Nov. 19, 2019
Tenn. Dealership's Philosophy: Getting Rid of Hassles Keeps Customers
Free car washes, a no-hassle three-day return policy and efforts to shorten the car-buying process are the primary practices one Tennessee dealer employs to make sure the customer comes back. "We just wanted to be different than anyone else in the car business," James Dixon, general manager of Nelson Mazda Cool Springs in Franklin, Tenn., told Automotive News. The dealership emphasizes improving the car-buying process, transparency and service. Nelson Mazda, which opened in 2013 as Nelson Auto Group's third location in Tennessee, has more than 50 employees and sells between 120 and 150 vehicles per month. Dixon began working with the group in Oklahoma in 2003. "We know that it's so important for customers to keep coming back to the dealership for service," said Dixon. "There is an expense to it, but the payoff is astronomical. Getting the customers to come in; the car business is all about having the customer return." Offering customer service tactics like free washes has been more effective than traditional advertising at bringing customers back to the dealership, Dixon said. For more on Nelson Mazda’s approach, including their generous return policy, click here.
Trump's 'Section 232' Autos Tariff Authority Runs out of Time, Experts Say
The clock has run out on President Donald Trump’s authority to impose “Section 232” tariffs on imports of foreign-made cars and auto parts, and he may have to find other means if he wants to pursue tariffs on European or Japanese cars, legal experts say. According to Reuters, their view was supported by a new U.S. trade court ruling, published on Monday, that Trump’s authority had lapsed in a previous Section 232 investigation on imports of foreign steel. Trump took no action last Thursday as a deadline to impose the national security tariffs of up to 25 percent on automotive imports from the European Union, Japan or South Korea expired. Automakers had expected another delay in Trump’s tariff decision as his administration pursues broader trade negotiations with the European Union and Japan. “I don’t see the law as giving the president any options other than take action against imports or determine to take no action and the case is closed,” said Jennifer Hillman, a Georgetown University Law School professor and a former World Trade Organization judge. For the full story, click here.
2020 Honda Passport: Come for the Tent, Stay for the SUV
With overlanding equipment, space for two mountain bikes and a premium rooftop tent, the rugged Honda Passport is looking to snatch some of Subaru’s outdoor demo, says the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil. And teens will love it, too. Neil tested on of Honda’s aftermarket project cars: a murdered-out 2019 Honda Passport AWD Elite, equipped with side-mounted step-rails, blingy wheels, big knobby tires and—most provocatively —a roof-mounted tent. Click here to see it. Bolted to the bottom of the tent was Honda’s freshly redesigned and exemplary two-row midsize SUV. The Passport sweeps a lot of metric matrices: best acceleration (according to Car and Driver’s stopwatches), as well as top marks in fuel economy, towing capacity and interior space, in a class including Hyundai Santa Fe, Chevy Blazer, Nissan Murano and Ford Edge. The ruggedized Passport is clearly vying for some of Subaru’s outdoor lifestyle demographic. The list of dealer-installed options available include roof boxes, racks for bikes, kayaks, skis, and snowboards. Click here for the full review.
These Are the Cheapest and Costliest Vehicles to Keep Running for a Decade
While projected resale values, car insurance costs, and fuel economy ratings can be easily researched on the Internet, the cost of maintaining a given vehicle according to the automaker’s recommendations and keeping up with repairs once the warranty has expired can be a major question mark. To help out consumers, Forbes has ranked the 15 most and least-expensive vehicles to maintain and repair over a 10-year period. The rankings are based upon information that was culled from the records of 120,000 vehicles from one to 12 years old that were serviced during 2018. Most of these models remain current, though some have since been discontinued or replaced in their respective lines by newer vehicles. The most-affordable-to-keep cars come from Toyota/Lexus, Honda and Mitsubishi. The cheapest models in this regard will cost an owner from around $3,000 to just over $4,000 to keep running for a decade. For the full list, including the most expensive cars to keep running, click here.
California Won’t Buy Cars from Manufacturers Siding with Trump
California state agencies will be banned from buying vehicles from manufacturers siding with the Trump administration in the ongoing feud over vehicle fuel economy standards. Bloomberg reports that California’s Department of General Services announced that as of Jan. 1 state agencies will only be authorized to buy vehicles from manufacturers that recognize the California Air Resources Board’s authority to set greenhouse gas and zero-emission vehicle rules. The state also said it would immediately stop buying sedans that solely use gasoline or diesel fuel. Public safety vehicles are exempt. The latest in California’s ongoing battle with Washington could affect manufacturers like Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Ferrari, and others that have joined with the Trump administration as it works to rollback standards and strip California of its ability to set higher limits on tailpipe emissions. Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co, BMW AG, and Volkswagen AG agreed in July to meet emissions targets set by California, splitting the manufacturers between the two camps. For the full story, click here.
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Here's How The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E's Unusual Doors Work [Jalopnik]
The Fastest Pit Crew You May Ever See Set a New World Record of 1.82 Seconds [Car&Driver]
Audi Shows Up Big in L.A. With E-Tron Sportback, RS Q8 and Much More [Cars.com]
Cheapest Pickup Trucks for 2020: No Frills, Just Utility [Motor Trend]
