First pipeline-supported hydrogen station opens in California

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Toyota

Automakers have always said that the key hurdle for adoption of hydrogen vehicles is a refueling infrastructure, and the country took a baby step forward today with the launch of the first pipeline-fed hydrogen refueling station, located in Southern California.

California has been an early adopter of the technology, and there are estimated to be a few hundred hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road. Honda leases the FCX Clarity, a hydrogen car, to drivers in SoCal for this reason.

Obviously, that doesn't leave a very big market for customers. Refueling stations do exist, but they are not fed by a constant pipeline. This new facility, located amid a cluster of automotive companies like Toyota, will not only be open to customers, but it will provide hydrogen free of charge. That's right – hydrogen car owners in this part of the country can essentially drive for free.

Other than that, the station will mainly be shared by the major automakers as they develop test fleets for their upcoming hydrogen vehicles. Honda's FCX Clarity may be the best-known model now, but Toyota, Hyundai and GM all plan to have a commercially-available hydrogen model available by 2015.

In the meantime, drivers looking for fuel-efficient, eco-friendly vehicles may want to check out the used cars at New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of models.
 

Ford goes to Facebook for help with naming

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Posted in Ford

Ford is planning to offer Mustang fans some new options for the V6 version of the muscle car this summer, with a new performance-oriented package that will make this already-fast car even more fun to drive. The only problem was, they needed a name for it.

So the automaker turned to their 1.4 million fans on Facebook for some ideas by launching a contest to name the performance package. More than 3,000 names were submitted, with Ford choosing some of the best and posting them on the Facebook page for voting.

Eventually, the automaker decided to take the top five vote-getters and choose internally which was the best fit. The winner was "Mayhem," which was submitted by a fan from North Carolina. Ford recognized the effort by offering the user a three-year lease on a brand-new Mayhem Mustang.

"We saw great enthusiasm from fans, with tons of creative, unique names coming in," said Brian McClary, Ford social and emerging media specialist. "The contest was twofold – it let us engage with fans by letting them have a say, and it helped build awareness for the package."

Drivers may want to consider purchasing a used Ford Mustang rather than a new one, as this famous pony car can be a bit pricey when bought at the dealer.

NHTSA looks into Mini Cooper power steering

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Posted in BMW

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it is expanding the investigation into used Mini Coopers, revealing that problems with the cars' power steering may extend to some 60,000 vehicles.

Mini Coopers from 2004 and 2005 are expected to be included in the probe, which was first launched in September of 2010. The organization was spurred to action after receiving more than 300 complaints about the loss of power steering on the cars, making them extremely difficult to control. BMW says it has received less than 200 complaints, although there have been 4,500 claims for power steering related issues on warranties.

According to the automaker, five accidents and three fires have been attributed to issues with the power steering, fortunately resulting in no serious injuries. The complaints aren't completely consistent – some say that the issue is permanent, while others say the loss is only temporary.

The models in question are currently undergoing engineering analysis by the NHTSA, which will determine if a full recall is necessary.

Drivers interested in purchasing a used vehicle should check the latest safety news to ensure that the model they are considering isn't involved in any serious recalls. Once they've decided on a car, New Jersey State Auto Auction can offer affordable prices and finance options.

Problems continue for used Ford F-150s

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

It hasn't been a good month for owners of Ford F-150s or those considering purchasing the classic truck, as millions of vehicles have been recalled for two separate safety issues.

In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration forced the automaker to recall F-150s made between 2003 and 2006 due to a problem with airbag wiring that could cause the safety devices to unexpectedly deploy. Now, F-150s made between 1997 and 2001 are being investigated by the NHTSA after the bureau received complaints of corrosion possibly causing the fuel tank to fall off.

The 2.7 million vehicles that are potentially affected by the issue aren't yet subjected to a recall, but one seems likely considering the NHTSA's recent modus operandi. Ever since the Toyota scandal, the government body has been opening its own investigations and forcing automakers to recall more vehicles.

The airbag wiring incident is a prime example – Ford said that only 144,000 vehicles had the problem, but the NHTSA insisted on the automaker bringing back 1.4 million. Combine that with the 2.7 million trucks currently being investigated, and Ford may soon be looking at a combined total of 4 million F-150s recalled in a one-month span.

Drivers in the market for a used Ford F-150 shouldn't necessarily disqualify the vehicle, but they should check to ensure its either unaffected or has had the proper repairs.
 

Prices rise for fuel efficient cars

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Posted in General Auto News, Toyota

A new report from Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the used car pricing guide, is showing rising values for fuel-efficient models, as more Americans look for vehicles that will help them save some money at the pump.

The KBB Market Report for May 2011 indicates that these cars are in high demand and are driving up used car prices very quickly. As compared to January of this year, prices on average are up 20 percent across the fuel-efficient market segment. And with gas prices remaining high, KBB doesn't predict that these prices will be dropping off anytime soon.

For example, the report shows that drivers looking to buy a used Toyota Prius will be paying $3,800 more than they would have in January, due to a combination of both the gas crisis and an expected short supply of the vehicles because of the Japanese earthquake. The Ford Fusion saw a similar price jump at $1,800 over its January value.

Of course, the pendulum swings both ways, and dealers are also paying a lot more for fuel-efficient vehicles. If you've been thinking about trading your Prius or another fuel-efficient car, there's no better time to do so, as you could end up getting a great deal.

Lexus falls to third in luxury sales ranks

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

Lexus has been at the top of the luxury sales chart in the U.S. for the past decade, but it looks like its reign has come to an end: BMW and Mercedes-Benz have officially passed the automaker on the sales charts.

The Japanese brand's fall from grace isn't a complete shock – analysts have been expecting this ever since BMW and Mercedes began to outsell the brand toward the end of last year. Yet it does serve to show just how much the luxury market has changed over the past few years, as high-end buyers begin to favor performance over reliability.

It doesn't help that Lexus has been hurt by the recent Japanese earthquake. The luxury brand's parent company, Toyota, makes many of its models overseas in the U.S. Yet all but one of Lexus' vehicles are made in Japan, creating a supply chain nightmare for the brand.

Still, BMW and Mercedes outsold Lexus long before the earthquake started. The fact that Lexus has fallen not one but two spots is all the more embarrassing. BMW is at the top, but it's by no means a dominant lead – it only holds a few hundred cars over Mercedes, which is several thousand ahead of Lexus.

Drivers in the market for any of these cars should check out New Jersey State Auto Auction. Luxury vehicles can cost a pretty penny new, but they frequently drop off in price when drivers decide to buy used.
 

Chevy to recall Cruze for steering issue

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Posted in Chevrolet, General Auto News

General Motors announced today that it will be recalling its best-selling Chevrolet Cruze model for an issue related to the steering column, which may have been installed incorrectly.

The notice does not cover every Cruze manufactured and sold in the U.S., but rather all of the models shipped from the Lordstown, Ohio, manufacturing plant, some 154,000 vehicles. The automaker became aware of an issue where the steering column may have been improperly fitted to the car in some cases. In addition, dealers will also check for a problem with the shift linkage on automatic versions of the Cruze.

"We think very few vehicles in the population have either issue, but we chose to conduct these inspections to give customers additional peace of mind about the quality of the Cruze," said GM’s vice president of global quality Terry Woychowski. "I conducted a quality inspection of the Lordstown plant this week and I am confident we have made the necessary process changes so neither of these conditions happens again."

GM has invested a lot into the Cruze, which is seen by many analysts as the most significant model for the company since it emerged from bankruptcy. Compact and fuel-efficient, the car has been a hit thus far, and was the second-best seller for the company throughout April behind the Chevrolet Silverado.

New models tend to carry inflated price tags, so drivers may want to wait until the used Chevrolet Cruzes begin hitting New Jersey State Auto Auction, where they can find great savings. 

Chrysler announces three special editions

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Posted in Auto Industry News

Chrysler is undergoing something of a renaissance as it looks to expand its lineup with redesigned and all-new vehicles. But what good is a vehicle if it doesn't have a cool special edition to go along with it?

The automaker announced some of the details for three of its new special trim levels that are expected to be available later this year, and they certainly appear to be a bit outside the box.

First up is the Dodge Charger Super Bee, which is styled almost exactly as it sounds. The muscle car will get a black and yellow paint job along with "Super Bee" insignias – which will certainly make the Charger a buzzworthy model. The Charger has actually had a Super Bee offering before, but it was on the SRT8 edition. No word yet on whether this will be an upgrade for the Charger SRT8 or the base model.

Also coming to the brand is the Fiat 500 Gucci edition. The 500 is Fiat's first model for the U.S. market in nearly 20 years, and the brand is now pairing with another Italian company to deliver a high-end version of the car, which gives it a retro look and high-end leather on the inside.

Chrysler also mentioned the Jeep Wrangler Mojave, which is essentially a Wrangler with desert-colored skin that was shown off at the New York Auto Show.

Drivers interested in a unique looking car may want to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction. There's a wide variety of cars for sale, and you never know what cool-looking models might show up.
 

Nissan NV200 wins taxi competition

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Nissan

New York City residents and tourists should prepare for a different sight on the city streets in the near future, as the town's iconic taxis are set to be replaced by new vans.

The office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently held a design contest to determine what model would become the city's new official taxi. Most cabbies used old Ford Crown Victoria models, which needed to be replaced by roomier, more fuel-efficient models. Automakers from around the globe entered the design contest, but when all was said and done, it was the Nissan NV2000 that ended up on top.

Nissan's van design held off challenges from the Ford TransitConnect and an unorthodox model submitted by the Turkish company Karsan. The new model features seating for four plus luggage, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a transparent roof that makes sightseeing a snap.

The NV200 is currently available in Europe and Asia. Nissan will be building the taxi version in Mexico for import to the U.S. No word yet on whether the model will be available in non-taxi version.

"The NV200 taxi will give Nissan the opportunity to showcase our dedication to vehicle quality and urban mobility to more than 600,000 passengers every day," said Nissan chairman Carlos Tavares.

Drivers interested in a used Nissan or any other vehicle may want to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of cars for sale at affordable prices.

Honda announces airbag recall expansion

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Posted in Auto Industry News

Honda has announced that a previously-identified airbag problem in some of its used vehicles is more widespread than initially thought, causing the Japanese automaker to expand its recall by nearly 833,000 vehicles.

In 2008, the company found a small amount of cars with incorrectly installed airbags. If deployed, the safety devices could inflate too quickly and possibly explode, which represented a danger to drivers in an accident. The company issued a small recall to address the issue

Two years later, Honda expanded the initial recall of less than 4,000 to more than 300,000 cars, as it found that the problem could affect a wider range of vehicles. At that point, Honda revealed that it had received reports of 11 injuries and 1 death in relation to the airbag problem.

Now, the recall is being expanded again to include a potential 833,000 vehicles. Honda claims that it's most likely that the airbags in these cars are unaffected. However, if a vehicle was in an accident, it's possible that a dealer installed one of the faulty airbags after the original bag deployed.

It's mostly used Hondas that drivers will have to watch for, including the 01-02 Accord, the 01-03 Civic, the 02 Odyssey, the 02-03 CR-V and the 03 Acura 3.2 TL and CL.