Ask Patty's Female Friendly Blog Carnival: July 2, 2008

Welcome to the AskPatty Blog Carnival, where we provide a refreshing assortment of female friendly news and interesting automotive tidbits from around the blogosphere. Whether it's buying advice, tips on car care and maintenance, information about women in the automotive industry, or female-friendly vehicle reviews, we've got something here for everyone. Have you got something to share? Email Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com or use the form at the end to include your own blog bits in next week's carnival!

We've all done it (at least I know I have), and now Jennifer Garner's done it: Locked the baby in the car. Apparently, according to the Celebrity Baby Blog,  baby Violet was holding the key to Jennifer's Lexus when the moviestar Mom accidentally shut the door. More than 50 moms have commented to share their own stories about when they locked their own kids in the car!

The 2008 Cadillac CTS: He drove it and she drove it and now they both have different opinions of it over at automotivetraveler.com (login may be required). He thinks it is "clearly a man's car." She says he "can be such a dodo... This car is both gorgeous and powerful. Cars like this make it easy for me to feel beautiful, even if I have dark circles under my eyes from caring for a vomiting child all night long." One thing they do agree on: The CTS is now a world-class sports sedan that doesn't need to make any excuses. What do you think?

What happens when you owe more on your car than it's worth when you trade it in? The bloggers over at car buying tips to save you money have plenty of info  on financing a car, auto loans, car insurance, warranties, parts, tires, and even what to do when your trade is has "negative equity." Check it out.

No matter how you look at it, a million is a pretty large number. But when it involves children, it seems even larger. Matt Kelly at GMNext.com is celebrating a recent milestone in Los Angeles when Safe Kids USA and longtime sponsors General Motors and Chevrolet conducted the one millionth car seat inspection.  Today, a million kids are riding safer in cars thanks to the efforts of this organization. To date, the program has held approximately 50,000 car seat checkup events around the country; donated approximately 365,000 car seats to families in need and educated more than 15 million parents and caregivers since 1997. Wow!

SoCalMom has been running a summer travel contest for readers to share their most memorable road trips! She's had dozens of entries, and should be selecting her winner any minute now! Why not stop by to read the fun road trip stories and check to see which great adventure won the Nintendo DS PLUS game devices with a new Crosswords DS game or the extra cool "Get Road Ready" kit? If she hasn't picked her winner yet, you might even be able to sneak an entry in before she notices...

So you think you know your air conditioning events? Macsw.org challenges you to match a
selection of eight passenger car air conditioning vents to the make and model of the car they belong to. E-mail your answers to membership@macsw.org and they'll send you a MACS wrench pen if you get all eight correct. Also, Pam Smith has recently joined MACS as their Events Manager; convention, trade show, and clinic planning will be at the heart of her responsibilities. Welcome, Pam! Founded in 1981, the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide is the leading non-profit trade association for the mobile air conditioning, heating and engine cooling system segment of the automotive aftermarket.

It's a well-known fact that hybrids cost more than regular vehicles. According to Todd Kaho over at GreenCar.com,  this prompts many to wonder if the extra cost for these high-efficiency cars is worth it, and whether the difference can be offset over time by the cash saved from buying less fuel. We've wondered it ourselves from time to time. His article is full of useful facts and information that will help you decide for yourself when a hybrid will pay for itself.

CarsForGirls has posted an excellent resource about car recalls!  In her extremely helpful article, she shares information to help a potential buyer learn whether a vehicle has been recalled, and gives advice to help that buyer identify whether those recalls had been repaired. Her most important tips is this: "research is key to the vehicle buying process; unless you do your homework, you may not know if the car you intend to purchase has been recalled."

Do you love the new 2008 Audi A5 3.2 quattro  as much as we do? Dan Lyons has posted a review of the automotive beauty over at automedia.com, and shares a ton of info about its power and performance, and distinctive style and design. If you didn't want one before, you'll want one after reading his road test!

Marketing to Women  shares a short article that explains that "when it comes to cars, there are significant differences by gender, according to a recent Harris Interactive AutoTECHCAST study, regarding which innovations they will most likely consider during the purchase process." According to the article, the study reveals that men gravitate more toward performance, convenience and communication/sound options, while women indicate a stronger preference for comfort items. "The fact is women have a great influence on vehicle purchases and they are more tech savvy than ever," says the article, which also states "automakers need to take these views into consideration when designing their next-generation vehicles." Now there's some useful information!!

According to MoneyBlueBook.com  there are certain very important car components that drivers must keep their eyes on: These critical engine and vehicle components have the potential to force your car to a complete stop if you're not careful with proper repair and replacement. This fact-filled article says it's important to know what they are to ensure they are properly maintained and checked during regularly scheduled maintenance. Read what MoneyBlueBook considers to be the top five most common and likely causes of crippling vehicle breakdowns, and what to do about them.

Wearing a poodle skirt and inline skates, this car hop for Park Center Lanes in Grand Rapids, Michigan, takes an order from a customer, and serves food on car window trays as music by The Everly Brothers, Bobby Freeman, and other oldies plays. The bowling alley recently debuted the car hop service to help summer sales. Who remembers eating in the car at A&W Root Beer shops in the Seventies, and am I really that old?

And that's it for this week's AskPatty Cars Around the World Blog Carnival! Make sure to submit your article for next week's "Automotive Advice for Women Blog Carnival" using the online form  or by emailing Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com.

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty Editor

And that's it for this week's AskPatty Cars Around the World Blog Carnival! Make sure to submit your article for next week's "Automotive Advice for Women Blog Carnival" using the online form  or by emailing Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com.

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty Editor