In a restucting move, GM said it would cut 2,400 dealers from its 6,000-dealer network by fall 2010.  The company said it could save save $2.5 billion with the move.

However, dealers accused the auto maker of closing several lots which were still profitable.

“We just could not in good conscience accept the GM or Chrysler plans when they rely so much on flawed criteria and would make a mockery of the arbitration process,” the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights said in a statement. “Under their plans, a dealer would have had a better change at winning the Powerball lottery than getting back in business.” The group is headed in part by Jack Fitzgerald and Tammy Darvish, two major D.C.-area auto dealers.

“It’s a good idea, but it’s kind of late, isn’t it?” said John Wolkonowicz, an analyst at consultant IHS Global Insight speaking to Bloomberg While the closings could have been handled better, the new plans will “help some dealers. It’s a good thing and an upfront thing to be doing,” he said.

in response, GM now says it will conduct face-to-face reviews with dealerships.

Automaker To Reconsider Closing Some Dealers

The mats of cars sold in Canada are however different from those fitted to cars sold in the United States. Toyota says there is no risk to Canadian models, and this after a joint investigation with Transport Canada. It evokes an “extra measure of confidence.”

The seven models are:

* Camry 2007 to 2010;
* Avalon from 2005 to 2010;
* Prius 2004 to 2009;
* Tacoma 2005 to 2010;
* Tundra 2007 to 2010;
* Lexus ES 350 2007 2010;
* Lexus IS 250 2006 2010;
* Lexus IS 350 2006 2010.

4 million vehicles recalled in the United States

In the U.S., the company recalled 4 million cars. A wider range of models are concerned, including the Prius and Tacoma 2005-2010 Tundra and 2007-2010.

The world’s preeminent maker had announced last September that he was preparing a reminder.

In case of problems, Toyota recommends that drivers press the brake with both feet and place the transmission in neutral or even shut down.

At least one fatal accident

Last August, four people including a policeman, died in an accident in California involving a Lexus E350. The accelerator was stuck in the carpet and the vehicle was traveling at about 200 km / h at the time of the accident.
The following month, Toyota had asked the owners of certain models to remove the carpet from the driver’s side to prevent such incidents. But U.S. officials said, in November, that the removal of carpet “did not correct the underlying problem.”

The U.S. government reported a hundred such incidents, which have left five dead and two wounded. An outside firm rather evokes 2000 incidents left 16 dead and 243 wounded. A study says that removing the carpet does not seem sufficient to solve the problem.

Toyota Pedal Recall Update

Models 2007-2010 Camry, Avalon 2005-2010, Prius 2005-2009, Tacoma 2005-2010 Tundra and 2007-2010 are vehicles with he issue. The luxury models 2007-2010 and Lexus ES350 Lexus IS250/350 2006-2010 are also affected.

The statement was issued by the headquarters of Toyota in the United States and U.S.. A spokeswoman for Toyota Canada has been unable to confirm whether some of the vehicles were sold in Canada.

Toyota have said that to alleviate the problem temporarily, Toyota shorten the throttle as early as January, the time to develop a new permanent pedal. The new accelerators should be available in April.

Toyota will also install on some models, a safety device called “Smart Brake” which stops the engine if the accelerator pedal and brake are applied simultaneously. Such a device will be installed on virtually all new Toyota vehicles by the end of 2010.

The President of the Association Automobile Protection (APA), George Iny, welcomed the announcement.

According to Mr. Iny, the APA has never believed that the explanation of the accelerator stuck in the carpet is the right one. His organization has heard of isolated incidents which have seen a vehicle start to accelerate because the throttle was just stuck, without the clutter of the carpet, or even without pressing the accelerator pedal.

Last August, an accident in California involving a Lexus E350 had killed three members of one family and one policeman. The vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably when the accelerator was stuck in the carpet. It was traveling at about 200 km / h at the time of the accident.

The following month, Toyota had asked the owners of certain models to remove the carpet from the driver’s side to prevent such incidents. But in early November, U.S. authorities have issued a statement in which they asserted that the removal of carpet “did not correct the underlying problem.

The U.S. government reported a hundred such incidents, which have left five dead and two wounded. But a Massachusetts firm that looked into the question relates rather 2000 incidents left 16 dead and 243 wounded.

In case of problems, Toyota recommends that drivers press the brake with both feet and place the transmission in “neutral” or even shut down.

Vehicles ES350, Camry and Avalon will be the first to be recalled due to a potentially more important.

Toyota Recall Over Gas Pedal Safety

According to car pricing researchers Truecar.com, black Friday is the best day to buy a car in the US (no data was available for Canada).

“The discounts from dealerships, as well as manufacturers’ incentives, generate the highest discounts of the year on Black Friday,” said Jesse Toprak, an analyst for Truecar.com.

The average new car discount on Nov. 27 is estimated to be 7.5 percent. The average discount the day before and after is expected to be just over 6 percent. Normally car buyers pay 4.7 percent less than the sticker price, CNNMoney.com reports.

TrueCar says one reason for the huge discount is that it’s quiet on the lot since most people are out gift shopping, and the other is that dealers are trying to meet end-of-the-month sales quotas.

TrueCar’s monthly report on prices and deals says the “most negotiable” new cars now are the 2009 Audi Q5 and 2010 BMW 1-series.

Will you be heading out to buy a new car?

Black Friday Best Day To Buy New Car: Report

The driver, a car enthusiast and collector from Texas, claims a “low-flying pelican” distracted him enough to drop his cell phone. As he proceeded to pick up his device, he swerved his way into the murky water.

The Daily News said:

“The man jerked the wheel, dropped his cell phone, and the car’s front tire left the frontage road and entered a muddy patch, which foiled his attempt to maneuver away from the lagoon.”

Before this incident, there were only 15 Bugatti Veyron EB’s in the U.S.

The two-seater, with 16 cylinders and four turbo chargers, can reach speeds of more than 250 mph. New models sell for about $2 million.

The man, who refused to give his name, was looking at real estate in Galveston.

Man Drives Bugatti Veyron Into The Drink - AP