uTesla: Refer A Friend, Get $1,000 Off A $70,000 Model Sr

4 4 4 9

• 

  (Atwater Village Newbie)

  In the market for an electric car, but the high price tag scaring you away? Would $1,000 off be enough to spur you to purchase that $70,000-plus vehicle? That’s apparently what Tesla’s betting on.

  Yesterday, Tesla announced plans to launch its first incentive program that provides discounts to current owners and new car buyers, Bloomberg reports.

  Under the limited-time program, Tesla will cut the price of a Model S by $1,000 if the buyer provides a referral link from a current Model S owner.

  In return, the current owner will receive $1,000 to be used toward the purchase of a new Tesla, service or accessories.

  “We’re trying to figure out if we can reduce the cost of selling the car and pass it on to customers,” CEO Elon Musk said. “It’s an experiment with a finite time. It’s worth trying out. If it’s a fundamental improvement in cost of sales that we can pass on to customers, that’s a good thing.”

  While receiving a discount on a big-time purchase is always nice, the $1,000-off Tesla offers seems to be fairly low when compared to the $75,000 base price for the new model with all-wheel-drive.

  Still, Bloomberg reports that Tesla is offering current owners additional incentives.

  If they talk five friends into placing referral orders, Tesla will send them an invitation for two to the grand opening party for the Gigafactory — the company’s battery-making location currently under construction.

  Owners who talk 10 friends into buying a Model S will receive the right to purchase a Founder Series Model X, which isn’t available otherwise.

  Musk Offers Model S Referral Program as Tesla’s First Incentive [Bloomberg]

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uJuly Recall Roundup: Of Course Kids Are Going To Chew On Their Strollersr

4 4 4 9

• In this month’s recall roundup, a stroller wasn’t designed to be chewed on, a fish tank heater might cook your fish instead of keeping them comfortable, and a lawn mower may fling grass clippings at the person operating the vehicle. It’s a dangerous world out there, apparently.

  Babies & Kids
  UPPAbaby Strollers and RumbleSeats – Children may bite off pieces of foam that pose a choking hazard when chewing on the bumper bar. 22 incidents reported, but no children have choked on the pieces.
  Kyber Outerwear Animal-Themed Sweaters – Drawstring around neck that poses strangulation hazard. No injuries reported.
  Circo Animal Night Lights (Target) – May overheat and melt, causing a fire hazard. Two incidents reported, including one fire.
  Bexco da Vinci cribs – Bracket may break, posing entrapment, fall, and laceration hazard to youngsters.
  Otteroo Inflatable Baby Floats – May leak air and pose drowning risk. 54 consumers have reported broken seams, but no harmed babies.
  Classroom Select NeoRok Stools – May break during use. Two incidents reported, but no injuries.

  Pets
  Top Fin Plastic Aquarium Heaters – Risk of fire or electric shock. 13 incidents reported, which included overheated fish tanks, minor electric shocks, and one fire that caused property damage.

  
  Toys
  Northern Tool + Equipment Little Digger Toy – Lead paint.
  Bud and Skipit Wheely Cute Pull Toys – Hub caps may come off, posing choking hazard.

  Lawn & Garden
  Briggs & Stratton Simplicity Riding Mowers, Garden Tractors, and Mower Decks – Deflector chute may not keep mower from flinging grass clippings at the operator. No reported injuries.
  Husqvarna Lawn and Garden Tillers – Defect means they may move backward or forward when the user doesn’t expect it. No reported injuries.
  GreenWorks blower/vacs – Motor may catch fire. Three fires have been reported, but no injuries.
  Worx electric blower/vacs – Wiring problem leading to electric shock hazard. No incidents reported.
  Appliances
  Jenn-Air (Whirlpool) Wall Ovens – Rolling rack may roll out unexpectedly, burning the user. There have been eight incidents reported, and one user sustained second-degree burns.

  Furniture
  IKEA Dressers and Chests – free wall anchoring kits to keep furniture from tipping over onto small children. Two children have been killed.
  Cost Plus World Market Ronan Bistro Chairs – Metal legs may bend or fracture. Two reported incidents.
  Hearth & Home Technologies Pellet Stoves and Inserts – Fuel may back up, resulting in pressure in the firebox that shatters the glass. Eight reports of broken glass.
  Hearth & Home Technologies Gas Fireplaces – Back of firebox may bow out and pose a fire hazard; there have been two reported incidents with charring and minor property damage.
  Ramart Swing Chairs (HomeGoods) (also sold at Big Lots) – Chairs may tip over. 11 reported incidents, with five injuries, which include a baby.
  Pali Design Children’s Furniture – Straps meant to anchor dressers to walls may break. One incident of a broken strap reported.

  Clothing
  lululemon athletica Tops With Elastic Draw Cords – Cord may get caught on something and snap back. There have been seven reported face and eye injuries.

  Electronics
  Beats XL Pill – Fire hazard.
  Olympus VG 170 Digital Cameras (sold only at HHGregg) – Electric shock hazard. No reported incidents in the US.

  Lighting
  Cooper Lighting, Portfolio and Utilitech fluorescent lighting fixtures – May overheat, arc, and melt. Seven overheating incidents reported, but no injuries or property damage.

  Vehicles
  Polaris Youth RZR recreational off-highway vehicles – Fuel pump retaining ring can leak, which is very bad and flammable. No reported incidents.
  Arctic Cat Prowler 500 HDX – Potential fuel leak. No reported incidents.
  E-Z-GO Gas-Powered Golf, Shuttle and Utility Vehicles – Potential fuel leak. No reported incidents.
  Yamaha Recalls Golf Carts and Personal Transportation Vehicles – Front wheels may detach. No reported incidents.
  Yamaha SRViper Snowmobiles – Brake line and clutch may come into contact, which would cause the brakes to fail. No reported incidents.

  Sports & Outdoors
  Diamond Sports Umpire and Catcher Face Masks – Stitching on mask may fail. 36 incidents reported, but no injuries.
  Black Diamond, Pieps and POC Brand JetForce Avalanche Airbag Packs – Motor may fail to deploy. No reported incidents.
  Specialized Bicycle Components Pedal Axle Extenders – May break, which is bad when you are pedaling a bicycle. 10 reports, some of which led to minor injuries.
  Barnett Outdoors Slingshots – Wrist strap may slip off. Two reported incidents resulting in minor injuries.
  Technosport Omersub Scuba Mask – Glass may shatter. Twelve incidents have been reported.
  Bicycles with SR Suntour forks – Bolt may break, causing front wheel to come off. 15 reported incidents that caused minor injuries.

  Kitchen
  EKO Motion Sensor Trash Cans (Sold only at Costco) – Plastic collar may cut the user. 13 laceration injuries reported.
  Teavana Tristan glass pitchers – May break or leak during use. 50 reports, including three lacerations and two minor burns.
  Avon nut choppers – Tines may break, resulting in metal fragments mixed with chopped nuts.
  Double Insight Instant Pot Pressure Cookers – Electric shock hazard; three reports of shocks but no injuries.
  Epoca International Glass Whistling Kettle – Bottom of glass kettle may break. Nine reported incidents, including three injuries and some property damage.
  Monogram Beverage Mugs (Kirklands) – Mugs contain metal and are not microwave-safe. One incident of a sparking mug reported.

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uAmazon Dash Buttons Are Finally Available To Everyoner

4 4 4 9

• Amazon just happened to announce their new ordering gadget, Dash buttons, on March 31, which earned them a lot of free publicity as people chattered about whether it was an April Fool’s Day prank or not. It had to be a joke, right? It was not. It was a real product that Amazon promised to make available in a few weeks. Now it’s sixteen weeks later, and there are eighteen different Dash buttons that you can order.

  There’s this essential one, of course:

  

  Other big-brand offerings include Gatorade, Clorox wipes, Maxwell House coffee, Tide detergent, Huggies diapers, Gerber baby formula, and Gillette razors. Amazon also offers a button for its own brand of baby wipes, and there’s a button for Wellness brand pet foods.

  You use your smartphone to connect the button to the specific product that it orders: the Wellness button, for example, can be associated with 14 different products from the company’s pet food brands, including kibble or canned food for dogs or for cats.

  The buttons were available by invitation for free as part of a test phase, and now any Prime member can purchase them. If that’s what you want to do. (If you received an early Dash button and had any unusual issues, let us know!)

  Dash Buttons [Amazon]
  Amazon’s push-to-order Dash Buttons are now on sale for $4.99 [The Verge]

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uThe Average Car On The Road Is 11.5 Years Oldr

4 4 4 9

• 

  (John Hanley)

  My car was manufactured about eleven and a half years ago, which I thought was relatively old. That’s why I was surprised to learn that it’s perfectly average. According to data compiled by the consulting firm IHS Automotive, cars that are registered and on the roads have an average age of 11.5 years, and there’s a record number of cars registered right now.

  Why does this matter? First, it’s interesting, because the trend of older cars began during the recession, and the average age of cars on the road has been increasing since 2008. People wouldn’t be keeping their cars for longer (or acquiring older used cars) if the cars themselves weren’t more durable, though, and that indicates that cars are more reliable than they use to be and staying out of the scrap heap.

  

  IHS are business consultants, though, and one important implication of this data for repair shops, dealerships, and auto parts manufacturers is that with more cars that are in or approaching their teens in circulation, there will need to be more parts for those vehicles and mechanics able to work on them.

  Cars that are more than ten or eleven years old used to be thought of as an anomaly by some aftermarket repair shops, and that’s not the case now: eleven-year-old cars are perfectly average.

  Average Age of Light Vehicles in the U.S. Rises Slightly in 2015 to 11.5 years, IHS Reports (via Fortune)

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uFiat Chrysler Loses Bid For New Trial In Wrongful Death Case Involving Jeep Firer

4 4 4 9

• 

  (David Renteria)

  Fiat Chrysler’s woes related to millions of Jeeps that could catch fire after being rear-ended continued today as a judge rejected the company’s request for a new a trial in the wrongful death case of a four-year-old boy.

  A Georgia judge denied the car maker’s motion to retry the case in which a jury earlier this year ordered the company to pay $150 million to the boy’s family after ruling that Chrysler acted with reckless disregard for human life by selling the family a 1999 Jeep with a gas tank mounted behind the rear axle.

  Superior Court Judge J. Kevin Chason wrote in his decision [PDF] to deny the motion that the evidence against FCA was “overwhelming” in the original case.

  In the original lawsuit, the family argued that the fire was a direct result of the gas tank’s poor position, as it was located in a “crush zone” behind the rear axle and knew the location was dangerous.

  In March 2012, a pickup truck slammed into the rear-end of a Jeep carrying the young boy. According the suit, the collision caused a fuel leak and the Jeep caught fire, killing the boy.

  Fiat Chrysler [FCA] argued in its motion for the retrial that jurors ignored the court’s directions and that they were given outside guidance with regard to the amount the company should be required to pay.

  “This Court finds no merit in FCA’s assertion that the jury acted from ‘passion’ or ‘prejudice’,” the judge wrote in his ruling. “The Court observed the jurors throughout the trial, as they delivered their verdict, and as the Court polled them. This Court saw nothing to indicate, nor has it been presented with persuasive evidence or argument to suggest, that the jurors were ‘inflamed’ or ‘irrational.'”

  The automaker had also argued that cross-examination by the family’s attorneys was improper.

  “The Court notes that with respect to many of the items of which FCA is now critical, either no objection was made at trial at all, or the object was not timely or proper,” the judge ruled. “FCA may not now claim error as to such items. This Court listened carefully to the entirety of the trial, including those examinations, statements, and arguments now criticized by FCA, and has reviewed the trial transcript, and finds that FCA’s criticisms are unfounded.”

  While the company lost its bid for a new trial, the judge did reduce the amount Fiat Chrysler must pay the family to $40 million. The automaker must still agree to the reduction, CBS News reports.

  “The reduction in the damage awards does not cure the many errors that tainted this verdict and denied FCA US a fair trial. We are considering our legal options.” Fiat spokesman Michael Palese said in a statement to CBS News.

  Wednesday’s decision comes just days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it has imposed a $105 million fine against Fiat Chrysler for failing to adequately address 23 safety recalls, including the 2013 Jeep recall.

  Fiat Chrysler denied retrial in boy’s Jeep fire death [CBS News]

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uWalmart And Kroger Pull Cilantro From Storesr

4 4 4 9

• After the Food and Drug Administration announced a seasonal ban on cilantro imports from a specific region of Mexico, Walmart and Kroger are pulling cilantro grown in that region from store shelves as a precaution. Evidence points to the cilantro as a culprit in outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness, and an FDA investigation turned up evidence of sanitation problems in the fields where cilantro is grown.

  A Walmart representative explained to Bloomberg News that stores already had cilantro from that region of Mexico, but not necessarily from the affected supplier, on its shelves. “In an abundance of caution, we decided to withdraw and prohibit sourcing any cilantro from this region,” a chain representative said in a statement.

  Don’t worry: neither chain anticipates a nationwide cilantro shortage crisis as a result of this recall or the import ban. Other grocery chains told Bloomberg News that they know their cilantro doesn’t come from the affected region, so the FDA’s partial ban doesn’t affect their products.

  Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic illness that can be transmitted through human feces; it can cause vomiting and “explosive bowel movements.” Inspectors found evidence of poor sanitation and human feces and toilet paper in cilantro fields, as well as poor sanitation in processing facilities.

  Wal-Mart, Kroger Pulling Some Cilantro Over Human-Feces Concerns [Bloomberg]

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uCollege President Explains Why He Moonlights As Uber Driverr

4 4 4 9

• 

  (afagen)

  Imagine you’re a student at tiny Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and you’re in need of a lift home because you’re in no shape to drive. So you pull out your smartphone and request an Uber car. When your ride arrives, your driver looks awfully familiar… probably because he’s the school’s president.

  In a first-person story for the Washington Post, Oglethorpe U. President Lawrence Schall explains why he decided to spend some of his free time as an Uber driver — and what he’s learned from the experience.

  “I signed up because I wanted to broaden my perspective on today’s ‘sharing economy,'” he writes. “Since the 2008 recession, many Americans have been pushed into or chosen to join the freelance marketplace, taking jobs with no regular hours, no benefits and no office.”

  And so Schall went online, registered his Volvo with Uber and recently began picking up passengers in need of a lift. Considering his already hefty workload as the head of a small liberal arts college, his driving hours are limited mostly to weekends.

  When he began working as a driver, his “coach” told Schall he could earn upwards of $300 in a night if he knew which parts of town to patrol at the right time. But so far, the results have been underwhelming.

  “My biggest one-day take thus far has been $29,” he admits. “Even with my limited schedule, I thought I’d do a bit better than that. Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t leave my day job.”

  That’s also not great news for the Oglethorpe scholarship fund, to which Schall has pledged to contribute all his Uber earnings.

  Schall’s preconceptions about the types of riders he would pick up proved misguided. He’d thought his car would be filled with college students, but aside from his very first passenger (who happened to be an Oglethorpe student), most of his fares have people going been to and from the MARTA train station.

  “Instead of getting a glimpse into the new economy, I was getting full exposure to the burdens of the old economy — specifically, how hard it is for regular working people to make it from their home or apartment to a job every day,” he notes.

  His work has also taken him to some of the Atlanta suburbs populated by large numbers of lower-income, minority residents who need to get back and forth to the city but who lack proper public transportation.

  “[I]f I hadn’t started this little experiment, my path would probably never have crossed the lives of any of these people whose life stories continuously surprise me,” concludes Schall. “After three weeks, my earnings are approaching $100, but I sure feel richer for the experience.”

  And now, just because we can’t get it out of our head, here’s Harry Chapin singing about being a taxi driver:
  

  
• 
  

ribbi

by Chris Morran via Consumerist