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☆ Tesla owners share perks of owning the EV over any other car
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Driving a Tesla means no more oil changes and frequent upkeep. A Tesla will never need an oil change and requires less upkeep overall. Hum Images/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesSome Tesla owners say they've gone years without bringing their EV into a repair shop. Meanwhile, an electric car will never need an oil change, new fuel filter, spark plugs, or emission checks. Many Tesla owners said the only times they visited service centers were for issues that were covered by the carmaker's warranty or for collisions.

Persons: Tesla, they've, Elon Musk, I've, Robbie Mack Organizations: Getty, ICE, Consumer

☆ JD Power quality survey: Alfa Romeo takes top spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

This time it was Alfa Romeo, an Italian car with a reputation for excitement – but not necessarily trouble-free ownership. Alfa Romeo leaped 24 places in the rankings to third overall, with 143 problems per 100 vehicles. Not every Stellantis brand ranked near the top, though, or even close. Last year, four Stellantis brands, including Ram and Alfa Romeo, were below average. Even if Alfa Romeo has improved enormously, it will be a long while before those scores changes much.

Persons: CNN —, Romeo, it’s, Alfa Romeo, Stellantis’s Dodge, Ram, Romeo Giulia Stellantis JD Power’s, doesn’t, Kristin Kolodge, Power, David McDonald, Larry Dominique, ” Organizations: CNN, Lexus, Alfa, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, France’s PSA, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Consumer Locations: Italian, Stellantis, North America

☆ Senate Democrats pressure PayPal, Venmo, Cash App over fraud protections
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Thursday urged PayPal and Cash App to better protect users of their peer-to-peer payment applications from fraud. The letters were sent to PayPal president and CEO Dan Shulman and Cash App CEO Brian Grassadonia. PayPal, Venmo and Cash App did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Cash App transactions also brought in over $203 billion in inflows among 51 million monthly users as of December 2022, according to a Block annual report. The letter is part of an ongoing inquiry into P2P platform consumer safety spearheaded by Warren over the past several years.

Persons: Sen, Sherrod Brown of, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Rhode Island Sen, Jack Reed, Jack Reed and New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, Dan Shulman, Cash, Brian Grassadonia, PayPal's, Warren, Menendez, Reed Organizations: PayPal, Massachusetts, Block, CNBC, Pew Research Center Locations: WASHINGTON, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Rhode Island, Jack Reed and New Jersey

☆ The best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer Reports released a list of top car brands Thursday. Consumer Reports released its list of the top car brands for 2023 on Thursday. Taking the bottom five spots are Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Jeep, and Land Rover, with Land Rover at the very bottom. Consumer Reports ranked brands first by determining a road-test score using braking, handling, comfort, convenience, and fuel economy evaluations. The other domestic brands fell in the bottom-third of the rankings.

Persons: Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Genesis, Tesla Organizations: BMW, Land Rover, Consumer, Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Rover, Consumer Reports, Ford, GM, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Lincoln, Chrysler, Pacifica, Toyota, Kia, Mazda, Audi, Acura, Buick, Hyundai, Porsche, Dodge, Tesla, Infiniti, Volkswagen, Volvo, Nissan, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Benz, GMC, Mitsubishi, Alfa, Jeep

☆ When Will Gas Prices Go Down?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

Gas price outlook for 2023When you venture out during the summer travel season, expect gas prices to remain steady through September—mostly due to overseas economic pressures. “When per-barrel prices go up, gas prices go up. By that time, the EIA estimates gas prices will drop to roughly $3.09 per gallon—a near-50-cent price break from today’s prices. Other factors affecting gas pricesWhile supply and demand are the leading factors that dictate oil and gas prices, they aren’t the only players. The Google Maps app also has a gas pump icon under the main search bar that will highlight local gas prices.

Persons: ”, Stuart Katz, Robertson Stephens, “, we’ve, John LaForge, Barack Obama, Biden, Katz, — you’ll Organizations: U.S . Energy Information Administration, Organization of, Petroleum, Energy, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Bush, Hurricane, International Energy Agency, Treasury Department, State Tax Gas, of, PayPal, Google, Gas, Shell, Exxon, Mobil, Consumer, Lexus, Ford, University of California Locations: Ukraine, Russia, China, Wells Fargo, Persian, West Coast, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, Hawaii, Illinois, Alaska, New Jersey, Connecticut, Los Angeles

The deal, announced last month, would open more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers to drivers of Ford vehicles in North America starting in 2024. SS&C has invested in such charging companies as ChargePoint Holdings Inc (CHPT.N), EVgo Inc (EVGO.O) and Blink Charging Co (BLNK.O). The Ford deal was a boost to Tesla's more widespread, reliable North American Charging Standard (NACS) and dented the value of smaller players offering the rival Combined Charging System (CCS). Complaints about other charging companies' software bugs or broken charging hardware only opens the door to greater access for Tesla's standard, however, industry officials said. Under its new deal, Ford will distribute Tesla adapters to customers and starting in 2025 will equip future EVs with NACS.

Persons: Joe Biden, Paul Baiocchi, Ford, Elon Musk, Tesla's, Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Tesla, Lazard, Mohit Kohli, Chris Harto, Arcady Sosinov, Chris Anthony, Sosinov, Abhirup Roy, Hyunjoo Jin, David Shepardson, Jarrett Renshaw, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FRANCISCO, Ford, North America, U.S, SS, C ALPS Advisors, ChargePoint Holdings, EVgo Inc, CNBC, CCS, EVs, Volta, Volkswagen AG, General Motors Co, BMW, Consumer, Aptera, Thomson Locations: U.S, North, Europe, San Francisco, Washington

☆ What parents need to know about P2P payment apps as Venmo adds teen account
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Maskot | Maskot | Getty ImagesApps are 'convenient,' but woes can be 'difficult to fix'Peer-to-peer payment apps, also known as P2P apps, are widely in use throughout the U.S. Teresa Murray, a consumer watchdog at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, urges caution when using P2P apps. "There are real consequences if something goes wrong," she said. watch now"People use these P2P apps because they're convenient and they're easy," Murray said. Talk to your teens about moneyAs your teen learns about budgeting and payment apps, experts urge parents, it's important to discuss these topics with them at home.

Persons: Teresa Murray, PIRG, Murray, LendingTree, scammers, Desiree Kaul Organizations: Maskot, Getty, Consumer Reports, U.S . Public Interest Research, Consumer Financial, PayPal, CNBC Locations: U.S, Satellite Beach , Florida

☆ What to know about buying a used electric vehicle as more hit the auto sales market
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Joe D'Allegro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Electric vehicle sales keep growing, too. As recently as 2021, total battery-powered electric vehicle sales in the U.S. were under 450,000, but Kelley Blue Book says sales surpassed 800,000 in 2022 and are expected to top one million this year. While the used EV market is still very small, the growth trajectory of EV sales means shopping for a used electric vehicle will become more common and get easier over time, and encompass more make and model choices. In many ways, shopping for a used electric vehicle is the same as looking for any other used car or truck. Electric vehicles lose value faster, but upkeep is lessEVs generally depreciate faster than ICE vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book.

☆ ‘The federal government is not doing their job,’ NTSB chair says about automated driving tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy sharply criticized federal regulators Thursday for not doing enough to monitor and test automatic driving technologies. “The NTSB has called on regulators to set performance minimums for these features, to test vehicles rigorously against those standards and provide the results to consumers. That’s because the IIHS and Consumer Reports worked directly with automakers to get them to add it. “Consumer Reports and IIHS tried to get ahead of this because there was no movement from regulators,” she said. Consumer Reports test drivers will still use an actual interstate highway to test features that only function when the car recognizes that it’s on a divided highway.

☆ How to Deal With Rising Auto Insurance Rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Ann Carrns | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The federation supports eliminating the use of credit scoring in insurance rating, saying it especially harms lower-income customers and people who live in minority neighborhoods. (At least three states — California, Hawaii and Massachusetts — bar the use of credit scoring in setting these premiums, and a few others limit its use.) Insurers defend giving better rates to drivers with good credit, saying it makes sense because those customers are less likely to file insurance claims. “The vast majority of customers get a better rate because we’re using credit scoring,” Mr. Passmore said. While many people “would rather get a root canal,” he said, getting auto insurance quotes isn’t difficult.

☆ Why Tesla keeps making the Model S and X even as sales dwindle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Production ramped up slowly, but by 2017, Tesla was selling more than 100,000 a year of the Model S and its SUV sibling, the Model X. Similarly, pricing for the Model X SUV starts at about $98,000 but the smaller Model Y starts at just $47,000. Still, much like the S-class for Mercedes-Benz, the Model S remains Tesla’s flagship model, representing the brand. In fact, within its competitive class, the Tesla Model S and X are good sellers. By this point in their long lives, the Tesla Model S and X have become a stream of fairly steady profits, said Cox.

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). People with high credit scores are generally granted lower interest rates on credit cards, personal loans, and other types of debt. Generally, companies offer low-interest credit cards and better perks to people with excellent (800 or greater) or good (670 to 799) credit. Another strategy that experts recommend is to open new credit cards to increase your overall credit limit. Dispute items on your credit reportA credit report includes full documentation of your credit history, which then gets turned into your credit score.

"It really seems like companies have become addicted to junk fees." Junk fees are making companies billions of dollars richer and the practice spans industries, including banking, telecom, entertainment and hospitality. CNBC sorted some of the biggest junk fee offenders into three separate buckets. "Junk hotel fees and these ancillary fees are bringing in about $3 billion a year for the hotel industry," Wolfe told CNBC, citing a Consumer Reports estimate. Watch the video above to learn more about where junk fees hide, how agencies are proposing changes, where policy falls short and whether increased regulatory oversight may be enough to squash junk fees once and for all.

☆ Are gas-powered or electric vehicles a better deal? EVs may win out in long run, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

They would pay about $84,000 total, versus $87,000 for the gas car, Woody said. Thirty-five percent of Americans say reducing their personal impact on climate change is a major reason they would buy an electric car — the No. Ingrid Malmgren policy director of Plug In AmericaSince they don't burn fossil fuels, fully electric cars don't emit planet-warming greenhouse gases from their tailpipes. "Electric vehicles are the key technology to decarbonize road transport," the International Energy Agency said. Such a vehicle costs consumers 45.3 cents per mile over a 15-year ownership period, beaten out only by hybrid electric vehicles, according to Argonne.

☆ How little engines are taking over American cars in a big way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

If Americans have experience with three-cylinder engines, it would probably have been in Europe where the engines are fairly common in tiny “city cars” used for basic, around-town transportation. Now, for the 2023 model year, there are ten different models available in the United States with three-cylinder engines, according to Edmunds.com. All of these are at least offered with three-cylinder engines, if not available only with that engine. Vehicles that would have once have been powered by eight-cylinder engines now have turbocharged six-cylinder engines, instead. GM currently offers two different three-cylinder engines and, Hommes said, plans to continue selling them even as GM moves toward selling nothing but electric passenger vehicles by 2035.

☆ Risks of Tupperware and other plastic containers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Figuring out the answer to that question for any type of reusable plastic food storage products — not just Tupperware — often comes down to understanding what they’re made of. Risks of container wear and tearPutting stress on plastic food containers by washing them in the dishwasher or with rough scrub brushes “increase the ability of that plastic to leach whatever it was made out of,” Vandenburg said. The “microwave safe” label on some plastic containers doesn’t mean the product is totally safe from a health standpoint, she added. “Some of the plasticizers and chemicals can transfer from the plastic containers into the food during heating,” Rogers said. “If you can’t afford to replace everything all at once, replace them one at a time.”Glass food storage containers are a safer option.

☆ US government’s proposal to boost EV sales is challenging but not impossible
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

By 2032, electric vehicles would need to make up about two-thirds of all the new cars sold in America. And even as EV market share rises to two-thirds, it’s not like EVs will flood America’s roads overnight, he said. Reaching two-thirds EV market share mark by 2032 isn’t a sure thing, said Cantor, but it should be manageable. The increasing number of automakers entering the EV market will also help, said Ivan Drury, an industry analyst with Edmunds.com. General Motors also has a number of EV models coming in the next year or two.

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania, March 23 (Reuters) - Hershey Co (HSY.N) is looking to reduce "trace" amounts of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief financial officer Steve Voskiul told Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars had potentially harmful levels of the heavy metals. Consumer Reports found that Hershey's Lily's extremely dark chocolate 85% cocoa bar was high in lead and cadmium. Its Hershey's Special Dark mildly sweet chocolate and Lily's extra dark chocolate 70% were also high in lead according to the report. Voskuil said the manufacturing and cleaning process for cocoa beans removes the "vast majority" of lead and cadmium. Hershey is "evaluating" if it can remove more of the metals through additional cleaning of cocoa beans or alternate sourcing, he said.

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania, March 22 (Reuters) - Hershey Co (HSY.N) is looking to reduce "trace" amounts of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief financial officer Steve Voskiul told Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars had potentially harmful levels of the heavy metals. Consumer Reports, a nonprofit consumer group, tested chocolate bars including those made by Hershey late last year and found that some of them contained possibly harmful levels of lead, cadmium or both for people who eat more than one ounce per day. Consumer Reports found that Hershey's Lily's extremely dark chocolate 85% cocoa bar was high in lead and cadmium. Its Hershey's Special Dark mildly sweet chocolate and Lily's extra dark chocolate 70% were also high in lead according to the report. Voskuil said the manufacturing and cleaning process for cocoa beans removes the "vast majority" of lead and cadmium.

☆ The best used cars under $15,000, according to Consumer Reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

So it's more important than ever to shop smart. If you're paying an arm and a leg for a secondhand car, truck, or SUV, you better make sure it will last and perform reliably. A used car lot is shown Friday, June 10, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

Americans can access free credit reports from the credit bureaus every week until the end of 2023. However, since April 2020, Americans have been allowed to check their credit reports for free once per week. A Consumer Reports survey found that 34% of consumers have found an error on at least one of their credit reports. Weekly credit reports frequently asked questions (FAQ)Will checking my credit report every week lower my credit score? Because consumers can request their credit reports every week, credit monitoring services aren't nearly as necessary as they were pre-pandemic.

☆ Scoring the best deals on Presidents' Day holiday sales: 3 smart money moves to make as you shop
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sharon Epperson | In Sharoneppersoncnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"For two reasons – the impact of inflation during a pandemic era and interest rates – what appears to be a deal may not be." Before you charge the purchase to a credit card, remember this is one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. The annual percentage rate on a credit card is at an all-time high of nearly 20%. Credit experts say that a cash-back rewards credit card with a 0% interest introductory offer may be an even better deal. Look for lower loan rates at a credit union: Many car brands offer Presidents' Day deals that lower the purchase price or interest rates or make lease deals more attractive.

☆ These are the best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

☆ These are the 10 best cars for every budget from Toyota, Ford, and Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The best cars you can buy include the Toyota Corolla, Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Tesla Model 3. Under $25,000:Toyota Corolla HybridThe 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Toyota Corolla CrossThe 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross. $35,000-$45,000:Hyundai Santa Fe HybridThe Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. Doug Berger/NWAPAThe Kia Telluride has earned its place among Consumer Reports' Top Picks since its debut in 2020.

☆ Here are the top ten cars to buy in '23
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHere are the top ten cars to buy in '23Consumer Reports released their top ten car picks for this year. CNBC's Phil Lebeau has the details.

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