Drew Dowdell

Ford is acknowledging the trouble prone Ford Powershift transmission and is extending the warranties on them. The 6-speed transmission is a dual clutch setup meant to increase fuel economy in Ford's smallest cars. While a solid idea on paper, customers reported a number of problems with them including slippage, hesitations while accelerating, jerkiness through the gears, difficulty downshifting, and premature wear on the clutch packs. The extended warranty will cover 2014 - 2016 model year Ford Focus, and 2014 - 2015 model year Ford Fiesta and will increase the warranty coverage of the clutch from five years/60,000 miles to seven years/100,000 miles. Ford will also reimburse customers in this group who have already paid for clutch repairs out of pockets. The transmission control module will also be warrantied to 10 years/150,000 miles. In addition to that, there is a small group of customers (16%) who need a software update which Ford will provide for free. Affected customers will receive a letter from Ford with instructions on how to proceed. View full article

The catch is when do you know when it's the bottom.

I assume it will start to roll out to other vehicles on the same platform soon.

Ford and GM, the U.S.'s top two auto manufacturers are bracing themselves for the worst. They have been running economic modeling to determin the steps they would take given a medium or severe recession in the US and across global markets. General Motors has a stockpile of $18 billion in cash while Ford has $20 billion saved up. GM is relying on deferring non-essential capital expenditures and a shift in production to lower cost vehicles as part of its plan to save costs in the event of a a strong downturn. Ford says is is evaluating its future moves. Fears of a recession have plagued Wall St. most of 2019 while a trade war with China rages on. Higher costs of materials due to tariffs is adding to the pain of weak product demand in the U.S., China, and Europe. In Germany, Europe's biggest economy, growth shrank by 0.1 percent in Q2 2019 as trade conflicts and auto industry troubles weighed heavily on the economy. Both exports and lagging demand at home have put a strain on German automakers already looking to slash costs. Today, a strong signal that a recession is looming appeared as the 10-year treasury yield dropped below the 2-year treasury yield while do Dow Jones Industrial Average sank over 450 points. Related: Honda Slowing Production, Cutting Shifts Nissan Profit Plunges 99%; 12,500 Job Cuts Eminent Ford Europe Laying Off Another 12,000 Daimler Books First Quarterly Loss in Ten Years View full article

The interest yield on the 10-year treasury note fell below the interest rate on the 2-year treasury note. This is called a yield inversion and when it happens it is a strong signal of a coming recession. The last time it happened was summer 2007. If you want to read more into it, there is a better explanation here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/explainer-countdown-recession-inverted-yield-134605584.html

Hold on to your butts.... big signal that the recession is starting happened today.

All they need is ribbed plastic cladding. If feels to me like they got the concept / production version backwards. This looks like a concept version of the current TLX.

I like all of the railroad stuff you've been posting lately @balthazar

As it's a concept I can't tell you either way, but apparently all Acuras are moving to that platform eventually. It depends on if the next TLX is just a heavy refresh of the current car or if it really is all-new on the new platform.

^^^ Those aren't bad prices for a CX-5

I don't think this is an issue with the GC. It apparently has something to do with vehicles with a solid front axle... so the GC is safe.

I thought so too for what is barely even enough extra chrome to be a Denali edition.

Acura has unveiled their Type S concept ahead of the Monterey Car Week kicking off in two days. This concept strongly previews the upcoming TLX and a Type S performance version. This time, Acura is promising greater acceleration to go with the Type S and not just better braking and handling. The dash to axle ratio tells us that this concept is still front-wheel drive, as to be expected. But, adding to that better handling is almost certainly a version of Acura's SH-AWD. The short rear deck is there as is with most new sedan designs these days. The check-mark like tail lamps are a departure from the current Acura design theme while the headlight array is consistent with the current TLX. While this concept looks pretty close to production, we'll probably see a more production ready version of the TLX in the coming months, perhaps at the LA Auto Show. View full article

I didn't think it was particularly subtle @regfootball

Some Jeep Wrangler drivers have been experiencing a frightening phenomenon commonly known as the Jeep "Death Wobble". While the term is dramatic, FCA says they know of no injuries or deaths caused by this experience. After the vehicle hits a bump at highway speed, the steering wheel can vibrate back and forth by up to five degrees. Drivers claim that the only way to correct the wobble is to speed up or slow down. FCA says that the cause of this is a resonance in the front axle and dampers containing air bubbles. Cold weather makes the oil in the dampers less viscous and air bubbles won't dissipate quickly enough. Jeep will remedy the issue by installing a new damper free of charge to any customer who wants one, but it is not recalling the vehicle. All new Wranglers come with the new damper. There is currently a class action lawsuit pending that hopes to force FCA to recall the vehicle and calls the addition of a damper a band-aid. View full article

The minivan is not quite dead yet and the Honda Odyssey, one of the five remaining minivans still in production, is entering its 25th year on the market. Since its launch in 1995, the Odyssey has sold more than 2.7 million units. Honda is quick to point out that most of these are retail sales and not fleet. The Odyssey has been the number one retail seller in the segment for 9 years running. For 2020, all Odysseys will be upgraded to a new 10-speed automatic transmission. This is mated to the existing 280 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 driving the front wheels. Also for 2020, Honda is offering a $1500 25th Anniversary package that includes a chrome roof rack, body side moldings, chrome rear bumper protector, extra 25th Anniversary badges, illuminated sill plates, and for an additional $1,300, special 19-inch wheels. The Honda Odyssey is built in Honda's Lincoln Alabama manufacturing plant alongside the Pilot, Passport, and Ridgeline. View full article

Been there, done that.

1000 hp doesn't help you in turns.

All wheel drive, but the fronts are driven solely by electric. It's sort of a Lexus RX hybrid flipped in reverse.

Finally! https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/812-Westbury-Rd_North-Versailles_PA_15137_M48187-74081