YONKERS, N.Y., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Welcome to Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Issue. More than ever, consumers need good deals. The issue provides information about which cars give you the most bang for your buck, how to get a good deal on a late-model used car, how you can keep your current car running and save hundreds on auto service, manufacturer report cards, and new and surprising Top Picks. (Articles in Spanish are available at www.consumerreportsenespanol.org.)
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SAVE HUNDREDS ON AUTO MAINTENANCE BY SHOPPING AROUND + 5 AUTO SERVICE RIP-OFFS
Consumers can save hundreds on auto maintenance by comparison shopping and calling several dealerships and independent shops, according to a new analysis from Consumer Reports. CR's experts called dozens of dealers and repair shops throughout the country to get quotes for regular maintenance service on three popular models. CR found that dealers often wanted to charge for extra work that the automaker doesn't require when they compared the service items included in quotes with the maintenance lists in the owner's manuals. They also found that quotes from independent shops that included all the items in the manual were sometimes $150 below the cheapest dealer.
The issue also identifies 5 auto service rip-offs like flushing the transmission and insisting that only dealerships perform maintenance to avoid.
CONSUMER REPORTS' NAMES TWO NEW TOP PICKS FOR 2009 IN MIDSIZE SUV AND PICKUP TRUCK CATEGORIES
Consumer Reports has named its Top Picks for 2009, which includes two new models -- the Toyota Highlander and the Chevrolet Avalanche, as top choices for midsized SUVs and pickups. Having proven reliable in its first year since a major redesign, the top-rated Toyota Highlander dethroned the Hyundai Santa Fe, last year's winner in the midsized SUVs category, while the improved reliability of the new Chevrolet Avalanche helped it to replace the Chevrolet Silverado as top pickup.
CONSUMER REPORTS NAMES THE MOST RELIABLE USED CARS
Value-minded consumers know that buying a reliable used car is often the best choice, but that finding one takes research. To help simplify the process, Consumer Reports has identified the most and least reliable used cars for 10 years -- from model years 1999 to 2008. Reliability data was compiled from the magazine's Annual Auto Survey, which generated responses about more than 1.4 million new and used vehicles. Toyota and Honda dominated the majority of the categories, demonstrating consistent reliability and performance, but some recent domestic models are also worthy choices. The report also features a list of "Used Cars to Avoid" and the "Worst of the Worst," which names vehicles with multiple years of much-worse-than average reliability.
