Costco Members Can Earn 15% Off Parts, Labor, Accessories
Need some work done on your car? According to a report in Auto News, you may be able to get it done at a 15% discount, provided you're one of Costco's 44 million members.
The popular warehouse club has finagled a deal with its network of dealers, making the 15% discount available on parts and labor, as well as accessories for your vehicle. There are, however, a couple of catches.
First, you'll need to be a Costco member, which runs between $55 and $110, depending on the level of membership you choose.
Second, you'll need to identify a participating Costco auto dealership. Costco has roughly 2,500 dealers in its auto program, and about 1,200 of them currently participate in the discount program. Costco hopes to have all of its dealerships onboard by the end of the year. To find participating locations in your neck of the woods, visit CostcoAuto.com. (If you're a new visitor to the site, you'll need to click here and enter your ZIP code first.)
And third, you may need to choose between the Costco discount and other specials from the individual dealership, since the 15% promotion can't be combined with other offers. Also, don't expect oil changes to be subject to the discount, since dealerships typically offer those at a price point that's just slightly above cost.
If you can clear those hurdles, though, the Costco service discount could be a good fit -- especially if you're staring down the barrel of some serious auto repairs. To get started, visit CostcoAuto.com.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
TCC’s Top Stories for 2010: PETA Monkeys, The Volt Conflamma, and Flying Cars
We've shown you the most popular reviews on TheCarConnection in 2010--but what about monkeys and PETA, the once and not-future Ranger, Volt lies and flying cars?
That's just a cross-section of the most popular news and features that crossed the High Gear Media wires this year. Whether you came in from other sites in our network--like MotorAuthority, GreenCarReports, AllCarsElectric or FamilyCarGuide--or from places like Digg, Twitter, Facebook or The Huffington Post, your tastes kept us hunting for the latest breaking headlines, while we also brought you our award-winning reviews and auto-show coverage.
We can't begin to predict what the top headlines for 2011 will be--but these are the biggest news stories published by TheCarConnection in the past year:
So Is Chrysler's Invisible Ad Monkey Flipping Off PETA?: Did they or didn't they? We've never seen so many emails from PETA, as they protested a Dodge ad with an almost-blown-up monkey. But wait: Dodge CGI-ed the critter out of a broadcast ad, making it ten times more clever in the process.
First Drive: 2010 Hyundai Tucson: Tried and true "first drives" are the lifeblood of auto Web sites, and the Tucson was TCC's top traffic player, thanks to an early 2010 launch.
Chrysler/Fiat: We Predict The 2012 Lineup: Everyone worried Chrysler would cancel the Viper--and they kept it in limbo for a while--but what about the minivans, the Journey and the Wrangler? We divined the future as best we could, and batted over .500.
Toyota and Lexus Recall: Everything You Need To Know: Toyota's year of angst kept a news story rolling throughout 2010, with regular updates coming with every recall added to the long list from the Japanese automaker.
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost: First Drive: Strong interest in Ford's more frugal new trucks brought pickup shoppers in our front doors in midsummer.
All-New 2012 Ford Ranger Not Coming To The U.S.: Here's Why: The endless Web chatter over the death of the U.S. Ford Ranger led to a lot of message-board envy over the new, not-for-us pickup.
How GM Didn't Lie About The Volt, And Why The Press Is Wrong: Is it an electric car, a plug-in hybrid or both? We weighed in on the ridiculous inside-baseball argument that started via a few lurid tweets in October.
2011 Hyundai Elantra Preview: Hyundai's hold on car shoppers isn't letting up, as our month-old preview of the new Elantra landed in the top ten--along with a companion 2011 Hyundai Elantra Live Gallery.
Flying Car Gets FAA Approval: What good is a year-end wrap-up without a good flying-car story? Wait, is there any good flying-car story? We'll leave that up to you.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Do You Tip Your Mechanic?
A review of a book about tipping offered at North Jersey included some guidelines about how to treat your mechanic. This brought up the subject of auto repair facility etiquette, and a question: do you tip your mechanic?
I’m not going to try to be Miss Manners of the service bay, but there are some common courtesy items which when not observed, are deemed to be rude by the wrenching crowd.
The main entrance of a car repair place is like the entrance point of a theater. Just as you would never walk right in to hear Renee Fleming without presenting your ticket, don’t just pull up in front of a service bay without checking in with staff first unless your car is an emergency on wheels. Then it becomes safety first for all concerned.
Be conscious that the technician will be making not just under the hood of your 2009 Chevy Malibu his home, but possibly the passengers’ compartment as well. Depending on your repair issue, he may have to lay face up on the floor to access the underneath of the dashboard, so you may want to remove trash from the front floor of your vehicle.
Unless you are unable to exit your car due to a disability, don’t resort to finger gesturing or blowing your horn for service. If you were seeking service at a hardware store or a dry cleaner, you wouldn’t expect the staff to respond to such non-verbal cues, so why at an auto repair shop?
Bear with me on this next one because it is something where the area is very gray. Some technicians find it disturbing for a customer to raise the hood of their car to inspect the job prior to paying for it. There is no justification for this because it is no different than counting the cash the bank teller gives you when you cash a check.
A possible alternative is to request that a staff person point out the parts that were replaced on your car, if they are conveniently visible. In the end it’s your car and your repair and you have every right to do inspect it anywhere you wish.
As for the gratuity guru’s treatment of a mechanic, he suggests tipping this type of craftsman in hopes of receiving preferential treatment the next time you break down – something he calls an advance tip. Personally I think that it should reflect appreciation for a job well done, which is referred to as a reward tip in the book “Keep the Change.”
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Porsche Cayenne: First Official Details, Before Geneva Debut
Porsche has released much more information about its next-generation Cayenne SUV, which will make its initial debut in Geneva next week, then be shown at the New York Auto Show about a month later.
A new full hybrid Cayenne Hybrid S model, along with major weight savings and improved fuel economy (and better performance) across the line is the big news for the 2011 Cayenne.
Like the still-related next-gen Volkswagen Touareg and Touareg Hybrid, the new Cayenne loses about 400 pounds, thanks to the use of lighter-weight materials and a new all-wheel drive system.
Compared to the previous Cayenne, the new 2011 Cayenne is only slightly larger overall, with less than two inches of added length and wheelbase. That should translate mostly to greater backseat space, which was always surprisingly lacking in the current-generation Cayenne five-seater. Porsche assures us that in the new version the backrest in back can be adjusted to three different rakes while the bench can slide fore and aft 6.3 inches.
Other highlights of the interior include a new small high-res TFT screen that's part of the gauge cluster and includes radio station or nav-system directions.
The new base engine on the Cayenne will be a 3.6-liter V-6, making 300 horsepower and tied to an eight-speed 'Tiptronic' S automatic transmission, which of course includes manual control. Next up is the 4.8-liter V-8 in the Cayenne S, now up 15 hp to 400 hp, while the top of the line remains the Cayenne Turbo, which gets a 500-hp, 4.8-liter twin-turbo V-8.
Each of these models get the Automatic Start Stop function that Porsche introduced in the Panamera, but we don't know yet whether as with the Panamera the feature will have to be toggled on every time the driver gets in. Across the board, Porsche reports that fuel efficiency is much improved. The V-6 model uses 20 percent less fuel in the European driving cycle than its predecessor, the automaker says, while both of the V-8 engines use 23 percent less fuel.
The current 2010 Porsche Cayenne rates at 12 mpg city, 19 highway for the Turbo S, up to 14/20 with the V-6.
Although the Cayenne Turbo will no doubt remain the must-have model for enthusiasts who plan to enjoy the most bragging rights and weekend track ability, the all-new Cayenne S Hybrid promises performance on par with the Cayenne S but with the fuel economy of a V-6. That's accomplished with the combination of a 333-horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine, paired with a 47-hp (34-kW) electric motor; the two combined can crank out 427 pound-feet of torque at 1,000 rpm.
Porsche says that the gasoline engine in the Cayenne Hybrid S can switch off at up to 97 miles per hour during deceleration—a feature matched by the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and its similar system. The Cayenne Hybrid S might be able to cruise a little faster than the Touareg Hybrid though; Porsche says nearly 40 mph, but the figure is more like 30 for the VW.
Porsche says that, at 193 grams of carbon dioxide emitted per kilometer (a figure that surely means more to Europeans), the Cayenne S Hybrid is the cleanest vehicle in Porsche's entire model line.
The Cayenne Hybrid and the base Cayenne won't be available until later this fall, but both V-8-powered 2011 Porsche Cayenne models will go on sale beginning in July.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Surprise: Auto Shows Really Do Sell Cars, Says NY Auto Show Owner
Sometimes we get a press release that makes us scratch our heads. Take this morning's little epistle from the 2010 New York Auto Show, the nation's largest, which opens to the public on April 2.
According to the findings of a "third-party research group," 72 percent of last year's New York Auto Show attendees are "somewhat to extremely serious" about buying a car "in the near future".
Attending the show, they told surveyors, increased their "purchase consideration" (which is what marketers call the likelihood that they'll actually buy a car) by roughly one-third.
People who go to auto shows told the researchers the shows are their "most reliable source" for purchase or lease decisions.
Ouch; so much for TheCarConnection's carefully researched and superbly written new-car reviews.
At least the Internet comes second, ahead of Consumer Reports, followed by (in order) dealership visits, auto magazines, and friends and relatives. Ads on television and in the newspaper were much lower-rated; chat rooms and blogs were lowest of all.
Nine out of ten show attendees plan to take some action, whether it's test-driving a car at a dealer (57 percent), researching cars online (45 percent), or actually buying a new car (24 percent).
One other interesting factoid: The greater New York market ranks first or second for the highest number of new vehicle registrations for every make sold in the U.S. Except, that is, for Kia. Go figure.
Our concern is that the research--by Exhibit Surveys, Inc., a NJ-based company "with an automotive client base"--was paid for by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA), which owns and runs the auto show.
Isn't that sort of like Phillip Morris paying for a survey that proves smokers like to smoke?
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Detroit Auto Show: 2011 Chevrolet Aveo Preview
The latest on the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) surfaced earlier today in grainy unauthorized photos--but now you don't have to wait any more to see the first official photos of the 2011 Chevrolet Aveo.
The new Aveo's due for a Detroit auto show preview on Monday, and GM's lifted the veil on its newest economy car this morning with photos and some details.
The Aveo RS is technically a concept car--meaning, you'll be unlikely to see the car's 19-inch wheels and jazzy styling add-ons when the Aveo reaches dealerships by the end of the year. However, the concept car is very close to production versions we've seen in the GM styling studios--though there are additional body styles not revealed alongside this five-door concept.
We expect GM to offer a four-door sedan to go for a ride along with the new Aveo, giving the lineup a competitor for the coming Ford Fiesta, and an alternative to the hatchback-only Honda Fit.
Under the concept flares and cues, there's a good-looking subcompact in the Aveo RS--a big improvement over the dowdy car that earns a lowly 5.2 out of 10 from TheCarConnection's editors. In an interview during a GM backgrounder this summer, one executive says that's because the design of the new car came from GM's team in the United States--where the current car was farmed out to the company's Korean subsidiary, GM Daewoo.
GM's released a few technical details, including the fact that the Aveo concept shares the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze's 138-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In a release, GM also says the Aveo is longer and wider than today's car, but doesn't reveal any dimensions.
There's more in our full preview of the new Aveo, along with more photos. Stay tuned to TheCarConnection next week, when we'll bring you live shots of the 2011 Aveo along with the rest of the world debuts planned for Detroit--the Cadillac CTS-V, the 2012 Ford Focus, the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe and more.
2011 Chevrolet Aveo full preview and photos
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2010 Detroit Auto Show: Stay Updated
This year's Detroit show is open to the public from January 16th. For more on visiting the show on your own, steer over to the Detroit Auto Show Web site.
Bookmarks: Follow our Detroit auto show tag and this 2010 Detroit Auto Show page for updates; follow the official NAIAS Web site for more
Subscribe to our High Gear Media RSS feed on your browser or by email--or, get RSS feeds for TheCarConnection, MotorAuthority and GreenCarReports separately
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2009 Los Angeles Auto Show Coverage
It's not quite the glamorous Staples Center--home to the Grammys and a certain celebrity endpoint this year--but just next door to the tabernacle of music sits the Los Angeles Convention Center. The convention center's the next roosting spot for the car world, as the industry sets down next month for the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The L.A. auto show is on, and some of the introductions we've seen today underscore the show's traditional split personality--it's the cutting edge for green cars but a haven for horsepower-addled supercars, too.
This year's L.A. show is open to the public from December 4-13. For more on visiting the show on your own, steer over to the LA Auto Show site.
But if you can't make it, we've got the solution for you. High Gear Media is reporting live from Los Angeles, armed with cameras and voice recorders and really comfortable shoes to make sure you don't miss a beat. Our coverage from the LA Convention Center follows here--bookmark this page and stay with us as we update you throughout the show itself:
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=47ddbaf9e3" rel="nofollow">2009 Los Angeles Auto Show</a>
2009 Los Angeles Auto Show: Green Cars
Remember last year, before Chapter 11 and all that drama, when we brought you the first photos anywhere of the real Chevy Volt? GM's new plug-in, extended-range electric vehicle (what you might call a "hybrid") finally sees the light of day at the Los Angeles auto show, after more than a year of teases. The automaker promises electric-only operation for the first 40 miles of range, powered by a 16-kwh lithium-ion battery; the battery can be recharged by the Volt's gasoline engine, which also runs on ethanol.This eliminates "range anxiety," which GM says comes from the fear of a depleted battery. GM says the Volt can be recharged in a standard 120-volt household outlet in about eight hours; on a 240-volt line, the Volt can be recharged in three hours. GM also estimates a recharge will cost less than a cup of coffee--whether they mean Starbucks or Maxwell House remains to be seen. Some 220 lithium-ion battery cells produce the equivalent of 150 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is 100 mph, but don't expect dramatically quick acceleration figures.
Ford confirms that its European-styled Fiesta hatchback is set to make its U.S. debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show in December. Since Ford started promoting the car through its Fiesta Movement back in March, more than 50,000 people have expressed interest--97% of whom currently do not drive a Ford. We've driven the 2011 Fiesta, and found it pretty brilliant. U.S.-spec cars are expected to feature a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with twin independent variable valve timing. This should ensure enough pep for the American palate, while likely planting the Fiesta among the most efficient non-hybrids on offer. Ford's Sync communications and entertainment interface will be offered as well. We'll have more on new versions of the Fiesta soon.
Even though compact hatchbacks haven't done very well in the U.S., Mazda's still keen on capturing its slice of future subcompact sales. So while the Ford Fiesta makes its way to market, the similar 2011 Mazda2 is getting a showcase at the L.A. auto show, too. The same Fiesta mechanicals get a zoomy Mazda body here, and with a lightweight body, Mazda's promising excellent handling for the class of vehicles that includes the Honda Fit and the forthcoming VW Polo. On sale in the fall of 2010, the Mazda2 is expected to carry a base sticker price of less than $15,000.
Electric vehicles will parade around the Los Angeles auto show, so long as the convention center's been pre-wired with lots of 240V outlets. The 2012 Nissan Leaf is one of the new EVs set for a Los Angeles debut. A five-seat hatchback about the size of a compact car, the Leaf is said to offer the interior space of a mid-size vehicle like, perhaps, the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid. It is a dedicated design, meaning it doesn't share body panels with any gasoline vehicle. Nissan claims a range of 100 miles when its 24-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is fully charged. An 80-kilowatt (108-horsepower) electric motor powers the front wheels.
Is it a big tease, or a real taste of the future? We've told you about Ferrari's plans for future hybrids, and Car and Driver reports the Ferrari gas-electric powertrain will arrive at the 2009 Los Angeles auto show in concept form. It's an experimental design that leaves gas power for the rear wheels, and sends electric power to the fronts for four-wheel drive. The Maranello hybrid system could be used on front-engined and mid-engined vehicles. Biofuels like ethanol are already being studied, as is turbocharging.
UPDATE: No Ferrari hybrid concept, but we'll be driving the California on Friday. Check in with MotorAuthority late Thursday to follow us around the virtual passenger seat.
General Motors Announces Q3 Results, Speedy Loan Repayment
It's been a busy day for General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson. Not only did he reveal GM's third quarter financials, but he also announced the company's souped-up plan to repay $6.7 billion in loans from the U.S. government. While the financial report was reasonably upbeat (the company ended Q3 $1.2 billion in the red, but that's an improvement on analysts' $2.5 billion loss estimate), the real attention-grabber was GM's aggressive loan repayment plan: the company will now cough up $1 billion at the close of each quarter, beginning in December 2009. At that rate, GM's debt should be fully erased by July 2011 -- far ahead of the 2015 date agreed upon with the U.S. Treasury.
Of course, that won't put GM in the clear -- not by a long shot. In total, General Motors took about $50 billion from the feds. Of that sum, $6.7 billion remains on the books as debt; the other $43.3 billion has been converted into the federal government's 61% stake in GM, and the feds hope to recoup that cash via stock sales when the company goes public down the line. (Whether the government's stake will ever be worth $43.3 billion is a matter for debate, although many on the auto industry task force would like to see $19 billion that GM received prior to bankruptcy written off, reducing the recoupable amount to $22.3 billion.)
In other words, repayment of the $6.7 billion debt won't have any effect on the federal government's role in General Motors operations -- something that GM desperately wants to eliminate. Although the feds have stated time and again that they don't want to be in the auto business, they have put some "big picture" items and restrictions in place, like the cap on executives salaries that chairman Ed Whitaker bemoaned last week.
What repayment will do, however, is improve GM's brand among the general public. As we've often discussed here at TCC, American consumers have been very critical of both GM and Chrysler for taking bailout dough, and that's seriously affected the two companies' sales. (By contrast, Ford is enjoying a surge of popularity, thanks in no small part to the fact that it avoided bankruptcy.) We're happy to see GM being proactive in its debt management, but as they say in the South, the company still has a long road to hoe.
[Freep]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Rumor: Volvo Talks Between Ford And Geely Hit A Speed Bump
A couple of weeks ago, we reported that Crown -- a consortium of American investors led by former auto industry executives -- is making a play for Volvo. The group's bid for the brand is substantially lower than that of current front-runner Geely, but we pointed out that the Americans do have some advantages at the bargaining table, especially when it comes to one of Ford's biggest concerns: intellectual property. China in general, and Geely in particular, aren't known for respecting IP rights, and as negotiations move forward, we suggested that could become a sticking point.
Apparently, it has become a sticking point.
Two sources close to the discussions between Ford and Geely say that things have come to a standstill, precisely because of IP concerns. Company representatives are meeting in London this week to continue the talks, but it appears as if the negotiations could soon be dead in the water -- as dead as Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company's recent bid to buy Opel from GM, which failed due to similar problems. Geely's hand hasn't been helped by last week's arrests of Ford engineer Xiang Dong Yu, who's been charged with stealing thousands of documents from the company in his effort to land a job at Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation; that's made Ford even more anxious about its IP, and heightened awareness of China as the source of such anxiety.
Although Ford hasn't commented officially on its discussions with Geely, company spokesman Mark Truby has indicated that Ford is still speaking to a variety of potential buyers. That sounds like good news for Crown -- or at least confirmation that the consortium is still in the running.
Of course, as losses at Volvo continue to shrink and the international auto market continues to recover, Ford may reconsider selling Volvo altogether. After all, Volvo is Ford's primary means of reaching higher-end buyers around the globe. As analyst Michael Robinet has said, "One option could be to keep Volvo right now because it is Ford's only international near-premium brand.... Outside of North America, it's just Ford and Volvo."
Hopefully we'll have a clearer picture of where things stand -- at least as far as Geely is concerned -- after this week's talks in the U.K.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Volkswagen Working On Electric Vehicles For American Market
Volkswagen gave us a preview of its first series electric vehicle at last week’s 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, where the company also confirmed that the first cars will be on sale around 2013. The preview was in the form of the 2009 Volkswagen E-Up! electric-vehicle concept, which featured an efficient all-electric powertrain packaged in the body of a minicar.
News today reports that an electric car, slightly larger than the E-Up!, will likely be sold in North America.
"The reason we are working on an electric vehicle is the American market," said Volkswagen R&D chief Ulrich Hackenberg at last week’s Frankfurt event. He also reaffirmed plans to launch the production version of the E-Up! in Europe in 2013, which means the American version could be on sale by 2014.
For the North American market, Hackenberg said he envisions a front-drive model measuring about 146-inches in length.
The launch of cars like the E-Up! is interesting news from Volkswagen, which has largely focused its efficiency efforts on its diesel lineup in the past. Looks like Volkswagen may be rushing to beat its rivals, both in Germany and abroad, in the race of electric vehicle supremacy. The German auto giant is also planning a hybrid onslaught, with a gasoline-electric version of the Touareg SUV set to debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January.
[AutoNews, sub req'd]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
