RAM Reveals its New Cargo Van

The 2012 RAM Cargo Van may look familiar and that’s because it is based on the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan with modifications to the inside and the suspension. The new cargo van will be called a RAM C/V and will go on sale later this year.

This new cargo van features sliding rear doors and metal panels in the rear instead of glass. The second-and third-row seats have been removed and in their place a tough aluminum flat load floor has been added. The van features a 283-horsepower, 3.6-Liter V6 engine. The van has a towing capacity of up to 3,600 pounds. Available options on the 2012 Cargo van include glass in the second- and third- row windows instead of the metal panels and also available ‘Stow ‘n Go’ bins underneath the aluminum floor. Buyers can also choose to purchase a more fuel efficient model which will come with a special “fuel economizer mode” which will change the transaxle shift schedule with a flip of a switch to maximize fuel economy. There is no word yet on what the actual fuel economy will be, but RAM promises their new C/V will get 500 miles on a standard 20-gallon tank.

As the release date nears RAM will reveal more information on pricing and fuel economy- keep an eye out.

Hyundai Motor America is Celebrating 25 Years of Sales

Hyundai's first vehicle in the US went on sale 25 years ago in 1986. The subcompact car Excel, was imported into the United States from Korea and was nominated as “Best Product #10” by Fortune Magazine. Due to the Excel’s affordability and awards it was a huge success. Today Hyundai has an extensive line-up of award winning cars, SUVs, and crossovers and produces a lot of them here in the US.

Since Hyundai entered the US market over 6.6 million vehicles have been bought and today more than 4.3 million vehicles are on the roads. In 2010 Hyundai sold 538,000 vehicles and was ranked the 6th best-selling brand in the country. To date Hyundai has invested a total of $1.7 billion in the US and over 400,000 Sonatas, Elantras, and Santa Fes have rolled off assembly lines in America.

Hyundai has been built on earning the trust of their customers and since 1999 they have offered the best warranty in the industry; a 10-year, 100,000 mile power train warranty and a 5-year, 60,000-mile vehicle warranty.

“As far as we’ve come since 1986, we still feel in the early stages…it’s authentically Hyundai to question the status quo and pursue our own vision of how things should be in order to best serve our customer,” says John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America.

Ford Drivers Save Money at the Pump

As gas prices continue to rise, consumers are looking for ways to save at the pump. Fortunately for Ford drivers, doing so is pretty easy.

The automaker has combined consumers’ need for eco-friendly vehicles with their love of technology to provide new green driving technologies that make it easy for drivers to increase the fuel efficiency of their vehicle. Ford began including these systems in their automobiles in 2008, and since then they have been helping consumers conserve fuel and lessen their environmental impact. Today, the automaker has four green technologies available on their vehicles to help drivers conserve.

EcoMode helps teach consumers how to increase their vehicle’s fuel efficiency themselves. The system uses real-time feedback to coach drivers, and according to Ford, has resulted in a fuel-economy increase of 24%.

EcoRoute is a map-based navigation system that is found within the MyFord Touch application, and instantly calculates the most eco-friendly driving route.

The SmartGauge with EcoGuide system is available on hybrid vehicles. The main function of SmartGauge is to provide data such as battery power and fuel levels to the driver, but like EcoMode, it also uses real-time feedback and rewards to teach drivers how to fully maximize their vehicle’s fuel efficiency.

MyFordMobile works before consumers even get behind the wheel. Drivers can use this application to increase the fuel economy of their vehicle by planning out the best route and other important trip decisions.

While the rising price of fuel may be worrisome to all consumers, Ford drivers can take a little bit of comfort in knowing these fuel-saving systems are available at their fingertips.

Chevrolet Earns Four Spots on "Best Cars for the Money" List

The price of a car and its long term value is a feature that every car buyer looks at when shopping for a new vehicle. U.S. News & World Report recognizes the importance of this feature and reveals a list each year that shows the "Best Cars for the Money." This year Chevrolet vehicles earned four spots on this list.

The Malibu was the favorite in the Midsize Car class, thanks to its well-balanced ride, roomy and supportive front seats, and bold styling. In the popular Midsize Crossover category, the Chevy Traverse received the top award. The judges were impressed by its on-road manners, roomy third-row seating, spacious cargo area, and good fuel economy. The best Full Size SUV designation was awarded to the Tahoe for its comfortable interior, smooth ride, good handling, and relatively strong fuel economy, given its size. Finally, the Chevrolet Silverado was named the Best Full Size Truck for the Money. The truck wowed the judges with its comfortable ride, handling, ruggedness, and the wide array of power-train choices, trim levels, suspensions, and bed lengths available to consumers.

Despite the “Best Cars for the Money” title, the award is not necessarily given to the least expensive vehicle in each class. U.S. News & World Report awards the title to vehicles that they believe add value to their owner’s lives throughout the entire ownership experience.

Chrysler Reveals All New 200 Convertible

Several weeks ago at the Chicago Auto Show, Chrysler revealed the all-new 2011 200 Convertible. The model will replace the current Sebring Convertible, and has been redesigned, re-engineered, re-priced, and re-packaged for 2011. The updated convertible will offer a fun and refined driving experience.

Some of the impressive features of the 200 include an upgraded suspension, a new and more efficient power-train, improved safety features, and an all-new interior. The 200 Convertible also offers comfortable seating for up to four adults and ample storage room in the trunk, even when the top is down. Upgraded features on the 200’s exterior include new front and rear fascias, a new hood, projector headlamps and fog lamps, LED tail lamps, and the new Chrysler brand winged badge on the grille. The redesigned interior has a new instrument panel, upgraded seats designed for comfort, and a new heating and cooling system. Innovative upgrades have been made as well and include hands-free phone system and satellite radio.

The new 200 Convertible is currently available at local Chrysler dealers.

Jeep Crosses the 1 Million Mark on Facebook

Jeep accomplished a feat no other domestic brand has been able to achieve; they have successfully gained over 1 million fans on Facebook. This is a major social media milestone; their fans exceed those of other domestic brands by more than 450,000.

They are one of the few automakers worldwide that has exceeded the 1 million mark. In 2010 the Jeep brand experienced triple digit growth in its fan base on Facebook, and stated that “The brand continues to foster a vibrant and innovative social community for its passionate fans and owners.”

Jeeps 1 million fans proves that it is clearly one of the most well-known and loved brands throughout the world. This year they celebrate their 70th anniversary and their strong fan base shows why they have been successful for so long.

The Jeep brand uses other social media as well, including Twitter, You Tube and foursquare web sites. Jeep was the first automotive brand to have an official profile on foursquare.com. The Jeep You Tube channel is on the list of top 10 sponsored channels with over 4.3 million views.

Jeep is clearly onto something with its social media use. They are setting the precedents for both domestic and foreign automakers.

Test Drive a Dodge and Raise Money for Schools

Dodge is reaching out to high school booster clubs around the country to coordinate test drives for fundraising efforts. The effort is designed to provide support for student activities that provide enrichment to the lives of teens. According to the President and CEO of Dodge Brand, “The launch of the Dodge Booster Club Fundraiser will give high schools an opportunity to raise money for their extracurricular activities in a fun and unique way without any sales pressure.”

The program is developed to connect local Dodge dealers with high school booster clubs to help raise money in fundraising efforts. Dodge will donate $20 for each test drive taken and the clubs can earn up to $2,000. Personnel from the dealership, including sales persons will be on site to answer any questions about the vehicles. Participants of the test drive will be able to drive the 2011 Durango, Journey, and Grand Caravan without any sales pressure. Test drives are only open to persons 21 or over with a valid driver’s license.

2011 Civic’s Sales not Slowing Down Anytime Soon

It’s hard to believe that the 2012 Honda Civic is almost here, especially if you take a look at the 2011 model’s sales over the past few months. Despite the fact that the new model will soon be launched, the 2011 Civic continues to be a top 10 seller in the United States, and saw a record sales month in December. So what is it about Honda vehicles that make consumers unable to wait just a few months for the new models to arrive?

Honda has long been a favorite of US drivers, mainly due to the proven quality and reliability of their vehicles. Honda stays on top of styling trends, offering attractive vehicles that are not only a good fit, but are also comfortable. In addition, Honda engines are solidly made and fuel efficient, with the 2011 Civic receiving an EPA rating of 40 mpg city and 43 mpg highway, which is especially important as we see gas prices continuously rising.

While it remains to be seen how the 2012 Civic will stack up next to its predecessor, one of the major changes consumers have to look forward to is the introduction of new models of the Civic. The 2012 will be available in the traditional sedan and coupe, as well as a sportier “Si,” hybrid, and natural-gas variants. The new Civic will also be the first Honda hybrid to feature a lithium ion battery cell.

Sienna Proves Toyota’s Dedication to Safety

It’s not easy to be named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a point which was made evident in the minivan category when only one vehicle was awarded the title. The Toyota Sienna blew the other revamped minivans away, and was the only one to receive the highest marks possible in front, side, rear, and rollover crash evaluations, and offer electronic stability control.

Other safety features of the redesigned Sienna that helped wow the IIHS include Toyota’s Star Safety System, which includes traction control, vehicle stability control, anti-lock brakes, brake-force distribution, and brake assist, as well as seven airbags throughout the car. All of these features come standard on the vehicle.

In total, eight Toyota vehicles were named Top Safety Picks. The other vehicles that were recognized for their commitment to passenger safety are: the Toyota Corolla, Venza, Highlander, and Avalon, the Lexus RX, and the Scion tC and xB.

Most Safe Cars in 2011

Many factors weigh in to determine Forbes’ list of Safest Cars for 2011. First, all cars had to be chosen as a 2011 “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. Second, in order to create a list exclusively made up of cars, all trucks, vans, SUVs, and crossovers were removed. Then, any models that did not receive a perfect score of “good” on every IIHS crash test were removed.

The four crash tests include; front-, side-, and rear-crash tests as well as a rollover test. The front test includes a 40-mph frontal offset crash that measures how well the car’s restraint system controlled the dummy’s movement during the crash. The side tests are based on crashes where the side of the vehicle is hit by an object moving at 31 mph. The rear-crash test measures the dummy’s neck pressure when they are hit from behind by an object moving at 20 mph. The rollover test, tests the strength of the roof when a metal plate is pushed against the roof at a rate of 0.2 inches per second. To get a “good” rating on the rollover test, the roof must withstand a force four times greater than the vehicles weight before reaching five inches of crush.

After all the tests had been completed and the numbers were calculated, Forbes’ named these vehicles as the safest cars in 2011:

• BMW 5-Series
• Buick LaCrosse
• Cadillac CTS Sedan
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Lincoln MKS
• Mercedes C-Class
• Mercedes E-Class Sedan
• Subaru Legacy
• Subaru Outback

When You Can Wait to Repair Your Car

There is never a good time to have your vehicle be in need of a repair, but sometimes the issues seem to come at the worst possible moment. Whether you cannot afford the repair or simply do not have the time to deal with it, they are a burden. And while there are many repairs that need to be taken care of immediately, regardless of how it fits into your schedule, there are some that can be put off until a more convenient time. Here are five repairs that can wait.

1. Oil leaks. Oil leaks will eventually need to be repaired, but there are some things you can do yourself to put off that hassle. Many leaks can be temporarily fixed by tightening up the mounting bolts on a gasket. Be sure not to over-tighten though, as this can cause a larger problem. If tightening the bolts does not work, you can still delay the repair by keeping an eye on the oil level and filling up as necessary, for a period of time.

2. Body repairs. Of course, if the damage to the car causes a safety issue, then you definitely need to get it fixed immediately. However, most body damage can wait for a more convenient time.

3. Engine knocks. Like body repairs, some engine knocks do need to be fixed immediately, so before letting this go, get a proper diagnosis as to how serious the damage is. However, some engine knocks can go for a long time before needing to be fixed. Just make sure to get the engine fixed before it goes completely, which will set you back even more.

4. Damaged seats. Damaged seats are more of a cosmetic problem, and therefore, do not put your car in any danger when they go without maintenance. Replacing seats can also be expensive, so try some alternatives before paying for new ones. Seat covers will hide the damage, and are now made to be tightly form fitting. Another option would be to have the torn seat re-upholstered.

5. Paint jobs. Again, this is really more of a cosmetic issue. And, like new seats, a new paint job can be costly, so before you shell out thousands of dollars for one, try waxing your vehicle to restore the luster.