Cars In Extinction

When we think of vehicles no longer made, maybe we reminisce about the old Woody station wagon or Willys Jeep. But of late, cars that are still in our driveway are becoming cars of yesterday, that is, they are either no longer being made or slated to being discontinued. Will these vehicles too become collectibles? What vehicles are they?


The first is the Saturn. Saturn Corporation began making their vehicles in 1985 as a subsidiary of General Motors when GM was hoping to keep up in competition with Japanese imports with the creation of the Saturn. Vehicle sales didn't quite do that for GM and they decided to focus on their four core brands Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. In 2009 GM was looking to sell their Saturn products to Penske Automotive. Penske backed out of the purchase and now all production has been halted and operations are expected to shut down by October 2010. Saturn isn't the only vehicle that lost focus for GM, sales slowed for their Pontiac, Hummer and Saab as well. But for now, we will be seeing the last of all the Saturn series this year.


What about the Oldsmobile? This brand of vehicle has been around forever and also a product of GM. The brand was started in 1897 by Ransom Olds and has sold over 35.2 million cars. Oldsmobile is considered the oldest surviving American automobile. Oldsmobile brand vehicles that have been phased out included the Bravada in 2002, Intrigue and Aurora V6 in 2002, Aurora V8 in 2003, Bravada SUV in 2004, Silhouette minivan in 2004 and Alero compact car in 2004.


The Plymouth has been around for some time as well. This vehicle was introduced to the market in 1928. It was the Chrysler Corporation's first shot at providing a low-priced vehicle to its consumers in efforts to compete with Chevrolet and Ford. Plymouths were actually priced a little higher than the competition, but they offered standard features such as internal expanding hydraulic brakes that the competition did not provide. Plymouths were originally sold exclusively through Chrysler dealerships. Plymouth's logo featured a rear view of the Mayflower ship that landed at Plymouth Rock. The last new model sold under the Plymouth marquee was the second generation Neon for 2000-2001.

Plymouth's PT Cruiser was ultimately launched as a Chrysler, and the Prowler and Voyager were absorbed into that make as well. Following the 2001 model year, the Neon was sold only as a Dodge in the US, though it remained available as a Chrysler in Canadian and other markets. After discontinuing the Eagle brand in 1998, Chrysler was planning to expand the Plymouth line with a number of unique models before the corporation's merged with Daimler-Benz AG. With the expansion they created the Plymouth Prowler, a retro looking hot rod sports car. This was followed by the PT Cruiser. Both models had similar retro themed front-end styling. At the time of Daimler's takeover of Plymouth the company didn't have any unique models besides the Prowler. While all Plymouth dealers also sold the Chrysler line of cars, many Dodge dealers sold only Dodge; it would have caused much greater disturbance to the dealer network to discontinue Dodge than Plymouth. Consequently, DaimlerChrysler decided to drop the make after a limited run of 2001 models. This was announced on November 3, 1999.



There are many cars both America and Foreign no longer made that many folks may still have parked in their garages and miss. They include: BMW Riley, BMW Triump, BMW Wolseley, Chrysler Hudson, Chrysler Nash, Chrysler Eagle, Chrysler Willys -Overland, Chrysler Maxwell, De Soto, Fiat Innocenti, Fiat Lancia, Ford Lagonda, Ford Tickford, Ford Edsel, GM Asuna, GM Geo, GM Laselle, GM Passport, MG Rover Austin-Healer, MG Rover Austin, MG Rover, Morris, MG Rover Qvale, MG Rover Standard, Renault Alpine, Datsun, Nissan Prince, Talbot Hillman, Talbot Simca, Talbot Sunbeam, Talbot-Lao, Audi DKW, NSU Wanderer.


This list may not even been comprehensive but certainly it may make you recall a few brands you once owned.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Additional Features That Improve the Value of Your Car

If you have ever gone out to buy a new or used car, you know the choices are unlimited. First you pick the type of body style you want; sedan, pickup, van, SUV, or station wagon. Second you may look at brand names of car companies, or this may be first for you. Third, choosing color and fourth, extras.

Each factor in your decision will determine the cost of the vehicle as well as its resale value. Will you pick a vehicle with just the basics or a LS model? And what is a LS model beyond meaning a luxury sedan? Here are a few things that make a vehicle that luxury touch:

• Power - You have seen the abbreviations PW, PS, PB. They stand for power windows, power steering, power brakes. There is also power locks. Adding power can push the value of your vehicle up. Power windows alone can add around $125 to $300 to the value of a subcompact car. Power locks can add another $200.
• Sound - Does your vehicle have a premium sound system? Does it include a MP3 player or CD player, multi-disc or single or rear seat DVD systems? A multi-disc CD player alone can potentially boost the value of your car up to $300 and $500 dollars.
• Sunroof/moonroof - People love having extra light in their cars. And not every vehicle comes with sunroofs or moonroofs, therefore the addition of this feature can boost the value of your car from $200 to $600, depending on whether it is sliding, electric or a push-up.
• Premium Wheels - Are the wheels premium alloy or aluminum? These additions to a vehicle will not only add style but value, anywhere from $150 to $600 in resale value.
• Navigation Systems - While navigation systems used to be just for the very expensive luxury vehicles, today they are a bit more common and still in high demand. Some built in systems help owners unlock their vehicles when they lock their keys in the car or dial 911 for assistance in emergencies.
• Color - This isn't as obvious as the other factors. Many vehicles come in standard colors but when you jump up to luxury you get a unique set of choices. For instance with the Lexus LS, sedan colors include Black Opal Mica, Golden Almond Metallic and Opaline Pearl, just to name a few. If you are looking at getting the highest resale value for your vehicle, you may steer away from choosing odd colors when buying your car, such as purple, yellow or orange. Also, if you live in a hot climate, black may not be a good choice.
• Other Extras - There are many other extras that can boost your cars resale value. They include leather interior, which can add $500 to $600 to your car. Size of engine, cruise control, sports performance packages, air suspension, all-wheel drive, rear defoggers, title steering wheels, heated seats, extra trim, dual front or side air bags, and power seats.

Adding lots of after-market extras will not necessarily add value to your vehicle, such as name brand stereo systems or lift kits. Sticking with the basics that are tried and true is your best bet in finding a car you will enjoy and those after you will.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Putting The Luxury In A Luxury Vehicle

Owning a luxury vehicle is a desire most people have. Who doesn't want to travel in the highest form of comfort and style? So what makes a vehicle luxurious and who makes these vehicles?

Adding luxury to a vehicle can include many things from genuine leather upholstery and polished woodgrain-looking dashboards to customized rims or chrome. Having a luxury car can also include the newest and latest safety features. Most luxury features trickle down to becoming a common feature in most cars, such as the concept of anti-lock breaks, heated seats or DVD entertainment systems.

But owning luxury means you get the latest technology and the best before anybody else does. So what types of features are luxury vehicles offering these days to stay ahead of the pack? They include:

1. In-dash CD changer: There was a time that CD changers were always in the trunk, which was completely impractical. Today, many luxury vehicles are coming with in-dash units that can play six CDs. This might be limited if the vehicle comes with a navigational system, which takes up the dash space and therefore puts the CD chaner back into the glove compartment, center console, trunk or cargo area, or under a seat.

2. Adaptive cruise control: This one is a safety feature and you may have seen the commercials for this. Adaptive cruise control uses radar or lasers to determine the distance to the vehicle in front of your car and then adjusts the speed accordingly, Many systems alert drivers if the vehicle in front decelerates abruptly.

3. Adaptive suspension: Want control of your ride, how bumpy or smooth it may be? This is where adaptive suspension comes in handy as it controls firmness of individual struts or shock absorbers, changing a vehicle's ride within milliseconds. Advanced systems sense road conditions and stiffen suspension points to provide appropriate handling. Some systems allow you to select your own suspension, making it have both automatic and manual.

4. Advanced climate controls: Dual-zone automatic climate controls have been around for a while, especially in large vehicles. The advanced climate control allows fan speeds and airflow to vary between the two zones. The driver can program warmer air to hit their feet, while the passenger opts for cooler air to blow toward their face.

5. Heated steering wheel: Electrically heated steering wheels heat faster than traditional climate-control systems, warming hands long before the ambient air does. Most operate at the push of a button, though some automatically activate when the seat heaters are switched on.

6. Onboard data processor: An onboard processor should minimally operate as an advanced trip computer that reports relevant vehicle statistics. On pricier vehicles in this class, the feature may include a hard drive that stores music, maintenance files and navigation data.

7. Massaging seats: Okay, this is definitely luxury. This is one of the newest innovations, which is available for both front and rear seats. Some systems, such as use liquid-filled bladders that slowly flow from one side to the other; others use embedded motors. The idea is to relieve fatigue for long trips of sitting.

8. Refrigerator: Want to keep your favorite beverages cooled? Do you live in a hot climate where just about everything goes from cool to extremely warm in minutes? Then you might want a refrigerator in your vehicle. This refrigerator is typically mounted between the rear seats.

9. Panoramic moonroof: These moonroofs are essentially a fixed glass pane placed behind an existing moonroof. Panoramic moonroofs give the cabin a more airy, open feel — especially over the backseat.

The list can go on, depending on what make or model you choose or the amount of money you are willing to spend. Of course if you don't have the kind of money it requires to buy extreme luxury, just wait a few years and it is possible these features will be in a car within your budget.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.