New Generation Automobile Buyers

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A trend in the automobile industry shows that the younger generation is not as interested in driving as the generation before. Not only are they buying fewer vehicles, but many don’t even have drivers license. Some reasons for this change include:

  • The younger generation are more connected through internet and iPhones making them less reliant on owning transportation.
  • Many live in urban areas where everything is at a walking distance, there is good public transportation or they have access to car sharing programs.
  • Young people are facing soaring tuition costs, and the money they’re earning in their part-time, summer and first jobs is going toward paying for school and rent. Even if they could afford to buy a car, insurance is expensive and gas prices keep rising.
  • They have grown up in an era where they have had much more exposure to environmental concerns.

Automakers have known for a while that they were going to have a problem selling vehicles to this generation but are unwilling to believe that they will not want actual cars. As a result, automakers spend more time talking about how well their cars interact with an iPhone than they do about engine performance, ride, and horsepower. Technology such as voice recognition are important to many of the younger drivers because it allows them to safely drive while still staying connected.

They are trying to attract the younger urban buyer by developing a fashionable small car that is easy to park and uses less fuel. Car makers have begun shrinking the size of engines, subtracting cylinders while adding turbochargers to maintain horsepower and acceleration. Smaller engines have become a selling point even in the United States, which would have been unthinkable a few years ago. The idea of electric vehicles has also become more widely accepted.

As these technologies become more common they will also become more affordable, hopefully attracting more buyers. While today’s young buyer seems more open toward the trend of smaller autos with more features, car makers have not abandoned the hope that as this generation gets older and becomes parents they will graduate towards roomier vehicles.

Auto Rental Companies Agree On Recall Plan

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Almost eight years after Cally Houck lost her two daughters in a car accident involving a rental vehicle with a recall on it, the five biggest car rental companies in the nation have agreed to support legislation that makes it illegal to rent or sell recalled vehicles. The historic agreement represents 93% of the rental car industry: Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, Dollar Thrifty and National. Law makers announced the agreement on Thursday saying that they expect the Senate will pass the bill later this year.

  • The bill requires companies to stop renting vehicles within 24 hours of receiving a safety recall notice or within 48 hours if the recall involved more than 5,000 vehicles in a company’s fleet. The vehicles will not be rented or sold until the safety defects are repaired.
  • The companies agreed to back the legislation after some revisions, including allowing the rental of a car if there was a manufacturer approved temporary step that eliminated the safety risk until parts were available.
  • Companies also would be allowed to sell a damaged recalled vehicle as junk.
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will have authority to investigate and police rental car companies’ recall safety practices.

While the senators praised Houck’s advocacy along with automotive safety groups that pushed the issue, she thanked the lawmakers and industry “in memory of my treasured daughters.”

California Lemon Law Buybacks

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The Law Offices of Delsack & Associates have been representing California consumer’s to the highest legal standards for over 25 years. Our California Lemon Law experience have allowed us to successfully represented thousands of clients throughout the state in all types of lemon law cases. We take pride in the fact that almost 100% of our cases are able to reach settlements without litigation, making the process fast and stress free. Our goal is not to be the “largest” lemon law firm in California, but to continue to be the “BEST”. Below is a list of some of our most recent success stories where we helped consumers get settlements for their lemon vehicles:

  • 1. 2011 BMW 535I: Full Buy Back – Lodi, CA – 7694 miles
  • 2. 2009 Infiniti 637: Full buy back – La Quint, CA – 19,259 miles
  • 3. 2006 Chevrolet Corvette: Full buy back – Los Angeles, CA – 28,331 miles
  • 4. 2005 Ford F350: Cash & Keep – Lemoore, CA – 88,132 miles
  • 5. 2012 Kia Sorento: Full buy back – San Jose, CA – 2,023 miles
  • 6. 2010 Audi S5 Cabrilotet: Full buy back – SanAnselmo, CA – 13,495 miles
  • 7. 2007 Dodge Sprinter: Full buy back – Moss Beach, CA – 55,417 miles
  • 8. 2008 Audi TT Roadster: Cash & Keep – West Hollywood, CA – 37,143 miles
  • 9. 2010 VW Passat: Cash & Keep – Santa Carlos, CA – 17,924 miles
  • 10. 2007 GMC Arcadia: Full buy back – Westlake Village, CA – 56,749 miles

If you live in California and and think your vehicle could be a lemon, contact our Lemon Law Offices, or fill out our Lemon Law Case Review, for a FREE consultation.

Anywhere in California (free call): 1.888.ExLemon (1-888-395-3666)

  • California Lemon Law in Los Angeles: 310-475-1700
  • California Lemon Law in San Francisco: 415-285-5366
  • California Lemon Law in San Diego: 619-229-6900
  • California Lemon Law in Orange County: 949-856-4333
  • California Lemon Law in Palm Springs: 760-395-1000
  • California Lemon Law in San Fernando Valley: 818-837-0500

Tesla Supercharger Stations Unveiled In California

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Tesla Motor’s highly anticipated charging network has finally been unveiled to the public with the revelation of it first six supercharger stations. According to Tesla, the stations will safely deliver up to 4.5 times more electricity to the battery giving approximately half a charge in half an hour. It will do this by using special cables that connect directly to the battery, bypassing any on board charging equipment. The most unique thing about these charging stations is that many will be equipped with solar cells mounted on the weather canopy that will generate more energy over the course of a year than is consumed by Tesla vehicles using the supercharger stations, resulting in a positive transfer of power back to the electricity grid. Current active stations in California can be found in Barstow, Hawthorne, Lebec, Coalinga, Gilroy and Folsom. By 2015, Tesla hopes to expand their supercharger network to over 100 stations.

GM Vehicles Could Unexpectedly Roll Away

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General Motors (GM) will be contacting owners of certain Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Saturn models equipped with four speed automatic transmissions, about a problem that could lead to the vehicles unexpectedly rolling away. According to GM, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end could fracture and separate, leaving the driver with inaccurate shift lever readings. The driver may be able to put the vehicle in park and remove the key, but the vehicle is not actually in park. The vehicle may not start and could roll away unexpectedly. GM will be notifying owners as soon as a recall schedule has been decided and dealerships will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. Owners wanting more information on the problem can contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. The vehicles involved in the recall include:

California Lemon Law For The Military

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If you live in California, are in the military serving our country and think that you may have a lemon vehicle, there is a California lemon law bill which took effect January 1, 2008 that you should know about. California has been a leader in protecting consumers who bought lemon vehicles, but before 2008 the law stated that if you were to pursue a lemon law case, one of the stipulations was that the vehicle must have been bought in California. The new bill (SB234), sponsored by state Senator Ellen Corbett, extends the protection to all active duty military personnel stationed in California as long as the vehicle was purchased in the United States.

The law was inspired by the lemon problems of Lt. Nathan Kindig, serving in the United States Navy as a physician assistant. He was looking for a safe and reliable vehicle for his family to drive while he was stationed overseas in Iraq. Shortly after buying a 2004 Dodge Dakota, the vehicle started having problems with the engine overheating. After many repair attempts, the dealership labeled the vehicle as unrepairable, clearly making it a lemon. Because the vehicle was not purchased in California, Kindig could not pursue a buyback under the California lemon law. After hiring a lawyer and continuing to pay for a vehicle that could not be driven, the dealership agreed to repurchase the lemon on terms that would cost Kindig thousands of dollars, as Chrysler refused to use the traditional lemon law offset formula and demanded a specific offset amount.

California was the first state in the nation to specifically protect active duty military troops whose vehicles are “lemons”, regardless where their vehicles are purchased or registered. The bill attracted widespread bi-partisan support, and was passed unanimously in both houses of the California Assembly before the Governor signed it into law. Today, many states have adapted their lemon law statutes to include protection to help military members who have purchased defective vehicles which turn out to be lemons.

Coda Airbags May Be Installed Incorrectly

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Coda Automotive is asking owners of certain 2012 Coda vehicles to bring in their vehicles to have the side curtain airbag installation inspected. According to Coda, the airbags may have not been installed correctly during manufacturing which could result in the airbags not deploying as intended. Coda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the side curtain airbag installations as needed. For more information on the problem, owners may contact Coda Automotive at 1-855-464-2632.

Ford Edge Fuel Leak

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Ford will be asking drivers of certain 2012 Ford Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines to bring in their vehicle for problems with the fuel system. The fuel line pulse damper housing could crack due to an improper manufacturing process. The driver may notice a fuel odor or a continuous leak while the system is under pressure, and if unrepaired could result in an engine fire. Ford will be notifying almost 5,500 Edge owners of the problem and will be asking them to bring in their vehicles to have the defective part replaced. For more information, owners are asked to contact the Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.