Kevin McCormally: I am Kevin McCormally of Kiplinger's and I am with Mark Solheim, the Auto Editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine to talk about mileage ratings for 2008 automobiles. Mark, I understand the EPAs gone a big change now for those MPG ratings we see on the windows. What's happening?
Mark Solheim: That's right as the new models of 2008 models, the fuel economy numbers are being revised.
Kevin McCormally: What's the change?
Mark Solheim: The change is that they are being revised down where actually be, the old numbers are based on testing procedures that were developed way back in the 70s. Remember the gas crisis out and they were, they assumed almost perfect fantasy driving conditions, no use of air conditioning, no cold weather driving and pretty much slow speeds conservative speeds.
Kevin McCormally: So bringing reality to the MPG ratings means that they are going to go down. How far they are going to go down?
Mark Solheim: EPA estimates that city driving numbers will go down on an average 12% and highway numbers will go down about 8%, on some of the high mileage cars, especially the hybrids you can expecting even lower job.
Kevin McCormally: So the MPGs are going to be lower, it's not going to cost me more money because this is just honest.
Mark Solheim: Exactly, your mileage will not vary from what it's been for your own driving style, but it just reflects reality.
Kevin McCormally: So it should help car buyers by understand there could be some confusion this summer when the 2008 first coming to the showroom?
Mark Solheim: Right, some of the 2008s come out in the spring, in the summer and some come out in the falls, so a lot of buyers will be comparing the new 2008s with the 2007s that are still on the dealers lots.
Kevin McCormally: And they are going to be different numbers on the windows.
Mark Solheim: Exactly the windows sticker will reflect different numbers but one thing that will be happening over the next few months is that dealers will be trying to explain the discrepancies.
Kevin McCormally: And will some of the cars actually show two different numbers at 28 miles per gallon and may 21 miles per gallon?
Mark Solheim: That's the plan, that some of the windows sticker will show the new numbers and the old numbers.
Kevin McCormally: And if you want to be honest with yourself you should plan on the lower number.
Mark Solheim: Look at the lower number that's somewhat realistic one.
Kevin McCormally: Okay, thank you Mark.
