Automotive Makes

If you haven’t been keeping up with automotive makes over the last few years, you might be in for a few surprises. Plymouth, Oldsmobile and AMC are gone, while new or revamped marques such as Hummer, Mini and Maybach have arrived on the scene. Saab was made a division of General Motors, and Ford took ownership of Volvo and Aston Martin. Chrysler and Mercedes formed a partnership for a few years, and then dissolved it. It takes an industry expert to keep track of the many changes.

Keeping track of automotive makes

Finding a reputable automotive guide to keep track of the industry is the first step in becoming more informed about buying decisions. An unknowing consumer may pass by makes such as Acura, Lexus and Infiniti without realizing that these are the luxury divisions of Honda, Toyota and Nissan, respectively. Others may not know that Kia is owned by Hyundai, Audi is owned by Volkswagen and Mini is owned by BMW.

Some Internet resources offer detailed histories of each make and model of automobile so you will be fully informed by the time you walk into the dealership for a test drive. Remember, car salespeople are trained to spot customers who are uninformed about the product. You need to know the difference between a Ford and a Mercury, or know a Honda Accord from an Acura TSX.

allows you to perform research on any automotive make sold in the United States. You can also receive competitive price quotes from local dealers before you leave your home.