Archive for the ‘Shoppers’ Category

In case you haven't noticed, diesel and gasoline prices have now reversed their trends of the past several years. Now diesel is considerably cheaper than regular unleaded in most spots. Here on the West Coast, gasoline is averaging about $2.95 while diesel is at $2.70, according to the federal government, and even nationally (including some eastern and Gulf Coast states where diesel is still more expensive) the difference is up to about two pennies a gallon.

And over the past several years, the U.S. market has started to overcome many of its former reservations about diesel vehicles. The vast majority of them are smooth running and easy to...

What causes a particular vehicle to depreciate more than another of the same make, model, and year?

According to ordinary car shoppers, vehicle mileage is seen as the top reason for depreciation, ranking above accident damage, maintenance records, and other issues such as flood damage or title issues.

The surprising results come from a quick survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, conducted in June by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of the mega-dealer CarMax.

The most interesting tidbit: Women were more likely to recognize the impact that failure to properly maintain a vehicle can have on its value.

In a release, the company suggests that consumers...

In 2006, research outfit AutoPacific polled new car buyers in the U.S. and found that 44% intended to hold on to their vehicle for at least four years. One recession later, and the figure has risen to 59%. However, that may not be all bad news--at least not for buyers. The jump might be due to people shopping smarter: according to the company's George Petersen, buyers may be "putting a higher priority on vehicles with a reputation for quality and durability that meets not only their short-term needs, but also their long-term expected needs." And smarter is usually better in our book. [AutoPacific via MP]