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.


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