Archive for the ‘Mechanics and Service’ Category

Although this summer's Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program provided the right kind of push for some owners to replace their guzzling jalopies with new cars, it's probably not so surprising that new-vehicle buyers plan to hold on to their vehicles longer than ever before. So-called "rapid replacers" have backed off on plans to get what's hot almost every year, while a growing number of buyers are keeping vehicles for six years or more. Other families hobble along with second or third vehicles that have well over 100,000 miles.

According to AutoPacific's 2009 New Vehicle Satisfaction survey, conducted this spring, about 59 percent of recent...

Buying a vehicle from a smaller manufacturer or from one that uses advanced technology can come with a special set of headaches -- especially on the maintenance front. They're not typically the sort of cars you can schlep down to Pet Boys on your lunch hour; they require the attentions of a specialist. To address such concerns, Tesla has announced a new house-call service that sends technicians right to your door. Of course, those Tesla Rangers, as they're called, don't come free, charging $1 per round-trip mile from the nearest service center. And FYI, there are currently four service centers in the U.S., on the East and West Coasts. So,...