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From the moment the Ford Bronco first became available in 1966 as a rival to the Jeep CJ, it captured the hearts and minds of drivers. Particularly popular was the station wagon model, with its early compact SUV features like 4WD, a spare interior (two buckets and a bench), and utilitarian accessory add-ons like a snowplow, a winch, a tow bar, and even a post hole digger. Also available were interior upgrades like a tachometer and a CB radio. From '66 to '77, the first-gen Ford Bronco set the bar for early off-road vehicles.
Even throughout the '80s and '90s, Broncos remained popular (following the lukewarm reception of the bulky second-generation Broncos, from 1978-79, which were quickly replaced with smaller, lighter models). In the late '80s and '90s, the Bronco brand enjoyed a much-needed reboot, thanks to the use of the F-series body style and upgrades like EFI and rear ABS.
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The auto industry has a long and prestigious history in America&mdash:it's the home of Henry Ford and his revolutionary assembly line. At the same time, the U.S. automotive industry hasn't always enjoyed a sunny trajectory. It was just over a decade ago that GM and Chrysler received $80 billion in bailout funds in the wake of the housing market crash that kicked off the Great Recession.
When the financial crisis hit, the American auto industry was already suffering significant reduction in sales, ostensibly because of overseas competitors creating more fuel-efficient cars that appealed to U.S. drivers from both an economic and environmental standpoint. Still, they were starting to pivot, and when the market tanked, allowing automakers to fail would have put 3 million jobs at risk, at a time when unemployment was on the rise.
What would have happened if those companies had been allowed to fail? The impact to the economy would have been immense, to say the least, and the true repercussions for U.S. manufacturing and standing in the world market likely wouldn't have been fully realized for years.
Today, the auto industry is arguably facing a much larger threat as the spread of coronavirus has brought not just automakers, but the entire country to a screeching halt. What will this mean for the industry in both the short- and long-term?
Production Shutdown
On March 18, 2020, under the guidance of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, Ford, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, and Honda all announced that they would be shutting down production. Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Volvo, and Volkswagen quickly followed suit by announcing shut-downs of their U.S. facilities. Tesla, a notable holdout to the early isolation orders in San Francisco, finally bowed to increasing public pressure on March 19.
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Any time you purchase a car, whether it's new or used, you're probably interested in the prospect of a warranty. With a brand-new vehicle purchase, you can pretty much expect a bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty that covers all the major components, from the engine and transmission, to the suspension, to electrical and other systems.
In essence, the bumper-to-bumper warranty covers nearly everything needed to make the car function properly, although certain cosmetic and "wear" items are typically excluded. In some cases, a certified pre-owned vehicle will come with a short-term bumper-to-bumper warranty, but many used vehicles include only a powertrain warranty (if any warranty at all). What is a powertrain warranty and how does it differ from the bumper-to-bumper variety?
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When it comes to our cars, we certainly like to keep options open. Some consumers are loyal to a brand they like, but most of us will own a variety of different automobiles throughout our lives, because of various factors like comfort, style, cost, and the size of our family, for example.
We also want to have options when it comes to servicing our vehicles. Many people prefer to go to their dealer for service, but this can get pricy. What if you want to have your car serviced at a local auto shop that charges less?
You can definitely go this route, but you may be understandably concerned about what this could mean in terms of the warranty on your vehicle. Will going somewhere else affect your warranty? The answer is: maybe. Here's what you need to know.
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Plenty of people purchase a vehicle with no intention of making changes, or at least, if they want upgraded parts, accessories, or packages, they order them from the manufacturer as part of their initial purchase. There are some consumers, however, who want to make further modifications to personalize their vehicle.
Whether you want to soup up your engine with a turbocharger, add a lift kit or other suspension upgrades, or modify your exhaust system, you should know that certain changes could have an impact on your warranty. While cosmetic upgrades like adding neon lights to the undercarriage are unlikely to cause problems, altering the engine or suspension could be a completely different story.
How can you know if your planned modifications or the use of aftermarket parks will void your vehicle warranty? Here are a few things to consider before you make any major changes.