Remember FlexCar? Now Welcome ZipCar.

Are you tired of a car payment but you want the convenience of having a car to get around? Want to chuck the high maintenance and dealership bills that come with owning a set of wheels, but hate the idea of giving up the freedom and fun of getting behind the wheel? ZipCar is for you!

It’s basically a car sharing program online. There are 4 steps to ZipCar: Join, Reserve, Unlock, and Drive!

Join: You sign up through their online application and you get your own Zipcard.
Reserve: You can reserve a car online for a few hours or a whole day, whatever you need.
Unlock: Here’s the neat part! Go up to the car you reserved and hold your Zipcard up to the windshield and it will unlock your car for you!
Drive: Get in and the rest is history! Just don’t forget to return it when you’re done.

On their site you can check for availability of cars all over the nation. So Ask Patty took the site for a spin and it was pretty easy. We found some cars near us in LA and we had the option between a few different models. The prices were roughly $10/hour or $66 for the day. Really pretty cheap if you only use a car a few times a month or on rare occasions. Compare that to a car payment, insurance, and gas, and it’s definitely a savings.

What about insurance and gas prices you say? Still have to pay for those right? Nope! ZipCar covers you there as well. So back to our tour. You can check online to see where their ZipCars are located near you and you can even check all the rates before signing up or reserving a car.  ZipCar even has a business program (called Z2B – how cute is that?). Z2B ZipCar will setup accounts within your business to allow employees to have the Zip benefit.

Top Tips to Help You Sell Your Car Yourself...

Yes it is true; selling your car yourself will get you the most money in your pocket. But, realize that it can take several weeks or months to sell a car. So don't be discouraged if you don't get any inquiries right away.

Don't worry about putting any repair work into the vehicle. You will never recoup the money. Just be honest about what it needs to the next owner. Most people who are purchasing a used vehicle expect to spend money on repairs or maintenance service.

Do worry about cleaning your car inside and out! This can make a HUGE difference in getting your car sold. Clean out your "stuff" from the door pockets, glove box, ashtray, cubbyholes, and under the seats. Don't want to clean it yourself? Take it to a professional car detailer and pay approx. $100 - $150.

Marketing to Women Article Hits the Nail on the Head: Auto Dealers Just Don't Get It

We’ve all been there, us gals. We walk into a dealership and start looking around at the cars or trucks and we get approached by the salesperson. Let the pandering begin! I remember when I first started taking my Acura RSX in for service. My husband was with me and they spoke directly to him. Because why would I won that car? It has a manual transmission after all. I stopped taking my husband with me. I also stopped going to that dealership.

Marketing to Women has recently written an article called “Taking The Marketing To Women Message To The Sales Floor.” It’s all about this exact thing I’m talking about. Patti Minglin of M2W says “Imagine my surprise when I walked into a local dealership to purchase a new car just to have the salesman talk to me about the color and the nice, large resting place for my diet soda. He reserved the details for my husband— the person who would not be driving the car nor paying for it.”

She is especially bothered because of the huge hype of the “empathy-belly era” from last year. All the top manufacturers were touting more awareness of women and women’s buying power. One of them even wore empathy bellies while engineering the new interiors. So what gives? How could the industry create such a huge spark of change only to have it fizzle out? Perhaps because it isn’t truly change. Is the automotive industry stuck in the same rut as always?

According to M2W, Rebecca Maddox, president, CEO and a founding principal of Maddox Smye LLC, a consulting company which is “unabashedly on the side of the sales professional”, I am not the only woman finding it difficult to succeed inside an automotive dealership. “When it comes to cars and trucks, women—educated or not—think they’re going to be taken advantage of by salespeople,” says Maddox. “For the most part, women don’t trust car salespeople and women do not buy from someone they don’t trust.”

And how! Why would we plunk down our own cash for something that is the second most expensive thing we will buy, when we can’t trust the person with whom we are talking? While women may be controlling more than 80% of all purchases in the US, the disconnect between marketing-to-women messages and what happens on the sales floor extends beyond the automotive industry and hits other non-traditional female categories as well.

“In categories such as automotive and finance, women often feel out of their element and are uncomfortable,” says Maddox. “Add to that the basic communication and buying differences and you will often find women feeling disrespected and frustrated.” And a frustrated female consumer is not something any business can afford. It’s something we say at Ask Patty day in and day out, because we hear it from you gals all the time and we know it ourselves to be true: If you develop a relationship with a woman customer, she will bring her business and the business of others to you because of it. If she doesn’t trust you, why should she ever come back or for that matter, refer anyone to you?

That is why AskPatty.com is training car dealerships to communicate, advertise and market effectively to you!

So You Want to Buy a New Car?

CNN found that 75% of people surveyed would rather go to the dentist than a car dealership. Most people do however love driving their new car off the dealership lot. Emotions run high when buying a new car. Never be afraid to walk away from a car deal if it doesn't feel right. On the other hand, if your questions have been answered and the deal feels right, take a deep breath, buy your car, and enjoy the drive out.

The bottom line is that it’s important to do your homework and understand the key differences between buying and leasing, so you can apply your knowledge to your personal situation.

 

Santa Needs a New Sleigh but first He Needs Auto Financing Tips

His Reindeer Share Helpful Suggestions

From www.AutoFinancing101.org

 

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and Santa just realized he has a problem. His sleigh is getting old and won’t be able to make it around the world to deliver toys to all the good girls and boys. Santa needs a new sleigh, but he doesn’t know where to begin.

 Luckily, Santa’s eight reindeer – plus Rudolph – have some advice on financing a sleigh that they learned on AWARE’s helpful Web site – www.AutoFinancing101.org. Each reindeer has an important tip for Santa as he prepares to purchase and finance his new sleigh!

All I Want for Christmas is a Brand New Car

All I want for Christmas is a brand new car...a brand new car ...a brand new car-Ohhhhh!

I am now Grandmother to six beautiful grandchildren ages eight to newborn, two new grandbabies blessed my family just in 2007, a girl Quincy Brielle and a boy Benjamin Xavier! Christmas this year is going to be all about the grand kids and I can't wait to see their cherub faces as they bake and decorate cookies Christmas Eve, open Christmas Eve gifts and play traditional Christmas songs with Kazoo's this year!

However, now Grandma Jody needs to buy a car that can transport all my precious grandkid cargo around!

I've been test driving some of the new 2008 vehicles like the Buick Enclave and the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and a few others and so far am undecided. I thought perhaps the Mommy BlogHer's can help me decide by recommending some vehicles they are driving with six kids on board? What vehicles are you driving that comfortably transport  two adults and six children, all eight and under that need booster seats and four with car seats, one newborn. I also need plenty of space to carry a least two strollers and all all their other stuff, too.

I would like to have the best of all worlds: good fuel economy, comfort, safety, room and style!

I would really appreciate your thoughts, ideas and recomendations before I buy!

Dealerships Keep Consumers Happy? Survey says.....

This article from Consumer Reports: Dealerships keep consumers happy...stated, "Contrary to stereotypes, car buyers are largely satisfied with their dealership experiences and feel they paid a fair price for their new or used vehicle, according to new findings from the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Still, some groups proved vulnerable to costly dealer sales tactics".

Figures CR found disturbing were those that showed some consumers are being encouraged to give good feedback on dealers' own satisfaction surveys, you know the call or card you are mailed after you buy a card to complete...sometimes with pressure to give a good score. Of the 55 percent of car buyers who received a survey, 32 percent were asked by the dealer to fill it out favorably. Eighteen percent were offered an incentive like a free oil change to respond favorably, drawing into question the validity of the feedback.

What You Should Look For On A Test Drive

So you've done all the research and you know what type of car you want or maybe even the exact model, but you haven't tried it out. Don't you dare pluck down that cash before you take a test drive! Ask Patty has put together some tips for you to take with you to the car lot.  Jot down these questions or print them out and make sure you skim through them before driving off into the sunset. Make sure to check out our Find Your Dream Car page!

Before you go on that test drive, check how well made the vehicle is. Are the gaps even between the hood and the fenders? Is the paint smooth? Under the hood, is the wiring neatly bundled and are the metal edges smooth?

Initial Sit Test:
Is the car easy to get into and out of?

Make sure to sit in the back seat. Will there be enough room for your passenger’s legs, bags, etc?  Is their room for a child car seat if you need one?

Does the driver's seat support your thighs and the small of your back? It is very important to note this because it might not bother you on a 10 minute test drive, but the first long drive or traffic-filled commute will tell you if the support here is lacking, so check now!

Can you comfortably reach all the controls?

So you've done all the research and you know what type of car you want or maybe even the exact model, but you haven't tried it out. Don't you dare pluck down that cash before you take a test drive! Ask Patty has put together some tips for you to take with you to the car lot.  Jot down these questions or print them out and make sure you skim through them before driving off into the sunset. Make sure to check out our Find Your Dream Car page!

Before you go on that test drive, check how well made the vehicle is. Are the gaps even between the hood and the fenders? Is the paint smooth? Under the hood, is the wiring neatly bundled and are the metal edges smooth?

Initial Sit Test:
Is the car easy to get into and out of?

Make sure to sit in the back seat. Will there be enough room for your passenger’s legs, bags, etc?  Is their room for a child car seat if you need one?

Does the driver's seat support your thighs and the small of your back? It is very important to note this because it might not bother you on a 10 minute test drive, but the first long drive or traffic-filled commute will tell you if the support here is lacking, so check now!

Can you comfortably reach all the controls?

Average Joan’s guide to Kicking The Tires

Most people do not know what to look for is a used car.  That’s okay, you don’t have to be an expert to come across as one. With the following tips, you will feel like a regular pro and won’t feel disadvantaged when walking onto a car lot. Take this small checklist with you to remind you what to look for.

Tires - Tire treads wear evenly. If the tread on one of the tires is worse than the others, it indicates that the car is out of alignment in some respect, or in need of adjustments or parts.

Headlights - Do the headlights match? By this I mean is one of them yellow or pointing in the wrong direction? This could give you a clue that the car was hit on one side.
   
Interior – Are there little holes in the cloth upholstery on the door or seat? They are most likely cigarette burns. In a leather interior car, look at the head liner, if the color is faded or stained, it was a smoker’s car.

Most people do not know what to look for is a used car.  That’s okay, you don’t have to be an expert to come across as one. With the following tips, you will feel like a regular pro and won’t feel disadvantaged when walking onto a car lot. Take this small checklist with you to remind you what to look for.

Tires - Tire treads wear evenly. If the tread on one of the tires is worse than the others, it indicates that the car is out of alignment in some respect, or in need of adjustments or parts.

Headlights - Do the headlights match? By this I mean is one of them yellow or pointing in the wrong direction? This could give you a clue that the car was hit on one side.
   
Interior – Are there little holes in the cloth upholstery on the door or seat? They are most likely cigarette burns. In a leather interior car, look at the head liner, if the color is faded or stained, it was a smoker’s car.

Most people do not know what to look for is a used car.  That’s okay, you don’t have to be an expert to come across as one. With the following tips, you will feel like a regular pro and won’t feel disadvantaged when walking onto a car lot. Take this small checklist with you to remind you what to look for.

Tires - Tire treads wear evenly. If the tread on one of the tires is worse than the others, it indicates that the car is out of alignment in some respect, or in need of adjustments or parts.

Headlights - Do the headlights match? By this I mean is one of them yellow or pointing in the wrong direction? This could give you a clue that the car was hit on one side.
   
Interior – Are there little holes in the cloth upholstery on the door or seat? They are most likely cigarette burns. In a leather interior car, look at the head liner, if the color is faded or stained, it was a smoker’s car.

Women are as Passionate about Cars as Men are in Dubai

I am one lucky car gal, as I am attending the Dubai Auto Show this week with GM and reporting on the state of the auto industry here: Middle Eastern style, and  here style and fashion trends are hot!

Dubai residents LOVE their cars in this fast growing modern metropolis sprouting out of the desert sands with skyscrapers, modern freeways, enormous shopping malls, traffic jams, crazy drivers and smog . One of the buzz topics this week is whether Dubai car buyers will embrace alternative fuel vehicles such as Hybrids and electric cars.

Meanwhile, 7days.ea says, "the UAE has a passionate love affair with high emission cars - chunky SUV's and big-engine sports cars. The vehicles are not driven out of necessity most of the time, but rather for fashion and status and with little consideration of the amount of damage their emissions are doing to the planet. And with nearly every second car on UAE roads being an SUV or high carbon-emitting truck or sports car, would a similar type of 'tax' introduced here upset the gas-guzzling population? Would Dubai’s Jumeriah Jane's and show-off John’s, for example, give up their SUV's for a more environmentally friendly model of car, such as a hybrid?"

Women here are interested in safe cars with style, class and the women of Dubai are as passionate about cars as the men.  SUV's  are popular among the many European expats living here. There is even a driving safety school at the Autodrome, popular with women new to the region.

People in the UAE tend to buy cars for their looks rather than practicality and Dubai is known as an emotional car buyers market.

According to Guy Edmunds, Sales and Marketing Manager, Trading Enterprise, Honda, "Women in general are more interested in design than men. Though both tend to look for the same things in a car, what varies is the level of priority. Men usually look at the pricing, the costs involved with servicing, insurance, reliability, safety, and the reputation of the retailer, especially for servicing and maintenance and the resale value.

AskPatty Presents a Female Friendly Car Buying Podcast

Did you ever go to a car dealer to buy a car...   and they talked to your male partner?  or they talked down to you?   Did you ever feel like you got "taken" just because you were a woman?

Listen to  a very special podcast with Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com, recorded Live! by WomenCorp.

Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com is THE expert on women and cars. She and her team of 50 expert women can answer your questions about women-friendly cars, what to look for, how to get a great deal, and even how to get car reviews that are from a woman's point of view.

Click the player to get some great car buying tips and advice now:

This is a great time of year to be shopping for that next car.  This time, come prepared to get just what you want at a great price.

Did you ever go to a car dealer to buy a car...   and they talked to your male partner?  or they talked down to you?   Did you ever feel like you got "taken" just because you were a woman?

Listen to  a very special podcast with Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com, recorded Live! by WomenCorp.

Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com is THE expert on women and cars. She and her team of 50 expert women can answer your questions about women-friendly cars, what to look for, how to get a great deal, and even how to get car reviews that are from a woman's point of view.

Click the player to get some great car buying tips and advice now:

This is a great time of year to be shopping for that next car.  This time, come prepared to get just what you want at a great price.

The 3 Steps You MUST Take, to Insure you Purchase A Great Used Car and NOT a Lemon!

Step 1: Do Your Homework. Know what you’re looking for before you even pick up a paper, turn on the computer or step foot onto a car lot. Know what your budget is, how you’re going to pay for the vehicle and research the safety and reliability of various makes and models to figure out what you want.

Step 2: The Preliminary Inspection. It’s imperative that you do a preliminary inspection to decide if this vehicle is even worthy of your consideration.
It is essential that you have a checklist with you so you know what to look over on the car. You want one that is easy to use. One that tells you what to look for and you only have to answer: Yes / No or Good / Bad.

If the vehicle passes your inspection then you need a test drive checklist. Once you have found that special vehicle that you are interested in buying, then it is time for the most important step!

Step 3: Take the vehicle to a professional automotive technician for a thorough inspection. If you don’t do anything else at all, please don’t skip this step!

Car Buying Tips To Help with Your Holiday Season Car Purchase

With the Halloween right upon us, and Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holidays around the corner, we should give some thoughts on how to pick the right car to buy.  Many people know that no two drivers are the same, which is why we decided to get down to the fundamentals of shopping for a new car.  We all have needs and getting help along the way will save us lots of effort and make us better educated buyers.

First, you need to know that buying and leasing are different
When you buy New, you pay for the entire cost of a vehicle, regardless of how many miles you drive it.  However, auto loan rates are usually a bit lower when you are buying a new car than when you buy a used car.  It is true in general, a new car requires less maintenance in first few years and most of the problems occurred within the original warranty coverage period will be covered by the car manufacturer.  In addition, you may decide to sell or trade the vehicle for its depreciated resale value.

When you buy Used, even if it is just a year old, you are avoiding the initial dramatic drop in value.  Many used cars come with warranty programs that are equal to what is offered with a new car.  Moreover, the used car market is a lot safer than it used to be.  With vehicle history reports as well as research and pricing services online, you can ensure that you are choosing a used car that is going to be a dream come true, not a lemon.

When you Lease, you pay for only a portion of a vehicle's cost, which is the part that you "use up" during the time you are driving it.  You are allowed to "rent" a new car for two to five years and have the option of not making a down payment, you pay sales tax only on your monthly payments (in most states), and you pay a financial rate, that is similar to the interest on a loan.  You may also be required to pay fees and possibly a security deposit that you do not pay when you buy.  At lease-end, you return the car and pay for any extra damages or mileage.  You can also buy the car or trade it for a new car at the end of your lease term.  With leasing, you pay less now, but more over time, for a car.  You also assume more financial risk than someone who buys a new or used car.

Whatever you choose make sure you have checked your pocketbook for what will work best for you. 

11 New Car Buying Tips from AskPatty.com

The fall is one of the best times of year to get the best deal on makes and models in stock at dealerships as the 2008 models move onto dealer showrooms. If you are planning to shop soon for a new car or truck, here are 11 tips to help you get the best possible deal.

A new car is second only to a home as the most expensive purchase many consumers make. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the average price of a new car sold in the United States as of June 2006 was $28451. That's why it's important to know these car buying tips.

Tips for buying a new car:

New Car Buying Tip 1:

Think about what car model and options you want and how much you're willing to spend. Do some research. You'll be less likely to feel pressured into making a hasty or expensive decision at the dealer and more likely to get a better deal.

AskPatty Presents a Female Friendly Car Buying TeleSeminar at WomenCorp

Did you ever go to a car dealer to buy a car...   and they talked to your male partner?  or they talked down to you?   Did you ever feel like you got "taken" just because you were a woman?

Well, WomenCorp is here with the answers! Join us for a very special teleseminar with Jody DeVere on Tuesday, October 2, at 12pm ET, 11am CT, 10am MT, 9am PT at Womencorp.org.

Jody DeVere, President of www.AskPatty.com is THE expert on women and cars.  She will answer your questions about women-friendly cars, what to look for, how to get a great deal, and even how to get car reviews that are from a woman's point of view.

Grab your seat now at http://www.womencorp.org/seminars/jodydevere.php

Refinance Your Used Car Loan

Save Money With Used Car Refinance

When interest rates go down, you might think about refinancing your home loan. Did you know you can also refinance your used car loan. Refinancing your used car loan can save you money.

Used Car Loan Refinance: How Much Can it Save?

Some car lenders have finance rates as high as 18%. By simply refinancing your high interest rate used car loan, you can save thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. When you refinance your used car loan, you save in the long run and potentially lower your monthly by hundreds of dollars.

By simply taking a few minutes to fill out our online used car loan refinance form, you can potentially save yourself thousands of dollars AskPatty.com will take your refinance application, and provide you with up to four used car loan refinance offers. You get to pick the lowest rate available.

 

Buying a New Car: Step by Step

If you're shopping for a car, and dread the prospect of dealing with an aggressive salesman, read on. There are other ways to buy a new car.

Buying a New Car: Step by Step

No matter what model new car you want to buy, buying a new car doesn't have to involve game playing and lots of gut checks. A new car is one of the largest purchases that we make. With the average cost of a new car well over twenty thousand dollars, it is more important than ever to do your research, find out new car prices, trade in values and get financing direct before you ever step on to a dealers lot.

Buying a New Car: Research

When buying a new car, research and compare cars on AskPatty.com for new car prices. If the price you're getting isn't close or lower, you're not getting a good deal.

Blab About Your Car and Win Prizes!

Ask Patty is announcing CarBlabber. It's car reviews for women by women like you!
What does your car mean to you? Is your car sexy? Do you love or hate your car? Is your car a fashion statement or a pile of junk? We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly about your car.

But before we even talk about what you can DO on CarBlabber, let’s talk about what you can WIN! Ask Patty is offering a lineup of amazing products as prizes to CarBlabber members (and signing up is totally free!). All you have to do is create a profile, review a car and add a photo to your review!

The grand prize is a Harvey’s seat belt bag valued at $224! The Harveys Carriage Large Satchel is so sophisticated and stylish! With enough room to carry your favorite novel, a makeup bag, and all other everyday essentials, this bag is a must have! The Carriage Large Satchel offers a convertible adjustable strap which is 42” when fully extended to make it even more versatile, and the bag comes lined with the Harveys signature material. The bag also comes with a drawstring storage bag and a Harveys Lucky Star key chain! Yowza! All that? Just for writing a review and adding some pictures? You bet your boots!

And that’s not all. We also have 12 – count them, TWELVE – CarMDs to give away too. The CarMD is a vehicle tester that can be used to monitor and maintain the health of your 1996 and newer car, light truck, minivan and/or SUV for the life of your vehicle. The red, yellow and green indicator lights help you instantly diagnose the health of your, your family's, even your neighbor's vehicles. It can help you to examine a used car before you buy, give your vehicle a clean bill of health before a road trip, and pre-“smog” test your car! It can tell you why your check engine light is on or let you get a second opinion on your mechanic’s report. This thing is so useful it’s ridiculous! I have one and have used it many times to help me out!

And it keeps going. We are giving away the Car Care Council’s official 56-page car care guide to the first 200 profiles with car reviews and photos. The guide covers nine major service occasions and 12 component groups of the vehicle, plus service interval recommendations, a maintenance log and much more. It’s the perfect size to fit into your glove box so you could have it with you whenever you need it! It would even fit inside a Harveys bag with your CarMD!

So what are waiting for? Do you want to know what you can do at CarBlabber?
    *Create a personal car profile
    *Write car reviews of any car you’ve ever owned or driven or heck, even seen!
    * Connect with other women who love or hate the same cars as you
    *Read reviews of cars written by women JUST like you before you buy your next car
    *Join car clubs online and find other car friends!
    *Create your own social network by founding a car club of your very own
    *Rate your cars and comment on others reviews

Why wouldn't you do it?! Ladies, we're talking about a free purse here! Wow!

Go to: www.askpatty.com/carblabber and register now! 
(It’s 100% free) … go on, do it now…we you know you want to blab about your car!

Related Link: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/9/emw552890.htm

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