Mazda Unveils New Features with 2014 Mazda 3

Yesterday, the 2014 Mazda 3 was unveiled in New York, and among the new features are a new infotainment system and safety features. Read on to get a full rundown of what Mazda revealed about the 2014 Mazda 3.

According to Edmunds, the Mazda 3 infotainment system will be able to read e-mails, SMS-based messages, and updates from Twitter and Facebook, and drivers will be able to read navigation directions more easily with the new Active Driving Display. Additionally, the 2014 Mazda 3 will come equipped with the i-Activsense safety system which has blind-spot and land-departure monitoring.

With all of these new features, it is surprising that the new Mazda 3 will be approximately 200 pounds lighter than its predecessor. The weight drop, however, will likely improve the vehicle’s fuel economy statistics which have not yet been announced.

Check out the interior of the vehicle below.

 

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New York Shuts Down RelayRides, Cites Auto Insurance Problems

A San Francisco-based car sharing service was shut down this week over insurance issues and violations of New York state law.

RelayRides sounds like a great idea on paper. Instead of going through a service like ZipCars or Enterprise, customers can rent cars from car owners. The owners earn extra money off their car, and RelayRides takes care of insurance, billing, and roadside support. It sounds like a winning idea.

Unfortunately, the auto insurance provided by RelayRides has been dubbed “illegal and inadequate” by New York’s superintendent of financial services, and the company has been sent a cease and desist notice. RelayRides has agreed to cease all business in New York for now, though they still conduct business across the country.

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RITW Turns Steering Wheel Into Drum Set

Steering wheel drumming is a tradition going back as far as the first radios in cars. There is something indescribably satisfying about drumming along to classic Van Halen, Queen, or AC/DC on a steering wheel on a long drive. A new product “Re-Inventing The Wheel” or RITW wants to take steering wheel drumming to the next level by putting a full drum kit at your fingertips.

RITW is a steering wheel cover that has 8 “smack areas” which correspond with a bass drum, snare, tom, high hat, ride cymbal, crash cymbal, splash cymbal, and cowbell. Using an FM transmitter, your steering wheel drumming will play through your car speakers over top of any music in your music library. The creators of the RITW have even set up a website where users can upload and share custom drum sounds or other sound effects including “Chewbacca,” “Goat,” and “Chicken.”

The creators of the RITW have set up a Kickstarter campaign to finish funding the project, and supporters who pledge $149 or more will get a RITW wheel cover and the iPhone app.

See the RITW in action here:

Readers, we want to hear what you think! Would you buy the RITW to liven up your daily commute? What is your favorite steering wheel-drumming song? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

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Edmunds: Future of Car Buying is “Auto Matchmakers”

How can dealerships improve customer’s experiences buying a new car? Edmunds wanted answers and was willing to pay for great ideas.

Last month, Edmunds.com held their event Hackomotive 2013, a two-day challenge where teams come up with the best ways to improve the auto buying experience. The winner takes home a $10,000 prize, second place gets $5,000, and third place gets $3,000. Additionally all of the teams’ plans are posted on Edmunds’ Hackomotive website with the expectation that people in the auto industry will take these suggestions and integrate them into their business practices.

After reading over the prize-winning ideas, it is clear that Approved Loan Store should have sent their own team out to the competition. There was a tie for first place, and both teams suggested matching up individual car shoppers with a car salesperson based on a set of criteria, much like how matchmakers set up dates based on shared interests and values.

At Approved Loan Store, we schedule our customers for one-on-one appointments with a special finance representative who helps them get into the car they want at terms they can afford. Long before the teams at Hackomotive were coming up with “Car Cupid” and “eCarmony,” Approved Loan Store was successfully matchmaking car shoppers with special finance reps, and as our hundreds of testimonials will attest, we have been extremely successful. The next time Edmunds is looking for the future in auto sales, perhaps they should pick up the phone and give Approved Loan Store a call.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net