro SS were on hand, too.

As notable this year as Hyundai’s Genesis was last, Buick displayed a near production-ready example of its LaCrosse.  This modernly styled sedan is a huge improvement over the entire brand’s lineup.  So much so, that U.S. buyers might honestly steal sales from China, Buick’s primary customer.

                                       

Finally, Honda had their all-new Insight on display.  This slightly cheaper, slightly less efficient competitor to the Prius (although Honda is not trying to market it that way) will possibly help consumers get behind the wheel of a dedicated hybrid for a little less money.

                                       

There were many more manufacturers and cars to see at the AJC auto show – new convertibles, compacts, and crossovers/SUVs – than were shared here.

                

And if you don’t mind sharing your showroom visit with a few hundred others, spring is a wonderful time to enrich your automotive shopping needs.

                    

 

 

Google Predicts Automotive Trends for 2009

Google’s automotive industry director, Bonita Stewart, recently shared some predictions as to the direction in which new automotive trends will be heading in 2009.  Her report stated that since approximately 70% of automotive shoppers use the Internet, this medium will be playing a very substantial role in how potential buyers shop for their vehicles, as opposed to trolling their neighborhood brick and mortar dealerships.

 

For all of her ins and outs, click here.

 

Wintry Spells

The Midwest and East Coast regions of the country are currently experiencing a period of wintry weather.  The Midwest has been receiving heavy snowfalls and the northern part of the East Coast has seen high temperatures in the 20’s over the last few days.  That spell has made its way down South, as well.  The mercury has dropped into the high 30’s and low 40’s during the day and as low as the teens overnight.  These are some of the coldest temperatures seen down South in approximately 10 years.

 

 

 

News reports highlight procedures and customs that people claim to be “tried and true” to survive this rare (for below the Mason-Dixon line) occurrence.  Now the idea of reporting tips and tactics during a weather phenomenon is nothing new.  I can remember news stations up North broadcasting people in their neighborhood supply stores buying up as much salt and as many shovels as they can carry.  Don’t they still have the shovel they bought last year or is there the need for the latest and greatest, new tech version that I am unaware of?  And video of barren supermarket shelves due to the sudden need for milk and bread.

 

But down South, perspective plays even more of a role.  The rare cold weather has prompted some rather original methods for survival.  One network station discussed rolling towels and placing them at the bottom of your doors to block the cold air from entering.  This is practical for a temporary fix.  I’ve even witnessed a wireless thermostat advertisement, passed off as a news report, of course, that allows you to control the temperature in each room, potentially lowering your monthly heating bill.

 

But such a wintry spell has caused locals to resort to more witchcraft-like practices when it comes to their cars.  Well, maybe it’s not that bad, but it definitely is different.  A recent report suggested that owners layer their windshields with newspaper, and then cover the newspaper with towels.  This, as it was reported, would keep the frost and ice off of your windshield.  Okay….but what if there’s precipitation?  The towel would then freeze, and would the newspaper, in turn, freeze to the windshield, negating the entire purpose?  This one was new to me.  And growing up in the N.E., we could expect to scrape our windshields every morning from mid-December till late March.

 

Maybe that hardware store shopping list should include an ice scraper, because there’ll be a lot more scraping to do if it rains.

 

Feel free to share your own winter automotive advice in the comments section.  Of course, the weirder, the better.

 

Racing Charm

This past weekend marked the 11^th anniversary of the Petit Le Mans in Braselton, GA.  This 10 hour American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race contests automobiles from brands such as Audi, Porsche, Acura, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Dodge, Aston Martin, Panoz, and Ford, in both prototype (LMP1/LMP2) and modified sports car (GT1/GT2) variations. 

 

Part of the ALMS charm is that all four types of cars race their own individual races at the same time.  This multi-tiered style of racing allows for awesome high speed passes on the straight-aways, and knuckle-biting tension in the corners.  Another part of the charm is the ability for fans to easily identify with the racecars.  Unlike some other forms of racing, ALMS has production-based cars that look very similar to those that can be bought on a showroom floor, depending upon how big your wallet is, that is.

 

Many pre-teens can visually recognize a Porsche, Corvette, Ford GT, Aston Martin, Viper, or Ferrari from a poster on their bedroom wall as it races past the terrace seating, entering the Turn 10 complex.  The better-trained aficionado can id the buzzy baritone of a Porsche RS Spyder, the guttural bass of the Aston Martin Vantage, or the savage scream of a Ferrari F430 speeding down the hill well before any of them come into sight.  As they brake for Turn 10A, the squeals of ceramic brakes and tires well beyond their limits of adhesion fill the air while plumes of white smoke verify such events.  Then back on the gas with the whistling of turbo-chargers and the aforementioned exhaust signaling a successful exit out of 10B.

 

 

 

The sensory overload that is received every couple of minutes is yet another part of the racing charm.  SPEED Channel aired most of the race that day, giving viewers a front row seat at every corner, but there is nothing like actually being there.  However, I do not need to tell ALMS fans about that.  Ladies and gentlemen wearing prancing horse hats, children in strollers holding flags with four overlapping-rings, and campers wearing crossed-flag t-shirts identified each family member’s presence and allegiance – everyone enjoying himself.

 

And to top it all off, this Petit Le Mans, in particular, will have a place in history.  Not only were teams racing for points and podium finishes in the Series, but they were also competing in what was called the Green Challenge.  Established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy in conjunction with SAE International, racers were scored using highly technically derived data that calculates overall performance, fuel efficiency, and environmental impact.  The Green Challenge boasted three different types of alternative fuel for its racecars:  clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85, and E10 ethanol-enriched gasoline.  An electric hybrid racecar was supposed to debut during the race, but was not on the grid with little explanation.  A Porsche RS Spyder was the Green Challenge winner for the prototype class and an E85 powered Corvette won, not only the 1,000 mile Petit Lemans in its class, but also the Green Challenge for the GT cars.

 

Auto racing has been around in one form or another since the beginning of cars with individuals and families alike enjoying it.  It’s nice to see that even in these modern times the charm is still there.

 

Enjoy a highly compressed amateur video of one of the many caution laps (which will explain the slower than race pace) that day. 

 

 

Does Size Really Matter?

There has been talk lately about the demise of the automobile, as we currently know it.  The 300 h.p., 2-1/2 ton Titanics that most Americans solely captain to and from the grocery store, soccer practice, and Target (affectionately pronounced Tar-jé around these parts) are rapidly becoming sunken treasure, never to be seen on these shores again.  These soon to be relics are gradually being replaced by smaller-sized, smaller-engined, and smaller appetite versions over the coming years.

 

Ford has plans to produce a more practical version of its once #1 selling vehicle, the F150, called the F100.  The new truck will be geared toward the general public – those who do not need the full commercial-sized capabilities of the F150.  The F100 will be powered by Ford’s upcoming EcoBoost turbo-charged V6 engine and will have more Explorer-like towing capabilities.  As a current gesture of good (fuel-miserly) faith, Ford has also mentioned eliminating all of the small shiny badging that used to proudly adorn the front fenders of its V6/V8 engined vehicles, in a sort of reverse psychology method to how GM currently uses the over-sized decals on their full-size hybrid SUVs.

 

Full-sized trucks and SUVs aren’t the only ones getting makeovers, however.  Sports cars are getting the once-over, or in some unfortunate cases, the ax, too.  Recently, Chrysler stated that it has not ruled out the possibility of selling its halo car, the Viper, to any deserving suitors.  In a less drastic fashion, Ford has been toiling with the idea of powering its upcoming Mustang GTs with high horsepower versions of that same turbo-charged V6 mentioned earlier.  These decisions were sparked by the newly implemented C.A.F.E. regulations.

 

All might not be lost, however.  Maybe, just maybe, bigger isn’t always better.  Take for example the Pontiac Solstice GXP.  This Miata-sized convertible/coupe comes equipped with a 260 h.p., turbo-charged, 2-liter engine and a limited-slip differential.  Zero to sixty is reached in 5.5 seconds for this manly roadster and all of this can be had for under $30k.  For those with larger change purses, the Porsche Boxster/Cayman duo offer near-911 performance and handling for about the price of a loaded Volvo XC90.  Are you positive that we have to bring ALL of the kids with us on this vacation, Dear?  Not to mention, each of these cars gets remarkable mileage to the gallon considering their performance capabilities.  And these aren’t your only choices available.  Mazda has the Mazdaspeed3, BMW the 1 Series, Honda the Civic Si, Hyundai the Genesis Coupe (in 2010), Mini the Cooper S JCW, Saturn with its Sky Red Line edition, or Volkswagen’s GTI, to name a few.  Each of these cars, as well, offer more responsible fuel economy without relinquishing too much of the fun factor.

 

This is not to imply that high horsepower automobiles are totally out of style.  Nor that the idea of lusting after or, if you’re one of the lucky few, driving mammoth-engined, ultra-fast, super cars is akin to wearing white after Labor Day.  I just believe that enthusiasts (automotive or otherwise) can typically find the silver linings in their hobbyist overcoats.  They just need to be honest with the size.

 

Green Grass Forever

I must admit that I think my lawn looks pretty nice.  I cut it every week – low enough so the dandelions don’t show, but high enough so it doesn’t turn brown and begin to die.  In fact, my fondness with my lawn allows me to question the need to have an analysis done, with recommended treatments as suggested on the promotional fliers I receive in my mailbox each month.

 

My lawn looks pretty nice.  That is until my neighbor’s professionally manicured grounds are serviced.  Long ago, he took heed to those notices that I promptly throw away.  A few times a season I’d see the little flags warning me not to approach his freshly treated turf, as I’d make my weekly visits.  He used to take care of his lawn himself, like I do, until the physical limitations of age threw the proverbial wrench in his operation.  Although years ago, when I was only a prince in the homestead that I now financially rule as king, I remember hearing the strange humming sound of the only electric lawnmower in our neighborhood.  My neighbor didn’t drive, so he rarely if ever used gasoline-powered tools.  This was also a plus, as I could park my cars in his seldom used driveway, since the aforementioned king during that time had first dibs on ours.

 

His lawn looks great. 

 

There aren’t any hidden stems with missing dandelion heads in his grass.  My lawn’s shade of Screaming Green is nothing to his Giving Tree (visit “List of Crayola crayon colors” on Wikipedia for clarification).  Even his edged up sections along the sidewalk are straighter than mine.

 

His lawn looks great.

 

The grass is always greener, isn’t it?  No one in America will deny our gas price woes.  $4 a gallon and still rising… when will this end?  For the first time in over 20 years, the Ford F-series trucks have not been the number one selling vehicles.  Honda’s Civic and Toyota’s Camry and Corolla have surpassed them for obvious reasons.  Not surprisingly, sport utility sales in general have been down.  Though this is hitting the heavily SUV-leveraged American companies the hardest, everyone is feeling the pinch.  Honda can’t move their Pilot as easily as they once had either.

 

Panic (and necessity) has begun to set in and many owners have begun to make attempts at selling their SUVs.  In the words of my father (yes, the former king), “It’s cheaper to keep her.”  Those jumping ship risk losing as much as 10% MORE of their vehicle’s worth than usual due to the lack of demand for sport utilities.

 

Europe knows the feeling of $5/gallon gas.  They’ve known it for upward of 5-10 years now.  This is why you rarely see the large vehicles that our country is so enamored with over there.  Well, that, and the fact that many of their streets are too skinny.  Currently, however, Europe also knows the feeling of $9+ a gallon for fuel.  Such difficulties have abetted protests throughout the continent.  One not too long ago where truckers who were frustrated with paying $9 a gallon for diesel brought a highway to a standstill in disapproval.  Yet contrary to American sales, Europe’s automotive figures are up.

 

So who has it bad, or should I say worse?  In most cases, green grass is a matter of perspective.

 

My neighbor passed recently.  I will miss him.  And from my house his lawn will always look greener.

 

Choices

Making choices is a part of life.  From a very early age, we are taught to make simple choices – the red one or the blue one?  Milk or juice?  Pokemon or Transformers?  As we get older, our choices become a little more involved – iPod or iPhone?  Xbox 360 or Playstation 3?  Curfew or grounded?  By the time we become full-fledged adults, our choices become really difficult – paper or plastic?  Regular or decaf?  Supersize or not?  Ok, so our choices as adults might be a little more challenging than these from time to time, but I think we can all agree that the simpler, the better.

 

For example, not very long ago, if you wanted to buy a TV, your choices were black and white or color.  Now, with high-definition being the craze, you must decide between direct view, flat panel, rear projection or front projection.  Once you’ve made that decision, you must then decide whether or not to get plasma, LCD, LCoS, DLP or CRT.  When you are spending approximately a thousand dollars or more, these decisions can become rather intimidating.  No one wants to make an expensive mistake.

 

Your friendly neighborhood dealership is fast becoming as varied as the produce section of your local supermarket.  You have your fruits (cars) and vegetables (trucks).  And among those fruits you have your apples (coupes, sedans, convertibles, etc.) and oranges (SUVs, crossovers, etc.)  You can make your own analogies for the vegetables.

 

To the chef, this is wonderful – the more choices, the better.  Let’s take a look at apples as an example.  You can choose your thin-skinned, yellow-hued Golden delicious for a sweet snack.  Or choose a nice green Granny Smith for that homemade sauce.  Rome apples might not be as tasty for snacking, but would be a grand choice for cider and baking.  Under the multi-colored skin of a Gala apple, you’ll find the sweet-tasting creamy yellow that, too, is good for snacking, yet becomes bland when baked.  However, if you’re the TV-dinner type, and your favorite recipe is “microwave on high for 30 seconds,” you might just want to stick with the tried and true McIntosh apple.  A kind of do it all apple.

 

Well now, just like at the grocery store, the dealership apple cart is getting bigger and its contents more varied.  Because there is no single answer to our energy woes, automakers are experimenting with new ingredients.  Over the next couple of years, you will notice a gradual shift in the types of powertrains available.  Some of which are very intriguing options to say the least.  Ford will begin to phase out its wide use of 8-cylinder engines for smaller 4- or 6-cylinder engines.  It plans on turbo-charging some of them in attempts to match the larger engines’ horsepower ratings, while minimizing the negative harvest of poor fuel economy.  Honda will introduce an all-new clean diesel engine (stop frowning) that will exploit the impressive torque and fuel efficiency (some reports say over 50 highway mpg) diesels are known for with very little to none of the smelly, sulfur-laden black smoke that most people envision.  Don’t be so skeptical.  If they can build a running, drink-serving, ball-kicking robot, I’m sure they can do this, too.  And for the luxury-preferred, BMW will begin offering hybrid versions of its trademarked Sports Activity Vehicle X5 and 7-Series sedan.  All of these new technologies will be added to the current lineup of existing powertrains.

 

The automotive chefs, I’m sure, are fascinated by the choices.  However, if you’re the TV-dinner type of guy/gal, these additions just might cause the car-shopping equivalent of indigestion.  In that case, AutoAcademics can help in finding a recipe that is right for you.