October 2018

Lunchtime most popular time to buy gas, GasBuddy study finds

(October 31, 2018) BOSTON — GasBuddy today released its quarterly study examining foot traffic in the $600 billion convenience store and fuel retailing industry across the U.S. in the third quarter of 2018. According to the report, average dwell time shot up 14 percent quarter over the previous quarter, with consumers spending an additional minute on the property.

Additionally, the report found that consumers frequented gas stations the most during lunch hours — fuel and convenience stores saw daily peak traffic times shift specifically to 12 p.m. from later afternoon hours in the second quarter.

Audi A4 an outstanding choice in field that has a lot of good ones

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 30, 2018) The A4 has been a stalwart seller for Audi for well over two decades now, moving into its ninth generation with the redesign for 2017.In fact, the A4 and two crossover SUVs, the Q5 and the Q7, are largely responsible for keeping the company from a decrease in year-to-date sale through September comparing 2018 figures to those for 2017.

New vehicle technologies can double repair bills for minor collisions

(October 29, 2018) ORLANDO, Fla. — According to new research from AAA, vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and others, can cost twice as much to repair following a collision due to expensive sensors and their calibration requirements.

Even minor incidents that cause damage to this technology found behind windshields, bumpers and door mirrors can add up to $3,000 in extra repair costs.

Edmunds predicts new vehicle sales to cool slightly in October

(October 26, 2018) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Edmunds forecasts that 1,322,340 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in October for an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 17.1 million. This reflects a 6.7 percent decrease in sales from September and a 2.1 percent decrease from October 2017.

"The fourth quarter is off to a slow, but not alarming, start for the auto market," said Jeremy Acevedo, Edmunds manager of industry analysis.

Domestic brands tumble in latest Consumer Reports reliability ratings

(October 25, 2018) YONKERS, N.Y. — It was a rough year for domestic brands, according to Consumer Reports’ (CR) latest Annual Auto Reliability Survey, which collected data from its members about their experiences with more than half a million vehicles. Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Tesla are among the brands that tumbled in the organization’s predicted new-car reliability rankings announced at a news conference before the Automotive Press Association in Detroit on Wednesday.

October is finally falling into cheaper gas prices

(October 24, 2018) The national gas price average is $2.85 — six-cents cheaper than this month’s highest price of $2.91, which was the most expensive average during the month of October since 2014. Today’s price is also four cents cheaper than last week, the same price as last month and 39- cent more than this time last year according to statistics from AAA.

Reduced refinery runs, due to peak maintenance season, have contributed to stable gasoline inventories amid lower demand, which is a contributing factor driving gas prices down.

Only one in ten dealers see future mobility as threat to current business

(October 23, 2018) ATLANTA — Auto dealers and consumers are more closely aligned on the future of mobility than many industry experts might imagine with both expecting significant reductions in personal vehicle ownership. In fact, dealers are predicting an even sharper decline in ownership than consumers in the next five years (28 percent versus 18 percent).

Carfax: Flooded cars back on the road jumps 47% over last year

(October 22, 2018) CENTREVILLE, Va. —  Carfax is warning consumers that more flood damaged cars have resurfaced across the country. New research from Carfax suggests that over 478,000 flooded vehicles are back in use, either on the road or up for sale. That figure is a 47% increase — more than 150,000 additional cars — from 2017, when hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated the Gulf Coast and Southeast.

Survey finds consumers want access to their vehicle's data

(October 21, 2018) BETHESDA, Md. — More than 8 in 10 U.S. vehicle owners and lessees believe car owners should have full access to and control of their vehicle's data, including maintenance and repair information, according to the results of a survey released today by the Auto Care Association.

Edmunds ranks new-car shopping behavior by state

(October 20, 2018) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — With average transaction prices, loan term lengths and interest rates for new vehicle purchases sustaining highs not seen since before the recession, buying conditions are becoming far less favorable for American car shoppers.

To get a sense of how consumers are adapting to this changing environment, the car shopping experts at Edmunds conducted an in-depth analysis of transaction and finance data to rank all 50 states on responsible car shopping behavior.