(March 25, 2011) ORLANDO, Fla. (PRNewswire-USNewswire) — For many Americans, their vehicle is one of their largest financial assets. So when the time comes to purchase a new car, it's not a choice that should be made lightly. To help consumers, AAA offers a checklist of factors to consider when looking for the 'right' new car.

(March 25, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — This month's new car sales (including fleet sales) are expected to be approximately 1,242,000 units, a 16.5 percent increase from March 2010 and a 25.1 percent increase from February 2011, according to Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information.

Retail sales are expected to be approximately 987,000 units, up from approximately 786,000 last month.

(March 24, 2011) SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (PRNewswire) — Toyota's Perceived Quality Score rose four percent over the last six months and Lexus once again captured the luxury category's highest Perceived Quality rating in 2011, according to the Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study (PQS) from ALG, a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc.

(March 24, 2011) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (PRNewswire) — March new-vehicle retail sales are showing stability through the first three weeks of the month, continuing a trend of monthly double-digit year-over-year increases, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.

(March 23, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Edmunds.com reports that American car buyers are showing no change in their shopping behaviors, despite reports of production problems following the earthquake and tsunamis that devastated Japan two weeks ago. The findings indicate that consumers are not showing signs of fears of upcoming price hikes and supply shortages within the auto industry.

(March 23, 2011) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (PRNewswire) — Sales of motor vehicle service contracts — extended warranties — in the first quarter of 2011 are tracking ahead of sales during the same time frame last year, a likely result of this quarter's marked increase in automotive sales, according to the Service Contract Industry Council (SCIC). 

(March 22, 2011) NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — Continuing their steady climb back into the hearts and minds of consumers, domestic brands Ford and Chevrolet nabbed the top two spots in the 2011 Harris Poll EquiTrend study while last year's highest ranked brand, Toyota, fell to fourth in the rankings, behind Honda.

(March 21, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. (PRNewswire) — Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, recommends that consumers who do not have a pressing need to replace their current vehicle wait for gas prices to come back down.

Since the beginning of the year, fuel prices have spiked 15.3 percent, primarily due to instability in the Middle East that has sparked fears of production halts. With gas prices on the rise, Kelley Blue Book anticipates that fuel-efficient vehicle values will increase, while values for trucks and SUVs are expected to stabilize.

(March 20, 2011) COSTA MESA, Calif. (PRNewswire) — NADA Guides has identified what it considers the five top fuel efficient non-hybrid and non-electric vehicles for under $30,00 based on overall cost with highway fuel economy of at least 30 mpg.