I have often heard it said that common sense is not very common, but when it comes to cars, a little goes a long way.

In this month’s newsletter, we are giving you some basic hints on keeping your wallet and you car in tip top shape.

After the round of bad weather we have had, it is absolutely necessary to get your car cleaned. The salt, sand, and gravel used to treat roads for ice can have a devastating effect on your vehicle. An automatic carwash would be good, although you should make sure they do not use brushes that will harm your finish. This can insure that the undercarriage of your car gets a thorough cleaning. The grime on the roads can affect more than the finish on your vehicle. The suspension and engine are open to the road as well.

Another area that often gets overlooked is what I call a “monthly walk around”. Once a month or so, take a friend and walk around your vehicle, while the other person is sitting behind the wheel. Check out turn indicators, brake & running lights, and headlights; observe any dents and dings that may be new; check your tires for wear; and make sure the windshield wipers are in good condition and working properly. All of this is simple, but can keep you from harm if you have a brake light out, or headlamps that are not working.  You might avoid getting a ticket as well.  It will familiarize you with the external aspects of your vehicle and keep you on your toes when it comes to simple maintenance.

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The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.

Don’t go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions.

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid…

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they’re sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid…

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don’t try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in “drive” or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck…

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner’s manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you’re in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

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It is important to review your insurance coverage periodically.  Do you know what the numbers mean?

In Georgia, the minimum coverage is 25/50/25 and since January 2009 a requirement for having uninsured motorist coverage.  The first $25,000 is bodily injury coverage for one person injured in the accident; the $50,000 is for ALL injuries in the accident; and the last $25,000 is for property damage liability.  Also, you need to know if you have medical AND property damage coverage under uninsured motorist.

Given the current costs of medical treatment and vehicle repair, this would not be enough to protect you in a major accident.  That would put your assets at risk.  Consider increasing your limits if you just have minimums.  $25k worth of coverage for one person injured in a serious accident can be eaten up in a hurry.

Here is my coverage, for example.  I have 100/300/50 with 25/50/25 in uninsured motorist.  I also have car rental and travel expense coverage. On top of all of this, I have a $2M umbrella policy.  My rental coverage costs me $14.40 a year, much less than one day of car rental should I need it, and $2.40 for emergency road service.

This is not to say that everyone should have all of this coverage, but you need to review your limits to make sure you do not have out of pocket expenses in case of an accident.  My friend, Paul Locke, can help you with this.  Go to  www.GeorgiaAutoInsurance.com.

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Are you one of us whose vehicle came equipped with run flat tires?  My MINI was, and they were great in the mountains on the twisty roads.  In fact, they were so sticky that you never felt any fade at all.  Because they were original equipment, I thought the ride was okay.  After all, a MINI is just a little rat with sneakers, not a luxury automobile.  Also, since the MINI does not have a spare tire, I felt it was safer to have those that would get me on down the road toward help, if, in fact, I ever did have a flat.  Well, I did, and, true to form I got where I needed to go for a replacement.  That is when the shock set in, and my doubt about the efficacy of these tires began.  The replacement tire cost me $325!!!  That would be over $1300 a set to replace!  So, I began the research.  Much to my amazement, there were many sources on the net regarding just this subject.  One of the most astounding statistics I came upon was that the average MINI driver was only getting 18-19k miles on a set of the run flat tires.  That coupled with the cost, raised my hackles.  Therefore, when my tires began to wear out (at 18,500 miles), I began another round of research to determine what my options were.  One of the best places to do this is http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp.  You can input the make and model of your vehicle and it will give you options on tires that are appropriate for you.  There is more to it than just size.  You should consider your driving pattern, speed rating, and all of the other criteria on the tire you choose.  I elected to buy the Kumho Ecsta AST, and my price on those (mounted and balanced) was $87.  A savings of $203 each, for a total savings of $812.  When they were mounted, I immediately found that the ride was significantly smoother.  Those tires are still on my MINI and have 27,500 miles on them at this time.  From the wear pattern, they will need to be replaced somewhere between 30-40k miles versus the 18,500 on the run flats.  Later, talking to my friend Danny Brewer at http://www.mymercedesplace.com/, I learned that this is the tire he recommends as well.  Now i keep a Slime kit in my boot, and just keep on motoring.  It is easy to do the math, and the choice is yours.  I prefer to replace tires at $350 versus $1300 a set.

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Most of us pay attention to our vehicles when they are under warranty. Then when anything goes wrong, we can take it to the dealer have it repaired at the manufacturer’s expense. But how many of you use this as a preventative maintenance tool?

It was subject that came to mind for me last week. My MINI warranty will lapse in 5,000 miles or two months, whichever comes sooner. Since I was at the point of needing an oil change, it was an opportunity to stay ahead of the repair issues. I asked my mechanic, at My Mercedes Place in (http://www.mymercedesplace.com/), to go over the vehicle while they were changing the oil to determine if there were any potential problems that I could take to the dealer and prevent my having to pay for a repair after the warranty expires.

Fortunately, for me, it was not an especially big problem that Danny found, but one that could potentially cost me in the future. My power steering reservoir is leaking. Danny explained that the material from which the reservoir is made is inherently porous and can continue to erode.

I called my MINI dealer and made an appointment for next week. I made sure to tell the circus writer that I had a faulty part and that I expected them to have one on hand when I brought the car in. Regardless, if their track record remains intact, they will have my car most of the week. However, they do have to provide me with a loaner while mine is being repaired.

By finding a local, independent mechanic you can avoid costly repairs. They will advise you when your vehicle needs repair, and whether or not this repair would be covered under your warranty. Be especially vigilant when the expiration of your warranty gets close.

Stay linked in to http://www.womensautomotiveconnection.com for more advice on how to keep your money in your wallet and not in the dealership’s.

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One of the nicest things about having a blog, is the ability to vent on some of your favorite,
or not so favorite topics.

On the road, for me, turn signals fall into the latter. I cannot tell you whether this is a
phenomenon specific to the Atlanta area, or universal; but I can tell you it drives me crazy.
In automotive terms, they are designated “turn indicators”. From their moniker, one would
think that when you are anticipating a turn, these devices signal those around you of your
intentions. However, around here, they are more commonly known as “right of way warnings”.
Especially in heavy traffic, I see people turn on their indicators simultaneously as they
are making a lane change. It is as if they believe that a turn signal gives them the right
of way, and if they cause an accident, they will be the the wronged party. It gives them a
feeling of invulnerability for the consequences of their actions.

As the other driver on the road, you do not have much choice except to yield. Because, if you
are like me, I would rather not have my MINI crumpled by some idiot who has forgotten the rules
of the road. It is the most aggressive type of driving, and from my years in a body shop, I can
tell you it causes a great deal of damage. The only other incident that may top this one in
cost of damages to vehicles, would the be the inevitable tailgater.

I cannot imagine why anyone would drive this way. I honestly have a lead foot, but when it comes
to traffic, I just sit back and go with the flow. Weaving in and out will ultimately cause an
accident, and then you will lose the time advantage you may have achieved by your reckless action.

It seems to me that everyone is in too much of a hurry. Leave a little earlier, or give yourself
permission to be a few minutes late. Just don’t put the rest of us in danger because you do not
have enough good sense and patience to plan your trip to allow for delays.

Every day I see instances of this, and ask, “why”. Most of the time, it gives you no advantage
and just causes more problems than it solves.

Aggressive, unsafe drivers should have their licenses revoked. The roads would be a lot clearer,
and the rest of us would be much safer and a lot happier. Just relax, and try to enjoy life.
There is plenty to upset everyone, and traffic is not on the list of important things to stress
over.

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When you have a repair done on your vehicle, what happens if there are problems later?
This is one of the most frustrating aspects of taking your car to a repair shop with which you are not familiar.
Very often, the work, when not exactly shoddy, is too quickly done, and quality assurance such as leak checks
and test drives are not performed. You may find the problem when you go to pick up your car, but just
as likely you are going to become aware of it later. What can you do then? Clients have told me that
the shop most often denies responsibility, and they feel they have to just find another shop to fix it
and pay more money. First, and foremost, you need to be dealing with a reputable shop that will stand
behind the repairs. Secondly, you need to insist that the original shop make good on the repairs. One
client of mine called because her A/C was not cooling. Upon questioning her further about the vehicle,
I learned that she had recently had the compressor replaced. She was going to have freon put in the system,
but did not know the cause of the problem. I suggested that she go back to the shop that did the last
repair and insist they check their work. There could be a myriad of reasons for the problem, but since
it is necessary to evacuate and recharge the entire system when replacing the compressor, low freon could
easily be a result of less than stellar work, or a leak that was not taken care of at the time of the
installation.

I consistently preach the edict that you should find a good, reputable mechanic in your neighborhood and
let them take care of all of your service and maintenance needs. They get to know you and your car, and
you are less likely to have problems. Shopping around for deals often leads you to inferior shops that
just cut you a deal to get the business and are not focused on you as a customer. The old addage that you
get what you pay for has never been more true. Ask yourself why they are giving you such a price break,
and it might make you reconsider your choice.

Starting off in the right place for a service or maintenance issue is the key. You need to get a written
estimate of the work, sign an authorization for the work, and understand what the shop’s policy is on
the warranty of the work that is done. Ask a lot of questions about the repair, what you should expect
afterwards, and how the shop plans to deal with you as a customer.

The Women’s Automotive Connection will find the right shop for you and help you understand how important
integrity is in this business. Soon we will be launching a “brother” website that will provide you with
local deals from the alliance of providers in our network. Stay tuned.

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In the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of brokering new car purchases for several of my clients.
By doing this, they have avoided the hassle of the barrage of information that salesmen dump on customers.
The process takes a few days, but in the end, we have two or three different dealerships bidding for our
business.

To facilitate the process, clients go through a checklist with me to clearly define the car they way to buy.
This covers make, model, solor, interior, engine, and any and all accessories they desire on the vehicle.
Once this choice is made, I find dealerships that have the EXACT vehicle, and begin the bidding process.

Most people are not aware the the internet starting price is usually the lowest you will find. The process
includes having them quote their best OTD (Out The Door) price. For example, an 08 Infiniti G35 with a
starting price of $24.800 will give you and OTD price of about $27.300, because of the taxes, document fees
and title charges. Once we have agreed, in writing, on a price, all that remains is for the client and I
to go to the dealership, sign the papers and drive home (about 45 min to an hour process).

This has been a challenging and fun experience for me, and generally the client can expect to save $2-3,000
over the price they would have negotiated. That is not to say that someone could not get this deal, but you
have to be patient and persistent with the salesMEN. You have to be able to say “no” if the deal is not
to your liking.

These recent purchases have included an 09 Honda Accord EX-L, an 09 Toyota Matrix S, and an 08 Infiniti G35
Journey. The best part of this process is the ease with which the client can conclude a sale. All of them
have been pleasantly surprised at how easy it is.

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According to http://www.cars.gov, the government has adopted a program to help get gas guzzlers off the roads.   As with any government program, there are many hurdles to jump in order to qualify for this program. The program will rolled out in about thirty day. as the NHTSA is now formulating the rules.   Below are the highlights:

The Car Allowance Rebate System is a new program from the government that will help you pay for a new, more fuel efficient car or truck from a participating dealer when you trade in a less fuel efficient car or truck.

Your trade-in vehicle must

* have been manufactured less than 25 years before the date you trade it in
* have a “new” combined city/highway fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon or less
* be in drivable condition
* be continuously insured and registered to the same owner for the full year preceding the trade-in

Note that work trucks (i.e., very large pickup trucks and cargo vans) have different requirements.

The amount of the credit is $3,500 or $4,500, and generally depends on the type of vehicle you
purchase and the difference in fuel economy between the purchased vehicle and the trade-in vehicle.  Different requirements apply for work trucks.

The law requires your trade-in vehicle to be destroyed. Therefore, the value you negotiate with the dealer for your trade-in vehicle is not likely to exceed its scrap value. The law requires the dealer to disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in vehicle.

As you can see, there is a downside to this program,  as with most that the government institutes. You will only benefit if the salvage value of your vehicle plus the rebate combine to give you a good trade in value.   However, if your car is an older model (generally they were the gas guzzlers), you may find this is a way to part with it and and get enough money for a good down payment.

Do not be fooled.  This is not any additional money for you.   It is just a way to get you on your way to a newer, more fuel efficient vehicle.  The most obvious mistake people can make is to assume that this money will be over and above their car’s trade in value.  NOT!

Contact us if you need assistance in buying a car under this program, or if you just help in cutting through the hassle of purchasing a new vehicle.

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If you ask any car salesperson, they rely on the emotional attachment of the customer to the car they are looking to buy. This is mistake number one.
Although everyone has to love the car they buy, the buying process itself should be devoid of emotion. That way, if your terms are not met, you are comfortable walking away.
To begin the process, determine EXACTLY which car you want, and stick to your guns. Don’t buy something just because the sales department wants to get rid of it. Determine make, model, engine, transmission, trim package, and all options before you begin shopping. This is the only way you are going to get a good cost comparison. Any deviation from your criteria will make a difference in the price.
Recently, internet pricing seems to be the best way to get what you want, and you have it in writing with little or no double talk.
Compare several dealers, and always ask them for the “drive out price” This will include tax, doc fees (total profit for them), and title/tag. When you get this price, print it and take it with you when you go to test drive the vehicle.
Don’t get pulled in by extended warranties. The are extremely pricey and generally only cover catastrophic problems. Most manufacturers are offering generous warranties to begin with.  Finally, you should have a pretty good idea of what you will pay for a vehicle before you ever darken the door of a dealer.  Do your research, compare what listings are out there and KNOW that you will always pay less than advertised.  How much less will depend on how well you negotiate. Remember that whoever blinks first loses.

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