Alabama Immigration Law Leads To Arrest Of Mercedes Manager
Alabama’s complex and controversial new immigration laws don’t leave police with a lot of room for interpretation. If you’re stopped and can’t produce documentation, you go to jail until you can prove your identity (and nationality), or until you sit before a judge.
The law is applied to all, even visiting managers from Mercedes-Benz Germany. Last Friday, police in Tuscaloosa, Ala., stopped a rental vehicle for a license plate violation. Inside, police found two men, but the German driver could not produce a driver’s license or another identity document, so he was taken into custody and placed in the Tuscaloosa city jail.
The incident was resolved when the man’s colleague returned with the driver’s German passport and driver’s license.
As CNN points out, critics of the law will use the incident to illustrate its likelihood to drive foreign companies away from the state, at a time when Alabama is working hard to attract them. The state is home to Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Hyundai vehicle assembly plants, as well as a Toyota and Hyundai engine factories and dozens of supplier plants, and the factories provide much-needed revenue at both the state and local levels.
Those in favor of the new immigration law cite the incident as proof that police aren’t profiling, and are applying the new statutes fairly to all.
Worth noting is that police had the power to arrest undocumented detainees even under the previous laws, but had more latitude for incidents such as this. Under the new laws, immigration status must be checked during a traffic stop, and those unable to produce identity documents are remanded into custody.
Mercedes-Benz is shrugging it off as an “unfortunate situation,” and we’re inclined to agree. We’ve spent plenty of time overseas, and traveling with your passport (and international driver’s license) on your person at all times is covered in Travel 101. Let’s use this as a reminder and move on.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Experian: Auto Credit Continuing To Loosen, Loan Amounts Up
To get the vehicle you want, and the right credit terms, having a high credit score has been extremely important over the past couple of years. With credit tight, lots of consumers who would have been green-lighted in the past have been simply turned away—or pointed toward high-risk lenders that border on exploitative in some situations.
That's been changing, gradually, this year with expanded captive finance options and lending terms that are loosening somewhat.
And it's getting better yet. According to the latest quarterly analysis from Experian Automotive, as lenders continued to loosen their loan criteria, the share of new-vehicle loans going to so-called "credit-challenged" vehicle shoppers grew by 12.7 percent in the third quarter of the year.
That includes a significant boost to loans for subprime shoppers (those with credit scores between 550 and 619) as well as nonprime customers (620 to 679).
But it's not as risky as it sounds; Experian says that consumers are doing a better job paying back their loans. Both 30-day and 60-day delinquencies have dropped significantly this past quarter, and lenders can breath a sigh of relief that the total dollar volume at risk of default in auto loans fell by $6.4 billion during the period.
That said, 63 percent of loans are still going to those with prime credit scores (680 or higher); that's only a bit better than last year when the market hit 66 percent prime.
Overall in the third quarter, however, the average credit scores for both new and used buyers were down from the same period last year; average loan amounts were up, however. The average new vehicle loan, Experian says, is $25,273, while buyers finance $16,706 for used cars, on average.
[Experian Automotive; Associated Press via MSNBC]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Batten The Hatches: Holidays Are Prime Time For Car Thieves
Sunburns, fireworks injuries, or overindulgences: If you're not mindful, they're all examples of how your long holiday weekend could end on a painful, rather than relaxed, note.
So is coming back to find a vehicle missing or broken into.
Over the long holiday weekend, neighborhoods are likely to be a little emptier than usual, and loud noises—like car alarms going off—are already happening all around.
And that means it's prime time for car thieves.
Just as you should be especially careful to secure your house when you're away and not flaunt valuables, you should be vigilant about safeguarding your other vehicles when you're away in the family wagon.
July and August are the highest months of the year for vehicle theft, which is why the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and LoJack are kicking off a National Vehicle Theft Protection Month initiative, through July.
Although vehicle thefts as a whole are declining, according to official U.S. Department of Justice figures, both vehicle break-ins (theft from vehicles) as well as the rate of non-recovered stolen vehicles is on the rise. For non-recovered vehicles, it's actually at its highest in 20 years. It seems the era of the casual car thief looking for a joyride is over, by some accounts, leaving two groups: opportunists looking to steal property from your vehicle, and savvy professional thieves who know what they should steal, how to do it, and how much money it will bring them.
According to 2008 FBI data, 43 percent (411,444) of vehicles stolen were never recovered. Some of these vehicles end up in chop shops, with parts sold on the black market; others are shipped overseas for sale; and some are resold as used vehicles.
One of the most important points is, if you're going to leave any of your vehicles parked out in the driveway or streetside, don't leave anything of value out in the open. Move everything of value out of view and to the trunk, or better yet out of the vehicle, and don't ever think that thieves won't break a window for a bin full of coins, or an empty backpack.
The NICB and LoJack recommend three steps for protection:
1) Use common sense measures. Never leave keys in the vehicle with the engine running. Don't hide a spare key in the vehicle. Close all windows and lock all doors when leaving your vehicle. Park in a well-lit area and, when at home, keep your vehicle in the garage. Don't leave valuables visible in your car, particularly those items that include your personal information —thieves can drive off not only with your car, but your identity as well.
2) Use theft prevention products. An amateur thief may be less inclined to steal your car if it has visible and audible warning devices like a wheel lock or alarm system. Immobilizers—which include smart keys, kill switches and fuel cut-off devices—can offer another means of protection. While the professionals can often disable these devices, they do offer another means of deterrence.
3) Use a tracking and recovery system. Since thieves can typically disarm most theft prevention devices, recovery systems provide the peace of mind that you'll get your car back often quickly in the event it is stolen. The most effective systems are directly integrated into law enforcement, use Radio Frequency technology, which has proven to be optimal for recovering stolen vehicles, and are covert so they cannot be disengaged.
[LoJack]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Experian One-Ups Carfax With Free Vehicle Checks On eBay
Buying or selling a vehicle on eBay Motors? You no longer need to worry about paying separately for an outside vehicle history check. It's now automatic and free, covering all vehicles for sale on the site, for model years back through 1981, thanks to a new exclusive agreement between the auctioning company and AutoCheck.
According to Automotive News, the new reports will be automatic, with no opportunity to opt out.
From Experian Automotive, the AutoCheck service provides vehicle history reports that highlight accidents, flood damage, or issues with odometer rollback, assigning a numerical score from one to 100.
"Now buyers have a much deeper level of confidence in their purchase, at no additional out-of-pocket costs," said Nicolas Franchet, eBay Motors' senior director of U.S. vehicles, in a release today. CarFax reports will still be available from the eBay Motors site at an additional charge.
Used vehicles represent 81 percent of U.S. vehicle sales, according to Experian Automotive, and the company says that AutoCheck picks up on twice the number of reported accidents as the competition—almost surely Carfax. Although Carfax is still the best-known vehicle history report, Experian has been inching into the market and the eBay deal could be a game-changer.
[Automotive News, Experian Automotive]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Cash For Clunkers Boosts European Car Sales
Germany and France are reporting impressive increases in new vehicle registrations for March. Registrations for March increased a whopping 40 percent in Germany and the French automobile association (CCFA) is reporting an 8.1 rise in that country's vehicle registrations. Though a scant 0.24 percent, Italy is making noise about its first vehicle registration increase in a year.
It is believed that so-called European governmental "scrapping" programs, a proposal we call Cash for Clunkers in the U.S., is a big driving force behind the registration and sales boosts.
Automotive News says these European developments are "raising eyebrows" in the U.S., which has been trying to pass a Cash For Clunkers program for some time now. Holding that program up is a debate as to whether such an incentive should give American buyers money towards the purchase of American vehicles only. The Europeans, of course, feel that it should apply to all vehicles purchased in the U.S.
In Germany, new car sales rose by 21.5 percent in February, the first month of the scrapping initiative. Italy believes that its 0.24 percent registration turnaround is the sign of significant sales boosts for April and May. The CCFA credits 30 to 40 percent of French auto sales in March to scrapping incentives.
[source: Automotive News]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
‘GM Total Confidence’ Buyer Protection Doesn’t Match Ford’s Offer
Today General Motors unveiled its "GM Total Confidence" customer protection program. The plan may be accessed in the first 24 months of vehicle ownership.
Details include up to nine consecutive monthly payments of up to $500 on vehicle loans or leases any time within the first 24 months of ownership. If owners/lessees make it halfway through their financing contract on a GM vehicle, they quality for 'Vehicle Value Protection,' which is a form of insurance to keep vehicle value at a certain level upon trade in (but only on another GM vehicle). A 5 year/100,000 mile transferable powertrain warranty, roadside assistance, and courtesy transportation protect "your vehicle with the best coverage in the business." Finally, all GM vehicles will come with a one year OnStar 'Safety and Security' package, which features Automatic Crash Response.
|
Year 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
| Vehicle Value Protection* |
(Negative equity assistance if outstanding principal loan balance is more than NADA Clean Retail Value) |
|||||
| Payment Protection* |
(Up to 9 months payments up to $500/month if you lose your job) |
|||||
| 100K mi / 5 year Warranty |
(Fully-transferable limited powertrain warranty with roadside assistance and courtesy transportation) |
|||||
| OnStar |
(Safety and Security Package) |
|||||
"Our Total Confidence plan is an unprecedented offer that reinvents the ownership experience in an extremely positive way," said mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Unlike other programs out there, 'GM Total Confidence' provides comprehensive coverage for new vehicle owners - from protecting their new vehicle investment to protecting their family's income."
Compared to Ford's Advantage Plan also offered today, GM's is available for just one month (April 1 through 30) compared to over two months of availability for Ford's plan (today through June 1) . GM's plan also provides payments for 9 months as opposed to Ford's 12 and is down $200 from Ford's maximum monthly payment amount of $700.
GM urges interested buyers to visit GMconfidence.com for more details, but as of 12:50 p.m., Eastern Time, attempts to check the site resulted in an error message. Ouch. Doesn't exactly inspire, uh, confidence.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Prince of Monaco Serene and Green with iMiEV
Since 2006, Mitsubishi has been hard at work on its new "i MiEV" concept car. (The acronym stands for "Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle"; still no word on what either "i" stands for or why they're lowercase.) Now the company has begun taking the curiously named car on the road--most recently to the Principality of Monaco.
Although Monaco is, of course, better known for its Formula One Grand Prix, don't think that the country doesn't have a sensible side. In fact, HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco has demonstrated a significant commitment to environmental preservation and other green causes, and by all accounts he had a great test drive in the i MiEV. According to a press release we received yesterday, His Serene Highness (best term of address ever) said, "The vehicle I drove today is ready for practical use in a city area, the dynamics are very good and the performance suits the need. I would like to see this kind of zero emission vehicle in Monaco in the near future."
Which is great, but perhaps a bit vague, don't you think? I mean, he's just saying he wants to see that kind of car in Monaco, not necessarily the iMiEV itself--but then, perhaps the Prince is just standoffish. Mitsubishi is hoping that Monaco and other European nations feel a bit more committal by the time the car's planned launch in 2010.--Richard Read
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
