Tag Archives: zino

Don’t Run a Gas Tank Dry – It Can Cost More than $4 Gallon

It’s a bad strategy, particularly if you run out of gas and get stranded. Here your problems and expenses might just be beginning as costly repair bills can ensue. Continue reading

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Toyota Motor and WiTricity Form Wireless Charging Alliance

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said today in Japan that it has entered into a technology sharing agreement with U.S. based WiTricity Corporation. The world’s largest automaker will explore the practical application of automotive wireless charging systems and the promotion of … Continue reading

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Porsche Posts 13% Sales Increase in Q1, €496 million Profit

Porsche AG in Stuttgart said today that during the first three months of the 2011 financial year sales were up 13% to 23,442 vehicles compared to the year before. As a result, the German luxury vehicle maker said that Q1 … Continue reading

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Why “Green” Alternative Vehicle Sales Will Remain Limited

To veterans of the automotive ecological wars, the conclusions of the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Green Automotive Study released today are, numbingly, familiar. For most consumers cost is the not so invisible hand that drives a free market – even a semi-free one with lavish taxpayer subsidies in place in an attempt by the government to mandate technologies. Continue reading

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Renault Group Reports +15% Revenues, Record Sales in Q1

Ghosn reaffirmed the company’s €500 million cash flow target for 2011, but because of uncertainties caused by the Japan earthquake and ongoing production stoppages, Ghosn refused to increase his forecast for the year even though Q1 sales was well ahead of plan. The ongoing forecast simply says the both sales and revenues will increase in 2011. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls Tundra Pickups for Rear Drive Shaft Failures

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. today announced it will conduct a safety recall on approximately 51,000, 2011 model year Toyota Tundra trucks to inspect the rear drive shaft. The rear drive shaft on Tundra models may include a defective slip … Continue reading

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Chrysler Sells Global Electric Motorcars to Polaris Industries

In practice the glorified golf carts provided good transportation in gated communities, sports stadiums or campuses, but with a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 30 miles on a charge GEM electric vehicles were limited to niche markets. Nonetheless, Chrysler estimates that it sold 45,000 of the EVs during the last decade. Continue reading

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Toyota March Production Drops 31% Globally, 62% in Japan

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said that production at its Japanese and overseas factories dropped 31% in March, the month of the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami. In Japan the impact was far worse as production dropped 62% for the month. … Continue reading

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Standard & Poor’s Says Japanese Auto Outlook Now Negative

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services in Tokyo today cut its outlook on six Japanese auto companies from stable to negative, including the Japanese Big Three – Toyota Motor Corp. (TM, 7203.TO), Honda Motor Co. (HMC, 7267.TO) and Nissan Motor Co. … Continue reading

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Hyundai Adds Guaranteed Trade-In Value to Assurance Plan

This latest marketing push is made possible by newly found strength in Hyundai residual values, now among the highest in the auto industry, as Hyundai newest generation of vehicles have increased in sophistication and quality compared to previous models. Continue reading

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Honda Sets Fiscal Year Record for Overseas Auto Production

That of course was before the parts shortages and vehicle production disruptions caused by the Japan earthquake and tsunami on 11 March took hold. Continue reading

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Nissan Recalls Pathfinder, Infiniti QX4 for Rust, Steering Failure

Nissan Pathfinders from model years 1996-2004, and Infiniti QX4 SUVs from 1997-2003 are affected by regional recalls for vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the following 20 states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Critics of regional recalls for safety defects maintain that they do not address the entire population of defective vehicles. Automakers like them since it cuts the expense by limiting the inspection to fewer vehicles. Continue reading

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Honda Keeps Japan Plants at 50% Capacity until End of June

The latest setback for the Japanese auto industry, the result of the March earthquake and tsunami, follows the announcement late last week that Toyota will not be able to resume full production until the end of the year. Toyota, Japan’s largest automaker, is currently at 50% capacity in Japan and 40% or less in its overseas operations due to parts shortages. Continue reading

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Labor Department Charges Systemic Wage Abuses at New Jersey Gasoline Stations. Enforcement Actions Underway

The Labor Department will not allow gasoline station employers — many of whom operate under the banner of multi-billion-dollar corporations — to exploit workers and deprive them of their hard-earned wages.” Continue reading

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Toyota Auto Production Interruptions to Go On Until Year End

It is also an affirmation of the wisdom of the U.S. taxpayer financed bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler. At the time these were under debate in 2008 and 2009 ideologues scoffed at the assertion that to let those companies fail would also cause other North American auto companies – U.S. and offshore owned – to fail since suppliers in common would be wiped out taking the whole auto industry down. Continue reading

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