Letters to the Editors
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Subject: "Cars From Womb to Tomb: What's Really Green?"
From: John
I take exception to your implication that the Toyota Prius is not necessarily "green" because of the nickel mine in Canada. This has been proven to be an urban legend. Total battery production for the Prius uses only an insignificant fraction of the total nickel output of the mine. Be careful about the "facts" that you publish. Edmunds is respected. You put your reputation at risk by repeating half-truths and urban legends.

We must respectfully disagree, John. There were no "urban legends" or "half-truths" in that article, only facts. The fact is, the Prius does indeed use output from a nickel mine. It may, as you've said, be a small percentage. (We were not able to get definitive numbers.) We weren't claiming otherwise. The purpose of our article was to show that even the greenest of vehicles can impact the environment negatively, albeit in a way most folks won't know about. — Ed.

Subject: In Defense of the Honda Civic's Instrument Cluster
From: Acrylic2
As the owner of a 2006 Civic LX, I'm always surprised when I read "expert" criticism about the instrument display. Usually the display is described as being "like a spaceship," "odd," "unconventional," etc. I suspect this reflects first impressions because, in my opinion, all it takes is a few hours of driving and you learn how effectively this display is in providing your speed and other vital information. It requires much less eye movement than is necessary when driving a car with analog gauges.

I've owned sports cars including Vettes and BMW roadsters so I'm not opposed to "racecar" styling, but let's face it: When you are driving a small 1.8-liter sedan with a five-speed automatic transmission, who cares what the tachometer reads, or if it even has one? And you certainly don't need one that competes with the speedometer for physical and visual space. Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon need a tachometer but this ain't no Cup Car.

I was reading an "expert" opinion on the 2008 Honda Accord and he complimented Honda for not using the controversial "galactic spaceship Civic-type" display on this new Accord. I was disappointed and wondered aloud if the "controversy" came from Civic owners or quick first impressions by a writer who hasn't driven one.

Just my opinion, of course. Thanks, from a delighted Civic owner averaging over 30 mpg combined driving.

Acrylic2, the Civic's instrument cluster is unique, and as such, it will likely always be polarizing — some will love it, others will hate it. We recognize the pros and cons of its singular design in our model review of the vehicle:

"The Civic's large dash features an unusual layout. Honda has kept the analog tachometer in the traditional location and placed a digital speedometer and gas gauge at the base of the windshield. Though some drivers find the two-tier display distracting, others say it makes quick visual checks of speed easier."

The Civic is a favorite of ours, and was our Editors' Most Wanted pick in the coupe under $20,000 category this year.

To read more about battle for space on the instrument panel, read "Technology Muscles In on the Instrument Panel." — Ed.

Subject: "Confessions of a Car Salesman"
From: Craig
I read the piece "Confessions of a Car Salesman" for the first time today. I thoroughly enjoyed the article, and after 20-plus years in the automobile business I found many of his slangs and procedures to be dead-on accurate. I detected he found kinship with many of the salespeople that he encountered, and was impressed with his assessment of our business. I think it should be noted that he, in fact, found what we in the domestic business have found: Japanese dealerships are high pressure. In my opinion, the staggering sales numbers Toyota has produced is evidence of their high-pressure tactics.

Anyway, I thought the article was well-researched. The writer should have stayed in until he was promoted to F&I manager, then sales manager. I would love to see his perception change of who is evil in this business. I have been up and down the ladder in this business and in the final analogy the evil one in any deal is the one not willing to turn a deal into a yes or no proposition. Whether it be the salesman, the GM, the dealer or the customer, when a customer leaves the lot without the vehicle they want, then everybody loses. Customers, through research methods, have become unrealistic in their expectations. So what is a fair and equitable deal? It depends on where you are, what kind of vehicle it is and what time of year it is. Convertibles don't bring as much in New York in the winter as they do in Miami in the summer...or do they? There is supply and demand to consider. Dealers in New York may be reluctant to stock convertibles in the winter so if you have a "hot" prospect for one and you have the only one around, then it becomes a seller's market. There is no generalization that can be established concerning how to buy a car. There is no science or formula to it.

Every deal is case by case. The only true and consistent buying method for the best deal is to do it in the last week of any given month. But remember, the best deal a customer can get is one they are happy with, regardless of price.

I appreciate most of what you at Edmunds do. Sometimes the purchasing hints you give the customer is a real help for us. The advice you've given on how to approach salesmen about their trade-ins is sometimes counterproductive for everyone including the customer, but we are often able to work through it. When a customer tells us that his bank said his trade is worth x number of dollars, we often encourage them to go sell it to them. Or if they say Kelley says it's worth x dollars, we encourage them to find the Kelley hotline and call them and sell it to them. I know this approach is taken with disgust but in reality all any vehicle is worth at any time is what you can turn it into cash for right now. Dealers are left hanging with inventory many times because they stepped up too much. Please give the dealers a break.

The used car market is dictated by consumers, not dealers. The overinflated prices of imports is spurred on by the media. If you wrote that a 1975-'79 Chevrolet Chevette with average miles was worth its original MSRP because of its gas mileage and rear-wheel drive and full frame, then guess what it would be...instantly overnight. Ya'll are a wide influence on people. Use it wisely, please.

In closing, I'd like to reiterate that I enjoyed this article plus many more. Keep doing what you do.

Craig, you're absolutely right when you say that "the best deal a customer can get is one they are happy with." Our mission is to give consumers the information they need to find these deals. We hope to be doing more "Confessions" articles shortly that will provide insight into the Finance and Insurance area.

As an information resource, we encourage customers to evaluate their cars' true trade-in value by using our True Market Value (TMV®) tool, which is based on actual local transaction data, rather than anything Kelley would suggest. (See "What is the 'Kelley Blue Book Price?'") The TMV is an average, so dealers will see their profit vary with each transaction.

We're glad to hear that you (more or less) welcome our input. — Ed.

Subject: "E85 vs. Gasoline Comparison Test"
From: David
Another point worth considering is this: Ethanol production using corn is only a temporary method. There are many other sources available to produce ethanol.

Oil usage will not go away without a fight, and there is no single source of energy available to replace it overnight. Oil did not replace steam, firewood, coal, etc. overnight either. It will take a conscious effort from everybody to switch from oil to other energy sources as they become available for everyday use. Hopefully this will be sooner than later.

Thanks for the article — I enjoyed reading it.

David, you're right — there are no overnight solutions to this issue, nor is there a single-fuel solution. We discuss a wide variety of alternative fuels in our Green Car Guide. We're glad you liked the story. — Ed.

Subject: Alternative Fuels
From: Scott
I recently bought a used (2005 Dodge Sprinter powered with a Mercedes diesel) vehicle and I'm looking for alternative fuels to purchase or to produce myself. Is there some info and insight you can pass along to me?

Scott, congratulations on your purchase. We'd recommend reading these articles:

Grease Is the Word or, How I Taught My Diesel To Drink Veggie Oil and Love It

Exploring Biodiesel

— Ed.

Subject: "2008 GMC Acadia Model Review"
From: Chuck and Jeri
Just a note to let you know that the new Acadia is the best automobile that my wife and I have ever owned and we have owned quite a few in the past 47 years.

The engineering design and safety features are outstanding, the ride is very comfortable and non-tiring on trips. We enjoy the OnStar system with the turn-by-turn navigation that is outstanding. The XM Satellite Radio combined with the Bose system provides excellent sound as well as an endless selection of stations to choose from.

The third-row seating is large enough for adults and has easy access. The auto lift gate in the rear makes loading and unloading a breeze.

I could go on and on about the good features of the Acadia but I wanted to point out the best ones. On the other hand, there are some little details that need to be reviewed for future models.

1. The chrome shroud on the air-conditioning vents needs to be toned down. The glare from direct sunlight is at times overwhelming even with sunglasses.



2. Unless there is an engineering design to enlarge the rear viewing area on future models, I recommend that back-up monitors be installed.



3. The gas cap plastic ring that keeps the cap attached to the vehicle needs to be redesigned; the one we have was broken after the third fill-up.



4. The transmission has a tendency to change gears too often in low speeds. I understand there is a computer fix being reviewed for this problem.