Ryan Reynolds comes out in support of the Nissan Leaf

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There’s been a considerable amount of buzz surrounding the Nissan Leaf, as the electric car has been lauded as a large step forward in green living. Now, the company has taken things one step further as A-lister Ryan Reynolds has joined with Nissan in support of the innovative car.

Reynolds, who stars in the upcoming action flick "The Green Lantern," believes that investing in alternative energy is an important step in the move to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The move is nothing new for Reynolds, who has championed numerous eco-friendly causes throughout his career.

"I believe it's possible to take great leaps forward without sacrificing a way of life. For me electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf, are not only representative of taking back the power, but also a significant statement about conscious ways of living," said Reynolds.

Though seeing the Nissan Leaf as a staple on U.S. highways may be a few years off, there are still plenty of hybrid cars eco-conscious drivers can choose from, including versions of the Ford Fusion and Ford Escape.

Honda joins Toyota in announcing profit dip

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Posted in Auto Industry News

Toyota recently announced it was expecting a significant dip in earnings as a result of the Japanese earthquake earlier this year, and it looks like Honda is following suit. BBC News reports that the manufacturer is expecting a 65 percent drop in profits by the end of March next year.

The earthquake and resulting tsunami wreaked havoc on nearly all parts of Honda’a operation. Officials say that in addition to cutting production and inflating costs due to reconstruction, they also believe they will be hurt by an increase in the price of raw materials.

"They [the estimates] are very, very conservative and come in well below what analysts had expected," industry insider Kkochi Ogawa told the news provider. "Honda had some research and development centres damaged by the quake and I have the impression that its recovery hasn't been as speedy as its peers."

Although Honda is struggling to produce new vehicles, used Hondas are among the most reliable cars on the road. If you’re interested in a pre-owned vehicle, look to New Jersey Auto Auction, which offers Hondas at an affordable price.

Volvo announces technology to reduce animal collisions

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Posted in Auto Brands News

Several automakers have been leading the charge to reduce collisions between vehicles, but one in particular is taking things one step further. The Independent reports that Volvo has announced it is working to prevent crashes between cars and animals.

The automaker says it will be making use of new technology that will be able to detect the presence of an animal in the road well before a car approaches it. The feature may prove to be an especially beneficial one as collisions with wildlife can not only seriously damage cars, but also pose as substantial threat to drivers as well.

According to the news source, the system will do more than just alert drivers. If no action is taken after an alarm sounds, the car automatically applies its breaks to prevent a collision from happening.

For motorists that do not have a vehicle equipped with such state-of-the-art technology, there are ways to avoid such crashes. Most importantly, they should heed warning signs of animals in the area and pay attention to the presence of animals on the side of the road.

General Motors offers free maintenance on pre-owned cars

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Posted in General Auto News

In an effort to provide owners of pre-owned vehicles better services, General Motors recently announced the launch of its Owner Care program. According to the automaker, the plan provides free maintenance to drivers of used GM cars for the first two years or 30,000 miles.

Among the services covered under the new plan are regular upkeep such as oil changes and tire rotations, as well as other general inspections done whenever a car comes in to get serviced. The change in policy also includes a more rigorous certification process for used vehicles, upping the inspection to a more rigorous 172-point check. Along with the free maintenance, GM also offers free trials of OnStar and XM satellite radio.

"We believe our enhanced program offers our customers an outstanding experience from the moment they drive their Chevrolet, Buick or GMC Certified Pre-Owned vehicle off of the lot," said Jennifer Constabile, general director of marketing and sales support.

Drivers looking to purchase a used Chevrolet or GMC at an affordable price may want to turn to New Jersey State Auto Auction. Regardless of the make or model, there are plenty of cars for sale at an affordable price.

Toyota expects sales dip in wake of Japanese earthquake

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

Toyota recently announced grim expectations for its annual sales report, but with the potential for a silver lining. Hurt by the production stalls caused by the Japanese earthquake, Toyota expects sales to drop 31 percent from the year before, but according to The New York Times, the company also believes it will enjoy a quick recovery.

Despite the fact that many of Toyota's plants have been slowed by the earthquake and its aftermath, its officials maintain that they should be up and running at full speed by November at the latest. Although they are optimistic for the future, the news source reports that they will likely be passed as the world's largest automaker by General Motors and Volkswagen. Still, that's not something that's too important to the company.

"We don’t see it as necessary to be the largest automaker in the world," Satoshi Ozawa, Toyota’s executive vice president, told the news outlet.

While it might be in the middle of sales slump, there's no denying Toyota has been among the most popular manufactures in recent memory. Drivers looking to get into a reliable model, whether it be the Corolla or Camry may want to look to New Jersey Auto Auction for their automotive needs.

Ford expects to triple production of electric cars by 2013

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Ford

In effort to keep up with the demand for more fuel-efficient cars, Ford recently announced plans to triple its production of electric cars by 2013. The Detroit News reports that Ford hopes to build 100,000 electric vehicles a year by then, focusing primarily on making the C-Max an electric-only automobile.

The C-Max, which debuted in Europe in 2003 and is set to come to the United States, is currently only available as a two-mode hybrid. In addition to removing the gasoline option of the C-Max, Ford said that its primary concern would not be to create entirely new eco-conscious cars but to make the ones it already offers more environmentally-friendly.

"We're not electrifying a certain vehicle and making a science project for a few people. We're electrifying our core (models)," Jim Farley, Ford's president of marketing, told the news source.

Ford already offers several hybrid version of their popular cars, including the Fusion, which gets an estimated 41 miles-per-gallon. Drivers interested in a hybrid vehicle may want to consider New Jersey Auto Auction for their vehicular needs.

Camaro on top in fight with Mustang

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Posted in Chevrolet, Ford

The rivalry between the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang is always intense, and these two vehicles have traded sales dominance back and forth countless times throughout their 30-plus year history.

Recently, the relationship between these two famous models has shifted yet again, as the Camaro has been trouncing the Mustang in sales. This is a complete reversal from just a year ago, when it was the Mustang on top.

Sales totals for May show 9,451 units sold for Chevrolet, with Ford managing to move just 6,607 Mustangs. That's a big drop-off for Ford, which sold 10,225 Mustangs during the same month in 2010 – when Chevy was only able to sell 8,931 Camaros.

Still, Ford is quick to point out that the Mustang is not knocked out yet, and that high gas prices made May an unattractive month to buy a muscle car.

"Although May (Mustang) sales were down, calendar year-to-date sales were only down 2.8 percent," Ford spokesman Octavio Navarro told Edmunds Inside Line. "Our focus, in combination with our other cars, is to continue to grow our car market share."

Drivers interested in a used Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang would do well to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers both of these cars for sale.

Hyundai Elantra to get fuel-efficient upgrade for 2012

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Hyundai

The Hyundai Elantra has been one of the most popular cars on the road recently, but the company is still making some changes for its upcoming 2012 model. USA Today reports that the manufacturers will include a number of upgrades that will focus on improving the car's fuel economy.

In particular, Hyundai will outfit all the compact sedans with the so-called Active Eco System. This upgrade works by smoothing out throttle response, which can help boost fuel economy by as much as seven percent. The move could be a big one, as the car is already among the most fuel-efficient on the road.

The expected changes for the 2012 model will not just be efficiency-related, however. According to the news source, Hyundai will also add some new safety features such as improved fog lights, a louder horn and a passenger-side sun visor extender.

Drivers interested in the purchasing the Hyundai Elantra may want to hold off until the new version is released. However, if one is looking for a used car they may want to turn to New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers used Hyundais at an affordable price.

National Tire Safety Week shines spotlight on underinflated tires

By Admin

Posted in General Auto News

Monday marked the beginning of National Tire Safety Week, which seeks to raise driver awareness of an important issue that may sometimes go overlooked. According to USA Today, underinflated tires can be a serious problem, one that has led to around 660 deaths and more than 33,000 injuries on the road each year.

Despite the danger, there are a number of ways for motorists to be sure that their tires are inflated the proper amount. Since many cars automatically monitor tire pressure, all drivers need to do is pay attention to what their vehicle is telling them. Along with inflation, drivers also should keep track of the tread life on their tires, which will help grip the road and also improve safety.

"Too many drivers fail to do one simple task every month that will reduce their safety risk and help our nation conserve valuable natural resources. Checking tire pressure takes just five minutes and it's worth every second," Rubber Manufacturers Association President Charles Cannon told the news source.

According to the Association, there are a number of other ways to maintain one's tires to ensure they are safe. For example, having a dealer check the alignment on a regular basis will ensure that the tires are in the right spots.

Nissan Leaf may fall short of expectations

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Posted in Nissan

The Nissan Leaf has turned heads as the country's first mass-produced fully-electric vehicle, but it appears the model may fall short of the sales expectations originally set by Nissan.

The Japanese automaker estimated that it would sell at least 20,000 of the model by the end of the year, but revised projections are finding that the final total will likely be closer to half of that, with Automotive News reporting that Nissan now expects 10,000 to 12,000 Leafs sold.

"It's different than anything we've ever done, launching the car in three global markets at the same time," said Al Castignetti, Nissan VP of sales. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy."

In order to even purchase a Leaf, drivers must submit a request through a reservation system, which requires a $99 deposit. The system filled up with 20,000 requests back in September 2010, but Nissan has since found that many are not ultimately pulling the trigger on the purchase – only 46 percent are taking delivery.

The good news for Nissan is that the car is not yet available in all markets – so some of these reservations are in cities that don't have the Leaf yet. The company has also opened up the system again to accept more orders for the vehicle.