Phil Edmonston - Lemon-Aid New Cars and Trucks 2013

Copyright Les Editions Edmonston, 2012

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Introduction
BETTER CARS, BAD DEALS

Part One
DREAM CARS AND NIGHTMARES

Part Two
THE ART OF COMPLAINING

Part Three
REVIEWS AND RATINGS

Appendix I
MINI-REVIEWS AND 2013 PREVIEWS

Appendix II
INTERNET INFO

Appendix III
CROSS-BORDER SHOPPING

Introduction
BETTER CARS, BAD DEALS

Part One
DREAM CARS AND NIGHTMARES

Part Two
THE ART OF COMPLAINING

Part Three
REVIEWS AND RATINGS

Introduction

BETTER CARS, BAD DEALS

A $1,199 Administration Fee
Although I usually negotiate no administration fee or a reduced fee, I do track what dealers normally charge as an indication to my customers of what I can save them. I just did a small search of administration fees charged over the last year and the results may surprise you.

The administration fees have ranged mostly between $199$499, however, there have been some charges of $600$700, and one dealer even billed $1,199.

This does not surprise me, because as the profit margins for the dealers have been falling (excluding holdback; obvious or hidden) and as some manufacturers do not allow the dealers to charge an administration fee, the administration fees that are levied have been going up (if allowed) and a cornucopia of other fees are often added (etching, nitrogen in the tires, etc.). These additional fees have also been going up and cover a lot more items.

BOB PREST
PRESIDENT, DEALFINDER
MAY 29, 2012

I dont write Lemon-Aid. My readers do.

I transcribe what I learn each year from my readers and whistle-blowers throughout Canada who send me their complaints, compliments, questions, and insider tips. Other sources of information that give Lemon-Aid validity no other auto consumer guide can match include lawsuits, court judgments, government reports, and confidential service bulletins detailing secret warranties, like this one, below.

200607 Chevrolet Malibu equipped with 2.2L Engine (L61)

200607 Pontiac G6 equipped with 2.4L Engine (LE5)

CONDITION: Some customers of 200607 model year Chevrolet Malibu vehicles with a 2.2L engine (L61) and Pontiac G6 vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine (LE5) may comment about the illumination of the indicator lamp. This may be due to erosion of the mat within the catalytic converter.

SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT: This special coverage covers the condition described for a period of 10 years or 120,000 miles (193,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.

Using this secret warranty could save you $600.

When Lemon-Aid was first published 42 years ago, it focused on crooked Esso diagnostic clinics, complaints relative to Allstate insurance claims payouts, and Fords secret J67 warranty covering that companys prematurely rusted cars and trucks. Since then, the book has been a Canadian bestseller with almost 2 million copies sold and a target of two lawsuits filed by Nissan and Honda for $5 million (both cases were thrown out of court).

Over the years, Lemon-Aid has successfully advocated for tougher consumer protection laws for auto buyers, more effective small claims courts with higher claim limits, class-action legislation (remember the failure-prone 197172 Vauxhall Firenza?), and no-fault insurance. This advocacy has resulted in bedrock jurisprudence that today protects Canadian motorists from unsafe and unreliable automobile lemons (see Kravitz vs. GM), and dealer/automaker misrepresentation (Pelletier vs. Nissan).

But holding Canadas auto industry accountable for its mistakes and false advertising is an ongoing battle. Just when you thought you had seen it all after four decades of research and advocacy, along comes Toyota with millions of cars that suddenly accelerate and lose their braking ability; radioactive vehicles exported from Japan following a series of nuclear reactor meltdowns last year; front head restraints that are literally a pain in the neck; and fuel-saving hybrids and electric vehicles that cost more money than they save (see next page).

Nevertheless, this years crop of new cars, trucks, and minivans is considerably improved when compared with previous years models. Crashworthiness standards now include roof strength, Toyotas lineup now has a standard brake override of the throttle, and most vehicles are more fuel frugal thanks to engine improvements like Fords EcoBoost and Mazdas Skyactiv. For the most part (there are notable exceptions listed in Part Three), reliability is better than ever, with Consumer Reports giving even the much-maligned Kia models a Recommended rating this year.

On the other hand, automakers are still overcharging Canadians for vehicles that sell for 1020 percent less in the States, as they continue boosting delivery fees in Canada by more than 100 percent. Also, better quality control at the factory level hasnt been applied evenly for all models. Fords 2011 Fiesta and Hondas 2012 Civic are just two examples of new models that dont perform as well as expected.