GM Announces Education Partnership To Reduce Oil Consumption Via Less Frequent Oil Changes

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And for millions of GM vehicles, that could be mean oil changes with much longer durations than decades-old standard of every 3,000 miles. General Motors will support public outreach efforts by the Cal/EPA and the CIWMB to help motorists understand how frequently they need to change their engine oil, and the proper methods of doing so. The traditional 3,000-mile oil change recommendation was based on past engine and oil technologies. Today’s engines are built to strict tolerances using advanced technology, reducing or eliminating contaminants that might enter the engine. In-vehicle technologies like the GM Oil Life System can also reduce

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2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara XSport: Weidel on Wheels

The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara will not be a first choice for many shoppers. And if money is not an issue, the compact sport utility vehicle may not even make the finalists’ list. Many competitors have better credentials. But if money is an issue, don’t dismiss the Grand Vitara. It has significantly improved in recent years and not only provides an impressive value, it has good qualities as a daily driver. The 2008 Grand Suzuki XSport wasn’t a vehicle I couldn’t wait to bid farewell after a week’s drive. It’s an attractive model with an attractive price tag, $22,349. That’s

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Honda Begins Limited U.S. Distribution Of Hydrogen Car, Clarity

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The FCX Clarity runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water and none of the gases believed to induce global warming. Honda began transporting the first supply of the vehicle June 16 from Takanezawa, Japan to Los Angeles. A few dozen of perhaps 200 of the vehicles expected to be available in coming months have created a buzz among Hollywood celebrities, according to the Associated Press. The news service reported actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Harris, filmmaker Christopher Guest and Ron Yerxa and businessmen Job Spallino and Jim Salomon are among the Clarity’s first customers. Honda believes its new

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Volvo C30, 2008: Bill Belew's Car Buzz

I first saw a Volvo up close when I spent a year one winter in Buffalo, NY. A Volvo sedan in front of a dealer was completely mangled. Smushed. Ready for the scrap heap. There was a sign next to it, “The Driver Walked Away From This Crash Without A Scratch.” So, the first thing I wanted to do when I recently got in the 2008 Volvo 2 Door Hatchback C30, was roll it down a hill, it into a paper wad, err,metal wad, make it look like mashed potatoes, a pile of corn cobs and see if I could

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2008 Porsche Tops J.D. Power & Associates Initial Quality List

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The Porsche 911 has the fewest quality issues, with 67 problems per 100 vehicles, the study noted. Lincoln took dubious honors, falling from No. 3 to No. 15, according to the results released June 4. Jeep is at the list, with Mini one position from the bottom. Saturn also faltered, falling to No. 33 from No. 20 in 2007. Ford and Mercury performed well both in the top 10. J.D. Power and Associates commended the auto industry for “a continued reduction in the level of defects and malfunctions” in vehicles. Overall quality improved by 6 percent in 2008 compared with

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Ultimate Car Site Features Expansive 24 Hour Le Mans Video List

The post lists links to videos beginning in 1955 and continuing through the 2007 season of races from Le Mans 24 Hour events. Not every race from every year is listed, but who cares? The videos are great and bound to get more than one race fan in trouble for watching them at work. Nevertheless, the guy who posted the list is almost apologetic for posting what is, in fact, a wondrous collection. Here’s what the guy says: “Ok, I know this isn’t complete as of yet, but I want people to be able to watch Le Mans 24 races

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General Motors Announces Aproval For Electric Chevy Volt For 2010

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The funding for production development and tooling, indicates GM believes the technology for the Volt, including its lithium-ion batteries, will be ready for volume production on schedule. “The Chevy Volt is a go,” said CEO Rick Wagoner. “We believe this is the biggest step yet in our industry’s move away from our historic, virtually complete reliance on petroleum to power vehicles.” “We intend to show a production version of the Chevy Volt]]> publicly in the very near future, and we remain focused on our target of getting the Volt into Chevrolet showrooms by the end of 2010,” Wagoner said. Preliminary

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Ford Mustang Tops List Of Young Drivers' Most Wanted Cars

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ForbesAuto.com, in its long article written by John Adams, is quick to explain vehicles purchased by car buyers under age 21 represent only 1.2 percent of all new car sales. Nevertheless, it’s interesting]]> to examine young car buyers’ habits, particularly considering 3.2 million kids in the United States have or will graduate from high school this year. Nine of out the top-10 (and ties) favorites among young car buyers are automobiles priced under $20,000. Ford has three cars on the list, Volkswagen, Toyota and Honda are represented twice. Jeep, Dodge and Chevrolet have one selection each. 10. Volkswagen Jetta; 9.

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Ford Mustang (Convertible), 2008: Weidel on Wheels

With no responsibilities on a recent sun-drenched Saturday afternoon, the candy-apple red sports car seemingly recognized my surprising block of free time and the 2008 Mustang Convertible and was beckoning for some action. Given my week with this vintage version of this 1960s dream car was coming to an end, I decided it would be a shame not to enjoy a carefree drive. So the top came down for the first time and off I went in search of some adventure, choosing bucolic Highway 193 as my stretch of pavement to explore. Despite living in and around Placer County for

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Toyota Highlander, 2008: Weidel on Wheels

There was no urgent need for changes. Toyota already had success with the Highlander, a trend-setting model introduced seven years ago. It quickly became a template for a segment of crossover sport utility vehicles. Yes, the Highlander has been around since 2001. And during that time nearly every manufacturer has taken a shot at producing a crossover SUV. It’s a market segment with increasing popularity despite increasing gas prices. Despite its success, Toyota decided to make improvements to its beloved mid-size SUV. The Japanese automaker succeeded with the second generation redesign, taking suggestions from Highlander owners and addressing two main

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Kia Optima, 2008: The Weekly Driver Car Review

I recently drove a 2008 Kia Optima nearly 1,100 miles in eight days in Georgia. It’s a vastly unheralded midsize sedan. There’s little flash, no outrageous color choices, nothing so computer high-tech it’s problematic for the average driver. What the Optima provides is dependable transportation, a superior warranty and stellar crash tests results that all add up to prompt one question: Why isn’t the public giving Kia more attention? The likely answer is that it’s positioned in arguably the most competitive car segment — the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are the “major players” in midsize sedan category.

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Smart Fortwo Gets Insurance Institute For Highway Safety's Top Rating

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The Fortwo’s seat/head restraints earned the second highest rating of acceptable for protection against whiplash in rear impacts. Smart Fortwo is classified a microcar, meaning it’s smaller even than minicars. Weighing about 1,800 pounds, the Smart is more than three feet shorter and almost 700 pounds lighter than a Mini Cooper. It weighs about a third as much as one of the heaviest vehicles the Institute has tested, the BMW X5, a midsize SUV. As the price of fuel climbs and tougher federal fuel economy requirements kick in, auto companies are expected to introduce more small vehicles to the market.

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Toyota Corolla, 2009: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Its name connotes royalty, but who would have known 40 years ago when it was first sold in the United States that the Toyota Corolla actually deserved such a lofty title? Corolla means “little crown,” and now in its fifth decade and with more than 33 million sold, there’s no reason to deny it. The Toyota Corolla, a little engine that could, continues to be royalty. The 2009 Toyota Corolla isn’t a hybrid, nor does it boast any other high-tech refinement or embellished marketing campaigns. The Corolla remains what it’s always been — among the finest basic transportation cars ever

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Dodge Viper's Dubious Honor: Most Expensive Car To Repair

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Escalating gas prices and “green” cars are the most hotly discussed topics in the automotive industry. But there’s an equally important issue for car owners. It’s the determining factor for some new/used car buyers, while other consumers buy brands regardless of resale value and cost of operation. The factor, most expensive to repair goes to the Dodge Viper. Forbes.com does a lot of keen reporting in the auto industry, and its latest effort is no exception. It’s the list of the most expensive cars to repair. Using 2008 repair estimates calculated over a five-year period and tabulated by Vincentric did

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Norway Thinks Global With New U.S.—Based Electric Car, Think City

The car will be named Think City, is a two-seater with a top speed of about 65 mph. It will operate on sodium batteries and is 95 percent recyclable. “It’s a mass-market vehicle,” Ray Lane of venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers to the AP. “Our desire is to be selling 30-40-50,000 of these cars in a couple of years.” Think Chief Executive Jan-Olaf Willums said test vehicles will be brought to the U.S. in coming months. Ford Motor Co. owned Think for five years, leasing vehicles in the U.S. before selling the company in 2004. Nissan Motor

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The Weekly Driver On The Road: GM getaway features Pontiac G8, Vibe, Lucerne

The Pontiac G8, Pontiac Vibe and Buick Lucerne, each in several options, were presented in two sessions each attended by about two dozen journalists. We each test drove the various vehicles on a hilly winding 170-mile road trip trek from Santa Monica to Ojai  — on some of the most famous mountain roads in Southern California. The Vibe is one of the most unheralded small SUVs available. Spacious and featuring innovative exterior and interior design, the Vibe is ideal for a small businessperson with cargo-space needs or an economically minded family with SUV needs. The Buick Lucerne is an industry

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