Category Archives: aftermarket

Ford Motor Used Vehicle Sales Running at Record Levels

In general, automakers are setting record used car sales through their dealers as the U.S. economy slowly recovers – more than 80% of workers commute to work in vehicles – and interest rates remain at absurdly low rates as taxpayers continue to subsidize the bankers and Wall Street firms that caused the Great Recession. Record high new vehicle prices – more than $30,000 on average for a car, +$40,000 for a truck – are also forcing some buyers into used vehicles. Continue reading

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Aging Fleet Good for Automakers, Aftermarket

The U.S. vehicle fleet continues to age with an average now at a record high of 11.4 years based on review of more than 247-million U.S. car and light truck registrations on 1 January 2013. Continue reading

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Sirens and Chrome Wow at Concours d’Elegance of America

The production underway called “Sirens of Chrome” is based on a coffee-table book by Margery Krevsky that chronicles decades of the most beautiful cars and the women who adorned them. The Concours served as the elegant setting for excellent automobiles and the “sirens” who evoked a touch of Hollywood glamor. Continue reading

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Silverstone Classic – Record Crowds, Largest 911 Parade Lap

The 2013 Silverstone Classic claims to the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival now that the results are in. The three-day show this past weekend in the UK said attendance of 90,000, up from 83,500 in 2012 was a record. The 24 vintage races with 1113 historic racing cars covering nine decades of motorsports, also is claimed to be a new world record. Continue reading

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New 2014 GM Models Get Two Years Free Maintenance

Customers who purchase or lease a new 2014 Chevrolet, Buick or GMC car, truck or crossover in the U.S. will be covered by a new maintenance program that includes scheduled services for two years or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Continue reading

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Supply of Used Vehicles Up, Values Down Slightly

The latest used vehicles report for May and June shows U.S. used car supply rising, thereby decreasing trade-in values. Continue reading

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Cadillac Matches New Car Warranty on Used Cars

In a move that reflects a growing industry trend of expanding warranty and maintenance plans, Cadillac today matched its new vehicle warranty on certified used cars. Continue reading

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North Carolina Man Charged in Odometer Fraud Scheme

The United States charged Francis Marimo, of Raleigh, NC with two counts of odometer tampering, according to the Department of Justice statement released today. The charges were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on 10 April 2013, alleging that from 2008 through 2012, Marimo fraudulently caused odometers in used motor vehicles to be altered to reflect false, low mileages. Continue reading

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Kia Dealers Offer Three Months of Sirius on Used Vehicles

Sirius XM Radio and Kia dealers will give customers a three-month subscription when buying used vehicles equipped with satellite radio. Participating Kia dealers join more than 9,000 auto dealers across the country enrolled in the SiriusXM Pre-Owned Vehicle Program. Continue reading

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Customer Satisfaction Up at U.S. Dealer Service Departments

The CSI rankings are based on dealer service performance during the first three years of new-vehicle ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. After the warranty expires, dealerships traditionally have little chance of getting maintenance work as more than two thirds of customers then resort to independent repair shops and mass merchandiser tire, transmission, brake and muffler chains. Continue reading

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Honda and JMC Nickel-Metal Hydride Recycling Yields 99% Pure Rare Earth Metals in World’s First Mass Production Process

Honda Motor and the Japan Metals & Chemicals Company last spring began extracting an oxide containing rare earth metals from used nickel-metal hydride batteries from Honda hybrid vehicles. The operation, the first in the world, is now extracting
rare earth metals with a mass-production process at a JMC recycling plant. Continue reading

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Want a Stingray Now? Bring your Corvette to Lingenfelter

While the Corvette Stingray due to go in production this summer attracted considerable attention at the North American International Auto Show last month, performance modifier Lingenfelter was preparing a version of a 1967 Stingray of its own that was showed at the MGM Grand Casino before the Corvette reveal. Continue reading

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GM Offering Free Maintenance to Fleet Buyers

General Motors Fleet and Commercial Sales is now offering what could be an industry first free maintenance program with the purchase of new or leased Chevrolet or GMC vehicles by business customers. The so-called GM Business Choice program includes a two-year, 30,000-mile Business Maintenance Plan, in addition to a cash allowance for vehicle accessories. Continue reading

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2012 Used Vehicle Sales at 40.5 Million Highest Since 2007

Used car sales during 2012 in the United States topped more than 40.5 million cars and light trucks, according the consultancy CNW. This is the best year since 2007, and represents an increase of 4.5% when compared to 2011’s 38.8 million. Continue reading

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1940 Ford Coupe Steel Bodies on Sale Again. Hot Rodders Rejoice!

This sure beats cutting out rust, filling by welding and smoothing with Bondo: Ford Motor has licensed reproduction steel bodies of one of the all time favorite street and strip machines – the 1940 Ford Coupe. A nascent restoration or what could become a flame-painted hot rod is available now with prices starting at $11,900, plus shipping, from Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts. Continue reading

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