Category Archives: Media News

One of the hardest tasks for a new driver is parallel parking. Even the most experienced drivers avoid it fearing to hit another vehicle, scratch the car against kerb stones or select a space that is too small. Today parallel parking is so easy with the new Ford Focus Automatic Parking System. Of course automotive industry has seen similar self-parking systems before, but the new Focus is the smallest and most affordable car that uses this technology. The Ford Focus is a C-segment vehicle with a starting MSRP of $16,995.  Active park assist uses sensors which are placed on the front and back of the car for guiding it …

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When dealing with car dealers, you as a potential car buyer need to be very careful in order not to become a victim of car dealer fraud.  Here are two of the newest car scams you should learn about. Spot Delivery The scenario of this scam is as follows.  When you decide which car you are going to buy and are ready to fill out all the paperwork , the car dealer tells you that your loan hasn’t been “officially” approved yet, but you can drive the car home. You are satisfied with the dealer’s proposal and drive the car home without thinking about possible consequences. A few days …

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Buying a car is not fun, we all know that, but in case you are not very careful you can get ripped off in this process without even knowing it. Instructions 1. Tell the dealer that you are not going to discuss rebates until you agree on the price of the car. Usually rebates are planned to attract new car buyers into the showroom, and they do. The manufacturer directly sends the rebates they have no bearing on the price you negotiate for your new car. Never let a rebate determine the price you will pay, stick to the number you have in your head then have the rebate …

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Responding to Toyota Motor Corp.’s acceleration crisis, a subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce opened hearings on proposed legislation sponsored by the group’s chairman, Henry J. Waxman, a Democrat of California. The aim of the hearing is to reshape auto safety regulations and increase potential fines against automakers for violating safety laws. The new legislation would create at least half a dozen new safety rules and standards. All new motor vehicles will be required to have the so-called black boxes or event data recorders, and brake override systems. As H.J. Waxman stated in one of the interviews this will give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration …

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If you get a call offering extended coverage, hang up and then complain By Herb Weisbaum msnbc.com contributor | ConsumerMan One of the most obnoxious and deceptive marketing campaigns I have ever seen is taking place right now. It uses postcards, letters, and phone calls to sell outrageously priced extended warranties.  Read the complete Auto warranty company launch sleazy scam story.

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The owner of Maita Auto Sales in Sacramento, Mohamad Maita, turned himself in to authorities after a warrant for his arrest was issued for five felony counts of insurance fraud. He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail, with bond set at $50,000. The California Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Branch Fraud Division conducted an investigation that revealed Maita, 30, filed claims against his commercial insurance policy stating vehicles at his dealership were either vandalized or stolen and recovered at a total loss. Maita purportedly submitted fraudulent documents from auto auction yards overstating the cost of the vehicles. Investigators uncovered the inconsistency when comparing the original auction paperwork to …

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Pursuant to the California law car dealers have the right to add a document fee of $55 to each auto purchase contract. Taking into consideration that the preparation of documents is the part of the dealer’s business, the law should not allow the dealers to charge extra money for this. However, this year car dealers decided to sponsor a bill in the California Legislature and raise the cost of this service from $55 up to $65. This will cost California consumers an approximate $40 million every year. The bill was passed by the Assembly, but this week the author of the bill withdrew the bill in the face of …

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  Whitehall Discovery Ford owner/manager Tony Nielsen was sentenced to jail for felony fraud. The former owner of the dealership has confessed that earned more than $300,000. He had defrauded hundreds of customers an extended warranty scam and failure to pay off loans on traded-in cars.  Nielsen owned and Discovery Ford located at operated 3001 W. Holton-Whitehall in Whitehall Township from April 2005 through August 2006. Starting November 2006 the dealership had a new owner and was named Whitehall Ford.   The investigation of this case took more than a year and was very complicated. During the investigation the state police had to interview more than 400 people and …

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General Motors (GM) has been asked by the Consumer Commission to pay Rs three lakh in compensation to the widow of an advocate, who was sold a defective car, drawing him into a legal hassle till his death. Ruling that the manufacturer is liable for sale of defective goods, the Commission presided by Justice J D Kapoor asked the GM’s subsidiary to pay damages to the widow of G L Sanghi, whose car malfunctioned from the day of purchase itself. Sanghi was not even delivered the original keys of his brand new car which he had purchased on December two, 1996 from GM’s local dealer Regent Automobiles in New …

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The Pennsylvania Attorney General has recently filed a civil lawsuit against Value Kia located at Essington Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia and the Value Kia located at East Lincoln Highway in Coatesville. In the result of the settlement the above mentioned local auto-dealerships have agreed to pay 250-thousand dollars for deceptive advertising and other fraudulent practices. The investigation revealed that the dealerships made false promises to customers, such as: “Free Vehicle with any vehicle purchase” “Up to $12,000 off new cars” “YOU CHOOSE! $1,500 cash with any vehicle purchase or 60″ color projection television just $1 with any vehicle purchase.” There were also other ads that offered consumers a five …

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