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Car salesmen: Still sexist, still stupid

Mar 072012

The way they’ve always treated women used to be plain discrimination. Now it’s just plain dumb. When will they learn the caveman approach is bad for business?

FORTUNE — When I waited tables as a teenager, I learned one lesson very quickly: Treat every person in a dinner party equally, because you never know who’s picking up the bill — and therefore determining your tip. It’s the most basic of business survival tips, but one that few car salesmen in this country seem to have learned. And if you doubt me on this point, try walking into a car dealership seven months pregnant with your husband and two kids, and see who the salesman approaches first.

As the birth of our third child approached, my husband and I decided we needed a bigger car. It was to be my primary car, and after doing my research, all I wanted to do before plunking down my money was test-drive the Town & Country, the Odyssey, and the Sienna minivans. But getting someone to take $40,000 from you can be tougher than you might think, as I learned at one Chrysler, one Honda, and three Toyota (TM) dealerships.

The scenarios all went something like what happened at a nearby Toyota dealership, where I walked to the front desk and asked to have someone show me the Sienna. A salesman came right out and introduced himself to the man who happened to be standing behind me. After the bystander made clear that he wasn’t my husband, the salesman asked me where my husband was — still without introducing himself or asking my name. The sales rep then went on to respond to questions I asked about the Sienna by looking at my husband and talking to him, until my husband told him to talk to me. When the guy took me to his desk to take down my information, he asked me for my home phone number and followed up with: “Obviously you don’t have a work phone.”

Lest you think that I am just particularly unlucky, let me share the story of another woman, Anne Mulcahy, the former chairman and CEO of Xerox (XRX). Three years ago Mulcahy decided it was time to treat herself and went shopping for a Porsche. After test-driving one beauty — a 911 Cabriolet — she announced to the salesman that she’d take the car. After a pregnant pause, he responded, “Don’t you have to talk to someone about that first?” Her reply: “If you don’t start working on the paperwork in the next 10 seconds, I’ll drive 30 minutes to the next Porsche dealer and buy the car there.”

The Porsche salesman got right on the paperwork, but the insults didn’t end there. The finance officer followed up by asking Mulcahy if she needed someone to co-sign on her lease. For the head of a Fortune 500 company, the experience came as a jolt. “It threw me back to my twenties when I’d go for a loan. I was working and was totally financially secure, but I’d have to get co-signatures on my loans just because it was the 1970s,” says Mulcahy. “Then it was discrimination. Now it’s just stupidity.”

It doesn’t take an MBA to recognize the bad business practices on display. Women were the primary buyers of more than 44% of all vehicles last year, and they influenced almost 80% of all auto sales, according to CNW Research. That’s no secret to the auto companies, and any executive would blanch to hear stories like these. But somehow the lesson hasn’t trickled down to the sales force.

The issue may be that the problem is so pervasive in the auto industry. Every salesman I dealt with on my minivan adventure automatically deferred to my husband. And in the end, even a stupid salesman can make a sale when he’s selling an essential good. I ended up buying the Sienna from the dealership I described above, mostly because the baby was coming soon and I was tired of shopping around.

That’s not to say there isn’t an opportunity cost. After an experience like this, I am in no rush to step back into a showroom anytime soon. Which brings me to my memo to any auto company exec willing to listen: If you want a leg up on your competition, teach your sales force the lesson of waiting tables. Treat every customer with the same respect, because you never know who’s going to pay the bill. And that’s my tip.

Kelley Blue Book Polls on Fuel Economy – The Good and the Bad

Mar 032012

Kelley Blue Book Polls on Fuel Economy – The Good and the Bad

Kelley Blue Book is constantly keeping a finger on the pulse of the auto consumer by conducting frequent surveys, and I’ve featured them here on the Ask Patty blog in the past. I do keep an eye on them, and bring them to your attention if I find something that I find interesting, and well, here I am.

This post is actually a comparison of two polls, both of which concern fuel prices and our reaction to them. Now, it’s no secret that petroleum based gasoline is not getting any cheaper, and it’s also clear (to me at least) that we’re going to have to do something. Fast. These two polls speak to just that, but the results of less than wonderful. But first we’ll focus on the positive – head past the jump to take a look.

So. In this poll, as you see, Kelley Blue Book asks just how consumers are looking to go about coping with gas prices in regards to a new vehicle purchase. 51% are considering a move to a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle – this is good. But, only 20% are considering alternative fuels. This part I don’t really understand – a full 71% of people understand that we need to be buying more fuel efficient cars, but the majority of those people are content to stay with gasoline powered engines. Now, using less gasoline is a good thing, don’t get me wrong, I’m just a little puzzled as to why the breakdown isn’t more equal. As for the rest, 10% are waiting for fuel prices to go down (presumably because they’re already driving a fuel efficient car, I’m in this camp), and 19% seemingly couldn’t care less about gas prices – this number as well is disturbingly high. Who are these people?

Let’s look at the second one, which deals with the yellow 20% slice of the above chart in particular:

So, less pretty this time. Here we see a breakdown of the types of alternative fuels people will consider. Topping out the list with 23% is a relative newcomer to the scene, natural gas vehicles. Now – these guys have taken a backseat to hybrid and electric vehicles, but they’re up and coming, so if you hadn’t heard of them before now, they’re worth a look. Honda has a natural gas Civic currently, and more are following very soon if this years Detroit Auto Show is any indication of the shape of things to come. Hybrid and Hydrogen are split evenly at 14% – and frankly, I wonder why Hybrids weren’t on top, but I digress. Biodiesel comes in at 10%, and electrics only earned 9% of votes, and this makes me especially sad. Rounding out the alternative fuel users are Solar power at 8%, ethanol with 3% and – bizarrely – propane at 3%, which just sounds like a bad idea. Again, a distressingly large 16% block of people who would never ever consider driving a car that didn’t burn good old conventional gasoline. For perspective, more people said they would never drive an alternative fuel vehicle than those who said they’d drive an electric car. That’s a pretty distressing statistic. But – again, focusing on the positive. Natural Gas is apparently getting some good press, and is starting to enter the public consciousness. I’m a fan of electrics myself (if you couldn’t tell) but I’m watching the natural gas model very closely and I’m sure it won’t be the last time you hear about them from me.

Thanks to the team at Kelley Blue Book for always running these interesting polls, you can see more at the Driver Input page on kbb.com.

Simple Steps to Save Gas Without Driving Less

Blog, Car Service Tips No Responses »

Mar 012012

Simple Steps to Save Gas Without Driving Less

Brought to you by the Car Care Council

Driving less doesn’t have to be a consumer’s reaction to rising gas prices, according to the Car Care Council. While consumers can’t control the price of gas, they can control how much gas they use by following some simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance.

“Most motorists don’t have the option of driving less when gas prices rise, but they can cancel out the increases by making sure their vehicle is getting maximum fuel economy,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Fuel consumption is directly related to vehicle care and driver behavior and both can have a significant impact on how much motorists pay at the pump.”

The Car Care Council offers these simple steps to save gas without driving less:

§ Keep your car properly tuned to improve gas mileage by an average of 4 percent.
§ Keep tires properly inflated and improve gas mileage by 3 percent.
§ Replace dirty or clogged air filters on older vehicles to improve gas mileage by as much as 14 percent.
§ Replace dirty spark plugs, which can reduce mileage by two miles per gallon.
§ Change oil regularly and gain another mile per gallon.
§ Check the gas cap. Damaged, loose or missing gas caps allow gas to vaporize into the air.
§ Observe the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 mph.
§ Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets zero miles per gallon. Warming up the vehicle for one or two minutes is sufficient.
§ Avoid quick starts and stops. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.
§ Consolidate trips. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much gas as one longer multi-purpose trip.
§ Don’t haul unneeded items in the trunk. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent.

“Some motorists think they are saving money when they put off needed vehicle maintenance,” said White. “What they don’t realize is that neglecting routine maintenance can end up costing a lot more. Keeping your car running efficiently and modifying your driving behavior is the best way to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy and keep more money in your pocket.”

Ask Patty Certified

Car Advice For Women No Responses »

Feb 282012

Ask Patty Certified

Lisa Copeland General Manager of Nyle Maxwell FIAT of Austin is to be commended on her outstanding commitment to serve women with the highest level of customer service by participating in the AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® program, her strong support of women in her local community and her educational blog, “Buying Cars Her Way”. This high level of commitment to women differentiates FIAT of Austin and enhances their competitive edge and marketing efforts.

Copeland’s mission is simple: She wants to remove the fear and loathing that keep many women out of car dealerships, not only as shoppers but as employees.

I highly recommend women visit FIAT of Austin for the ultimate car buying experience.

Jody DeVere
CEO
AskPatty.com, Inc.
www.askpatty.com
eMail: jdevere@askpatty.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/askpatty

AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly®
www.certifiedfemalefriendly.com

Lisa Copeland named 2012 Women of Distinction

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Feb 252012

Women of Distinction

wodbanner1

Girl Scouts of Central Texas celebrates women who have distinguished themselves as outstanding members of their community through individual excellence and high levels of achievement. Past recipients have included women honored for excellence in the areas of business, education, government, communications, health care, sports, volunteer services, multicultural activities, and Girl Scouting. We are looking for women who are role models for all of our members, girls and adults alike, showing them that with hard work and perseverance, anything can be accomplished.

To honor women throughout our 46-county jurisdiction, Girl Scouts of Central Texas hosts four Women of Distinction events.

San Angelo area(March 8, 2012, San Angelo Convention Center): Coke, Concho, Irion, Mason, Menard, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green Counties.
- Maggie Farrington
- Marilyn Mohler
- Peggy Hodges Rosser
- Sandra Gray
- Dana Calhoun
- West Texas Rehab Center – Julie Steely (Workplace)
Brownwood area(March 28, 2012, Howard Payne University): Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Erath, Hamilton, Lampasas, McCulloch, Mills and San Saba Counties.
Killeen area(April 19, 2012, Killeen Convention Center): Bell, Bosque, Brazos, Coryell, Falls, Leon, Limestone, Madison, McLennan and Robertson Counties.
Austin area(April 5, 2012, AT&T Conference Center): Austin, Bastrop, Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Gillespie, Hays, Lee, Llano, Milam, Travis, Washington and Williamson Counties.
- Alex Winkelman
- Catherine Morse
- Jo Anne Christian
- Lisa Copeland
- Wilhelmina Delco
- Kendra Scott (Workplace)

Why are gas prices going SO high?

Blog No Responses »

Feb 222012

Gas prices have risen sharply over recent weeks and are forecast to continue rising. According to Atlantagasprices.com, local gas prices have risen by almost thirty cents in the past month and by a dollar in the past year. Atlanta’s gas prices are about nine cents cheaper than the national average, but have risen at the same rate. According to a forecast by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gasoline prices could exceed four dollars per gallon this summer.

To find out when the country will get relief from these high gas prices, it is first necessary to understand why they are rising in the first place. One reason that gasoline prices are higher is that it is almost summer. Refiners use a different recipe in summer months to create a “summer blend” gasoline. Cheaper additives used in winter tend to evaporate and cause pollution in the warmer summer months. Federal and local laws require different additives in summer to preserve air quality, but more expensive additives tend to drive up the price. Additionally, as refiners change blends shortages can result that drive up prices further. Federal law requires the sale of the summer blend from June 1 to September 15, but some local governments have their own timeline. To have the product in stations prior to June 1, production must start in March or April.

One good thing about the switch is that is that most drivers will notice a slight increase in fuel economy when using summer blend gasoline. This is because there is more gasoline in the mixture and fewer total additives than in winter gasoline.

The U.S.E.I.A. Short Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook (April 12, 2011) mentions two other factors in the rising price of gasoline and oil. First, one component of rising oil prices is due to growth in demand as the world and U.S. economies finally recover from the recession. Second, oil supplies are being reduced by the disruption of Libyan oil exports and the continuing unrest in the Middle East.

Looking back through history, it is easy to see a pattern in which oil prices rise sharply and the economy subsequently plunges into a recession. These oil shocks have occurred several times in the past fifty years. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 led to the first oil shock and a major recession from 1973 to 1975. A second occurred in 1979 with the Iranian Islamic Revolution and was followed by the recession of 1980 to 1982. A smaller spike occurred in 1990 with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and another in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. The most recent oil shock occurred in the summer of 2008.

Oil shocks typically cause a decline in the demand for oil as prices rise, but they also cause a decline in the demand for other goods and services as well. The reason for this is two-fold. If consumers are spending more at the pump, they have less money to spend on other things. Second, the prices of other things are rising as well because oil and gasoline are used to manufacture and transport a large number of products. As demand falls off, companies earn less in sales and therefore produce less. The economy shrinks into a recession. This was illustrated in vivid detail in 2008 as the price of oil collapsed after the economy crashed.

Conversely, the rising price of oil is an incentive for producers to produce more oil. Oil reserves that were not economical to tap at lower prices are suddenly more attractive. Other producers, such as OPEC countries, have historically ignored production quotas to take advantage of rising prices as well. The increase in the supply of available oil on the market drives the price down. Eventually, supply and demand reach an equilibrium at a lower price.

The crisis in Libya has also helped to drive up oil prices around the world. Even though Libyan oil primarily supplied Europe, when Libyan production was lost European companies had to look elsewhere for oil to meet their needs, driving prices up. In the ongoing struggle, Libya is estimated to have lost two-thirds of its oil production. Prior to the war, Libya ranked 17th in world oil production with most of its exports going to Italy and Germany. The disruption is the eighth largest oil disruption in modern history.

There is still more unrest in the Middle East as well. The “Arab Awakening” has spread from Tunisia and Egypt throughout the Arab world. The uprisings have not yet reached Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, but Saudi forces have intervened militarily to support the ruling family in neighboring Bahrain. Unrest in more oil-producing countries would have a further upward pressure on the price of oil. As always, Iran’s nuclear ambitions also threaten the region.

There are other factors in the price of oil that are not discussed in the Energy Information Administration’s brief. Chief among these is the Obama Administration’s moratorium on off-shore drilling. Originally, President Obama had announced a plan in March 2010 to allow drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Atlantic. After the BP oil spill, Obama reversed his decision and temporarily banned offshore drilling in waters deeper than 500 feet. He lifted the ban (which was struck down by the courts in its original form) in October, just prior to the midterm elections, and kept the ban on the eastern gulf and Atlantic.

Even after the ban was lifted, the Administration dragged its feet on issuing drilling permits to the point where oil companies sued the Department of the Interior. Again, the courts found in favor of the oil companies and agreed that the new rules issued after the ban was lifted imposed an informal moratorium. The government continued its policy of delaying permits and was found in contempt by a U.S. district judge in February 2011.

Ironically, while American oil companies are banned from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, other countries are not. Cuba has sold drilling rights to more than a dozen countries including Russia, Sudan, Myanmar, and Vietnam. China is currently negotiating leases with Cuba that would allow drilling within 45 miles of Florida.

Another government policy that has a negative effect on oil prices is quantitative easing. The Federal Reserve, led by Ben Bernanke, has been increasing the money supply by buying government bonds. As more money enters the market each dollar is worth less because price falls as supply increases. Each dollar will buy less because it has been devalued. This is called inflation.

Bernanke does not believe that his inflationary policies affect the price of oil, but logic dictates that if each dollar used to purchase a barrel of oil is worth less then the oil producers will want more of them for their product. If a barrel of oil is sold for more dollars than before, the price of the gasoline it produces will also increase. Essentially, Bernanke agrees that inflation is likely, but doesn’t think it affects oil prices

21 Tips To Extend the Life of Your Car

Car Advice For Women No Responses »

Feb 222012

Care and Maintenance Tips Keep Your Car Running in Top-Notch Condition We’ve compiled our best expert advice, surprising tricks…

Care and Maintenance Tips Keep Your Car Running in Top-Notch Condition
We’ve compiled our best expert advice, surprising tricks, and car care tips to prolong the life of your automobile!

1. Be patient during the break-in period

You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:

During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.

2. Drive with care everyday
Being car considerate shouldn’t stop after the break-in. Drive with care every day and your car will reward you with longer intervals without repair.

Do not race your car’s engine during start-up.This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine, especially if it’s cold outside.
Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive.The most wear to the engine and drive train occurs in the first ten to twenty minutes of operation.
Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea.The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components.
Put less strain on your engine and automatic transmission by shifting to neutral at red lights. Otherwise, the engine is still working to push the car even while it’s stopped.
Avoid driving at high speeds and accelerating quickly, especially when it’s very hot or very cold outside. Such driving behavior will result in more frequent repairs.
Extend the life of your tires with careful driving. Observe posted speed limits. Avoid fast starts, stops, and turns. Avoid potholes and objects on the road. Don’t run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking. And, of course, don’t burn rubber.
When turning your steering wheel, don’t hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds. Doing so can damage the power-steering pump.
Consolidate your short driving trips. Most of the wear and tear — as well as the pollution your car generates — takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Doing several errands at once, during low traffic hours if possible, will keep your engine happier longer.

3. Buy gas at reputable service stations

Ask whether the gas you buy is filtered at the pump and if the station has a policy about changing the pump filters regularly. If you get a song and dance, find another gas station. Some stations don’t have pump filters, making you more vulnerable to dirty gasoline. Other stations may not mix alcohol and fuel properly — or worse, water down their product. Find a station you trust and stick to it.

4. Don’t fill up if you see the tanker

If you happen to see a gasoline tanker filling the tanks at your local gas station, come back another day or go to a different station. As the station’s underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediment. Sediment in your gas can clog fuel filters and fuel injectors, causing poor performance and possibly necessitating repairs.

5. Go easy when you’re stuck

When stuck in mud or snow, don’t make the problem worse by damaging an expensive component. Gently rocking in an attempt to free the car is fine. But if it looks as though you’re really stuck, don’t keep at it. Throwing your car from forward to reverse repeatedly, as well as spinning tires at high speeds, can generate lots of heat and spell trouble for transmissions, clutches, and differentials. It may be cheaper in the long run to call the tow truck rather than risk big repair bills down the road. It’s a good idea to carry a traction aid in the trunk, such as sand, gravel, or cat litter.

6. Lighten up your key chain

Does your car key share a chain with a dozen or more other keys? That’s a pretty heavy load hanging off the car key when it’s in the ignition.The weight, combined with bouncing while you drive, can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure.To add years of service to your ignition switch, purchase a lightweight key chain that allows you to separate your ignition key from the others. Drive with only the ignition key in your ignition. If your ignition key “sticks” when you try to turn on the car, it’s a warning that your ignition switch is about to fail. Replace it before you get stranded.

7. Choose a good car insurer

Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, disaster inevitably strikes — typically in the form of an accident. Make sure that your car will be repaired to the best possible standard by finding an insurer that will pay for parts from the original manufacturer and guarantee the repairs it authorizes.

8. Keep an auto log

Keep a pad and pencil in the glove compartment and use them to record your gas fill-ups and mileage. If you notice that your gas mileage worsens, mention it to your service man. It may be an early warning sign that something is wrong with your car.

9. Preserve your car during long-term storage

If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return.

Fill the gas tank to help prevent condensation from accumulating in the gas tank. Add a fuel stabilizer and drive the car around a bit to distribute the additive to engine parts.
Wash and wax the car thoroughly to protect the finish.
Place a vapor barrier on your garage floor. A 4-mil polyethylene drop cloth will do.
Disengage the parking brake to help avoid brake corrosion.
Put the car on jack stands to take the weight of the vehicle off the wheels and tires.
Disconnect and remove the battery to keep it from draining. Place the battery on a trickletype charger. Or periodically drain the battery, using a small light bulb, and then recharge it with a low-volt charger.
Plug the tailpipe with a rag to prevent moist air from infiltrating into it

Car Interior
10. Park in the shade
Of course, a garage is always the ideal place to park your car. But if one isn’t available, minimize interior damage from UV sunlight and heat by always trying to park your car in the shade. If no shade is available or if you find parking under a tree results in bird droppings, use a car shade to minimize the sun’s impact. As a bonus, you’ll have a cooler car to step into on hot sunny days. Car shades come in two basic types: those that you unfold and place on the front windshield and rear window, or pleated types that attach to the windshield posts (with adhesive), window frames (with Velcro), or the windows themselves (with suction cups).
11. Clean the inside, too
Vacuum and sponge your interior every time you wash your car. Dirt particles are abrasive, and spilled liquids, such as soda, can be corrosive.Vacuum your interior thoroughly with a powerful vacuum (small cordless models are generally too weak). Use the appropriate wand heads when vacuuming. The bare metal wand can mar and scratch surfaces. Sponge vinyl surfaces clean with a solution of mild detergent and water.
12. Clean dash gauges carefully
Use a soft damp cloth to lightly wipe dust from the clear plastic lenses on your dashboard. Too much pressure will scratch them. Too many scratches can make it difficult to read your gauges under certain lighting conditions.
13. Let floor mats take winter’s beating
Use floor mats to protect carpeting. The best type for controlling salt, slush, and mud in winter are rubber wafflestyle mats. They stay in place, don’t allow the water to seep through, and are easy to wash clean. Carpet-style mats are helpful, too. Shake, vacuum, or wash as needed; replace them as they wear through.
14. Blast mats with the hose
When washing your car, drag out the rubber or carpet floor mats and blast them with the hose.This will dislodge dirt particles that, if allowed to build up, will grind holes in your mats. Let the mats dry thoroughly in the sun before reinstalling them.
15. For stubborn carpet or mat stains
After vacuuming floor mats or interior carpeting, apply foam rug cleaner to resistant stains as directed by the maker. Work the foam into a few square feet at a time, using a wet sponge or brush. Vacuum when dry.
16. Preserve door and window seals
Wipe a rubber protectant (such as Armor-All) or silicone on door and window weatherstripping to keep it in good condition. Don’t use an oilbased product, such as WD-40, because the oil will damage the rubber. Regular cleaning and treatment of your car’s weatherstripping will also lessen the likelihood of your door sticking to its rubber seal in cold weather, a common cause of damage to the rubber.
17. Fix bad weatherstripping immediately
If your weatherstripping is letting rainwater leak into the interior of your car, take a look at it and decide if you can repair it or if it needs to be replaced. Small leaks can be handled with brush-on seam sealers. Resecure loose sections, not otherwise damaged, with trim adhesive. Torn sections may be repaired with special caulking available at auto parts stores. You may also be able to extend the life of worn-but-intact sections by inserting foam rods, available at automotive stores, into the hollow section of the weatherstripping. If you decide to replace entire sections of gasket, don’t simply buy generic stuff such as you’d use around the house. Buy a product that matches your car’s original weatherstripping — it’s available in a wide variety of profiles from dealerships and automotive mail-order catalogues.
18. Keep leather from drying out and cracking
Leather cars seats are durable and don’t require a lot of maintenance. After a few years, however, the seats can become soiled. Use a leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains.Then apply a leather protectant formulated for pigmented or top-coated grain leather (the leather used for most leather car upholstery). Protectants will resist stains and make the upholstery easier to clean in the future. Choose a protectant that includes conditioners to keep your leather supple.
19. Use upholstery cleaners on soiled seats
The same upholstery cleaners you use at home can be used on your car’s upholstery. Use them sparingly, however, to avoid saturating the fabric. Use a clean cloth to wipe away the foam. On velour seats, brush the fibers gently to avoid matting them and to preserve the original texture of the fabric.
20. Renew fabric upholstery
Spraying fabric car seats and carpets with a fabric protectant, such as Scotchgard, will make them resist dirt and stains, and make them easier to clean. Thoroughly clean the fabrics before using one of these products and then test the product on an inconspicuous place to be sure the treatment will not discolor the fabric.
21. Place a towel under baby seats
All manner of food bits and liquids can accumulate under a baby seat, where they can permanently stain the upholstery. Place a sheet of heavy plastic and an absorbent towel under the seat to prevent damage, and re-secure the seat according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Neglecting Your Car’s Engine? It Can All Add Up!

Blog, Car Advice For Women, Car Safety Information No Responses »

Feb 142012

You always have a ‘choice,’ even where something simple is concerned – even something as simple as your car’s engine air filter. Say you’ve been driving around without having changed your car’s engine air filter in a while. You can choose to buy one for $15-20 and install it yourself or perhaps with the helping hand of a friendly parts store clerk. Or, down the road, you may find yourself shopping for a laundry list of parts and a reliable repair shop. Under these circumstances, your shopping list could include:  Piston rings – $120  Full gasket set – $175  Connecting rod bearings – $80  Main bearings – $80  Machine work – $600  Repair shop labor to remove/reinstall engine and parts – $1,200  Labor to disassemble and reassemble engine – $750 Total $3,005 Additionally, if you add in new spark plugs, oil, belts, filters, hoses, motor mounts, thermostat the cost inches a lot closer to $4,000. On the other hand, your mechanic can order a re-manufactured engine at $2,500 or more, and with the cost of labor added in it too totals $4000-plus! “An air filter is a small item in terms of cost, but plays a very big role when it comes to protecting the engine in your car,” said Chuck Kerrigan, Director of Marketing for Purolator, a major supplier of engine air filters to the automotive aftermarket in North America. “Today’s engines include parts that are manufactured to such precise tolerances that even a modicum of dirt can potentially damage its performance,” said Kerrigan. Imagine, for every gallon of fuel your vehicle consumes, it ingests 10,000 gallons of air. And with the precise clearance of one-thousandths of an inch or more between the piston ring and the groove of the piston in which it rides, the engine is extremely vulnerable when the air filter is dirty or blocked. Once this happens, the filter media gets sucked in, ruptures, allowing unfiltered dirt to rush in and damage the engine’s vital internal parts. “The two most critical features to look for in engine air filters are ‘efficiency’ and ‘capacity,’ ” said Kerrigan. “Efficiency describes how well an air filter removes harmful particulates, and capacity is a measure of how much debris a filter can hold. For example, our Purolator Classic air filter is 96.5 percent efficient with excellent capacity. And our premium Purolator PureONE air filter, which is 99.5 percent efficient, removes particulates as small as 8 ten-thousandths of an inch, and can hold more contaminants than many other air filters on the market. Particles this size and larger can cause major damage to critical internal engine parts and over time, can cause damage serious enough to require total (and expensive!) engine overhaul or replacement,” Kerrigan emphasized. “Finally, avoiding the frustration of knowing that you could have prevented an engine rebuild simply by spending a couple of dollars now, is priceless; your engine will appreciate it, and so will your bank account,” Kerrigan said. To learn more about Purolator filters and the filtration category, please visit www.purolatorautofilters.net.

Seven DIY Car Care Tips to Cut Your Maintenance Costs

Car Advice For Women, Car Safety Information No Responses »

Feb 102012

Seven DIY Car Care Tips to Cut Your Maintenance Costs

Still trying to pare down your household budget? Here’s an option you might not have considered—doing more of the regular maintenance on your car.
The idea can be a little intimidating—even scary—for some. The website, womens-finance.com, reports that one-third of women have some sort of “car-phobia” when it comes to servicing their cars.
You’ve learned DIY for your home, so why not for your vehicle? We’re not talking about a brake relining, but simple things that not only can cut your service expenses but also extend the life of your car, save on gas and keep you and your family safer on the road. Here are seven tips to get you started:
Use Your Owner’s Manual
Unlike men, most women find directions helpful. You don’t have to read every page of your manual, but skim through it and become familiar with the basics. Just like cookbooks, mark the important parts with tabs or adhesive notes. Keep your manual handy when inspecting or working on your vehicle.
Put a Scheduled Maintenance Program on Your Calendar
Your manual has the details on how often you should change your oil and fluids and inspect and replace parts. Schedule these and other DIY activities on your calendar to make sure you don’t forget.
Maintain Proper Pressure in Your Tires
If you only have time for one DIY job, this would be your top choice. Underinflated tires are the No. 1 cause of tire failure or flats and can decrease you fuel economy by as much as 10 percent. Use a quality tire-pressure gauge and check when the tires are cool. Information about the correct pressure for your car is in your manual and on the driver’s doorjamb.
Change Your Fluids Regularly
These include your radiator coolant, engine oil, brake fluid, power-steering fluid and automatic transmission fluid. Some of these tasks are quite easy, but even the most challenging are doable with a little help and practice. Your mechanic or a service representative can show you what to do, or you can find assistance online. This video, for example, will walk you through the steps of checking your oil.
Inspect Your Belts and Hoses
Belt and hose failures are the No. 1 cause of roadside breakdowns. You should inspect them every six months and before long trips.
Know How to Respond to Dashboard Warning Signs
Some of the most important signs are the check engine light, water temperature gauge, and indicators for electronic controls such as the antilock braking system (ABS) and traction control. For example, if your ABS light comes on and stays on, you should immediately have a professional inspect your car.