Automakers use new oils to boost performance

With the worldwide push to go green, automakers across the globe have been wracking their brains trying to discover a new way to bolster vehicle performance while also improving fuel efficiency. To this end, a number of automakers have begun utilizing new engine oil in their automobile both to add more MPG to the cars and provide better protection from engine wear.

General Motors has introduced a new oil graded as Dexos 1 that it claims will help protect an engine from damages that could potentially void a powertrain warranty, while their Detroit rivals Chrysler and Ford Motors have enacted similar plots by utilizing SN and GF-5 graded oils respectively.

"GF-5 and Dexos1 oils have a more robust formulation that should give you better contributions to fuel economy, cleanliness and fuel emissions," Mark Ferner, the manager of the lubricants technology group at Shell, told AutoWeek.

Of course, switching to new oils can also help improve the performance of used cars as well, and can be an important part of maintenance for vehicles that have spent more time on the road.

New Hyundai Equus priced at $58,000

Hyundai is typically known as a manufacturer specializing in low-priced vehicles, but it appears that the company is taking a new direction as of late as it expands into the luxury market and leaves the more affordable options to its Kia sub-brand.

A prime example of that new strategy is the recently-announced price for the company's next luxury vehicle, the 2011 Equus. The new Equus will start at $58,000, with an "Ultimate" edition priced at $64,500. That's a full $25,000 more than the company's previous luxury offering, the $33,000 Genesis.

"We're confident that smart luxury buyers will discover that Equus competes well with similar flagship products from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus," said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO.

Hyundai is offering a number of bells and whistles with the car, including an Apple iPad pre-loaded with the full owners manual for all buyers. The company is also offering valet service for vehicle maintenance, meaning the dealership will send a representative to pick up the car and provide drivers with a replacement Equus or Genesis while it is being serviced. In addition, the car is backed by a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

Buyers looking at luxury vehicles may want to consider the Equus, but might want to wait until the model hits the used car market and can be found at a discount.

Study reveals which cars attract tickets

There's no doubt that driving a high-end luxury car like a Mercedes attracts attention, but drivers should determine if they attract the right kind of attention before they purchase a new or used car.

According to a recent study by Verisk Analytics, a San Francisco-based firm that assists insurance companies in policy decisions, drivers in some types of vehicles are far more likely to receive a ticket than others.

The "winner" was the Mercedes SL-Class Convertible, a sleek two-seater coupe that retails for more than $100,000. It was no surprise to find a flashy sports car at the top of the list, with the study revealing that the car was four times more likely to attract a ticket. The type of driver buying an SL-Class isn't likely to worry about a minor traffic violation, but what was more surprising was some of the other entries on the list.

In second place, at 3.5 times more likely to be cited than the average vehicle, was the Toyota Camry Solara, a decidedly less stylish and eye-catching vehicle. That raised the question of whether it was the car or the driver who determines the number of violations. The average age for the SL-Class driver was listed as 53, while the Camry Solara's was 50. At third on the list, the Scion tC, part of Toyota's youth-oriented brand, skewed much younger with an average age of 30. The Scion xB, an aggressively-styled box-like vehicle, also made the list as the fifth most likely.

"These findings and the corresponding trends they reveal are very interesting," said Bob U'Ren, senior vice president of Quality Planning. "Besides the sociological aspect of 'who drives what,' the manner in which private passenger cars and trucks are driven has a meaningful bearing on how much individuals and families pay for auto insurance."

The study also looked at which cars were least likely to attract a ticket. The car with the oldest average driver, the Buick Rainier SUV, was also the least likely to be pulled over, at 23 percent of the average of vehicle. GM had several other cars on the list, like the Chevy 3500 pickup, Uplander minivan and Buick Lacrosse. There were also several models that can now only be found on the used car market, like the Pontiac Vibe and Oldsmobile Silhouette. In general, larger cars attracted less tickets, with eight out of the top ten spots filled by an SUV, pickup truck or minivan.

Drivers in the market for a new or used vehicle may want to keep these statistics in mind in order to determine exactly what type of attention they'll be drawing with their purchase.

F-150 to offer fuel-efficient V6 engines

The F-150 has been a top seller for Ford over its lifetime, at times even being the most popular vehicle in the country. And while the truck is currently the best-selling pickup truck in the U.S., that doesn't mean that the automaker thinks there aren't improvements that could be made.

Ford has announced that the 2011 F-150 will come with two new engine option for drivers who don't need all the power that a V-8 provides. The 3.7-liter V6 will be the new base engine for the truck, and Ford says that preliminary tests have revealed the truck gets 23 mpg on the highway and 16 in the city. The automaker also plans to introduce a slightly more expensive 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which will increase fuel efficiency even further.

The new V6 engines are somewhat risky for Ford, as those who buy full-size trucks typically opt for high powered V8s. While Ford will still offer those engines on the F-150, it will offer one less V8 and heavily market the V6.

"Fuel economy is the number one unmet need in the segment," Doug Scott, Ford's truck marketing manager, told the Detroit Free Press. "You are talking about a 20 percent fuel economy improvement, and at the same time we are giving them better performance."

Buyers looking for a used Ford F-150 will have no shortage of options, as the truck is consistently popular among drivers.
 

BMW Z4 boasts high performance – and price tag

The 2011 BMW Z4 coupe/convertible recently hit dealerships, and those looking for a performance-oriented model that also boasts some luxury features may find it to be a nice choice.

According to the Associated Press, the 335 horsepower contained in the Z4 sDrive35is' V6 engine is the most of any non-V8 convertibles on the market. Boasting a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds, drivers with a need for speed will likely fall in love with the Z4 sDrive35is. The car is also available with a 255-horsepower six-cylinder for a slightly reduced price.

With a retractable hardtop and eye-catching styling, the Z4 is a luxurious vehicle. The news source points out that it's not a very fuel-efficient one, however, getting 24 miles per gallon on the highway and 17 in the city, putting it below some SUVs. Most drivers likely won't care when they're tearing up the open road with the top down.

All those horses under the hood are nice, but economic drivers may want to wait for the new Z4 to hit the used car market, as buying pre-owned will likely shave off a substantial portion of the $52,000 automobile.

An expert’s guide to used car haggling

One of the advantages of buying a used car is that it often allows the driver a little wiggle room in terms of negotiating. Drivers can attempt to haggle over a new vehicle, but most of the time those prices are dictated by the automaker. But when shopping used, buyers with some negotiating skills can often get themselves a great deal.

ABC News recently teamed up with Philip Reed, the senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com in order to learn some top negotiation strategies. The auto website buys quite a few cars for research and testing purposes, and Reed is usually the one doing the purchasing. Reed has also seen both sides of the negotiating table, even working as a car salesman as part of an undercover experiment.

The website was in the market for a used Honda Odyssey EXL from 2007. They gave Reed a budget of $25,000 and wishes for a low mileage, well-maintained vehicle with a sunroof for easier photographing. Reed allowed the news source to tag along as he went to several dealerships in an effort to snag the best price.

Many buyers assume that the negotiation process doesn't start until drivers are brought into an office and start going over paperwork. But according to the news source, the first number talked about is often the most important. A good salesman will try to get the buyer to name their price first. That way, they can work from there and hopefully raise the eventual price of the vehicle. But if the buyer gets the dealership to name the price first, they can work down from there.

A good strategy to compliment this is to use a pricing guide. A buyer should go in with a price in mind, but resist revealing it to the salesperson. It's easier to slowly work a salesperson down from their price than get them to stick to the buyer's.

Another tactic is to make sure to always leave the dealership. Even if it seems like a great deal, leaving the dealership and shopping some other car lots can't hurt. In fact, it can be beneficial to quote another dealer's price in order to get another to come down in price.

Using these and other tactics, Reed was able to negotiate the price of the used Honda down from $25,000 to $21,500 – a savings of $3,500. With a little research, drivers can do the same and get a great deal on a used car today.

Google outfits self-driving Prius

Google has revealed that it is testing technology that would allow vehicles to drive themselves using advanced artificial intelligence that mimics the decisions drivers make on a daily basis.

The company is currently testing the new technology around California, using modified Toyota Priuses and one Audi TT. High-powered cameras, similar to those that Google uses for its "Street View" service, are mounted on top of the vehicle in order to detect the situation around the driver. That information is then fed to the vehicle, so that the car can stop, steer and navigate all on its own. According to the company, the technology already makes better decisions than human drivers.

Google says the technology is still years away, but hopes that one day the system will be reliable enough to save lives and cut down on the 1.2 million killed every year on the roads.

"We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half," project lead engineer Sebastian Thrun wrote on the official Google Blog.

The current vehicles use GPS technology to map a route in advance, but can adapt to situations based on sensors detecting the vehicles and obstacles around it. In limited testing, the team uses a driver who has full control of the vehicle and can take over at any time in case of an emergency. Thus far, the group has only had one accident – when they were rear-ended at a stoplight.

Drivers interested in a Prius or any other vehicle may want to search on the used car market in order to get a better deal.

Mercedes to recall C- and E-Class for power steering issues

Mercedes-Benz is recalling approximately 85,000 of its 2010 and 2011 C- and E-Class models in the U.S. due to an issue with power steering fluid.

According to an update on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website, the recall affects newer models of the vehicles, specifically from 2010 and 2011. The E-Class coupe and cabriolet are also included.

Mercedes says that a loss of power steering fluid could make the vehicles difficult to control in a situation where maximum steering assist is required, such as maneuvering a parking lot. The automaker will make a minor adjustment that should fix the problem for owners.

According to USA Today, a number of vehicles have had issues with power steering lately. BMW ordered recalls of its Z4 and Mini Cooper, GM struggled with steering on its Cobalt and Pontiac G5, Toyota had trouble with the Corolla and most recently, Hyundai has recalled its new Sonata.

The news source speculated that the switch from mechanical power steering to electronic power steering (EPS) may be a factor in the issues. EPS offers a slight advantage in fuel efficiency, making it a popular choice for newer vehicles.

Analyst Jesse Toprak of TrueCar told the news provider that "we have an overwhelming number of steering cases this year." The NHTSA has reported an uptick in EPS-related problems, but it's unclear if the flaw is with the systems or because they are simply more common.

Drivers may wish to avoid newer models with the issue and stick to used cars until the trouble is sorted out. 

Paris’ next used cars

The Paris Auto Show is officially over, and automotive journalists are debating over which automakers had the strongest showings and most interesting designs. While these cars aren't slated to hit the market for a few years, their introduction will likely affect the price of the cars they're set to replace in the near future.

As a new model comes in, the old one is shipped out, and a gap in a generation can affect a used car price substantially. For example, the Ford Mustang, which was popular for much of this decade, will now fetch a lower price on the used car market since Ford has introduced a brand-new redesign for the vehicle. While the new models that the major automakers unveiled are sure to delight car fans, it's important to keep in mind that the best value can usually be found by shopping one generation earlier.

The unofficial theme of this year's show was small, eco-friendly vehicles as demonstrated by the debut of high-profile compact models from several major brands. Ford's redesigned 2012 Focus turned some heads, as the company announced its marketing strategy would take a page out of the book of the highly-successful Fiesta, which launched earlier this year. That means buyers can expect plenty of trim levels and customization options, in addition to a hatchback style and great fuel economy. The new debut could also mean some low prices on existing Focuses, so used car buyers should keep their eyes peeled for any deals.

Chevy responded with a similar small car in the upcoming 2012 Aveo. This compact will be available in both sedan or hatchback forms, and the press speculates that the high-performance RS version, previously seen as a concept, will make its debut shortly after the regular model. Drivers can expect plenty of creature comforts like a high-end audio system with Bluetooth and MP3 integration, but buyers should keep in mind that Chevy currently sells an Aveo, meaning they might be able to get many of those features for a cheaper price now.

Finally, what would an auto show be without concept cars? Although not officially slated for production, Nissan unveiled a high-tech concept in its Townpod concept. This vehicle continues the small car trend by being based off of Nissan's Leaf platform, but takes it to the next level with a sleek design and futuristic interior featuring a dual display touchscreen. 

BMW, Mercedes plan smaller offerings

The trend in the automobile industry as of late has been toward smaller cars, with crossovers replacing the full-size SUV and hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta selling like hotcakes. Now, two luxury manufacturers are getting in on the game by announcing plans to introduce several vehicles that will be smaller than any of their current offerings.

BMW is planning to introduce a new family of subcompacts that will feature front-wheel drive. BMW director of sales and marketing Ian Robertson told the Automotive News that there will be several variants, but all will feature a four-cylinder engine. Early plans indicate that the new class will be dubbed "UKL."

"It will be a relatively big segment because we have several body styles," he told the news source.

Meanwhile, BMW's chief competitor Mercedes-Benz is also looking to expand into that market. The company will introduce a number of new designs based on its B-Class platform, including a coupe and compact SUV. However, the company's new European hatchback, based on its smaller A-Class platform, will not reach U.S. shores.

As smaller cars begin to dominate the showrooms, fans of larger vehicles can likely find deals on the used car market.