European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday october 31, 1994 automotive the stars and stripes Page 9 general motors corp. Is recalling almost 13,000 cars and trucks in 21 Model lines to replace a faulty transmission that could cause the 1995 vehicles to break Down after Only a few Miles on the Road. The pm divisions that sell the defective cars and trucks a Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Oldsmobile and Pontiac a Are notifying owners. Pm believes that Many of the vehicles Are on dealer lots. It was not Clear How much the recall would Cost. David Garrity Auto Industry analyst with Smith Barney in new York estimated a Cost of $900 for each transmission meaning pm would pay about .$12 million for the replacements. Because the defect is not safety related the company was not required to notify the government about its action and did not do so. A consumer reports has added some new features to the new car Price service it has offered shoppers since 1983. The service provides reports on How much car dealers paid for specific models and options allowing Consumers to compare those costs to the Price being asked. The service costs $11 for a Price report on one car $20 for two $27 for three and $5 for each additional report beyond three. The reports can be ordered by mail using forms found in consumer reports Magazine or through a toll free Telephone Call to 800 933-5555. The service also offers information on Trade in values for used cars advice on negotiating strategies for car buyers and recommendations on equipment that can improve a vehicles safety handling Comfort and resale value. The big three american automakers combined in the third Quarter to triple their earnings from a year ago and executives and experts say conditions Are right for continuing growth in the Industry. A a a the Best is yet to come would be my very Short assessment a David Cole director of the University of Michigan a office for the study of automotive transportation said last week after Ford motor co. Reported a record third Quarter. A a it a very hard to read things on a Quarter basis. But i think the big three Are on their Way to smashing their profit records next year a Cole said. Combined third Quarter earnings a year ago for Ford general motors corp. And Chrysler corp. Werft $773 million including Gmys $113 million loss. Since then the companies campaigns to reduce costs and improve productivity have taken hold. And Consumers have streamed into dealerships to buy new cars and trucks. It Fords announcement wednesday capped a round of reports that showed big three profits of $2.3 billion for july through september. Chrysler reported first with profits up 54 percent. Then pm moved from the 1993 third Quarter loss of $113 million to a $552 million profit this year shrinking its losses on North a american automotive operations to $328 million from More than $1 billion a year ago. Fords improvement was 143 percent. Big three executives shy away from predicting future profits but they Are optimistic about continuing growth in the . Market. A from wire reports or fleecing helpful information might put brakes on consumer rip offs by Darlene Superville associated press Washington a Consumers May pay thousands of dollars More than they need to for car leases because they done to get necessary information state officials and consumer advocates said last week. They offered a new checklist to help and urged people to steer Clear of companies that refuse to provide Basic information. A a a a a a a a a please contracts do not normally disclose critical information that Consumers need to make sound leasing decisions a Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal said at a National press club news conference. A lacking that critical data Consumers Are paying hundreds even thousands of dollars needlessly a Blumenthal said. Blumenthal 21 attorneys general and several consumer groups launched a National drive to end what they say Are abuses by the car leasing Industry unveiling the new checklist and urging Consumers to use it to guide their decision making.  groups also called on car leasing companies to make the list available to Consumers. The information required can Only be furnished by a dealer. But the National automobile dealers association which represents 19,000 new car and truck Sellers said the list is unnecessary and will Only add to Consumers confusion. Spokesman Ted Orme said a a pretty Good set of rules already is in place to protect Consumers against abuse and noted that the association has taken Steps to simplify the language in lease cont met s a a a Quot the two Page a reality checklist highlights such lease information As the manufacturers suggested Selling Price How much the company paid for the car and the Price for optional equipment and warranty items a All of which increase the Overall Cost of the lease. A completed form will also show Consumers the amount of Money they Are borrowing and the interest rate the monthly Cost for the car and number of payments possible penalties and other additional charges. Consumers can obtain a free copy of the checklist by contacting their state attorney general a office or by sending a Check or Money order for $1 to reality checklist . Box 7648, Atlanta a. 30357-0648. The redesigned 1995 Mazda protege with a base Price of $11,995, is bigger than its predecessor in nearly All dimensions. Mazda makes room in protege by Ann Marie Job associated press it has More rear legroom and headroom than a Honda Accord Sedan More trunk space than a Saturn four door and More shoulder room a front and rear a than a Dodge Neon. Redesigned for 1995, the Mazda protege comes to Market appreciably bigger than its predecessor in nearly All dimensions boasting More Interior space than any competitor in its class. Yes even More than Chrysler  highly touted Neon. And even at a competitive Price that begins at $11,995 a the same As the 1994. Model a the new protege also comes with some features style and mannerisms of bigger cars. A a it a a big car a at a Small car Price a said Jay Amestoy vice president of marketing and communications for Mazda motor of America inc. The protege already is biggest among Mazda nameplates As its 75,000-plus annual sales make it Mazda a Best seller in the United states. Its also sold worldwide under the Familia nameplate. Last year saw Peak protege sales of More than 81,000 in the United states and with the changes made for 1995, Mazda looks for another 80,000 to 85,000 in annual sales. Certainly Young married couples with median household income of $57,000 a the target buyers a will find much to like in the new protege which comes in base do Midline la and sporty is models. The protege has ranked Well in consumer reports owner trouble complaints in recen years and Mazda added a Host of improvements for 1995 a borrowed from the luxury $25,995 Mazda millennia Sedan introduced earlier a that provide a higher Quality feel. A chief among them Are noise reducing materials throughout that keep out a lot of Road and engine noise and make the protege quite quiet fora car at this Price. Even the millennia a a Cable less speedometer is used on the protege to reduce noise. Mazda also made the protege body More rigid for a More stable ride and suspension upgrades include two More attachment Points to the body in the front and rear. On the test drive however the protege la a which like the do rides on Little 13-Inch tires a did reach its limits rather quickly when taking curves aggressively and the front end dipped precipitously in sudden stops. As for value its Worth noting that while the protege base Price remains at 1994�?Ts level two air bags now arc Standard. In addition the mid Range $13,995 protege la which Mazda predicts will account for a majority of protege sales has a number of Standard features that Are extras on competing models. For example the protege la comes with cruise control Power outside mirrors Back window defogger Remote trunk opener and tachometer. On the $11,240 mid Range. Neon highline those items must be added. In fuel Economy the protege leads the pack with a new base four Cylinder  that a smaller than the base 1994 protege engine and smaller thah the Power plants in most compact competitors. The fuel Economy rating of 31 Miles Eer gallon in the City and 39 mpg on the Highway with five Speed manual beats All other competitors and Many subcompact. The 1.5-liter, 16-valve, double overhead Cam four Cylinder engine found on the do and la models produces just 92 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute compared with the 132 horses at 6.000 rpm of the Dodge Neon a 2-liter four Cylinder and the 110 horsepower at 6.000 rpm of the Nissan sentry less 1.6-liter four Cylinder. Torque is 96 pounds feet at 4,000 rpm is. 129 at 5,000 rpm for. The Neon and 108 at 4,000 rpm for the sentry be with this engine the protege does no Trace off with gusto As much As it reliably sets to its task. The protege is gets a 1.8-liter, 122-horsepower engine for 1995, like the one in the Mazda Miata. Inside the protege riders will instantly notice the Good amount of headroom and legroom