Issues
2005 Car Book “Best Bets”
Subcompact
Hyundai Accent
Mazda MX-5 Miata
MINI Cooper
BMW Z4
Hyundai Tiburon
Volkswagen Beetle
Compact
Hyundai Elantra
Audi A4
BMW 3-Series
Honda Civic
Nissan Sentra
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Golf/Jetta
Volvo 40 Series
Intermediate
Lexus ES 300
Toyota Avalon
Acura TL
Honda Accord
Hyundai Sonata/Kia Optima
Lincoln LS/Jaguar S-Type
Mazda 6
Toyota Camry
Volvo 60 Series
Volkswagen Will Budge on Complaints About Sludge
Sunday, March 20, 2005 Christopher JensenPlain Dealer Columnist
Borrego Springs, Calif. Volkswagen Passat owners who did not get help from Volkswagen with repairs to sludge-damaged engines should try again, says Len Hunt, the vice president in charge of Volkswagen in the United States.
Hunt said dealers have been told they can be more lenient about helping consumers who were not grossly negligent when it comes to oil changes.
SUV’s Category description
SUV’s are the most popular cars in America. The Center for Auto Safety is improving awareness of safety issues and defects in these increasingly popular vehicles.
Lawsuits Category Description
The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is the most respected source of legal information and data related to vehicle safety and manufacturer defects. Every day CAS fights to make sure consumers are aware of their rights as vehicle owners and pending litigations related to their cars.
Defect Investigations Category Description
The Center for Auto Safety works tirelessly to ensure that you, the consumer, are aware of government defect investigations that may protect you in a collision and save you money on vehicle repairs.
Crown Vic Category Description
At least 22 law enforcement officers have been killed in fiery collisions involving Ford’s Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, due to an inadequate fuel system. The civilian platform of these vehicles includes the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car, all with the same faulty fuel system. Ford has fixed the police vehicles, but refuses to recall the civilian cars.
Best Bets Category Description
“Best Bets” are drawn from information in The Car Book’s Buying Guide, and are based on expected performance in ten categories (crash tests, safety features, fuel economy, rollover, overall, maintenance and repair costs, warranties, insurance costs, and complaints), with the greatest emphasis placed on crash test performance and complaints. Vehicles are organized by size class for your convenience.
You may purchase a copy of The Car Book here.
Airbags Category Description
Airbags can significantly reduce the chance of death or injury in an accident. Defective airbags, however, can cause serious harm to drivers. The Center for Auto Safety is working to ensure that airbags are properly engineered and truly protect occupants in collisions.