Mazda Company BeginningsWritten by Mazda Fan
The first Mazda was exported to United States in 1970, and from that moment on, company became committed to providing its customers with impressive vehicles that deliver what they promise – a reliable and secure driving experience. With this continued determination, it is no surprise that Mazda is a leader in car industry today. Not many people know that Mazda began as a small cork company in Hiroshima, Japan. But in 1931, company turned its attention to vehicles, and created first Mazda three-wheel truck. However, it wasn’t until 1960’s, that Mazda designed cars that would find their way to U.S. By 1970, compact truck with a rotary engine – a two and four door version – was exported to America. Notoriety came quickly, and in 1981, Mazda GLC was name “Japanese Car of Year.” Another major recognition followed in 1986, when Mazda RX-7 was noted to be “Import Car of Year.” What’s more, RX-7 delighted its fans by setting a speed record at a Bonneville National Speed Trial – 238.442 miles per hour.
| | Lemon Laws Don’t Protect Used Car BuyersWritten by Charles Essmeier
Most buyers of new cars are probably familiar with lemon laws, which allow consumers a refund or replacement when their car turns out to be defective. These laws generally cover leased cars as well as purchased ones, and they have worked well as a consumer protection tool. Unfortunately, no such laws exist for used cars, and buyers should be careful when purchasing them.
Many car dealers offer “certified used cars” that come with some sort of warranty, but most independent used car dealers do not. In most states, law permits used car dealers to sell cars “as is”, and in that case, anything that goes wrong, even if it happens five minutes after purchase, becomes buyer’s problem. Dealers selling cars on an “as is” basis often aren’t even required to disclose any problems a vehicle might have to potential buyers. Most independent car dealers sell older, less expensive cars than those sold at major auto dealerships. A lot of profits that independent used car dealers make come from financing, particularly from financing those with bad or poor credit. Those with problem credit often find that such dealerships, which self-finance, are their only chance at obtaining a car loan. These loans, with their resulting high payments, often leave buyers without any extra cash to pay for repairs of undisclosed problems. Legislators in several states are considering laws that
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