Consumer Reports articles from March 2004

Consumer Reports archives from March 2004

Truth and consequences: Suzuki vs. consumers union.(have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... Every month, one of the best-read pages in CONSUMER REPORTS is Recalls & Safety Alerts. That's because you read this magazine not just to learn about the good stuff, but also to find out about the bad: the disappointing, the flawed, the...

Beyond bar codes: new ways to track products and people.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
March 1, 2004... Ten million motorists nationwide now have a small E-ZPass tag attached to their windshield. It allows them to coast through toll booths, paying electronically. The same technology is used in the Speedpass keychain fob that more than 6 million...

A not-so-brawny Braun blender.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
March 1, 2004... Problems with a blender we top-rated last year have led us to take a closer look at how we test the durability of these appliances. Last July, we judged the top-rated Braun PowerMax MX2050 blender a CR Best Buy at $50. Since then, a dozen...

Digital SLR cameras: what the pros use.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Digital single-lens reflex cameras are well suited for serious hobbyists and professionals. Two major reasons, judging from out tests of seven leading models: Outstanding image quality and a range of picture-taking options that compact digitals...

The buzz on Bumble Bee.(Claim Check)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The claim: Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore tuna in water, packed in a gold can that looks upside down, is the company's "firmest, whitest, best albacore ever," with "more tuna packed into every can." It's also "affordable." The...

A new way to make phone calls.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
March 1, 2004... Jeffrey Stanger, a political consultant in Washington, D.C., uses his Internet connection to make phone calls. He can go online anywhere in the world and place and receive calls for less than the cost of conventional phone service. Stanger...

Acura TSX.(first look)
March 1, 2004... Product: Acura TSX sedan Full report: September 2004 When Acura dropped the Integra in 2001, it replaced the car with the sporty two-door RSX. Last spring Acura introduced a new four-door sedan, the TSX, based on the Honda Accord that...

Out, damned spot! Which stain-busters work?(Up front: news / trends / advice)
March 1, 2004... It's easy to find sprays, powders, and handheld appliances that claim to be great at lifting stains from carpet. But out tests show that most of them are not much better than ordinary dish detergent and water or 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, ...

The dating game.(food wise)
March 1, 2004... It's breakfast time, and you're craving a cheese omelette. Your carton of eggs says, "EXPFEB12"; the cheddar says, "Use by Feb. 23"; the milk says, "Sell by March 1." It's March 4. Can you safely scramble, or should you switch to cereal, which...

Overweight America.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I read with interest the "Cut the Fat" article in the January issue. I feel that you missed an important set of government policies that tend to promote obesity I had the privilege of living in the Paris area for six months several years ago....

Shoddy home construction.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Your in-depth article "Housewrecked" in the January issue was well done and helpful to consumers everywhere. Here in Florida, we have a special problem with new-home construction: the Florida Construction Lien Lave It allows subcontractors and...

Corrections.(your letters)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2004... * Because of a programming error, the repair-history chart for desktop PCs in the December 2003 issue overstated the brand repair rates. Our basic conclusions about reliability were not affected, however. The chart on page 42 of this issue...

Hidden hazards in children's clothes.(recalls & safety alerts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Hazards in children's jackets have prompted recalls or warnings that affect nearly 90,000 garments. * Thousands of "Falls Creek Army Flight Jackets" (see photo), sold at Meijer stores in five states, have a hood drawstring mat could snag...

'04 Chrysler 300M and Concorde.(Vehicles And Equipment)(hood latch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Hood could fly open unexpectedly and cause crash. Models: 20,978 cars made 3/03 to 6/03. What to do: Have dealer inspect and, if necessary, replace hood-latch assembly.

'01-03 Ford Windstar.(Vehicles And Equipment)(seat latch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Latch might not properly hold second- and third-row seats to floor in accident. Models: 257,119 minivans made 3/7/01 to 11/5/02, According to ford, the hazard was uncovered during routine compliance testing by the National Highway Traffic...

'01 Kia Rio.(Vehicles And Equipment)(fuel distributor leak)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Gasoline could leak from fuel distributor assembly. Models: 57,340 vehicles made 5/00 to 6/01. What to do: Have dealer inspect and, if necessary, replace fuel distributor and fuel-connector assemblies.

'04 Pontiac Grand Prix.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Fluid could leak from brake hose)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Fluid could leak from brake hose, resulting in increased stopping distances. Models: 59,528 cars made 10/02 to 8/03. What to do: Have dealer tighten right rear brake-hose fitting to proper specifications.

Bachtold Whipper, DR Field & Brush Mower, and B-800 weed and brush cutters.(Household Products)
March 1, 2004... Operator could come in contact with rotating blade, which poses serious risk of injury. Products: 63,600 cutters, model W-24, sold 1/78 to 4/01 through Country Home Products' catalogs and by independent distributors for $950 to $1,600....

Cub Cadet Series 7000 compact tractors.(Household Products)(7252, 7254, 7264, and 7304 models could have problems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Shift lever could pop out of gear and, under certain circumstances, cause operator to lose central. Products: 2,000 tractors sold 5/02 to 10/03 at Cub Cadet dealers nationwide for $10,000 to $14,300, including the following models: 7252,...

Fisher-Price battery-powered scooters and minibikes.(Children's Products)
March 1, 2004... Devices could keep running after power or throttle button is released, posing risk of injury. Products: 30,000 Lightning PAC scooters sold 11/01 to 10/03 for $250 and 55,000 MX3 minibikes sold 5/03 to 9/03 for $200. Hazard exists because...

Mutual funds: the other big scandal.(CR Investigates)
March 1, 2004... Remember Janus and Putnam, Strong, and Alliance Capital? With the stock market reaching levels not seen in two years, it's tempting to forget about the mutual-fund scandals that broke a few months ago. Investigations into shady trading...

The ultimate in TV.(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... The TV landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, giving you the luxury and the challenge of unprecedented choice. Today's market offers everything from flat-panel plasma TVs that can be mounted on a wall to thin LCD table-top...

HD television: raising the bar.(high definition television)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Today's gold standard for TV is high definition, or HD, the much-talked-about format that offers images with lifelike detail and clarity. Indications are that 2004 may be the Fear in which HDTV becomes a reality for mainstream America. So if...

Plasma TVs: flat and fancy.(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Plasma TVs make a blockbuster first impression. A scant 6 inches thick or less, these sleek flat panels display bright images on screens measuring about 3 to 5 feet diagonally. A plasma screen is made up of thousands of pixels containing...

Projection TVs: the big picture.(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Rear-projection sets may not get as much press as their newer rivals, plasma TVs, but they offer a much lower-priced route to big-screen TV. Prices for HD-ready projection sets with a 50- to 60-inch screen start at about $1,500--nothing tO...

LCD TVs: thin is in.(Update)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... If you've been hankering for a slim, light LCD TV but holding off until prices came down to earth, here's some good news. The recent entry of computer-makers Dell and Gateway into the LCD TV market, with other big names expected to follow,...

Direct-view TVs: still going strong.(Update)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... The hoopla about flat panels and big screens notwithstanding, you'll still get the best combination of picture quality, viewing angle, and price from familiar direct-view TVs--the tube-based sets you've been watching for decades. In this...

Cable & satellite TV: Which is better?
March 1, 2004... For years, cable TV has been the service that consumers love to hate; it's long been among the lowest-rated services in CONSUMER REPORTS surveys. That may be changing. When we surveyed TV subscribers late last year, we found that although...

Disposable diapers: time to change brands?(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Here's a secret that can save you close to $200 a year in diaper costs: Some less-expensive store brands are now so good that you should consider switching from a brand name. The news stems from fierce competition among brand-name diapers...

Ranges: high end moves down.
March 1, 2004... Powerful elements or burners and dual-fuel designs with a gas cooktop and an electric oven are among the latest pro-style features that have migrated to the mainstream. But as with pro-style stores, some of those features may be less than they...

Computers: desktop vs. laptop.
March 1, 2004... Which differences between desktop and laptop computers are real and which are myths based on yesterday's designs? If you can't answer that question, your next computer might be one that doesn't meet your needs or, just as bad, one with unneeded...

Junk faxes are illegal. So why are you getting them?(CR technology)
March 1, 2004... When President Bush signed the federal anti-spam bill (the CAN-SPAM Act) in December, the White House hailed the law as providing "a well-balanced approach" that will help curb spam. But if a previous federal ban on junk faxes, included in the...

In the heartburn wars: speed vs. endurance.(CR health)
March 1, 2004... Negative advertising is not just for political candidates. Makers of over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn remedies are battling for their share of the more than $1.2 billion-a-year market with ads claiming superiority over named competitors and...

Many happy tax returns.(CR money)
March 1, 2004... Although you are about to hand a sizable chunk of your hard-earned income to Uncle Sam this tax season, the Internal Revenue Service will probably send a small portion back. Last year 76 percent of filers received a refund check averaging...

SUVs: the new Cadillac SRX tops this group of models with three-row seating.(Family Room)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... A major trend among sport-utility vehicles is the greater availability of models with three rows of seats. Five years ago, there were only about 10 SUV models with three-row seating. Now, there are nearly three dozen. Depending on the...

Cadillac SRX.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Highs | Ride, handling, acceleration, second-seat comfort, insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) offset-crash result. Lows | Small third-row seat, seat-mounted shoulder belts, some controls and switches. The new Cadillac SRX, which...

Lexus GX470.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Highs | Powertrain smoothness, quietness, fit and finish, off-road ability, IIHS offset-crash result. Lows | Agility, small third-row seat, right-hinged rear hatch. The Lexus GX470 combines a comfortable, luxurious interior and capable...

Nissan Pathfinder Armada.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Highs | Acceleration, transmission, roomy second-row seat, towing, cargo capacity. Lows | Ride, fuel economy, visibility, engine noise, turning circle, squeaks and rattles. Although it finished third in this competitive group, the Nissan...

Dodge Durango.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Highs | Ride, interior room, towing capacity. Lows | Fuel economy, fit and finish, braking, location of rear wiper switch, engine noise. Redesigned for 2004, the Dodge Durango is a big improvement over its trucklike predecessor and is now...

Ford Freestar.(Update: minivan)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Highs | Interior versatility, access, crash-test results. Lows | Noisy engine, unsettled ride, turning circle, value. Billed by Ford as a new model, the Freestar is really just an evolution of the Windstar minivan, with a revised interior,...

Ready, world?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Spam Museum)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Attention, fans of processed meat products: Hormel Foods has announced that "one of the world's favorite museums"--that would be the Spam Museum, in Hormel's hometown of Austin, Minn.--"will be immortalized in a beautifully designed,...

The belle of Bedrock.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
March 1, 2004... In the August 2003 Selling It, we noted that Mickey Mouse had been offered a MasterCard. We didn't realize at the time that another animated star had received an offer. Yes, folks, Who's Who Historical Society invited Fred's wife (with a...

Check yes for chutzpah.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
March 1, 2004... A New York reader sent us one of the more cheeky come-ons we've seen recently. If you don't want Info 4 U Ltd. to "continue to send our great fax offers to you"--offers such as "Get paid to drive your car" and "Get paid to eat in...

Fire the copywriter.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
March 1, 2004... "Be there first" might have been a better headline, folks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

One look at the jar and you'll feel better.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... "The Reverse Aging Miracle," GHR15, is supposed to reverse baldness, control cholesterol, and do lots of other helpful things. Indeed, the company is so confident that GHR15 can make a difference in your life that it tenders the offer above....