Wheelie Live TV

Okay, so you're on you're way to Miami and you just gotta know what's going on with say, oh the little kid who is supposed to be gliding all over Colorado in a homemade flying saucer. The radio isn't helping but you know beyond a doubt that CNN is giving it round the clock coverage.
What can you do?
Well, if you buy a Chrysler product in a few months, you can turn to your passenger in the back seat to get a play-by-play description of what he or she is seeing on live TV.
Chrysler yesterday announced a partnership with a company called Flo TV that will make it possible to get live television in your car.
So if the kids want to see their favorite cartoons on Saturday morning on the way to soccer practice, now you may be golden. There's one hitch. The service will only be available in about 100 markets by the end of the year and there's no way of knowing if South Florida is one of those markets.
Just a guess, but chances are it won't be long before every manufacturer is offering some version of this new technology making it possible to never miss your favorite show.
Now, you can even go out and sit in the car and watch what you want to watch if your spouse won't relinquish the remote!

Halloween Eye Candy

If you're a Cadillac dealer, you have to be a little frustrated these days with the inability of younger car buyers to get the message that the new SRX, the Escalade and the CTS are not just for folks who are living in "55 and over" only communities. Bob Lutz and the top marketing brass at GM aren't helping either, thank you very much, with decisions to get away from commercials like those featuring Kate Walsh talking about her car turning her on.
So local dealers are on their own and at least one is taking steps to get families back to the Cadillac showroom. This Halloween Saturday, Ed Morse Cadillac Delray Beach will be holding a Truck or Treat event with the goal of getting prospective young Lexus, BMW and Mercedes buyers to think Cadillac.
Located at 2300 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach, the dealership will be filling the trunks of six or seven vehicles with Halloween candy. Students from Florida Atlantic University will be standing by to hand out the goodies to youngsters, and while costumes are welcome, they’re not required.
While youngsters are getting their fill of candy, parents can check out some of the newest Cadillac offerings, including the new SRX and the CTS Sports Wagon.
Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you're a car person, you might want to head toward the dealership on Saturday, just to check out the cars and maybe get a free lunch in the process.

Moving Ford-ward With Quality

Consumer Reports came out with its latest reliability rankings yesterday and as you might expect a Toyota –the Prius – topped the list as the most reliable family sedan. But there was a bit of a surprise in that Ford's Fusion and it's fraternal twin, the Mercury Milan, came in next, ahead of imports including the Accord and Camry. Overall, 46 of Ford's 51 models had average or better than average reliability scores and the company led domestic automakers for quality.
If you've been driving a Ford or GM product, you know that the quality of cars made by U.S. based companies has been getting better all the time. Chrysler is still fighting a little bit of a battle, at least according to the latest Consumer Reports study.
The challenge for all these companies is to change perception and while getting good ratings from Consumer Reports helps, there's really only one way to get people to see the quality improvement and that's to get them in the cars.
Don't be surprised if you see more print and TV ads from Ford and Lincoln Mercury, especially here in South Florida where the market penetration of these brands can stand some improvement.

Some Are Solstice?

Vice President Joe Biden is expected to make an announcement today about the future of a closed GM plant in Wilmington, Del. and he will be joined by Henrik Fisker of Fisker Automotive, a venture capital firm. Reports are that the plant, which once made the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky, has been purchased by Fisker and will be re-opening and producing a new plug-in hybrid that Fisker will produce.
But there's an interesting side story here.
The same plant has been mentioned repeatedly by the folks DeLorean Motor Company as the place where the company would manufacturer the new DeLorean Solstice, its version of what is a great looking two-seater.
DeLorean, which currently focuses on selling DeLorean parts and restoring the cars, which haven't been made for two decades, even has a web site, newdelorean.com, where it announced the DeLorean Solstice, hoping to get interest. There have been some reports mentioning that the car would be an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid.
To make this wild idea a reality, DeLorean would need some serious investors.
If Fisker takes over the plant, will that spell the end of the DeLorean plan? Or might there be something else in the works here.
My guess is that a lot of folks in South Florida, home to one of the most vibrant DeLorean clubs in the country, will be interested in hearing what Mr. Vice President says today at 10 a.m. If DeLorean and Solstice both make come backs, well it certainly would be a good day for fans of either - or both.

Marino With the Pitch

Beginning next week, the Maroone dealerships in South Florida will be offering seven-day service and they're going to their favorite quarterback to tell the story.
Dan Marino, old number 13, will be the star of TV spots announcing seven-day service at all of the Maroone/Autonation stores in the area. One of the spots you'll see shows Marino holding a news conference and announcing, in Clark Kent-like style, that he's switching his number to 7 in honor of the new seven-day service.
Okay, so Marino won't be going to Super Bowl Sunday with this ad, but he does a good job of getting the word out about the seven day service.
That in itself might be a story.
With new car sales down, dealerships all over the place are reaching out to service customers, hoping to grab an increased share of the market. Does it make sense? You betcha. Just do the math.
There are more people holding onto their cars in this economy, rather than buying new ones and there are going to be fewer dealerships, especially on the domestic side, as consolidation continues. That means more cars in need of service, fewer dealerships to do it. On top of that, service departments have always been a great money maker for auto dealers.
And see, you thought Marino was just another pretty face. Those folks in the AutoNation building in Fort Lauderdale, they're pretty smart, eh?

Room for One More

There are close to 1,000 cars packed into the Miami Beach Convention Center for the 39th Annual South Florida International Car show.
On Saturday morning that number increased by one as a taxi cab plowed through the plate glass doors of the Convention Center while the driver scuffled with a would-be robber.
Fortunately the accident occurred early in the morning, somewhere around 5 a.m. and no one was seriously injured.
According to WPLG, Channel 10, the cab driver picked up a fare near the convention center and a short time later felt a sharp object against his neck as the passenger demanded cash and jewelry.
There was a struggle, the car crashed into the front of the convention center and the bad guy got away.
Based on the photo on Channel 10's web site, the cab looks like a Ford Crown Victoria. That's good - Ford could use it in its display, especially since the Crown Vic, doesn't show up on the lineup of cars on the website.

Button Down for Safety

This is South Florida, the luxury car capital of America.
Think about it. Dealerships in our area are consistently among the top when it comes to selling luxury cars. South Florida is home to the top Audi dealership, the top BMW dealership, leading Infinity, Lexus and Jaguar dealerships. Cadillac and Lincoln Mercury dealerships are also doing well here, and let's not forget Hyundai, which is going to send shock waves through the luxury market with it Equus.
Along with luxury, comes cool technology that can improve safety and enhance convenience. But now there are questions arising about whether one of those convenience gizmos is actually detrimental to passenger safety – that's the keyless start button. You may have read reports about the August incident in California in which a car's accelerator got stuck and the driver and passenger didn't know how to shut the car off.
If you drive a car with a keyless start button, you need to know this: In most of the vehicles, to turn the engine off in an emergency, hold the button down for at least three seconds. Better yet, read your owners manual to find out what the manufacturer says.
But here's something else to know. Most experts say that if you are in a situation where you lose control of the accelerator, the best thing to do is put the car in neutral and safely glide or brake to a stop. You may need to take your foot off the brake for a second or two while you move the gear shifter, but taking the car out of drive is probably your best bet.
Manufacturers are doing a lot these days to enhance our safety, but all of us need to remember we have a shared responsibility to stay informed and make sure we have an idea of what to do in an emergency situation. A quick reminder to a young driver or to a spouse isn't a bad idea.

Ray of Hope

The 2009 South Florida International Car Show is huge - so big in fact, that you could easily miss two cars that could make a difference in the future of embattled General Motors.
The Stingray concept car, on display as part of the Chevrolet section, is absolutely amazing. The lines are sleek, the look definitely something that will turn your head. You could stare at that car for 20 to 30 minutes and still keep finding something else about it that makes you smile. One of the tricks might be trying to find door handles but you might also notice how the lines of the hood continue over the roof and through the trunk area and how the glass seems to wrap around. There's really no way to describe the car with words. You can find photos online, but if you enjoy looking at cars, then, listen, just go down and see the Stingray.
You could just see that car and get your money's worth - but wait, there's more. Take a peak at the Cadillac Converj concept. This is definitely not your dad's Cadillac. It is as sleek as you can get and just a peek inside and you'll see a dash that is super cool. And true Ed Welburn's commitment to honoring tradition, you'll even see a big of a tailfin on the tail lights.
These are cars that if they go into production will help General Motors rebound. That would be good for GM, good for the industry and good for us taxpayers.

It's Showtime!

The South Florida International Auto Show opens today and despite this being an awful year for the auto industry, the 2009 show at the Miami Beach Convention Center promises to be a pretty good one. One of the neatest new cars, the Hyundai Equus will be on display and there will also be a few vehicles making their North American debut after having an official coming out party in Frankfort last month.
What's interesting is that just about all of the major manufacturers with the exception of just a couple – including Mercedes – will have a presence at the show. And two of the big three domestic car makers, Ford and GM, will have Ride and Drives, so visitors can test drive a few of the new models.
Not sure yet if there are going to be any prototypes or concepts but there are a bunch of news conference scheduled today and we should know more soon. In the meantime go to the website www.southfloridainternationalautoshow.net for more information.
Keep an eye on this blog and don't be shy about asking questions in the comment field.

Let's Make a Deal

Faced with horrible sales numbers in September and not a lot of hope for October, car makers are once again ramping up incentives aimed at moving inventory. According to Edmunds.com, incentive spending has taken off, especially on models that the companies really want to move. That includes trucks, Pontiac and Saturn models and some luxury models. Offers range from 0 percent financing to rebates of up to $2,500.
Here's an astonishing number. With discounts, incentives and everything else, close to 85 models are now selling for less than they were a year ago.
And that's just from the factory.
Our local auto dealers, they're right there too, trying to move inventory in tough times. It's a good time to be looking at car ads in the paper and going online to sites like cars.com and edmunds.com to check out incentives.
It is indeed a buyer's market and likely to be one for quite a few more months.

Maybe Diesel Work?

If you haven't noticed, Volkswagen and Audi are making a big push when it comes to diesel technology here in the U.S. One thing you can be sure of is that even if you're not taking notice, plenty of others are – especially other manufacturers.
Word out of the Tokyo auto show is that Mazda is keeping a close eye on how Americans respond to VW's diesels. If the response is successful, we may see Japanese manufacturers – which have traditional preferred the more technologically based hybrids – entering into the diesel market.
Watch for the new VW Rabbit TDI, a rebranded VW Golf to start hitting the showrooms in South Florida soon. And don't forget about the Jetta TDI, which is getting a lot of attention these days.
It may take a while, but don't be surprised to find out that more and more diesels are on the U.S. roads.

Star Power

We all know that technology can make our cars safer.
We all know that it can make them faster and it can make them cooler.
But now it turns out that technology can help police nail car thieves and avoid high-speed chases – disabling vehicles by remote control.
You might say it was OnStar to the rescue.
In the words of Adrian Monk, here's what happened.
According to an AP story, a California man had his 2009 Tahoe stolen at gunpoint early Sunday morning. He told the cops the vehicle had On Star and that helped them track the Tahoe but as they started after it, the driver sped away. Dispatchers, who were on the phone with OnStar operators, told the officers not to worry about chasing the vehicle since OnStar was about to disable the gas pedal. Sure enough the Tahoe rolled to a halt, the bad guy jumped out and the cops nabbed him.
Not all GM vehicles with OnStar have the "stolen vehicle slowdown feature," but OnStar and GM are working to fix that within the next few years. This is just another cool feature that will likely become more widely used in the future.
Score one for the good guys.

Cadillac Arrest

Remember those great Cadillac ads with Kate Walsh asking if your car returns the favor when you turn it on?
Well, they're history.
Cadillac, whose newly redesigned 2010 SRX will be the official show car of this year's South Florida International Auto Show that begins on Friday, is taking a different approach. Instead of focusing on branding of their products as hot cars and SUVs, Cadillac will start focusing on value.
The goal is to recapture some of the market share, much of it stolen by the imports, that it lost over the last year when sales were down more than 40 percent.
Whether they're doing a good job of getting the word out or not, the reality is that Cadillac has great cars. The SRX is really a great looking crossover and the CTS, well it competes head on with Lincoln's MKS when it comes to winning over drivers who like bigger luxury vehicles. Can they compete on the same level as Lexus, BMW and Mercedes? Maybe focusing on the quality of the product isn't a bad idea.
Still, those sexy ads with the great music – well, they're going to be missed.

Eyes on the Road

You might think that texting or talking on a cellphone are major distractions for drivers but Leasetrader.com, based here in South Florida, found out that's not the case.
In a recent survey of 3,000 drivers, Lease Trader found that kids in the car ranked as the most dangerous distraction among women and road rage ranked as the most dangerous distraction among men.
Here's some scary findings. Women ranked putting on make up while driving as the second most dangerous distraction, followed by messing with the radio. Men ranked eating and drinking (non-alcoholic beverages, you got to hope) as the second most dangerous distraction followed by checking out other drivers. Yeah, like who hasn't done that?
Texting was in the middle of the list for both men and women but as time goes on, unless there is some regulation, that's likely to increase. Especially if those of us of the boomer generation get hooked.
CU La8r!

No Fueling

The EPA on Thursday released its list of the most fuel efficient 2010 models and not surprisingly, the Toyota Prius topped the chart. And while the U.S. Government's study had a decidedly Japanese accent, the second car on the list was the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrid. Rated at 41 in the city and 36 highway, the Fusion/Milan hybrid is a great car.
The EPA also rates fuel efficient vehicles by class and an interesting note is that the Hyundai Sonata received top ratings in the large car category. While the Civic was tops among subcompacts, the VW Jetta TDI (that's a diesel) was second. The VW diesels all scored well, by the way, supporting the theory that diesels should be considered by those who are concerned about saving money on fuel.
Topping the list for the car with the lowest fuel efficiency was the Lamborghini Murcielago, which gets 8 city and 13 highway. But if you're driving one, well, you're probably not worried about gas mileage anyway.
You can get the whole list at http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/basicinformation.htm

T for Two - Or Maybe 7

Want to check out one of the coolest crossovers out there?
If so, you might want to stop by one of several South Florida Lincoln Mercury dealerships tonight for what Lincoln is calling its Star-Studded Evening. Local dealers will be showing off the new MKT, a crossover with a lot of cool gizmos and gadgets that is pretty luxurious. Among the neatest features is a little refrigerator/cooler and a nav system with park assist. The MKT has three rows of seating and the back row can be configured to face the rear, which makes it perfect for tailgating.
Featuring Ford signature technology from EcoBoost – which helps it get gas mileage in the mid 20s, to a SYNC voice-activated system – the MKT is really a perfect crossover for this area, where families want style and convenience.
In some South Florida dealerships, the official unveiling of the MKT tonight will include door prizes, sweepstakes and more. And here's something else. For every test-drive completed during the star-studded evening, $20 will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
So check it out. Call your local Lincoln Mercury dealer to be sure they're participating and then swing on by. It will be worth the trip.

You'll Need a Scorecard

The South Florida auto dealer landscape is ever changing, with some dealers coming in and some dealers going out. In a few rare cases – such as with Audi Pembroke Pines – dealerships change from one brand to the next almost overnight.
Well those in the know in South Florida are expecting to see a lot more changes thanks in part to a shrinking number of dealerships – brought to you my manufacturers who are consolidating their outlets – and a shrinking number of brands such as Pontiac.
Those dealers who remain, the strong and smart ones, will be going after market share and will be chasing after buyers who may have been loyal to a brand that no longer exists. Already the manufacturers are gearing up with Toyota saying it will sink $1 billion into national marketing in the fourth quarter and GM also ramping up its marketing efforts. Hyundai, which is one of the few brands with sales growth, is also going to be aggressive. There's a good chance that will trickle down to the local level and that might be good news for local dealers and those in the market for a car. After all, this is most certainly a buyer's market.

Show Me the Money

As part of its new "May the Best Car Win" ad campaign, GM is offering new car buyers a highly touted chance to return their car in 60 days if they're not happy. But customers can waive that option and receive $500 upfront.
And give a guess what most folks are doing?
According to GM's top management, most car buyers are taking the money and running.
Really, that shouldn't be much of a surprise since "a bird in the hand. . ." At the same time, it says that most car buyers are smart enough to do their homework and check out all the cars out there before plunking down $20,000 or $30,000. Buying a car, obviously, is a purchase consumers take a little more seriously that buying a dress or a pair of shoes, that can be returned in a couple of weeks. Thanks in large part to the Internet and to the resources available, today's car buyers are a smart and educated breed – for the most part – and that's a good thing for the buyers, the dealers and the manufacturers.

So long Mr and Mrs. Jones

The days of trying to one-up your neighbors may be going away, at least when it comes to cars, according to some local car dealers and published reports. Not surprisingly, you're likely to see some of the top brands start shifting their advertising message away from luxury and more towards safety, performance and technology.
With the economy being what it is, there is a growing segment of car buyers who can afford high-end luxury vehicles but who don't want to appear inconsiderate of others who are struggling. Business owners who have to let go some of their employees, for example, may feel more comfortable driving an E-Class Mercedes rather than an S-Class or an ES Lexus, rather than an IS.
According to the Automotive News, the number of luxury car buyers who are "downscaling" is on the rise and the economy is probably the driving force. There are, of course, other factors at work here, including gas prices. But this is also very much about appearances and about not wanting to showoff at a time when others are suffering.
Some of the dealers in South Florida are already seeing it and some say it is benefiting them. Talk to a few Hyundai dealers and they'll tell you that the demand for the Genesis is just as hot as ever. And those who had were displaying the 2011 Equus, a luxury car that will be in the $60,000 range when it appears in the US market late next year, say they see this as taking on the big guys.
That said, you can still expect to see a lot of South Florida residents continuing to buy the luxury brands.

Having a Fiesta

If you missed the On the South Florida Road column in yesterday's Sun Sentinel, the focus (pardon the pun) was on the Ford Fiesta Movement and specifically on Natasha Tsakos. Natasha is an amazing young woman, whose creativity is boundless. Check out her short films, which are very different from what the other agents posted.
When you talk to her, you realize that Natasha is not just creative but very thoughtful as well. She understands that there is a way for creative artists and corporations to work together in a symbionic relationship without having to sacrifice standards to values.
Check out her films. Go to http://www.fiestamovement.com/agents/view/71
Go to youtube and check out her films. My favorite: If Jerry Lewis Had a Fiesta.

Fine China

When you hear talk about the global automotive market, most of what's talked about are the imports.
But here's something that's pretty interesting.
Our big three U.S. also do a lot of exporting of vehicles and in some ways the foreign markets have been more successful for some than the North American market. Not long ago, in a conversation with an executive with one of the big three, I learned that they were doing well outside of the U.S. and that the exports were helping greatly.
So now comes news that GM set a sale record in China in September and that total sales for the first nine months of the year are up 55 percent.
One thing working in GM's favor are Chinese government incentives toward vehicles that are more environmentally friendly and its interesting to note that first time buyers in smaller Chinese cities helped drive GMs numbers.
What does this all mean? Well, perhaps this is a glimmer of good news for the future of GM as it emerges out of bankruptcy. Sure hope so!

Telling a Story

Word out of Detroit is that Ford will spend 20 percent more on marketing and advertising in the next few months and will go back to its "Drive One" campaign. Ford, which has done better recently than many of its rivals when it comes to sales, is a company that knows how to market well. It also knows how to market efficiently. If you remember to read the On The South Florida Road column coming this Saturday in the Sun Sentinel, you'll see how Ford's Fiesta Movement program is getting the word out about the new Fiesta, with very little upfront spending.
If you want to see what is probably one of the most effective car ads ever, you'll want to click on this link. www.richhumor.com/wp-filez/PerhapstheBestFordCommercia.wmv
Turns out that this was made four or five years ago but it is still making the rounds. You'll want to set aside about three or four minutes. And you might want to have a box of Kleenex handy.
This is storytelling at its best. It is also a fine example of how creativity, art and effective marketing don't have to be mutually exclusive. One can only hope that Ford will continue to invest in this kind of marketing communications. It's good stuff.

It's a Gas, Gas, Gas

Good news. Gas is down to its lowest price in almost three months with the average price per gallon in the US at about $2.47. We're right in the ballpark here in South Florida where we sometimes are a little higher than the national average.
While the drop in price is interesting, the real attention grabber is how the price has changed in just a year. This time last year, according to the feds, the average gallon of gas was about $3.49 or $1.02 more.
There's another neat fact too. According to the department of Energy, the price of diesel is down $1.29 from a year ago. It's still about 11 cents a gallon higher than gasoline, averaging $2.58 a gallon.
While there are still some perceptions about diesel that need to be changed, we Americans may soon be on our way to discovering what our friends in Europe have known for quite some time – that diesel fuel is a viable and cost efficient alternative to gasoline. Today's clean diesel doesn't smell and the engines aren't as noisy as you might remember. And here's the selling point - cars running on diesel get better mileage and on the whole, the engines will last forever. Volkswagen has seen success with its Jetta TDI diesel model and the 2010 Golf TDI, with a highway rating of about 40 miles per gallon, should be making its debut in the next few months.

Fins to the Left, Fins to the Right

If you read yesterday's Sun Sentinel, you may have seen Cindy Kent's Manager Minute story on Kurt Dennis, the general sales manager at Ed Morse Bayview Cadillac. Cindy, as always, did a great job. I was recently at Bayview to check out the new $10 million remodeling job they did. It's unbelievable, considering what the dealership looked like before. And as impressive as it is on the outside, it's even cooler on the inside. The service waiting area, the boutique – complete with Cadillac Teddy bears and golf bags – and even the bathrooms are first class, pretty much what you would expect from Cadillac.
While I was there, I had a chance to check out the new SRX. If you look closely, you'll see a bit of Cadillac heritage in the tail lights. In a move that would make GM's early design guy Harley Earl proud, Cadillac has added just a hint of fins to the tail lights. The tail fin, a design concept taken from aircraft, helped define Cadillac in the late 40s and early 50s and it is no accident that it is making an all so subtle return, in part because of Ed Welburn, GM's design chief, is a guy who appreciates automotive history.
If you're near Bayview Cadillac, you might want to stop by and check out the new dealership and take a look at the SRX. It's a great looking crossover.

Hi Ho Silver

Could it be that as we age as a nation, we want cars that are the same color as our hair?
Once again, South Florida, where white, beige and gray cars are ubiquitous, is setting the trend for the nation, this time with car color preferences. According to PPG Industries, the folks who make car paint and keep track of what's hot and what's not, 25 percent of all new cars sold in the U.S. last year were (gulp) silver!
Some call it silver, some call it gray but no matter what you call it, you have to admit that silver is pretty boring, pretty middle of the road, so to speak.
And that's the point. According to those who study this kind of thing, Silver is appearing because it does blend in. And it supposedly looks great on almost any car.
A silver Lexus, Mercedes or Jag, well maybe.
A silver Mustang, Camaro or Beetle? I don't think so. Well, maybe if it bright and shiny.
To prove a point about the connection between hair color and car color, take a look at this.
Just 15 years ago, when most of us boomers were in our 40s or 50s only about 8 percent of new cars were silver. Today it has tripled.
Personally, I'm fighting the trend. Always liked green or blue cars and probably won't change. Well, maybe we'll go crazy and make our next cars jet black or bright red. Well, maybe not.

About This Blog

It has been close to three years since I began writing a weekly column about the South Florida automotive retail industry for the Sun Sentinel. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to meet some great people in the industry and I have come to really enjoy writing about the people, the local industry and about cars.
The goal for this blog is to post interesting tidbits that I come across - through conversations with dealers or others in the industry - and to act as an online continuation of the weekly column.
If you missed it, by the way, yesterday's column talked about Hyundai's new Equus, a luxury car that has just about everything you can think of. The question that remains to be seen is whether luxury buyers will want a Hyundai. Local dealers seem to think so.