Could Car Makers Learn from Hot Wheels?

Now that Mattel is officially worth more than GM, could the car manufacturers have something to glean from the toymakers?

It is no mistake that the manufacturers of toys and cars share many steps of the design process but diverge very quickly when it comes to the actual manufacturing of their product. Where they also obviously split is with the marketing.

When the toy car is designed it will usually take under six months to get it onto the shelves. A real car will take about four years to get put on to the lots. The reality is that car manufacturers have to retool their plants and go through rigorous testing for safety and efficiencies so a bulk of that four years is understandable. There are exceptions to this industry standard of fermenting a car: the design to production process of the new Buick LaCrosse which will be released in the US at a record-breaking two year mark. How did they do that? Technically the car went through the same four-year design to production process but, like a Hot Wheel, had a significant amount of its development done by extremely talented Chinese designers and engineers. By the time the LaCrosse hit the shores of the US manufacturing plant that also makes the Malibu and the Aura was ready for its new addition.GM may have made a lot of mistakes in the last years but embracing their foreign teams for products like the LaCrosse and the G-8 (Australia) is a smart move.

Mattel introduces about 300 new designs every year. Car manufacturers, obviously and understandably, introduce far less new models. When Mattel begins the marketing process for new designs they do it in series; for example, the toy cars being released for the Christmas season exclusively through Wal-Mart will be paired instead of promoted individually. When a new model of a real car is introduced its costs the manufacturer approximately $100 million per model. If that manufacturer, say like Chrysler, has multiple brands and introduces the same platform model across a couple of different brands ( Chrysler and Dodge), the marketing expenses will be $200 million. Reducing the total number of models shared by the brands is one of the ways that Chrysler has more recently been trying to save money.

It has been said that Mattel employs a professional who serves as a marketing consultant to increase the "whine factor" in its advertising so that parents will get so tired of their children whining for the latest model that they will break down and buy the under $10 toy. Car manufacturers have really stubbed their toe on this concept by supporting the tradition of the most highly desirable cars being out of reach monetarily for most consumers and keeping affordable cars boring, lacking quality and nothing to whine for. Maybe the auto manufacturers could borrow the psychiatrist to help them out.

Miss Motor Mouth

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Is Daylight Savings A Danger To Drivers?

I always loved when Daylight Savings started in the autumn as a teenager.
Curfew was at midnight but on that last Saturday in October it meant that midnight was actually 1 AM.

Now the time change comes a week later ( which honestly, was so confusing this last week, I text messaged three friends in California to ask what time it was when I woke up).

As I've gotten older (and GASP! More responsible?) and sleep is no longer an optional all day recreation period and the clock rules my day as much as work, feeding that kid and being bone tired after running around all day, Daylight Savings has become a pain in the you know what!

Apparently, besides the grumbling that you hear from coworkers and friends, there are real statistics that point to Daylight Savings being more dangerous to us as drivers than I realized.

That the change in sleep patterns affects people will end their ability to drive safely. Some claim the accidents increase significantly twice a year directly after the time that the time changes. I'm not going to give sources-Google it yourself and you will see that most links are directly back to accident lawyers ( or ambulance chasers, as my father would call them).

What does make more sense to me is that the time change that happens for summertime increases the number of accidents that are related to alcohol.
The days longer, who doesn't want to embrace a beautiful summer day by going out with friends for a cool drink? Problem is? It is a bad idea!

So actually, in contrast to my teenage years when I thought daylight savings was about staying out and having fun, the time change that happens in Autumn is really the time when drivers stay home ( maybe have a glass of wine at
home) and the roads are a bit safer.

Probably better to remember at this time of year is that the holidays begin in earnest with Halloween and accidents do increase significantly due to holiday festivities through New Year's. My suggestion is: stay-at-home, save gas, burn candles responsibly, don't forget to vote next week and enjoy getting to stay up an our extra this Saturday night. You'll feel like a teenager.

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Driving With The Dogs: Safety For All

This is Mae & Nubbyns. I love my dogs. I love my dogs so much that last year I spent more after veterinarian than I did at the pediatrician. Or on insurance for my daughter and myself. Or on food. WellŠ that last one is not true. My dogs love me, they love each other, they love protecting me ( as much as you can protect if you weigh 12 pounds or 5 pounds). I even have documentation of how fierce these dogs are because the other day I took a break from writing on my computer using my MacSpeech voice-activated software and didn't silence the microphone. Here is what was recorded when my dogs saw a suspicious looking tamale seller rolling her cart down the sidewalk while I was out of sight:

and a a room and and and a man and and and and and and and and and and and and and in in an and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and a US and a day and a this is

I guess that the incomplete sentence at the end was me returning to the room and interrupting them; they didn't want me to know that they actually speak words that are in human dictionaries.

One thing I really love is taking my dogs to the beach, to friends' houses for play dates, on road trips and quick errands when I know I won't be getting out of the car. Luckily my 1999 BMW Z3 Coupe has a nifty feature that suits us perfectly while on the road: these touring cars were designed to hold luggage, go fast and be safe and the netting between the backspace and where the driver sits is the perfect barrier to keep both the dogs and me safe.

For one thing, if Mae had her way, she would be driving. That is an unsafe distraction that could lead to accidents and hurting me, my passengers, others on the road and Mae because my airbags would hit her 5 pound frame so hard.

According to one article that I found, in driving tests it was determined that a 13 pound dog sitting in the backseat unsecured would hit a passenger in the front seat with 396 pounds of pressure. At the moment of impact that means a dog's weight multiplied by 30 would result in a 70 pound dog hitting you with 2112 pounds of pressure. The chance of a dog surviving that is very low and for humans in the car? It would not be pretty.

There are seatbelt style restraints designed for dogs but the best solution, to be absolutely certain that no one would be unnecessarily hurt in the event of an accident, is to make sure that the dogs are in a confined space or a crate secured to the seat.

My dogs may not like when I leave them at home if I am in a car other than my BMW but knowing we are all safe is better than traveling in a pack.

Miss Motor Mouth

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Looking Forward to Carbon Again

A bit ago I wrote about high-performance carbon, the tuner culture and how carbon could change how cars are being made.

As a big fan of the eccentric & genius Buckminster Fuller I was intrigued by the idea of buckypaper in an article about how this new material could change the way that cars, airplanes and more could be revolutionized. Buckypaper is described as "10 times lighter but potentially 500 times stronger than steel when sheets of it are stacked and pressed together to form a composite".

IT IS 50,000 TIMES THINNER THAN A HUMAN HAIR!

This train of thought ( and a conversation with a friend) lead me to the Airstream of my dreams by good ol' Bucky: the Dynomax.

Buckypaper is not just a tribute to the great designer, Buckminster Fuller.
It is actually referential to buckminsterfullerene (an alltrope...you don't really want a science lesson today, do you?).

Point is, designing a car that isn't based on a combustion engine is one thing. The entire floor and structure will change- and can be changed- and that changes the way the designers aesthetically address the shape of cars. Those hybrids,though, are based on structures that are made of traditional materials that are heavy and enable protective qualities to the entire unit.
They are just a traditional car where the engine, like interstitial windshield wipers, have been tweaked. They are only half of the new product.

A new exterior concept combined with a re-designed drive train (that includes alternative energy concepts, ya'll) would really give new definition to environmentally friendly autos.

What carbon, better yet, Buckypaper does is change the way the entire production line functions, how balance, stance, speed, efficiencies and aesthetics are addressed. This is the place that science and design will really make a marked change in the way that we perceive automobile design.

Just take the Dynomax: it was so sleekly designed that Bucky Fuller claimed it would go 120 mph easily but there is no documentation that it ever went over 90 miles an hour without the rear end lifting off the ground.In this case Bucky was just using a stock Ford V-8 engine with a (oh those dreamer artists!) new
exterior- half of a new product.

Interestingly the name of the engineer, brilliant as he may be, who developed the hybrid engine that's being replicated over and over again by all of the manufacturers, is not rolling off the tip of the tongue of neither gear heads nor the consumers. It will be that perfect combination of designer and engineer and artist that will change the way we perceive cars forever.

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Used car shopping: Buying directly from the owner is your best bet

The resurgence of the used car market
Before gas prices spiked and the economy took its turn for the worse, how many of us considered buying a used car? Probably not many. But Market Watch is reporting that consumer interest in used and certified pre-owned cars has spiked compared to the first three quarters last year.

Sites such as Cars.com saw a 56 percent increase in dealer contacts and a 63 percent increase in shoppers interested in certified pre-owned cars.

"Not only do manufacturer-sponsored certified programs on Cars.com drive certified buyers to local dealerships, but they also generate more overall traffic -- new, used and certified," Cars.com president Mitch Golub said. "Certified programs support new car sales; in fact, 30 percent of certified lead senders on Cars.com buy new cars."

To the smart manufacturers, it's basically a two-pronged approach. Marketing and aggressively pricing certified pre-owned cars is helping bring shoppers in hesitant to buy new. But at the same time the increase in traffic to the dealers helps new car sales as well.

CPO means higher price
The disadvantage to certified pre-owned is the higher sticker price. Purchasing a preowned car directly from the owner is a better bet, especially through a site like Mota.net. Not only do you avoid the inevitable dealer markup, but you benefit from Mota's professional inspection. A little extra security when buying used.

The key point here is that consumers are taking to the pre-owned market more and more. Taking on more debt right now is just not a good idea. Buying used helps you escape the high cost of new cars with the first owner taking on the cars depreciation.

Avoid the dealers, find the sellers
Raymond Ciccolo, who is president of a group of seven dealerships in the Boston area, says many will not be able to survive the current economic slowdown. Ciccolo is also the Massachusetts director of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

"People are putting off purchasing," Ciccolo said. "The want is gone, and they are only going to buy when they need a car."

Today, the quality and reliability of today's cars is much better than anytime in history. Yes, you have brands and models that have a poor reputation. Unfortunately for manufacturers, buyers don't forget. If they've had or heard about a bad experience, they carry it with them for a long time.

But to come to the auto makers defense, people need to set their differences aside and look at all of the options available. It's a tired cliché, but thinking outside the box presents you with many more choices that will only help in your car buying decisions.

Andy Mrozinski
Editor, Ridestory.com
andy@ridestory.com
http://twitter.com/ridestory

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Honda Insight: Ahead of its time

I have been watching sale prices on used Honda Insight's lately. There appears to have been a real resurgence of interest in these small fuel-efficient hybrids. Well, perhaps it’s unfair to say “resurgence” since they didn’t exactly set the world on fire with sales when they were new. I would attribute this to Honda being a bit too far ahead of its time and now that the entire automotive landscape in the U.S. has suddenly started to look surprisingly like Europe they are becoming quite hot commodities.

For those of you not familiar with this model, it was a real technology tour de force for Honda, combining their hybrid Integrated Motor Assist with an ultra-efficient and light-weight two-seat vehicle. It was also the first hybrid-electric vehicle available in the U.S. and was rated at 70 mpg highway by the DOT standards at the time. Honda stopped selling them in 2006 after poor sales. Forbes reported near the end of the model’s availability that in some months Honda only sold 8 Insight's in the United States. Yes, 8!

I reviewed one when new and was pretty astounded. The driving experience reminded me of the old Honda CRX, especially the HF model. It was light, nimble, surprisingly roomy for a tiny two-seater, and with the manual transmission it was fun to drive. I thought it was awesome, but to be fair I was also a fan of the GM EV1, so I was a bit biased.

The Insight cost a bit over $20,000 when new and if this Craigslist posting is to be believed, they are now selling for nearly the same prices used. There’s also this eBay listing for another Insight with low miles asking for over $25,000.

It appears that Honda may have pulled the car from the market just a bit too early.

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15 and Ready To Drive: Prepping Your Teens Driving Training

Today is a very special day. I was woken by my daughter before 6 AM so that I could get dressed and get out of the house with her to walk to her high school with enough time to stop by our closest independent purveyor of fine organic coffees . On a normal day I wouldn’t get my coffee until after I have left her at the gates of the high school but because today was her 15th birthday she decided that she wanted to take part in my ritual. All growed up, I guess she figured, after a lifetime of begging for a morning cup of tea/hot chocolate/cider/coffee like an adult only to never drink it by the time the first bell rang, that she would give it a try again.

About halfway to the school Little MissMotorMouth mentioned, ever so casually, that in April she can get her learner’s permit and begin driving. I’d forgotten how closely I was approaching that corner when I wrote this article about choosing her first car.

Out of curiosity I rang my friend and insurance agent, Jim Seilsopour, and asked him what I need to do to begin getting prepared for 6 months from now at 15 ½, when she will be allowed to have a provisional permit. According to Jim, an agent for State Farm, I will not be charged for insuring my daughter during the six month provisional permit, or until she gets her license. This seems like a huge liability for an insurer but because of my driving record, my daughters good student standing (B average or above) and the fact that she is a girl ( contrary to what the OB/GYN told me a few hours before she was born), not only is her learning time not going to cost me more but my rates will increase only about $25 a month for the 2001 Kia Spectra. It may not seem fair that insurance leans favorably towards young female drivers but Jim pointed out that it is the direct result of uninsured teens who are boys being more likely to “borrow” the family car without being licensed.

If you have a teen who is 15 and, like my daughter, you feel is trustworthy enough to begin the learning process, here are some things that you can do now to get ready for your driving teen:

• In order to get the provisional permits at 15 ½ your teen will need 30 hours of professional drivers’ education (classwork). There are many online options, local private instructors or programs through school system.-at 15 ½, your teen will need to complete DL44 and submit it to your local DMV along with parental signature, social security number, proof of true full name (birth certificate), proof of registration to complete six hours of professional driving instruction and the application fee.

• Contact your insurance agent to find out when you need to have your teenager added as a driver to your policy.

• As many parents require their teen to pay for their own insurance and gas, now is the best time to begin talking to your teen about how they are going to make money to pay for these things.

• Introduce your young driver to Ford’s Driving Skills for Life program online, and if at all possible, attend one of the events.

• In the following six months after the teen as received a permit, they will be required to drive at least 50 hours with an adult above the age of 25, 10 of the hours must be at night.

For now, I need to start discussing jobs with my girl. Although she might have been feeling pretty big for her britches this morning, all ready to begin the countdown till she can start to drive, I do know this: when I got to the gate of the school this morning right before the bell rang, she handed me her to-go cup with her coffee, and it was still completely full.

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Red Engine Lights : What to Do

What may sound incredible is that many people have no idea what to do when the engine light comes on. Random surveys in the past have revealed that many drivers are clueless. Many drivers have little or no idea about what the light is trying to indicate or how one should respond.

Dashboard lights always flicker for a few seconds and then disappear. The majority of drivers pay no heed to these lights or when they do notice the light, no action is taken. However, all drivers should know and understand what a flashing engine light means.

There are countless anecdotal stories of what drivers have done to their cars when the engine light has come on- and each time the end result has been a disaster. Many drivers have different ideas as to why an engine light comes on. The reasons vary from low oil pressure, overheated engine, car running low on gas, diminished battery power, open hood or car door, malfunction of head lights and so on. It is imperative that all drivers sit down and read their car manual at least once in their life time. All drivers should become familiar with lights on the dashboard, especially the engine light. One can get a brief idea about the different lights on the dashboard by turning the key on/engine-off position.

When an engine light comes on, it will either blink or stay steady, depending on the situation. In any case whenever a light is on, the vehicle should be taken to a mechanic to be checked out. In general, a blinking light signals a more critical problem which requires immediate attention.

In cars built over the last decade, a blinking light more often than not indicates engine misfiring which is associated with spilling of unburnt fuel into the exhaust system. This event has been known to cause severe damage to the catalytic converter, which can prove to be a very expensive car repair.

Anytime an engine red light comes on, one should immediately slow down and have the car checked out as soon as possible. If the light is constant, the problem can wait but the car still needs to be checked out as soon as possible.

Many modern cars of today have built-in computers which often try to recompense whenever there is an engine problem. A flashing engine light is not always associated with immediate problems with the car- the only obvious observation may be a decrease in the fuel mileage and/or emission of high levels of hydrocarbons. In some cases, the car’s computer may automatically reduce the power in order to limit the car damage.
Anytime a driver ignores that engine light, he/she is potentially hurting both the car and his/her pocket.

If the check-engine light comes on, here are some tips on what you should do:
- Always check for things like low oil pressure or overheating of the engine. In such a case, you should pull over and shut the engine off as soon as you can.
- Sometimes the light may be due to a simple thing like a loose gas cap. So tighten the gas cap and see if the light resets. Some cars may have a separate indicator for a loose gas cap.
- When the engine light comes on or blinks, slow down and determine if the car’s performance has been affected. The most important point is to reduce power and stress on the car. If you are towing a trailer, it would be a good idea to stop and have the car checked out as soon as possible.
- The last thing you should do when an engine light comes on is to go for an emissions test. An illuminated engine light is a definite sign that your car is not road worthy. In most states, an on-engine light is an automatic failure.

One should never ignore the engine light; you could end up damaging expensive equipment which will definitely cost you a lot of money to fix. If you are lucky and are prompt in your response, the only adverse effects will have been a poor gas mileage and contamination of the environment with some hydrocarbons

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Best Cars For First Time Drives: From A Worried Dad

I find myself wondering about the best safest vehicles for my kids...and my oldest is still three years away from getting behind the wheel. Now I have a better understanding of why I drove my parents nuts as they prepped me for driving; picturing my son behind the wheel makes me wince.

Obviously, being cool and looking good are the prerequisites for the vehicles being chosen by most teens. As parents, we're obviously thinking more along the lines of Sherman Tank safety and speeds reserved for the common scooter.

Here's a nice list that tries to meet both expectations and need somewhere in the middle. These 10 vehicles make the cut based solely on safety ratings, (4 or 5 stars) curtain air bags and electronic stability controls either as an option or standard. some of these also meet the "cool" requirement but also register a tad higher on the cost scale. Wise consumers doing their research will have no problem finding a quality used car with low miles and a clean vehicle history report.



Chevy Impala

Retail: $21,995 | Engine: 211hp V6 | MPG: 18/29
Nice conservative ride; safe, good mileage and has good potential for customization to increase cool factor.



Chrysler 300

Retail: $24,595 | Engine: 178hp V6 | PG: 18/26
Another full size vehicle; nice ride for a 1st time drive. Buy it for your wife, and have piece of mind that every will be safe. And look great too!



Ford Taurus

Retail: $25,845 | Engine: 263hp V6 | MPG: 18/28
A trusted name, strong track record and an updated design. May be a little "stuffy" but its engine and overall performance still packs a punch.



Honda Accord

Retail: $20,995 | Engine: 177hp 4-cyl MPG: 21/31
One of the safest mid-sized sedans on the road; newer modern updates appeal to younger drivers even more.



Honda Civic

Retail: $15,445 | Engine: 140hp 4-cyl | MPG: 25/36
The Civic has also been updated with modern styling; also widely accepted by young drivers and also holds its value very well.



Mazda3

Starting: $13,895 | Engine: 148hp 4-cyl. | MPG: 24/32
Fun, safe & roomy; sedan or hatchback. Tops on my list for its size, sportiness and overall practicality.



Nissan Altima

Starting: $18,855 | Engine: 175hp 4-cyl | MPG: 23/31
All around consumer leader in styling, fun factor, safety and gas mileage.



Subaru Impreza 2.5i

Starting: $17,640 | Engine: 170hp 4cyl | MPG: 20/27
Another safe and sporty model that ranks at the top of most young drivers; also ranks very high in safety levels. High production quality is a plus.



Toyota Prius

Starting: $21,60 | Engine: 186hp 4-cyl | MPG: 48/45solid, reliable with
Besides the obvious economical benefits, safety ratings rank well; Do the extra research as the market is creating a wide band of prices.



Toyota RAV4

Starting: $21,610 | Engine: 186hp 4-cyl | MPG: 48/45
The only SUV to make the list; all due to its safety, best in class size, overall performance and the ability to hold its value.

Keep in mind...who will be driving this vehicle? How often, how far and with who? All important factors when considering the best car to buy for your young or first time driver. Get a CARFAX report, check the safety ratings and compare your overall cost of ownership for the vehicle.

Best of luck. Don't wince too hard.

Eric Miltsch

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What Type of Car Buyer Are You?

Used car shoppers all agree that doing your research online is a must. Dealer websites, photos, videos, mileage figures, reviews, CARFAX history reports…they will seek all the major resources. Even turning to friends, family and even the guy down the hall at work who claims to know everything.

The major difference between all shoppers is how this information is processed and actually absorbed. Many buyers will tell you what they want and how much research they did. But did they?

Most car buyers eventually buy something that is closer to what they want rather than what they need. I've done it. I blame it on Maslow.

Shoppers need to use the resources available to make the best choice rather than just taking the easy route and selecting the familiar choices. I see a striking similarity in the the choices automotive shoppers make and the decisions voters make. And those choices tend to be based on comfort versus the decision that actually shares their current needs and situation.

Rational Buyers:

These are your car geeks. They know everything about the vehicle. Cubic square inches of the engine, drag coefficients and the entire family history of the founder of the company. Their knowledge overtakes their ability to clearly decide when comparing models side by side. Just like voting, they revert to a confused state and may even make the wrong choice.

Passive Buyers:

These buyers don't pay attention to a specific model or een their specs - aside from price. Their decisions are based more on what they remember from an emotional commercial, a memorable event from their youth or even the overbearing influence from an older Rational Buyer. Again, like voters, very little consideration is given to the alternatives. These are the buyers OEM's love; they like to call it brand loyalty. I call it lazy and close-minded

Frugal Buyers:

The Frugal consumer concentrates on one specific item they have justified as the most important item and becomes passionate about that fact. Any additional logical information that could influence their decision is disregarded as false, stupid or even as a conspiracy theory. These are emotional people. Rational thoughts are not an option as these buyers are operating on their own agenda. If the frugal buyer's hot button is purchasing the vehicle with highest safety rating, any other piece of information will be met with resistance. I also recommend not discussing anything about religion, politics or popular culture as it will not end peacefully.

Intuitive Buyers:

These are pleasant buyers who did what they consider to be sufficient enough research. They could sound like a Wikipedia page, but share only enough to appear as if they are being humble about their "knowledge." Their effort behind the actual research is minimal; they aren't overly committed to one particular brand - often flip-flopping and not paying attention to all of the information. They may be interested in the safety endorsement from the NHSTB. Or just the economy ratings from FuelEconomy.gov . Once the key information is found, their decision is made based on the perceived endorsement from that group.

What kind of used car buyer are you?

[I'm the 1st one.]

Eric Miltsch

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Is quality auto repair service a myth?

The good ole days of auto repair
My first car was a 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle. It ran forever, getting me to summer jobs and a college campus.

Yea, Volkswagen makes a great car. Even the old Beetle. But what a godsend it was to have a reputable auto mechanic at a corner Exxon station. He had no problem working on the VW, finding whatever parts were needed, patching it up quickly for a reasonable price.

Remember when there were mechanics at the corner gas station? If you don't, then you probably don't know what an LP is, a turn table or an 8-track or cassette tape.

When I was a teen, the corner gas station was a place to fill up. But many were much more than that, complete with repair bays that smelled of used oil and a car or two up on a lift. You felt reasonably confident that your car would be taken care of and repaired right the first time. Yes, today things are much different. So much technology has been stuffed into todays cars that you practically need a degree from MIT to fix it.

Finding the gem takes a little effort
For me and my Beetle, my mechanic was great. He greeted me by name and took the time to talk to me. For my VW, the corner gas station kept me on the road. Today, not so much. The corner gas station is gas and gas only. Oh, and the home of the 64 ounce soda. Not the place to get your car repaired.

Here's a few tips to finding a reputable repair shop:

• Check the Better Business Bureau.


• Ask friends and family who they use for auto repairs.


• Visit shops in your area. Are they willing to spend a few minutes and talk to you? If not, move on.


• Trust your gut. Don't use a shop if it doesn't feel right.


• All shop charges should be readily available or clearly posted.


• Take advantage of sites where people rate businesses, such as Kudzu.com.

Maintain the relationship, they'll maintain your car
The small, independent repair shop is far and few between. Take the time to find one. If you build a relationship with a trustworthy shop, do all you can to maintain it. In today's economy, there's less of a chance of you buying a new car and more likely you'll be holding on to your current car longer than you thought. Keeping it maintained will pay off, even if it's a high mileage car.

A healthy relationship with a trustworthy repair shop will work wonders for you, your car and your budget.

Andy Mrozinski

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Where Should You Sell Your Own Car

If you’re reading this, you likely already understand the cash you would lose by trading in your car. However, the last thing you want to do now is burn a large amount of time and money selling your car. You’ll not only pay fees to list your car on many classifieds services and online auction sites, but it will take time to put your ads together properly. Valuable time may be wasted by people who make appointments and never show up. You will also most likely have to show your car to at least a few prospective buyers (aka leads) before you find a buyer.

There are a number of ways to advertise your car and they vary in the amount of time you’ll take to list and sell. The amount of effort expended is usually proportional to the effectiveness of the means. For example, probably the cheapest and easiest thing to go is to put a “For Sale” sign in your car window and drive around for weeks hoping that the right buyer sees it.

Next is putting an ad in the local newspaper. It isn’t hard to think of a three-line text ad and hope the phone rings… but you may find this method expensive and increasingly ineffective as more and more shoppers turn to other mediums to shop.

Online advertising is quickly becoming the preferred method for finding a car to buy. Recent studies show that for the first time more than half of all cars were bought as a result of an online search. For buyers, online ads or auctions offer a number of clear advantages over print. We’ll discuss how to turn these to your advantage later:

• Timeliness

• Ads are literally live within minutes of the seller making it available.
• Perhaps more importantly, they can be removed when the car is sold… nobody enjoys calling ads only to find that the car was sold weeks earlier.
  

• Reach and Selection

• It is now easy to widen your search for a particular vehicle beyond your local town if you are willing to expand your search… which is now easier to do.
• Cars with the right combination of condition, color, mileage, and options are out there… just perhaps not right around the corner.
• Some of these sites have millions of different cars listed.
  

• Richness of Information

• Instead of a short blurb an Internet ad can include a rich description of the car and dozens of photos.
• Buyers can eliminate vehicles from their list for reasons like mileage, condition, color, or option content without having to make calls or drive all over town.
  

• Comparison Data

• Many sites offer quick access to information like value guides, vehicle data (fuel economy, make/model comparisons, etc.), available financing options, and more.
• As a result, shoppers are more educated than ever and can quickly compare your vehicle and price to others
  

So, it appears that an online ad is the place to be, but now which web site do I use? Let’s examine the different types of sites.

Online Classifieds – These are sites where you can present information about your vehicle with the intent of driving a lead to you by phone or email. These tend to lean toward geographical listings (“enter your zip code to find cars near you”) because buyers and sellers are intending to meet each other in person. There are number of these sites out there, including car club sites for brand-specific interest groups. Some are free like Craigslist and Google Base and others charge a listing fee like Cars.com and Autotrader.com .

Online Marketplaces – Sites where negotiations or even the entire transaction can be consummated online. The biggest and most widely known is eBay Motors, the automotive section of eBay. There are a few others but they tend to be focused primarily on classic cars (gofastauctions, for example). eBay Motors listings can also function as a classified ad. In addition to the well-known online auction, they allow sellers of vehicles to list cars with a fixed price and offer a classifieds format with a “best offer” price negotiation tool. A lot of shoppers also look for cars on eBay but contact sellers by email or phone because they aren’t quite comfortable with the idea of an unseen car purchase.

So, where should you list? My suggestion is to list in as many of these places as you can. But understand a few points. First, in most cases it will take time to create a compelling listing on each site unless you use a service like Mota’s which takes care of this for you. Second, with the exception of Craigslist.org most of the classifieds sites are focused primarily on car dealers. Dealers typically send hundreds of listings at a time and they often get premium placement in search results on top of listings by individuals. Your experience may vary but take a look at search results for cars like yours and see how many there are and how many are from dealers.

Certainly put that for sale sign in the window while you are at it as well because lightning may strike but you want to use the Internet to maximize your exposure and speed up your time to sell. Some sites have millions of visitors every month (eBay Motors claims over 12.5 million unique visitors to the Motors category every month… making it the largest-trafficked automotive site out there). Some other sites have many more listings than they have visitors.

Craigslist is an interesting site. It’s both free and, in many parts of the country, gets tremendous traffic. The site is organized geographically (a site for each city or region, for example) but many sellers report calls from many states away. I even sold a car from California to a buyer in British Columbia who saw it on Craigslist. It only takes a few clicks to search for cars in other cities and there are even some new sites out there that help you search Craigslist in multiple cities at the same time. In other words, it can work well and it’s free, but of course there are some downsides. First, unless you are selling something particularly rare, your listing will sink to the bottom of the search results rapidly since results are sorted by time listed. Furthermore, Craigslist doesn’t have any standard form of classification. On most sites a shopper can quickly set search parameters like make, model, year, even color. Craigslist relies only on the text you put into your listing and some sellers either leave out or misspell important information or adulterate the results by keyword spamming. Using Craigslist properly can take a bit of practice but a good listing is still key.

Stumble It!

Regular Tire Maintenance Basics

Most car owners neglect their tires. Tires are the only physical part of the car that touch the ground and play a vital role in handling, braking and safety of the vehicle. Tires must be regularly checked not only for air pressure but for general wear and tear. Regular checks are easy and can help you save money and increase safety of the car.

How to assess tires

Assessing tires requires visual inspection on a regular basis. However, it is essential that one get acquainted with what a normal tire looks like before making an assessment. Every car comes with a spare tire and one should look at it to have some idea what a normal tire looks like. The things to look out for in a tire are the following:

Look at the sides and assess for cracks, rips or cuts in the sidewalls. Sometimes you may see large tears at the sides or even find a nail stuck inside the tire.

Check for irregular tread. This often occurs due to uneven inflation, misaligned wheels, spoiled tires or problems with suspension.

Sometimes the tread is extremely worn-out. This is mostly due to aging. The newer tires all have a tread wear indicator bar running across the middle. The minimum allowable tread depth for safe driving is 1/16-inch. If you notice that the tread has reached to this level, it is time to get new tires. One can even buy tread wear gauges but most people fail to use them regularly and are not worth the expense.

When servicing your car, it is important to ensure that the tires are properly balanced. Balancing tires evenly will ensure that the wheel and rim weight are equally distributed as they rotate. Shimmying is often the result of unbalanced tires.

Asides from tire balancing, wheel alignment should be a regular part of scheduled car service. Wheel alignment is important for prevention of uneven wear on tires. It improves car performance and allows for better handling of the vehicle around corners and during braking. The end result is a much longer life of your tires. It is a good idea to get wheel alignment performed whenever you purchase new tires.

For those who want to asses tread wear, simply insert a penny into a tire’s groove with Lincoln's head facing towards the tire. If you are able to see the top of Abe's head, your tread is worn out.

Sometimes you may see uneven bulges on the side of the tire. This is a sign that must be heeded. Your car tire must be replaced immediately. The bulges are usually due to weakening of the tubing inside and can lead to a sudden tire rupture.

Tire rotation is an important aspect of maintenance. Tires should be rotated every 10,000 kilometers. The aim of tire rotation is to achieve a more uniform wear on all tires on the vehicle.

Sometimes when you are driving, you may feel excessive vibration. Tire vibrations may signal a misaligned wheel, a bent wheel or there may be internal tire damage. Vibration while driving should not be ignored. Always get the car checked out immediately.

The Problem of under inflation

Driving a car with under-inflated tires is a major cause of tire failure. Tire inflation can never be assessed visually. It must be assessed with a pressure gauge. Under inflated tires are not only prone to damage and failure, but also lead to higher fuel costs by as much as 3 to 5¢ per gallon.

Tire-Inflation Maintenance Tips

Buy a tire gauge and make an effort to monitor the tire pressure at least once a month. These gauges only cost $ 3-$ 6.

To determine the recommended tire pressure, look at the placard in the car located either on a doorjamb, the fuel-filler door, or on the inside of the glove-compartment lid. All tires have an imprint saying “maximum inflation pressure"- this number is inaccurate and should generally not be relied upon. All cars have a spare tire and one should make sure that it is inflated to the pressure specified on the placard—usually 60 psi.

True pressure of a tire is best measured when it is cold. If the car has been driven for a mile or two, the heat will increase the pressure and give you an artificial reading.

Visually inspect your tires on a regular basis. If you note any of the above warning signs, have a professional inspection performed.

The Motachanic

Stumble It!

Confessions of a Car Salesman, Part 4

I've given you an honest look at the inner-workings of a car dealership and may have painted a slanted picture of the people in the industry. Do they deserve a bad rap? Definitely up for debate. So, I thought in this week’s installment I’d (try to) explain the pressure new & used car salespeople are under. This may remove (a bit) of the culpability for some in the automotive retail industry, but I can’t, in good conscience, defend all of them. Some are just plain old crooks who revel in their ability to deceive car shoppers.

The new & used car salesperson’s’ main pressure point: Financial. After one disappointing month (financially speaking) the General Manager wrote on my pay stub “Work your pay plan!” This was my instruction to work towards the sales and bonuses which paid the best. (Everyone in a dealership has a compensation plan based on commission and bonuses.)

As a rule of thumb, a Salesperson receives 25% of the sales profit, with a bonus for the total sales in a month. “Working my pay plan” means selling cars with the highest profit margins. New car profit margins are limited by law and the market, so the highest profit margins are usually found on used cars and truck. This is why you find the rally cry of “switch them to used” in most new car dealerships.

The shrewd salespeople of the bunch know exactly which used vehicles have the highest margins. These used cars suddenly become the vehicles of choice for their customers. Funny how that works.

In addition to the 25% commission, the dealership gives special bonuses on certain vehicles. Bonuses are paid on the oldest vehicles on the lot. (Aged Vehicles) Dealerships have a “floor plan” - a loan for each vehicle on the lot. They pay interest on each vehicle, so the longer is stays, the more it costs. I’ve seen bonuses as high as $1000 on these older used cars.

If you feel the Salesperson is steering you away from a vehicle you like, this is probably why. For new vehicles, this pressure usually comes from the manufacturer. They constantly throw contests and incentives at the dealerships, and individuals, to increase sales.

This takes me to the industry-favorite: the “Spiff”. No, this isn’t the sharp dressed guy on the floor. The spiff is an extra cash payout if the bonus is hit for a specific time period. Just about every car dealership has a daily spiff on Saturdays. They’ll have a morning “rah-rah” pep rally, and entice the Salespeople with a big wad of cash for even more motivation. Spiffs can be volume based (three sales today earn you $250) or activity based ($10 for every customer you introduce to your manager). I’ve even seen people paid to get their customers to climb into the trunk of a car. (I’ve mentioned this before)

If you want to see what I’m talking about, check out the classic car sales movie Suckers. The writers didn’t make this stuff up…

The bottom line for these new & used car salespeople: If they don’t sell enough cars, or even the right cars, they won’t have a job for long. Where I worked, if you didn’t have enough sales at the half-way point of the month, your days off were cancelled. Twelve hour days, seven days a week is a strong motivator to sell cars at any cost! Unfortunately, when Salespeople are under this kind of pressure, the consumer pays the price.

Add all of this up and you’ll have a plenty of reasons not to shop at commission-based car dealerships. The best interest of the customer doesn’t line up with the best interest of the Salesperson; it’s no wonder most people would rather have a root canal than buy a new car.

Do yourself a favor and shop for your next car at a one-price dealer. Do your homework to ensure it’s a good price. (Unless you live in a cave, you’re probably already familiar with the links within our Friendly Resources.) There’s no reason you can’t get a Salesperson who actually cares about your needs.

Going up against highly motivated and trained professional negotiators, intent upon convincing you which vehicle is right and talking you into paying the highest possible price, is probably not at the top of your list of fun things to do on a Saturday with your family.

Good luck out there, buying a used car doesn’t have to be so tough…

Stumble It!

Confessions of a Car Salesman, Part 3

Most new car dealerships have a very similar infrastructure. The Salesperson greets the customers, shows them the vehicles, takes them for a test drive and begins the paperwork. When the time comes to discuss price and payments, the Salesperson must go to the Desk Manager.

The Desk Manager’s sole function is to get as much as possible for the vehicle. Many times it appears as though the Customer and salesperson are combining forces to get a good deal out of the Desk Manager. This is by design; classic “Good cop, Bad cop” rouse.

Unfortunately, for newer Salespeople who don’t know any better, the Desk Manager deceives the Salesperson into thinking it’s the best deal he’s willing to give the customer. They do this to ensure the Salesperson is convincing enough when pitching the deal to the Customer. They call this tactic “loading the Salesperson’s lips.”

To get a price and payment quote from the Desk Manager, at this new car franchise, you needed three things: A properly filled out buyers order with the customer’s information, a written commitment of what the customer will do today, and a deposit.

They teach this from day one in the training. These three things give the saleperson total control over the customer. If the customer says they are not buying today, you still get a written commitment.

As the trainer said, “Any customer will buy today for some price. If it’s a dollar down and a dollar per month, at least that’s a starting point.” The car dealership is just trying to take you out of shopping-mode and into negotiating-mode.

The problem arose for me when a customer saw one of our many “zero-down” commercials. Every one of our ads promised “zero-down.” This customer obviously didn’t want to put any money down - he repeated it several times. I was presented with a conundrum; I had to go to the Desk Manager with a commitment and deposit in order to get a price quote for my customer. How do I ask for a deposit when the customer clearly wants to put zero down as advertised?

I didn’t believe it to be very customer friendly to ask for a cash deposit just to get a price quote. So, I jotted down the customer’s commitment “Customer will take delivery today for zero down and $379 per month”. I trotted back to the Desk Manager with the paperwork and laid it down in front of him.

“Where’s your deposit, Head?” The Desk Manager called everybody Head; this was not a reference to my particular anatomy. “He wants to do the deal on TV, no money down”, I replied. “Still need a deposit to work a deal”, he said gruffly. So I returned to the customer. We had a fairly positive relationship up to his point, but me asking for a cash deposit to get a price quote didn’t go over well. Besides, he didn’t have any cash on him.

I returned to the “tower” (the raised platform in the showroom where the Desk Managers sit). “He doesn’t have any cash, and just wants a payment quote with no money down”. The Desk Manager looked at me for a second, and immediately paged my Manager.

Once my Manager arrived, he said, “This weak sister can’t get me a deposit, will you take a turn and show him how it’s done?” He was half-joking, but obviously trying to make a point.

The floor Manager’s role is what they call, in the car business, a “closer”. They go to the customer to get the deal done. They are trained negotiators and practice this skill constantly. What happened next was one of the most shocking things I witnessed in my short tenure.

The closer came out of the office with my customer’s watch. He actually took his watch as a deposit!

When I asked how he did that, he casually replied he always gets something. Cell phones, wedding rings, even shoes! He entered the tower like a conquering hero as he presented the watch and revised commitment.

They looked at me and said “Now that’s how it’s done, Head!”

I thought to myself…Not in my world it isn’t.

Stumble It!

Confessions of a Car Salesman, Part 2

Saturdays are the big days at a new or used car dealership. This is the day which makes or breaks your entire week. It’s not uncommon for a car salesperson to sell three or four cars on a Saturday.

At this particular dealership, they had a lovely invention entitled “Midnight Madness” every Saturday. As you may have guessed, this means the car dealership is open until midnight on Saturday all throughout the summer months.

Midnight Madness rules were simple: Sell a car and you get to go home at your regularly scheduled time. This was either 6pm or 9pm. If you didn’t sell a car, you were subjected to not only working the midnight shift, but also the shame and ridicule of your peers.

And, if you have ever worked outside, on black-top, during the summer months in North Carolina…you know that a 16 hour shift is no prize.

As you can imagine; fifty car sales people with type “A” personality aggressively pursuing a limited number of customers, in the hot summer sun, does not make for the best of customer experiences. Haven’t you ever noticed that you felt like prey when you pull into a car dealership?

So, with this enourmous threat looming over our heads, we sit in the Saturday morning sales meeting. In this particular meeting they review the newspaper ad for this week. The sales manager went into specific detail about the vehicles advertised for the super low prices. He said they were ordered special for the advertisements (car dealership lingo for price leaders), and customers will not want them.

These vehicles are the ultimate base units available; without the options most of us would consider standard. One was a Ford Explorer without power windows, door locks, or air conditioning. The sales manager said these vehicles usually only sell to fleet companies, so whatever we do: “Don’t sell them because they are hard to get!”

I didn’t have the nerve to speak up in the sales meetings - afterwards I asked my manager: “So what do we do if someone wants to buy the Ford Explorer in the newspaper?” To which he responded: “Switch them to something else.” I inquired, “Isn’t that bait and switch?”

His profound retort: “Yeah, but everyone does it.” I asked myself again “What have I gotten myself into?”

Stumble It!

Confessions of a Car Salesman, Part 1

When my intensive car dealership training commenced (about 2 days), I was paired with a veteran used car sales person whom they introduced as my “Mentor”.

This gentleman enjoyed two hobbies: chewing tobacco and collecting the business cards of Sales People who either quit or were fired. His first action as my professional mentor: Showing me his “Wall of Shame”. Under his desk was a cork board, upon which he tacked the business cards of departed Sales People.

He went on to tell me most people don’t make it past the first month in this business. He also showed me the spot reserved for my business card.

Competition can be fierce in the automotive sales field. I didn’t know it then; this was the first overt attempt to “get into my head” by a veteran sales person. They like to keep the ranks thinned out so there were more sales for them. A young intelligent new sales person represented the biggest threat to their sales pipeline and comfortable work life.

Most of these demoralizing head games took place on the “point”. The point is outside of the dealership, closest to the entrance where customers pull in. If you have ever pulled into a dealership and had the feeling that you were raw steak being lowered into the lion cage, then you have visited the point.

For traditional Sales People, this represents their “turf” and the best chance they have to sell a vehicle. The more aggressive they are, the better their chances of landing a customer.

My first trip out to the point began harmlessly enough. Not too long after staking my claim near the front entrance, I was approached by one of the top Sales People. He was an ex-professional pool player and quite slick in a “country” type of way.

He began the conversation normally enough, commenting on the weather and such. Not long into it, he began his spiel about how terrible business was, and how he heard they would be letting several Sales People go at the end of the month. His technique became quite transparent as he continued talking; eventually he walked past me to grab the customer who just parked in the point..

I filed that little maneuver under the title “Chat and Swoop”, a technique he obviously perfected. I was starting to catch on…rather quickly.

Stumble It!

Buying a Used Car: Dealer vs. FSBO

I’ve purchased a lot of cars over the years. At last count I’ve owned close to 50 different cars and motorcycles, most of which were purchased used. Ok, I have a problem, I’ll admit it. I’m a car nut and like to experience different cars, I’m fickle. Yet it has not been entirely as crazy as it sounds. With only a few exceptions (Saabs, mostly) I’ve been able to buy these cars, drive them for a while, then sell them later for about what I bought them for.

Clearly, there are advantages to buying used rather than new. Primarily these are monetary: price (buy a car you could not afford new a few years later) and the related depreciation (most of the hit is taken during the first few years, so your ownership costs don’t include this big hit). The downsides are the potential lack of a factory warranty, fewer finance options (there are usually more financing options for new cars like cheap/free financing and leasing) and the fear of buying someone else’s problem vehicle.

The financing issue is becoming a bigger issue these days. The tight credit markets mean that peer to peer sales are often unfinanceable… even with good credit it is increasingly difficult if not impossible to secure a loan to buy a used car from a private party seller (aka For Sale by Owner or FSBO).

That issue aside, and hopefully it’s just a short-term problem, I should say that I really prefer to buy my used cars directly from the previous owner. I really don’t understand why anyone would buy a used car from a dealer unless it was a certified pre-owned car with a serious extended warranty. But dealers usually ask for a hefty premium for these… enough that if it concerns you there are plenty of aftermarket extended service agreements available for a price.

Of course, my position is highly biased by my passion for cars. I am willing to take time to find the right vehicle and I find the hunt entertaining in itself. So, why buy from a FSBO rather than a dealer?
It comes down to information. I like to know who owned the car before me. I like to know how he or she took care of it, maintained it, washed it, and drove it.

I bought my first used car during high school, I think it was about 1986. I visited some dealers and looked at ads in the local paper (remember those?). I ended up looking at a few cars but one really got my attention. It was not that it was the hottest car; it was a 1981 Celica coupe, about 80,000 miles on the clock and in very clean condition. But what really struck me was the owner. He was a surgeon who drove the car through his residency and now that he was making some coin decided to buy himself a brand new Saab Turbo. His garage looked like an operating room in its cleanliness. Next to the Celica was a beautifully restored 1955 T-Bird with the hard top in a hoist on the ceiling. He provided a binder showing fastidious maintenance like oil changes every 2,500 miles since new. The car was spotless inside and out. I just had a good feeling about it. I ended up buying it and driving it until 140,000 miles without a failure. My sister, on the other hand, liked my car and went out and bought another Celica of the same vintage and had nothing but problems with it. The previous owner had no maintenance records, smoked like a chimney, and generally wasn’t a car person. You can imagine that her experience was very different than mine because she ignored the warning signs.

Since then, I’ve really tried to pay attention to a car’s ownership history and this strategy has served me well. The primary reason I don’t like buying from a dealer is that they often take that aforementioned book of maintenance records and throw it in the trash. Case in point is my most recent purchase.

I was looking for a relatively rare model, a 1994-5 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet. There were some examples popping up for sale on Craigslist and eBay every so often. One happened to be for sale at a local Mercedes dealer who reportedly took it in on trade. I checked the car out and it looked very nice, with moderate mileage, flawless interior, and a very nice exterior. It drove like a new car despite having about 70k miles on the clock as one would expect of a Benz from that era. However, they had NO maintenance records available despite the fact that the car had been owned by one person since new. I can just imagine the records that the previous owner must have handed over to the dealer when he traded it in.

CarFax verified the ownership history story I was given. Normally, when buying a car with potentially devastating repair costs I like to get an independent professional inspection by a marque expert. Of course, as a franchised dealer they wouldn’t allow me to do so and instead pointed to their “120 point used car inspection.” I knew that the car had been on their lot for some time and decided to go through with the purchase as the price was the same as I would have paid a private party for a car in the same condition.

To be fair, I didn’t get ripped off or anything. The car has been just fine for the 5 months I have had it. This past weekend I did have a radiator hose burst, an unforeseeable failure and only a $12 part with no damage done. However, if had purchased the car from a private party and had known that the hoses hadn’t been replaced in 15 years I would have gone through and replaced them upon purchasing the car as I have on my other purchases. I always budget $500-$1000 for a solid going-through to take care of small repairs and a for a comprehensive maintenance session like hoses, belts, brake fluid, coolant, oil change, etc. However, since I bought the car from a franchised dealer and had received a number of promises about their reconditioning processes I skipped this usual step. My fault, no doubt.

In most cases, you also have to pay a premium to a dealer… after all they bought the car from an auction or from the previous owner and are marking it up. I just like to skip this step as I don’t find that it adds any value to me. If I buy a used car with no warranty and something breaks two days later the dealer is simply not going to remember my name any more than if I had bought it from the previous owner.

In summary, the benefits to buying from a private party include increased information about the vehicle’s past, maintenance records, an increased ability to get an independent inspection, and a lower price. Buying from a dealer potentially saves some time hunting for the car and gets you increased access to financing. Granted, this alone may be a deal-breaker but usually does not justify the increased expense. Ok, dealers, let me have it, I am sure you can identify some other benefits I have overlooked but my advice to friends and family is to search FSBO listings, get a professional pre-purchase inspection, and budget for a thorough preemptive maintenance session.

Steve Haas

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Getting the Most from AAA

Did you know that an early form of an automotive social network took root in 1902? A bunch of car fanatics got together in Cleveland, OH to create some maps and directions for drivers because they simply didn't have enough roads available.

The club quickly rose to over 1000 members and was called the American Automobile Association; demand escalated from there. Over the years they began creating hotel guides, driver safety programs and even acted as an official backer of professional automobile racing, including the Indianapolis 500 up until the 1950's.

Everyone is familiar with the typical AAA services such as unlocking your doors and helping with a tow to the garage.

However, there's a entire batch of value added services available to AAA club members that most people are not even aware of.

• Automotive Financial Services: Need help with credit cards, personal loans, certificates of deposit, money market accounts and IRAs?
• Automotive Scheduling Service: AAA's AutoManager will keep you current with your oil changes, tire rotation and engine tune-ups. This is a great service that will help keep your automotive housekeeping items in check.
• Bail Bond Service: Yes - AAA will actually provide a Guaranteed Arrest Bond Certificate. If you have a fine less than 1k, in some states you can use the certificate instead of cash. Additionally, up to a $5,000 bail bond for covered traffic violations may also be available.
• Body Shops/Repair Service: AAA has done the dirty work of scrutinizing public reviews, consumer reviews and even financial checks to find you the most reputable body shops and repair services in the country. Check out their Diamond Ratings and pick the best from the list.
• Driver Education & Training Service: This is an extremely valuable service - one that I will look into for my own kids when they start driving: Driver's Ed classes. Upon passing, your teen driver will get a free one-year Auto Club Dependent Associate Membership. Just as impressive is the Senior Driving courses available to those 55 and older. This is an incredible value as our nations largest demographic group ages.
• Jump Start Service: Need a jump? No problem. and they don't stop there. They don't want to just send you on your way; AAA tests, diagnoses and replaces batteries regardless of your location.
• Map/Trip Services: I remember using this service when I had to make my first solo road trip and being so impressed with the advances in technology as a 19 year old driver. AAA's mapping services are similar to other online services. Creating a TripTik allows you to pinpoint gas stations, restaurants, hotels and important travel elements. AAA's Diamond Rating is at work in the TripTik; showing you ratings for motels, hotels and restaurants to name a few.
• Prescription Services: On the road and need some drugs? AAA has more than 57,000 pharmacies that participate in it discount programs. Save wherever you can: 15 percent discounts for brand names, 35 percent for generic and for those traveling with pets, the discounts may even apply for them as well. (Be sure to check your club membership to ensure yo