Latest News From Bumper Radio

Has your car been recalled? If you're one of the millions of drivers impacted by the General Motors recall, what should you do? Automotive analyst Lauren Fix, The Car Coach and Consumer Reports' Jeff Bartlett provide consumers with important information to ensure their cars' safe repair. Watch the segment on The Willis Report.

How do you check your engine oil and when do you change it? Should you buy conventional or synthetic oil? Be Car Care Aware Tips to save you money and protect your engine.

Are self driving cars the wave of the future? Should General Motors be promoting their autonomous cars during their HUGE recall problem? GM President predicts self-driving cars will be available by 2020. Lauren Fix discusses this on Fox Business Channel with Gerri Willis.

Most vehicles start out with a "new car" smell, but there are other specific odors that motorists should never ignore. Identifying these suspect smells early on can help car owners be "Car Care Aware" and avoid the hassle and expense of an unexpected breakdown.

Unusual smells can be the sign of serious, and potentially costly, trouble for your vehicle. By acting quickly and making necessary repairs, you'll be able to breathe easy knowing there is no harmful damage to your car.

Use the sniff test to identify any unusual smells in your vehicle, including the following six warning signs:

Across the country, many buyers soon find out that the number on their odometer doesn't come close to matching their car's true mileage.

We use mileage to determine when to get our oil changed, when to rotate our tires, and how much our vehicle is valued, but that mileage on your new "used" vehicle, may not be what you paid for.

The people at CarFax tells us that, unfortunately, "odometer fraud" is not a forgotten scam. It's been around for decades but, with the advent of the digital odometer, many people mistakenly believe that odometer roll-backs are no longer possible. However going digital has actually made odometer fraud easier; it's just like hacking a computer. The bad news is that New York is one of the top five states with the most amount of "roll-back" cars.

How do plug-in hybrids save money? After doing the math, you will know whether it fits your budget and lifestyle.

Plug-in hybrids save money on fuel by operating on both electricity and gasoline and by saving energy. Like regular hybrids, plug-in hybrids use both a gasoline engine and an electric motor but have a higher-capacity battery to store electricity. They take advantage of electricity's low cost and the electric motor's energy efficiency but retain the convenience of gasoline's widespread availability and quick refueling. Plug-in hybrids also save energy through regenerative braking, which recovers much of the energy typically lost when you apply the brakes. Regenerative braking slows the vehicle by converting its momentum into electricity, and stores the electricity in the vehicle's battery. Plug-in hybrids also save fuel by using a start-stop system that saves fuel by turning off the engine when it would otherwise be idling, and starting it automatically when the accelerator is pressed, such as at a traffic light.

The big advantage of a plug-in hybrid is that you can plug it in to re-charge the battery. It's much cheaper to run your vehicle on electricity from your outlet than on gasoline. Based on typical average rates, operating a plug-in on electricity costs less than half as much as it would on gasoline.

Plug-in hybrids have a larger battery than a regular hybrid so you can use more electricity and less gas. When the electricity runs out, it operates just like a regular hybrid. You don't have to plug it in to drive it, but re-charging it whenever you can will maximize your fuel savings.

A plug-in hybrid's motor is also more powerful than a regular hybrid's, so the plug-in hybrid can be driven in electric-only mode at higher speeds, not just during low speed driving.

If you're considering a plug-in hybrid, it's important to understand that all plug-ins are not alike. Some have batteries that hold more electricity than others, and some can go farther on electricity without using any gasoline. Since using electricity instead of gasoline is key to saving money with a plug-in hybrid, your driving habits, especially the distance you drive between re-charging the battery, can have a big effect on your fuel bill.

With all of these factors affecting electricity use, it can be difficult to estimate how much fuelling a hybrid will cost you. So, check it out and see if a plug-in hybrid could be right for you!

When winter weather sets in, your car needs extra protection from the elements. Don't be caught unprepared on the road. Automotive expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach visits Detroit with helpful car care tips and automotive products to keep your car well maintained, cleaned, and ready to take on winter roads.

Poor Credit May Raise Premiums Higher Than a Drunk Driving Conviction          

YONKERS, NY—The amounts drivers pay for their car insurance premiums are based on confounding algorithms that increasingly have more to do with socioeconomic factors than driving habits, according to extensive research conducted by Consumer Reports.

The organization, w­hich believes that knowledge about the going rate of any product or service is a fundamental consumer right, has released the findings of a two-year, in-depth car insurance investigation. The report analyzed more than 2 billion price quotes for sample drivers that were obtained in August and November 2014 from more than 700 companies across all 33,419 general U.S. ZIP codes. The report includes Amica and USAA, which have been consistently top-rated for claims satisfaction by tens of thousands of Consumer Reports’ subscribers since the late 1990s, and the largest insurers operating in each state, which usually included Allstate, Geico, Progressive, and State Farm. For companies that had more than one subsidiary in a state, Consumer Reports used whichever company had the largest in-state market share.

Looking for the right repair shop for your vehicle? The non-profit Car Care Council recommends asking a few simple questions to help identify an auto repair shop to properly care for one of your most valuable assets.

• Does the business employ ASE-certified technicians? Credentials and affiliations are indicators of professionalism and the management’s commitment to training and education.
• Is the shop and customer waiting area clean and organized? Cleanliness and organization are signs of a well-run business.
• Are customers greeted and treated in a friendly and respectful manner? Many auto repair businesses excel in the area of customer service and satisfaction. A simple phone call to the shop to inquire about their services can give you a glimpse of how they treat customers.
• Does the business provide a written estimate? The business should complete a written estimate and request your signature prior to starting any repairs on your car.
• Does the business offer a warranty? Most auto repair businesses offer a warranty on parts and labor and the warranty is usually in writing or posted in the waiting area.
• Does the business have a list of satisfied customers or references that it is willing to give you? Satisfied customers and recommendations from family, friends and neighbors are helpful in finding a good shop. Many auto repair facilities also have company websites that are worth checking out as they often include testimonials and additional information about the business.

“If you want to add more years to the relationship between you and your car, give it some extra TLC,”said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “There’s no debating the value of preventive maintenance to keep your car running efficiently. By showing your car a little love now, you’ll avoid the heartbreak and unexpected expense of car trouble down the road.”

The Car Care Council recommends treating your vehicle to a little extra attention with these easy steps.