TTAC Celebrates Independence Day
The car. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness inCARnate. Let us celebrate our unalienable rights, in a TTAC kind of way.
In 1922, independent front suspension was pioneered on the Lancia Lambda and became more common in mass market cars from 1932.
Independent rear suspension became popular much, much later (possibly due to its widely unpopular IRS moniker), paving the way to fully independent suspension.
According to a study J.D. Power, 64 percent of new car shoppers use the internet for gathering information. According to the study, most popular are independent websites that provide in-depth reviews along with dealer invoice pricing, rebate information and transaction prices, followed by sites that offer news and reviews but don’t offer “inside” information.
Used car dealers around the country are organized in the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA).
Independent auto repair shops are seen by some as the savior that ends their dependency on expensive dealer service. Automakers and their dealers have a different opinion. Withholding repair information is a time-honored tactic.
Importing a vehicle to the U.S. can be a nightmare and can collide with a wall of standards, rules and regulations. An Independent Commercial Importer can smooth the way – for a little extra charge.
Road-side assistance programs by automakers (who want you in their dependent shops) or by insurance companies (who want you in cheaper, supposedly independent shops they prefer) gain in popularity. A site that advises immigrants seeking freedom and independence offered in the United States recommends “roadside assistance services from independent automobile clubs like AAA,” and to stay away from the insurance-provided program because “every time you use insurance company’s roadside assistance service, it is considered an insurance claim and will appear in your vehicle driving history. This will affect your insurance premiums with most insurance companies in the future.”
The Truth About Cars prides itself of its editorial independence. Even though we accept advertising, the ads do not influence our editorial content. We also believe in full disclosure. Any time we receive a car loan or travel considerations from a manufacturer, we state the fact in the review.
Last but not least, let us celebrate the fact that the automobile affords you the independence from walking, unavailable, unreliable or infrequent public transport. Please do your celebration at home, as too much revelry can cost you your independence at the frequent sobriety checkpoints that have become a holiday tradition.
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Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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”There has to be a better way to use our Police resources” I wish there were more checkpoints. Just in the Houston area this weekend we've already had 12-14 DWI related deaths. Only 50% of the time is it the drunk driver that gets killed. That sucks.
I spent the 4th holiday, 7/1 to 7/6 in Mississauga ON partying with my old school BMW cronies. I was staying a 1/4 mile from the venue. I been doing it for 5 yrs. Those signs you guys put on QEW about driving 40 klics over, 10k $ and car seizure, scares this tourist into driving slow.