It’s a battle for bragging rights, with two automakers saying they each had the world’s best-selling car model last year. Can they both be right?
Autos
Gas Prices Almost Never Decline in March—But They Did Last Month
Traditionally, gas prices have risen in the spring and peaked during the high-demand summer months. Last year, though, prices spiked starting in February and reached their highs in early May, before declining slightly in summer. …
Buy an Electric Car, Get a Gas-Powered Car Free
A buy-one-get-one-free special on cars? Not exactly. To ease consumer concerns about the limited driving range of electric vehicles, two automakers are giving buyers free access to traditional gas-powered rental cars and loaners throughout the year.
Could It Be? Gas Prices Are Around 25¢ Cheaper Than Last Year
The current national average per gallon of gas, $3.65, probably doesn’t seem all that cheap. Not compared to the beginning of the year, when prices were 10% cheaper. And especially not compared to a few years ago, when gas sold …
Car Buying, Reenvisioned: More Like Shopping for Apple Gadgets, Ice Cream, or a Date
Imagine if buying a car was more like online matchmaking and less like, well, the miserable, stressful modern-day experience of buying a car.
Is It Time to Stop Green-Lighting Red-Light Cameras?
The number of local red-light camera contracts awarded around the country has exploded, from 155 in 2005 to 689 last year. The pitch to install the cameras is that it’s a win-win for municipalities, simultaneously saving them …
How Google Is Horning In on Car Dealership Sales
Usually, to get a price quote from a car dealership, you must disclose your phone number and an e-mail address—an act that comes with the risk of being hounded by car salesmen. A new car-shopping tool being tested by Google changes how the game is played.
The 12 Most Awkward Product Recalls Ever
Yoga is supposed to enhance transparency, but not like this. Trendy apparel manufacturer Lululemon Athletica had to cover its butt this week by pulling some of its pricey yoga pants off store shelves after discovering that a …
Whodathunkit? Auto Dealerships Realize Responding to Customer E-mails Helps to Sell Cars
It turns out that responding to potential paying customers is good for business. That’s why car dealerships have been dramatically improving how they handle online inquiries.
When the Experts Hate a Car—And It Sells Well Anyway
Experts like to think that their opinions matter quite a lot, especially for reviews of big-ticket items like cars. But consumers have been showing lately that, if the price is right, they’re more than willing to disregard those expert opinions.
Plug-In Price War: $6,000+ Price Cuts on Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius EV
Electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius Plug-In began 2013 with a sales slump. In the months ahead, automakers hope to boost sales with increased production and cheaper prices.
List Price = Joke Price: 4 Examples of How Original Prices Are Meaningless
When almost no one pays full price, what does “full price” even mean? From cars to college to health care, consumers today are surrounded by huge markdowns—which, when you think about it, wouldn’t exist if goods and services weren’t marked up so high in the first place.