Washington, D.C., Bureau Chief
Fred Meier
D.C. Bureau Chief Fred Meier, who lives every day with Washington gridlock, has an un-American love of small wagons and hatchbacks.
Along with the entries for the vehicle’s base price and extra-cost options, a destination charge is simply part of the bottom-line suggested retail price for the car.
By Fred Meier
August 30, 2024
To help you decide if leasing works for you, we’ve listed some of the major advantages and disadvantages of leasing versus buying.
By Fred Meier
August 22, 2024
Dealer-installed options are added by the dealer before the vehicle is offered for sale, and they usually include equipment or services.
By Fred Meier
August 16, 2024
The most recent quarterly report on auto finance shows that higher interest rates meant to help tame inflation also have raised the cost to finance a car.
By Fred Meier
August 15, 2024
In a lease, you are not paying to buy the car at the full purchase price. Instead, you pay for the depreciation of the car during the time of the lease.
By Fred Meier
August 8, 2024
Some automakers furnish complimentary maintenance programs that last anywhere from one to five years from when the car was new, but there are limitations.
By Fred Meier
August 5, 2024
When properly equipped, these model-year 2024 SUVs offer excellent all-around capability with maximum tow ratings ranging from north of 8,000 pounds to 10,000 pounds.
By Fred Meier
July 18, 2024
Here are vehicle brands offering retail buyers some level of complimentary scheduled maintenance for the 2024 model year.
By Fred Meier
July 11, 2024
E-roadways are an industrial-strength relative of the kind of inductive Qi charging technology that lets you wirelessly charge your devices, but how do such inductive-charging roads work for EVs?
By Fred Meier
July 4, 2024
All-wheel drive is great to have, but buying and driving a vehicle with it can entail significant cost premiums.
By Fred Meier
June 20, 2024