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Drive in anxious and cruise out confident with the best automotive information for your vehicle! Tune in to KTAR News 92.3 every Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon as Matt Allen helps listeners with their car problems. The show call in number is 602-277-5827.


Latest News From Bumper to Bumper Radio

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 13, 2017 -- If you missed out on Labor Day deals, don't worry, many of them are still available through the end of the month. In fact, the expert editors at Kelley Blue Book have compiled a list of their top 10 lease, financing and cash back deals for new models available through September, including four offers of more than $4,000 cash back and several leases under $200 per month.

"This month's list of good deals on good cars features some of the biggest savings we've seen all year," said Jason Allan, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "With a $199 per month lease on our Mid-Size Car Best Buy of 2017 and $7,500 cash back on a family-size SUV, September's collection boasts a compelling collection of deals on a wide variety of vehicles."

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COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 13, 2017 -- While non-premium and premium vehicle owners are equally satisfied with the level of technology—and its ease of use—in their new vehicle, a degree of "lost value" still exists since most owners don't completely understand and use all available vehicle technology, according to the J.D. Power 2017 Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study,SM released today.

Overall owner satisfaction with new-vehicle technology among both premium and non-premium owners averages 750 (on a 1,000-point scale)

Satisfaction is highest in the large segment (777), followed by the compact segment (753); compact premium segment (751); midsize premium segment (746); midsize segment (744); small premium segment (739); and small segment (732).

The study, now in its second year, measures drivers' experiences, usage, and interaction with 35 driver-centric vehicle technologies at 90 days of ownership. The study provides subscribers with an understanding of opportunities for minimizing the gap between driver experience and execution. The major technology categories analyzed in the study include entertainment and connectivity; comfort and convenience; driving assistance; collision protection; navigation; and smartphone mirroring.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13, 2017 -- On August 9, the California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) awarded a grant of $16,362,500 to Equilon Enterprises LLC a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company (collectively, "Shell") for the introduction of seven hydrogen refueling stations in Northern California.

The hydrogen refueling stations will be built in collaboration with Honda and Toyota, who will provide financial support, at seven Shell-branded retail stations across Northern California; three in the city of San Francisco, and one in each of Berkeley, Sacramento, Citrus Heights and Walnut Creek.

The Energy Commission awarded the grant through its Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), which invests up to $100 million every year to support innovations in transportation and fuel technologies that help California meet its energy, clean air, and climate change goals.

The hydrogen refueling stations will be installed in strategic locations within the existing network of Shell-branded retail stations, offering existing and future fuel cell electric vehicle drivers high-quality service with simple and straightforward car refueling in minutes. 

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 28, 2017 -- Toyota Financial Services (TFS) announced it is offering payment relief options to its customers affected by Hurricane Harvey. This broad outreach includes any Toyota Financial Services (TFS) or Lexus Financial Services (LFS) customer in the designated disaster areas.

We at Toyota Financial Services care about the safety and well-being of our customers and want to help those impacted by the hurricane. Impacted lease and finance customers residing in the devastated areas may be eligible to take advantage of several payment relief options, some of which include:

  • extensions and lease deferred payments 
  • redirecting billing statements
  • arranging phone or on-line payments

Currently, national gas price average levels out

For the first time in more than 15 days, the national gas price average appears to be leveling out despite Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irma making landfall in the southeast. Holding steady for five days at $2.67, today’s national gas price average is just three cents more expensive on the week. With a seven cents increase, Florida, Indiana and Georgia were among the top 10 states who saw the largest gas price increases on the week, while some states saw gas prices drop by one to six cents (Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Delaware and Oklahoma). At the end of last week, some Florida and other Southeast states saw consumers flock to gas stations to fill-up on fuel, causing some stations to have gas outages ahead of the storm.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Irma is weakening and will move near the northwestern coast of the Florida Peninsula this morning, will cross the eastern Florida Panhandle into Southern Georgia this afternoon, and move through southwestern Georgia and eastern Alabama tonight and Tuesday. Parts of Florida can expect eight to 20 inches of rain through Wednesday. Much of Georgia, South Carolina, and western North Carolina can expect three to eight inches of rain accumulation. Southern Tennessee and eastern Alabama can expect up to five inches.

Bumper Audio Clip of the Week

Bumper to Bumper helps a listener who is having an intermittent electrical issue with her vehicle.