VW Adding Free Maintenance in 2009

Volkswagen is really going all-out to buoy its flagging U.S. sales. Starting with its entire 2009 lineup, the company will add a Carefree Maintenance Program at no charge that will pay for all scheduled maintenance for the life of the new-car warranty: three years or 36,000 miles.

Interestingly enough, this includes just three services at 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 miles. The new Routan minivan will have more maintenance intervals — at 6,000, 12,000, 18,000, 24,000, 30,000 and 36,000 miles — all of which will also be covered.

VW is also adding a new “courtesy vehicle check” that allows owners to bring their new car back to the dealer within 90 days or 6,000 miles for a review of the car’s features and to have it checked for any mechanical issues.

Many luxury automakers offer similar programs, but with just three services included for most models, VW might have found a winning formula. It won’t cost the automaker much to perform three services, and the program will sound great in commercials.

Update: VW has confirmed that it will reduce its comprehensive new-car warranty to three years or 36,000 miles for the 2009 model year compared to the current four-year or 50,000 mile warranty for 2008 models.

Eco-Friendly Waterless Car Wash

It sounds almost too good to be true: A company called Lucky Earth has introduced a product called Waterless Car Wash, a spray that it claims will not only clean your car with a simple spray-and-wipe method but keep it clean longer.

The benefits are obvious. For $20, a 32 oz. bottle will give you seven to ten washes, saving you numerous trips to the car wash and dozens and dozens of gallons of water. This is an especially important factor for car owners living in the south and southwest, where devastating droughts and water-shortages have made washing a car a luxury. Furthermore, Green Earth uses a water-based formula that is eco-safe.

The question is: Does it really work?

Green Earth cautions that the product works best on surfaces that are not “excessively soiled, muddy, or caked with sand.” This means that if you’ve been off-roading in your SUV, you’ll probably have to hose down your vehicle anyway before applying the product or risk scratching the paint. For everyday dirtying, however, Green Earth’s car wash may serve its purpose. If not, the company offers a 100% money-back guarantee.

The Waterless Car Wash (CNET)

MapQuest's New Gas, Alt-Fuel Locator

MapQuest has launched a new section called MapQuest Gas Prices that will track down nearby gas stations and sort them by their per-gallon price, as well as by distance. If you think that’s handy, people who drive cars that run on diesel, E-85 and compressed natural gas will be able to find those fuel stations as well. The site is easy to use if you’ve ever tried mapping a location on it or other sites like it.

According to MapQuest, it receives pricing data from more than 100,000 gas stations and uses information from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide the alternative-fuel locations.

[MapQuest Launches Site That Helps Locate Stations with Hard-to-Find Vehicle Fuels, USA Today]

Gas Prices Dip Below $2.50

Today, AAA is reporting that the national average for a gallon of gasoline is $2.495. It’s the first time since March that the price has dropped below the $2.50 mark. The main reason for the wild price changes is plain old supply and demand. Gasoline and crude oil supplies are up while demand is down. Experts also say a calm storm season in the Gulf of Mexico has been another factor in the low prices.

Gas Prices Still Going Down

While we’re not close to last year's pre-Hurricane Katrina $2.58 per gallon gas prices, today’s national average of $2.96 is the best we’ve seen in the past month and should help alleviate fears of further increases related to last week's BP pipeline failure. Of course, near-$3 prices aren’t anything to celebrate, and automakers like Chevrolet are trying hard to hype new gas-sipping models like the Aveo.

Don’t forget to check out Cars.com’s list of the most fuel-efficient vehicles — hybrid or otherwise — here.

Gas Prices Quietly Retreating

As world events stabilize — slightly — gas prices have dipped back below the $3 per gallon mark. AAA’s daily report of national gas prices lists the current average at $2.997. That’s down from almost $3.03 last week after news that BP’s Alaskan pipeline would have to be shut down. This is good news for drivers, especially as Labor Day approaches, but we're a bit surprised the lower figure hasn’t been as widely reported as last week's near-record highs.

Gas Prices Stabilize

Yesterday’s news of an Alaskan pipeline being shut down hasn't led to a major run on gas prices. We want to stress the word major because obviously gas prices can vary due to geography and other factors. But nationally AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has not changed from yesterday’s $3.036 a gallon. On popular website GasBuddy.com, the price has gone from $3.016 yesterday to $3.025 today. That’s up from $2.983 last week, which is a decent bump, but none of the reports are showing wild hikes. If any of you have experienced significant price changes at your local pumps, let us know in the comment section.

[Gas Prices Hold Steady after BP Shutdown, CNNMoney.com]

Hummer H2 Wheels Can Fall Off

The Sacramento Bee ran an investigative report on its front page today regarding Hummer H2s and the possibility their wheels can fall off. There have been more than 20 cases of H2s experiencing the extreme problem, including the Bee’s own automotive editor Mark Glover. His 2002 test vehicle is shown here after losing its front left wheel in the newspaper’s parking lot.

Most of the cases occurred after the vehicle struck another object, but others — including Glover — say they didn’t hit anything. GM says there’s nothing wrong with the part that caused the problem, even though they replaced it in 2003; complaints documented in the Bee’s report state model years ranging through 2004. NHTSA is continuing an investigation that could eventually lead to a recall. GM says there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.

[Bee Investigative Report: Wheels are falling off Hummers, Sacramento Bee – Registration required]

OnStar Gets Upgrades

General Motors has a unique way of alleviating customers’ gas woes. By upgrading its OnStar service, GM will be able to tell subscribers how efficient their car is, when the right time to get an oil change may be and whether or not their tire pressure is adequate.

Tire pressure monitoring systems are already featured on some GM vehicles, and many other automakers also use the handy devices to make sure drivers are traveling on properly inflated rubber. But GM hopes that by updating its OnStar email diagnostic alerts to subscribers, more owners will be better informed and better drivers. GM says more than 100 million gallons of gas could be saved over the next five years if every owner followed the new diagnostic advice.

The updates are welcome, as OnStar will be standard across the entire 2007 GM lineup. But it’s still a subscription service that GM is averse to discussing in terms of profitability. There are 4.5 million OnStar subscribers.

[GM Plans Upgrades to Popular OnStar, Detroit News]

Related: I-mob: An OnStar Rival?

Ford Adds Two Years to Warranty

Here’s a reason to wait a few months on that candy-red Fusion you’ve been eyeing: The ’07 models will have a longer warranty. Automotive News reports that Ford will extend its drivetrain policy to five years or 60,000 miles for Ford and Mercury vehicles, and six years or 70,000 miles for Lincoln models. Previous programs lasted three years for Ford and Mercury, and four years for Lincoln.

The drivetrain warranty covers all engine and transmission-related parts. Other parts are covered under Ford’s three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, which won’t change.

The move counters reports of low quality in recent years, and now the Blue Oval’s warranty matches that of rival Toyota. Asian automakers Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi still lead the industry with standard 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranties.

[Ford Increases Powertrain Warranty, Automotive News – registration required]

How to Keep Track of Gas Prices

There’s not much the average car owner can do to actually reduce the price of gasoline at the pump. So we might as well commiserate with friends in other states about the high price of fuel — a luxury made easy by AAA, which updates the average gas prices across the country every day at this handy site.

Not surprisingly, Hawaii has the highest gas prices today at $3.368 a gallon for regular unleaded. On the mainland, high prices are in Connecticut and Washington D.C. at $3.152. Who pays the lowest? South Carolina at $2.726.

If you want to find the cheapest gas in your area check out Fueleconomy.gov. The site maintains a healthy amount of links that will help you find the best deal in your town. And don’t forget to check our own list of new cars that get the best and worst gas mileage.

A New Form of Sticker Shock

The pace of automotive technology often amazes me. This summer, Volvo’s revamped XC90 sport utility vehicle hits dealerships with a Blind Spot Information System, complete with door-mounted cameras that warn drivers when a lane change could land them in tomorrow’s obituaries. In the fall, Lexus will roll out a 2007 LS 460 sedan packing more accident-prevention measures than a third-grade science fair.

Much as I welcome new gadgets, I wonder what effect they have on repair costs. I called dealerships in Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles to find out.