On Friday, I wrote on the topic of naming our vehicles and pointing out that naming the cars and trucks we own is how we personalize our vehicles; it’s a way we tell the world, This car is mine! 

Well, how about the names manufacturers choose for the vehicles we buy? A few years ago, Forbes looked into names manufacturers have chosen for vehicles over the years, from the daunting Dodge Coronet to the vicious Shelby Cobra and almost everything in between.  The end result was a list Forbes called, The Best, Worse and Weirdest Car Names.   Unfortunately, the original piece was written in 2004 and names such as the Yaris were not included, however also strangely absent from the list was the Ford Pinto, Ford Probe, Nissan Pulsar, Chevy Vega, Renault Le Car and the ever memorable Ford Edsel. 

On Forbes’ List:

Best Names

• Corvette
• Dodge Ram
• Dodge Viper
• Ford Explorer
• Ford Thunderbird
• Lamborghini Diablo
• Rolls-Royce Phantom

Fake Names

• Chevy Lumina
• Olds Bravada
• Pontiac Aztek
• Pontiac Fiero
• Saturn Vue

Overreaching Names

• Buick LeSabre
• Dodge Coronet
• Dodge Diplomat
• Dodge St. Regis
• Ford Aspire
• Lincoln Versailles
• Pontiac Executive
• Rambler Country Club

Weirdest Names

• Daihatsu Naked
• Honda Life Dunk
• Mazda Bongo
• Toyota Toyopet

Now – and just for fun - did you know there are at least 30 vehicles which have been named after animals?  Here’s a list of 20 can you think of more?* 

1. Plymouth Barracuda
2. Volkswagen Beetle
3. Chevy Bison
4. Datsun/Nissan Bluebird
5. Ford Bronco
6. Cheetah
7. Shelby Cobra
8. Mercury Cougar
9. Audi Fox
10. Chevy Impala
11. Jaguar
12. Ford Mustang
13. Volkswagen Rabbit
14. Dodge Ram
15. Plymouth Road Runner
16. Porsche Spider/Spyder
17. Dodge Super Bee
18. Ford Thunderbird
19. Dodge Viper
20. Mercury Bobcat

*More names on Friday!

Tags: General

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Checking the oil in your vehicle is one of the most important and yet also one of the easiest things you can do to assure your vehicle is in tip top shape and ready for the road.  Think of oil as the blood which runs through the veins of your vehicle; without oil or enough oil – your vehicle will stop running and cause severe damage to your vehicle’s engine and other components.  It’s a good idea to keep at least two quarts of motor oil in your trunk at all times you never know when you may need it.

On a fairly good car without any problems, you’ll want to check your oil about once a month; however you can do it as often as you like.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Motor Oil
• Paper Towels or Rags
• Funnel

1. First things first, park your car in a well lit and level area and turn off the ignition.  Wait a few minutes for the oil to settle and open the hood.

2. Locate the dipstick, which is a long, metal stick that goes into your vehicle’s engine.  The end of the dipstick usually looks like a hook sometimes this is red, yellow or orange in color and is usually located near the spark plugs (don’t mistake this for your transmission fluid dipstick; if in doubt, check your owner’s manual for the proper location or ask a friend or trusted mechanic to show you the next time you take your vehicle in for service). You should be able to easily wrap your fingers around the hook and pull the dipstick all the way out. 

3. Using a paper towel or rag, wipe the oil off the dipstick and re-insert it, pushing it all the way down.

4. Pull the dipstick back out towards you and look for the word FULL.  If the oil is well below the FULL line, it’s time to add more oil.  If the dipstick has two lines instead of the word FULL, the proper oil level should be midway between the two lines. If you need to add oil, try to add the same brand of oil which has already been used, but if you can’t, that’s okay.  What is important is that you use the proper weight of oil for your vehicle. If you’re not sure what weight to use, check your owner’s manual for the correct information.

5. When adding oil, add a small amount at a time by removing the oil filler cap, which is located on the top of the vehicle engine.  Unscrew the cap from the bottle of engine oil and if you have to use a funnel, place the funnel in the filler area and pour the oil slowly into the engine.

6. Re-check the oil level with the dipstick as you did previously and continue to add oil a little at a time until the dipstick reads at the FULL level or is midway between the two lines.

7. Remove the funnel if you’ve used one, replace the filler cap and you’re done!

When checking your oil, it’s also a good time to note the way the oil looks; if the oil seems to be black or very dark brown, it’s probably time to schedule an oil change.  If the oil appears to be white or milky, the engine coolant is mixing with the engine oil, which is a sure sign of a serious problem, so take your vehicle in for service as soon as possible. If you seem to be adding oil every few days, this could be a sign of an oil leak, so again, it’s time to take your vehicle in for a check-up as soon as you can.

Tags: Advice, General, Guides

What Do You Think? »

First of all, I apologize for posting so late in the day – my computer was down all morning until mid afternoon and while I finally got a connection about 1:30 or so, it didn’t remain stable until about 5:00, so while this post is a bit late for a Monday, I’ve been thinking about Cars for Girls readers all day!

Today, I thought I’d do a fun post about personalizing our rides and what we do to let everyone know it’s our car we’re driving.  Buying our own car – whether new or used – is a most enjoyable milestone for sure, but making it all our own takes on a special significance that can’t be copied.  Oh sure, people can try, but personalizing our vehicle is a style all its own simply because we use elements of our own personality to make a statement that says, This car is mine.

Without messing with a bigger engine or putting in dual exhaust, there are inexpensive, moderately priced and more expensive things you can do. Not sure what to do or where to start?  Here are some ideas to get your wheels turning in the right direction.

Inexpensive Tricks:

• Seat Covers
• Steering Wheel Cover
• Personalized Floor Mats
• Personalized License Plate Frame

Moderately Priced Tricks:

• L.E.D. Scrolling Message Display
• L.E.D. Scrolling License Plate Frame
• Window Graphics
• Ground Effect Lights/Under Car L.E.D (check your state regulations)
• Personalized License Plate

Higher Priced Tricks:

• MP3 In Dash Stereo/DVD Player with 3.5 Screen
• Tinted Windows (check your state regulations)
• New Paint Job/Pin Striping
• Custom Wheels/Spinning Rims/New Rims
• Wireless Back Up Safety Digital Camera
• GPS
• New Stereo System
• Add a Sun Roof/Moon Roof

Please be aware that some of the above modifications are permanent, such as installing a sun roof, which will probably decrease the value of your vehicle if you intend to trade it in at a later date.  Always remember to personalize and customize for your own enjoyment and not because you expect those additional awesome extras to add monetary value to your vehicle.

Tricked out your ride?  Share what you’ve done or any suggestions you have!

Tags: General

What Do You Think? »

When I first got my drivers’ license, my parents would always remind me of two things:

• Never pick up hitchhikers
• Always lock your doors

While these two things still hold true today, we live in a new world where crime runs rampant and as a collective society, we find ourselves asking if any place is truly safe.  Unfortunately, the answer is no; crime happens everywhere and in all neighborhoods, from small towns to big cities, in farming communities and the midtown malls.   These days, road rage has taken over our freeways, headlines scream of horrific accidents, death has occurred when a good Samaritan stops to offer help to someone who seems to be stranded on the side of the road but in reality is merely looking for an easy victim, and unsuspected motorists are often taken over by carjacking, resulting in the deaths of innocent drivers and passengers who were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

While some circumstances can’t be prevented, there are ways you can protect yourself when you’re behind the wheel:

1) Never pick up a hitchhiker.  What was true when you were a teenager still holds true today.

2) Keep your doors locked.  This applies as much as when you’re in your car as when you’re not.  People often don’t lock their doors when they are running simple errands that only take a minute and this includes stepping out to get gas.  Imagine going in to pay for gas only to come out and discover a stranger sitting in your car.

3) Pepper Spray.  Keep it in your glove compartment or storage area but never in your trunk.  There are also small sprays that can be attached to your key chain.

4) Keep your windows rolled up in unfamiliar areas.

5) Don’t stop in rest areas at night.  Continue driving until you reach a well lit and more populated area.

6) Be aware of your surroundings.  This is especially crucial at night. When making an exit or entrance, look around.  What do you see?  Can you see your vehicle?  Do you see anything that looks out of place?  How far is the walking distance to or from your vehicle?

7) Park in well lit areas.  Park under a parking light or near a street lamp.  Whenever I go to the grocery store or anywhere at night and know I’ll have to exit my vehicle at some point, I try to always park under a parking light.  If those parking spaces are taken, I park as close to the door as I can.

8) Always have your keys in hand and ready to go.  Don’t dig in your purse to search for keys in the middle of a dark parking garage, at your driver door or even at your doorstep.

9) Don’t park next to a cargo van if the sliding door is located on your driver’s side.

10) Carry a disposable camera in your glove compartment or purse.

11) Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle at all times.

12) Remember almost anything in your vehicle can be used as a weapon.  A pencil or pen is good for poking your assailant in the eye, a laptop computer or hardback book can be used for whacking people on the head, or a penknife or small pocketknife is good for a well placed stab. I keep a baseball bat in my backseat at all times and it’s moved to the floor when I have back seat passengers.

13) A phone book and/or local map. I keep a phone book in my car which includes a local map.

14) Never let a stranger borrow your cell phone. If you come upon a seemingly stranded motorist, don’t get out of your vehicle or roll down your window all the way.  Instead, let them know you’ll call for help and then drive away.  Strangers who use your cell phone may be able to get information about you from your cell phone for sinister purposes or worse, may throw it, break it or keep it from you in the event that you are abducted.

15) Don’t let police intimidate you.  If a police officer pulls you over in your vehicle and asks inappropriate questions, attempts to make or does make any inappropriate advances or displays any inappropriate conduct towards you, make a mental note of his name, badge number or any other identifying information and when you reach your destination, call to report it immediately.  This situation happened to one of my nieces, who called to report the situation and filed an official complaint, which led to an official investigation, which I believe is still pending.  

Can you think of other ways to stay safe or offer more suggestions?

Tags: Advice, General

What Do You Think? »

Because it’s Friday, I’d like to end the week with a fun post and since I’ve been thinking about the topic of naming cars since I bought my Altima last week, I thought I’d open it up to Cars for Girls readers too, so…have you ever named a car or truck you’ve owned and if so, what name did you choose and why? 

Many people name their cars purely for personalization; it’s a way to say, This car belongs to me, or See what I’ve accomplished.  My son has a black Pontiac Bonneville that he lovingly christened, Jules the minute he saw it on the lot.  For others like me, it takes a few days (or perhaps even weeks) to get to know our vehicle just a little better before we develop an attachment and give it a name.  Some cars are named after people, some are named after a particular quirk the car has and some are even named after a favorite movie, song or book. I’ve often wondered if people who name their cars take better care of them, too.  What do you think?

I have a 1966 Chevrolet Impala which is forest green in color and because we are Irish, it makes sense that the car is often referred to as The Irish Maiden.   So far, my new silver Altima is without a name to call her very own but in time, I’m sure we’ll think of something fitting and suggestions are always welcome!

I searched the web and came up with the following names that people have chosen for their cars and trucks.  Is your cars’ name on the list?

• Eleanor (probably made popular by the film, Gone in 60 Seconds)
• Mary Jane
• Angelina
• Betty
• Bella
• Red
• Sally
• Rocco
• Izzy
• Cherry
• Emma
• Shaggy
• Christine (Stephen King, anyone?)
• Jezebel
• Priscilla
• Lucy
• Godzilla
• Scarlett
• Fancy
• Ruby
• Midge
• Pearl

Another thing I’ve often wondered is why it seems we most often choose feminine names for our vehicles, although on the flip side, I think it’s cool to be named after a car you were actually born in.

Tags: General

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