California One Step Closer To High Speed Railway

Posted on by

The $2.25 billion in federal stimulus funds recently awarded to the California high-speed rail project ensures that construction can proceed on a 520-mile route between Anaheim and San Francisco within three years, rail officials said Thursday. Although this project has been in the works for more than a decade, it has been mostly theory. Voters approved a $10 billion bond measure in 2008 and the recent federal stimulus moves the project one step closer to becoming reality.

This stimulus will not only provide much needed jobs for California residence, but promises to reduce the amount of traffic on California roads by getting people to where they need to go, fast and efficiently. The route is also projected to create a profit of $1 billion annually that will initially go back into the high-speed rail system itself for maintenance and further extensions.

But last month a panel of experts in the fields of transportation engineering and city and regional planning urged caution. “It is a complex endeavor and requires a complex understanding of the engineering, economic and environmental issues.” warns Samer Madanat, director of Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation Studies and CEE professor.

There are two proposed routes through the heart of the city, both following an existing railroad track. The plan is for the route to enter Bakersfield from the northwest, stop at a downtown terminal and exit to the east on the way to the Antelope Valley and beyond to Southern California. Because of the speed, both routes deviate a bit from the existing railroad, running through historic areas, causing controversy in the city.

Bakersfield is not the only ones concerned about the path the high speed rail will take. Farmers up and down the San Joaquin Valley are expressing objections. And battles have broken out in the Bay Area and Southern California.

Bringing a high speed rail line through any community will be disruptive, as well as beneficial. Issues of safety and noise will need to be addressed for any route. Rather than deciding that the exact alignment will be, the design engineers and environmental reviewers should be refining a route that would least impact the community. Wherever possible, they need to avoid schools, hospitals, homes, businesses and churches.

Factors That Affect Your Insurance Rates

Posted on by

If you have ever compared your auto insurance rates with a friend or family member, you will see that they can be quite different for the same coverage. Insurance companies decide how much you pay according to factors that indicate how much of a risk you are. When you buy a new vehicle, it is always a good idea to keep these risk factors in mind to avoid huge rates when you go to insure your new vehicle.

  • New or Used: A brand new vehicle carries a higher value therefore making it a greater risk. What you buy and how much it costs will determine how much repairs will cost and whether you want collision coverage on the vehicle.
  • Driving History: Non-moving violations such as parking tickets have less impact on your premiums than moving violations such as speeding tickets and DUIs.
  • Age and Gender: Insurance companies use statistics to calculate your insurance premiums. Age group, gender, and marital status statistics collected over the years allow insurance companies to classify you either as a high or low risk client.
  • Accidents: If you have had a previous accident, insurance companies see you as higher risk. Depending on the severity of the accident and who was at fault, you may see your premiums go up 20% to 40%. Some accident claims may result in your insurer dropping you completely.
  • Where you live: Some states have higher rates. This has to do with how much traffic is on the roads, road conditions, where your car is stored, and how many automobile thefts are in your area.
  • Gaps in Coverage: Insurance companies view individuals who frequently let their insurance lapse as poor risks. If you are in this group, your choice of providers will be limited and you’ll likely have to pay much higher than normal premiums, even if you have a spotless driving record and claims history.
  • Credit Score: Some insurance companies believe that people with bad credit are higher risk when it comes to automobile insurance. As you shop around for insurance, ask each agent if your credit score determines your insurance rates. You should make sure your credit history is accurate so you don’t pay higher insurance due to false credit information.

Unintended Acceleration In Fords

Posted on by

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are investigating reports of gas pedals becoming trapped by floor mats in some 2010 Ford Fusions and Mercury Milans.

A Ford spokesman said the problem was due to drivers stacking all-weather mats on top of floor mats that come with the vehicle. Ford’s all-weather mats have warnings advising customers not to pile them and to secure them properly to the floor.

Safety officials said the investigation covers about 250,000 Fusions and Milans. The preliminary investigation is meant to try to verify whether the complaints have merit and gauge the seriousness of any potential problems. So far, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries related to this problem.

The Cost Of Black Boxes On Automobiles

Posted on by

The automotive safety bill progressing through Congress promises to make automobiles much safer for consumers, but in the process, they will also become more expensive. The reason for this is that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) hopes to equip all vehicles with ‘black boxes’ similar to those installed in aircraft.

Some estimates say that more than half of the new cars and trucks on the market today are already equipped with these event data recorders. The device, a small computer mounted in the passenger compartment, continuously records and deletes the most-recent few seconds of data about the vehicles speed, acceleration and deceleration, and other performance factors. They are also part of the airbag control unit, which uses vehicle data to determine when to deploy airbags.

The problem with the already existing computers is that they are not durable enough to withstand a crash. In order to do this, they must be made waterproof and fireproof, adding more bulk and complexity which will lead to a total new design of the system. This could increase the price tag of a vehicle by $4,000 to $5,000 more.

While the NHTSA advertises these ‘black boxes’ as a good thing for consumers, it’s an even bigger business opportunity for the suppliers of the technology. If the bill passes, the regulations would take effect beginning in the 2015 model year, but the specifications that NHTSA will mandate for the ‘black boxes’ have not been determined yet.

Will Ford End The Mercury Brand?

Posted on by

In the last few years, the Ford brands have been shrinking. They have gotten rid of Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and most recently the Volvo brand, and now it seems that the Mercury brand may be the next on the “chopping block”.

Ford officials would not confirm reports that the company was thinking of shutting down Mercury, but they have admitted to plans to shrink the lineup in an effort to make Lincoln the featured brand for the company. The Mercury brand has just four vehicles, the mid-size Milan sedan, the Mariner and Mountaineer SUVs and the giant Grand Marquis sedan. Production of the Grand Marquis will end when Ford closes their Canadian factory next year.

In a previous interviews, Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said he was looking at ways to reorganize the company to be more global. That included cutting brands and slicing the number of vehicles Ford produces, and then using those platforms to build cars that can be sold around the world. The new Ford Fiesta that is going on sale in the U.S. this summer is nearly identical to the one already sold in Europe. The same will hold true for the new-generation Ford Focus slated to roll out early next year.

Getting Rid Of Your Lemon In California

Posted on by

For many, a car purchase is one of the biggest purchases people make. When you buy or lease a new car and even when you purchase a used car from a dealership, you expect the vehicle to be in working order and problem free. Unfortunately this is not always true. Sometimes vehicles, even new ones, can experience repeated problems. Sometimes the vehicle is just a “lemon”.

In 1975 the federal government passed the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act to govern consumer product warranties. The Act requires manufacturers and sellers of consumer products to provide consumers with detailed information about warranty coverage. It helps determine both the rights of consumers and the obligations of warrantor’s underwritten warranties.

The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (also known as the “California Lemon Law” or “Tanner Consumer Protection Act”) makes California consumers the most protected from “automobile lemons” in the nation. It requires that, if a manufacturer or its representative is unable to repair a purchased or leased motor vehicle to conform to its written warranty after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must replace or repurchase it. The Law also applies to the sale or lease of used vehicles still covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty.

As soon as consumers hear the word “law” they automatically assume they need a lawyer, and will end up having to go to court which ends up being time consuming and expensive. California has what is known as an “attorney’s fees and costs provision”. This means that the time that the attorney spends with the automobile manufacturer is paid by the manufacturer to the attorney. Often, the negotiations are done through your lemon law professional and the automobile manufacturer so you don’t need to deal with the legalities. It’s just that easy!

The California Lemon Law Offices of Delsack & Associates is recognized as one of California’s best and oldest lemon law firms. We have a nearly 100% success rate of the California Lemon Law cases we accept, and offer statewide services so that wherever you live in California you can put our 22 years of experience to work for you. If you think you have a “lemon,” stop throwing your money away on costly repeat auto repairs. Contact The California Lemon Law Specialists, get A Free consultation and get rid of your CA lemon today!

Anywhere in California (free call): 1.888.ExLemon (395.3666)

  • California Lemon Law in Los Angeles: 310-475-1700
  • California Lemon Law in San Francisco: 415-285-5366
  • California Lemon Law in San Diego: 619-229-6900
  • California Lemon Law in Orange County: 949-856-4333
  • California Lemon Law in Palm Springs: 760-395-1000
  • California Lemon Law in San Fernando Valley: 818-837-0500

Automobile Recalls For May 2010

Posted on by

Below are some of the automobile recalls for May 2010

  • Ford is recalling certain 2010 Fusion, Milan, and Escape vehicles manufactured between February 27, 2010 to March 26, 2010 for a park rod guide retention pin that may have not been properly installed. A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking break may roll causing an accident. Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
  • General Motors is recalling some 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC 2500, 3500, and 4500 Savana vans for a defective generator that may develop a short in the voltage regulator. This short could eventually lead to enough heat generated to cause an engine fire. Dealers will inspect and replace generators if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on April 12, 2010. Owners can contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • General Motors is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac SRX, equipped with 2.8L V6 engines, for pre-ignition problems. This problem may occur due to the use of low octane (regular fuel) as opposed to the high octane (premium fuel) recommended in the owners manual and on the fuel filler door. If pre-ignition occurs, you may hear a pinging or knocking sound from the engine. This may result in a connecting rod or piston breaking. The problem will be corrected by dealers reprogramming the engine control module. The recall is expected to begin before June 11. Owners can contact Cadillac customer assistance at 1-866-982-2339 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com
  • Honda is recalling some 2010 Acura ZDX vehicles manufactured between November 12, 2009 to March 22, 2010 for dashboard covering material that has no been properly laser scored. During a crash, the airbag will not deploy properly leaving passengers vulnerable to injury. Acura dealers will inspect and replace the part free of charge. The safety recall began on April 21, 2010. Owners may contact Acura Client Services at 1-800-382-2238. Honda’s recall campaign number is R34.
  • Porsche is recalling some 2010 Panamera S, 4S, and turbo 4 door sedans for a possible malfunction of the seat belt mount. If the front seats are adjusted towards an extreme position, the belt mount could detach form the anchoring system. Dealers will install additional locking elements free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-545-8039.

Toyota Stops Sales Of Lexus Luxury Sedans

Posted on by

Last Wednesday Toyota announced it would be recalling some 2009-2010 Lexus LS 460 and LS 600h luxury sedans in the United States and Japan because of the steering wheels ability to fall out of alignment. On Monday, Toyota announced a stop sales on these vehicles. The sales stoppage and recall cover cars equipped with the company’s variable gear ratio steering system that’s an option on the LS 460 and standard on the LS 600h.

The Lexus sales stoppage is expected to last a while since Toyota does not have a solution to the problem yet but will send out official notice of the recall in the mail next month. Toyota expects it will have a remedy for the problem before the end of June. In the meantime, Toyota is not advising LS owners to park their cars. Lexus believes that the involved vehicles are safe to drive. “In some cases the steering wheel can be 90 degrees out of alignment with the wheels of the car,” Lyons said. “But the problem has only been reported in instances of a very tight and very quick turns.” In all reported cases, he said, the steering wheel realigned itself after about 5 seconds of driving straight.