Nissan Altima and Infiniti G37 Sedan Named Top of The Class by Consumer Reports

Yesterday, Consumer Reports released highlights of its upcoming Annual Auto Issue. The magazine, which hits newsstands on March 8, reveals its Top 10 Picks of the Year along with other automotive ratings. CR's Top Picks again include the Nissan Altima, named top Family Sedan, and the Infiniti G37, named top Sport Sedan.

The magazine recognizes the 2011 Altima the second year in a row for providing "an impressive balance of comfort and performance while delivering the best fuel economy in its class. Its comfortable ride, secure handling and spirited acceleration make the Altima enjoyable to drive." Nissan's manufacturing teams in Canton, Miss., and Smyrna, Tenn., build the award-winning Altima, while Nissan's Decherd, Tenn., plant produces the vehicle's engine.

Winning its category of Sports Sedan for the fifth year in a row, the Infiniti G37 receives praise for its "inviting combination of agile handling, blistering acceleration, and luxurious interior makes it one of our highest-scoring sedans. It's fun to drive on a twisty road but is still a fairly comfortable cruiser on the highway."

Recommended Vehicles

Consumer Reports also lists its recommended vehicles in the upcoming Auto Issue, awarding the designation to those that perform well in testing, have better than average reliability, and provide good overall safety. This year, Consumer Reports recommends the Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, Sentra and Versa, and the Infiniti EX, FX, G and M.

Automaker Report Cards

In addition to Top Picks for vehicles, the Annual Auto Issue also features Automaker Report Cards. Nissan ranked eighth among automakers - scoring 65 (Honda and Subaru received the highest score of 74 and 73). The issue notes that "Nissan builds some of the highest-rated cars. Interior quality has improved. Some older models push the overall score down."

Additional highlights from the issue are available at www.consumerreports.org

Bring a Wingman When You Buy a Car

By Ronald Montoya, Consumer Advice Associate - provided by edmunds.com

What do pilots, police officers and car shoppers all have in common? They work best with a partner - a wingman. Car buying is a difficult process for many people, and although there is an alternate online strategy that can save you much of the hassle, there are times when a trip to the dealership might be the best thing.

That's when a wingman comes in handy. At some point in the purchase process, you'll want to take a test-drive. And, distasteful though it might be, you might need to negotiate or sign contracts in person. At times like these, it's better not to go it alone. But what qualities should you seek in the person who accompanies you? Not just anyone will fill the bill. Having the right person with you at the dealership can help you spot any inconsistencies in the deal, fend off pushy salespeople and create leverage in your negotiations.

The Best Wingman Might Be a Woman

The ideal wingman is someone who has a skill you can put to use. Maybe it's a friend who is knowledgeable about cars. Perhaps it's a sibling who is a fearless negotiator. Perhaps it's an in-law who isn't afraid to ask stupid questions. But the wingman emphatically does not have to be a man. Sometimes a car guy can be a liability, particularly if he falls in love with a particular engine or vehicle and inadvertently pressures you into accepting a car that may not best fit your needs. Whether your wingman is male or female, be sure to bring a person who can remain objective and has an eye for detail.

Once you've picked your wingman, you'll need to establish who will do what during the trip to the dealership. If negotiating isn't your strong suit, have your friend handle that aspect while you focus on asking questions. On the other had, if you're comfortable with negotiating, let your wingman ask the questions and occasionally chime in with an opinion. Your wingman should supplement the skills that might not be your strong suit.

Stay in Close Formation

Don't let yourself get separated from your wingman. If you do, you'll lose your strength in numbers.

Consider what happened to an Edmunds editor and his girlfriend. They had completed negotiations for a car, but were forced to spend an excessive amount of time waiting for the dealership to get the contracts in order. As they made their way to the finance and insurance (F&I) office, the editor made it clear that they didn't want to waste any more time and that they were not interested in being sold any additional services. The F&I manager agreed, but the moment the Edmunds editor stepped out for a cigarette, the F&I team began to push such products and services as paint protection and an extended warranty on the girlfriend. They were clearly hoping she'd be easier to convince.

If you will be test-driving the vehicle during your visit, start by having your wingman keep an eye out for any potential rip-off stickers as you review the car's features. During the test-drive itself, ask the salesperson to ride in the back. This allows you and your wingman to pay closer attention to the car. You might still get the sales pitch, but its easier to tune out a salesperson when he's in the backseat, rather than at your elbow.

Deploy the Lukewarm Wingman

A wingman can help take some of the heat off you by talking down the car during discussions. Arrange to have him casually mention that he isn't that interested in this particular vehicle - whether he means it or not. Or he can say that he preferred that blue one you saw at the dealership across town. Follow your wingman's lead and express some concerns of your own. This will let the salesperson know that you have other buying options and it puts the pressure on him to make you a better offer. Remaining non-committal diffuses one of the salesperson's most effective weapons: the knowledge that you really want the car in his showroom.

Review the Numbers Together

When it's time to talk numbers, a wingman can either take over the negotiating for you or help spot any inconsistencies in the numbers. He or she can also be on the lookout for any financing pitfalls that you might encounter. While you're busy saying "No" to items in the F&I room, your wingman can make sure that the prices you've agreed upon are reflected in the contract. Pay close attention to any additional fees that appear and don't hesitate to question anything out of the ordinary.

After the ink on the contract has dried, you'll be able to rest easy, knowing that your wingman got you a better deal, spotted an inconsistency or was simply there for moral support. Be sure to thank your wingman and remember what you learned from the experience. You might have to return the favor when it's her time to buy a car.

Technology for Winter Driving

By Joe Wiesenfelder, Cars.com

Let's say your looking for a new car. If you've never had to pry a wiper loose from a frozen windshield, you might not recognize the comfort and safety challenges that confront motorists in harsh winter climates. If you live in a colder clime, you do know the horror of losing sensation in your fingers and toes or sliding haplessly into a ditch. Either way, make sure your new car has some of these features to make life in snow country a lot easier.

Antilock Brakes
Antilock braking systems are good for all seasons. They keep your car under control during braking by preventing the wheels from locking and skidding. ABS shortens stopping distances in most cases, but its main purpose is to allow steering, even when you are in a panic stop.

Traction Control
Where antilock brakes help you stop on slippery surfaces, traction control helps you accelerate. It detects when your drive wheels are slipping and reduces engine power and/or applies the ABS to keep power going to the wheel that has traction. While traction control has helped make rear-wheel-drive cars more viable in snow, some systems are so conservative that they keep you from gaining speed on loose snow and may need to be switched off. The most advanced traction control is better at reacting optimally for any given road surface.

Electronic Stability System
Electronic stability systems are known by countless names, usually including the word stability. What they do is sense the car's direction, compare that to where the driver is steering and apply individual ABS brakes to steer the car back on its intended course. One of the most significant auto safety advancements in history, stability control is especially useful in snow, where it can prevent fishtailing. Though expensive, it can pay for itself by preventing a single fender bender.

Four-/All-Wheel Drive
The need for four-wheel drive for urban dwellers is probably overstated these days, but it certainly can't hurt, especially in wintery regions that have hills and/or poor snow removal. Heavy-duty four-wheel drive is often overkill; all-wheel drive, which is lighter and cheaper, is totally automatic and may be more effective.

Ground Clearance
Too many sports-car owners learn too late that all-wheel drive can only do so much in a car that hugs the ground. Throw in a set of summer tires and you're really going nowhere - at least nowhere you want to go. In deeper snow, SUVs and higher-riding sport wagons rule the road.

All-Season or Winter Tires
The importance of tires can't be overstated, especially in winter conditions. While modern "winter" (no longer "snow") tires are exceptional on snow and particularly ice, they may suffer from extended stopping distances and diminished traction when it's dry or warm. Good all-season tires are an excellent compromise for people who don't need - or can't justify - a second set of tires and the hassle and expense of storing and swapping them twice a year. That said, don't use summer performance tires in the snow. Designed for the opposite conditions, they're no less than a safety hazard on cold, snowy or icy surfaces.

Winter Transmission Modes
Some vehicles with automatic transmissions have a special Winter mode that helps prevent slippage when accelerating (with or without traction control as a backup). They typically make the car accelerate starting in 2nd gear rather than 1st, then upshift as promptly as possible through higher gears. It may sound odd, but higher gears diminish thrust at the drive wheels, unless the engine is revving fast. Less force equals less slippage. Some automatics with manual-shifting modes let you start off in 2nd or 3rd gear to achieve the same effect.

Heated Seats, Steering Wheel
With leather upholstery in particular, heated seats are a must. One benefit is that they warm before the car's heat begins to flow. Offered mainly in front seats, the best give you several heat settings, but the most common is a high-low switch. In some cars, they're only fully on or off, but that's better than nothing. Relatively new are heated steering wheels, which solve the Hobson's choice of discomfort versus hazard - a freezing steering wheel or trying to steer with gloved hands.

Heated Side Mirrors
More common than ever, heated side mirrors can clear themselves of fog, melt accumulated ice or prevent further snow buildup. Many cars activate them along with the rear defogger, while some have their own dedicated button and a few are connected to the heated-seat switch.

Headlight Washer/Wipers
The little wipers you may have seen on luxury car headlights might seem extravagant, but they serve to clear grime, road salt and snow accumulation that can dim your headlights. Most cars that offer headlight clearing use washer jets alone, which have proven effective. Because the jets typically emerge from the bumper, spray then retreat, the feature is more stealth - and more common - than you might know. Some cars spray the headlights at the same time are the windshield is the headlights are on. Others have buttons that let you wash the headlights whenever you wish.

Heated Windshield
Though this feature is rare, some windshields are coated or impregnated with a thin film or fine wire grid that heats the glass itself, melting ice or loosening it in sheets. A shortcoming of the wire type is the exaggerated headlight glare that may take on a starburst shape.

Heated Wipers and Washers
A wiper de-icer, also known as a heated wiper park, frees wipers that are frozen to the glass where they rest, or "park." It also aims to keep the blades pliable enough that they contact the windshield over their full arc. Applied to windshield and/or rear-window wipers, the technology may be an option with its own button or a standard feature that works automatically in cold weather or along with defrosters. Heated nozzles and/or hoses and reservoirs serve to keep windshield washer fluid flowing in cold temperatures. It may help melt or clear ice, but mainly the feature should prevent the fluid from freezing once it lands on a cold windshield.

Remote Start
Most of the more esoteric winter-oriented features came along to alleviate the problems of a cold car. Here is where a remote start is a godsend. A warm cabin and clear windows make seat, steering wheel and supplemental window heaters a luxury instead of a necessity. A warm engine compartment can prevent wiper fluid freezing. The best remote-start systems automatically turn on the heat, defrosters and seats. Remote start isn't the most environmentally friendly feature, but it beats scraping ice in the frigid wind.

Retractable Hardtop (Convertibles)
People who have foregone convertibles due to their wintertime shortcomings have more choices than ever, thanks to the explosion of retractable - hardtop models. They're just like non-convertible cars when their tops are up. Why haven't you seen many? You probably have; you just didn't know it.

Block Heater
Compared to 20 years ago, cars today start almost flawlessly in cold weather. That said, there's cold ... and then there's cold. In the Northern states, where the temps often drop below zero and stay there, even the best-engineered cars need a hand. Block heaters that plug into a household electric outlet (typically overnight) keep the engine block warm (which keeps the oil thin), making starting easier and reducing wear and pollution. Electric dipsticks, battery warmers and other solutions are available as aftermarket products, but when a factory option is offered it's usually a heater that screws into the engine block or bisects a heater hose, where it warms and circulates the engine coolant.

Cars.com 2/16/09

Nissan Partners with Original Wraps, Inc for Graphic Personalization of New NV Commercial Van

Franklin, Tenn. -

With the launch of the all-new 2012 Nissan NV commercial van just months away, Nissan North American, Inc. (NNA) has announced a partnership agreement with Original Wraps, Inc., Lakewood, CO, to provide vehicle graphics personalization technology to Nissan NV customers.

Original Wraps is developing a software application, which will allow all NV customers the ability to create their own design, utilizing their own logos or using the many assets on the site to get started. The application will be available through the Nissan Commercial Vehicle website, http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com/, in January 2011. The NV graphics are professionally installed, yet removable and safe for the vehicle's exterior. The graphics are printed on professional, automotive grade 3M Scotchprint On-Demand vinyl and laminated for protection and fade resistance. All graphics are professionally designed and are completely unique for every business. Delivery usually takes between 7 - 10 days, with professional graphic installers available in markets where Nissan Commercial Vehicles are sold. Original Wraps, Inc. also offers graphics for the Nissan cube and Nissan JUKE.

"We're pleased to offer high quality, customized vehicle personalization with hundreds of different graphic designs created specially for the new Nissan NV," said Joe Castelli, vice president, Nissan Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, NNA. "It's part of our innovative approach to thinking about how our customers use their vans - including as a vehicle for advertising their company and services."

The 2012 NV, the company's first entry into the commercial vehicle market in the United States, has been designed and conceived as a solution to the needs of today's commercial van customers. It is scheduled to go on sale through a select network of Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers nationwide beginning in spring 2011.

The NV lineup offers durable body-on-frame construction and choice of standard roof or industry-exclusive high roof configurations. Models include the NV1500 with a standard 4.0-liter V6 engine, the NV2500 HD with a choice of 4.0-liter V6 or 5.6-liter V8 and the NV3500 HD with standard 5.6-liter V8. All 2012 NV models are equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The NV is available in two grades, S and SV, each delivering smart functionality through a combination of the comfort and roominess of a pickup with the utility of a cargo van. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price* (MSRP) for the 2010 Nissan NV starts at $24,590. Full information on the complete NV lineup is available at nissancommercialvehicles.com.

About Nissan in North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissanusa.com/

About Original Wraps, Inc.

Original Wraps Inc. is the leading international provider of vehicle personalization and customization technology. Their technology provides auto manufacturers, car dealers, automotive retailers and wholesalers with a complete program offering a comprehensive selection of vehicle personalization products. Original Wraps' products are manufactured utilizing professional 3M Schotchprint automotive grade vinyl, which is custom printed through a 6-color process with one of thousands of unique or licensed designs. The "wrap" is then coated with a scratchproof finish and custom cut, creating a product that fits a specific vehicle perfectly - providing a long lasting stylized automotive makeover. With Original Wraps products, consumers can personalize their vehicle through thousands of vehicle dealers, private labeled distributor Web sites - as well as through the company's online partners and wholesalers. For more information on Original Wraps, visit http://www.originalwraps.com/

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*MSRP excludes applicable tax, title, license fees and destination charges. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice.

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Additional information and news from Nissan is available at http://www.nissannews.com