All posts by The Cool Car Guy

Cool Cars, Jeep

A Jeep Hit’s Over 1,186,072 Miles On The Body

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I was cruising the Internet this morning looking for some cool car stories and I came across one that I couldn’t pass up linking to here at CoolCarGuy.com. There’s a story over at CNN.com about a guy who has owned 26 Jeeps and he has one, a 1983 CJ-7, VEX with over 1,186,072 miles on it, complete with a photo of the vehicle.

He’s gone through five engines that last about 200,000 miles each, which is about right for a Jeep’s 6 cylinder, but what an amazing story of getting the most out of a vehicle.

If you want to check it out click here and you can read the full story for yourself. I think that’s pretty darn cool and author and lecturer Dave Ramsey with his Financial Peace University classes telling people to keep cars for as long as you can, would be proud of this guy. It just goes to show you that if you take care of a vehicle it will take care of you.

On another note, a buddy of mine that I run with Mark Ford and I spotted an old Chevy Citation last week that was parked in someone’s driveway in Littleton that was still going strong. Needless to say, there are some vehicles out there with some serious miles on them that are still being used as daily driver’s or for going off-road as in the case of VEX.

_________________________________________________________________________

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Honda, Toyota

First Toyota’s Recall And Now Honda Joins In

Many people contact me each month to help them locate a new or pre-owned vehicle at the right price.  All too often, people will tell me that they have to own a Toyota or Honda instead of some of the other brands in the marketplace because of the perception that they are better vehicles.  Sometimes they are better vehicles and I do like the Honda and Toyota brands.

I’m also a fan of many other vehicles in the marketplace that are often overlooked by consumers, which quite frankly are a much better value. I know because I spend tens of thousands of dollars fixing cars each year and I’ve seen problems with every major manufacturer, but usually care and maintenance is the problem and not the vehicle itself.

The media has definitely shown favoritism to these two brands over the years, but since America has now invested billions into American car companies we’re starting to see more press about the challenges facing all the major manufacturers in building modern vehicles.

After Toyota had a major recall this month, Honda is now recalling over a half a million of their small cars based on a faulty window switch that was shown to be a safety hazard.  It’s not that these vehicles are bad, as the article points out, but it is a fact that there are thousands of small parts that go into building today’s automobile, from oxygen sensors to air bag sensors.  I think that people forget this fact all too often.

As we move into more sophisticated vehicles there are more opportunities for parts to malfunction and for a vehicle to have problems, such as a gas peddle or a window switch.  There is no perfect automobile, but if you can reduce the amount of chances for a problem to take place by checking for recalls on your vehicle and having parts replaced it will last you much longer with less likely opportunities for failure, regardless of the specific brand.

Here’s an article detailing this latest recall for Honda.

Honda recalls 646,000 amid Toyota woes

Recalls the latest black mark on industry already battered by recession

WASHINGTON/TOKYO – Honda Motor Co. said it would recall a total of 646,000 units of its Fit/Jazz and City models, including 140,000 in the United States, because of a faulty window switch, after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year.

The announcement came as investors, suppliers and consumers weighed the impact of an unprecedented halt in U.S. production by Toyota, the world’s No. 1 automaker.

Honda’s move, as well as Toyota’s recall due to problems with unintended and dangerous acceleration, come at a bad time for the industry as it struggles to lure buyers back to showrooms after a sales slump that helped drag U.S. rivals General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy.

Toyota this week suspended North American sales and production of eight models including its best-selling Camry after regulatory pressure, and widened the recall to China and Europe. A Toyota spokeswoman said the company was still checking on whether any vehicles are affected in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Japan’s largest company, studied for its devotion to quality, could recall about 8 million vehicles in total — more than the number of cars and trucks it sold worldwide in 2009.

In Tokyo, some worried about the knock-on effects to Japan’s image and economy.
“If Toyota has hard times, there’s a high probability that also Japan will,” said Takeo Namekata, a 62-year-old office worker. “Particularly, trade will suffer.”

Honda’s recall added to concerns that the safety-conscious image of Japanese manufacturers would be threatened.
“The Japanese have built their image on reliability, the fact that they make bullet-proof vehicles,” said IHS Global Insight analyst Carlos Da Silva.

“It’s not that their vehicles are worse than the others, (the recalls are) just showing maybe that their vehicles are like the others. The race to cost cuts and the competition between all the brands is so fierce that even the mighty Japanese are doing things that are not as reliable as they were.”
_________________________________________________________________________

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Cool Cars, Toyota

Details On The Big Toyota Recall

2010MatrixHey Cool Car Fans,

I’ve had a number of clients calling and asking me about the Toyota recall that’s taking place. Following is an article that I’m posting here at CoolCarGuy.com that has been floating around the dealerships the last day.

Hopefully, you’ll find it informative and I’m sure Toyota will get it figured out.

Toyota Temporarily Suspends Sales of Selected Vehicles

TORRANCE, Calif., January 26, 2010 – – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced that it is instructing Toyota dealers to temporarily suspend sales of eight models involved in the recall for sticking accelerator pedal, announced on January 21, 2010.

“Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company,” said Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter. “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”

Toyota announced it would recall approximately 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models. Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.

Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall and suspension of sales is confined to the following Toyota Division vehicles:

2009-2010 RAV4,
2009-2010 Corolla,
2009-2010 Matrix,
2005-2010 Avalon,
Certain 2007-2010 Camry,
2010 Highlander,
2007-2010 Tundra,
2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by these actions. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser and select Camry models, including all Camry hybrids, which will remain for sale.

Due to the sales suspension, Toyota is expected to stop producing vehicles on the following production lines for the week of February 1 to assess and coordinate activities. The North America vehicle production facilities affected are:

• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada (Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (Sequoia and Highlander)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky – Line 1 (Camry and Avalon)
• Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (Camry)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (Tundra)

No other North American Toyota vehicle production facilities are affected by the decision to stop production.

The sticking accelerator pedal recall is separate from the on-going recall of Toyota and Lexus vehicles to reduce the risk of pedal entrapment by incorrect or out of place accessory floor mats. Approximately 1.7 million Toyota Division vehicles are subject to both separate recall actions.

The latest news about the sticking accelerator pedal recall:

Frequently Asked Questions for the Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall (Jan. 22, 2010)

Toyota Files Voluntary Safety Recall on Select Toyota Division Vehicles for Sticking Accelerator Pedal (Jan. 21, 2010)

The latest news about Toyota’s consumer safety advisory for potential floor mat interference with the accelerator pedal in certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles:

Setting the Record Straight (Dec. 23, 2009)

A Healthy Discussion on Safety (Dec. 10, 2009)

Toyota Announces Details of Remedy to Address Potential Accelerator Pedal Entrapment (Nov. 25, 2009)

Unintended Acceleration: Toyota Addresses the Issues (Nov. 6, 2009)

Toyota’s Statement Regarding NHTSA News Release (Nov. 4, 2009)

Toyota Begins Interim Notification to Owners Regarding Future Voluntary Safety Recall Related to Floor Mats (Nov. 2, 2009)

NHTSA report (Nov. 2, 2009)

Toyota owner letter (Nov. 2, 2009)

Toyota Consumer Safety Advisory: Potential Floor Mat Interference with Accelerator Pedal (Sept. 29, 2009)

Toyota/Carpeted/All-Weather Floor Mat Inspection, Application & Installation Instructions (Sept. 29, 2009)

Toyota Carpet Floor Mat Application Information Chart (Sept. 29, 2009)

Toyota All-Weather Floor Mat Quick Reference Chart (Sept. 29, 2009)

NOTE TO CONSUMERS: We’ve received a number of comments and questions about the floor mat issue and understand the safety concerns. We want to be responsive, but the Toyota USA Newsroom is not intended as a place for consumer complaints, or detailed information about any vehicle features, specs or capabilities. These types of concerns are best handled by our Customer Experience Center where they will be routed to the appropriate customer service representative for Toyota, Scion or Lexus. You can reach our customer service representatives by calling 1-800-331-4331. Prefer to email or chat? Simply access our website email or live chat links for Toyota, Scion or Lexus.

MEDIA CONTACTS ONLY:

Toyota Environmental, Safety and Quality Communications
Brian Lyons (310) 468-2552
John Hanson (310) 468-4718

Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America
Mike Goss
Mike.Goss@TEMA.Toyota.com
(859) 803-1698

Media Web site: www.toyotanewsroom.com
Public Web site: http://www.toyota.com and http://www.lexus.com
_________________________________________________________________________

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Saab

GM Can’t Sell Saab, But Ford Sold Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin

SaabStoryHey Cool Car Fans,

It’s not often that I weigh in on what automobile manufacturer’s do with their brands, but GM has me slightly ticked off and they should have you a bit steamed as well.

GM, formerly known as General Motors, but now referred to by many as Government Motors, after taking $50 billion dollars of tax payer money, can’t seem to figure out how to sell one of their brands, in this case Saab.

They’ve had a number of offers on the table and they were not good enough for GM, mainly because they still have to be involved with Saab during a transition period, but instead they are talking about closing the Saab brand down altogether.  As you will recall they already did this with Pontiac and Saturn.

You may not be a fan of Saab, but there are 5,000 people in the U.S. who are employed because of this brand and another 15,000 worldwide. Didn’t the U.S. government give General Motors a whopping $50 billion to save jobs? I think anyone reading this article could run a car company with $50 billion at your disposal.  Yet, for some reason GM can’t seem to get it figured out.

Saab has been around for 60 years and there are plenty of Saab enthusiasts who drive the brand and GM’s response is that it’s a money losing brand. No doubt it’s a money losing brand because GM owns the company and if GM knew how to manage a car company they wouldn’t have had to take $50 billion from tax payers to run their company.

However, Ford Motor company that didn’t take money from the government in the bailout offer was able to sell Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and soon to be Volvo. It just goes to show you, that it’s much easier to come to negotiations with saving brands when you are dealing with your own money instead of someone else’s money. In this case, it’s your and my tax dollars that are paying for GM to play like they are the 800lb Gorilla and they are really acting more like a chimp or a chump.

GM needs to sell Saab and quit screwing around with the brand. What many don’t realize who are not Saab owners is the minute that brand is shut down by GM, their vehicles are pretty much worthless. I’m already seeing it with Saturn and Pontiac where many people won’t even look at buying those vehicles now that GM has blown them up, unless they can get an unbelievable deal. Banks won’t finance them once they are gone either, so they will go the way of the classic car and someday they may be worth money if you have cash or a specialized lender that’s willing to give you a loan.

All GM is doing is passing their losses on to the consumer again because of their own greed and mis-management of their brands.  In the meantime, they show us commercials that they are a new car company, but it appears that it’s hard to teach an old dog, new tricks, like how to spin off a car company that you don’t want in your portfolio.

Although, they did figure out how to do it with Hummer, but those negotiations were back in June when they were filing for bankruptcy protection and still trying to figure out, if they had a future (Chinese Company Is Buying G.M.’s Hummer).

For more on this topic, visit Automotive News for details.

_________________________________________________________________________

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Ford

Cool Car Shot – Robbie’s 2003 Mustang GT

GT1Hey Cool Car Fans,

Yesterday, I had a guy send me photos of his 2003 Mustang GT that he asked me to help him trade on another Mustang that I have on consignment.

The photos were very well done and his 2003 Mustang GT looked extremely clean and in great shape, so I decided to post them here at CoolCarGuy.com for you to check out.

Here’s a run down on the 2003 Mustang GT and this one in particular…

2003 Mustang GT 4.6L 260 hp V8
GT premium package with bullet/mach 1 interior package

GT3Grey leather interior
5-Speed Manual

Overdrive
46k miles
Low jack
Extended transferable warranty
Straight piped exhaust
Lowered 2 inches
Mach 1000 audio system with factory amps and 2 10 inch subs that came from the factory
Custom billet grille

If you’re interested in checking out this vehicle let me know and I’ll track Robbie down and see what he wants for it.

GT2

This could be a great vehicle for someone who is looking for a great Mustang without having to pay a fortune for a new one or the older 1960’s body style.

It’s well equipped and the price range on these varies dramatically depending on condition and features.  In this case, he has a killer sound system built into the trunk of the vehicle.  You can see it in the photo below, so that’s one less expense you’ll have to spend on tricking this vehicle out.

The Mustang also gets pretty good gas mileage for the amount of horsepower that it’s pushing.   You should expect around 18 in the city and 24 – 26 on the highway.  It’s hard to find that kind of fuel economy in a

GT4

performance vehicle, but this 4.6l V8 delivers pretty good gas mileage for the amount of power under the hood.  It looks great too!

You can always reach me using the Contact link on the top right hand side of this page.
_________________________________________________________________________

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy