Well winter is here and we were warned. Back in October the TV weather teams told us that this winter would be the worst for many years. Some quoted the worst for 10 years and some did the usual and quoted the worst ever.

Already we have seen the gridlock in the UK and many motorists stranded overnight as they were caught out by snowstorms. The next day the TV weather teams are on the news saying we told you so, and for once I am on their side. So the message for this winter when driving is this, make sure you check the weather reports regularly, at least each night before you go to bed. If it states snow then be prepared the next morning to leave earlier or have plans to cancel.

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(ARA) - While most of us are far from experts on our car?s inner workings, we do appreciate the technology behind it. From fuel injection to anti-lock breaks, innovations have come quite a way since the days of the Model T.

Even paint jobs have improved through the years, employing features that make new cars gleam on the showroom floor. But once the real-life driving begins, that sparkle can fade or even be buried beneath a layer of grime. Keeping your car looking new used to mean hours of weekend labor, repeated every few weeks. But today, drivers can keep that showroom shine for years.

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If you walk into a garage that fixes cars and find car parts, boxes, papers strewn all around, what do you think? When the place looks like it hasn?t been cleaned in a year and grease and oil is everywhere, what do you think? Do you think if this place is so filthy, dirty and unorganized what kind of repair job am I going to get?

When a woman chooses a specific garage to fix her car, usually this garage had been referred to her by a friend. Women need to feel they are not getting ripped off when they present their car for an appraisal of what the heck is wrong with it now?

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There are a few advantages to buying a used car. The biggest benefit is in the cost of the vehicle. Cars depreciate about 40% in the first three years of ownership. You can save a significant amount of money if you purchase an automobile that is about three or four years old, rather than a new one. Of course, you want to make sure the vehicle is in good condition. If it isn?t, the money you put out for repairs can eat up your savings.

Questions to Ask:

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Posting your automobile for sale online is a great way to attract potential buyers. In step 2 of this series, titled Sell Your Car Online: Step 2, Using Pictures of Your Automobile Correctly, you learned how to select the right pictures of your vehicle for display in the classified ad.

The third step in placing an ad is selecting what information you want to use in your listing. Most auto classified web sites have information fields that are either checkboxes or blank textboxes for short answers. Here?s the danger. If you don?t give enough information, you may lose potential buyers. They may think that the missing information is an attempt to hide what?s wrong with your car or truck. The solution is to answer ALL information fields that are applicable to your vehicle.

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Many people go into used car lots thinking that they are new cars. They quickly see that although the cars may look pretty new on the outside that inside there is some wear and tear. In addition, when they look at the mileage they realize even more that they are not sitting in a brand new car by any means.

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According to a recent article in the NY Times:

The Chrysler Group said Monday that it had not yet accounted for tens of thousands of cars in its inventory numbers, which are already considered high by industry standards. Chrysler said it had routinely excluded these vehicles, worth billions of dollars, from its tally of unsold cars and trucks because they had not yet been assigned to a specific dealer or ordered by a customer. (New York Times, October 24, 2006)

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My car needs windshield wiper fluid…

I admit it. I accept it. And I really don’t care. But for some reason, I need to be reminded of it every time I start my car, usually as I am halfway down my driveway. I hear a beep and my half-asleep self thinks, Oh no, I need gas. The thing is, I don’t need gas. Well, maybe a little, but that’s not the point of the beep and the point of the lit-up Low Wash indicator. That’s the real giveaway that I need wiper fluid — the fact that there’s a light that tells me that every day. I catch on fast…

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Ask a teenager what car they want and then ask their parents what car they prefer for their child. You may get some conflicting answers. However, you just might get some surprising agreements too.

What teenagers want in a car

Generally, teenagers tend to place importance on:

• style (look cool, peer approval)

• small size (easy to manage, more personal, more economical)

• room for friends (no two-seaters, sedans OK)

• performance (go fast, peer respect)

• accessorizability (look cooler and go faster)

What parents of teens want in a car

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The automobile is certainly a wonder of twentieth century technology. It has made its place in our American history. Though not as well known, a whole industry had to be created to effectively market this fairly expensive luxury to the general public.

The franchise system was used to lock in big profits for the auto manufacturers. Your local Ford or Chevrolet dealership is part of this system. If you want to buy a new Ford or Chevy you have to buy it from one of these dealerships.

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