Iconic, stylish and now unfashionable hood ornaments seem to be going the way of tailfins and the fastback: away. A recent Newsweek article says that Jaguar has gotten rid of it’s cat hood ornament as a standard feature. For an extra $250 you can add the cat back to your Jag.
Mercedes-Benz now has its three point hood ornament on less than one third of its vehicles. Cadillac, Dodge and Mercury have already buried this old relic.
You can check out the TV ads here.
Pretty creative stuff from the land down under.
From TheAdFeed.
J.D. Power and Associates recently released it annual ranking of online vehicle buying services. For the second year in a row AutoTrader.com ranks highest in dealer satisfaction for online new vehicle leads. Cars.com took the top spot for used car leads. When AutoTrader.com and Cars.com were not in first, they came in second. See the rankings below.
We already have internet in our homes, on our phones, at Starbucks… so what’s next?
Chrysler recently unveiled its plans to offer wireless internet as an option on all 2009 models. With UConnect Web, Chrysler becomes the first automaker to include internet access as an option for vehicle purchasers. In a year where sales are down roughly 19%, Chrysler is hoping that the new wireless internet option will provide a much-needed boost.
Admittedly, it seems quite convenient. Emails, maps, news, traffic information and more will be readily available, regardless of your location. The thought of being constantly connected is always comforting.
But is it safe?
In a world of constant distraction, I’m not surprised to find out that the idea is not exactly being welcomed with open arms by all. Spokesman for the California Governor’s Highway Safety Association, Jonathan Adkins, had this to say about wireless internet in vehicles:
“Surfing the Web is something people really don’t have any business doing while they drive. It’s definitely a distraction.”
To counter that concern, Chrysler contends that the while the vehicle is in motion, the service is intended for passenger use only. The company does admit, however, that there’s no way to keep drivers from abusing the ability to speed and surf at the same time.
Wireless internet is undoubtedly convenient, but will it become too much of a distraction when it’s within a drivers’ reach? What are your thoughts?
As a side note, if Adkins thinks that’s dangerous, what will he say about DWM (driving while microwaving)?
Dealer Fees are one of those charges most car buyers don’t know about until they’ve already bought a car. While most car buyers today are pretty savvy about buying a car, many still don’t realize that a dealer can add a couple hundred to over a thousand dollars for dealer fees. While 13 states have outlawed dealer fees, they are still being charged elsewhere.
One Florida Car dealer, Earl Stewart, owner of Earl Stewart Toyota, stopped adding dealer fees about five years ago, announced today that he will be suing Ed Morse Honda for slander and deceptive trade practices. According to Stewart, Ed Morse ran radio ads accusing Stewart of adding “the equivalent of a dealer fee – or more – in your price where you can’t see it.” The ad does not specifically mention Stewart’s dealership, but he is the only local dealership not charging dealer fees. Read the South Florida Business Journal article for more information. You can also read Earl’s Blog for his point of view.
Here is one of Earl Stewarts TV spots about the elimination of the Florida dealer fees.
*Omni Advertising neither endorses or opposes the inclusion of dealer fees.
