March 2018

Top certified pre-owned deals for March, according to Autotrader

(March 20, 2018) ATLANTA  — Spring is just around the corner and car shoppers are finding it might be the right time to score deals this month on certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles. Dealers and automakers are offering unique and optimized sales to further entice customers.

"With the average transaction price of new cars topping $35,000, many shoppers might be surprised how expensive it can be to simply get a new version of their existing car," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader.

Infiniti, Buick rank highest in J.D. Power customer satisfaction study

(March 18, 2018) COSTA MESA, Calif. — Service quality continues to be the main driver of customer satisfaction among individuals who get their vehicles serviced which, in turn, leads to greater brand advocacy, according to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. Additionally, overall satisfaction in 2018 improved 12 index points from 2017.

Spring surge at the gas pump shows prices up over last year

(March 18, 2018) BOSTON — GasBuddy reveals that motorists in the Greater Tampa Area will be paying an average of $398 for gas this spring, up nearly a quarter per gallon versus last year, adding up to an extra $72 in seasonal gasoline expenses for the average Tampa driver.

The hikes are mainly due to higher oil prices and summer’s more expensive blend of gasoline, regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act, as well as refinery maintenance work lasting several months that causes gasoline production to drop, creating a pinch at the pump.

Data shows manual transmissions being phased out of Ram diesels

(March 13, 2018)  A new graphic charts the popularity of automatic and manual transmissions on 2018 RAM HD diesel trucks. Using data collected from Cars.com, the team at Performance Truck Products discovered that only 281 of available 2018 RAM 2500 diesels have a manual six-speed transmission. That’s a mere 1 percent of the 13,466 listings.

Furthermore, only 155 of the 2018 RAM 3500 diesel trucks currently listed had manual transmissions. That leaves 5,740 automatic transmissions in these one-ton diesel trucks.

Chevrolet teams up with data scientist to create epic family road trip

(March 14, 2018) DETROIT — Chevrolet enlisted the expertise of prominent data scientist Randy Olson to help families make the most of their spring road trip plans. Olson created a map using a custom algorithm to plan an efficient route through all 48 contiguous states, with stops at 48 of some of the best-known and most beloved family vacation spots across the United States.

Range Rover Sport SVR takes on fearsome mountain road in China

(March 13, 2018) HUNAN PROVINCE, China — An SUV is not meant to outperform a supercar, but that’s exactly what happened when the new Range Rover Sport SVR took on a fearsome mountain road in China. Land Rover’s performance SUV, driven by Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Ho-Pin Tung, has smashed the record for negotiating the 99 corners of the famous Tianmen Road.

National gas price average holds steady

(March 12, 2018) At $2.53, the national gas price average has held steady for nine days. Factors contributing to the flat price include increased gasoline production that has kept pace with higher than usual demand this winter. The latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) report shows that demand increased week-over-week, registering at 9.2 barrels a day — the highest gasoline demand level seen this year.

“On the week, the majority of motorists are paying less at the pump with 67 percent However, the West Coast, Great Lakes and Central states are mostly seeing a gas price increase.”

The Lexus of love letters

(March 9, 2018) PLANO, Texas “Letters” — a 3-D installation by perceptual art pioneer Michael Murphy — was revealed this week as part of a new marketing campaign celebrating the Lexus guest experience. The 16-foot art piece, which hangs from six ceiling panels and a steel frame, features more than 2,000 suspended pieces of origami, each constructed from individual thank you letters from guests to their Lexus dealerships.

Spring is near and that means your car needs to be checked over

(March 8, 2018) BETHESDA, Md. — Spring is near and its arrival means warmer weather, more hours of daylight and spring break travel. As you set your clocks forward on March 11, and plan to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, take a few steps to make sure your vehicle is safe and road-trip ready, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

    • Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving at night and during spring showers.

Gas prices on the rise for half of the country

(March 6, 2018) Following three weeks of pump price declines, half of the country is seeing gas prices climb as much as 9 cents on the week. At $2.53, the national gas prices average is one cent more than last Monday with 25 states seeing gas prices increases. That being said, today, 63% of motorists in the United States can fill up for $2.50/gallon or less, according to weekly statistics compiled by AAA.