Three states have already passed the $4-a-gallon mark for gas: Alaska, California, Hawaii. Three more—New York, Connecticut, Oregon—look like they’ll be next. By springtime, $4 is expected to be the average price for a gallon …
Automobiles
Buying a New Car? Let a Website Handle the Haggling
The new car purchase is easily one of the most painful and confusing of all shopping experiences. Most business relationships are built on trust, yet there’s good reason to distrust nearly everything seen or heard at a car dealership, from complex financing terms, to claims that a certain figure is their “absolute best price,” to the …
Best Cars for the Least Money Are Made by … Kia?
In a study evaluating the total costs of owning a car—including initial price, as well as likely fuel expenditures and expected maintenance and depreciation—Kia has been crowned as the overall lowest-projected-cost champ.
All Signs Point to a Big Year for Car Sales: New Cars, Used Cars, You Name It
After years in which tons of dealerships closed, auto brands disappeared, natural disasters caused vehicle production disruptions, and consumers just didn’t have the money or desire to drop big bucks on cars, 2012 looks to be a …
Gas Price Hike: Expect $4 a Gallon—or Perhaps $6—By Spring
The national average for a gallon of regular is about $3.50 right now. That’s significantly below the highest ever (yet) price of $4.11, hit during the summer of 2008. Nonetheless, 2011 was the overall priciest year ever for …
Woman Gets Nearly $10K Suing Honda For Misleading About Civic Hybrid’s MPG
Fifty miles per gallon? That’s what Honda claimed. But Heather Peters’ 2006 Civic Hybrid never did better than 41, maybe 42 mpg. And when Honda “fixed” her battery, the car dropped below 30 mpg. Instead of agreeing to take part …
Study: Poor People Pay More for Auto Insurance
Low-income drivers are routinely charged higher auto insurance premiums than well-heeled car owners. But why should the poor pay a premium when it comes to premiums? Is the system inherently unfair? Or are there valid reasons why …
Why Do Consumers Avoid One Car and Buy Another? Often, for No Good Reason at All
A new study shows that when many drivers are shopping for cars, they don’t winnow their searches by researching vehicle quality and reliability reports. Instead, they often make their decisions based on preconceived notions and …
Survey: Women Are Smarter, More Thorough When Buying Cars
Study after study shows that, generally speaking, women are uncomfortable haggling over major purchases. The groundbreaking book Women Don’t Ask indicated that men are four times more likely to initiate negotiations than women, …
Will Gen Y Lead the Shift from Gas-Powered Cars to Hybrids and Electric Vehicles?
A new survey indicates that Gen Y consumers—a.k.a., Millenials, those born roughly between 1982 and 1993—are more interested in hybrids and electric cars than they are in traditional, gas-powered automobiles. The problem, …
Jalopy Nation? The Average Car on the Road Has Never Been Older
Even after a year when sales of new cars increased by nearly 11% compared to 2010, thereby lowering the average age of cars on the road, the typical automobile today is ancient compared to its counterpart in the mid-’90s. In …
King of the Road: The 2012 Cars With the Most Bang for the Buck
Two major news organizations known for their rankings and ratings—Consumer Reports and U.S. News—have just released their latest lists of the automobiles offering the most value for the money. Which cars represent the wisest, …
