For real this time, the "Cash for Clunkers" program will longer be offered after Monday, according to Obama administration sources.

The rebates of $3,500 or $4,500, meant to encourage car buyers to swap their gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles have proven so wildly popular that the program has already run through the first $3 billion appropriated by Congress, and there are no plans to ask for additional money.

What do you think of this program, and how it was run? Is the program successful if it runs out of money early, or is it a dud? Did you get a chance to take advantage of the rebates before they ran out? Are you planning to hit the dealership post-haste to get in under the wire?

I'm kind of excited that that as many as 450,000 older cars might be off the roads and will be replaced by newer cars with more safety features such as side-curtain airbags. 

By the way, if you were curious why the Cash for Clunkers rebates were only offered for cars that were built after 1984, the Los Angeles Times has a surprising answer for you.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cars
        

Headed to the airport? If public transportation is not an option, and if you have exhausted all the airport-ride favors owed to you, then perhaps BestParking.com could be of assistance.

The site shows the best price for parking at the airport based on your arrival and departure time. For example, the lowest price from Friday morning to Monday night was offered at the BWI Airport Long Term Parking Lots A or B. 

Now, these prices don't reflect any Internet discounts or coupons you might find on a company's Web site or elsewhere. And, you should call to confirm the rates, if they are not guaranteed. But, it's a good place to get some trip planning information.

I discovered BestParking via ShopSmart magazine, which points out that the site also compares best places to park in cities like Washington, Philadelphia and New York. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Travel
        

Not all drivers traded in their old cars under the federal government’s “cash for clunkers” program. Some of us didn’t want to take on a new car payment. Others found our cars didn’t qualify for the program. And then there were those of us who are happy with the cars we own.

With that in mind, Angie’s List asked auto experts how to make our current vehicles a little more fuel efficient. Here is what they found would help:

Regular engine tune-ups: Have your mechanic do a regular checkup two weeks before your road trip. Annual, biannual and mileage-based preventative maintenance is intended to give technicians the chance to uncover any problems in the early stages.

Monitor tire inflation and mileage: Regularly monitor your tire’s air pressure. It’s like pedaling your bike with a flat tire –you have to work harder and so does your car. Keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure can increase your gas mileage up to three percent. Look on the driver’s side door jamb or in your owner’s manual for your vehicles recommended tire pressure.

Save the limbo for the beach: Don’t get below one-eighth of a tank of gas. Your fuel pump is located there and the bottom of the gas tank collects sediment from gasoline. When you run your car on low fuel, the pump can pick up the sediment and become damaged from it, which results in low fuel-efficiency.

Slow down: Speeding and rapid acceleration/deceleration can decrease your gas mileage – it’s bad for your transmission too. Avoid driving while you’re on the phone, not only is it unsafe, but it takes your attention away from how you are accelerating and decelerating.

Sleep all day, drive all night: Consider driving to any vacation destination during non-peak hours. Nearly half the energy needed to power your vehicle goes in acceleration. Unnecessary braking wastes that energy.

Photo courtesy of AP

Posted by Andrea Walker at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cars, Gas prices, Travel
        

Cash for Clunkers certainly has been popular, with more than 250,000 vehicles sold with the help of $4,500 from the federal government.

But in your haste to take advantage of the credit, steer clear of any Cash for Clunkers scams, warns the Federal Trade Commission.

Figuring out whether your new car, or your trade-in, will qualify is complicated enough, but the best source of information is the official cars.gov Web site.

And remember, you don't need to register or sign up in any way to take advantage of the deal --- instead, it's the dealer's responsibility to fill out the paperwork to get reimbursed later. 

Any sites that ask you to enter your name, address and Social Security Number are just "phishing" for your information. If you find a site like this, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP.

If you suspect other Cash for Clunkers-related scams or fraud, tell the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration at 1-866-CAR-7891.

(photo: dno1967/Flickr)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Naughty businesses/NBotW, Scams
        

Honda is expanding a recall on certain 2001 Honda Accords and Civics due to a potential defect in the airbags.

About 440,000 additional vehicles are included in the expanded recall, which was first announced in Nov. 2008. The recall requires the replacement of the driver's steering-wheel-mounted airbag inflator.

In some vehicles, airbag inflators can produce over-pressurization of the driver's (front) airbag inflator mechanism during airbag deployment. If an affected inflator deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the cloth airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to people in the car.

Affected consumers will get a recall notice in the mail over the next few months. The notice will include further instructions for scheduling a repair.

Owners may also confirm their vehicle's recall status by visiting the Honda "Owner Link" website at http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/SEO/HondaRecall.asp or the Acura "My Acura" website at http://www.owners.acura.com/recalls.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 3:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Consumer safety, Recalls
        

All you consumers itching to get rid of your old car for new and better wheels burned through the government’s  $1 billion Cash for Clunkers  program in less than a week.

Dealers were reserving cars for people before the program officially even started and business just picked up from there.

The car program, which gave consumers a $3,500 or $4,500 incentive to get rid of their old cars for new ones, was created to get less fuel efficient cars off the highway and jump-start car sales. And it did just that. Dealers said they were seeing better sales than they had in months.

Yet dealers worried from the start that the program would run out of money. Some estimates said that the program had enough money to fund about 9 cars for every dealership in the country.

But what now that the program is broke?

Will people stop buying cars, sending the industry into hibernation again? Should the government extend the program and what will that mean for the country’s growing deficit if they do?

Will car companies offer their own incentives?  Chrysler had offered an additional $4,500 in incentives to buyers to get them in the showroom.

How many of you had hoped to take advantage of the program?

Here are more details about the program. Some dealers might still honor the rebate, despite the uncertainty, since *they* are the ones charged with applying for the reimbursement under this program. However, that will take a lot of faith ...

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

Anyone who has tried to pick up somebody from Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport knows it can be a pain.

Wait more than a few minutes outside the terminal and you’ll get flashed by the lights of a police car, or worse they’ll write you a ticket. The strict enforcement is because of federal guidelines associated with homeland security.

The airport used to give people a half hour of free parking in the hourly garage to make it a little easier. But as of a week ago, that grace period has been eliminated. You’ll now pay $2 each for the first two half hours and $4 per hour after that.

The airport needs to raise revenue in this tough economic climate, said airport spokesman Jonathan Dean. The parking change is expected to bring $500,000 annually in additional funds.

Dean notes there is still a cell phone lot where you can wait if you’re picking up passengers.

But is that enough? Tell us what you think about the changes in parking at the airport.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Airlines, Cars, Travel
        

Chrysler must really want to move some cars because it is sweetening the deal on the federal Cash for Clunkers program.

The car company said today it is offering buyers $4,500 in incentives, which would be in addition to the $3,500 or $4,500 people can get under the government program. Chrysler's offer is in cash, or 0 percent financing for 72 months through GMAC Financial Services, according to a press release.

And while the cash for clunkers program is aimed at older cars that don’t have the best fuel efficiency, Chrysler’s incentives are available to anyone.

Read what my colleague Eileen Ambrose has written about the government's car program.

(photo courtesy of getty images)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

When buying a car, you want to go in armed with the right information. Is your dealer offering you as good a price as some other customer?

Consumer Reports suggested this option to get a feel for what other customers are paying. TrueCar, which catalogs prices by zip code, aims to tell you the prices charged in your area, in addition to rebates and other factors.

The site offers a gauge of what it considers a "good" price as well as a "great" price -- typically close to or under invoice price.

Unfortunately, TrueCar does not reveal the source of its data, so you might want to take it with a grain of salt. According to CR:

Continue reading "New car prices: Consumer Web Site of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

How much is an investment in safety worth?

Because, even though you think you wouldn't leave an infant or a toddler locked in a car, it has already happened to 15 families. Tragically, 15 babies have died of hyperthermia in 2009 after being left in a car. An Ellicott City family's 23-month-old daughter died last week after she was locked in a car for nine hours.

I don't think any of the parents or caregivers would ever say they intended to do it. Safety experts and advocates say people get distracted and make a mistake.

Kids and Cars, a group which advocates for prevention of non-traffic related injuries to children by cars, has frightening statistics that lay out a pretty clear correlation about why it happens, though. After rules banned children riding in the front due to airbag injuries, deaths due to hyperthermia grew.

What does it take to prevent calamities such as these? Acknowledgment that it's possible, as Dr. Laura Jana, an Omaha-based pediatrician who speaks about injury prevention for the American Academy of Pediatrics, said:

"It's the last thing you ever want to imagine happening, and we push it away as if 'it could never happen to me,' said Jana, author of Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and the mother of three.

"I don't think our brains want us to be able to imagine us doing something like that to our child," "Denial is a very powerful thing."

The pediatrician pointed out that we create failsafe measures to prevent ourselves from forgetting other important tasks. You wouldn't lock your car doors without checking to see if you have your car keys first ... so don't walk away from your car without looking at the front and back seat.

Parents could also leave a a reminder in the front seat to alert them that the child is present (diaper bag makes sense to me) or they could leave their purse or briefcase in the backseat to remind themselves to go back there, she said.

It's a no-brainer to advocate for these types of precautions ...

Continue reading "Kids in hot cars: balancing safety with reality" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Consumer safety
        

As reported this morning, the Cash for Clunkers program, which under the law is supposed to apply to new car sales starting today, is a bit delayed.

The government must get the rules drawn up and have until July 24 to do so.

Meanwhile, you can sign up for email updates at http://www.cars.gov/- that's the official government site for the program. Also, you can check the fuel economy of your old vehicle at another government site.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cars
        

We've told you how mobile phone companies have been suing the annoying culprits behind the automated extended car warranty calls that plague us morning, noon and night. 

Well, in a complaint filed in an Atlanta federal court, AT&T Mobility has named a Maryland company, Volcano Leads, as one of nine responsible for millions of these calls during just a few months.

Justin Ramsey, the owner of Volcano Leads, denied the allegations when reached yesterday by business reporter Lorraine Mirabella, saying his business never owned an auto-dialer.

AT&T says the companies violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and hopes to prevent them from making future calls, as well as fining them $500 for each violation of the act.

See below for a copy of the complaint as well as a sampling of the numbers they were calling from --- perhaps they are among the ones you've set to silent ring tones!

Continue reading "Extended auto warranty call lawsuit names Maryland company" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Scams, Warranties
        

We're in the throes of the high season for limousine rentals, what with proms, wedding and other activities clustered in the warmer months of the year. But don't get burned by an unscrupulous car-for-hire service, like some unlucky teens featured last week by WMAR-TV.

These Cinderellas wanted a Hummer stretch limo for their trip to the ball, but they might have found winter squash more reliable.

According to the story, they hired White Glove Limousine Service, which unfortunately had not followed the procedures set by the Maryland Public Service Commission, the agency that regulates limosines, taxis and other for-hire passenger services.

On Monday the PSC subpeonaed the Owings Mills-based White Glove Limousine Service, calling them to come before the commissioners on Wednesday with documentation, including the names of contractors that have worked with them.

Company officials informed the PSC that they only act as a referral service for limosine sub-contractors that meet PSC regulations, but that contradicts the claims in their advertising.

According to the story, Maryland Limosine Association officials say that companies like these often advertise on the Internet offering rides at discounted rates. So how do you protect yourself?

Continue reading "Bad limousine companies: Naughty Business of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cars, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Extended auto warranty calls have been dealt another blow!

An Illinois judge has issued temporary restraining orders against two companies responsible for about a billion  extended car warranty "robo-calls", according to the Associated Press.  

We told you last week that the Federal Trade Commission had sued two companies over these extended auto warranty calls, and readers certainly have shared their robo-call horror stories.

The restraining order will remain in effect until May 29, when an FTC hearing has been scheduled on these calls. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Warranties
        

Chrysler has closed more than 700 dealerships nationwide, and now more than 1,000 General Motors dealerships are facing a similar closure fate.

Yesterday, the out-of-luck owners on the Chrysler dealership closing list were told they have a limited time to get rid of their inventory. I'm curious: is anyone tempted to buy a vehicle from one of these dealers, because clearly with the need to move product, there could be a lot of room to bargain and negotiate.

As business reporter Andrea Walker wrote: 

Chrysler won't buy back the 40,000 vehicles that are on the lots of the dealers slated to close. The dealers won't be able to sell the cars themselves after June 9 when they are no longer affiliated with the company. Chrysler said it will help redistribute the cars to remaining dealers and said there should be a demand for them because the automaker isn't producing cars while it's in bankruptcy proceedings.

Dealers get loans to purchase cars from the manufacturer, Andrea says, so if they don't make the sales and if Chrysler doesn't have to buy them back, they are in a tight situation.

Then again, you might wonder about the fate of your rebates and other incentives if you've already bought a car from one of these endangered dealers. Consumer Reports offered advice last month about bankrupt car dealerships and other potential problems.

UPDATED: Here's an Los Angeles Times primer on how warranties and rebates would be affected by Chrysler, GM dealership closings. According to them ...

(Photo: Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

Continue reading "GM, Chrysler dealerships closing: good time to buy? " »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Warranties
        

Cabbing it to Preakness this year, or have friends coming into town? The Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates taxi rates in Baltimore city, offers these tips to avoid getting swindled on the way to or from the Stakes. Take note: these rules are in effect year-round, so watch for some of these tricks on other days as well.

•    Taxi cabs being hailed from Baltimore City or Baltimore County may not offer a flat rate to Pimlico.
•    Taxis may not charge per-person charges.
•    Signs displaying a per-person or flat charge rate violate Commission regulations.
•    Passengers should only pay the amount displayed on the meter.
•    If there is no fare displayed on the meter, passengers are NOT obligated to pay the fare requested.  Customers may tip the driver at their discretion.
•    Passengers are required by law to pay is the fare on the meter, which covers the entire party in the cab
•    Check the meter for a blue tab, which shows it has been sealed and checked by the Commission.
•    Customers have the right to check the driver’s badge, which located on the sides and rear cabs.  Get that number if you plan to file a complaint with the Commission – that will confirm the identify of the driver.

Don't take a cab that claims to charge a flat rate to Pimlico. In Baltimore, the only flat rates are from downtown or the cruise ship terminal to BWI Marshall Airport, which cost $30.

Continue reading "Getting to Preakness: a taxi-fare primer" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Travel
        

Auto warranty calls irritating you? Well, Consumerist has posted the phone numbers of some car warranty callers --- information gleaned from settlement of a suit filed by Verizon Wireless. Two companies will be donating $50,000 to victims of sexual and child abuse.

If you're getting repeated calls from the same number on your cell phone, some readers suggest this advice to avoid automated calls: assign them a name in your phone address book, and a silent ring tone.

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Warranties
        

More than half of Maryland's auto insurance companies have had to pay hundreds of thousands in administrative penalties and restitution to their policyholders after mishandling claims when vehicles are declared a total loss, according to the Maryland Insurance Administration.

A year-long review has revealed that ...

Continue reading "Auto insurance companies return fees to Marylanders: Naughty businesses of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Insurance, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Ford Motor Co. has joined the list of companies trying to encourage spending by covering car payments if you lose your job, the Associated Press reports. And General Motors may soon offer a similar deal.

According to the AP story, Ford will cover payments of up to $700 each month for up to a year on new Fords, Lincolns or Mercurys after a job loss, through June 1.

In January, Hyundai started a program allowed drivers to return vehicles within a year if they could no longer make payments due to job loss or disability, the AP story states.  The "Assurance Plus" program now will cover your payments for three months, according to the Web site, and after that you can still bring the car back.

Then JetBlue got on the bandwagon, making its own announcement last month.

Continue reading "Businesses cover, refund your payments if you lose your job" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Cars, Economy, Energy/Utilities
        

Auto warranty calls continue to be one of the topics that regularly draw people to Consuming Interests --- calls about warranties for cars you don't own or for which you do not need a warranty. Tons of readers have shared their complaints about auto warranty calls, which seem impossible to shake.

As Dan Thanh Dang discovered last year, if they're calling a number registered with the Do Not Call database, you can take the identity of the caller and the number and file a complaint with the consumer protection division of the state attorney general's office.

And the Federal Trade Commission ruled last year that by December these callers had to give you an option to get off their calling list. 

For those of you experiencing this torture on your cell phone, a Consumerist reader offered this idea to get some relief:

Continue reading "Auto warranty calls to your cell phone? Try this. " »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Complaints
        

Baltimore taxi riders will continue to pay the same mileage rates when they hop in a cab, for a few more weeks, at least.

You may have read the story last week about a taxi mileage rate decrease set to take effect March 1, based on a semi-annual review of gas prices. If you heard a lot of honking at the intersection of Baltimore Street and St. Paul Street on Wednesday, that was a protest by taxi drivers calling attention to their situation.

Well, late on Friday afternoon, a group of taxi drivers incensed about the decline obtained a temporary injunction on taxi mileage rate decreases from a Baltimore Circuit Court judge.

As a result ...

Continue reading "Taxi rates not decreasing, after all " »

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices, Travel
        

E-ZPass fees have been approved here in Maryland. Starting in July, drivers will pay $1.50 a month for their accounts as well as $21 to replace their transponders if it stops working, for example when the battery runs out.

Getting There columnist Michael Dresser offered this tip to ease the pain of the new monthly E-ZPass fee, however.

He reminds us it's charged per account maintenance, not per transponder. If multiple drivers in your household use E-ZPass in separate accounts, cancel all but one and consolidate all drivers on one account.That way, that $1.50 will go farther.

He also points out ...

Continue reading "Minimize the E-ZPass fee pain" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

E-ZPass fees will be levied in Maryland starting in July, despite protest by Maryland drivers. The Maryland Transportation Authority board voted Wednesday to approve the $1.50 monthly charge, the $21 cost of new and replacement transponders and other changes, including higher tolls for trucks. The discount ticket program for commuters has also ended.

Lots of readers booed the plan when the monthly E-ZPass fees were first proposed earlier this month, particularly casual users. A small minority said they would hang onto theirs because the time saved was worth the price. And transportation reporter and Getting There columnist Michael Dresser has said that more toll agencies are charging fees.

Now that it's official, what are you going to do?

Also remember there are ways to avoid at least some of the toll collection fees ... 

Continue reading "E-ZPass fees approved! What will you do? " »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

Business columnist Jay Hancock beat me to it --- posting transportation columnist Michael Dresser's tips describing two methods to avoid the Delaware tolls.

Delaware charges the highest tolls per mile in the United States. No matter how you feel about the proposed E-ZPass fees, that's highway robbery.

I used the southern Delaware toll avoidance method (starting at MD 272 in North East --- that's exit 100) while headed northbound between Christmas and New Year's Day after a variable message sign alerted me to an accident. Great option if traffic is backed up for miles. I avoided the traffic and saved $4 to boot.

Wish I had tried the northern Delaware toll avoidance option, first mentioned by Dennis on an earlier post, when returning from a NYC trip yesterday. 

What Dresser forgot to mention ... 

Continue reading "Avoid the Delaware tolls, with or without E-ZPass" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

The Maryland Transportation Authority wants to charge monthly E-ZPass fees to recover the costs of the electronic toll collection program.

Commuters, of course, benefit from frequent-use discounts, but for occasional users it amounts to an increase in their toll costs. 

Although the news received a lot of negative reaction on this blog, data from other agencies indicates that few drivers abandon their transponders as a result of fees, according to a story by Michael Dresser.

The transponder batteries run out after about seven years, the article states, and users will have to pay $21 to replace them.

Continue reading "People will pay E-ZPass fees, Md. officials say" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

Just following up on some questions that came up during yesterday's passionate discussion of the Maryland Transportation Authority's proposal to charge a $1.50 monthly "account maintenance fee" for E-ZPass users, starting in July.

Will they refund my balance if I cancel? Yes.

Why not use the interest earned on unspent money in my account to reduce costs? They already do, said Michael Dresser, The Sun's transportation reporter and Getting There columnist. The interest offsets the fees charged by credit card companies each time an E-ZPass is replenished.

How will this additional fee be spent? The money goes into the MdTA budget. They will use it for a number of things, including paying the vendor who provides the E-ZPass service. 

Doesn't E-ZPass save money by eliminating the need to have human toll collectors and just generally being more efficient? Yes, but those cost savings haven't come quickly, Dresser said. The transportation folks had to invest money both in subsidizing the user cost to encourage people to adopt the new technology as well as make capital improvements such as building new lanes and other infrastructure to support it. And it's not like they fired half the state's cadre of toll collectors overnight --- eliminations of those positions came gradually, by attrition.

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

The Maryland Transportation Authority is proposing charging E-ZPass customers a $1.50 monthly administrative fee to use the transponders to pay tolls electronically, starting in July.

E-ZPass is convenient for drivers for many reasons. Not only can you wave at the poor schmoes wasting precious gas idling on their way up to the toll booth --- you also don't need exact change or any cash at all. Even Sun columnist Kevin Cowherd became a convert.

Tolls for truck drivers would also go up, and new or replacement transponders will cost $21, according to the story.

The fee proposal (updated: and other increases) would bring $60 million into state coffers at a time when revenues are dropping and maintenance of everything is going up.

Here's what I want to know: with revenues already going down, won't adding an administrative fee to this toll collection service further discourage drivers?

Transportation reporter and Getting There columnist Michael Dresser told inquiring colleagues that ...

Continue reading "Proposed E-ZPass fees could cost $18 a year" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (105)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Greenies
        

Happy Monday dear readers.

How many of you out there realized there is a difference between using your credit card and debit card at gas stations, hotels and car rental agencies?

Better yet, do you think I was too tough on the Zulichs? Every parent wants to help their children, though, right? Do you think Elizabeth could have eventually resolved this on her own or do you think it was only resolved because of Dad?

Are you like me? Worried that too many people aren't financially literate?

With today's financial crisis and move toward tightening credit policies, being financially illiterate could really hurt you.  As Eileen told you in her Sunday column, the current credit crunch isn't just affecting auto loans and mortgages, it's also affecting credit cards now, too.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: credit cards and abandoned cars" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Complaints, Credit cards, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

A decision earlier this week in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice means that consumers will be able to find out if an automobile they want to purchase has been stolen or rebuilt after a wreck. U.S. Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ruled Monday that the DOJ has until Jan. 30 to make this information available to consumers in a national database.

Congress originally passed a law in 1992 to create such a database. It took a lawsuit filed in February by Public Citizen, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and Consumer Action to make it happen.

The advocacy groups argued that the "agency's unlawful delay in implementing the database was putting consumers at risk. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System will help consumers avoid purchasing a potentially dangerous used car by allowing them to instantly check the validity of the car’s title and mileage and learn whether it had been stolen or was a junk or salvage vehicle," said Deepak Gupta, attorney for Public Citizen.

Continue reading "A National Auto Fraud Database coming" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Complaints, Consumer protection, Consumer safety
        

Hurricane Ike wreaked havoc in Texas but managed to spare most of the refinery infrastructure.  As a result, oil prices are down to their lowest since February.

Remember, you can search for the lowest gas prices nearest to you using the Baltimore Sun's gas price tracker. Share and submit the prices you're seeing with other readers.

(photo: Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices
        

Refineries are closing with the threat of Hurricane Ike, and so the somewhat-lower gas prices that drivers have enjoyed for the last few weeks may come to an end. 

Continue reading "Fuel prices to surge with Hurricane Ike" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Gas prices
        

That would be arson, or faking a theft.

Yesterday's Marketplace report ended with a tidbit about a report issued this week by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an industry-funded group that found a correlation between high gas prices and suspicious thefts of gas guzzlers.

Six of the top ten questionable claims for stolen cars in 2007 are pickup trucks or SUVs (check out the list below the jump).

Here's an anecdote from Baltimore crime blogger Peter Hermann, who  touched on this topic earlier this week with his note about suspected arson of a 2007 Dodge pickup in St. Mary's County:

Joseph G. Zurolo Jr., a spokesman for the state fire marshal's office, wouldn't say how the fire was allegedly set. But he did say someone close to the suspect tipped them off and provided some clues about the means and the motive.

This is not the first case of a destroying a car to avoid the high price of gas. "I think we're starting to see a little bit more of these SUV-type vehicles that are conveniently burning," Zurolo told me. "I have no hard numbers or figures to show, but it certainly seems the trend is starting to rise."

Continue reading "The wrong way to deal with high gas prices" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars
        

Consuming Interests' Consumer Web site of the Week is here to assist you with future car costs.

Last week we gave you options to compare the selling prices of new cars online.

This week, we're helping you compare the prices of auto repairs for said cars, through RepairPal.com, discovered via Consumerist.

Enter your year. make and model (and sometimes other info) and the Web site spits out a range of prices you'd expect at either a dealership or independent shop.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cars, Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

Goucher College said today it is partnering with Zipcars, the world's largest provider of cars on demand by the hour or day, to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to keeping a personal car on campus for university faculty, staff and students.

Beginning today, two self-service Zipcars – both Honda Civic Hybrids – will be available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Goucher says the cars will be located in the Dorsey Center Parking Lot and will be available to all staff and students aged 18+, with gas, maintenance, insurance, and reserved parking included in low hourly and daily rates.

This is not Goucher's first foray into providing environmentally friendly transportation resources for its campus.

Continue reading "Goucher students Zipcar their way to green living" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Greenies
        

A Consumer Reports blogger noted an interesting  observation: rising prices for oil changes, near its Yonkers, N.Y. headquarters.

Yet another price-increase story to file under "rising petroleum prices" ... affecting petroleum-based products as well.

Anyone seeing anything similar in the Baltimore area?

Car maintenance is not a place to cut corners. Your vehicle will operate longer and more efficiently with regular oil changes, according to the Car Talk guys. 

How often should you change your oil?

Continue reading "More expensive oil changes?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

Today's Consumer Web Site of the Week helps you with a major purchase: new cars.

As you might expect, Information is key for transactions such as these. What's the lowest price a customer has been able to negotiate, below the MSRP? What's the highest?

Before you start negotiating with auto finance manager, check out these sites recommended by Consumerist.com to compare prices on new cars --- what consumers have actually negotiated with dealers.

At RealCarTips.com, readers submit the MSRP of the vehicle of their choosing and the price they actually paid, for the trim line they choose, as well as other details.

OpenCarPrices.com does something similar, but it's a little more cumbersome to use.

Of course,

Continue reading "Find out what people are paying for their cars" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Shopping
        

You negotiate a deal on a new car with the salesperson, and maybe you feel like you got a good price.

But the toughest part may be just ahead. If you’re seeking financing, you will have to negotiate with the auto finance manager. And the strategies that manager uses against you can rob you of the bargain you got from the sales person.

Now you can learn some of those backroom secrets. Edmunds.com, an online source for automotive information, has published an online series called the “Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager.”

 “The auto finance process is extremely complicated and foreign to most consumers,” says Philip Reed, a senior consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com and co-author of the series. “It’s no surprise consumers often make poor decisions in this environment.”

Tips from “Confessions” include:

— A finance manager can get wholesale lending rates, but will quote you a higher one to maximize the dealership’s profit. So, go into the dealership with a pre-approved loan. Or, at the very least, know your credit score and what interest rates you might qualify for.

— A finance manager might only offer financing in a package with add-ons that you don’t need or want.

Avoid overpriced add-ons. You don’t need to buy an extended warranty, for instance. The bumper-to-bumper warranty will last three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain warranty often last up to 75,000 miles. And if you really, really want an extended warranty? Don’t buy it at the first price quoted. The mark-up is 100 percent, so the finance manager has plenty of room to go lower.

— And paint protection? Forget about it. It’s a “glorified wax job.”

— Check out the price of the car you want online before going into the dealership. Take that with you into the dealership.

"Confessions" is cleverly written and has useful information. But it makes you wonder: Does anybody out there like to negotiate on a car?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a final rule yesterday that won't protect manufacturers from lawsuits filed by families harmed by defective booster seats. An original draft of the rule barred families from taking such action.

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) filed comments in March discouraging NHTSA from issuing a rule that would preempt state law, effectively giving corporations complete immunity from lawsuits.

AAJ says that so far, seven federal agencies have issued over 56 rules with preemption language in the preamble to the rule. As a result of these preambles, states have had their authority curtailed by federal agencies.

Continue reading "No more federal immunity for manufacturers of child safety seats" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Consumer protection, Consumer safety
        

(photo: Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun)

Several auto manufacturers and banking companies have announced that they would either increase prices or leave the car leasing market altogether, according to the Associated Press.

General Motors bounced yesterday and Chrysler announced its decision to stop leases last week. Ford Motor Co. said it would raise prices on SUV and truck leases.

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo Auto Finance stopped accepting lease applications from all automakers earlier this month. Chase Auto Finance said it would only finance Subaru, not Chrysler vehicles.

According to Consumer Reports' car blog, lease contracts are based on predictions of the value of the vehicle at the end of the agreement. And the resale value of SUVs and other gas guzzlers has plummeted thanks to fuel prices. 

What does this mean for consumers?

Continue reading "Car leasing going extinct?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

While I was trying to meet my Sunday column deadline today, I got this urgent e-mail from Reader Rodney:

Hello, I'm in an auto repair shop and I'm very very concerned. The owner started alot of repairs on his own without any authorization at all. The vehicle is there because it wouldn't start. An injector pump was sent out and completed and when I asked the price for it; he told me he had no idea! When I pressed him that he must at least have a ballpark figure; he replied that they range from $500 to $12,000!!! Of course I should have never let that go. When I pressed for an estimate; he told me that he would know more later in the week. This guy scares me to death and I have a lot of experience with auto repair facilities. Isn'it there al law that work has to be athorized by the customer? Thank you very much.

Continue reading "Don't get ripped off by your auto mechanic" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cars, Consumer protection, How To
        

Reader Laura is wondering if anyone else has had problems parking in city garages run by Central Parking?

I used to use a parking garage in Baltimore City run by Central Parking. For convenience sake (because I never carry cash), I used one of the garages that accepts credit cards. Only used it once in a while because I telecommute.

Then, months ago, I stopped altogether because of the price of gas. I take the light rail.

Two weeks ago, as I prepared to go on vacation, I checked my bank account. Central Parking Baltimore had hit my acount 5 times, all in one day, the day before. I called to dispute the charges with the bank. The original Customer Service person was so dumb she said, "Well, you must have parked there, I see you used your card in between trips to the garage."

First of all, who would make five trips in and out of a city garage at 9 bucks a pop each time? Secondly, I asked her, did you get the part about the garage being in Baltimore and those 'in-between' charges I actually made at the grocery store, etc., being in Annapolis? The next rep was a little brighter, saw the disparities and disputed the charges.

But those of you who use Central Parking, beware. They apparently store your credit card info. I can only guess that a worker figured out a scam to charge my card a number of times and 'refund' cash to themselves.

You gotta watch. all the time....

Excellent point, Laura. Anyone else notice shenanigans with city garage parking?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Complaints, Technology
        

Good morning folks! Wanted to share this list of tips to cut your car insurance bills, courtesy of Bankrate ... lots of great ideas to pare down your premium while ensuring you are protected in the event of a real emergency.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal
        

Maryland is one of 10 states doing the most to wean its residents off a dependence on oil, according to a Natural Resources Defense Council study released yesterday.

The state earned praise along with New York for its smart growth policies, including allocating state funds as well as some federal dollars for public transportation. 

Maryland and other mid-Atlantic/northeastern states dominated the list:

1) California
2) New York
3) Connecticut
4) Washington
5) Pennsylvania
6) New Jersey
7) Rhode Island
8) New Mexico
9) Colorado
10) Maryland

So which states are most at risk, according to NRDC? 

Continue reading "Maryland fighting its oil addiction" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Gas prices
        

I mentioned this group the other day when I was telling you this is Auto Theft Awareness Month. What is the National Insurance Crime Bureau? It's a nonprofit organization that receives support from approximately 1,000 property/casualty insurance companies and works with law enforcement agencies to help identify, detect and prosecute insurance criminals (sounds sexy, doesn't it? like CSI for insurancegeeks).

The cool thing about this Web site is that you can tap into its database for vehicles that were stolen, but not recovered, or declared totaled by cooperating NICB members. Unlike other companies that charge you for this service, NICB offers it to you for free. We love free stuff here.

Continue reading "How to find out if the car you want was stolen" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Consumer protection, Consumer safety, Insurance
        

The high price of gas might make you stop paying at the pump.

Some gas station owners have banned credit-card transactions entirely. Others are charging more for the privilege of paying with plastic.

I have heard of stations locally --- on Falls Road in Hampden, on York Road in Timonium and near Taylor Avenue in Towson --- that have set two different prices per gallon of gas: one for those paying with cash and another for credit cards.

The difference can be as much as 10 or 12 cents a gallon. One of my friends, faced with the prospect of paying nine cents more per gallon, said she got back in her car and drove to another station.

She wisely did not pay the extra fees to use the ATM at the station, which would have charged her a fee --- along with her bank.

Why the difference?

Continue reading "Gas more expensive when paying with credit cards?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Credit cards, Gas prices
        

Most people probably knew you would pay a premium when you let the car rental place fill up the tank of the car you rented over a weekend. But $8 for a $4 gallon of gas? That's pretty unreasonable.

Now, after the state attorney general's office threatened to sue or fine the companies, the major car rental companies agreed to charge no more than 42 percent more than what local gas stations are charging.

That will cut fill-up rates by more than a third, but it will still be expensive, according to the story by Laura McCandlish: 

Beginning July 1, the state's eight major rental car companies will charge customers returning cars in Maryland no more than 42 percent over local pump prices. Hertz, the largest rental car company, agreed to charge no more than 35 percent more - or $5.40 when pump prices are $4 - or a $10 flat fee.

Hertz now charges BWI customers $7.99 a gallon, the highest in Maryland and around the country, Gansler said.

Hertz announced this week a nationwide program beginning July 1 to charge market rates plus a $6.99 service charge to refuel.

But even with this agreement, making refueling rates among the lowest in the nation, you save the most money if you pump it yourself, consumer experts say. 

Continue reading "Renting a car? Refuel it yourself." »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices
        

 
June 11's timely Urban Word of the Day (courtesy of Urban Dictionary) is

hypermiling: driving techniques and car mods aimed at increasing your gas mileage to the absolute max. Often practiced with a Toyota Prius or other hybrid vehicle.

Yoshi is hypermiling cross country this week. He is trying to go from Chicago to LA on one tank of gas!

The hypermilers in my story today were able to eek extra miles out of each gallon by making simple adjustments that frankly most driving instructors would approve of: driving at the speed limit and accelerating and braking gently, keeping tires inflated and decreasing other demands on energy such as idling, air conditioning and heavy loads.

And the savings eases all the pain sometimes felt from the rude gestures from their fellow motorists, although most hypermilers say they stay to the right and yield to faster drivers.

But on a week like this one, how do hypermilers survive the heat without AC?

They minimize it. Here are tips from Wayne Gerdes, of cleanmpg.com:

Continue reading "Hypermiling and air conditioning" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices
        

As of today, Maryland, like 23 other American states, is home to $4+ gas, AAA Mid-Atlantic reports. The higher prices can be found in the Washington suburbs and Hagerstown.

Gas Prices as of June 10, 2008

(Self-Serve Regular)

Continue reading "Gas prices more than $4 in Maryland" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices
        

Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, The Sun's travel guru, has posted links to traffic columnist Mike Dresser's tested detours to assist any road-trippers out there headed north toward New Jersey, NYC or New England.

As she points out, any moment spent idling in traffic wastes gasoline that could be used to get you closer to your destination. Makes driving miles out of the way seem worth it --- especially when you consider saving your tolls instead of giving them to Delaware.  

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Travel
        

Still wondering whether you to go road trippin' this weekend? The Sun has an excellent fuel cost calculator to help you gauge how much you'll spend on fuel if you load up the kids for a weekend getaway. (Updated: AAA also has a fuel cost calculator that automatically plugs in estimated distances and fuel costs --- more of a ballpark figure.)

Of course, this doesn't include tolls, lower gas mileage due to AC/idling in traffic, and any number of other contingencies ... like if you add a detour to see Tulsa's Giant Oil Man to your itinerary.

Then again, you could always get someone else to drive ...  

Continue reading "How expensive is your road trip?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Gas prices, How To, Travel
        

Remember, the free Car Care Clinics organized by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and the Maryland Department of the Environment are coming up next week and through the month of June.

Check out this list of dates to get a free inspection by Precision Tune Auto Care. 

For more tips on easing your commute's impact on the environment and your wallet, go to www.cleancommute.org. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices
        

Retail gas prices hit record highs for a ninth day in a row, according to auto travelers group AAA, as the nationwide average for a gallon of regular unleaded hit $3.787, up from the previous high of $3.776.

Due to those high gas prices, AAA predicts that the nmber of Americans traveling during the Memorial Day holiday will drop compared to the previous year. This is the first decrease in Memorial Day travel projections and marks an indication of summer travel trends. 

About 37.87 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, AAA says, a decrease of nearly 360,000 travelers from last year's total.

AAA also expects that more travelers will stay closer to home this year, which means local tourist attractions could reap the benefits of higher gas prices.

I haven't made any vacation plans yet so I'm not sure how this affects me. Anyone out there changing their summer plans because of high gas prices?  

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Energy/Utilities, Travel