Back in 1955, Dodge introduced a car it called the La Femme.  The La Femme was the answer for women drivers who wanted something much less masculine, a lot more feminine and preferably pink.  

The La Femme boasted specially tailored fabric seats in a rosebud motif and lucky ladies who found themselves proud owners of the discriminating Dodge, also received a leather purse, rain hat, cape and umbrella, as well as a compact, a cigarette case and even a change purse all in matching rose colored hue – and not to worry, behind the front seats were special compartments in which to stow all your new pink stuff.  The exterior of this dainty little two door was decked out in two-tone Heather Rose and Sapphire White paint, specifically for that ultra feminine look.

In 1956, Dodge went one step further with the La Femme and switched up the interior, giving it a light lavender touch, pink and burgundy carpet and covered the door panels in an Orchid Jacquard” fabric.  Ooh la la!

These days, cars like the La Femme are a thing of the past, but incentives and luxury features are still an important part of the car buying process, and while we’ve come a long way since leather purses and matching compacts were the selling points to buying a car, we still want those little extras, because truthfully, little things really do mean a lot.

In a recent survey, published by Harris Interactive, a consumer research firm in Rochester, N.Y., consumers were asked what features they would most like to see on new cars, and rollover control and protection topped the list as the most requested feature. The study also shows that consumers who wanted enhanced or improved safety features were willing to pay more.  Many of the features requested are currently available on a few models, with the majority of manufacturers planning to offer the features in the near future. 

In order, here are the “10 Most Wanted” features consumers would like to have when buying a new car:  

• 10. Blind Spot Detection {Sensors determine if another vehicle is in a driver’s blind spot}
•  Where to find it: Infiniti EX35 and Volvo S80 and a few other models
• 9. Run-Flat Tires {Allow drivers to continue on down the road even when a tire has zero air pressure}
• Where to find them: Chevrolet Corvette, Mini Cooper, Honda Odyssey
• 8. Adaptive Headlamps {Provide customized lighting based on driving conditions}
• Where to find them: Lexus, Saab
• 7. Tire Pressure Monitoring System {Drivers are alerted to low pressure and slow leaks}
• Where to find it: Corvette, Hyundai Veracruz & more to come
• 6. Cylinder Deactivation {Allows a V8 engine to operate on four or six cylinders in low-load situations}
• Where to find it: Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 5. LED Lighting {LED lights are used in taillights, brake lights, turn signals}
• Where to find it: Cadillac Deville, some SUV’s
• 4. Laminated Window Glass {Makes automobiles more resistant to break-ins, allows for a quieter cabin}
• Where to find it: General Motors, Chevrolet Malibu, some Saturns
• 3. Self-Repairing Paint {Repair minor scratches in a few days without the need for a touch-up, closing on its own}
• Where to find it: Infiniti, Nissan
• 2. HID/Xenon Headlamps {Use Xenon gas, which burns brighter, provides better visibility}
• Where to find them: Luxury cars, sports cars, Mazda 3
• 1. Rollover Control and Protection {Side airbag system with enhanced electronics to keep airbags inflated while a rollover happens}
• Where to find them: Cadillac Escalade, most new SUV’s

Tags: General

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Just for fun, I wanted to mention that last year at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, Mattel unveiled its new line of Polly Pocket fare for the 4 and older set, called Polly Wheels – die cast toy cars made specifically for little girls. Now, I know Cars For Girls is strictly for us “big girls behind the wheel,” but I simply couldn’t resisit writing about Polly and her new set of sweet wheels! 

Polly Wheels includes convertibles, classic cars, cruisers and even cars with scents, all in rainbow colors with cool names like  Going Wildberry, Midnight Sparkle, Pearl Princess, and Splashin’ Pink.  Each Polly Wheels car comes complete with a Polly Pocket doll and friends are also available and sold separately.

Also available are the Polly Pocket Quik-Clik Car Cool Makeover, which allows girls to give Polly’s car a make-over by loading the chamber with Quik-Clik car fashions, placing the car inside and with a few clicks, Polly’s car looks fab!  The cars can be customized with stickers and lots of Quik-Clik fashions and accessories for little gals ages 4 and older.

The Polly Wheels Race to the Mall car track and play set is also available and allows girls to race against one another; with a push of the button, the cars are off and racing towards the finish line first one to the mall wins!  Girls can also take a leisurely drive, ride the escalator, or just park and enjoy the imaginary view from the observation deck.

One year for Christmas when my son was about 4 or 5 years old, I bought him a large kitchen set for children, complete with an oven, stove, sink, and a microwave and for the complete experience, I threw in a table with 4 small chairs and lots of fake plastic food {what’s a kitchen without a place to sit and plastic food?}.  I figured it was a good investment since my daughter, who is younger, would eventually get some play time out of the set when she got a little older, but instead, a funny thing happened; my daughter never really showed much of an interest in the kitchen or culinary arts and instead, preferred building skyscrapers and houses out of blocks and Lego’s, while it was my son who went on to develop a love of cooking, all things culinary and eventually went on to land employment within the food and culinary industry.  It just goes to show we never really know what our children will be interested in as they get older unless we allow them to experience all that they can when they’re younger, when play is secretly wrapped in the joy of learning. 

Girls who have an interest in cars at a young age may grow up to develop a passion for the automotive industry as a whole, and could very well go on to become mechanics, automotive designers, professional drivers or one of many careers within the field. 

I’m glad Mattel took the initiative to develop a set of cars for girls - after all, why should boys have all the fun?

Tags: General

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If you’re in the market for a second car or are purchasing rather than leasing, a good used car can be a great deal.

Those who have a new baby often trade in their two seat sports car for a larger sedan which will accommodate baby and family comfortably, while an older couple may have seen their youngest child off to college and now the mini-van,  SUV or station wagon seems almost too roomy. Perhaps an owner feels he has too many vehicles and it’s time to sell or they simply get bored driving the same old model and want something different.  For the buyer who wants a used vehicle, these trade-ins can be treasure.

Has Hilary points out, the first owner has taken the biggest hit in the case of depreciation value, so you really can’t lose.  If you’re buying from a private owner, ask to take the car to a local mechanic or dealership to look under the hood, check for any recalls and to make certain it hasn’t been in an accident.

Also, it’s a good idea to choose an automobile that holds its value over time, such as a Honda, Lexus or Toyota and if possible, if you’re purchasing from a dealership, try to choose a car that has enough warranty from the factory left over; even if it’s just a year or two, it’s better than no warranty at all.  

Also keep in mind that oftentimes when we’re shopping for a brand new car as opposed to a used car, we find ourselves sacrificing our wants for the sake of  budget, so rather than settle for less, look for a good used automobile which is equipped with all the bells and whistles at the right price you can afford.  If buying from a dealer, be certain the vehicle is certified and don’t forget to check the tires for decent tread and ask to see the service records.

Don’t forget to check out 10 Questions To Ask When Buying A Used Car and How Do I Know a Car Was In An Accident? on this site for further information.

In the end, if you still decide to purchase a new vehicle, at least you’ll know the market a little better and you’ll have a good idea of what your money can buy.

Tags: Advice, General, Guides

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You’re driving down the road, singing along with your favorite tunes when suddenly you notice clouds of what appear to be smoke, billowing out from under your hood.  You may also notice some sputtering from your engine or hesitation when you push your foot down on the gas pedal.  Checking your dashboard panel, you probably see the engine light on or notice the temperature gauge in the red zone.

First things first: Don’t panic. 

Those white billowy clouds are not smoke, but steam rolling off your engine because your car has probably overheated.  Engine overheating happens for a variety of reasons, but the most common is simply when our vehicle doesn’t have enough engine coolant to prevent the engine from getting too hot.  This happens when we’re driving in heavy stop-and-go traffic, when we forget to check vehicle fluids, or both.  

If you find yourself with an engine that seems to be overheating, take these steps to get back on the road:

1.} If you have the air conditioning on, turn it off and roll down the windows.  You can also try turning the car heater on at full speed, which may help prevent complete overheating.

2.} Immediately pull the car out of traffic and on to the side of the road or into a parking lot.

3.} Turn off your car and pop the hood release.  If the hood feels very hot to the touch or if you see steam coming from under the hood, wait until the hood cools and then open it all the way.

4.} Don’t open the radiator cap or touch the engine until the engine has cooled completely. This may take as long as 45 minutes to an hour.  The radiator is under pressure, so it could cause bodily injury if you open the cap while it’s hot.

5.} Once the engine has cooled down completely and you can touch it comfortably, check the coolant reservoir tank {it looks like a plastic milk jug with a hose going to the radiator}.   Twist open the radiator cap slowly, paying special attention to the radiator and coolant level. If it doesn’t have any coolant, you’ll have to add coolant, water or both if you have them, directly into the radiator. Be certain to fill the radiator to the top and if you have both coolant and water, use a 50/50 mix.

6.} Replace the radiator cap and check all hoses, making certain they haven’t sprung a leak or busted.

7.} Restart the car and check the temperature gauges on the dash.  If the needle starts moving into the red zone, shut off the engine immediately, wait a few minues and try again.

Keep in mind that it is possible to continue driving while your car is hot, especially if you’re on a dark road or in unfamiliar territory.  In this case, start up the engine and continue driving until the gauge reaches the hot zone, then stop, turn off the engine, let it cool down significantly and continue again, repeating the stopandstart method until you reach a safe destination. You don’t want to drive this way over long distances, however you can do this until you find a suitable or well lighted and safe area to examine things further.

Remember that engine overheating can be caused by a variety of problems, such as a blocked radiator, a fan that stops working, a bad water pump or a stuck thermostat, so if the coolant level is at normal levels, it’s probably time to see a mechanic.

Tags: Advice, General, Guides

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You get in your car, put the key in the ignition, give it a fast twist and you got…nothin.’  You try it again and you end up with exactly the same thing…nothin’. 

Maybe it’s time for a new battery? Maybe it’s time for a new alternator?  Maybe it’s time to learn how to use those jumper cables in your trunk? Using jumper cables is one of the easiest things you can learn and I promise it only takes a minute.  All you need are jumper cables and another car – one that’s already running or will start.  

Here’s how you do it:

1.} Try to get the cars to face each other, but side by side should work if the cables are long enough.  Make sure both vehicles are in park, turned off and not touching.  It’s also a good idea to set the emergency brake.

2.} Open the hoods on both vehicles.  

3.} Remove the caps from both car batteries.

4.} Remember Red=Positive {+} and Black=Negative {-}.

5.} Attach one of the red clips on the jumper cable to the POSITIVE terminal/post of your battery {this terminal/post will be marked + or POS – or it will be larger than the negative terminal/post} and attach the other end to the POSITIVE terminal/post on the battery of the other vehicle.

6.} Attach one of the black clips to the NEGATIVE terminal/post of the other car battery and the other end to either the NEGATIVE terminal/post of your car battery or if you can’t get to the NEGATIVE terminal/post, to the metal frame or a metal surface near your car battery.  {This must be metal and not aluminum}.

7.} Get into your vehicle, put the key in the ignition and give it a twist to start.  If it doesn’t start, check your connections and try again.  If you’re still having problems, let the other car run for a few minutes with the cables still connected and try again.  When your car starts, let it run for at least 10 minutes, allowing the battery in your vehicle to recharge. Don’t turn off the vehicle immediately after a successful jump because the battery will not have had enough time to charge and you’ll have to do it all over again.

8.} Disconnect the clips in the reverse order.

To Avoid Shock Do Not:

• Touch the metal clips
• Touch the metal clips together
• Lean on the car with one hand as you try to attach a clip to the battery with the other hand

Tags: Advice, General, Guides

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