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Posts Tagged ‘Prius’

Yesterday it was a Ford recall, and today it’s Toyota.

Toyota is recalling nearly a quarter of a million vehicles because of a braking problem.

The Japanese automaker said Wednesday the global recall would affect 242,000 Prius and Lexus hybrid cars made between March and October 2009.  Toyota (TM) said it had received more than 90 complaints from drivers who said they needed to step more heavily on the brake pedal than they were used to.  A spokeswoman said a flaw was allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, reducing the effectiveness of the brakes.  There were no reports of accidents or injuries, she said.  Most of the cars affected are in Japan, where 117,000 vehicles are being recalled, followed by 91,000 in North America, 30,000 in Europe and smaller numbers in other markets.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., said it would inspect the brake booster pump assembly on recalled Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles and replace it if necessary.  Toyota has been struggling to repair its reputation for reliability and safety after a series of recalls affecting millions of vehicles in recent years.

In April, Toyota said it was recalling 1.7 million cars around the world, including some popular Corolla, Matrix and Tundra models, due to problems with airbags.

Last October, the world’s biggest automaker recalled over 7 million cars because of a power window problem that posed a fire risk.

REPOSTED BY MIDWEST GLASS TINTERS FROM: http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/05/news/toyota-recall/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

There are a lot of vehicles to choose from this year, but Consumer Reports has made it easier by choosing their top picks in 10 categories.

The selection is based on 3 criteria:

• Road test. Each must rank at or near the top of its category in overall test score.
• Reliability. Each must have earned an average or better predicted-reliability Rating, based on the problems Consumer Reports subscribers reported on 1.2 million vehicles in CR’s latest Annual Auto Survey.
• Safety. Top Picks must perform adequately if tested in crash or rollover tests conducted by the government or insurance industry.

Each model’s overall road-test score, predicted-reliability Rating, overall fuel economy, detailed pricing, and much more is available on their model pages. Prices reflect the sticker prices when we bought our tested cars.

Follow are Consumer Reports’ Top Picks in each category:

Budget Car - Hyundai Elantra

Compact Car - Subaru Impreza

Green Car - Toyota Prius

Luxury Car - Audi A6

Midsize Sedan - Honda Accord

Midsized SUV – Toyota Highlander

Mini Van – Honda Odyssey

Small SUV - Honda CR-V

Sports Car - Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ

Sport Sedan - BMW 328i

And all of these vehicles would look even more sleek and elegant with their windows tinted by Midwest Glass Tinters.  Call us today for a quote or to make an appointment at 847-438-1133.

READ MORE:  http://autos.yahoo.com/news/consumer-reports-top-picks-2013-174823108.html

TODAY, The Chicago Auto Show is pitching an alt-fuel road rally that’s likely to be far quicker than the one that inspired it more than a century ago.

Thirteen vehicles ranging from the Tesla Model S all-electric to the Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid to the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in to the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid will challenge each other in a rally that will start at the city’s McCormick Place and run about four hours.

The race is inspired by 1895′s Chicago Times-Herald Motor Race, regarded as the first road rally in US history. That “race” featured six vehicles attempting the 50-mile round trip between Chicago and Evanston, IL. Just two of the six vehicles finished, with the winner – a Duryea, pictured – crossing the finish line in about nine hours, according to The Henry Ford Museum website.

For anyone keeping track, That Racing Channel recently staged a drag race with a Model S and a Volt. The Tesla finished a quarter mile almost five seconds (and at 20 miles per hour) faster than the Volt.

Rounding out the Chicago Rally are the Nissan Leaf all-electric; Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in; Tesla Roadster EV; Toyota’s Prius and Prius C hybrids and Prius plug-in hybrid; a Volkswagen Passat TDI diesel; a Via Motors Silverado extended-range plug-in; and a Smith Electric Delivery Vehicle.

Reprinted by Midwest Glass Tinters

READ MORE:   http://green.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/chicago-auto-show-recreate-1895-road-rally-alt-fuel/

Competition within the auto industry continues to be tough.  With rising gas prices and more hybrid and electric choices, some auto makers had to make hard decisions resulting in the discontinuation of at least nine well-known autos for 2013.

Daimler’s Maybach  - Going after the same market at the Rolls Royce, Maybach failed to find an audience, selling only 7 cars in 2012 as compared to 224 for Rolls Royce.

Chevrolet Avalanche - Due to slipping sales over the past  six years, and in the face of higher fuel prices and the greater availability of crew-cab trucks, Chevy has decided not to re-engineer the Avalanche as part of its new collection of full-sized pick-ups.

Mercedes R-Class - Too tall to be a wagon and too short for an SUV, the R-class resembled a hearse when dressed in Mercedes black, and never really took off.

Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country  - Chrysler will likely eliminate one of their two mini-vans.  Which one remains to be seen.

Jeep Liberty - Regularly roasted by Consumer Reports, as “noisy, cramped, and outdated,” production of the Liberty was halted this month when its production facility was shut down to retool for a new Fiat-based Jeep.

Kia Sedona - Kia’s minivan, which is disappearing for the 2013 model year, is expected to reappear retooled and revived  possibly as soon as the 2014 model year.

READ MORE:  http://money.cnn.com/gallery/autos/2012/08/22/cars-dead-models.fortune/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

As we mentioned in a previous post, Midwest Glass Tinters of Deer Park has the opportunity to tint some really high-end cars.  We recently tinted a Fiskar Karma, which is a beautiful vehicle, and obviously one that only a select group of wealthy drivers will ever have an opportunity to own.

Aside from Karmas, though, what other vehicles are the wealthy driving?  CNBC recently answered that question based on research done by Truecar.com.  While some vehicles, like BMW and Mercedes, were expected, others were somewhat surprising.  Following is a list of the top 10 cars the wealthy in the U.S. are driving:

1.  Mercedes-Benz E-Class – A runaway favorite, the $51,365 E-Class was a top hit in wealthy U.S. cities.

2.  BMW 328i - The $35,795 BMW 328i is also a top pick for discriminating drivers in the U.S.

3.  At $36,095, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class comes in third, particularly in zip codes where residents earn an average income of $659,000.

4.  In fourth position, is the Lexus RX Luxury SUV at $39,950, a big hit in wealthy areas where the average income is $633,000 a year.

5.  Interestingly, the eco-friendly Toyota Prius is one of the most popular cars in three very affluent zip codes where residents’ average income is $672,000 a year.

6.  Coming in sixth place is the Volkswagen Jetta at $26,085.  Despite the fact that residents in the communities where the Jetta is most popular make an average of $782,000 a year, this low-profile, reliable vehicle is a big hit.

7.  In Manhattan’s 10274 zip code, despite the high incomes of residents, many are more than happy to drive the $23,070 Honda Accord, which is one of the most popular cars among Manhattan’s drivers.

8.  The BMW X5 luxury SUV comes in 8th in popularity among wealthy drivers in the U.S.  At $58,595, it’s one of the most popular vehicles in areas where the average income of $5,711,000.

9.  The $25,535 Toyota Camry  has long been Americans’ reasonably-priced mid-size car of choice, even in high income areas such as downtown Chicago, where drivers tend to drive non-luxury vehicles like the Camry, Honda, Volkswagen and Jeep.

10.  Rounding out the top ten is the $29,575 Honda CRV, which is not only one of the most popular cars among the wealthy in Manhattan; it’s driven by working class and middle class Manhattan residents as well.

If you’re driving one of these vehicles, you’re certainly in good company, and if you get your vehicle’s windows tinted by Midwest Glass Tinters of Deer Park, you’ll be even cooler.

READ MORE:  http://autos.yahoo.com/news/-what-the-wealthy-are-driving.html

With increased automaker emphasis on safety and stricter seatbelt laws, auto accidents are at an all-time low.   However, fatal crashes still occur — at a national rate of one every 16 minutes according to 2010 statistics.

Trying to find a vehicle that is safe, fuel efficient and works for your lifestyle is always a challenge.  When considering a smaller vehicle, keep in mind that all things being equal, smaller vehicles, due to their lighter weight will usually tend to do worse in a crash than heavier vehicles; so it’s important to really research the safety rating of a small vehicle before buying one.

Fortunately, Forbes.com has provided us with an overview of the 10 Top Safety picks for 2012 in the small car category according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  To qualify, a car must get top scores in front, side, rollover and rear-end crashes, so it’s not easy to earn the top spot.  Following are 10 that did:

Audi A3

Buick Verano

Chevy Cruze

Chevy Sonic

Chevy Volt

Lexus CT 200h

Mazda 3

Scion tC

Subaru Impreza

Toyota Prius

Along the lines of safety, keep in mind that auto glass tint can even further protect your car in case of a crash.  Window film applied to your auto will hold shattered shards of glass together so they won’t injure  you or your passengers.  Auto tint also protects you and your passengers from over exposure to the sun’s rays, and helps keep your car safe from thieves.  For more information go to www.midwestglasstinters.net

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