Lemon owners of the world, unite!
You have nothing to lose but your small-claims court filing fees! 

That's pretty much the message sent out by Heather Peters this week after she won her false-advertising claim -- and $9,876.19 in damages -- against American Honda Motor Co. in a California small-claims court. (The 26-page ruling is attached below.)

[2/7/11 update: NC small claims filing fee is $86, plus $30 for service by sheriff. NC small claims would be less friendly to Peters approach, but we do have a lemonlaw. See today's Road Worrier.]

Rejecting Honda's your-mileage-may-vary defense, the judge ruled that Honda misled Peters in its advertising about the fuel economy she could expect when she bought her 2006 hybrid Honda Civic, and again when Honda persuaded her in 2010 to accept a software upgrade that only made her problem worse.

I'll be reporting on this Monday. I'd like to hear from lemon Civic owners who have joined the class-action settlement, and from any who are taking the small-claims route.  Please email me, and don't forget your name and daytime phone number. ... [MORE]

Heather Peters, who took Honda to small-claims court, is not the only hybrid Civic driver suffering a bad case of buyer's remorse. Jeff Wald of Cary and Aneil Mishra of Durham say their hybrid Civics also deliver poorer and poorer fuel economy these days, too (see today's Road Worrier column with reader comments).

Local Toyota Prius drivers beg to differ.  They protest that the broadly worded print edition headline ("Hybrids not satisfying owners") should have reflect the column's more narrow focus on the gripes of Honda customers.

And they proclaim their continued happiness with their non-Honda hybrids ... [MORE]

Heather Peters says her 2006 Civic hybrid fell far short of the fuel economy performance advertised by Honda, and she is suing the automaker for $10,000 in small-claims court. A Los Angeles judge heard arguments last week.

Peters is not alone in her unhappiness. Other gas-electric hybrid drivers have been disappointed by their mpg numbers, too.

What about you?  Are you happy with the fuel economy you get from your hybrid Civic, or your Prius, or whatever hybrid car you drive?  I'm writing about this and would like to hear from you today.  Please call me at 919-829-4527 or email me, and don't forget your name and daytime contact info. 

Which new cars get the most miles for your gallon of gas? The EPA's new fuel-economy list for 2012 models is dominated by the usual suspects -- electric cars and Japanese-brand hybrids. And good for them.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting also that you can enjoy respectable fuel economy these days with cars that aren't called Honda or Toyota.  What kind of fuel economy are you getting lately? Please let me hear from you by phone (919-829-4527) or email, and don't forget to include name and daytime phone number.

EPA gives you two ways to sort the fuel-economy list: with and without cars that plug into electrical outlets. 

If you EXCLUDE electric cars and plug-in electric hybrids, you'll see a familiar name at the top of the heap: Toyota Prius, the world's best-selling gas-electric hybrid, rated at 51mpg city, 48mpg highway, 50mpg combined.

All the top 10 on this list are hybrids except #9, the Scion iQ, with a combined 37mpg. ... [MORE]

With Triangle gas prices climbing sharply, now an average $3.73 for a gallon of regular (see Tuesday's Road Worrier, with reader comments), this is a good time to brush up on tips for getting more miles out of every tankful.

So the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University will hold a free "Drive Green Save Green" workshop TODAY (an earlier blog post gave the wrong day, sorry) from 12:30 to 4:45 p.m. at the McKimmon Center on Gorman Street at Western Boulevard in Raleigh.

Participants will learn about techniques and technologies for improving fuel economy. And they'll have a chance to test their new skills on a five-mile driving course, using a special gauge that tracks instant and average miles per gallon.  See www.cleantransportation.org for agenda and registration information.

North Carolina car dealers submitted $78.6 million in rebate claims under the federal government's Cash for Clunkers program.

Nationally, the vehicle trade-in program spurred 690,114 claims worth $2.88 billion, the Department of Transportation reported today.

The program, which ended Tuesday, offered buyers discounts of up to $4,500 to trade in older cars and trucks for more fuel-efficient models.

The program boosted auto sales, providing a rare bright spot for car makers and dealers. But some dealers complained of delays in receiving reimbursements and stopped participating early.