BMW, General Motors and Toyota Issue Recalls

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BMW is recalling 42,080 3-Series models for a potential issue with the front airbag on the passenger side. The recall affects 2002-03 3-Series convertibles, coupes, sedans and wagons, as well as M3 coupes and convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the airbag “may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the airbag.” In the event of a collision, metal fragments from the inflator could strike vehicle occupants, increasing the risk of serious injury.
BMW will notify owners of affected 3-Series vehicles in May, though replacement parts aren’t expected to be available until July. When parts are available, BMW will follow up with owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag at no charge. If you think your 3-Series is affected, you can contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

Photo courtesy of General Motors

A faulty hybrid charging system has prompted General Motors to recall a total of 42,904 vehicles. NHTSA says that the Generator Control Module (GCM) in 2012-13 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco sedans may malfunction, which “could cause a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light.” If the condition is ignored, the vehicle could stall, fail to start or a fire could occur in the vehicle’s trunk.
GM will contact owners of affected vehicles, who can have the GCM tested and replaced (if necessary) by dealers at no charge. If you have questions about the recall, you can contact GM at 1-800-521-7300 and mention recall campaign number 13136.

Photo courtesy of Toyota

Auxiliary driving lights that don’t comply with government safety standards have prompted Toyota to recall 11,489 FJ Cruiser SUVs from 2007-13 model years. NHTSA says that when the driving lights are used in conjunction with the headlights, the FJ Cruiser surpasses “the maximum light output allowed for an upper beam headlamp.” As a consequence, the driving lights may cause too much glare for approaching traffic, which could increase the chance of a collision.
Toyota will start contacting FJ Cruiser owners in late May, and dealers will rectify the issue by replacing the 55-watt driving lamp bulbs with 35-watt bulbs at no charge. If you own an FJ Cruiser, you can contact Toyota directly at 1-800-331-4331

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The Best New Car Deals in May

The 2013 VW Passat has a sign then drive lease deal this month. Image courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.

If you plan on buying or leasing a new vehicle this month, we’ve tracked down lots of great car deals that can help you save money. We found interest-free financing, low interest rates, thousands of dollars in cash back rebates, low monthly payment leases and lease deals that don’t require a down payment. Automakers had strong new car sales last month, and these May car deals should help keep the sales momentum going.
Lease Deals
Check out May lease offers from Kia, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota if you want a lease deal with low monthly payments. These brands have lease offers with payments ranging from about $100 to $300 a month when you put several thousand dollars down. For example, the 2013 Ford Focus can be leased for $99 a month for two years with $3,543 due at signing in some areas. The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze is available for $149 a month for three years with a $2,469 down payment. The redesigned 2014 Mazda6 can be leased for $219 to $229 a month for three years with about $2,000 due at signing, depending where you live.
If you don’t want to make a down payment, there are quite a few zero-down lease deals available this May. Keep in mind that these lease offers generally have higher monthly payments. No money down leases can be found at Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan and Acura dealerships this month. The 2013 Volkswagen Passat is available for $249 a month for 39 months. The 2013 Honda Fit can be leased for $220 a month for three years and Acura’s 2013 RDX is $420 a month, also for three years. In addition, the 2013 Nissan Sentra is available for $229 a month for three years this May.
Purchase Deals
Are you planning on financing a new vehicle in May? Take a look at the interest rates available at Subaru, Ford, Mazda, Dodge, Chrysler, GM and Hyundai dealerships if you’re looking to finance your new vehicle with a low- or no-interest car loan. The 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan can be purchased with zero percent financing for up to five years plus up to $1,000 cash allowance, or shoppers can take up to $2,500 cash allowance. The 2013 Hyundai Elantra has interest-free financing for five years, or 0.9 percent for six years. Truck shoppers can save money on the 2013 Nissan Titan and GMC Sierra 1500 by taking advantage of zero percent financing or $2,500 cash on the Sierra and $3,500 cash on the Titan.

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Could Ford Overtake Toyota in Total Hybrid Sales?

Photo Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Since the early 2000s, Toyota has dominated the hybrid vehicle market, with a 71 percent market share last year, according to The Detroit News. However in the last year, Ford has introduced the all-new C-Max along with an electric version of the redesigned Ford Fusion, the Fusion Energi.
The Detroit News says Ford Fusion hybrid sales (not including the Fusion Energi) beat out sales of the Toyota Camry hybrid in April. In particular, Fusion sales are high in the Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Chicago markets.
In April, the Toyota Prius’ sales dropped 21 percent and the Camry’s dropped 26 percent compared to April of 2012, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Ford has already surpassed General Motors, Honda, Hyundai and Kia in total hybrid sales.
The Detroit News says Toyota’s 71 percent of the hybrid market has already dropped to 58 percent this year. However, Ford still has a long way to go to catch up. Ford’s market share is at 18 percent, which is a 3 percent increase from where they were a year ago.
Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst for Ford Motor Company, tells Bloomberg that Ford sold 8,841 hybrid vehicles in April, and totals 29,561 hybrids sold for this year. Ford’s hybrid sales for 2010 totaled 35,496. Merkle added, “We’re turning, conquesting and growing our sales the fastest in the largest hybrid markets in the country.”
Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, told the Detroit Free Press last month that lower gas prices have had a negative impact on Toyota's hybrid sales. Originally, Toyota had forecasted 250,000 U.S. hybrid sales for 2013, but analysts have been speculating that Toyota may drop their forecasted number.

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Are Car Radios on the Way Out?

Photo courtesy of General Motors.

If you remember when cars came with eight-track or cassette players, you know that technology has had an impact on how you listen to music in your car. Tape decks gave way to compact disc players, and now, many drivers listen to music through their smartphones or MP3 players. Radios have been available in cars since 1930, according to Car and Driver, and unlike these newer audio technologies, AM/FM radio has endured through the audio technology changes of the past 80 years.
That may be changing, however. The Detroit News recently spoke with Thilo Koslowski, a vice president at research firm Gartner Inc., who says that “AM and FM as a delivering mechanism isn't going to be the most important in cars anymore.” An increasing number of smartphones, along with in-vehicle Internet connectivity, mean that more and more music listeners will stream music through a mobile device or infotainment system rather than an AM/FM radio. “By 2020, I feel very confident that many consumers will consume radio content through avenues other than terrestrial broadcast,” Koslowski says.
Satellite radio has played a role in the shift away from AM/FM. Many new cars are available with satellite radio, and most automakers include free trial subscriptions with a new vehicle purchase. Marketplace says, “Half of listeners coming off of a trial subscription stay on to become paid subscribers.” Additionally, many of these customers are vehicle buyers. Marketplace also writes that Internet radio services like Pandora and Spotify have gained traction as in-vehicle music platforms.
However, some experts say that AM/FM radio will endure. Strategy Analytics Senior Analyst John Canali, who focuses on automotive multimedia, tells The Detroit News, “You don’t want to alienate customers.”
In further defense of AM/FM radio, Autoblog says that “current technology doesn't produce a reliable high-speed cell signal everywhere, whereas AM and FM signals are largely reliable over vast distances.”
What do you think? Do you still primarily use your car’s AM/FM tuner, or do you stream music through your car’s infotainment system or another source?

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Nissan Drops Prices to Boost Web Searches

Nissan Murano - Image courtesy of Nissan.

Nissan has lowered the price on seven models in its U.S. lineup to increase sales, despite reporting a double-digit sales gain last month.
“Nissan is hoping that the change will help the cars and SUVs show up more prominently on shopper search websites such as AutoTrader, Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book,” the Los Angeles Times reports. The automaker is hoping to become “more price competitive for online shoppers.”
Kicking Tires says that consumers will see lower prices starting tomorrow on the Nissan Sentra, Altima, Murano, Rogue, Maxima, Armada and Juke. Prices will reportedly drop about 3 to 11 percent, depending on the vehicle. “The sticker reductions vary by model and, in some cases, trim level and will be applied to new vehicles, including those already in dealer inventory.”

Nissan Altima - U.S. News and World Report

Buyers can expect savings of about $580 on the Altima to about $4,400 on the Armada, Automotive News reports. The publication notes that in 2012, Nissan North America saw a decline in market share in the U.S. “for the first time since 2006.” Total 2012 Nissan North America sales were up 9.5 percent over 2011, though. By lowering the prices on its high-volume models, Nissan hopes to show up more often in online price category searches, where consumers can narrow down vehicles by price bracket. “Such screens can leave models off the consideration list because of a few dollars difference in MSRP,” Automotive News writes.
Nissan North America saw a sales increase of 23 percent last month compared with April 2012, with the Nissan brand selling 25 percent more vehicles and the Infiniti luxury brand experiencing a 10 percent jump. So far this year, Nissan North America’s sales are up 3 percent over last year.

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2013 Toyota RAV4 Named IIHS Top Safety Pick

U.S. News and World Report

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the redesigned 2013 Toyota RAV4 a Top Safety Pick Tuesday. The 2013 RAV4 joins the ranks of other affordable compact SUVs that have won the award, including the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester.
The redesigned RAV4 earned the institute’s top score of Good in moderate overlap front, side impact and rear crash tests, as well as roof strength tests. Motor Trend points out that since the 2013 RAV4 “was not tested in the new small overlap front test, the car isn’t eligible for the Top Safety Pick + designation.” So far, the only SUV to earn a Top Safety Pick + rating from the IIHS is the Volvo XC60.
The new RAV4 earns better safety ratings from the IIHS than the 2012 model. The IIHS reports that the 2013 RAV4 “withstood a force equal to 5 times the SUV's weight.” The 2012 RAV4 earned an Acceptable rating in roof strength tests, withstanding 3.46 times its weight in roof strength tests.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the redesigned 2013 RAV4 an overall score of four out of five stars, which is comprised of a four-star rating in rollover and front crash tests, and a five-star rating in side crash tests.

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How to turn your old worn-out car in the car donation is tax deductible

If you are considering a charity car donation, I will describe some of the details that you should know. You can get a great IRS tax deduction for your old car or used vehicle and to support someone wants to strategy. It's called car donation or charity car donation when you give to charity car - car, automobile, truck, ATV, RV, airplane or other vehicle, which may or may not be in working order. Within the U.S. for charity car donations to provide a large tax benefit to the donor and quickly gaining recognition. The very first task you need to learn any charity you take into account. If you have a specific charity in mind vehicle donation do some research about it, especially if you are not sure how reputable charity. There are many national and close to the charities that advertise in newspapers or on television and openly declare they are trying to find a car donations. You've probably noticed a few of these, but they are the best choice for you? Often, charities used car donations themselves everyday to charity - often carried by people. Maybe they could use it to transport people should visit a doctor, social worker appointments, tests, hospitals, and so on. Much more common, even though the vehicles are likely to be sold at auction or outside the car lot to raise money for charity programs of their initial fund. Yes, it is not representative of the knowledge that many charities have their own car lots. Many Goodwill stores have their own industry. Many men and women do not want to donate used and unwanted cars, so that you can help other people. If you buy a brand new car or own a car that is not in use, it is possible to think that donating a car, truck or other vehicle. You can also donate boats, RVs, ATVs, aircraft, and other vehicles, or even real estate, depending on what the charity will accept. Tax-deductible donation to help you and the organization that you donated a car. Day in and out, charitable organizations providing services and appropriate assistance to people in different parts of the country. Although some may possibly get government grants or private donations, this is by no means enough to take care of the many reasons they are pursuing. Charity car donations is designed for part of the charity's price range. These car donation can make the difference between the different services they can offer. So should you donate your car to help organizations to continue to In short, an automatic donation to buy old cars for donors and donating them to charity. You'll find the car donation companies, which are mediators or hyperlinks between donors, people who have benefited from these donations. They are a great help in funding charities. Some companies also support organizations that do not have their own charitable programs. Car donation companies can auction the donated car or any other car on the market and give the money to charity, or can be used as a vehicle to charity or sold at a used car lot. When you give your car to charity you can receive voluntary donations to the IRS tax receipt. Car donation then produced a reputable and genuine charities are tax-deductible. The IRS allows the donor to claim a tax deduction the taxpayer an estimated value of the vehicle up to $ 500. The sensor car or the car must have a title, so make sure you have it ready when you begin the procedure. Make sure to ask for charity dealing with car donations - has its own system of charitable car donation or pay for an external company to complete it. If a non-profit organization dealing with the car or the car donations, find out how much money the charity receives from the sale and how much you are visiting for-profit companies. You can view system car donation in almost every major city in every state in the United States, such as California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Michigan. You will find no laws stopping charities to accept such donations. Some charity car donation you can see are: Target, Purple Heart, Kidney Foundation, Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, and various types of cancer organizations. In any situation, you can tremendously benefit from the charity car donation, as well as claiming a large car donation tax deduction, or benefit from, and to help charitable organizations continue so that they can support individuals in need.

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