European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 01, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 the stars and stripes automotive monday August 1,1994 Chrysler  last week that the suggested retail prices of &199&  willbe an average of 2 percent  of comparably " equipped 1994 models a is ski its passenger car prices will increase an average of 1.5 percent or $281 per car. The prices of Chrysler trucks including minivans and sport Utility vehicles will go up an average of 2.3 percent or $497 a vehicle the company said. ". " " -.--.-. Nissan motor corp. Said Friday that prices for 1995 Nissan cars and trucks will be an average of 3.8 percent higher than prices on comparably equipped models -.  -. The average increase is $711 per vehicle. Infiniti Nissan s luxury car division will increase prices an average of 4 percent or $1,436 per car for the new Model year fhe government s Auto safety Agency has opened an investigation into anti lock Brake problems in some general motors pickup trucks and sport Utility vehicles. The National Highway traffic safety administration in its monthly defect investigation report said there have been 156 complaints involving Brake problems in 1991-94 Gas series and to series vehicles. About 1.4 million of the vehicles Are on the Road. Fifty seven accidents and 22 injuries were reported. The 156 complaints were varied involving wheel lockup hard pedals warning lights and toss of vehicle control the Nitsa also is looking into six complaints of fire or smoke behind the instrument panel in the dashboards of1989 gms-10 blazers. _ the Agency has upgraded an investigation into engine compartment fires in 1984-89 Nissan 300zx and 1985 88 Nissan maximal. There have been 548 complaints of leakage from fuel injection components and 339 involved fires. The Nitsa estimated 688,343 Are on the Road. Government and manufacturer Exchange paperwork. The probe then could be upgraded to the engineering analysis stage As the Nissan Case has been during which engineers study the parts to see if they Are defective. The investigation eventually could Lead to a recall of the vehicles but most cases Are dropped. The Nitsa upgraded an investigation into inadvertent shifting of the automatic transmission from Park to reverse in the 1992 Oldsmobile 88. There have been 15 complaints five accidents and one injury. The Agency said 106,074are on the Road. The Agency also has advanced prob into 1992-93 Ford Crown Victorias cae. There equipped with the police have been 18 complaints including one fatal Accident involving a police officer Tinbergen county n.j., of temporary loss of Power steering during certain Maneu vers at Low speeds. About 54,700 of the police warfare in the Road. The safety Agency also has upgraded second investigation of 1993 Crown Victorias with the police package. Four complaints allege that the grounding strap an electrical connection Between the engine and the Chassis rubs against the transmission cooler line causing transmission Oil to leak. About 16,9qq Are on the Road. Chrysler corp. Has found a new outlet to sell its cars in an agreement it Hopes will serve As a Model for expanding its network of japanese dealerships official said. I he agreement is with 20-Outfet Niigata Kaihatsu a dealer in Northern Japan that belongs to the network controlled by automaker Kaihatsu inc. The associated i the second time around by the new York times Detroit the nation s automakers historically obsessed with offering the freshest shapes and the most advanced gadgets Are increasingly shifting their attention to something older the booming used car Market estimated at twice the size of the new car Market in the United states. For shoppers the change will mean More Well maintained Low mileage re cent Vintage cars that Are Laden with accessories. Anticipating a rapidly growing Supply of High Quality used cars starting later this year As a Large number of two and three year leases come to an end Auto makers Are beginning to stand behind the secondhand cars their dealers sell in ways they never backed them before. The companies Are issuing standards for How customers should be treated in an Effort to rein in fast talkers who prom ise coddled Cadillac but deliver Clunk ers. They Are also setting standards for reconditioning used vehicles. � further they Are lowering finance rates on used cars providing lease deals for them extending warranties and offer ing 24-hour Roadside assistance to buyers. They Are setting up computerized satellite auction systems to sell used cars More efficiently to dealers. And some Are developing new cars with an Eye to How they will Appeal to second buyers. Behind the strategy is the astonishing growth in new car leasing.7 automakers Are expecting a flood of used vehicles to begin rolling Back to dealer lots effectively turning the companies into the country s largest owners of used cars. When a company finances a lease it owns the car. The companies know they must sell those used cars at Good prices when the leases end or take big losses on them. Every time an automaker leases a new car it must guess How much the car will be Worth when the lease is up its so called residual value. If the company predicts that the residual value will be High the person leasing the car will have smaller monthly payments because those pay Jents Are based on the value that is used up during the lease you re seeing manufacturers being led not by their instincts but by their in vestments into used vehicle. Wholesaling said John j. Perron a senior part Ner at . Power associates the automotive consulting firm in Agoura Hills Calif. After ignoring it for generations the automakers Are zeroing in on a Market of at least 30 million vehicles a year. It is generally a big moneymaker with new car dealers averaging More than three times the profit per  used cars than on highly competitive new car trans actions. We re in the transportation business and what we tend to always talk about is the new car Market said Michael d. Jordan executive director of sales operations for Ford motor co., but there s a very big Market Here for used cars. There s no reason we can t compete successfully in  the 1994 Mazda Miata m edition mixes the sporty character of a Miata with upscale features such As a leather and Wood Interior. Miata 94 More Power More fun by Russ Devault Cox news service the More Mazda improves its two seat Miata sports car the More it reminds nostalgic Auto buffs of those rough edged British sports cars of the 1950s and 60s. So while there Are some notable changes for 1994 primarily a bump from 116 horsepower to 128 for the Mia to s humming Little four Cylinder engine the throwback news is an r edition that s strictly for enthusiast Drivers. For $2,415 More than the base Rice of $16,500, the Miata can be equipped with a Racetrack inspired package that signify j3f\i\y enhances its performance and the fun it delivers. The items a hat bring the showroom Model closer to the Ziatas that have been raced with Success in the sports car club of America s Stock division include tuned Bilstein Shock absorbers a Torsen limited slip differential reworked Springs and Stabilizer bars and front and rear spoilers. There s no Power steering and the Only option is air conditioning $850but Mazda in t Blind to the fact that most buyers Aren t interested in a notice ably suffer ride Competition Type handling and. A steering wheel that has to be forcefully cranked. So the Basic Miata which in t a bad buy for budget conscious enthusiasts can be gussied up with a creature Comfort m package that adds$4,600 to the base Price. I. The m package includes All the Power accessory items today s Drivers expect to find on everything but. Econ boxes. The Interior is leather and Wood and the extras include air conditioning cruise control and a Power Antenna. The otherwise acceptable am pm stereo radio with Cas Sette player has speakers in the headrests of the reclining bucket seats a feature that in t Likely to please audiophiles. It smore of a gimmick than an asset. The Only option Worth considering forthe m package is anti lock brakes which push the Price up $900, but give the disc brakes which Are beefed up for 94 plenty of stopping Power. Both with and. Without the anti lock system Drivers quickly develop a lot of Faith in the Mia to s ability to Stop. _ going however is another matter. The Miata has never been about Jack Rabbit starts and top end Speed and the94 versions Don t change that despite engine improvements that enable the four Cylinder motor to produce 128 horsepower at 6,500 rpm the red line a pleasing 110 pounds of torque at 5,000. The " a Seq mapped 2,300-Pound Miata now can get up to 60 Mph in eight plus seconds. Top Speed is boosted a bit to 188 Mph but that too should be of academic concern Only of \ " but what does matter is the top Down wind in your face spirit that the Miata has revived. That Delight is enhanced by an Interior that will a Zily seat two adults and has Good instrumentation with controls in sensible locations Comfort not luxury is the operative word. So of the Miata is noisy with its easily operated manual top up or Down and it does t create a sense of Security when driven in heavy traffic such As that found on the interstate at Rush hour. But get it off the beaten track and the Miata comes into or is it goes Back to its own Niche one in which cars Are for fun and not just transportation