TOKYO (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co said on Thursday it would recall 2.14 million March/Micra, Cube and about a dozen other models in its third-biggest recall, to fix a faulty ignition relay that could cause engine problems.

No accident was reported from the defect, Nissan spokesman Toshitake Inoshita said.

Nissan said problems in the ignition relay could cause the engine to stall or fail to restart. The recalls are mostly in Japan, with 835,000 units, and the United States and Canada with a combined 762,000 units.

The faulty vehicles were built in Japan, the United States, Britain, Spain, China and Taiwan between August 2003 and July 2006.

Nissan does not disclose cost estimates on vehicle recalls or any impact on its earnings. But the fix is likely to be relatively cheap, with Nissan estimating less than 25 minutes for the repair, which involves replacing the ignition relay.

Recalls exceeding 1 million vehicles have become more common at big automakers as they use common components across multiple models to save design and production costs.

Last week, Toyota Motor Corp announced a recall of 1.66 million vehicles globally for defects involving the brake master cylinder and fuel pump wiring. That brought the total number of vehicles recalled worldwide at Toyota in the past year to about 14 million.

That car we advertised at the unbelievable price? It’s a stripped down model with a manual transmission, no air conditioning, and crank windows. But, we got you in, didn’t we?

The best time to buy is at the end of the month, and it’s best to negotiate the trade-in separately. Negotiate up from the invoice price (what we paid for the car, easy to find on the web), not down from the sticker price.

Everybody believes his trade-in is worth more. You’ve got bald tires, chicken bones under the seats, and dust blowing from the vents, but you’re going to tell me your car is in “excellent” condition? Now, who’s the pushy salesperson?

To get a good price with minimal haggling, call and ask for the internet manager or fleet manager. For the best car buying experience retain the services of an auto negotiator.

Once I’m sitting behind the desk, you’ll feel like I’m in control and may be willing to pay a little more. (we learn this during our training.)

Ever wonder about those ads that promise a minimum $3,000 trade-in value for your clunker? Those dealerships also pad (increase) the sales price to make up for the difference.

Never pay the Vin-etch fee. It’s a $250 optional add-on that’s almost pure profit for us.

Every spring we have guys who show up and say they’re interested in one of our trucks and want to give it a spin. They think we don’t see the mulch on the floor when they bring it back.

Notice how many times we go back and forth to our manager? The loud music, the gongs, and the blaring flat screen TV’s? All are distractions designed to help you lose track of what we’re doing with the deal.

Plenty of cars get stolen at gunpoint or knifepoint on the test drive.

We’re making less money on the car than you think. Our profit margin is typically 2 to 4 percent.

We all get our cars from the same place and roughly for the same price. So if one dealer is offering to sell it for $2,000 less, there’s probably a CATCH.

If your auto credit score is under 600, expect to get an interest rate over 16 percent and to put 20 percent down. If your score is under 550, we may put a tracking device in your car that will shut it off, if you don’t make a payment.

I can’t believe it’s already October. As an automobile owner you should set aside at least one month a year to perform annual vehicle maintenance. Some owners, myself included, do this twice a year to keep our vehicles in top notch condition. Hopefully everyone has a routine for maintenance. Just encase you don’t, I thought I would provide a vital list, necessary to keep your vehicle in top notch operating condition.

1. Inspect your vehicle’s exterior lights once a month. Headlight high and low beams, turn signals, backup lights, running lights and so important the brake light system.

      2.    Oil and filter change at least every 5000 miles.

      3.   Drain, flush and refill the cooling system.  The cooling system is the heart of any engine. Maintaining this one item can prevent so many future problems.

      4.    Drain, flush, install new filter and refill the transmission fluid. ( if the transmission has never been flushed and you have over 60k miles, skip the flush) Flushing a transmission system after so many miles can create more problems than help. Simply drain, install new filter and fill with approved fluid.

      5.    Rotate the tires when you change the oil. Proper tire rotation can extend the tread life by several thousand miles.

      6.    Check the tire pressure and tread depth at the same time. Replace if 2/32 tread depth or less. Don’t wait until the next big rain or snow storm, to find out you need new tires.

      7.     I personally put a fuel injector cleaner in the fuel tank every oil change. If I have to get fuel from a no brand station, I add a bottle of cleaner to the fill up.

       8.    Inspect your wiper blades. Replace if not wiping the windshield properly. Wiper blades like tires are neglected until you need them! Keep the wiper fluid filled at all times. If you live in an area that has freezing winters, never just fill with tap water and make sure the fluid is capable of withstanding freezing temperatures.

Safety and preventive maintenance is key to the life of your automobile. We depend on our vehicles daily, take care of it and it will take care of you.

Tip: Have a windshield that even with new wiper blades streaks when wiped? Take 0000 steel wool and windex and buff entire windshield clean.

 Have the lexan covers of your head lights become milky and dim? Use a good rubbing compound and soft cloth and buff until clear. Professional’s use a buffing tool and can have them looking like new in minutes.

Identity Theft: The Threat Is Real

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S.¹  Last year, on average, an identity was stolen every three seconds.²  A stolen identity can be used to open new credit card accounts, apply for mortgages and cash in on payday loans.  Year after year, identity thieves become increasingly more resourceful, devising new ways to steal personal information from unsuspecting Americans.  Simply monitoring credit reports just isn’t enough to defend against thieves anymore. The key to keeping identities safe is constant and relentless protection from experts who know how to outsmart the criminals. Experts like those at LifeLock.

Identity Theft: Dont Be a Victim  Part 1: Documents

Over 11 million Americans fell victim to identity theft last year.³  But, you don’t have to be next. You can take control.  There are simple and easy things you can do every day to help limit threats to your personal information.
·         Identity thieves can obtain information by stealing your mail. Junk mail, bank statements, bills, pre-approved credit offers, and W-2s all contain valuable information.
·         Reconcile statements against receipts, and if you find a discrepancy, notify your bank or credit card company immediately; no matter how small.
·         Because some identity theft is still done by trash digging, all read mail should go through the shredder before it goes to the trash.
·         Let experts help protect you. Preventative measures are a good start. But there are experts who dedicate themselves every day to outsmarting the identity thieves; like the experts at LifeLock.

Identity Theft: Dont Be a Victim  Part 2: Digital Awareness

One in every 20 U.S. adults was a victim of identity theft in 2009.⁴  With these odds, it’s becoming increasingly important to take action and limit threats to your identity.
·         With modern technology, identity thieves can access your information without ever leaving their home. Free or fee, anti-virus programs are designed to help protect you.
·         Beware of unsolicited emails asking for your sensitive information. By clicking on links within email, you can visit websites that record your personal and financial information and automatically download malicious software designed to steal your passwords and other account information.
·         Avoid file-sharing networks. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing can give hackers and identity thieves direct and open access to your computer and your personal information; without your knowledge.
·         Preventative measures are a good start. But there are experts who dedicate themselves every day to outsmarting the identity thieves; like the experts at LifeLock.

LifeLock is the leader in proactive identity theft protection. We aim to help protect you from identity theft before it happens through 24/7, 360-degree vigilance.

1-Source: Social Security Administration. Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number SSA Publication No. 05-10064. August 2009.
2, 3 -Source: Javelin Strategy & Research. “2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report.” February 2010.
 4- Source: Wall Street Journal. The Rise Of Identity Theft: One Man’s Nightmare. February 10, 2010.