Buying a Car: Does Color Matter?

When you buy a car do you bother about the color? I think that many people have particular taste about the color of a car. Of course, this is a big world and different people have different taste. Some love to buy green cars, some are fan of white or blue or red. Well, the car companies try to present car in several colors so that you do not miss them out. You can find Toyota or GM cars in many colors.

However, in future, I would like to see that people can customize their colors. I mean anyone can have any color of any model from any company. I know that at this moment it is impossible but I am sure that someday it would happen.

Owning a Car: Rich World vs Third World

I live in Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world and here very few people own a car. On the other hand, in the rich countries like America almost everyone except children and mad people own a car. For many people in the poor world, even taking a ride by taxi cab is like a luxury and millions of people do not have the opportunity to have a ride by a car in their whole life.

I am sure that for the people in the rich world, owning a car is just like owning every other thing. However, for the people living in the third world countries, even buying a second hand reconditioned car is like a dream coming true after many years of patient waiting. So, it is very enjoyable for all the members of a family. A sense of pride and fulfillment comes with the purchase of a car in the third world.

As for me, I am quite happy without having a car. Of course, I use taxi cab a lot from going one place to another but owning a car is not in my priority list.

Skoda Auto Planning a Cheap Car for Asia

Skoda Auto is one of the earliest auto makers in the world. It did not originate in America or England. Skoda Auto is an automaker in Czech Republic. Now, this company is going to make a cheap car for Asian countries. Asia is a fast growing market for the automakers and Skoda Auto wants to take advantage of this market by introducing a cheap car.

Prague Daily Monitor reported:

Czech car maker Skoda Auto contemplates a cheap model line above all for India, China and Russia, chairman Detlef Wittig told today's edition of the Hospodarske noviny daily.

The car maker wants to produce three lines in the future: European-style Fabias, Octavias, Superbs and Roomsters, active lifestyle models Yeti and Joyster, and small cheap cars for China, Russia or India.

Skoda Auto has survived for decades against all the odds. Now, it is trying to expand its business in Asian countries. Skoda Auto has one advantage in this regard. It is geographically located closely to Russia, China and China. On the other hand, it can afford to have cheap workers than most US or Japanese car makers.

1939 Auto Union D-Type: A Million Dollar Car?

Old model cars have no value. We do not care to buy a car of the 1980s model now. They are not very comfortable to us. But sometimes old cars can be more expensive than gold. 1939 Auto Union D-Type car is a famous one and some people would love to pay millions of dollars for it.

Paddock Talk reported:

Christie’s has estimated the value of the 1939 Auto Union D-Type, one of just two remaining examples of this legendary Grand Prix racing car, at between £5.78-7.88 million, which would set a new record. Formed in the Thirties through the amalgamation of four German automotive marques, Auto Union was a precursor to the modern day Audi brand, and its memory is kept alive by the German prestige manufacturer’s heritage division, Audi Tradition.

The auction vehicle will be on display in the Audi Forum New York (250 Park Avenue and 47th) on 25 January, and its so-called "sister" car – the Auto Union D-Type racing car from 1938 – makes an appearance on 12 February in Paris (Bauer Saint Honoré, 48 Place du Marché Saint Honoré). Both of these Grand Prix cars made the journey from the former Soviet Union, having been transported there from the factory Zwickau in eastern Germany after World War II by the Soviet occupation forces as spoils of war.

So, if you have enough money to spend then you can think of spending millions of dollars for buying an old piece of metal.

ZF Thailand Eyes Auto Market of Vietnam

Vietnam was a very poor country until a few years ago. However, in the last one decade the country has witnessed good economic growth and that is why Vietnam has a flourishing auto trade. Now, ZF Thailand wants to do well in Vietnam.

Thanhnien news wrote:

Auto parts maker ZF Thailand is mapping out plans to open offices in Vietnam and Cambodia this year, its managing director, Sumate Jaito, has announced.

Jaito said after establishing a firm foothold in Thailand, his company, an affiliate of Germany's ZF Group, was eyeing markets elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Its expansion plans coincide with a Thai curb on the production of commercial vehicles, hitting the auto parts industry.

Jaito believed his company's products, with strict quality control from the parent company in Germany, could compete with others in Asia.

So, good luck to ZA Thailand. Vietnam will be a good place to do business.

Car Insurance: Reduction in Nova Scotia

Car insurance is not something that we like to have. We have to have them but we don’t love them. So, any reductions make us happy. I guess some drivers in Nova Scotia will be happy to find that they are getting some reduction.

The Chronicle Herald reported:

Some drivers in Nova Scotia got a break on their auto insurance Friday.

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada announced in a press release it will reduce auto insurance rates in Nova Scotia by 12 per cent on average and Pembridge Insurance Company says it will cut rates by 10.5 per cent this year.

"Every Allstate policyholder in Nova Scotia with full coverage will see their premiums go down in 2007," said Christianne Dostie, Allstate vice-president. "Allstate is committed to offering a high-quality insurance product at the most affordable and appropriate price, along with exceptional customer service in a stable and thriving insurance market in Nova Scotia."

Allstate policyholders can expect a reduction of 12 per cent on average.

Too bad that I do not live in Nova Scotia. Then I could get some reductions.

US Auto Suppliers Looking for Asian Auto Makers

These are not great time for US auto suppliers as US auto makers are not dong so well in the US market. Asian auto makers like Toyota are making inroads in the auto industry. So, US auto suppliers have to think of the future and try to get in touch with Asian auto makers.

Houston Chronicle reported:

Executives for each of the suppliers said they will continue to work to expand their customer base overseas and reduce their exposure to the domestic automakers.

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. said Friday it swung to a fourth-quarter loss, while ArvinMeritor Inc. said Tuesday its fiscal first-quarter profit tumbled 79 percent.

Both companies blamed the results on restructuring costs and lower production levels, prompted by decreased demand from the Detroit-based automakers, which cut their own production during the quarter.

Meanwhile, Tenneco Inc. said Tuesday that amid "tough North American market conditions," its fourth-quarter profit nearly doubled, but its adjusted earnings also missed analysts' expectations.

Executives for the companies said one of their focuses in 2007 will be to expand their customer base further outside of the former "Big Three" Detroit automakers, making them less vulnerable to potential market share losses and production fluctuations.

So, the time has come for US auto suppliers to go abroad and make some strategic alliances in Asia and Europe.

Top ten finalists of 2007 World Car of the Year awards

Cars and autos- who does not love them? We need them and we like them. What are the top cars?

Car Keys wrote:

The awards started as recently as 2005, but the process is already quite complicated. 45 motoring journalists from around the world choose cars which are in production, and are sold in at least five countries on two continents. For the World Car and World Performance car categories, a shortlist of ten is devised, and this will be reduced to three by early March. The winners are chosen from these three will be announced at the New York International Auto Show on April 5.

The top ten finalists in the World Car category are the Audi Q7, Audi TT, Citroen C4 Picasso, Citroen C6, Fiat Grande Punto, Jaguar XK, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, MINI and Suzuki SX4/Fiat Sedici (effectively the same car with different badges). In the World Performance Car section the finalists are the Audi RS 4, Audi S6, BMW 335i, BMW Z4 M Coupé and Roadster, Ferrari 599 GTB, Jaguar XKR, Mazda3 MPS, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Clio Renaultsport.

This is surely a list to ponder about. However, I am not sure if everyone will agree with this list.

Will you agree with this list of top ten finalists?

FW29 Car from Williams

If you are a follower of F1 racing then I do not need to explain a lot about Williams. It is one of top names in F1 racing. It has a new car now.

News24 reported:

Williams unveiled their FW29 car on Friday at the team's headquarters near Oxford, determined to improve on their 11th place finish in the 2006 constructors' standings.

Ten years since they last won the constructors championship, the team is now called AT&T Williams. The car has a new livery and the team announced another major sponsorship deal on Friday with computer manufacturer Lenovo.

"Without question, 2006 was not our finest year but I am delighted to see how the entire Williams work force has pulled together and redoubled its efforts over the winner," team chief Frank Williams said. "It is how you perform in adversity that really counts."

Best of luck for Williams. Hopefully new car will bring better performance from the team.

Renault to Invest and Expand More in Russia

Russia is becoming a very attractive market for the auto industry. It can offer cheap but highly skilled labor for the auto makers while its auto market is flourishing too. Renault is now keen to take advantage of the Russian market. That is why it is going to increase its investment in Russia.

Forbes reported:

French car maker Renault SA will invest $150 million to double its production capacity in Russia and generate 1,000 new jobs, the company said Friday, citing soaring demand for its budget Logan brand.

Under an agreement signed Friday with the Moscow government, Renault (other-otc: RNSDF.PK - news - people ) will increase capacity at its Avtoframos factory in Moscow to 160,000 vehicles per year by mid-2009, the company said in a statement.

For its part, City Hall will provide additional land for the expansion, which will boost the factory work force to 3,300 from 2,300.

Russia is strategically located between Asia and Europe. So, if Renault can produce cars here it is can address both the markets.

Canada: Good News for Auto Sales in January 2007

Canada may not be a very big market for the auto industry but auto makers love Canada as it is a rich country and most people have enough money to spend on their cars. It seems that the auto sales was good in January 2007 in Canada. Just like the US, Asian companies are doing well in Canada.

Canada.com reported:

While Canadian auto sales are a reflection of the national economy, it is U.S. sales that ultimately determine employment levels in Ontario's high-employment automotive assembly sector.

Ford and GM sales plunged in the U.S. mainly because they are backing out of low-profit fleet sales, which they have used in the past to pad sales figures and keep their plants running.

Chrysler sales chief Steven Landry said his company intends to pursue the same strategy, but he declined to give details.

Ford sales were up fractionally in its Canadian showrooms, by 0.1 per cent. GM's Canadian sales slipped by 1.6 per cent.

Toyota performed well in Canadian market too:

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) said Toyota and Lexus sold 10,168 units combined in January, up 9.3 per cent from last year. TCI car sales were up 3.9 per cent while truck sales rose 22.4 per cent.

Both Toyota and its Lexus luxury division set new sales records for the month of January.

"Toyota's record-setting momentum is propelled by strong demand across the lineup," said Tony Wearing, managing director of TCI.

I do not know why Canada does not encourage its companies to invest in the auto industry. I mean there is no famous Canadian carmaker.

Devalued yen and the Auto Industry

US auto companies are facing a tough time as Japanese auto makers like Toyota is making inroads in the US auto market. Devalued yen is perhaps another thing that US auto makers are not too much happy about.

Los Angeles Times wrote:

Daniel Griswold accuses the U.S. auto industry of trying to make Japan a "scapegoat." On the contrary, Daimler Chrysler, Ford and General Motors have been open about the challenges presented by the intense competitive struggle underway in the U.S. market and their on-going corporate restructuring plans.

We apologize to no one for raising to U.S. policymakers Japan's policy of massive currency intervention and manipulation as an unfair trading practice that is damaging our industry. Japan's intervention has pushed down the yen's value to its lowest level in more than 20 years, 20% to 25% below the level at which it would otherwise trade.

In the car business, this windfall currency advantage translates into a $3,000 to $10,000 subsidy for every vehicle exported from Japan. This may be one reason Japanese auto exports have increased by about 1 million units over the last decade.

So, may be the US government will put pressure on the Japanese government to do something about the devalued yen. I wonder if it will be enough to stop the onslaught of the Japanese car makers like Toyota.

Auto Trader magazine and Free Warranty

Influential magazines often offer special facilities for their readers. Auto Trader magazine is giving a special facility for its readers.

News Car Net wrote:

Car buyers can now benefit from a free 30-day warranty on any vehicle bought through Auto Trader magazine or its online equivalent.

Research shows that the failure rate of cars leaps up by 50 percent, and will break down on average a third of the time, as the vehicle moves out of the comfort zone provided by the standard manufacturer's 3-year warranty.

In a recent Auto Trader survey of more than 1,250 car owners, 86 percent said the peace of mind from a warranty is worthwhile.

With the majority of the cars featured in Auto Trader either approaching or past the 3-year mark, some initial protection against sudden failures will ease the minds of potential purchasers.

Good news for those who want to buy a car.

BMW ALPINA B7 at Chicago Auto Show

BMW ALPINA B7 is going to be introduced in the US at Chicago Auto Show. I found a press release about it in techwhack.com. Here it is:

The BMW ALPINA B7 will make its U.S. debut at the Chicago Auto Show. Committed to developing the best performing vehicles in the luxury market, BMW along with ALPINA have created a special high performance version of BMW’s 7 Series luxury sedan. The 2007 BMW ALPINA B7 brings together the luxury, pioneering design, and advanced technology of the 7 Series Sedan with the scintillating performance of a supercharged, 500 horsepower V-8 engine.

To power the BMW ALPINA B7, ALPINA specially developed a higher-performance version of BMW’s 4.4-liter, 90-degree V-8 engine and mated it to a 6-speed automatic transmission featuring steering wheel mounted shift controls. The motor produces 500 horsepower at 5,500 rpm along with maximum torque of 516 lbs.-ft. at 4,250 rpm, and propels the B7 from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds. ALPINA 21-inch wheels carry Z-rated performance tires, while the sport-tuned suspension includes Active Roll Stabilization. The B7 aerokit includes a rear spoiler to improve stability, handling, and performance at high speeds.

With this new model, BMW will raise the benchmark for the segment in terms of performance, refinement, technology, and luxury. Approximately 200 US-version cars are planned for the 2007 model year. The BMW ALPINA B7 has a manufacturers suggested retail price of $115,695.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car centers, 334 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Good luck to BMW with its ALPINA B7. Let us see if it can cause uproar in the Chicago Auto Show.

Saving on Your Car insurance Premiums: Tips from Better Business Bureau

Yes, this is perhaps a billion dollar question. All the car owners have to fight with this matter every where. The Better Business Bureau has some cool tips. Some of the tips are:

- Combine policies with one carrier. It makes sense to insure all vehicles under one policy. But you can also get a multi-vehicle discount if you insure a trailer or recreational vehicle on the same policy as your car. Also, many auto insurers will reduce your car premium if you buy other coverage from them, such as homeowners' and life insurance. But don't switch carriers unless the rates for the other policies are competitive.

- Buy a car that costs less to insure. Expensive high-performance cars are fun to drive, but they're costly to repair and the premiums can run two to three times higher than less expensive cars.

- Equip your new car with safety gear. An approved alarm system or other devices that deter theft can get you a savings of 5 to 10 percent. Air bags for both driver and passenger can reduce injury, and costly medical bills in an accident, and may qualify you for a discount.

To know about all the tips visit this url:

http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17799221&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=475590&rfi=6

These are really helpful tips. I hope you can get benefited from them.

Problem Between UAW and Delphi

I often feel that American auto makers are unluckier compared to Asian auto makers when it comes to dealing with workers.

Grand Haven Tribune wrote:

The United Auto Workers union struck a defiant tone Thursday in its dealings with Delphi Corp. and private investors who want to provide the bankrupt auto parts supplier with a critical infusion of cash.

Complaining that Delphi and the investors have dragged their feet on negotiating wages, benefits and other issues with the UAW, union President Ron Gettelfinger said the UAW would not negotiate against deadlines in which it had no say.

A Delphi spokesman said Thursday night that the unions representing hourly workers have been included in every aspect of the negotiations.

Three private equity investors — Appaloosa Management LP, Cerberus Capital Management LP and Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I — along with Merrill Lynch & Co. and UBS Securities LLC have agreed to invest $1.4 billion to $3.4 billion in a restructured Delphi.

The investors and Delphi each had the right to terminate the agreement Wednesday if no deal was reached with Delphi's unions, which include the UAW, and General Motors Corp., which once owned Delphi. The deal was contingent upon Delphi settling on wages, benefits and other issues with its unions.

Let us hope that the two sides can find a middle ground and solve the problem.

New Facility from Mile One Auto Group for Consumers

Buying a car may become a nightmare for many people. It is time consuming and we do not have so much time in the modern age. The good thing is that we have more information in Internet about buying cars. I found this press release at Yahoo!:

The Mile One Automotive Group, one of the nation's largest and fastest growing automotive groups, announced today plans to offer consumers a way to shop their inventory and begin their price negotiation -- virtually. Consumers will have the opportunity to lock-in deals utilizing a special system allowing anonymous eNegotiation, all from the comfort of ones home or office.

"Our customers are looking for ways to save time and money. Additionally, many have told us they'd like to by-pass the 'showroom experience' and engage on-line with us in different ways," explains Brian Williams, Director of Marketing for Mile One. "We are committed to creating ways to help our clients to easily find the specific vehicle they want and then have the opportunity to negotiate and ultimately buy it, without stepping foot in our showroom. Within the next few months, we will be launching http://www.virtualcarbuyer.com and car shoppers will see our inventory published, click on a little green button and will be provided a way to begin the negotiation process on the vehicle they're looking for," Brian explains. "As an added benefit, the consumer will have the choice to remain anonymous!"

Car buyers should find this way of shopping more convenient while saving time with the entire buying process. "I'm excited to know that I can negotiate with a dealer without having the challenges I've had in past car buying experiences," expresses a recent customer of Mile One. "Anything that can help me enjoy buying a car, saves me time and eliminates the hassle, is worth it."

Mile One Auto Group anticipates tremendous success with this system. "In our partnership with Auto Bid Systems, we will be moving beyond our traditional way of doing business and creating a unique advertising and e- commerce environment that helps us find customers and sell them vehicles before the buyer ever enters the showroom -- all by using our inventory and leveraging our web site. We will invite our customers to visit our web site, negotiate and lock in their deal with us on any vehicle we have in our inventory. We believe that if we can offer the customer real value -- they'll want to buy from us," predicts David Metter, Divisional President - Marketing for Mile One/Atlantic

Very good. Consumers need more facilities from other auto sellers too.

H.E.A.T. Report: Community Involvement Can Reduce Auto Theft

Auto theft is a common problem everywhere. If you are the owner of a car then your first worry is regarding the safety of your car. You do not know when it may get stolen.

I found a press release in Yahoo!. Here it is:

H.E.A.T. (Help Eliminate Auto Thefts) responded today to 2005 statistics released by the Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) that indicate the 16th reduction in auto theft in an 18 year period in metro Detroit and across the state.

"After another decrease in 2004, Michigan residents became aware of the value in assisting local law enforcement in cracking down on auto crime in their neighborhoods," said Terri Miller, director of H.E.A.T. "Resources like the H.E.A.T. tip line offer a safe, anonymous way to empower residents to report criminal activity and help recover stolen property -- chipping away at auto theft and adding to residents' quality of life."

H.E.A.T. is a partnership of Michigan's auto insurance companies, law enforcement, community groups and residents. The H.E.A.T. program encourages citizen action through its toll-free tip line (1-800-242-H.E.A.T.) that gives financial rewards to people who provide information leading to the arrest and prosecution of individuals for auto theft, auto-related identity theft, carjacking and chop shops.

2005 Numbers Reveal Continued Decline in Auto Theft

- From 2004 to 2005, auto thefts in Michigan declined 3.8 percent,

according to the ATPA. This compares with a nationwide decrease of

only 2 percent. In 2005, 48,064 vehicles were reported stolen in

Michigan, compared with 49,982 in 2004. Data for the 2006 calendar

year is not available until February 2008.

- From 1986 to 2005, Michigan auto thefts declined 33.3 percent and

national thefts increased by 0.9 percent.

- Michigan comprised 3.9 percent of United States auto theft activity in

2005, dropping Michigan to sixth in the nation for total motor vehicle

thefts, from fifth place in 2004.

- The City of Detroit saw auto thefts decrease by 12.8 percent, from

24,573 in 2004 to 21,439 in 2005.

- Among Michigan's larger cities, declines in auto theft were seen in:

* Detroit - from 24,573 in 2004 to 21,439 in 2005, a decline of 12.8

percent.

* Grand Rapids - from 739 in 2004 to 678 in 2005, a decline of 8.3

percent.

* Lansing - from 471 in 2004 to 412 in 2005, a decline of 12.5

percent.

* Muskegon Heights - from 196 in 2004 to 121 in 2005, a decline of

38.2 percent.

* Inkster - from 340 in 2004 to 266 in 2005, a decline of 21.8

percent.

* Romulus - from 253 in 2004 to 167 in 2005, a decline of 34 percent.

* Ypsilanti - from 187 in 2004 to 155 in 2005, a decline of 17.1

percent.

- Among Michigan's cities, increases in auto theft occurred in:

* Ann Arbor - from 182 in 2004 to 238 in 2005, an increase of 30.8

percent.

* Flint Township - from 221 in 2004 to 287 in 2005, an increase of

29.9 percent.

* Royal Oak - from 136 in 2004 to 189 in 2005, an increase of 39

percent.

* St. Clair Shores - from 156 in 2004 to 247 in 2005, an increase of

58.3 percent.

* Warren - from 1,402 in 2004 to 1,633 in 2005, an increase of 16.5

percent.

In 2005, the Dodge Ram pickup truck was deemed Michigan's most stolen vehicle. Thieves' top three favorite color choices for vehicles stolen in 2005 were black, gray and white.

So, we should give more importance to community involvement to prevent auto theft.

Philadelphia International Auto Show 2007: 250,000 to 275,000 Visitors?

The Philadelphia International Auto Show is one of the major auto shows in the world. This year, it is going to be visited by thousands of people.

Business Journals reported:

Between 250,000 to 275,000 are expected to attend this year's show, which is owned and produced by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia.

The event pours $30 million into the city's economy each year and is expected to influence between $3 billion and $4 billion worth of vehicle-buying decisions over the next 12 months, ADAGP Executive Director Kevin Mazzucola said.

"We find that on average, over the last three to four years close to 40 percent of all of the new vehicles sold in our market area are influenced by the show," Mazzucola said. "That is why the show is so important to the marketplace."

If you want to know about the auto show then you can visit the website of the show:

http://www.phillyautoshow.com/

If you are a member of the press then you can visit the Media Center.

Chevy Aveo and a Wallet: From Korea to America

In the age of globalization, many cars are produced in Asia and then used in America and Europe. However, we hardly hear about wallets traveling this way. So, I found this story to be very interesting in which, the wallet of a Korean auto worker ended up in New York.

wcsh6.com reported:

A wallet lost by a factory worker in South Korea has turned up, in western New York. The auto worker lost his wallet last year while checking out the wiring on a car that was bound for the United States.

He didnt' realize his wallet was missing until after the Chevy Aveo left the GM-Daewoo assembly plant in suburban Seoul.

Several months and thousands of miles later, the car was delivered to the Fuccillo Chevrolet dealership on Grand Island, outside Buffalo.

It is nice that the wallet was returned to the original owner.