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Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.

Porsche Classic puts modern navigation in older cars [w/video]

People drive classic vehicles for many, many reasons. Maybe it's because they're cool, or they bring back memories, or perhaps they just want to take a trip back in time, before the days of adaptive cruise control, massaging seats and satellite navigation. You know, back to when driving was about, well, driving. Someone did not mention this reasoning to Porsche, because the German company has decided to offer the tiniest, most ridiculous in-dash navigation system we've ever laid eyes on, through its Porsche Classic line. Because, you know, people don't own smartphones nowadays. In fact, most smartphones are significantly bigger than Porsche's new nav setup. The touchscreen is just 3.5 inches in size, although its graphical layout is clean and in line with the company's more modern offerings. It also integrates a new entertainment system, which adds Bluetooth connectivity and a 4x45 watt amp. The system is being offered for a wide array of vintage Porsches, ranging from the most modern, air-cooled 993s, all the way back to the earliest 911. Four-cylinder and V8 models, as well as front and mid-engine cars, can be fitted with the nav system, too. Porsche Classic has priced the new system at the frankly absurd price of 1,184 euros ($1,344 at today's rates), though we're sure a large number will indeed be sold and installed. Dedicated US pricing is still pending. Check out Porsche's rather silly video of the system in action, available alongside the full press release below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. PORSCHE CLASSIC BRINGS OUT NEW NAVIGATION RADIO FOR CLASSIC SPORTS CARS True-to-style upgrade with state-of-the-art technology Atlanta. Classic on the outside yet ultra-modern on the inside: with its newly developed navigation radio, Porsche is responding to the growing demand for a built-in device for classic sports cars. The purpose-built unit combines the style of yesteryear with the benefits of modern technology. It fits perfectly into the DIN-1 slot that has been used in the sports cars for decades and is operated by means of two knobs, six discreetly integrated buttons and a touch-sensitive 3.5-inch display. Thanks to the appearance of the black surface and the shape of the knobs, which are supplied in two authentically styled versions as standard, the navigation radio blends harmoniously into the dashboard of classic Porsche models.

Popular Science magazine's Best Of What's New 2012 all ate up with cars

Popular Science has named the winners in its Best of What's New awards, the victors coming in the categories of aerospace, automotive, engineering, entertainment, gadgets, green, hardware, health, home, recreation, security and software. The automotive category did not go wanting for lauded advancements:
Tesla Model S: the Grand Award winner for being "the standard by which all future electric vehicles will be measured."
BMW 328i: it's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gets called out for being more powerful and frugal than the six-cylinder it replaces.