2000 Ford Sport on 2040-cars

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Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler set target date for restarting production

The parking lot stands empty at Fiat Chrysler's sprawling Belvidere, Ill., assembly plant. / Getty Images   General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles are targeting May 18 to resume some production at their U.S. factories after shutting down plants in March due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Wall Street Journal reported. Executives from the companies in recent days tentatively settled on the timeline following talks with United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office, the Journal said on Monday, citing people familiar with the plans. The head of the UAW union last week warned it was "too soon and too risky" to reopen auto plants and Michigan's economy in early May, citing risks to workers. The companies are working with the union on drawing up safety protocols for reducing exposure risk for workers, but haven't finalized those terms yet, according to the WSJ report. GM, Ford, Fiat Chrysler and UAW did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.   Plants/Manufacturing Chrysler Fiat Ford GM coronavirus

Best trucks for the money in 2024, according to iSeeCars

Full-size trucks are some of the most popular vehicles on the road in the U.S., but they’ve become exceedingly expensive in some cases. That makes it even more important to choose the right full-size truck to maximize value and longevity. iSeeCars recently released its list of the best trucks for the money for 2024, ranking AmericaÂ’s full-size trucks on the cost to own over 10,000 miles. Though the Ford F-150 is the best-selling new full-size truck, it failed to break into the three best trucks for the money, landing at number four on the list. The top six pickups include: Chevrolet Silverado 1500: $2,863 per 10,000 miles Toyota Tundra: $2,868 Ram 1500: $3,352 Ford F-150: $3,469 GMC Sierra 1500: $3,598 Nissan Titan: $4,008 The list is short because there is only a handful of full-size trucks on sale. Though many are expected to last quite a while – some have lifespan estimates of more than 180,000 miles, and the Toyota TundraÂ’s average life is 226,032 miles – all of them are expensive. iSeeCars found that the average new truck purchase price is $61,353, with trucks like the GMC Sierra 1500 topping $66,000. iSeeCars ranked the trucks on their purchase price and 10,000-mile ownership costs, not on driving excitement, styling, tech, or safety. It also did not asses each truckÂ’s capabilities, such as towing and payload, but said that buyers looking to save money should only purchase one if they have “genuine truck needs.” The study looked at several vehicle types to find the best models for the money in each category. The Mitsubishi Mirage was the best car overall, returning a $1,099 10,000-mile ownership cost and a low $18,991 purchase price. The Toyota Tacoma was the best midsize truck, and Toyota landed a strong seven vehicles in the top 25 best cars for the money overall. Chevrolet Ford GMC Nissan RAM Toyota