2004 Nissan Quest Se Mini Passenger Van 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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West Coast labor dispute hampers Japanese automakers' US plants

The ongoing labor dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and port owners along the West Coast is starting to affect more Japanese automakers building vehicles in the US. The issue already forced Honda and Subaru to take the expensive option of airlifting some parts into the US weeks ago, and according to USA Today, Toyota and Nissan have begun doing so, as well. The choice hasn't been cheap, though, and Subaru's chief financial officer estimated that the decision cost around $60 million more per month than sending components by cargo ship. The effects continue to radiate, according to USA Today, and shortages of some models are possible. Honda is slowing production at its factories in Ohio, Indiana and Canada because the automaker doesn't have enough transmissions and electronics for some vehicles. Toyota already cut back on overtime at some factories. Nissan has only seen a small effect from the issue, though, because of its local suppliers. Dock workers and port owners have been negotiating on a new contract since last year, and the union has organized work slowdowns in response. According to USA Today, the automakers could move shipments to Canada or Mexico, but it would take longer for parts to arrive. News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images Earnings/Financials Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Honda Nissan Subaru Toyota shipping port labor dispute

YouTuber TJ Smith is your singing Lyft driver in Nissan Sentra ad

Perhaps you've seen Nissan's latest commercial, promoting the Sentra. It's a fairly simple little spot, showing the compact's driver blaring Billy Idol's Mony Mony, singing along and encouraging other motorists to join in.
We'd have been fine had it been left at that. It's a simple commercial that shows the car with a catchy tune and smiling people. Nissan couldn't leave well enough alone, though, and has come back with this. Starring TJ Smith - the driver from the original ad and an apparent YouTube celebrity famous for the kind of thing shown in the original commercial - the new ad expands on the old, with more people, and more Mony Mony. This time round, Smith is serving as a driver for the Lyft service, who just happens to break into song with his fares in the car.
Scroll down for the full video. If you've no idea what we're talking about, we've also included the original commercial.

Nissan buys jalopy Maxima after seeing filmmaker's epic sales ad

When Luke Akers wanted to sell his 1996 Nissan Maxima GLE - yes, the one seen above that needs a ratchet strap to keep the front end from bursting with joy - the Florida filmmaker turned on his cameras and yelled "Quiet on set!" The result is a one-minute videographic homage to mankind's monuments, narrated with all the intensity of a BBC documentary to sell a 17-year-old sports sedan that comes "fully loaded with an engine, wheels, tires and an automatic transmission."
Just like the car in question, the ad did its job: Nissan bought the Maxima from Akers and the company donated another $1,000 to his charity of choice. Three cheers to both Akers and Nissan for their work. You can check out the video below, and head to the Ikonik Films site for the humorous print ads that were also part of the campaign.