Glam up Your Car

I'm not a huge user of Butterfly-on-my-car stickers.  And as a matter of principle, it irritates the hell out of me when women put the "Angel skank vs. Devil skank" stickers on their (usually) gigantic trucks.  BUT, we've stumbled upon a really fun website:  http://www.cardecor.com/
It has, literally, everything a girl could want for her car.  Dash glow-lights in shapes like flowers, angels, and stars.  Swarovski crystal-studded license plate frames.  A variety of antenna ball toppers.  Glass window markers, magnets, autovases (for the mood-lifting fresh daisy you should put in your car every morning), and car charms.  So whether you're interesting in going cute, glamorous, diva-style, sporty, or even Jersey-Shore tacky, you should be able to find exactly what you want to customize your car.  We don't have business partners at Autobliss, but if we could choose one--this would probably be it.  

I made this for YOU!

If any of you are fans of Youtube sensation Julian Smith, you get what I'm referring to here--this guy is funny.  But this particular video of an entirely Jeep-generated song is ingenious.  I don't care who you are, this is impressive.  And if I could, I'd make music with my car too.  The world would be a happier place if we all did.  :)

http://www.juliansmith.tv/2009/12/techno-jeep/

Friendly Reminder: Father's Day 2011

Sunday, January 19th!!!   Check out the link in the post below for my personal favorite on automotive-accessory gifts.  And don't forget that because you are ordering online, you're going to want to get those shipped ASAP so they're here for Dad's special day :)

Fathers Day Freakout!!

Yes, it's that time of year again.  Don't buy a tie.  Seriously, don't.  There are so many more interesting things to get for your man and his vehicle, and many of them can be found and ordered here:
http://www.autoanything.com/CampaignLandingPage.aspx?LP=FD2011

What I love about this site is that it has every gift broken down into sections, so you can choose what you want based on his activities, interests, and personalities.  My favorite sections are for the "Tech Geek", "The Pet Lover," and the "Man Who Has Everything"  (consists mostly of toys and gadgets).

Car Pool

I don't know about the rest of you, but after a long rainy Memorial Day Weekend, I need a laugh.  Or at least a snort or chuckle.  Not particularly relevant, but still, you have to admit:  it's pretty funny.  So I present to you the Redneck Swimming Pool:

If you know or love a man who has attempted this, you have either my condolences or my pity, depending on the context and circumstances under which this atrocity in heat relief was committed.  Evidently, sometimes men need a friendly reminder: cars are for driving.  Not swimming.

Now let's get serious.  With the next school year already around the corner, and the requisite kiddie carpools that come with it, I'm posting some tips from our expert friends at jiffylube.com on how best to organize and run (real) carpools.  While you're at it, check out Jiffy Lube's blogs for regional coupons and more car care tips at http://www.jiffylubebayarea.blogspot.com and http://www.jiffylubeutah.blogspot.com Hope you find it useful!



Six Tips for Carpooling

Before trucking the kids around town, parents need to make sure their vehicles are operating safely. These quick tips will help ensure your vehicle is ready to keep up with the kids' busy schedules.

1.	Take the vehicle in for routine maintenance. A Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change is a smart first step to prepare your vehicle for back-to-school driving. Your vehicle's engine will likely be working overtime since most carpools require quick trips in heavily trafficked areas. Changing your engine oil, replacing dirty air filters and checking your tire pressure are all important to keep your vehicle on the road, not on the side of it.
2.	Buckle up and make sure your passengers do too. Seat belt use among high school students is lower than among other occupants in passenger vehicles. According to a survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, many teens aren't buckling up, even when adults are driving with them and using belts themselves. Teens often follow by example. The study reported that more than half of teens were more likely to buckle up if the adult who dropped them off at school also wore a seat belt. However, when adult drivers did not use seat belts, only 8% of teens used theirs.
3.	Practice proper car seat safety. Some mothers will be taking preschool children along when they drive older children to and from school. Make sure everyone is using proper seat restraints at all times. For infants (from birth to one year and less than 20 lbs.), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends infant-only or rear-facing convertible seats with harness straps at or below shoulder level. The NHTSA says toddlers (over one year and between 20 to 40 lbs.) should be placed in convertible/forward-facing seats with harness straps at or above shoulders. For young children (four to eight years old and more than 40 lbs.), the organization recommends a forward-facing, belt positioning booster seat with the lap belt fitting low and tight across the lap/upper thigh area and the shoulder belt snug across the chest and shoulder. All children aged 12 and under should ride in the back seat.
4.	Be prepared for fall showers. There may be times when you have to make the ride to or from school in a heavy downpour. As part of a Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change, a technician can check the status of your windshield wipers and tire tread. You want to make sure wipers glide smoothly across the windshield without streaking and you're getting enough tire traction on a slippery road.
5.	Talk to your children about where they walk outside of schools. Tell them to always use school crosswalks and sidewalks and be alert at all times. According to the Safe Routes to Schools organization, of the leading types of youth pedestrian crashes, 33% are due to dart-outs — entering traffic mid-block, often between parked cars.
6.	Obey school zone speed limits. Children may not always stay on the sidewalk or within crosswalk lines, so you need to be extra careful. As a lot of morning traffic is comprised of parents driving children to school, so you should also watch out for other vehicles slowing down or suddenly stopping to let children out.

OMG Ppl!!!

OK, so, I realize stateside this might only work for a 7 year old girl.  In Asia, I'm sure these things are driving around like little armies of pink ants.  But still, you have GOT to recognize how stinkin' cute this is:   A Hello Kitty Smart Car.  This is brilliant, for two reasons:

1.  Hello Kitty rocks
2.  It's the only way to make a Smart Car look good.  It might not be sexy, but at least it's cute.  And little.  And depending on how cutesy you're willing to go, there are actually some pretty decent car graphics that make a Smartcar a little more palatable (and forgivable).
For those who ask "why?" I would have to respond with the question:  "why did we all put Lisa Frank stickers on our Trapper Keepers?"  Same basic principle.  Females like to personalize.  Why should it be any different with our cars?  I'm personally not going to do it.  But I still appreciate the appeal and officially endorse the use of Hello Kitty on the roads.  She's just so friendly.  I can't imagine she won't produce a marked decrease in road rage cases just based on her sheer likability.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1050720_customize-your-smart-car-with-hello-kitty-graphics

Every Girl's Guide to Basic Car Care

Let's start with the basics, ladies!  Peruse this article for a beginners guide to car care.  It's your car!  Take charge!  :)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/23366/every_girls_guide_to_basic_car_care.html