Letters to the Editors
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Subject: Another Car Theft Technique
From: Terry

I read your article recently in The New York Times and thought I might let you know of a new and very sophisticated way of stealing a car.

As you know on most late-model vehicles, the VIN number is conveniently located on the driver side on the dash and it is clearly visible from outside of your car. Some enterprising thieves have been copying the VIN and license plate numbers and going to a local dealer and getting a duplicate key. Some of the "high-end" car dealerships require the registration and a photo ID in addition to the VIN number. But some dealerships only require that you have the VIN and license number of the vehicle.

You can combat this by covering the VIN number. (I am aware that it is against the law to "remove" the VIN, however, you can cover it.) Just put a piece of electrical tape or masking tape on the glass (on the inside of the car).

Having a car stolen is devastating — I know I've had one stolen.

Please pass this on.

Subject: Nissan Murano
From: JA

I cannot believe you have a Ford Explorer, Ford Escape, Mercury Mountaineer and Chevy Equinox in your top 11 picks of SUVs and have omitted the fabulous Nissan Murano! ARE YOU NUTS? You don't even have the price range right.

I have owned my 2004 Murano SL since May 2004. The V6 is a bullet…I don't know what you are talking about when you mention the power-zapping tranny. This SUV has superb luxury detailing, a fantastic Bose sound system and hugs the road like no other, all the while keeping almost a carlike feel. I have 12,000 miles on mine and have NEVER, and I mean NEVER had a mechanical or detail problem. Please explain yourself.

Please explain your rating system. I think it's tremendously slanted.

How did we omit the "fabulous" Murano? Well, considering that it finished third in our last Midsize Crossover Comparison Test, it wasn't that difficult. — Ed.

Subject: Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2005
From: Chad

Why didn't you include the Ford Escape Hybrid in your "Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2005" list? It gets much better actual mileage than the Accord Hybrid, which is number 9 on your list, and could probably give the Scion a run for the money, because it gets better mileage in the city, as a true hybrid. Just because some people call it a truck, that's no reason to not give it credit for getting better mileage than some of the most fuel-efficient cars.

This was a strictly "by the EPA numbers" comparison, so the fact that the Escape might get better mileage in real-world driving wasn't a consideration. — Ed.

Subject: Car Salesmen
From: R

I have just entered the business and it is funny to hear the "Lingo" terms. For the most part, you are correct on some of your observations.

What I want to ask/impress upon you is this: Profit is not a bad word and there are professional ways of going about making a living selling cars. As the general public becomes more educated, this is becoming increasingly harder. Customers expect to start at invoice, and there is no other business that someone can get the exact price you paid for the car.

I have read a number of articles on regurgitating the same info of "shysters" "ripping off" "pounders" etc.…. This attitude is what makes customers fear coming to a lot where young college-educated professionals like myself want to make a fair car deal.

I would like to see some articles from successful buying experiences because there is a changing of the guard in the car industry — believe it or not — some of us are actually trying to change things!

Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed responds: At Edmunds.com we try not to lose sight of the fact that the business is changing all the time — and changing for the better. But just for the record, we have to point out that our "Car Lot Lingo" did not include two of the three terms you mentioned: "shyster" and "ripping off."

Subject: Escape Hybrid
From: Roy

I recently had my car into the local Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealer for service and asked my salesman about the Escape Hybrid. He was discouraging, said the gas engine kicked in at 30 mph and also kicked in at any speed if you turned on the A/C or heater. So, he asked, how often do you drive under 30 mph without either your heater or A/C?

This does not sound as attractive as Ford pictures the car and I wondered if he was correct or if there was a smaller dealer markup on this particular vehicle?

Sounds like your salesman probably didn't have any Escape Hybrids to sell. While it's true that the gas engine stays on when the A/C is in operation, the Escape Hybrid is still able to achieve far better mileage than a standard V6 model in day-to-day driving. For more info, check our long-term test. — Ed.

Subject: Twinned Vehicles
From: Alan

I've read that there are cars that come off of the same factory assembly line. Some of those cars have one nameplate put on it. Others have a different nameplate put on it. Is there a way to get a list of those cars (e.g. Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey)?

Here's a link to a story we did on 2004's twinned vehicles, which addresses the issue you mentioned: http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/46969/article.html.

Subject: "Déjà vu in Detroit"
From: Gary

As a car buff, I can't help but feel a little jaded by Karl Brauer's article titled "Déjà Vu in Detroit." This article was essentially a bash on all automakers for "rebadging" cars like the Dodge Charger, Saturn Sky and Ford Fusion. What I don't think Karl understands, which is surprising since he's writing for Inside Line, is that these are not "rebadged" vehicles. These cars only share the same platform. The Chevrolet Uplander, Saturn Relay and Buick's and Pontiac's entries, those are "rebadged" vehicles because they are almost identical except for maybe grille work and interior trim. The Sky and Solstice, Mazda 6 and Fusion, Charger and 300 argument falls a little flat because the only basic part of those vehicles shared is the platform. Everyone, even just amateur car buffs like myself, knows something like that. The Chevy Malibu Maxx, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura all share the stretched Epsilon platform, but take an ordinary guy from the street and he would never know. They all are very different cars, for better or worse. I think that it's important someone who has articles published on well-known Internet sites be aware of something like this, and that they write about it accordingly. The media affects people's thoughts on products, and there's no need to "bash" something for sharing the same platform just because they share the same platform. If they look as obvious as the GMC Jimmy rebadge of the Chevy Blazer, complain all you want, but don't complain because the Sky and the Solstice are built on the same Kappa platform. They are cars with similar proportions, but totally unique in design.

Editor in Chief Karl Brauer responds: Similar proportions, same basic suspension designs, lots of common interior switchgear and identical drivetrains. All the cars you mentioned above have these elements in common, so it's not just the platforms that are shared. Besides, my column didn't bash the cars for being the same under the skin, it simply stated that in the truest sense of "all-new" (a favorite catch phrase of the automakers) there was little to see in Detroit this year. I agree that "an ordinary guy from the street" would never know these were the same basic vehicles under the skin. Lucky for him, I'm here to point it out.