DID YOU KNOW:
...That because used vehicle values are up, due to dependability, demand and build quality, banks are now a lot more inclined to loan on their purchase? For years this was a huge challenge for the industry: Despite demand and increasing prices, banks were slow to extend loan years and good rates. The game has changed as used vehicles have proven how well they hold their value and are still worth something at the end of the terms. In short, you can now get great terms on used vehicle loans; even the manufacturers have jumped in to finance them.
...That telling the owners of your automobiles in American they “don’t know how to drive” proved not to be the best public relations approach for Audi? One of their models had several low speed collisions due to what quickly became referred to as “unintentional acceleration.” In 1985, the first of several crashes with Audi's model 5000 shortly after the customer put the vehicle in gear was causing a lot of bad press and lawsuits on the owners behalf. In most cases, the car took off for a short distance until halted, usually by a garage wall or a parked car. Of course the smell of money drags in both lawyers and the federal government. Audi, whose great products were just starting to gain a foothold in America, now had a huge P.R. problem. Adding to that, Audi was overly candid with their first public response; correct or not, it was the best move. Everything from radio wave to loose floor mats to drivers hitting both the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time would be reviewed as the fault. In the end, Audi just moved the gas pedal over an inch and the problem was solved. A much easier fix than the P.R. damage Audi did to itself.
...That Toyota faced a similar problem just a few years later? Having learned from Audi’s poor handling of the issue, Toyota solved the issue on a friendly note and improved the tie downs for the driver-side floor mats. It ain’t always easy to be in the car business.
...That Motor Trend received a number of letters about these issues stating that people who owned slow cars were wondering where they could get some “unintended acceleration?” Cute.
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