Industry News
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Auto Skins - digital clothing for your car November 5, 2005 Auto Skins is a product that has been on the Australian market for several years. Developed by the aptly named promotional company Decently Exposed, the AutoSkin is a digitally coloured skin for automobiles. You can have high resolution artwork emblazoned on the skin which is then bonded to the car and indestinguishable from normal paint other than its at photographic reproduction quality. The AutoSkin has the double advantage of forming a protective coating which can be stripped off to reveal the original, as-new unblemished duco the car came with. Over 2500 cars have been reskinned to date with corporate br…
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The turbocharger turns 100 years old this week The turbocharger , which has dominated the development of the internal combustion engine for the last 30 years, turned 100 years old this week. On 16 November 1905 Swiss engineer Dr. Alfred Buchi received patent No. 204630 from the Imperial Patent Office of the German Reich for a machine consisting of a compressor (turbine compressor), a piston engine, and a turbine in sequential arrangement. Porsche chose the occassion to introduce its very latest take on the turbocharger, this time with variable turbine geometry (VTG). This extensive article covers the development and major achievements of the turbocharger and the new VTG t…
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The future dims for spark plug businessProduction will end in 2006 By Randy Conat FLINT - (11/09/05)-- Last week, union leaders at Delphi Flint East were told that spark plug production at the plant would come to an end during the next few months. Spark plugs have been made in Flint for 101 years. Randy Conat takes a look back at the industry that had employed thousands of people through the years. Albert Champion, a native of France, manufactured and sold spark plugs as a sideline business. GM founder Billy Durant invited him to Flint, just as the auto industry was revving up. "1904 would have been the first year that they produced for the Buick Company,"…
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http://washingtontimes.com/business/200511...10233-3307r.htm
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...2.21cead70.html
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http://today.reuters.com/investing/finance...AUTOS-SALES.XML
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original link: http://www.askaprice.com/torque-article.as...ration&item=669 AUTHOR: Haje Jan Kamps PUBLISHED: 16/11/2005 The new Mercedes S class has a sophisticated radar-based braking system - when it works. A TV demonstration ended up in a 3-car pile-up when the S-class' safety radar failed. A German television channel got a bigger scoop than they bargained for when Mercedes showed up with three of their flagship vehicles - only to crash them into each other when a safety demonstration failed. Full article at: http://www.askaprice.com/torque-article.as...ration&item=669
Last reply by ToniCipriani, -
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Forget hybrids and fuel cells. Some scientists in the US think cars of the future could run on powdered-metal fuel, reports KURT KLEINER. If smog-choked streets test our love for petrol and diesel engines, rocketing fuel prices and global warming could end that relationship once and for all. But before you start saving for the fuel cell-powered electric car that industry experts keep promising, there's something you should know: the car of the future will run on metal. So reckons Dave Beach, a researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, who has come up with a plan to transform the way we fuel our engines. Chunks of metal such as iron, aluminium…
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Some Delphi Employees Not Paid On Time
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(Lockport, NY, November 17, 2005) - - Some employees of the bankrupt Delphi Corporation got a jolt when they checked their pay day bank balances Thursday. News 4's Barbara Pinson explains what happened to some missing direct deposits. A Delphi employee, who asked not to be identified, said, "This morning, people were trying to get money out of ATM machines, and these checks were not there." She didn't want her identity revealed, but this Delphi employee did agree to share her story about receiving her pay stub, but not the actual funds in her direct deposit account. The Delphi employee said, "My bills are scheduled to come out today, becaus…
Last reply by Cremazie, -
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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 16 November 2005 — Jaguar ranks highest in overall sales satisfaction for a second consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM released today. Jaguar, which tied with Lexus for the highest ranking in 2004, receives an overall SSI index score of 889 (on a 1,000-point scale). Jaguar performs particularly well in the salesperson and finance process factors. Lexus (888) follows Jaguar in the rankings, while Buick and Porsche tie to rank third overall at 878. Although still ranking below the industry average, Scion receives the most improved score in the study, increasing 21 index points …
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‘Father of Management’ Drucker Dies Peter F. Drucker, the teacher, writer and consultant whose classic study of General Motors Corp. helped shape modern management theory, died Friday morning. He was 95. Drucker’s “Concept of the Corporation,” published in 1946, examined the managerial organization of the behemoth automaker to understand the reason for the company’s success. The book laid the groundwork for the study of management as a scientific discipline. Drucker’s contribution to business didn’t end there. He penned over 35 books in which he delved into his skepticism of macroeconomic theory, the impact of technology on the workplace and the responsibilities of ma…
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msn
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News Ragtops escape roof-crush rules: NHTSA says convertibles can't share standards with fixed-roof vehicles HARRY STOFFER | Automotive News RICK KRANZ | Automotive News Posted Date: 11/9/05 Federal regulators want stronger vehicle roofs to protect people in rollover crashes, but they have no plan to protect occupants of convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it cannot hold convertibles, including retractable hardtops, to the same roof-crush requirements as vehicles with fixed roofs. The agency also has decided against convertible-specific rollover rules, such as requiring roll bars. There has been a sharp increase in convertible…
Last reply by razoredge, -
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I have seen a few of these. First, I dismissed them as random Priuses having those ugly yellow anti-abortion vanity plates, but I guess they really were city vehicles. This was confirmed when I saw two Priuses with city tags at a police standoff Sunday night.
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Camless Engines Here's Autoweek's Article Well, This may be the next big thing in engines technology. Overhead Valves became the new standard over L-head valves during the 1950s. Overhead cams became the standard in the 1980s over Overhead valves. It appears Overhead Actuators will likely become the new standard for engines in the 2010s over the current overhead cam engines. Let's all hope GM jumps on this technology as it emerges over the next decade. In a related technology, I've heard rumors that some engineers are working on electromagnetic drivetrains that could transfer the engine's hp and torque via electricity to any or all linear …
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I'm not sure if this is the right Forum for this but, I have to say this. I'm sick and tired of unfair and bias automags that trash domestics and the middle-class. I mean tell me the last time that any automags reflected a consist positive opinion about any domestic vehicle with in the last 10-15 years. Don't say the Chrysler 300 because, they will be bashing that car in 2-3 years for its "cheap materials", "uncomfortable interior & visabilty" , & it's poor fuel economy, even on the two V-6s. All of these are likely what critics will soon say about the much hyped 300. GM cars get a baseball bat accross the knees as soon as they …
Last reply by jmore1276, -
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Report: Delphi looks at cutting seven plants
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TROY, Mich. (AP) — Delphi Corp. is considering getting rid of seven plants and seven technical centers as part of a plan to overhaul its electronics and safety unit, according to an internal company document obtained by a newspaper. In the document outlining a plan named "Northstar," the auto-parts maker says that the restructuring of its Electronics & Safety unit is a key to its effort to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, The Detroit News said Wednesday. The unit accounts for $5.8 billion of Delphi's annual sales of about $28 billion. Delphi, one of the world's largest auto suppliers, has 50,600 U.S. and Canadian wor…
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Automakers dropped their spending on incentives in October to an average of $2,204 per vehicle, down from $2,781 last October, according to Merrill Lynch. This is the average amount some major manufacturers spent on incentives in October 2005 and the year before. Manufacturer October 2005 October 2004 Percent change Chrysler Group $3,075 $3,539 -13.1 percent General Motors Corp. $3,062 $4,051 -24.4 percent Ford Motor Co. $2,820 $3,425 -17.6 percent Industry Average $2,204 $2,781 -20.7 percent Nissan Motor Co. $2,040 $2,194 -7.0 percent Volkswagen AG $1,916 $2,306 -16.9 percent Hyunda…
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Last reply by Dsuupr, -
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Buick or Mercedes? Chevy or Audi? Lincoln or Volvo? Ford or Volkswagen? It's the American maker in every case, according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates durability study, an industry benchmark. The achievement reflects two trends that are largely hidden behind Detroit's spate of bad financial news and fire-sale discounts: The reliability of American cars, trucks and SUVs is up, and the reliability of European imports, especially German ones, is down. Consumer Reports, the influential nonprofit product-test magazine, sees the same trend. "Domestic manufacturers are now in second place behind the Japanese" when it comes to reliability, spo…
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CNN "But four Nissan cars -- the Nissan Quest, Armada and Titan and and Infiniti QX56 -- landed on the list of worst for predicted reliability" Now I know I made the right decision.
Last reply by FUTURE_OF_GM, -
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Creating hydrogen on the fly: http://www.physorg.com/news7499.html
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This is GREAT news! ----------------------------------------- Hillary, Granholm join political push to aid auto industry By Daniel Howes / The Detroit News Daniel Howes Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery The political free-for-all to "save" Detroit's automakers is under way. Guess who's the first heavy-hitter to take Motown's case to the White House? Not Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Not Sens. Carl Levin or Debbie Stabenow. Not legendary Rep. John Dingell, Big Auto's fiercest defender on Capitol Hill. It's Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who beat Granholm & Co. to the punch l…
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UAW's future: Givebacks or else Delphi starts clock ticking on rich wage, benefit packages across U.S. auto industry. By Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News After decades of hard-fought victories at the bargaining table, the United Auto Workers union faces the prospect of unprecedented wage and benefit concessions at one of its largest employers. In addition to Delphi Corp., the clock may be ticking against workers' rich package of wages and benefits at other Detroit automakers , analysts say. Compensation packages are worth more than $130,000 a year. That may put a smile on workers' faces, but the labor costs also give American automakers …
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Guiltless Gas Sippers: 10 Cars That Deliver the Most Fun Per Gallon Related ArticlesHybrids? Diesels? Our Pick of the Unlikely Sleepers First Drive: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 First Drive: 2006 Honda Civic Si More InfoMore Features More General Features ToolsE-mail This Page To a Friend By: Greg N. Brown Date Posted 09-15-2005 Even with gas north of three bucks a gallon, you don't have to give up driving fun for the sake of miles per gallon (mpg). There are cars out there that offer both driving pleasure and guilt-defying fuel economy from every gallon. These 10 are our favorite fun-to-drive gas sippers, the cars that offer the enthusiast driver rewards far b…
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cnn
Last reply by the_yellow_dart, -
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The nominees for COTY and TOTY: Cars: Audi A3, BMW 3 Series, Chevrolet HHR, Dodge Charger, Ford Fusion, Honda Civic/Civic Si/Civic Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata, Infiniti M35/45, Lexus IS 250/350, Mazda Miata MX-5, Mercedes-Benz R-Class, Pontiac Solstice, Toyota Avalon and Volkswagen Passat. Trucks: Dodge Ram/Ram Mega Cab, Ford Explorer, Honda Ridgeline, Hummer H3, Jeep Commander, Kia Sportage, Lexus RX 400h, Mercedes M-Class, Nissan Xterra, Range Rover Sport, Subaru B9 Tribeca, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. I was sort of expecting the Z06, but I guess it's not totally new (based on existing vehicle). Anyways, I'm guessing the Solstic…
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This article has some interesting info on fleet sales: http://www.nyse.com/interface/jsp/NHDetail...isdowjones=true There is a lot in the article, but I found this rather interesting:
Last reply by regfootball, -
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here "According to the Automotive Trade Policy Council, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and GM accounted for 85 percent of the investment in the U.S. auto industry between 1980 and 2002, a total of $176 billion invested in U.S. communities. These three companies alone purchase 80 percent of the auto parts now produced in the United States. Big Three investment and purchasing supports millions of U.S. workers, retirees and their dependents. Yet the United States remains the most open automotive market in the world. Forty percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. have foreign nameplates, compared with 22 percent in Europe, 5 percent in Japan, and just 2 percent in Korea. …
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auto extremist read the first two bits on this page. I more than agree with what he is saying on both topics here. Toyota's new hybrid ads are full of pomposity and also, the highlight on Japanese protectionism and currency manipulation, well, maybe we're about to hit the wave here soon where folks get a little anti-japan sentiment. I'm ok with some Japanese car bashing, personally. "Not only will the grass be greener, you'll see more of the world, you'll live longer, your days will never end, you'll see forever, and you're going to die if you don't start driving a Toyota with Hybrid Synergy Drive. What? You didn't get the…
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Last reply by capriceman, -
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msn
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http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/news,v...rtid=49585&pg=1 September 27, 2005 Hybrids won't save you any money by Alex Law , Auto123 Here's a hard truth about hybrid vehicles that everyone who's considering one needs to know -- getting a hybrid will not save you any money, it will almost certainly cost you more. A hybrid will use some smaller amount of fuel (though how much is open to question and depends greatly upon how and where you drive), and that helps the environment a little, but not too much. If you're willing to pay more money for that, good for you. But the only way hybrids would save you money is if the car companies weren't charging …
Last reply by capriceman, -
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Okay, we all know that deal with soot, emissions, etc. and that GM's european diesel's can't just be shipped & installed in their US models. That being said, I can't help but be intrigued that GM couldn't get something ready for a US model. With that thought in mind, I went exploring @ the Great Britain Vauxhall showroom. I was looking at the Astra (about the equivalient in size to our Cobalt). One of the engines is the 1.3lcdti. It's output is 88hp &147ft-lbs -- which would make it a comfortable & capable commuter engine. It's efficiency is measured at 45.6 & 70.6 (kilometers per litre). As you can see by the mileage…
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Fuel Economy Has Returned As a Marketing Tool
by Guest Josh- 3 replies
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As consumers brace for another round of gasoline-price increases after Hurricane Rita, car makers are rediscovering fuel economy as a marketing tool. Last week, General Motors Corp. previewed a line of large SUVs due out next year and emphasized improvements in gas mileage as much as their vast interior space and sleek new designs. GM has also focused on fuel economy in its "Only GM" ad campaign, which since February has been running in newspapers, on network TV and other media. In the ads, GM touts the "20 that get 30," meaning 20 of its models get at least 30 miles per gallon, including the Chevy Cobalt and the Pontiac G6. "We wanted peopl…
Last reply by Teh Ricer Civic!, -
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September 26, 2005 Most Americans favour oil company taxes to finance alternative energy research Washington, D.C. - A poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation found that four out of five Americans surveyed would support a "tax on the windfall profits of oil companies", if the revenues were devoted to alternative energy research. The poll of 1,019 respondents, conducted for www.40mpg.org, also found that 87 per cent of Americans polled think oil companies are gouging gasoline companies; 81 per cent say the federal government is not doing enough about high energy prices and over-reliance on Middle Eastern oil; 73 per cent believe that recent gas …
Last reply by CSpec, -
Diesels to take on hybrids as king of green in US
by Guest Josh- 3 replies
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DETROIT: Record-high prices at US pumps are giving hybrid cars a further image boost as the king of fuel economy, but many automakers are stepping up work on another major alternative to cut fuel consumption: diesel engines. Long seen as a powerful but smog-forming drivetrain reserved for big trucks and buses, diesels are slowly gaining legitimacy in the world’s biggest car market, where many Americans drive large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks for personal use. “Diesel is a no-brainer for pickup trucks — they’re bullet proof, run forever and get great mileage,” said Thad Malesh, principal of California-based research firm Automotive Technologies Research Gr…
Last reply by Clownzilla, -
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(from Auto123) For whatever reasons, the best-selling models across Canada for the first eight month of the year (according to DesRosiers' calculations) are as follows (with 2004's results in brackets): 1) Ford F-Series 49,113 (49,045, 0.1 percent) 2) Honda Civic Sedan/Coupe 46,131 (43,710, 5.5 percent) 2 Dodge Caravan 46,100 (47,280, -2.5 percent) 4) Mazda3 38,322 (32,426, 18.2 percent) 5) Toyota Corolla 32,188 (31,773, 1.3 percent) 6) GMC Sierra 27,212 (26,485, 2.7 percent) 7) Chevrolet Silverado 26,002 (25,033, 3.9 percent) 8) Dodge Ram Pickup 25,477 (28,135 -9.4 percent) 9) Toyota Echo 22,754 (21,559, 5.5 percent) 10) Ford Focus 19,647 (20,919, -6.1 pe…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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Ok gang, I'm tackling a new study, transgenerational appeal of cars and I need the help from the young and old alike. Here it goes: What nameplates existing or retired do you think appeal or could appeal to the young and old alike. Prime example the Ford Mustang has strong appeal to boomers and millenials. Please state your age and the vehicles you think fit the bill. Price be damned, but we all know Ferrari's and Porsche's have widespread appeal. I'm looking for more attainable vehicles. If or when we get enough responses, we'll move along to phase two. Thanks gang! :CG_all:
Last reply by thegriffon, -
More UAW Workers Bankrupt
by Guest Josh-
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DETROIT -- Oscar Gray achieved the good life during 28 years of hard work at Delphi Corp. -- a six-figure income, a nice home in Holly and two vehicles. But as Michigan's auto industry tanked in recent years, the forklift operator lost huge amounts of overtime pay and gradually sank into financial ruin. Saddled with $469,000 in debt, he declared bankruptcy last month. Gray isn't alone. Once the symbol of blue-collar prosperity, Michigan autoworkers are going bankrupt in alarming numbers as vehicle production declines and overtime pay dwindles. The United Auto Workers' legal department has handled the bankruptcies of nearly 10,000 of its member…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Chinese car maker Chery will market under different name in U.S. By Associated Press DETROIT -- Chinese automaker Chery Automobile Co. won't market its vehicles under the Chery name in the United States because of legal threats from General Motors Corp., a spokeswoman said Tuesday. GM has said that the Chery name sounds too much like Chevy, which is short for GM's Chevrolet brand. New York-based Visionary Vehicles, which will market Chery in the United States, said it has decided it's not worth the money to fight GM. "They're bigger than we are and they have more lawyers than we do," Visionary Vehicles spoke…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Link: http://www.jdpower.com/news/releases/press....asp?ID=2005174 J.D. Power and Associates Reports: New-Vehicle Buyers Increasingly Attracted to Models with Innovative Features Highlighting Comfort and Convenience Models with High APEAL Ratings Move Faster from Dealership Lots WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 21 September 2005 — New-vehicle buyers are increasingly attracted to models that offer high levels of comfort and convenience, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released today. The study, now in its 10th year, measures owners’ delight with the design, content, layout and performance…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Should the competition be worried?.....the Brilliance: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 World automakers assess what threat Chinese cars pose By Christine Tierney / The Detroit News FRANKFURT, Germany -- Visitors to the Frankfurt car show seemed more impressed by the brightly painted Beijing opera performers and entertainers dressed up as monkeys than by the smattering of Chinese vehicles on display. Crowded in a hall reserved for second-tier nameplates, Brilliance Auto, BMW's venture partner in China, exhibited sedans conceived with the help of European designers, the private Geely Group showed off a five-model lineup, and Jiangling Motors exhibited its …
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Interesting article on the perceptions and the reality of auto quality. http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jc/quality.htm For example the Chevrolet Impala has outscored Toyota Camry for initial quality for 5 straight years. Five!!!
Last reply by HarleyEarl, -
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Lexus, Cadillac Top Consumer Satisfaction Survey The Daily Auto Insider Friday, September 16, 2005 September 2005 Lexus is the highest-rated brand in terms of consumer satisfaction for 2005, barely topping Cadillac, according to a study released by automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. The results are calculated from owner satisfaction across 45 specific areas related to a vehicle's operation, comfort, safety and the overall purchase/lease experience, according to an AutoPacific news release. The 2005 ratings reflect input from buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired September 2004 through January 2005. Cadillac won in 2001, shared top honors wi…
Last reply by thegriffon,
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