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Phil Edmonston LEMON AID USED CARS TRUCKS 1990 2016

Copyright Les Editions Edmonston 2015 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise except for brief passages for purposes of review without the prior permission of Dundurn Press Permission to photocopy should be requested from Access Copyright Editor Catherine Leek of Green Onion Publishing Design Kim Monteforte of WeMakeBooks com Printer Webcom ISBN 978 1 45973 257 5 pb ISBN 978 1 45973 258 2 pdf ISBN 978 1 45973 259 9 epub 1 2 3 4 5 19 18 17 16 15 an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l Ontario We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and Livres Canada Books and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit and the Ontario Media Development Corporation Care has been taken to trace the ownership of copyright material used in this book The author and the publisher welcome any information enabling them to rectify any references or credits in subsequent editions J Kirk Howard President The publisher is not responsible for websites or their content unless they are owned by the publisher Printed and bound in Canada Visit us at Dundurn com dundurnpress Facebook com dundurnpress Pinterest com dundurnpress Dundurn 3 Church Street Suite 500 Toronto Ontario Canada M5E 1M2

CONTENTS Introduction A YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY 1 Road Kill 2 Henry Ford Auto Consumer Advocate 3 What You Don t Know Can Hurt You 4 Lemon Aid s Last Ride 8 Part One CHEAP GAS AND COSTLIER CARS 11 Gas Pump Bump 11 More Choice Better Deals 12 15 Buying Tips 14 Which New Car Truck SUV or Van 20 When and Where to Buy 27 Fleecing by Leasing 30 Buying the Right Car or Truck 32 Safety 35 High Tech Takes the Wheel 39 Safety Features that Kill 45 Comfort 48 Cars for Seniors 48 Other Buying Considerations 55 Choosing a Reliable Cheap Vehicle 61 Cutting Costs 66 Hidden Costs 71 Surviving the Options Jungle 75 Must Have Options 75 Unnecessary Options 87 Cutting the Price 91 Getting a Fair Price 92 Cash Versus Financing 97 The Contract 100 Selling Your Trade In 102 Summary 105 Part Two OLD WHEELS WHAT S HOT WHAT S NOT 107 2015 Used Cars A Bumper Crop 108 Used Is the Smart Choice 109 Luxury Lemons 124 Five Decades of Hits and Misses 125 Safety First 130 When and Where to Buy 131 Buying with Confidence 132 Don t Pay Too Much 136 Financing Choices 143 Dealer Scams 146 Private Scams 151 Summary Be Tough and Fair 152 Part Three RECOURSES AND REFUNDS 155 Don t Just Grumble 156 Two Warranties 159 Supplementary Warranty Scams 162 Supreme Court Tackles Fine Print 164 Broken Promises 167 The Art of Complaining 171 Using Government Agencies 176 Seek Outside Help 176 Contact the Right People 180 15 Legal Tips Lawyers Know 180 Key Court Decisions 195 Cases to Consider 197 Unsafe Vehicles 216 iii

Part Four 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 221 Going Car Less 222 2015 16 A Perfect Storm for Buyers 223 Five Ways to Get a Good Car 224 Narrowing Down the Choices 225 South Korea Soaring Japan Snoring 227 Don t Believe in the Fuel Fairy 230 Take Advantage of Depreciation 231 How Lemon Aid Picks the Best and Worst 232 Definition of Terms 235 American Models 247 American Car Quality 248 Fiat Chrysler Jeep Mama Mia 248 Ford 251 General Motors 255 INTRODUCTION CONTENTS iv FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES 261 200 Avenger Sebring 261 Charger Challenger 264 300 300C Mangum 267 Caravan Grand Caravan Town Country 270 Dodge Durango 273 Dodge Ram 1500 2500 3500 277 JEEP 281 Renegade 282 Wrangler 283 Grand Cherokee 287 FORD 291 Fiesta 295 Focus 299 Fusion Lincoln MKZ 303 Mustang 307 Edge Lincoln MKX 312 Flex 316 Escape 320 Explorer 324 F 150 Pickup 328 GENERAL MOTORS 334 Spark Spark EV 337 Sonic 340 Cruze 343 Malibu Hybrid 350 Impala Allure Lacrosse Lucerne 355 Camaro 361 Corvette 364 Cadillac CTS 369 Equinox Terrain 373 Acadia Enclave Traverse 376 Escalade Suburban Tahoe Yukon Hybrid 379 Silverado Sierra 384 Asians and Auto Safety 390 ACURA 391 MDX 392 HONDA 395 Fit 397 Civic 400 HR V 405 CR V 408 Accord Crosstour Hybrid 411 Odyssey 417 Pilot 422 Ridgeline 426 HYUNDAI 428 Accent 432 Elantra Touring 435 Sonata Hybrid 438 Genesis Coupe Sedan 441 Tucson 444 Santa Fe Hybrid 447 INFINITI 450 G25 G35 G37 451 EX35 455

4 Part Four 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 221 Like a box of chocolates when you drive a minivan you never know what you ll get While driving my 2014 Toyota Sienna on a sunny 65 degree morning we hear a loud boom Nothing was in front of us no overpass I slide the moonroof all other cars call it a sunroof cover back and glass falls in it look as if it had exploded upward Thank goodness I had the cover closed Dealership determines it was caused by impact because of the glass break pattern I asked him if he had ever seen the pattern of glass if it was defective if there would show a weak point He said he had not and then said he did not know for sure it was just from his experience he determined this everyone at dealership had never heard of a spontaneous blow out in the moonroof sunroof There is a lot documented on edmunds com and at other places My daughter was in the back seat of my 2014 Grand Caravan when the seatbelt started to retract itself at the point that she was immobilized and it started choking her We called the police and the fire department so they could release her They cut the seatbelt

Of course buying a new or used car is always a scary experience In either case you re buying someone s problems The automaker s or the seller s With this in mind many people prefer to forgo the experience skip car ownership altogether and find other ways to get around Going Car less PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 222 Before we go into what makes a good car buy and lead you through the jungle of new and used choices I ll take one last stab at explaining why a car isn t a smart buy at all Let s do the math Figure 8 000 a year as your average new car expense including a 200 monthly finance payment Consider too that just the extra freight administrative fee of 2 000 is almost as much as the cost of one year s financing Now as mentioned in Part Two you can buy a used car and cut 8 000 to 4 000 and ditch the freight charge and interest costs So that s by far a better buy But here s the kicker Don t buy a car Instead budget 10 each weekday for public transportation to work or school or for downtown entertainment or strolling That s 50 weekly or 200 a month equal to the cost of financing a new car or paying just its freight cost For special occasions splurge with a 100 rental There are also lots of advantages to being car less There s no showroom shakedown where you are assailed by fast talking sales people and end up buying what you don t need at an inflated price you can t afford You leave with a feeling in the pit of your stomach that you ve been had It s a common feeling that was first highlighted in 1977 when Gallup found that only 8 of respondents rated car salespeople high or very high for honesty and ethics In the latest December 2014 survey that number was 8 Meanwhile a full 45 in the latest poll rated salespeople low or very low not much better than the 47 responding in 1977 U S Views on Honesty and Ethical Standards in Professions Very high or high Average Very low or low Nurses 80 17 2 Medical doctors 65 29 7 Pharmacists 65 28 7 Police officers 48 31 20 Clergy 46 35 13 Bankers 23 49 26

Very high or high Average Very low or low Lawyers 21 45 34 Business executives 17 50 32 Advertising practitioners 10 44 42 Car salespeople 8 46 45 Members of Congress 7 30 61 Dec 8 11 2014 Rated in order of Very high or high GALLUP In addition to the above damning survey results auto manufacturers themselves are warning customers of illegal activities practiced by their own dealerships Last March Fiat Chrysler Automobiles senior vice president for communications warned that a handful of dealers had accepted large numbers of orders for the 707 hp Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat without regard to available supply and without advising their customers that orders may not be filled if at all for many months or longer We believe such a practice is unscrupulous and may constitute a breach of the Dealer s Sales and Service Agreement with FCA US LLC and a violation of other applicable laws 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 223 2015 16 A Perfect Storm for Buyers Pent up demand lower fuel prices and easier low interest credit have produced a perfect storm favourable to buyers of new and used cars and trucks Following PART FOUR The savings accrued by going car less can pay down college costs or a home mortgage both good investments Car pooling builds social skills and makes for lasting friendships You re in tune with the environment you see more hear more and know more about your surroundings Environmentalist David Suzuki would be proud Save money and cut pollution by using a rental taxi bus subway or ride sharing service like Toronto based Uber accessible via a smartphone www uber com cities toronto With these alternatives and no additional vehicle pollutants in the environment how s that for going green Going car less leads to less worry in bad weather over starting driving parking and windshield ice And there s always the peace of mind of letting someone else take you to your destination There s no fear of other drivers traffic jam histrionics and lots of time to read write think or simply take a nap

last year s record sales carmakers are again imprudently flooding the market with more vehicles than they can sell New cars have huge discounts trade ins are more plentiful and used car prices are generally softer than usual because new cars are so plentiful and cheap Furthermore the market distortion caused by cheaper gas makes gas guzzlers luxo cars and all dressed SUVs and trucks more attractive even at higher prices than discounted econoboxes diesels hybrids and electrics Five Ways to Get a Good Car PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 224 1 Treat the purchase as an investment Buy a vehicle that is reasonably priced requires a low down payment is financed at a competitive interest rate has a high predicted resale value provides reasonable fuel economy and can be serviced at most independent garages 2 Look for above average reliability and durability Factory related auto defects can t hide from the Internet Thanks to information put out by government safety agencies independent consumer groups and private auto safety associations we can easily separate the cherries from the lemons and get a car that will last 15 years or more 4 years longer than the time most Canadians keep their vehicles For example last June the Internet reported that Jeep and Fiat were at the bottom of J D Power and Associates Initial Quality Study Then in October Chrysler s Dodge Ram Jeep and Fiat brands were shown to be the bottom four finishers in Consumer Reports Annual Owner Survey The Chrysler brand fell four places to rank 22nd out of 28 brands listed On the other hand the Consumer Reports reliability study awarded the highest marks to Toyota and Lexus perennial front runners for several decades Fiat responded to its low scores by stressing that its quality control manager had been let go to pursue other interests and that the company was countering the bad publicity through a television campaign making fun of Fiat s fix it again Tony reputation It didn t work Fiat still has a low rank 3 Load up on safety features This means getting a vehicle that has at least three essential safety features A high crash protection test score electronic stability control all 2012 and later models fail safe accelerator over rides and a rear view camera 4 Don t go overboard on performance and comfort More gadgets mean more glitches Look for easy to modulate acceleration stopping steering and shifting without undue noise or jostling Exterior styling should focus on functionality and interior amenities must be practical comfortable and convenient to access Beware of chin to chest head restraints

5 Be wary of infotainment features Opt for the latest electronic safety gear and infotainment features that have proven reliability and are not simply bolt on hardware and software systems peddled by outside suppliers Unfortunately the stampede for optimum connectivity has resulted in failure prone electronic systems like Ford s MyFord Touch 2011 14 models and systems that are dangerously distracting Several years ago the Ford brand fell from 5th to 27th in J D Power Associates new car quality survey largely because of complaints with MyFord Touch On the other hand Chrysler s Uconnect touch screen infotainment system is ranked as one of the best in the industry followed by Chevrolet Hyundai Kia and Toyota Narrowing Down the Choices Consider buying a Lemon Aid approved new or used vehicle identified by an asterisk in the sales charts below which apply to 2015 and 2016 models Be mindful that a car or truck should be kept at least 10 years or longer to compensate for depreciation and assorted acquisition fees A new well equipped compact car or small SUV will run between 18 000 and 25 000 a 3 year old used version sells for only half as much Add a couple more years and shave two thirds off the original selling price Best Selling 2015 Cars Sales Model Sales Model 1 Honda Civic 10 Honda Accord 19 Chrysler 200 2 Hyundai Elantra 11 Toyota Camry 20 Subaru Impreza 3 Toyota Corolla 12 Nissan Sentra 21 BMW 3 Series 4 Mazda 3 13 Kia Rio 22 Kia Soul 5 Chevrolet Cruze 14 Hyundai Sonata 23 Nissan Altima 6 Volkswagen Jetta 15 Nissan Versa 24 Ford Fiesta 7 Hyundai Accent 16 Volkswagen Golf 25 Subaru Outback 8 Ford Focus 17 Kia Forte 9 Ford Fusion 18 Honda Fit Model PART FOUR Sales 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 225

Best Selling 2015 SUV Crossovers Sales Model Sales Model Sales Model 1 Ford Escape 10 Chevrolet Equinox 19 Toyota Highlander 2 Honda CR V 11 Ford Edge 20 Nissan Pathfinder 3 Toyota RAV4 12 Kia Sorento 21 Chevrolet Trax 4 Nissan Rogue 13 Jeep Grand Cherokee 22 Lexus RX 5 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 14 Ford Explorer 23 Audi Q5 6 Dodge Journey 15 Subaru Forester 24 Mitsubishi RVR 7 Jeep Wrangler 16 Hyundai Tucson 25 Acura RDX 8 Jeep Cherokee 17 GMC Terrain 9 Mazda CX 5 18 Volkswagen Tiguan Sources Automakers Automotive News Data Model Sales Model Sales Model 1 Ford F Series 6 Toyota Tundra 11 Chevrolet Colorado 226 2 Dodge Ram 7 Nissan Frontier 12 Chevrolet Avalanche 3 GMC Sierra 8 Nissan Titan 13 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4 Chevrolet Silverado 9 Honda Ridgeline 5 Toyota Tacoma 10 GMC Canyon PART FOUR Sales 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD Best Selling 2015 Trucks 2015 Minivans Sales Model Sales Model Sales Model 1 Chevrolet Orlando 5 Kia Rondo 9 Toyota Sienna 2 Chrysler Town Country 6 Kia Sedona 10 Volkswagen Routan 3 Dodge Grand Caravan 7 Mazda 5 4 Honda Odyssey 8 Nissan Quest

2015 Commercial Vans Sales Model Sales Model Sales Model 1 Chevrolet Express 5 GMC Savana 9 Ram Cargo Van 2 Ford E Series 6 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 10 Ram ProMaster 3 Ford Transit 7 Nissan NV 4 Ford Transit Connect 8 Nissan NV200 New or used the vehicle you buy must meet your everyday driving needs and have high crashworthiness and reliability scores Annual maintenance should cost no more than the CAA and DesRosiers estimated average of 800 to 1 100 The depreciation rate should have leveled off so that subsequent years won t cut the car s price by more than a couple thousand dollars leaving you with some resale equity Parts and servicing costs shouldn t be excessive either which means checking out maintenance costs from Internet owner forums before you buy South Korea Soaring Japan Snoring 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 227 PART FOUR The best vehicles come from South Korea which has made an amazing quality sales turnaround in just a decade followed by Japan automakers who appear to be coasting on past glories A few European makes mostly Audi BMW and Volkswagen and even fewer American models bring up the rear led by General Motors Chrysler Fiat comes a distant second and finally Ford which continues to be trapped in its self inflicted poor quality funk This year small cars and family sedans give the most performance and reliability for the money And throughout 2016 their prices will continue to decline because the buying crowd has so much fuel savings bling in its pockets to spend Customers who once were ready to buy smaller or consider getting a hybrid or electric vehicle are now marching in tandem toward fully loaded luxury cars SUVs trucks and vans This will create a bonanza of cheap small cars this winter and likely lead to the demise of the Chevy Volt electric car hybrid price cutting and fewer diesel equipped cars Still some bargain priced fuel efficient models will remain like Honda s Fit Civic and Accord Hyundai s Accent and Elantra Subaru s Forester and Legacy Toyota s Corolla and Volkswagen s diesel equipped TDI with manual transmission Luxury models American minivans and small to large Chrysler and Ford passenger cars SUVs and trucks represent the worst value among new and used vehicles If interior room is your paramount concern consider a Mazda 5 microvan a Subaru Outback or Forester or a downsized Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4 The best values for your purchasing dollar among luxury cars are the BMW 3 Series including the X3 Acura RDX and MDX Infiniti EX and the Lexus lineup

Don t Believe in the Fuel Fairy Fuel economy isn t all that important when you are buying used since all of your other savings should easily compensate for the extra fuel costs We don t recommend most gas electric engine hybrids their retail prices are mostly at the high end and long term reliability can be problematic Consumer Reports April 2013 issue targets the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid as the worst of a bad lot It has a big problem with the drive battery The 2009 model was the worst almost one in five owners needed a replacement hybrid battery in our 12 month survey period more than ten percent of owners of the 2003 2004 and 2010 models also needed one PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 230 Honda provided a software update to owners of 2006 08 Civic Hybrids to help extend the life of the IMA battery and issued a technical service bulletin TSB for the States in late 2012 which extends the IMA battery warranty Batteries that were once covered for 10 years 100 000 miles are now warranteed for 11 years 137 000 miles vehicles covered for 8 years 80 000 miles are now covered for 9 years 96 000 miles and replacement batteries that were bought are covered for 36 000 miles or three years Furthermore imagine looking for a replacement battery while in another town or on vacation As for guaranteeing the 3 000 replacement up to the equivalent of three years driving Try telling that to the dealer when negotiating its trade in price Hybrid fuel sipping can save gas as advertised 4 5L 100km 2013 Toyota Prius or much less with some owners claiming a 40 reduction in the fuel economy hyped by automakers There have also been reports Honda Civic Hybrid above Sure check the oil that hybrid motors have a and water oh and replace the battery high failure rate due to corrosion battery replacement costs are estimated to run as high as 3 000 U S for the Toyota Prius and 10 000 for other makes and their 8 year resale values are no better than similar vehicles equipped with conventional engines Look again at a 2010 Toyota Prius that originally sold for 27 400 It is now valued at almost a third of its original price and approaching the end of the battery pack warranty Take our Part Four fuel economy estimates with a large grain of salt and blame it on the feds since Ottawa is in cahoots with automakers in coming up with fanciful fuel economy ratings It s not a criminal conspiracy it s just lazy complacency

that they are just now correcting Nevertheless up to 2014 the Canadian mileage figures were cooked by as much as 22 In November of 2011 CBC News and the Automobile Protection Association APA compared the Canadian and American fuel consumption ratings of various 2012 models The survey showed that Canadian fuel economy estimates were inflated by 16 22 compared to the U S estimates for the same vehicles Since this is L 100km a lower number is better More accurate U S fuel economy figures for 2014 and earlier models can be found at www fueleconomy gov while the puffed up Canadian figures reside at oee nrcan gc ca transportation tools fuelratings ratings search cfm APA President George Iny says Canadian numbers were generated by the industry from standardized lab tests not real life road conditions Back in 2008 the U S government got rid of the lab tests Take Advantage of Depreciation MSRP ALG Residual ALG Residual Value 36 months 48 months 60 months 22 060 22 060 22 060 22 060 56 45 38 32 12 850 10 400 8 700 7 250 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 24 months 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan 231 PART FOUR Not all cars and trucks are born with equal attributes and they age depreciate at different rates When buying new you want a reliable model that depreciates slowly when buying used consider a vehicle that has prematurely lost much of its value but is still dependable and inexpensive to maintain Fortunately there are plenty of the latter on the market due to the increased number of trade ins as new car sales rebound in Canada During the past year rebates cut rate financing subsidized leasing and fluctuating fuel costs along with poor reputations for quality have depressed the residual values of most American cars and trucks According to the Automotive Lease Guide www alg com Detroit made vehicles barely keep 33 of their sticker values after 4 years while the average Japanese make is predicted to keep 46 of its value after 4 years Residual values can be accessed free of charge at www cars com go alg index jsp Here are a few predicted residual values for some popular 2015 models

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2WD 24 months MSRP ALG Residual ALG Residual Value 36 months 48 months 60 months 28 172 28 172 28 172 28 172 55 45 41 36 15 875 13 025 11 650 10 275 2015 Mazda MX 5 Miata Convertible Sport MT 24 months ALG Residual ALG Residual Value 48 months 60 months 25 088 25 088 25 088 25 088 63 53 46 39 15 975 13 475 11 725 9 775 24 months MSRP 36 months 36 months 48 months 60 months 41 245 41 245 41 245 41 245 68 59 51 44 28 925 25 250 21 675 18 800 2015 Audi TT Coupe 2 0T Quattro MSRP ALG Residual PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 232 ALG Residual Value How Lemon Aid Picks the Best and Worst Lemon Aid doesn t give a rating for every vehicle make sold in Canada We focus primarily on new and used vehicles sold in relatively large numbers considered to be the best and worst buys Often we may suggest buying a high ranking used car that is similar to the new version but sold for much less the Mazda Miata and Audi TT Coupe are good examples If you have a question about a vehicle not found in Lemon Aid send us an email at lemonaid earthlink net We will be glad to send you a free update with the information we have available Lemon Aid has been giving honest independent and dependable auto ratings for over 4 decades by following these simple rules Ratings should be used primarily as a comparative database that combines a driving test with an owners survey of past models only Consumer Reports does this Unfortunately Consumer Reports annual April edition has dropped its reliability ratings for specific components of the past 12 model years Instead there is just a black or red circle indicating which model year is more reliable

A vehicle should not be rated during the first 6 months it has come on the market or undergone a complete redesign Look at the much heralded Honda Fit for example The Fit has always been a reliable well performing small car But the redesigned 2015 model was not as good due to its new design and relocation to another manufacturing plant in Mexico Below are three typical examples of safety related complaints received by NHTSA safercar gov for the 2015 Fit Some other incidents are quite bizarre like flea infestation Marquis de Sade head restraints airbag failure to deploy reversed rear seatbelt buckles sudden acceleration sudden brake failures rainwater leaks and the smell of rotten meat coming through the AC vents Complaints are entered into New or used Honda s Fit offers bulletproof reliability superior driving Lemon Aid s complaint dataperformance and excellent fuel economy all at a reasonable cost base and are used to determine if a safety related defect trend exists and whether or not a vehicle s rating should be downgraded In the case of the Fit the noted complaints apparently affected only a few cars PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 234 The contact owns a 2015 Honda Fit While driving approximately 30 mph downhill the vehicle accelerated independently and the brakes failed The vehicle crashed into a building The passenger sustained a cracked vertebrae in the neck that required medical attention The failure mileage was 1 300 Unpleasant smells started coming out of vents in early July 2014 I purchased the vehicle new on June 13 2014 They started as smelling like fresh mulch or dog poo but became more like mold mildew sometimes smelling like wet dirty gym socks and getting as bad as smelling like rotting meat Several attempts one by me and three by the service department where I d purchased the vehicle have been made to correct the problem Chemical cleaners replacing the cabin air filter have been done I have inspected the cowl intakes cabin air filter and blower box myself and the smells do not emanate from them I was informed there was a worker walkout at the new Mexico based plant the real reason for the launch delay in the US from mid April to mid June where the 2015 Honda Fits for North America are made and that many vehicles were left standing where they were when the walkout commenced and the walkout lasted weeks Someone should investigate this and see what else may have happened to these vehicles while they sat stagnant during the walkout

The front seats are really uncomfortable The head restraints on the front seats force our heads too far forwards causing neck pains and sometimes neck aches or headaches The front seats don t offer sufficient lumbar support After 30 45 minutes of riding or driving our lower backs start to hurt This pain can last a while after exiting the vehicle The front seat cushion cuts off circulation below the waist after 40 45 minutes of sitting in them This numbs my legs which can reduce reaction time in case I need to try to avoid an accident We rate vehicles on a scale of one to five stars with five stars being our top ranking Models are designated as Recommended Above Average Average Below Average or Not Recommended with the most recent year s rating indicated by the number of stars beside the vehicle s name Recommended We don t give this rating out very often and we are quick to drop it if safety servicing or overall quality control decline We don t believe for one moment that the more you spend the better performing more reliable or safer the vehicle For example most Hondas are as good as Acuras which cost thousands of dollars more for their luxury cachet The same is true when you compare Toyota and Lexus Even more surprising some luxury makes such as Jaguar are pseudo luxe 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD Ratings Definition of Terms 235 PART FOUR Ratings must come from unimpeachable sources There should be no conflicts of interest due to ties with advertisers or consultants and no results gathered from self serving tests done under ideal conditions like previous years Transport Canada fuel economy tests Tested cars must be bought not borrowed and serviced not pampered as part of a journalists fleet lent out for ranking purposes Also automakers must be judged equally and not penalized if they refuse to pay to play in annual car of the year rankings handed out by car critics Of course automobile manufacturers must not be members of the ranking body Again we are wary of self administered fuel economy ratings used by automakers in complicity with the federal government and some car enthusiast magazines Automotive News added its name to the list of skeptics when it found that some Honda and Toyota hybrids get 20 40 less real world gas mileage than advertised The car industry publication also discovered that hybrids need to be driven in a particular way in order to be fuel efficient use more fuel than ordinary cars on short trips or when using air conditioning and are affected by colder climates resulting in increased fuel consumption way beyond what the ratings figures indicate

because the older models may be merely dressed up Fords sold at a luxury car price The extra money only buys you more features of dubious value and newer failure prone electronic gadgetry Also luxury models are just as likely to have factory related defects as cheaper cars For example BMW s high tech 2014 i8 plug in hybrid was recently recalled because the gas tank might leak fuel due to an inadequate weld The i8 sells for 150 000 Canadian In fact the simplest choice is often the best buy Ford s Mustang Hyundai s Elantra and Tucson and the Mazda3 get positive ratings because they are easy to find fairly reliable and reasonably priced not the case with many over priced Hondas and Toyotas The above vehicles are good buys new though used model recommendations may vary by year just like Mustangs with made in China grenading manual transmissions or the 26 2 million 2000 11 models worldwide equipped with shrapnel shooting Takata air bags recalled by BMW Chrysler Jeep Ford General Motors Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Nissan Subaru and Toyota or the 2015 16 Chevrolet Impala and Dodge Ram which slipped a couple of notches from their almost perfect 2014 model scores Above Average Average Vehicles that are given an Above Average or Average rating are good second choices if a Recommended vehicle isn t your first choice isn t available or isn t within budget PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 236 uy Below Average Not Recommended bad b Many vehicles are given a Below Average rating by Lemon Aid because we know they will likely be troublesome however we also believe their low price and reasonably priced independent servicing may make them acceptable buys to some do it yourselfers who have put aside sufficient money saved from the transaction to cover expected failures Chrysler minivans for example are relatively cheaper than other minivans principally due to their reputation for poor reliability failureprone powertrains and rapid depreciation Vehicles with a history of unforeseeable recurring and expensive defects are most likely to be given a Not Recommended rating They are best avoided altogether no matter how low the price because they re so likely to suffer from many durability and performance problems that you may never stop paying for repairs Sometimes however a Not Recommended model will improve over several model years and garner a better rating Incidentally for those owners who wonder how I can stop recommending model years I once recommended let me be clear As vehicles age their ratings change to reflect new information from owners and from service bulletins relating to durability and the automaker s warranty performance For example Honda s Civic Nissan s Quest Toyota s Sienna and BMW s Mini have been downgraded for some years because new service bulletins and additional owner complaints show disturbing trends in crashworthiness dependability or overall performance

CURRENT LATCH RATINGS 2015 models unless otherwise noted Good BMW 5 series Mercedes Benz GL Class Volkswagen Passat Acceptable Acura MDX Dodge Durango Honda Odyssey Mazda 3 Buick Enclave Dodge Grand Caravan Honda Pilot Mazda CX 5 Chevrolet Cruze Ford Edge Hyundai Santa Fe Mercedes Benz C Class Chevrolet Equinox Ford Expedition Jeep Cherokee Mercedes Benz E Class Chevrolet Impala Ford Explorer Jeep Compass Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Chevrolet Malibu Ford Flex Kia Forte 2014 Nissan Maxima Chevrolet Tahoe Ford Focus Kia Optima Nissan Murano Chevrolet Traverse Ford Taurus Kia Sedona Nissan Pathfinder Chrysler 300 GMC Terrain Kia Sorento Nissan Versa Chrysler Town Country GMC Yukon XL Kia Soul Toyota Camry Dodge Dart Honda Civic Lexus GX Volvo S60 Marginal Ford Escape Lexus CT 200h Subaru Impreza Audi Q7 Ford F 150 Lexus NX Subaru Outback BMW 3 series Ford Fusion Lexus RC Subaru XV Crosstrek 2016 BMW X3 GMC Acadia Lexus RX Toyota 4Runner BMW X5 Honda Accord Mazda CX 9 Toyota Avalon Buick LaCrosse Honda CR V Mini Cooper Toyota Corolla Cadillac SRX Hyundai Elantra Nissan Frontier Toyota Highlander Chevrolet Sonic Hyundai Sonata Nissan Quest Toyota Prius Chrysler 200 Infiniti QX60 Nissan Rogue Toyota RAV4 Dodge Charger Jeep Grand Cherokee Nissan Sentra Volvo V60 Dodge Journey Jeep Wrangler Subaru Forester Volvo XC60 Dodge Ram 1500 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hyundai Accent Nissan Altima Toyota Tundra Ford Fiesta Lexus ES Toyota Sienna Volkswagen Jetta GMC Sierra 1500 Mazda 6 PART FOUR Poor 239 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 2016 Acura RDX Source http www iihs org iihs news desktopnews iihs launches ease of use ratings

Why are Lemon Aid s used car prices sometimes lower than the prices found in dealer guides such as Red Book The answer is simple Much like a homeowner selling a house dealers inflate their prices so that you can bargain the price down and wind up convinced that you made a great deal We use newspaper classified ads from Quebec Ontario and British Columbia as well as auction reports to calculate my used vehicle values We then check these figures against Red Book and Black Book prices We then project what the value will be by mid model year and that lowers prices further The average price is given to leave some margin for negotiation as well as to account for the regional differences in prices and the sudden popularity of certain models or vehicle classes Since no evaluation method is foolproof check dealer prices against newspaperand Internet sourced private classified ads and then add the option values listed on the next page to come up with a fairly representative offer Don t forget to bargain the price down further if the odometer shows a cumulative reading of more than 20 000 km per calendar year Interestingly the value of anti lock brakes in trade ins plummeted during the last few years as they became a standard feature on many entry level vehicles Value of Options by Model Year OPTION PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 242 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Air conditioning 200 200 250 300 300 300 325 325 350 Radio CD player 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Anti lock brakes 50 50 50 50 50 75 75 100 100 Automatic transmission 150 150 150 150 150 175 175 175 200 Cruise control 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 75 Electric six way seat 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 50 50 GPS 50 50 50 50 50 75 75 75 100 Leather upholstery 0 0 0 0 0 25 25 25 50 Paint protector 0 0 0 0 0 25 25 25 50 Power door locks 0 0 0 0 50 50 50 50 50 Power windows 0 0 0 0 0 50 50 50 50 Rustproofing 0 0 0 0 25 25 50 50 50 Stability control 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 0 0 Sunroof 50 50 50 75 125 125 150 150 200 T top roof 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 200 200 Tilt steering 0 50 50 75 75 75 75 75 100 Tinted windows 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tires Firestone 100 100 100 100 100 150 150 150 150 Note Electronic stability control has been a mandatory feature since 2012

It will be easier to match the lower used prices if you buy privately Dealers rarely sell much below the maximum prices they claim that they need the full price to cover the costs of reconditioning and paying future warranty claims If you can come within 5 10 of this guide s price you ll have done well In the Value of Options by Model table take note that some options such as a DVD GPS infotainment system paint protector rustproofing and tinted windows have little worth on the resale market though they may make your vehicle easier to sell Other options like a rear view camera high performance tires with more than half their tread left and a supplementary warranty all add value Electronic stability control on the other hand may not It has been a mandatory feature in Canada on 2012 13 light duty vehicles built since September 1 2011 The extra cost has been figured into the base price of subsequent models Ten Ways to Maximize Residual Value 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 243 PART FOUR 1 Choose a vehicle that s popular but production doesn t exceed demand which can drive down values Remember vehicles with high fleet or consumer rebates are cheapened thus negating the upfront discount 2 Choose options that have the most demand at resale such as air conditioning power windows automatic transmissions and a rear view camera Adding upgraded sound systems or interior trim is worthwhile only with higher level models not compact cars 3 Factory installed navigation systems are notorious for being over priced and losing half their value when the car leaves the showroom 4 Choose a colour that s popular with buyers such as silver white or black Don t experiment with unusual colours or excessive accessorizing 5 Invest in smart reconditioning Although it is said that every 1 spent on detailing a car will return 1 50 upon resale this doesn t work with entrylevel vehicles as much as it does with more expensive fully equipped cars and trucks 6 Wash and vacuum is essential especially higher mileage units 7 Avoid major collision repairs and replace tires with less than 50 tread life 8 For vehicles in rough condition consider using brokers They have more contacts and can auction the car if necessary 9 In general cars put on the market in early spring and summer will sell more easily 10 Market timing is also influenced by the type of vehicle and region of the country That is 4x4s will be more valuable in the cold climate provinces in the late fall and winter Convertibles produce a better return on investment when marketed during the summer months

Reliability The older a vehicle gets at five to seven years old the greater the chance that major components such as the engine and transmission will fail as the result of high mileage and environmental wear and tear Surprisingly a host of other expensive to repair failures are just as likely to occur in new vehicles as in older ones The air conditioning electronic computer modules electrical systems and brakes are the most troublesome components manifesting problems early in a vehicle s life Other deficiencies that will appear early due to sloppy manufacturing and harsh environments include failure prone body hardware trim finish locks doors and windows susceptibility to water leakage or wind noise and peeling and or discoloured paint Owners with cracked or exploding windows or windshields are often told by dealers to make an insurance claim instead Don t do it If there is no proof that the window was impacted by a foreign object the window should be replaced by the automaker Breakage may occur for all sorts of reason A change in temperature shutting the car door or passing over a bump in the road VW is recalling its 201315 Beetles for just that reason The sunroof glass panel may shatter when passing over a bump particularly in cold weather Smart owners should use the Beetle recall as the benchmark to get their window windshield or sunroof replaced gratis by the auto manufacturer instead of incurring an insurance premium increase A star score in the Profile shows a model year s degree of overall reliability PART FOUR 1990 2016 RATINGS WHEN GOOD CARS GO BAD 244 1 2 3 4 5 3 1 2 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 NOT BELOW AVERAGE ABOVE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED AVERAGE AVERAGE Repairs The cost and frequency of repairs are major factors considered in each vehicle s ranking With this 1990 2016 edition we ve listed five problem areas The electrical system base engine fit and finish infotainment features and automatic transmission The higher the number inside the money bag in this category the more frequent or expensive the repairs 1 2 2 3 1 2 3 REASONABLE SOMEWHAT CALL THE COSTLY BANK 3 1 Electronic stability control ESC ESC is one of the most effective safety technologies to be mandated since vehicle safety standards were introduced in the States in 1967 and in Canada in 1971 Since 2012 all vehicles sold in Canada must have ESC in the States ESC became mandatory 3 years earlier

AMERICAN MODELS PART FOUR Merge Fiat with Chrysler Voil A Jeep flamb e AMERICAN MODELS 247 While Jeep is putting out fires GM has scored with better built cars and trucks Consumer Reports gave an unexpected rave review of the redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Impala calling it the best new sedan tested The 2014 Silverado pickup got similar praise

This tax dodge is all the more shameful when one considers the architect of FCA s flight from North American and Italian taxes is Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne a Canadian Italian dual national Take note that this is the second time Fiat has abandoned its North American customers The company left Canadians with their rust ravaged cars and worthless warranties in 1987 only to return 25 years later as Chrysler s self styled financial savior feeding from Ottawa and Washington s bailout trough while marketing the mediocre Fiat 500 hatchback and convertible Fiat Chrysler Although all three American carmakers are f lush with money the strongest contender for biggest gains for 2016 is Chrysler thanks to the resurgence of car Fiat s accomplishment Putting its crown jewel Ferrari on the auction block and being rebuffed by Ottawa in its request for a 700 million Canadian handout to retool its Windsor and Brampton Ontario plants When the government grants and loans didn t appear Mr Marchionne withdrew his request and ponied up the money from Chrysler s profits His parting shot Canada was acting like a guppy in shark infested waters meaning American and Mexican man eaters were swimming by with looser purse strings PART FOUR Ironic Fiat was rescued by Chrysler thanks to its strong Jeep and truck sales AMERICAN MODELS 249