2008 SEMA Show Highlight: Hemi Jeep

 

by Tim Joseph

The 2008 SEMA show is going on in Las Vegas right now and the pictures we’re seeing are very interesting to say the least. SEMA is the self described premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world.

I found this photo to be particularly interesting. It’s a V8 Hemi powered Jeep Wrangler. A 7.0L 426 HEMI with 665 horses under the hood. While I haven’t seen anything to indicate that it’s built for speed or torque, I’m sure it offers an ample amount of each. The Jeep is code named Orange Crush and they didn’t say if it’s because you’ll have a crush on the vehicle or it’ll crush you.

Dick Scott Motormall

Could Chrysler Merge With Nissan?

by Tim Joseph

There have been a lot of talks lately about Chrysler and thier future. GM and Chrysler are talking about a possible merger or takeover. Cerberus seems to want to get out of the auto business and now may be a good time. A deal like this would be good for GM because it could reduce their operating costs substantially. Now there are rumors that Renault-Nissan have had talks to buy Chrysler. The rumors go as far as saying that Nissan Executives have been to the United States and have even toured the Chrysler World HQ in Auburn Hills. Carlos Ghosn is said to have a team in America analyzing the potential purchase.

While Renault spokespeople have denied any such talks, Nissan had this to say. “We have three deals with Chrysler right now, for some cars and trucks, that have been reported earlier this year,” said Fred Standish, spokesman for Nissan North America. “We are keeping lines open with Chrysler to discuss any other potential future deals. But we have nothing to announce right now.”

A simple “We cannot confirm nor deny that” would have been sufficient.

“I think that when people talk about consolidation, they imagine company A buying company B. We know this does not work,” Ghosn said at a grand opening celebration of the company’s new North American headquarters in Nashville, Tenn. “Company A buying company B is guaranteed destruction of value after a while.”

Ghosn went on to say that strategic alliances such as Renault-Nissan do work. Nissan owns 15% of Renault while Renault owns 44% of Nissan.

In July Ghosn commented on a possible Chrysler-Nissan alliance by stating “With Chrysler, we have OEM deals like we have with Mitsubishi, like we have with Suzuki,” Ghosn said. “Nothing more nothing less.” While earlier this month Bob Nardelli was reportedly quoted as saying he has met with Carlos Ghosn several times and Renault-Nissan could be a “strategic buyer” for Chrysler.

Most analysts agree that the Renault-Nissan-Chrysler deal makes more sence than selling to General Morots. Cerberus apparently doesn’t want to break Chrysler up and sell it in pieces. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

When Life Gives You Lemons

by Tim Joseph

… Make Lemonade.

It has been a busy week here at Dick Scott. Since announcing late last week that Chrysler Financial will cease it’s leasing programs we have been flooded with customers coming in to lease new vehicles. While it has been busy, it has been good for us. One week after the big announcement comes another announcement. Chrysler CEO, Bob Nardelli gave us a peak at things to come when he said “If we’re successful with some of our discussions relative to alliances or partnerships you very well could see some new platforms, some new vehicles out next year.”

Way back on June 17th we showed you a picture of what many people believe is the vehicle that Nissan will be building for Chrysler within the next couple years. Nardelli was not specific as to which vehicle could be coming down the pipeline next year. Chrysler has also been in talks with Chery Automobile Co. to bring a Chinese vehicle to America. They have also reportedly been in talks with Fiat.

“For sure we’ve got a strong lineup coming in 2010 with all of the traditional brands,” Nardelli said, “but more fuel efficiency, better performance, better fit, better finish, a lot more consumer-oriented responses.” It’s music to our ears.

Fuel Economy Series Part 4

by Tim Joseph

Nempimania: An obsession with getting the best fuel economy possible.

If you’re really feeling it at the pump and have enjoyed out series then quite possibly you have Nempimania. I know I do. I’ve talked a lot about trading your car for one that’s more fuel efficient or how to track your fuel economy. I’ve also told you how much money you can save with Nitrogen and how to calculate that savings. Now I’m going to give you some tips on how to maximize your fuel usage and save money. Imagine if everyone in America reduced their fuel usage by 20%. Most likely it would cause the investors to sell their shares in crude oil and cause the price to fall. I ended up only spending $10 on gas this week compared to $16 last week and $20 the week before. I have cut my gas costs in half. Just by using these techniques.

Observe The Speed Limit – Each 5mph you drive over 60 costs you $0.20 per gallon for gas.
Remove Excess Weight – This affects smaller vehicles more than large vehicles but the general rule of thumb is every extra 100 pounds in your vehicle will cost you 2%. At $4/gallon it costs you $0.08 per gallon.
Avoid Excessive Idling – You get 0 mpg when you idle.
Use Cruise Control – It helps you maintain a constant speed and will save you gas.
Use Overdrive Gears – If you have an automatic transmission, make sure you use the over drive gear.
Keep your Engine Tuned – Engines that are out of tune cost you 4% at the pump
Check and Replace Air Filters – Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your gas mileage by 10%.
Keep Tires Properly Inflated – 1 psi drop costs you 0.4% and it can add up quickly.
Keep Your Oil Changed – Not only will it make you engine run longer but it’ll save you at the pump.

Personally, I have been shifting at 2,000 RPM’s. Also, I’ve been shifting into neutral down hills and when coming to a stop. This will bring your RPM’s down a lot, let your engine run easier and save you a lot of money.

In Part 5 I will highlight Dick Scott’s most fuel efficient vehicles at each of our dealerships. That will close out our Fuel Economy series but whenever we hear of ways that will save you money at the pump, we’ll pass them along.

To get into a more fuel efficient vehicle, please contact:
Dodge – 800-571-6906
Motormall – 800-486-2415
Kia – 800-730-9872
Nissan – 800-504-8536

All-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Wins Ward’s Interior of the Year Award

from: TheAutoChannel.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 4 — Ward’s judges named the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country “Interior of the Year” at the 2008 Ward’s Auto Interiors Show, the publication’s annual auto interior event. The prestigious top award emphasizes Town & Country’s place as the premium minivan in the segment.
“Best-interiors nominees included the usual smattering of utility vehicles, from the sporty Mazda CX-9 to the sophisticated Volkswagen Touareg 2,” said Eric Mayne, Editor – Ward’s Automotive Reports. “But the Chrysler Town & Country’s rich content and well-executed functionality made it the consensus winner.”
The Chrysler Town & Country’s seating and storage features gave it the leg-up in the 10-judge interior competition. The industry-exclusive Swivel ‘n Go(TM) seating group was praised for its ability to face third-row passengers, and in-floor storage bins designed from the Stow ‘n Go(TM) seating system provided a great solution to help eliminate unnecessary interior clutter.
“(Ward’s AutoWorld) Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter swooned over the rich suede micro-fiber that accented the first- and second-row seats,” Mayne said. “Finished in pearlescent white leather, the seating surfaces invoked macho Drew to use the L-word (love). But just as a successful campaign helps politicians cut through the clutter, a well-designed interior helps motorists manage it. On this issue, the Town & Country is a clear winner.”
Read more at: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/04/088960.html

Dick Scott Motormall – 800-486-2415
Dick Scott Dodge – 800-571-6906

2008 Kia Sorento Wins Top Award

by Tim Joseph

Recently the 2008 Kia Sorento received top ranking in the AutoPacific 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards in the midsize SUV category.

“Sorento’s recognition by AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards shows that you don’t have to spend a lot to be satisfied with your new vehicle purchase,” said Tom Loveless, vice president, sales of Kia Motors America (KMA). “In these difficult economic times, it is good to know that you can still purchase an SUV with great amenities, options and standard safety features, and be satisfied with your decision.”

The VSA awards are based on survey responces of more than 34,000 people. The respondents purchased their vehicles between September and December 2007 base their answer on 46 46 attributes for importance in the purchase decision and satisfaction after purchase.

You’ll remember that I recently fell in love with a Sorento. It is just one piece of a great lineup that Kia offers. They’re difnately moving forward as a company.

Nissan Scratch Shield

by Tim Joseph

Lets file this one under “This Rocks!”

Have you ever been washing your car and noticed a ton of scratches all over it? I hate when that happens. All the polishing and buffing you have to do to get the paint to look nice. I guess if the car sat inside the house somewhere where nothing touched it this wouldn’t be a problem. Cars are driven on the road and parked in public lots and as much as we love them, they don’t look perfect forever.

Aparently Nissan engineers don’t like their cars being scratched either. They’ve developed a new paint that is more scratch resistant than conventional clearcoats. This helps maintain the showroom look for a longer period of time. On top of that the paint repairs fine scratches by itself. It will have five times less scratches than a vehicle with a conventional clearcoat. The process takes anywhere from one day to one week. Honestly, I won’t mind the wait.

The paint is made with a highly elastic resin combined with a conventional clearcoat which increases the paint’s flexibility. Why didn’t I think of that? This also increases its strength by raising the resin density. See the graphics below-

It is unclear when this technology will be available on your favorite Nissan model. It is already being offered on some Infiniti vehicles. Now if they could only make a metal that repairs itself when it gets dented…

If you’re interested in a new Nissan vehicle, contact Dick Scott Nissan 800-504-8536

Kia To Build Small Cars In America

by Tim Joseph

Kia Motors America is in the process of building an assemply plant in West Point, GA. The initial plans where to build a pickup truck in this facility. Becuase of the rising cost of gas Kia/Hyundai have decided to instead build small fuel efficient cars.

As of right now, the only vehicle I am absolutely sure they will be producing in Georgia is the Sorento,” said Alex Fedorak, who heads public relations for Kia Motors America

The plant is scheduled to open in November 2009 and will employ about 2,500 people. It could produce as many as 300,000 vehicles. Sorento will probably not be the only vehicle built in the plant. Hyundai and Kia plan to share technology and parts.

“The days are gone when only one car was built at one plant,” said Michael Robinet, an analyst for CSM Worldwide.

To schedule a test drive Kia today, contact Dick Scott Kia at 800-730-9872

Two New Models Roll Off The Line

by Tim Joseph

Today the first of the all new 2008 Dodge Challengers rolled off the assembly line.

“Even though the development time for this Dodge Challenger SRT8 is one of the shortest in Chrysler’s history, the wait for this exciting car has been too long, and the wait is finally over,” said Frank Ewasyshyn, executive vice-president of manufacturing.

The Challenger is being build at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario.

Yesterday, the newly redesigned 2009 Nissan Maxima rolled off the line at the Smyrna, Tennessee plant.

“Even though it’s a down market, our sales goals (for the Maxima) are higher than last year’s,” Castignetti said. “This is going to be the best flagship in our history.”

They’re on their way! If you’re interested, please contact:

Dick Scott Dodge – 800-571-6906

Dick Scott Nissan – 800-504-8536

Gayot.com Top 10’s

by Tim Joseph

With the price of gas soaring to new heights people must make changes in their lifestyle to compensate. $4 a gallon used to sound like an idol threat but now it’s a reality. Many people have already taken advantage of programs like Chrysler’s $2.99/gallon guarentee. Others are buying smaller, inexpensive, more fuel efficient vehicles. But finding the right small car to trade your nice SUV is for can be a daunting task.

Gayot.com (guy-OH), a dining and travel review website named after Andre Gayot, offers us a little help with their Top 10 Best Small Cars and Top 10 Best Value Automobiles.

The Nissan Versa was present on both lists! Great job Versa! With its high crash test rating, 36 mpg and sub-$13k base price it would look good on anyone’s list.

Kia Rio and Rio5 made the best small car list. Starting at under $11k and producing 32 mpg the Rio keeps a lot more money in your pocket where it belongs.

The Kia Sedona showed up on the best value list. The website describes it as “A powerful, roomy and versatile family hauler with a low, low price.”

We could sit and brag about our vehicles all day long but its more convincing to our customers when other people do the bragging for us.

If you are interested in a Versa, Rio or the $2.99/gallon offer, please call:

Dick Scott Nissan at 800-504-8536
Dick Scott Kia at 800-730-9872
Dick Scott Dodge at 800-571-6906
Dick Scott Motormall at 800-486-2415