automotive technology & car buying tips
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Automobile manufacturers are placing the newest and best tech toys in all manners of vehicles today, from the most expensive luxury car to your average family sedan. Everyone has the option to enjoy the latest in safety features, entertainment options, and time-saving technology add-ons in almost any new car available today. And tips for buying your next new car.TRANSCRIPT
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Table of contents Automotive Technology Gizmos & Gadgets: Adaptive Cruise
Control……………………………………………………………3
This isn’t your Father’s Side-view
Mirror!……………………………………………………………6
Vehicle Safety Goes High
Tech…………………………………………………………….9
Buying a Car
Purchase Negotiation & Your Trade In – Part
I…………………………………………………..…….11
Purchase Negotiation & Your Trade In – Part
II………………………………………………………..14
Auto Title Loans – Let the Borrower Beware
………………………………………………………..17
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Automotive
Technology Gizmos & Gadgets: Adaptive Cruise Control With the increase in standard safety features being installed in new vehicles
over the last six to seven years, the one feature that will be the center of
making it all work is
a system called
adaptive cruise
control. In some
new models, this
radar-based system
has evolved to
reacting to driving
conditions – without
driver intervention.
At this rate, it can
be reasonably
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assumed that this technology will be at the core of what is becoming known as
the autonomous or driverless car.
Cruise Control History
Modern cruise control, (also known as a speedostat) has been around for over
60 years. Invented in 1948 by inventor and mechanical engineer Ralph
Teetor, his idea was born out of the frustration of riding in a car driven by his
lawyer, who kept speeding up and slowing down as he talked. The first car
with Teetor’s system was the 1958 Chrysler Imperial (called “Auto-pilot”). This
system calculated ground speed based on driveshaft rotations driveshaft
rotations off the rotating speedometer-cable, and used a bi-directional screw-
drive electric motor to vary throttle position as needed.
Mechanical cruise control was replaced by electronic cruise control in later
years. Daniel Aaron Wisner invented Automotive Electronic Cruise Control in
1968 as an engineer for RCA’s Industrial and Automation Systems Division in
Plymouth, Michigan. His invention described in two patents filed that year
(&3570622 & &3511329), with the second modifying his original design by
debuting digital memory, was the first electronic gadgetry to play a role in
controlling a car and ushered in the computer-controlled era in the automobile
industry.
Two decades passed before an integrated circuit for his design was
developed by Motorola Inc. as the MC14460 Auto Speed Control Processor in
CMOS. As a result, cruise control was eventually adopted by automobile
manufacturers as standard equipment and nearly every car built and many
trucks are fitted with a configuration of the circuitry and hardware nearly
identical to his prototype.
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Adaptive Cruise Control History
Mitsubishi was the first automaker to offer a laser-based ACC system in 1995
on the Japanese Mitsubishi Diamante. Marketed as “Preview Distance
Control,” this early system did not apply the brakes and only controlled speed
through throttle control and downshifting. In August 1997 Toyota began to
offer a “radar cruise control” system in Japan on the Celsior. Toyota further
refined their system by adding “brake control” in 2000 and “low-speed tracking
mode” in 2004. The low-speed speed tracking mode was a second mode that
would warn the driver if the car ahead stopped and provide braking; it could
stop the car but then deactivated.
Toyota’s Lexus division was the first to bring adaptive cruise control to the US
market in 2000 with the LS 430’s Dynamic Laser Cruise Control system. The
German automaker Mercedes-Benz introduced Distronic in late 1998 on its
large S-class sedan. In 2006, Mercedes-Benz refined the Distronic system to
completely halt the car if necessary (now called “Distronic Plus” and offered
on their E-Class and S-Class luxury sedans). This feature is now also offered
by Bosch as “ACC plus” and available in the Audi Q7, the Audi Q5, 2009 Audi
A6 and the 2010 Audi A8.
Vehicles with full speed range adaptive cruise control are able to bring the car
to a full stop, and resume from standstill. Partial cruise control cuts off below a
set minimum speed, requiring driver intervention. Most of the automakers
offering vehicles for sale during the 2015 model year in the American
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marketplace offer at least one model that features full speed range adaptive
cruise control.
This isn’t your Father’s Side-view Mirror! I was recently driving a new 2015 vehicle when I was hit by a deer. The adult
buck took out the
left side view mirror
and damaged the
left front fender
before rolling onto
the hood, up over
the windshield and
down the back of
the vehicle –
kicking out one of
the rear sensors on
the bumper in the
process. While myself and the Mrs. were OK, and the damage was mostly
cosmetic – the left side view mirror was a mess of broken plastic and tangled
wires.
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Looking at the internal complexity of what used to a very sophisticated safety
tool, made me wonder – and research. May I introduce you to the automotive
side-view mirror!
Also known as a wing, fender, or door mirror, it is a mirror found on the
exterior of motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the driver see areas
behind and to the sides of the vehicle, outside of the driver’s peripheral vision
(in the ‘blind spot’). Currently regulated by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard #101 (FMVSS101), the traditional side mirror is equipped for manual
or remote vertical and horizontal adjustment so as to provide adequate
coverage to drivers of differing height and seated position. Today’s cars
mount their side mirrors on the doors, normally at the “A” pillar, rather than the
wings (fenders – portion of body above the wheel well.
In the early days of motoring, vehicles were just equipped with a driver’s side-
view mirror – passenger side view mirrors at the time were considered a
luxury and were available as optional equipment. By the late 1960’s
FMVSS101 required the automakers to have the passenger side-view mirror
as standard equipment.
Remote adjustment may be mechanical by means of bowden cables, or may
be electric by means of geared motors. The mirror glass may also be
electrically heated and may include electrochromic dimming to reduce glare to
the driver from the headlamps of following vehicles.
The side-view mirror of today does even more in the way of safety than just
merely giving the driver a view of what is behind the vehicle. The falling price
of electronics has given rise to the incorporation of the vehicle’s turn signal
repeaters. There is evidence to suggest mirror-mounted repeaters may be
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more effective than repeaters mounted in the previously predominant fender
side location.
Blind side warning systems use the side-view mirrors sensors to warn the
driver of other vehicles in the blind spot. The mirrors are also being used to
incorporate sensors for the lane departure warning system and even small
cameras for the growing use of 360 degree viewing of the outside the vehicle
from the driver’s seat.
As a result of these enhancements and those yet to come, it’s a sure thing
that the automotive side-view mirror will be more and more an integral part of
vehicle safety in the years to come.
1931 Ford Model A “wing” side-view mirror – mounted at the top driver’s
side door hinge.
1950 Pontiac Chief Deluxe Silver Streak 8 sedan – fender mounted side-
view mirror, manually operated.
1989 Lincoln Mark VII coupe – driver’s door mounted heated power
operated side-view mirror.
2015 Lincoln MKC – dual heated power door mounted side-view mirrors –
equipped with turn signal repeaters and blind-side warning indicators.
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Vehicle Safety Goes High Tech Welcome to Gizmos & Gadgets! In this series of installments, I am discussing
the evolution of the standard safety features that are found in your average
new passenger car. If you caught my initial article, you were probably amazed
at the level of government-mandated safety features that have been
incorporated into
vehicles over the last 40
plus years. Yet starting
with the 2006 model
year, automakers took
vehicle safety to the
next level.
Drivers were introduced
to a wider variety of
newly optional and standard safety features across a broad spectrum of
vehicles. Those features that were only available for the top of the model
range began to become available at much lower price points. Here are a few
of the features that started to work their way into affordable cars as standard
equipment:
More airbags – Up from the driver and front passenger airbags of the 1990’s,
today’s vehicles may have upto 10 airbags as standard equipment. In addition
to the dual front airbags, the vehicle will have front seat mounted side-impact
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airbags, and dual head curtain side-impact (front/rear) airbags. Recent models
will also include driver/front passenger knee airbags and even outboard rear
seat side-impact airbags.
Four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock – Four wheel hydraulic or drum
brakes where a “brake shoe” was applied by the pressure of brake fluid
against the inside of a steel drum to bring a vehicle to a stop began to be
supplanted by front-wheel disc brakes in the early 1970’s. Disc brakes
dissipate heat generated by stopping friction better than drum brakes, lasted
longer and were less subject to problems with moisture or fade. This allowed
for straighter stops and better control under emergency conditions.
Automakers started to equip vehicles with four-wheel disc brakes to further
improve overall handling and control. This also made the standard anti-lock
braking system more effective.
Traction control – Designed to detect slippage of a drive wheel, traction
control actually uses braking to slow the wheel to a point where traction is
regained. This system is designed to operate with front or all-wheel drive
systems – usually upto speeds of about 30 mph. Some later versions are
designated as “all-speed” traction control which means pretty much what it
says.
Stability control – Otherwise known as electronic slip regulation, dynamic
vehicle control or by “brand” names such as “StabiliTrak” (GM) or “Advance
Trac” (Ford), this system builds on the traction control system to also detect
and prevent the vehicle from sliding or otherwise losing control.
Brake Assist/Electronic Brake-force distribution – These technologies
have been engineered to increase control and response to the braking system
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in the case of an emergency stop. Brake Assist simply allows the anti-lock
braking system to stop the car even more effectively. Electronic brake-force
distribution allows for the braking system to distribute the force of braking
during a panic stop – and in doing so allowing the driver to maintain control as
opposed to going into an uncontrollable skid.
Buying a Car Purchase Negotiation & Your Trade In – Part I During this visit, I want to talk to you about the part of buying a car that just
about everybody dislikes – negotiating the purchase price and figuring out
what your trade-in is honestly worth. This can strike fear in most people, but it
doesn’t have to.
General Information – Your best tool in preparing to talk price with the dealer
or private seller is PREPARATION! That’s right, do some research before you
buy so that you know where you are financially and can agree to negotiate
within a range that is acceptable to your lender and your budget. If you are
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going to pay in cash, make sure you have set aside enough for registration
and those little repairs/maintenance you will most likely have to have done
after purchase. While you certainly can go on line and research a variety of
car pricing services to determine what the value of the used vehicle you are
interested in is worth, I prefer a lower tech and more accurate solution – the
reference desk at
your local public
library. Ask to see
the current
reference copy of
the National
Automobile
Dealers
Association
(NADA) Official
Used Car Guide.
Why I like the NADA Guide – This is the book that the loan officer at the
bank or credit union is most likely to use in determining how much to lend you
(if you are not paying cash) based on what the vehicle is worth. The NADA
Official Used Car Guide is printed in ten regional versions every month and
reflects the actual prices reported by used car dealers at auctions around the
country. It covers the values of used vehicles for the last eight years. This
wealth of information includes five different values; (trade in value –
rough/average/clean), clean loan value, and clean retail value. (Note: if you
are considering a vehicle older than 8 years old, ANY source you may
consider on-line or off will only be at best a basic GUIDE due to the increased
variables of wear, tear, use and overall condition.)
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For those with either a vehicle to trade that is OLDER than eight years and/or
considering the purchase of a vehicle in that vintage or older, an alternative
plan would be to shop around (on and off line) locally to find out what similar
vehicles of that age are selling for. As I mentioned before, valuations of older
vehicles can differ by a greater amount from vehicle to vehicle because of
mileage and condition. Now about that trade-in:
What you know prior to getting your trade-in appraised – First, you should
know that even if the vehicle you are planning to trade is in good shape and
over five years old, its most likely going to be sold to an automotive
wholesaler. This matters because the dealer will be getting “buy bids” from
several of the wholesalers that they work with prior to working up the sales
offer. The bids received will be the working numbers they will use to negotiate
with you.
Here is my philosophy regarding trade-ins: the older and higher mileage it
is, the more willing I am to trade it in. Reason? The dealer is best qualified to
dispose of it if need be, without the potential legal repercussions of you selling
the old jalopy outright.
Now it’s only fair to warn you that a dealer may be reluctant to accept or make
an offer of trade-in on such a vehicle. Main reason is that there is a lack of
financial incentive (if the vehicle is in bad enough shape, its going straight to
the junkyard once the deal is closed.)
The value of the old vehicle reducing the cost of the one you are looking to
buy can sometimes be more than what you can get in cash – not to mention a
lot less hassle than having to sell it yourself.
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This also limits the negotiation room the dealer may have during the
negotiation. If you are trading a newer and/or lower mileage vehicle – the
dealer may opt to keep it for his own used car lot. This is GOOD news for you
because they may be willing to pay more for the vehicle – hence a better deal
for you. (but if the vehicle is that good, why are you trading it?) Under these
circumstances, if you feel (based on your research) that the offer is too low
give the vehicle’s mileage and condition, you may want to consider selling
your vehicle yourself. I will cover that subject in a future column.
Did you know: That cleaning the vehicle up before getting it appraised can
help you? Yes, even automotive appraisers can be lured by shiny sheetmetal.
I wouldn’t spend lots of $$$ to get the vehicle in order, but washed,
vacuumed, throwing out the accumulated trash in the nooks and crannies can
actually make you a few more bucks at appraisal time.
Purchase Negotiation & Your Trade In – Part II
Our visit this time will concentrate on the actual negotiation. Up to now, we
have been focused on the different aspects of vehicle purchase – determining
how much to spend, getting pre-approved for a loan (if applicable), figuring out
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what kind of vehicle is needed/wanted, and determining the value of the
vehicle to be traded-in (if applicable).
This is what the old tire commercial refers to as where “the rubber meets the
road” so to speak. Armed with your research, you finally sit in front of the
salesperson as they put together their offer.
The one thing you should NEVER do: is make the FIRST offer. Automotive
salespeople are skilled at gleaning information about you and your financial
situation ever so casually. Remember that the vehicle you want to buy is one
of MANY that must be
SOLD for the dealership
to be successful. The
first offer that the
salesperson presents
says more about: 1. How
serious they think you
are about buying a
vehicle today; 2. How
badly they want to sell
you a vehicle today; and 3. How important it is to sell that particular vehicle to
you right now.
If the number is close to what you determined to be a fair price as a result of
your research (i.e. you shouldn’t be paying at the top of your range), you can
make the deal. Sometimes, its also good to “test” the number by seeing if they
might go a bit lower (say $300 to $500 less than their “good” number) to see if
you can sweeten the deal even more. Do note however, if the number they
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offer you up front is toward the low end of your range, trying to squeeze more
may not be in your best interest.
The second thing you should NEVER do: Pay a deposit to accompany an
offer. It is fine to leave a deposit once a deal has been made and accepted
(Usually not more than $500). Make sure that the offer as accepted has
written on the offer “Purchase subject to a mechanic’s inspection”. This must
be agreed to before any money changes hands – ESPECIALLY regarding a
private sale. If the vehicle does not pass muster with your mechanic, you have
the right to cancel the deal and get your deposit back. If the dealership or
private seller balks at this – walk away!
Do THIS – Get it in writing: This makes NO DIFFERENCE if you are making
this purchase from a dealership or private sale. If there were promises made –
i.e. about a repair or including something extra, it needs to be on the offer
form or bill of sale. Only the written promises/commitments are binding. If its
not written, its not true. Also, since this is a lower priced vehicle purchase, you
will most likely see the words “VEHICLE PURCHASED AS IS”. This means,
the MINUTE you receive the keys and drive off the lot, anything that happens
is your problem. There is NO recourse from the dealer. Sometimes a dealer
will offer you some short term guarantee of 30 to 90 days – often at no
charge. READ THE FINE PRINT! Often it means they will pay for the parts,
but you might still be on the hook for the labor. Since those short term
warranties are backed by the dealer you purchased the vehicle from, they are
usually the ones you have to bring the vehicle back to under the terms of the
warranty. Do realize that a private seller will offer you NO SUCH
PROTECTION! All the more reason to have that vehicle checked out before
making payment in full.
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Just say no – Even after you have made your deal, a dealership may try to
make extra money from you via “add-ons” like extended warranties (usually
offered by a 3rd party, not the dealership or the manufacturer), paint
protection, fabric protection or other sundry additional cost items. Chances are
that if there are extras that you want, it’s often better to shop around first.
Auto Title Loans – Let the Borrower Beware As the average price for
new vehicles has placed
them beyond the reach of
many Americans, more and
more consumers are turning
to risky title loans as a way
to hold on to new vehicles
they purchased but couldn’t
actually afford.
Car title loans have been called “the home equity loans of subprime auto”, and
there is growing fear that they might lead to a collapse similar to the mortgage
meltdown.
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Title loans can last from as long as two years to as little as 30 days, and
require that borrowers turn over their vehicle titles in exchange for loans that
typically equal just one percent of their vehicles’ resale value.
The auto title loan business is big, and getting bigger as regulators in a
number of states have begun cracking down on payday loan companies. In
2013, more than 1.1 American households used them according to data
compiled by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In all too many
cases, borrowers ultimately lose the vehicles they have put up as collateral
and find themselves even further in debt.
The New York Times recently reported that fees associated with car title
loans, also commonly referred to as “motor-vehicle equity lines of credit,” can
result in an effective interest rate of between 80 percent to well over 500
percent. Borrowers who take out short term loans of just 30 days frequently
find that they are unable to pay them off, and are forced to pay additional fees
when they renew or extend their original loans.
Title loan companies argue that the high interest rates and fees they charge
are justified by the risk involved in loaning to borrowers who would not qualify
for traditional loans.
Recently, private equity firms have begun investing in title loan companies,
and even some larger banks have begun offering auto loans to borrowers with
lower credit scores. In fact, some title loan companies do not even take the
borrower’s credit history into consideration
Unfortunately, borrowers who resort to title loans are frequently in dire
financial straits due to an illness, divorce, job loss or some other financially
taxing life change.
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According to a study by the Center for Responsible Lending, one in six auto
title loan borrowers end up losing their vehicles due to their inability to repay.