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NADA Applauds MAZDA's Decision To Disclose VIN's and Scrap Cars From Cougar Ace

2006-12-27T17:29-05:00

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) applauded Mazda's decision to scrap all vehicles on board the Cougar Ace. It also decided to disclose vehicle identification numbers (VINs) of the Mazdas on board.

It can be recalled that Cougar was nearly capsized due to a ballast tank problem. During the incident, the vessel was carrying 4, 703 Mazdas. Though most of the vehicles were not affected, Mazda still decided to scrap all the vehicles on board. This is to ensure quality and safety of the vehicles.

Cougar Ace vessel was en route from Asia to North America. However, it nearly capsized off the Aleutian Islands in late July. It sat listing at more than 60 degrees for nearly a month then it was towed to the nearest port in Portland, Oregon for the necessary repairs.

Critics in the industry, consumers can't help but entertain doubts whether the Mazda they will be purchasing is safe. They also added that the decision of the automaker not to sell the vehicles on board must have been difficult to make. Sixty percent of Mazda vessels from Cougar Ace are CX-7s hence; per unit has an estimated amount of $22,000. Analysts estimate Mazda's loss at $103 million. Moreover, they suggest that Mazda would just donate the vehicles to charities and non-profit organizations.

"Even though little visible damage existed on some of the vehicles, Mazda put the customer first and made the right decision to scrap 100 percent of the vehicles because of potential safety concerns." said David Regan, VP of Legislative Affairs with NADA. "This is clear example of good corporate citizenship."

Mazda's decision is anchored on its devotion to secure safety and quality of its vehicles. The automaker ensures that Mazda car accessories and parts are excellent. "Mazda has been an ardent supporter of ensuring that insurance companies disclose the VINs so that consumers and dealers have the information they need to make an educated decision on the value and safety of vehicles," Regan added referring to Mazda's support of total-loss disclosure legislation. "By publicly disclosing the VINs of the questionable vehicles and then choosing to scrap them all together, they show how committed they are to the health and well-being of their customers."

Mazda spokesperson also added that the VINs of the Cougar Ace vehicles will be submitted to Experian's Autocheck and Carfax vehicle history databases. Said VINs are already available on Mazda's consumer website.

About the Author

Shane Morgay is a 34-year-old native of Ohio. She love cars and knows detailed information about them. She has a collection of miniature car collectibles and would love to have these collectibles become real ones. She works for a car part supplier most days of the week.

Unveiling Volvo's Concept Car

2006-12-27T17:24-05:00

by Kenneth McKinley

One of my close friends really does love concept cars. Not only because of their unique styles and unique features but because of the fact that these concept cars are produced only once in a lifetime and there are very rare cases when these become production vehicles. More often than not, concept cars continuously become concept cars and later on museum displays.

Making its rounds in the auto industry is the rumor of a new vehicle from Volvo that is cooler than the cool air the Volvo cooling system parts can produce. What is cool about this new concept vehicle is not how it looks like but actually because of its environmentally friendly feature. Volvo calls the new concept car the Volvo XC60 and it has been said that it is combination of a coupe and a sports utility vehicle.

The vehicle comes with a bio ethanol engine with six cylinders. Volvo says that this engine has the capacity and capability to cut down on emissions of fossil carbon dioxide not only by some twenty or fifty per cent but actually of a whooping eighty per cent. In fact, the company does say that with the Volvo XC60, you not only get a safe ride (which is a trademark of the company) but you also do get a vehicle that does not add up to Mother Nature's problems.

City Safe. This is what Volvo describes the Volvo XC60 concept vehicle. It has got an active collision avoidance system which has been specially engineered and designed so as to lessen or even completely avoid damage from low speed rear impacts. What happens is that when the Volvo XC60 is following a vehicle which suddenly brakes, the City Safety feature is the one that senses that a collision is imminent. What this one would do would be to actually pre charge the brakes of the vehicle so as to avoid any kind of accident. The City Safe feature can also make the car brake automatically if it senses any accident happening.

If the company does continue on with its plans on making the Volvo XC60 as a production vehicle, you should expect the vehicle to come to the nearest showrooms in your area in the year 2009.

About the Author

Kenneth McKinley is a 35-year old marketing specialist of voparts.com, a leading Volvo parts dealer in the country today. Working in the car parts industry for a long time now and being a car enthusiast himself gives him a wealth of knowledge on anything automotive.

Tire Inflation Goes Down This Winter Season

2006-12-27T17:21-05:00

by Tom Bailey

Some people love the hot and humid weather of summer. Others long for the freshness of spring. Some are autumn people. Another portion may be winter and cold weather lovers.

And with winter slamming itself up so greatly this time, it is very much important to note that our vehicles also do need a little caring for this winter season. You may have noticed the little sprinkle of snowflakes on your car's Honda parts but there is more to that that winter may be doing on your vehicle.

According to Goodyear, one of the world's best known and trusted tire manufacturers, winter is the time when the inflation of your car's tires drops. This is because the air inside the tire goes down as the temperature around also drops. The company also does say that if the temperature drops to around ten degrees, the tire pressure also goes down by about one to two pounds. If you are not quite so observant about this on your tires, you may be experiencing some tire trouble later on as you do your winter driving.

Bob Toth is the marketing manager of Goodyear for its auto tires and he points out, "Odds are that many motorists haven't checked their tire pressure since the weather began turning colder. If the last time the tire pressure was checked was during the heat of summer, with temperatures around 80 degrees, many people could be riding on severely underinflated tires without realizing it." He also does continue, "Even though consumers can simply and quickly check the air pressure of their tires, it becomes a neglected practice by many. That's too bad, because the four patches of rubber that come in contact with the road surface are vitally important to the performance of the vehicle. They are key for acceleration, lateral traction and braking grip."

To be sure, check your car's tires and make sure that you maintain the required air pressure as specified in your car owner's manual. After all, if you have underinflated tires and you continue on using your vehicle, you would be surprised to find severe tread wear on the outside edges of your tires.

About the Author

Tom Bailey is a consultant for one of the country's leading auto parts stores. He is also an editor of a reputable publishing company in his area. He is currently based in Atlantic City, New Jersey with his wife and 3 children.

Car Manufacturer May Be Forced To Close After Collapsed Deal

2006-11-30T10:53-05:00

Date: November 30, 2006

Ford and Holden car manufacturers could be shut down due to an apparent collapse of a deal to save the car parts manufacturer, Ajax Fasteners.

Ajax supplies essential parts to the Australian car industry and was put in administration in August.

A deal was struck six months ago to resume production, but it looks as now the company's time may be up and 180 employees may be out of work.

For more news on Auto Parts visit http://www.everythingforautomobiles.com

Why You Should Learn How To Do Some Of The Minor Repairs On Your Car Yourself

2006-09-23T19:23-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Remember the good old days when if you needed something done you could hire someone to do it? You didn't have to worry about anything like where to find a part or how to repair anything. You used to be able to pull up to a gas station, where someone would actually come out and pump the gas for you, check your oil and clean your windshield. All you had to do was pay for the gas and be on your way. Now we have entered the "do it yourself era". You pump your own gas and check out your own groceries. There's a book on how "dummies" can learn to do anything by just reading a few pages and applying the lessons learned.

One of the few things left that you can still opt to have a professional do is maintenance on your car. You can go through one of the many drive thrus that offer oil changes and engine maintenance. With the way things are going, it might be better to start to learn how to do these tasks yourself, not just to save money, but who knows how long you will be able to rely on someone else to change things like your oil filter.

Women in particular are now starting to learn how to do things that were usually left to men, such as changing the tires or oil, and checking the different fluid levels in the engine. I remember when my wife had to call me at work because the car didn't start. She felt really bad when I showed up and all that had to be done was to jiggle the gear shift into park. Her face was so red!

I remember that she made me a nice dinner to try and make up for it and we talked about how she could learn more about cars so this type of thing would not happen any more. We started a little weekend training program. I really don't know that much about cars, but I was able to teach her all the basics.

We sort of worked through it all together. I was learning a lot at the same time as she was. We changed the oil in the car and played around with the spark plugs. We also practiced changing a tire so she would know how to do that in case she was ever stuck. After we had practiced some of the basic maintenance things with the car I actually caught my wife reading a book on how to keep your Chevy maintained.

It was really cool to see her working so hard to be independent. Now my wife doesn't mind taking the car to the shop because she feels comfortable that she will know what they are talking about when they discuss the cars problems.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as everything for automobiles at http://www.everythingforautomobiles.com

A Look At Different Segments Of The Auto Parts Industry

2006-09-23T16:10-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Auto body parts are a huge industry, since pretty much all car owners need them at least once in their lives. Cars that are damaged by accidents or wear and tear can leave owners trying to find the parts to replace them. Some parts such as rear view mirrors or steering wheels may seem easy to replace, but walking into one of the many stores that carry the parts will quickly change that opinion. There are so many to choose from and the price ranges vary so much, that you may not know which is the best one to get.

The sale of these parts are not limited to people who have had an accident or just want a nicer looking car seat. There are many hobbyists who rebuild cars from scratch, either to keep for themselves or to sell newly restored classic cars at a big profit. Trying to find parts for the older model cars is not easy unless you know where to look.

There are several options available when looking for auto body parts. One option of course is to go to a store that sells them, where you can find a huge array to select from. Another option is to go to a car dealer that sells the particular make of the car that you are trying to repair. A third option is to go to an auto salvage yard.

Auto salvage yards carry parts that you may not be able to get elsewhere and you can save a bundle by buying them there. These parts are salvaged from junked cars and since many of the cars are older models, their usually hard to replace parts are readily available in the salvage yards. People who restore cars want to get the original parts that were intended for them, right down to the ashtrays and car antennae. These are the people who most frequently come to auto salvage yards after experience has taught them that this is where they have the best chance to find the part that they want. These yards also have newer model cars that have been totaled in accidents, so you have a good chance of finding parts for these types of cars as well. You can get seats, mirrors, tires, and engine parts, such as starters or even belts. You can also get fenders, bumpers, side panels, hoods or any other part that you might need at a fraction of the cost that you would pay by purchasing them new.

Another way to get discount auto parts is from what's known as the after market. These are parts that are made by manufacturers other than the original company, but are designed to fit a specific car. For example, if you own a Chevy and need a particular part, you can go to the aftermarket and get one without having to pay the expense of a part made by Chevrolet.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as everything for automobiles at http://www.everythingforautomobiles.com