More than 65% of customers who take their vehicles to repair shops are women. (J.D. Power & Associates)
Market research shows that people are willing to pay $1500 more for a car just to avoid the pain of negotiating. Let Women's Automotive Solutions do the haggling for you!
For parents, handing over the keys to the family car isn’t easy. But there are steps you can take to help your teen become a smart driver – even before they get behind the wheel.
Start driving education before your teenage driver gets behind the wheel Before your teen even starts driving, you can demonstrate smart driving habits. Every time you’re driving, follow safe driving practices – wear your seat belt, stick to the speed limit, and don’t use your cell phone or engage in other distracted driving behaviors. Also, talk to your teen about driving hazards before you begin to teach driving practices. Have discussions about driver safety, including dangerous times to be on the road – at night – and distracted driving behaviors to avoid, like texting while driving.
Supplement your teen’s first driving lessons
Once your teen has a learner’s permit, many states require a minimum number of driving hours while under the supervision of an adult. Check with your state’s department of motor vehicles for requirements in your state. During these supervised driving sessions, take the time to review all the car’s controls with your teen, like turn signals, wiper blades and headlights. When you’re ready to teach driving, choose a deserted area such as a large parking lot. As your teen gets used to operating the vehicle, slowly introduce low-traffic, familiar streets around your neighborhood. Continue to review what they’ve learned in driver’s education, like paying attention to their surroundings.
Create a driving contract
Another way to reinforce teenage driver safety is to create a driving contract. Sit down with your teen and outline responsibilities, privileges and consequences related to using the car. Once you and your teen agree on the terms, keep the driving contract in a visible place like on the refrigerator.
Effective teenage driving safety starts with setting a positive example behind the wheel. Don’t forget to keep your son or daughter protected on the road with car insurance for teenagers. Compare quotes from trusted insurance companies that offer multiple discounts for more affordable coverage, like discounts for completing a driving safety course.
The Volkswagen Beetle has always been a cute, little icon and was always a gas-sipping marvel as well, with an exterior and interior that matched or exceeded the quality of its competitors’ vehicles every step of the way. But with the positives came glaring faults, most notably with the mechanical components. Consumer Reports included the Beetle in its “Worst of the Worst” list due to below-average reliability, and Consumer Guide Automotive listed seven of the components on the Beetle that were commonly faulty, which were often more expensive parts like the transmission and heater core.
With this is mind, does the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle step its game up? Featuring a completely redesigned exterior and interior, Volkswagen has done its best to reface the defiled but historic name of the Beetle.
Exterior
While the appearance of the Beetle has been given a facelift to appeal to a greater range of customers, the heart of the Beetle still beats strong. “Experience tells automakers that women will buy a ‘guy’s car,’ but men are less likely to buy what still is called in the business ‘a chick’s car,’ or ‘a girl’s car,’ said James R. Healey of USA Today. And according to TruCar.com, women were registered owners of 60.6 percent of Volkswagen Beetles last year, so the revamped exterior was done to entice more male buyers. That said, the Beetle has never looked better. Anyone who purchases this car because of how it looks cannot go wrong, whether female or male.
Mechanical
The previous Beetle had a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that put out a modest 150 hp, but the 2012 model uses a modified version of that engine to put out a more manageable 170 hp. In addition, Volkswagen is also offering a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 200 hp for customers looking for a bit more power than the average buyer.
What many may or may not like about the new Beetle is the very “average” gas mileage that it gets. With an automatic transmission, the Beetle achieves a high of 29 mpg highway and 31 mpg highway with a manual transmission. While not entirely abysmal, the gas mileage is nothing to marvel at, because rivals have already developed vehicles that are venturing into 40 mpg territory.
Interior
The cabin was expanded to give occupants more room, which should be most exciting for larger drivers and passengers alike because of how uncomfortable the previous model was. And although legroom in the rear was cut slightly, Volkswagen repositioned the backseats to increase comfort, so passengers have little to complain about with this change.
The minimalistic instrument cluster and dashboard might turn off some, but it actually fits well with the overall appearance of the vehicle. The large and easy-to-read instruments are pleasant to look at, and the radio interface and climate controls at the center are easy to reach and use. Plus one to Volkswagen with their efforts in refining the interior.
We’ve come to expect Volkswagen to churn out Beetles that come off as mediocre examples of how vehicles should be produced. They’ve been putting out Beetles that fall apart after a few years and leave people scratching their heads and spouting curse words to the heavens as they sit on the side of the road waiting for tow trucks. It comes as a pleasant surprise, then, that the new Volkswagen Beetle seems to be trying to shed its image as a mechanical disaster and become a consumer-friendly vehicle. While nobody knows how the 2012 Beetle will stand up to previous reliability woes due to its infancy on the market, the details seem promising.
Keep a lookout for this one. Things are looking up for the Beetle.
Start with the easiest types of repairs first. Don’t try to tackle a transmission rebuild or an engine swap your first time out. Keeping it simple to start will allow you to learn how your car works, how to use the various tools, and help you build confidence.
Here are some relatively easy repairs for budding mechanics to try at home:
Replace the wiper blades
Change the air filter
Change a headlight
Change a battery
Replace the spark plugs
Change the oil
Change serpentine belt
2. Avoid high risk repairs
Novice DIYers should avoid repairs and maintenance items where the consequences of making a mistake are dire. If you mess up a brake job, you could end up crashing your car! If you don’t install a timing belt correctly (or reassemble the engine correctly), you could destroy your engine. Save these types of services for when you have more experience.
3. Get the right tools
Before you start ripping apart your car, make sure you have the right tools. A hammer and a screwdriver just won’t cut it. Run out to Sears or your local automotive store and a starter set of automotive tools. A good basic set will include a complete set of socket wrenches with extensions, open-end and box wrenches, screw drivers, and pliers. If your car requires any special tools for removing the oil filter, pulling spark plugs, and whatnot, then you may want to invest in those as well. If you plan to remove the wheels from your car, a high quality torque wrench is a MUST.
4. Do your homework
Always do your homework before plunging into a repair. A little research time invested up front will save you a lot of time (not to mention the headache) later. Buy the manufacturer’s shop manual for your vehicle (or the online subscription from AllData), and read up on the repair. Make sure you understand each step and what is involved BEFORE you undertake the project. (If step one says “remove the engine”, then you might want to reconsider.) Beware of “how to” information on the internet. Enthusiast forums and YouTube are full of step-by-step guides on how to change the thingamajigger on your 2002 Humbug GT. Make sure the advice comes from a trusted, professional source and not just Bubba in his backyard.
5. Ask for help
If you’re undertaking a repair you’ve never even seen done before, it’s reasonably likely that you’ll screw it up. At best, you’ll do it the hard way and possibly pick up a bad habit or two. Besides, there’s no sense in reinventing the wheel. Find someone who knows what he or she is doing, preferably a professional (ASE Certified) mechanic, and ask for a lesson. Not only will you learn the right way to do the repair, you may even learn the quickest and easiest method. If you get into the repair and you make a mistake, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Better to eat a helping of humble pie than risk ruining your car.
6. Safety first
Working on your car can be dangerous, especially if you have to get underneath it. If you have to jack up your car, don’t use flimsy jack that came with it. Invest in a hydraulic floor jack and ALWAYS use approved jack stands to support the vehicle. Try to avoid repairs that involve contorting yourself into an uncomfortable position, which can make a repair more difficult and more dangerous. Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from dirt, flying parts and spewing fluids. Consider wearing latex or polyurethane gloves to protect your skin from dirt and grease – your significant other will thank you for keeping clean.
7. Dispose of waste materials properly
Nearly all automotive jobs result in waste projects, such as used coolant, motor oil, brake pads or other hazardous materials, which will need to be disposed of properly. Pouring used fluids down the storm drain or casually tossing used oil filters into the trash bin is environmentally unsafe and, therefore, illegal. Google your county government website to find the hazardous waste facility near you. Many automotive parts stores accept used motor oil, coolant and other fluids, as long as you bought the products from them in the first place.
The Car Chick, co-owner of Women’s Automotive Solutions and co-host of the America’s Garage radio show, talks with Fox News about teaching your teen to drive. Are you also teaching them your bad habits?
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