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For DaimlerChrysler, there's more to a deal than cash

The price for the Chrysler Group might not matter as much to DaimlerChrysler AG officials as shedding the division's huge pension and health care liabilities does, according to the Detroit Free Press.
If the German company can get a deal where those liabilities -- which have been estimated to be in the $16.5-billion to $19-billion range -- are eliminated from its balance sheet, it might accept a sale price that on its own would seem low, the Free Press has learned.

Posted by   at 10:46 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Bang & Olufsen promises “best-sounding” Bluetooth

Audio expert Bang & Olufsen is claiming to have raised the bar on the quality of hands-free Bluetooth cellphone car kits for drivers, accroding to thecarconnection.com.
This is the Earset 2, which its maker claims can banish background noise from the conversation. Supported by air vents and a bass port, it's claimed to reproduce the human voice with the highest degree of accuracy. It fits to the ear via the standard B&O three-way adjustable surround.
Earset 2 has a range of up to ten meters, 100 hours of standby and four hours of talk time. It's priced at $349.

Posted by   at 10:30 AM to Accessories | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas prices on the march

Trilby Lundberg's biweekly survey of gas prices nationwide has some unwelcome news for drivers, according to thecarconnection.com. The Lundberg survey says we're now paying the highest prices ever for gasoline on average across the nation-and it's not even peak driving season.
Lundberg reports that the average price of a gallon of gas nationwide is $3.07 a gallon, about 20 cents higher than last week. Two weeks ago, the number was $2.87.

Posted by   at 10:27 AM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Buying a certified car doesn't always mean what it says

Certified used cars have become popular over the last five years, favored by consumers worried about getting a lemon when they buy used. A guarantee from an automaker that the car checks out is peace of mind for which an increasing number of people are willing to pay extra, sometimes $2,000 or more. But some consumers are finding that certified does not protect them, according to The New York Times.

Posted by   at 10:25 AM to Companies , Consumer rights | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford to Close Cleveland-Area Plant

Ford said it will close its casting plant in Brook Park, Ohio, outside of Cleveland, in 2009. The plant employs 1,218 hourly and salaried workers, according to the Associated Press.
The company also will shutter Cleveland Engine Plant 1 in Brook Park for at least a year starting in two weeks. It employs 577 workers, AP said. A second engine plant at the complex just west of Cleveland will remain open.

Posted by   at 10:17 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota's success pleases proponents of 'lean'

While everyone at Toyota was happy when it is was announced last week that it had sold more cars and trucks than General Motors, the news was also music to another group, according to USA Today.
That group is the industry of experts and consultants who sell the no-waste business regimen known as lean manufacturing, a regimen that is popular due almost entirely to Toyota's success.

Posted by   at 10:05 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0