Hybrid or Electric in your future?

Read my article on Alternative fuel vehicles before you buy a new hybrid or electric car or SUV. Learn about why your driving habits and where you live makes such a difference in what you buy. Read now >

The Technology Sales Pitch

Acura, Ford, SAAB, BMW and many others have a practice of selling on the "tech" of their cars, saying that the car "adjusts to the driver" for better braking or acceleration. In fact, this type of self-adjusting technology has been standard equipment since before 1990. Yes, the technology has gotten better over the years, but they spout it out like it's brand new and they just came up with it themselves.

The technology revolution really began with the 1990 Subaru Legacy which for the first time used LSI (large scale integrated) computer chips with greater capacity and speed. This integration and capacity was used to mold two computers into one and have it perform much better, making changes to engine and transmission specifications based on altitude, temperature, vehicle load and driver input.

With a few exceptions, all cars since 1996 have sophisticated self-adjusting software, (mostly for fuel and emissions management) that makes changes so fast you can't tell. So technology is really NOT new to cars, it's just new for the marketing agency which creates the ads!

When is "new" not really new?

It doesn't matter how perfect the car appears, or what the salesperson tells you, the word "Program" or "Demo" could mean ANYTHING !

A program or demo car could mean that the car was loaned out to a celebrity (who drove the hell out of it). It could mean a salesman drove it as a perk (and ran the wheels off of it). Or it could even mean it was stolen (and trashed), recovered by the police, and then repaired by the dealer.

The definition of a USED car is generally accepted to be anything with more than 500 miles on the odometer. When considering the purchase of a car that has 1,000 or 2,000 miles on the clock, check the paperwork to see if it still being described as a new car. If so, question its usage closely. I would also strongly recommend a pre-purchase inspection by an independent technician.

Advertising claims: be informed !

"I am very much against the video sales clips of cars speeding, spinning and burning rubber. Why? Car crashes kill and maim more people every year than guns, but gun makers are not allowed to show their product used in the commission of a crime—they would be shut down! Why should car makers be allowed to show or say whatever they like? It's just not right." -- Norris

They all do it—advertise, that is—and some of things they say are creative. Watch the car ads on TV closely for just a week or two and you see what car makers think of you, their customers. They think we are sheep! And why not? We respond to its persuasion sometimes without a second thought.

Volkswagen ads, for instance, focus on the mood you can have in their car or the style you'll have if you drive one and nothing else. No mention of durability. No wonder that they are ranked at the bottom of the list for customer satisfaction in the service department. THAT mood fades quickly !

Be informed. Don't buy a mood, or be seduced by an advertisement. This is a car after all - it needs to be dependable and safe. Your life depends on it.

Car trends

Finally, who says it's the car of the year? Kiplinger's, MotorTrend, Consumer's Digest, JD Powers? Why is it the "car of the year" if only 1/2 the year is over? The car of the year is the one that suits YOUR driving needs and is safe and dependable. Ask Norris or your technician for recommendations. Then do your research.

Remember that newer cars can be victims of oil sludge if not properly maintained. Check out your prospective car's track record on oil sludge also. Find out more >>

OnStar or Not to OnStar

Those powerful OnStar advertisements showing a door being unlocked are neat— but why? Ever try to lock your keys in your car? Chances are you can't if you own a SAAB, Honda, Subaru and many others as far back as 1979. The car won't allow you to depress the lock button while the door is open. Only the GM cars that might need OnStar services have this nuisance feature of being able to lock yourself out!

Why has OnStar been available since 1998, more available since 2000, but not on BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, etc.? It's a GM thing. Three versions of OnStar have been installed; the first two versions expire 2007 and 2008 and won't be available or supported after that! To find out which version the car has, you have to call OnStar from inside the vehicle using the system and ask for an equipment version ID. Have your credit card ready.

OnStar is not available on a BMW, for good reason. BMWs have their own after-crash strategy which uses the airbag deployment signal to ignite an explosive charge in the battery cable that disconnects your primary electrical power flow to minimize after-crash fires. (Find out why this is important to rescue crews.) Also, when air bags are deployed, BMW doors auto-unlock, the hazard lights come on, and a separate battery-powered dome light circuit is activated to illuminate the interior.

On the plus side, the hands-free built-in communications link is nice. The after-crash communications can be good if your cellphone is broken, inoperative, or lost in the crash. OnStar is available on SAAB but it will not do remote diagnostics, and will not do remote door unlock (because you can't lock your keys in a SAAB). Some versions can support live diagnosis (just not on a SAAB). Some versions can unlock a door remotely—if your service plan is current and you have your PIN number on-hand (not on a SAAB).

On the minus side, your vehicle may not support the features you want. The OnStar system can fail if the vehicle is damaged badly enough or damaged in the right place. Subscription prices are as much as $200 - $800+ a year or as little as $17.00 per month, adding to your yearly maintenance costs. Look carefully at the OnStar packages and potential benefits before you buy.

Brokers and locators

Some used car brokers and locators are really just used car dealers pretending to be independent!

In 2002 I opened up the phone book and called 34 companies that advertised special ordering and location of premium used and new cars. It took a week of research to find that 33 were in fact used car lots with an off-location office--which makes their job of finding and inspecting a car for you very easy.

There is ONE exception!

Doug Ehrlich of Auto Buyer Protection was the only independent locator and inspector that I discovered. And I found him to be very honest and timely in his advice. Doug's style of up-front fee quotes and time schedules is truly refreshing and should be sought out if you don't already have someone like me looking out for you. It is a luxury service for people willing to pay the extra fee, but you may want this type of attention. Doug Ehrlich's number is 303-237-3333 or visit their website.

Crash test ratings: get the real story

"It's tough out there, pick a tough car" - Norris

Your chance of getting in a crash are high. In most areas of the U.S. your chances are 1 in 4! So if you crash your car, or someone crashes into you, you want it to really protect you!

Crash ratings are used as a new car selling feature. You should know the important distinction between types of tests and the people doing them. "Government" crash ratings by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration are very different from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests. A four star NHTSA rating is meaningless, because ALL cars have that as a MINIMUM.

When a car maker advertises safety and mentions "Government ratings " or "Stars", that should be taken to mean that they are embarrassed by the real-world IIHS ratings. Before you buy based on safety, spend some time on the IIHS web site, and research your model. It's your life. Know what you're buying.

"Just because it's big, doesn't mean it's safe." - Norris

Consumer ratings: what's real?

There are two major consumer reporting-type companies out there, and they both claim to have the answers and recommendations you seek. But the difference between the two may surprise you.

Consumer Reports (consumerreports.org) is an INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT company that derives its support through the subscription fees of its readers only. No paid advertisements are allowed.

Consumers Digest (consumersdigest.com) derives its support through PAID advertisements for a profit and ALSO collects subscription fees!

Who would you rather pay to give you straight information? Tip: You don't have to sign up for either. Both publications are available in the reference section at local public libraries either in print or online. I just saved a few trees and saved you $$. Sssshhh! Not too loud. People will think you're up to something!