All Over Albany

An insurance broker for car insurance?

J asks:

Can you recommend a good local insurance broker for auto insurance?

To go along with J's question, we're curious about people's thoughts or experiences regarding using an insurance broker generally. Do you think it's saved you time or money? Is it better that just shopping around yourself to some of the well-known companies?

Got a suggestion or thought for J? Please share! And a sentence or two about why you're suggesting a broker can be helpful.

Juice for electric vehicle sales

The number of electric vehicles sold in New York took a big percentage jump during the first half of this year, according to the Cuomo admin. Sales were up 61 percent from January to June 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

The administration attributes to the jump to the new electric vehicle rebate the state started offering this spring. New York State is now offering up to $2,000 for qualifying vehicles, bringing the total potential federal and state rebate to $7,500. The Cuomo admin points to a sharp uptick in sales this year after the rebate started (sales January to March were up 44 percent compared to 2016, and up 74 percent April to June.)

The total number of electric vehicles sold in New York State during the first half of this year: 4,209. And through the end of August, there have been 2,332 "Drive Clean Rebate" applications submitted.

(there's more)

Where to get a thorough interior cleaning for a car?

Michael emails:

I am inquiring about a good car detailing service. Any suggestions? ... My car took a beating on vacation at the beach!

Once sand gets in the car it can be hard to get out. Also, it's kind of amazing how different a car feels after a good interior cleaning.

So, got a suggestion for Michael? Please share! And sentence or two about why you're suggesting a place or service can be helpful.

Where to get a hybrid or electric car serviced?

Mark emails:

I've been on the hunt for a mechanic that specializes/is-well-versed in electric/hybrid cars, but have failed to bag anything.

I have taken my traditional vehicle to a shop that I am very pleased with, but I hesitate to bring this new space-age vehicle to the same place, because...well, I don't know. Am I overthinking this? Is a car just car? ...

P.S. Dealerships are sure to be the knee-jerk answer to this, but, you know, they're dealerships.

This is something we hadn't really thought about before. And the fundamental question Mark seems like a good one: Is a hybrid or electric car "just" like any other car when it comes to getting it serviced, or is there special expertise involved.

So, got experience or thoughts or a suggestion on this topic? Please share! If you're recommending a shop, a sentence or two about why you're recommending a place can be helpful.

Earlier:
+ Capital Region Recommended Mechanics
+ New York State is now offering a rebate for electric cars

New York State is now offering a rebate for electric cars

The EV charging stations outside the Market32 on Madison Ave in Albany.

The Cuomo admin officially launched a rebate for electric cars Tuesday -- New York State will now chip in up to $2,000 for qualifying vehicles. That's on top of federal of a federal tax credit that's worth up to $7,500.

Press release blurbage:

$55 million of the Drive Clean Initiative is dedicated to rebates of up to $2,000 for purchase of a new plug-in hybrid electric car, all-electric car or hydrogen fuel cell car. In addition to the $55 million in rebates, $15 million will support improving consumer awareness of electric cars and their many benefits, installing more charging stations across the state, developing and demonstrating new electric car-enabling technologies, and other efforts to put more electric cars on New York's roadways. The initiative will be managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and will help the state achieve its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.

The rebate can be applied to more than 30 different models of vehicle, though the amount slides based on the all-electric range of the car. Also: If the vehicle is more than $60k, the rebate is just $500 regardless of range. (Let's face it, if you can afford a Tesla a rebate's probably not going to sway you.)

(there's more)

DMV, reservation for one

Filed under good to know: The Albany office of the NYS DMV is one of the locations that offers the ability to schedule a reservation to handle a handful of different in-office tasks, ranging from getting a license or ID card to replacing registration.

We scanned through the process today and it looks like it works pretty much like any other sort of online reservation system, with reservation slots available by 15 minute increments. As of this morning it was still possible to schedule a reservation for the same day.

The Albany office is the only Capital Region location currently listed for having the ability to handle online reservations.

By the way: There's a lot of DMV stuff you can do online now, too.

[via @MsMansfield]

Vroom. Vroom. Vroom.

Noted: The state Office of General Services is set to auction a 2014 Maserati Gran Turismo at a vehicle auction scheduled for November 2 at the Harriman State Office Campus.

Also... what? These auctions usually traffic in such exotic vehicles as the super sassy Chevy Impala (both 2007 and the extra sexy 2008 model) and the smokin' hot, ruggedly handsome 2004 Ford Taurus. (Both types of cars will be available at the November 2 auction.)

So, how did the state end up with such a drab mode of transportation as this Maserati, which has just 1,600 miles on it. (Because, obviously, it's boring to drive.) OGS says in a press release that it was seized by the state Attorney General's office in a $9.9 million Medicaid fraud case in the Bronx. A 2014 BMW X6 was also seized, and it's up for auction, too. From the release:

This isn't the first time OGS has sold seized items. Last year, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG and a 2012 Audi A7 Prestige Quattro that were seized in 2013 following an investigation into a $3.2 million Medicaid fraud case in Brooklyn were sold at a state surplus vehicle auction in Albany. In the summer of 2014, several pieces of men's jewelry and a Rolex were sold on the NYSStore.com eBay site after they were confiscated from a suspected drug trafficker on Staten Island. Later that year, a 1971 Camaro that was reported stolen in 1976 and was seized by New York State was among vehicles sold at a state surplus vehicle auction in Poughkeepsie.

By the way: The Blue Book estimated value of that Maserati is roughly $78,000.

As you might have seen in the past, the state routinely auctions surplus equipment and other items via eBay. Because maybe that Maserati needs a filing cabinet.

photo: NYS OGS

Not a display of prudent passing

The clip embedded above is dash cam video posted by Youtube user T M26 from Quay Street on the Albany riverfront this past Tuesday. (It's that street that runs along river side of 787 by the USS Slater.) And, well, you can see what happens.

Albany Police Department public information officer Steve Smith says the driver of the BMW was ticketed for unsafe passing. And three children on the school bus were taken to a hospital as a precaution -- Smith says there were no major injuries.

[via @dinoman22]

Ditch Your Car Sweepstakes

The Capital CarShare vehicles each have names -- we're pretty sure this one is "Huybertje the Hyundai."

Capital CarShare is currently running a "Ditch Your Car Sweepstakes." Blurbage:

Capital CarShare wants to give two lucky Albany residents the chance to ditch their car and still drive one (or 8) too! Whether you've recently given up a car and are struggling to get around or have a vehicle that is digging a hole in your wallet we invite you enter this sweepstakes. Here's what we're offering:

One year of FREE Gold membership ( a $300 value + no application fee!)
$500 in driving credits to get you started on your reservations
A year's worth of bus passes from CDTA for the times when using transit is a better option for your trip

The winners will be featured in a monthly blog to document their experiences over the course of the year.

There are a handful of rules involved with the contest, so be sure to review them carefully if you're interested. The situation isn't going to work everyone, but if you've been thinking about giving up your car -- or if you and a partner have been thinking about becoming a one-car household -- this could be a good opportunity.

AOA is a media sponsor of Capital CarShare.

Where to get car upholstery fixed?

Mike emails:

I just acquired an older car with rips in the driver's seat. Is there anywhere local that can redo the seats and save me the expense and trouble of finding/buying good used ones?

Considering how many cars there are, we figure there's usually a place/way for fix almost everything on them. (Whether it's cost effective is another question...) So we're curious to hear people's thoughts on the best way to go about this.

Got a suggestion for Mike? Please share! And if you're recommending a specific repair place, bonus points for a sentence or two about why you're mentioning that place.

Good mechanic / specialist for car exhaust system repair?

Martin emails:

I have a 2007 SUV with ~80,000 mi and some of the exhaust system is starting to crack open. This includes a crack in the pipe that connects the main engine exhaust to the catalytic convertor. It's a time bomb that I need to deal with soon, preferably yesterday. I had it in for other service at the dealer and they estimated a repair at $1000. Now here's the tricky thing: they said the catalytic was fine, but that they couldn't save it there. The service manager off-the-record mentioned that a good 3rd party exhaust place might be able to save the catalytic and re-use it, which would cut the cost of the work in half.

So... where can I find such an exhaust system expert???

The winters here -- and the all the muck and salt -- are hard on car exhaust systems. And we can say from firsthand experience (alas), the fix is often expensive.

So, have a shop where Martin might be able get this fixed right -- and at a fair price? Please share! And bonus points for a sentence or two about why you're recommending that shop.

Earlier on AOA: Capital Region Recommended Mechanics (this hasn't been updated in a long time)

A license plate (hoped to be) worth more than its car?

A 2002 Mercedes located in Saratoga Springs with the New York license plate "WALL ST" -- the "most sought after plate in New York" -- was up for bid on eBay this week. The bidding closed this morning without a single bid -- the reserve price was $12,000.

The seller told CNN Money he got the plate back in the 1970s when the state first started issuing more flexible vanity plates.

Curious about the (attempted) markup for the vanity plate, we looked up the Blue Book value for the car: $5,529 in very good condition. So, that's more than $6k for the plate. Which is... a lot.

This got us thinking about the question of who actually owns a license plate -- the registrant or the state? You know, if you sell a car and don't transfer the plates to a new car, you're supposed to turn them back into the state. (It appears to be possible through some process to transfer a vanity plate to another person in New York.) This question came up recently in a Supreme Court case in which the state of Texas argued it shouldn't have to allow the logo of of a group called the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" on a license plate because the speech on a license plate is technically that of the state, and not the car owner.

Farther afield: A license plate in the United Arab Emirates sold for $14.3 million at auction in 2008 in Abu Dhabi. [ABC News]

Earlier on AOA: Bumper gawking

photo via eBay item "2002 Mercedes-Benz S430 New York State Tag: 'Wall St'"

On the road to Albany red light cameras

Among intersections that are candidates for red light cameras, Henry Johnson Blvd and Livingston was identified as having the highest number of crashes over a three year period.

Now that red light cameras have been approved for Albany, where will they be set up?

The Albany Police Department is currently sifting through traffic accident and ticket data as it prepares a list of 20 proposed red light camera intersections around the city. APD assistant chief Brendan Cox says the department is hoping to have the list ready by the end of December. Along the way, Cox says APD wants to share what it's learning about intersection crashes and tickets, as well as get public input about potential camera sites.

That was one of the aims of public information session about the program Tuesday afternoon. (There was another session scheduled for Tuesday evening at Albany High School.) Cox shared some preliminary data -- including a list of intersections that are among the sites currently up for consideration.

So, let's have a look.

(there's more)

Where to get tires changed to snow tires?

TC emails with a timely question:

Since it is getting close to winter time, I want to go to a place to get my all season tires switched over to my snow tires. However, I have noticed that in this area and in general that it is very hard to find a good, reputable place that offers a reasonable price on tire changeovers. I recall that I could get these same tires switched over at a mechanic about 5 years ago for around 40 bucks easily. These days, I am often quoted at $90-100+ (especially at chain stores) for this same exact service completed on the same car.

I would love to hear where your readers go to get their tires changed over at a reasonable price and if they can suggest any good (especially mom and pop) establishments that do a good job at changing over tires and don't charge a fortune for it.

We're also curious to hear people's thoughts about snow tires in general -- we know some people swear by them, others seem less convinced.

Got suggestion for TC, and/or thoughts on snow tires? Please share!

Where to rent a passenger van?

Eva emails:

I'm looking to rent a 7+ passenger van for 24 hours. Everything I'm looking at is too fancy - it just needs to be functional for short-distance transportation, not the newest Dodge SUV. Ideally I would like this to be a recurring rental (once or twice a month), so I'm hoping to find someone reliable. Any leads?

We're curious if there are options beyond the typical rental companies.

Got a suggestion for Eva? Please share!

Bumper gawking

Sometimes we like to gawk at custom license plates.

And we know you do, too.

Here's yet another new bunch from around town...

(there's more)

Riding along with the skyline

We noticed this car in the Honest Weight parking lot the other day. It was wrapped -- both sides -- with an image of the Albany skyline.

We looked around a bit and couldn't figure out if it was for some business -- or just someone who really liked Albany.

Capital CarShare launching soon

The Capital Region is just a few weeks away from the start of its first independent car sharing operation.

Capital Car Share is aiming to start around the end of June, marketing and outreach coordinator Nnenna Ferguson told us today. The org will begin with 8 vehicles available for per-hour use, distributed at 8 "parking hubs" around the city of Albany.

(there's more)

Push for car sharing in Albany revs again

The campaign to start a car sharing org in the Capital Region has surfaced again and is looking for support.

Capital CarShare is aiming to raise $20,000 by the first week of June via crowdfunding. The drive is a "flexible funding" campaign on IndieGogo, meaning the the org will get whatever money is pledged, whether it makes the goal or not.

Campaign blurbage:

Capital CarShare (CCS) was developed by a small group of passionate, environmentally-conscious, upstate New Yorkers looking to bring shared mobility to the dense region of Albany. With CarShare, community members will have easy access to a vehicle for use by the hour or by the day. Our goal is to launch a fleet of neighborhood cars by June, but we need your help to #getthere.

We need to raise $20,000 to help us purchase a fleet of eco-friendly vehicles, fund our first advertising campaign, and hire staff members.

The push for car sharing in Albany goes back years. Advocates have pitched it as a way to provide flexible, affordable transportation while addressing parking and environmental issues.

But the plan hasn't made it all the way to implementation here, so far. And apparently that's not uncommon for smaller cities -- though a few, such as Buffalo, have made it work.

A good driving instructor?

Baby Boomer emails:

Could you ask your readers if they could recommend a driving instructor, specifically in Albany, who could teach an older person who is very nervous when learning to drive? I took a few lessons years ago and was very stressed out. I still want to learn before I get too old.

A bunch of years ago we had a question about driving schools, but it was in reference to teens. Things change. And also, we're curious if there are any driving instructors who specialize in -- or just happen to be really good with -- adults who are taking up driving.

Got a suggestion for Baby Boomer? Please share!

Why can't you buy a car directly from a car company?

The electric car company Tesla has worked out a deal with New York State to allow it continue selling its cars directly to consumers. The deal, which will involve state legislation, will allow the company to continue operating its five sales locations in the state (all downstate). [Cuomo admin]

Auto dealers across the country have been fighting to keep Tesla from direct sales because it upends the longstanding "dealer franchise" system. Tesla recently won a similar deal in Ohio as the one in New York. But it has also been banned from doing so in a handful of states. [The Verge x2]

So, why are car sales set up the way they are? Why can't you just buy a Civic off the internet from Honda? Why are you required to buy via an intermediary?

(there's more)

Bumper gawking

Speaking of license plates... we like to gawk at custom license plates.

And we know you do, too.

Here's yet another new bunch from around town...

(there's more)

A good mechanic for Volkswagens?

This question comes from Greg:

Larry's Foreign Auto is our preferred auto mechanic -- we've had very good experiences there. Unfortunately, Steve and the crew don't work on Volkswagens. And our VW needs some work. (The VW mechanic we had been using is no longer in business).

I was hoping people would have some suggestions for good mechanics for Volkswagens. And as we've found out, VWs tend to have some quirks. So we'd like to find a place that has a lot of experience with them. While we're not totally against a dealer, but we'd very much prefer an independent mechanic. Thanks!

Got a suggestion for a mechanic when das auto ist kaput? Please share! And as always for this sort of question, a quick sentence about why a place is good can be a big help.

Earlier on AOA: Capital Region Recommended Mechanics

Advice on buying a car?

When is that low, low price not the price that you can actually get?

That question was at the center of a state attorney general's office announcement today that it's reached settlements with six Albany-area car dealerships on what the AG's office say were deceptive advertising practices. From the press release: "The dealerships widely promoted sale and lease prices that were illusory because they reflected discounts or rebates that were not available to most consumers, and thus, were not the actual sale or lease price."

The link above includes the dealerships named and some of the promoted discounts the AG's office took issue with. The short story: It pays to read the fine print -- twice -- and to be skeptical.

The AG's office says the dealerships have agreed to pay fines and reform their practices. A seventh dealership is getting a notice about the AG's office intent to sue over the issue.

This situation got us thinking about the car buying process, which -- in our experience at least -- always seems a bit... opaque. Maybe that's not exactly the right word, but the process often seems less than straightforward. And there's always that sense some sort of some smoke and mirrors are involved. (You're really going to talk to your manager?)

So, given the savvy of the AOA crowd, we're curious: What's your advice for the car buying process? Tips for trying to get the best price (or, at least, not being taken advantage of)? Local dealerships you can recommend after having solid experiences there?

Please share!

Earlier on AOA: A good place to buy a used car?

Hey, look, there's a new DMV website

The Cuomo admin rolled out a new website for the state DMV today.

It's a lot nicer than the old website. And it continually offers prompts to help people do tasks online rather being required to show up at an actual DMV office (a good thing). And if you must go to an office, you can now make a reservation. It's also maybe the first government website we've encountered that extensively uses footnotes. (It's like reading Grantland or David Foster Wallace or something.)

But. The new DMV website still fails our (somewhat arbitrary, perhaps unreasonable) one-item test for DMV website quality. Because, as far we can tell after poking around the site this afternoon, it still doesn't include a page clearly marked as "How to replace a license plate" with clear instructions on, you know, how to replace a license plate. The closest it gets is this "Lost or stolen plates" page, which is only one part of the overall topic. (The actual instructions can more or less be found via this "Replace a registration" page -- but if you didn't know to look there, you might not find them.)

Yeah, OK, this is being a bit cranky. But we found this task to be so unexpectedly unexplicit last year when trying to replace a plate that had been shredded in a fender bender, that it prompted us to write up the instructions here on AOA for other plate-replacing people who also couldn't find the instructions. (By the way: That page has been visited more than 10,000 times over the past year, pretty much all through search -- so apparently other people have had this issue, too.)

Is this a big thing? Maybe not. But it just seems like one of those things the DMV's website should include.

All that said, the new site does look a lot better.