1. HYUNDAI GENESIS FIVE STAR RATING

    August 29, 2008 by mycarlady

    Las Vegas, NV–                   genesis gets 5 star crash test rating

    The NHTSA ranks the Hyundai Genesis with a five star safety crash test rating in FRONT and SIDE-impact crashes, the highest ranking available.  Once again, Hyundai is proving their quality assurance is that of Toyota, Lexus, and many luxury models costing tens of thousands more dollars.

    The Genesis is the newest Hyundai vehicle to achieve the highest safety ranking, joining the balance of the Hyundai product line; the Entourage van, Sonata, Elantra sedans, Veracruz, Tucson and Santa Fe suv’s.  Let those discounting the Korean automaker’s rise from humble beginnings recognize the careful evolution of a car company similar to that of the Japan3 thirty years ago, now building vehicles in the American heartland. 

    Welcome a new era of recognition for value based transportation wrapped in style and standing ground in common sense and engineering achievements. Boasting eight airbags and an electronic active head restraint system envied by many Mercedes Benz and BMW owners, the Genesis has sold over 1500 units in it’s first six weeks on the market. Dealers report clients eager to place deposits for the upcoming V8 – 375hp, 4.6liter, 32-valve engine due out by year end.  

    To see a video review test drive of the Genesis click here: YOU TUBE

    READ about the 2009 Car of the Year: GENESIS


  2. Auto loans feel credit crunch.

    August 25, 2008 by mycarlady

    8/24/08 Las vegas, NV

          If you run your own credit via an online service, DON’T bet on that score when shopping car loans. The car banks; factory captives, local credit unions and independent banks are creating their own model to determine the lowest possible risk of repossesions.  No longer is a 700 FICO an automatic shoo-in to the lowest interest rate or a second car. 

    “Recently a client wanted to have her father co-sign for her first car,” a salesman told me, “and the bank said no because he had signed on the car loans of two other children. His score was 720, the other children were making the payments perfectly, and his debt to income was in line. The bank said no. Too many cars.”

    Add to this concern of too much auto debt, a growing list of car companies opting out of leasing. In the car market today, the bank controls the car deal more than the dealership. Today the average car loan is 6 years/72 mos. and some banks will offer 84 month loans on cars worth more than $45,000, to those with 720+ scores and a low debt ratio

    Add to the car loan debacle, if a consumer visits many dealers and allows their credit to be run too often or the dealer sends the application to too many banks, the consumer shopping can find him/herself burned out by too many inquiries to the WRONG financial institutions. 

    So what can a consumer do to protect themselves?  Don’t run your credit at every dealership you visit. When you find the car you want, settle on the price and then run the credit report. Ask to see the report to be sure the information on your report is correct, and you see the numbers. Any score under 700 is no longer an automatic A tier. In fact, some car companies now deem anything under a 700 score an automatic B tier, suggesting a higher interest rate.

    Be prepared to have 10% cash down or a trade-in with equity. If you have a car that you owe more than it is worth, double the cash down. Rebates on some models may help reduce the cash out of pocket, but don’t expect to lower your current payment without some financial participation. 

    If you have had a repossession, bankruptcy, foreclosure or multiple late payments on your auto loans, be ready to show proof of income, residence, tax returns and more. Second chance financing is popular in many states, but you need to understand the process before grabbing the keys.  Understand the interest rates of 20% plus are not unusual in states without usary laws. Simple interest contracts vs. compounded are often misunderstood by individuals with credit challenges, so  ask which contract you are signing, BEFORE signing.   The N.Y Times recently reported car loans for high risk clients are at an all-time high, along with defaults.

    Car dealers everywhere see more rough road ahead as consumers once boasting 700 scores and those facing financial hardships find they are no longer on the upside of the negotiation and the bank isn’t making deals.

    SLM- www.mycarlady.com


  3. 6.7 Cummins DPF remains a BUYBACK issue.

    August 17, 2008 by mycarlady

    8/17/08 Las Vegas, NV

    In a private conversation with some Dodge insiders, the company knows they have issues and are quietly resolving the worst repeat visit offenders with buyback offers. That is not to say the process has been easy. If you own a Dodge, Chrysler or Jeep vehicle you should have a small pamphlet in your manual package. It describes the ARBITRATION process Dodge employs with unhappy customers and unfix-able vehicles.

    In simple language here’s what it says:  Prove you have been to the dealership at least four times for the EXACT SAMPLE problem. (You must have dealership service paperwork with specific customer complains about this:…. in the language of the paperwork,)

    Contact your dealership service manager and let he/she know (as a courtesy) that you are filing an arbitration complaint about the vehicle.

    Once the paperwork (per the forms and instructions in the little brochure) has been sent REGISTERED MAIL, return receipt requested), the factory will contact you via their “unhappy customer” department. The folks I’ve spoken to their, especially Bobbie, have been REALLY nice and handle things very professionally.

    Yo may have to show for an appointment with the regional service manager, however, if all the documentation prevails, the third party administrator will make a recommendation.  You may decide all this paperwork is too much out of your life, so hire a lawyer. It’s fine to hire a lawyer, as long as he/she knows manufacturer defect law or is VERY knowledgable about arbitration procedure, but it’s not inexpensive, (Hey, neither was the truck).

    This process can take up to six months to complete. The factory has bought trucks back, paid off loans and leases or offered extended warranties where applicable. The bigger issue is for those who have fallen out of the warranty period while enduring all the DPF/regen issues from the beginning of the 2007 release. For those owners, a lifetime warranty on the turbo, engine and all replated parts may be a resolution, but that is up to you. It’s as much the inconvenience and down time, lost work and aggravation as it is the wearing of the parts over the life expectancy of the truck. Dodge Cummins owners have not been rewarded for their loyalty in this latest incarnation, and it is time the factory responded. Don’t give up, go forward.

    Continue reading on the Dodge Cummins 6.7 diesel issues.

    Many readers of this blog have asked about “class-action” type lawsuits. I haven’t heard of any active yet, but as soon as I do, I promise to let you know. If you want to send me your information to alert you directly (because you don’t subscribe to this blog) feel free to contact me via my website: www.mycarlady.com

    Yours, SLM: MY CARLADY


  4. 2009 DODGE woos Ram loyalists.

    by mycarlady

     

    2009 Dodge RAM 1500

    2009 Dodge RAM 1500

    8/16/08 – LAS VEGAS, NV

    The 2009 debuted to a crowd of critical skeptics this week. Welcome DODGE sales people, many are repeat owners.  From the exterior the new nose sports the aggressive slant from the Charger. I’m not sure I’m in love with the slanted headlamps or the rectangular fog lamps. It remionds me of the square headlamps Jeep tried awhile ago. Sometimes you just like things left alone, but I digress. The forward rake has been leveled off raising the body for a significant step-up, not easy in a skirt. (Girls do drive trucks.)  Dodge does offer the vertically challenged power adjustable pedals and side-steps for easier access. The bed boasts a locked, plastic-lined, 7.4 cubic inch cargo box neatly hidden in each side of the bed. The bed is lined with additional tie-down racking which narrows the interior significantly. A standard sheet of plywood is a tight squeeze.  New colors combinations give the truck a refreshed, professional look, most of the M&M colors are gone. Lots of accusations the styling has gone FORD or CHevylicious ie: boring.

    Inside the cabin choices are regular, quad and crew. The crew cab offers the immense back seat required for large men and long trips. Not as carnivorous as the MEGA-cab, it offers ample space and is available with a LONG-BED, something you couldn’t have with a MEGA-cab.  As you take in the view from the drivers seat you notice the windshield slant, which increases aerodynamics and visability while lowering wind drag fuel waste.  A tall person will have plenty of headroom, even with the optional moon-roof, (however, you may find the rear view mirror or headliner  in your line of sight if the seat is set too high. )

    Gone are the white dials on the dash, replaced with sophisticated gauges within gauges. A new onboard light indicates when the fuel-saving MDS (Multi-displacement System) is in mode.  Audio-controls, Homelink, power seats and on-board trip computer are still available within the TRX, Sport, SLT, and Laramie packages.  The fit and finish has been significantly upgraded to eliminate the cheap plastic feel. Safety in the form of next-generation side curtain airbags, front passenger airbag sensors, and park/tow assist when hitching-up are great standard features. Heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, double-stitched leather demonstrate Dodge’s attention to providing luxury materials without raising the price. The new armrest/desk/storage box has enough room for a purse. IN the floor storage is a nice play on the Stow ‘n Go in the floor storage compartment. This hide-away works as a six-pack cooler. If you are working from your truck, you’ll appreciate the integrated UConnect internet capability.  In addition to the ample space in the rear, the seats still fold up neatly and offer the flat-folding rear shelf for loading the backseat with boxes. Doors open wide for easy loading and unloading. Towing up to 9100 lbs. the fully boxed, hydro-formed frame guarantees a smooth ride when combined with the trailer-sway control, anti-spin differential and smart-sensing load leveling system that automatically adjusts for trailers, payload and body wieght distribution as you drive. 

    Driving the truck is another story of improvements and misnomers.  The suspension has been dampened to eliminate rough road ride in the cabin thanks to a new Multi-link rear coil package aided with automatic load leveling shocks. The steering is stiff. On the road course the truck never let the rear-end loose but the over-sized steering wheel (which houses a heating element) felt fat and hard to turn. The amount of wheel articulation during switch-back handling felt like under-steer at low speeds. If stiffness makes for a more cautious driving experience, I can’t complain too much. The engine accelerates swiftly without heavy foot pedaling and the transmission shifts with ease. Dual exhaust helps the 390hp 5.7 Hemi do it’s job with better fuel economy and gives up a throaty growl on lift-off. No herky-jerky hunting from 3rd to 5th. The 110 degree heat didn’t seem to bother the air conditioning during track activities but it’s still not as cold as the Japanese. I did notice a slight decrease in blower notion while idling, again in 100 degree heat.

    All in all, the interior improvements are a plus (9), the exterior gets a (9), but the nose is seriously a subjective call. I’d say improvements in handling, transmission, ride and drive is overall a 10. It’s a truck after all, not a luxury vehicle with a bed. 

    FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW 2009 DODGE RAM, CLICK HERE:http://www.youtube.com/v/NxDT6pIvauI  There are a few other videos on YouTube, but most are either DOdge factory plants or car mag stuff like this one from “worldcarfans”: http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/wKlwfoqJFWA/default.jpg

    For the best, NO-Hassle, FLEET PRICING deal anywhere in the US, visit www.mycarlady.com


  5. Get a Genesis lease for $399/mth while others cut ‘n run.

    August 10, 2008 by mycarlady
    2009 hyundai genesis

    2009 hyundai genesis

    As all the other car companies dump their leasing incentives, BMW the most significant player at $4800 a copy, Hyundai gets into it. Knowing the best way to overcome skeptiscm on a 40k product is with incentives, Hyundai offers the Genesis for an amazing $399.00 a month. Now who wouldn’t enjoy this car at that price for 36 mos. The worst case scenerio is explaining it’s a HYUNDAI to everyone you know.
    As the national campaign rolls out this week, get yours before the rush, most dealers have but one or two. This is the deal on the 6cyl. not the 4.6v8 coming soon.
    For more info check out my homespun video review and the five star crash test on You Tube.
    Get a great deal on your GENESIS ANYWHERE in the USA: WWW.MYCARLADY.COM

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