Automobile Retailers

Long-haul trucks may be experiencing some growth, but SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) suggests that the sales of standard trucks and SUVs for personal use are taking a huge tumble in the market.

SEMA’s research was conducted between the top-20 selling pickups from January to April 2008 relative to the same timeframe in 2007. Pick-up sales have dropped 17% compared to last year’s sales, but there has been some good news for the Toyota Tundra, which was up 25%, and the Ford Ranger, which was up 12%. Every other truck on the market suffered from the 17% plunge, however.

It is the SUV industry that took the biggest hit. Driving through any suburban area might not exemplify this notion, but SUV sales dropped a massive 27%. Only two SUVs survived the plunge: Toyota’s Sequoia, which was up 17.9%, and the Chrysler Aspen, which was up 11.3%.

It’s not all bad news, though. CUVs are growing. The crossover market has experienced growth because of the squeeze at the pumps, as consumers still want to drive something they feel protects them from the rigours of the road and from inevitable accidents. In this respect, the CUV has taken its rightful place and may well exceed the SUV and truck market with another good year.

Consumers are buying CUVs at a steady rate and, once again, Toyota is experiencing growth in this sector in contrast to other companies. The Scion xB is near the top of the list, joining the popular Ford Edge and Suzuki XL-7. The Jeep Patriot has experienced significant gains as well, almost tripling its output from the previous year.

The biggest drops on the market are easy to spot and easier to rectify. The Nissan Titan and Dodge Dakota “led the way” in the truck category, each dropping a whopping 42% in sales compared to last year’s same time period. As for SUVs, the Jeep Commander dropped a massive 44.4% with Toyota’s FJ Cruiser behind it with a 39.1% drop. Most CUVs saw growth, with a rare exception being the Chrysler PT Cruiser, which while being all the rage when it first came out is now down 35% from last year.

Reading the title, one might think I’m describing some sort of Conan-esque mythological character. Instead, the Axor is the name for the new Mercedes-Benz commercial truck. The launch for the Axor came this week as Benz unveiled the new 6×4 monstrosity to the public.

While the truck industry’s sales are expected to drop, Mercedes-Benz still expects to sell around 8% more than last year. With business projections looking up, Mercedes-Benz is putting a lot of stock into its new Axor. So far this year the over-3.5 ton truck segment experienced growth of about 10% compared to the 15.43% fall in the passenger market, which is good news for producers of large trucks.

The Axor was built by Mercedes-Benz to fill the gaps between the premium Actros tractors and the Atego trucks. Targeted by and large at fleet customers looking to outfit their repertoire with a solid brand name, the Axor is a simple truck. A manual gearshift is used instead of the electronic paddle shift on the Actros, making driving the truck easier for the big rig drivers. The Axor is powered by a 12-litre straight-6 engine.

While learning about the Axor may not mean that much to the average driver who doesn’t take long-haul trips across the country, it is interesting the note the growth in the transport truck sector and how Mercedes-Benz has risen to the challenge of creating a powerful production truck for fleet consumers.

The release of the Axor comes on the heels of the news that the 40-ton Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor-trailer combination made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most economical truck of its class. Consuming 19.44 litres of diesel per 100km was good enough to get put in the book. The Actros was tested for a seven-day round-the-clock examination.

So with Mercedes-Benz certainly making waves in the world of transport trucks and producing fuel efficient big rigs to fill market gaps, other facets of the company will likely reflect the success. Keep your eyes on Mercedes-Benz.

If you’ve ever thought about taking part in a high-speed chase with local police and figured you could outrun them in your Toyota Celica, you may want to think about that prospect again.

Imagine running from the law in Italy, for instance. Back in 2004, Lamborghini donated one of their Gallardo models to the police department. A year later, the department knocked on Lamborghini’s door again and asked for another one, paying $166,000 for the speedster. With a 5.0-litre V10 making 510hp, this Italian cop car has a top speed of 190 miles per hour. Good luck outrunning that!

Alfa Romeo turned over one of their GTs to the Australian police department, making things interesting for high-speed chases Down Under. Turned over to the Sydney police for what was termed “official use,” the Alfa Romeo runs a 3.2-litre V6 good for 240hp. The car reaches 0-60 in 6.7 seconds and may face its only opposition from someone in, say, a Lamborghini Gallardo or maybe one of these…

Germany turns to something a little different for one of its speedier cop cars. The CLS Rocket from Brabus lights up the streets with a twin turbo V12 capable of an alarming 730hp. Ouch! The Rocket, as the name might suggest, is the current fastest production sedan in the world and knocks down a top speed of a mythological 225 miles per hour.

The UK finds the police being more eco-friendly. The Lotus Exige is capable of tracking you down in a heartbeat and only uses one gallon of gas for every 48 miles. Not bad. The Exige accelerates as fast as or faster than other V8s in its class, but its fuel economy is legendary and creates a terrific asset for the police force in the UK.

Bulgaria, Austria, and Germany all use the Porsche 911 Carrera in its pursuits, frightening crooks and speeders with the extensively modified cop car. The Carrera boasts a 5.0-litre V10 that’ll push 500hp and reach a top speed of just slightly over 186 miles per hour. This ride gets from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

The Car Care Council, a Chicago-based automotive awareness organization, is urging people to drive smarter to save money on fuel and auto maintenance costs. The new slogan – “Drive smart, save money” – is short yet poignant for today’s problems in relation to cars. It’s also part of a larger Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association’s campaign, called the Be Car Care Aware Campaign.

According to the CCC, many car owners aren’t putting the maintenance needed into their vehicles because high fuel costs are preventing them to do so. The weakening dollar and financial fears of a recession contribute to that problem as they are afraid to spend money on anything that’s not absolutely necessary.

But this isn’t the best way to save money, says the CCC. Instead, the best way to save money in the long run is to be proactive in your vehicle maintenance procedures. By performing scheduled maintenance, you can prevent costly problems in the future.

This particular campaign is in its fifth year and has been helpful in reducing costs for motorists in those years. According to this article, it has “driven reported underperformed maintenance from $62 million in 2002 to $53 million in 2007.” The program has also benefitted drivers by printing more than 1.5 million Car Care Guides in several languages, including Spanish, English and French. The Car Care Council websitealso boasts the most popular results when somebody types “car care” into a search engine.

This is just something to keep in mind when you get that car of your dreams from your local Ferrari dealer. Be sure to get regular oil changes and everything else the manufacturer recommends instead of waiting. You and your bank account will be glad you did.

Going to the dealership to get a new car can be a daunting experience. But it really doesn’t have to be. In fact, with a few tips, you can actually get a great deal on a car that you really want. Before you get nervous about the thought of visiting a dealer, consider these suggestions.

1. Have an idea of the type of car and model you want to buy. Don’t just show up at the dealership without researching the types of cars that fit your lifestyle and budget. That’s the easiest way to spend more than you can afford. Are you looking for a performance vehicle or a family van? Do you want a six-cylinder or eight-cylinder engine? Would you prefer a hybrid or a fuel-powered vehicle? Narrow it down and then you can just tell the dealer so he can point you in the right direction.

2. Shop for cars on the web first. Before going to your local dealer, see if any particular auto companies are offering cash rebates or other incentives. This might factor into your decision of the type of car you want to purchase.

3. Time your purchase just right. You can usually get better deals at the end of summer and at the end of the year when dealers are trying to make room for new inventory.

4. Be prepared. The best thing you can do in order to get a great deal is be informed. There’s an adage that says something about information being the best tool for negotiating. That’s true in any business transaction, especially when buying a car. Know what other dealers are charging for the same models and other bits of information so you can make the best and most informed decision.

Now that you know how to get a great deal, why not visit a local Pontiac dealer and check out their inventory? There’s never been a better time than the present!

Despite not falling with the rest of the car companies for several years of declining sales, time and space finally caught up with Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. and the company has started reporting declining sales for the past five months. Armageddon is truly upon us!

In April, Toyota reported sales of 217,700, marking a 4.5 percent drop compared with last April. The April results followed U.S. sales declines of 10.3 percent for March, 2.8 percent in February, 2.3 percent in January and 1.7 percent in December, according to Automotive News Data Center. This makes for compelling news for those who have monitored Toyota for quite some time.

To many, Toyota’s forward-thinking sales processes and development of new models to meet consumer wants and needs has made them virtually bulletproof. The development of the stellar Scion brand, for instance, has added more to Toyota’s portfolio and has made them a frontrunner in the field of economy cars. Toyota competes in almost all of the automotive segments, from SUVs to small cars, and the downturn in sales is surprising given their record.

However, the downturn in sales for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. isn’t surprising when one considers the industry on the whole. The economy is having a drastic effect on the entire industry, causing companies to lose major ground with the majority of their sales divisions. The wave of economic strife was bound to catch up to Toyota eventually, just as it has with every other car company. Despite some companies posting upturns in sales for small periods, the car sales business has overall been a tough one to navigate and an even tougher one to predict as of late.

Still, Toyota remains as one of the world’s leading competitors when it comes to selling cars that consumers want. Recent surveys of customer satisfaction had Toyota ranked at the top in the United States alongside the always popular Ford and the Scion model continues to appeal to a younger generation. Once (or if) the economy shifts back to “normal,” Toyota will likely come out on top again.

The Lamborghini Diablo was a popular model from the Italian carmaker and was produced between 1990 and 2001. Development for the car began in 1985, using it as a replacement for the previously discussed Lamborghini Countach. The Diablo went on sale in January of 1990 and had a base sales price of $240,000 US.

The Lamborghini Diablo drew its power from a 5.7-litre 48-valve version of the celebrated Lamborghini V12 featuring dual overhead cams and computer-controlled multi-point fuel injection. This meant the Diablo could reach speeds of 60mph in 4 seconds, charging out of the gate with a top overall speed of 202 miles per hour.

The base model of the Diablo, despite costing an alarming $240,000 at the time, came with very little by way of surprises. The car came with basic radio, manual windows of course, unpowered seats with manual adjust (back in the Dark Ages, people had to move their own seats forwards and backwards), and a lack of anti-lock brakes. There were a few features available, such as a $10,500 Breguet clock for the dashboard and a snazzy rear spoiler.

Lamborghini popped out Diablo models for quite a while before deciding in 1993 to make a second more specialized model of the car. Adding an all-wheel-drive system, improved power steering, resized front wheels, and a computerized suspension system, Lamborghini created the Diablo VT. In 1997, Lamborghini introduced the Diablo VT Roadster, which lacked the drive system of the Diablo VT.

The Lamborghini Diablo went through several adjustments and changes throughout its history, culminating in the Diablo VT 6.0 after Audi had bought the Italian company from its former South East Asian owners in 1998. The Diablo VT 6.0 was intended to suffice until a replacement to the Diablo could be properly planned for, so the model stood as being a sort of stand-in.

After the last production Diablo hit the market in 2001, Lamborghini opened the door for one of their most popular production cars to date: the Lamborghini Murcielago.

Are you the type of person that is loyal to a certain brand? There’s nothing wrong with that. Once you find something that works for you, it’s usually a smart idea to stick with it.

Following along those lines, you can find many Ferrari-branded items besides only cars. The Ferrari home entertainment system, for instance, is one of those items. The Ferrari 80-watt Meridian F80 is perfect for exotic car lovers who want to play their CDs and DVDs on a high-quality system. You can also connect it to your iPod or your computer as a speaker. And that’s not all! You can also use the Meridian F80 as an alarm clock.

With a price tag of nearly $3000, you can expect only the best quality from this exotic piece of equipment. You can also choose to purchase the infrared remote for even more convenience.

Meridian, a company based in England since 1977, joined with Ferrari in 2005 to work on this product together. Although it carries the technology that Meridian has a reputation for, the outer colors are based on the unmistakable Ferrari-red color. If red’s not your color, though, you can also choose between silver, yellow, black and white to fit your personal taste. See your local Ferrari dealer for the latest details and find out how you can get this in your home today!

Your radiator and cooling apparatus is one of the most important parts of your car. I found this out the hard way by letting mine run dry. The sad thing is that the coolant is such an easy thing to check and maintain. Instead of waiting for your coolant to run dry and damaging your engine, here are some tips to help you avoid such a catastrophe.

• Look for the coolant reservoir underneath your hood. Most cars have a transparent container so you can see the level of coolant you have. Make sure you keep it filled to the appropriate line.

• Always check the level of the coolant after your car has been sitting for a long time. In other words, only check it when the engine is cool.

• Only add a 50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water to the container. You can buy pre-mixed solutions at any auto parts store or get pure coolant and mix it with water. Don’t use tap water, though, as some of the chemicals could harm the radiator.

• Never open the radiator cap when the engine is hot. The pressure could create a burst of water exploding through the opening and it could cause serious burns and injuries. This is sometimes true for coolant reservoirs. Read the owner’s manual for your particular model before unscrewing either lid.

• Don’t leave any coolant where pets or kids can get to it. It’s highly-toxic and can be fatal if ingested.

• Monitor your coolant level so you know if you have any leaks. If so, get it fixed as soon as possible. A slow leak could result in thousands of dollars of damage if not repaired right away.

Don’t let that new or used car from your local Pontiac dealer go to waste. Remember to check the coolant and keep it maintained so you can get many years of enjoyment from it. It only takes a minute, but that one minute can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

It’s tax refund time!

Refunds, coupled with Bush’s proposed economic stimulus package, have a lot of people excited about a drop of extra cash in their mailboxes. But will the economic stimulus package work to rectify the sinking stone of the American economy or will over-spending simply lead to more trouble?

Naturally many companies want people to believe the former and want people to spend and spend some more on a variety of products and services. Paying bills with the stimulus package, which totals around $600 for some people, is a big no-no according to major corporations. Buying fancy toys is a positive outcome that will help save us all from the downturn in the economy. Better yet, buy a car or put a down-payment on something you’ve been looking at. Spend and spend some more, America.

Of course, most expert economists doubt that the stimulus package will do much to rectify the plunging economy. Instead, it’ll likely continue to foster America’s philosophy of debt and will impact individuals with lower incomes even more. Credit card debt is already a huge problem in America and, with more money being pumped in by a treasury that can simply print money when it’s convenient, things are quickly losing value.

That doesn’t mean owning things can’t be fun. Consider putting a down-payment on a Mercedes-Benz or another model. Buying a car, any car, has probably never been more convenient for the consumer. Entering a lease agreement can be fun, too, especially with warranties and other safeguards covering your butt during all of the trouble spots of car ownership.

So it’s reasonable to assume that car dealerships are sparking up the big money discounts at this time of year. Tax refund time is a fun time for your local Mercedes-Benz dealer and it can be a great time for you, too, even if your visit simply culminates in a test drive and some drooling over an A-class model.