My nine year old has decided that she is going to buy a VW Beetle when she turns 16.  Green.  I’m all for it.  I’ve offered to pay for half of a used Beetle when the time comes and, as I’ve told her, with the reputation for reliability that the Beetle has built for itself, I fully expect that the car will take her through college.  Being that she’s nine, she fell in love with the Beetle when she spotted one in a parking lot that happened to be a company car for Pucker tequila, so it had lip print decals all over it in multiple colors.  Not exactly the purest reason for selecting a car, but hey, she’s only nine and has no idea.

Volkswagen has always done a great job on PR for the Beetle line, somehow letting it retain it’s hippie image spanning over several decades while not diluting it’s “green” persona.  The Beetle is fresh, and hip, and old, and new, and reliable and exactly the kind of car that I’ll feel great about having my little girl drive to the mall, and to the beach, and off to college.  All on my credit card, no doubt, but I’ll just have to live with it.

I like the size of the car for a new driver.  It’s large enough to make me feel that she is safe, but small enough to maneuver without feeling like an accident waiting to happen.  Should also be a good ride in the snow.  I had a small hatchback myself in college, which I single handedly pushed out of a snowdrift.  The car was so light, it barely sunk into the snow, and the front wheel drive gave me lots of control.  This is what I hope for in a car for my daughter.  And I can’t be more pleased that she is already in love with the VW Beetle.

With 7 years left to save for it, based on the used prices floating around now, I think we’ll be able to pull it off.  Nothing like looking forward to a teenage driver.  I must be nuts.  I must admit, I have not yet researched the price of auto insurance on a Beetle, but as long as the insurance company continues to take phone payments by credit card, I can’t imagine it will be any worse than insuring a teenager on any other car, and jeez, I’ve got 7 years to go here, so “researching” anything is probably a bit foolish.

Either way, I hope she ends up with one.  There’s just something about the 60’s image of the VW Beetle that just really appeals to me.  So budvase in hand, we’ll go riding off into the proverbial sunset.

Buying a used car today can be something of a gamble.  While buying a previously owned vehicle is usually a much better deal than buying a new car there are many pitfalls to avoid.  Don’t be too apprehensive when starting your search for a new used car.  For every lemon there are hundreds of good deals.  Before you buy your used car there are several precautions you should take to ensure you are getting a good car and to make sure you won’t be using your credit card every time something breaks.

It is almost always more expensive to buy a used car from a dealership that offers a limited warranty.  Also, you are somewhat protected with your state’s lemon laws with a dealership.  Once you buy from a private seller, the car is yours and there is no turning back when things go wrong.

If you do decide to buy from a private owner it is important to protect yourself.  The owner of the car you are looking at wants to get rid of the car.  He or she will usually be hesitant to tell you all the things that have happened to and all the things they have had problems with.  The biggest step to take before purchasing your car is to take the car to an independent mechanic and have it thoroughly inspected.  If the owner doesn’t want you to do this, there is probably a good reason.  It’s not expensive and even if the seller doesn’t want to pay for the inspection, most mechanics will be more than happy to let you use your credit card.  Another good indicator is if the car is clean.  It is not the final factor but the shape the car is in tells you how the car was taken care of in the first place.

Another step to take when buying a car directly from the owner is to make sure all the paperwork is in order.  Insist that the seller goes with you to the DMV or Secretary of State to transfer the title.  There have been cases of criminals forging titles and once you drive away in your new stolen car they have disappeared and you are left holding the bag.

As mentioned earlier, don’t be too nervous when you decide to buy a slightly used automobile.  As long as you take the steps to protect yourself you can be confident in knowing that you are saving thousands of dollars in the long run for your car.

Taking your dog with on family trips can be a fun and enjoyable time for everyone, but it can also cause problems, if you aren’t prepared.  Things like your dog getting sick, getting lost or panicking can quickly ruin a trip.  So be sure to plan carefully and take care of your dog before and during your trip.

You will want to make sure that you bring the food that your dog eats at home.  The new food may cause stomach problems or worse.  A long car trip is not the time you want your dog to be having stomach problems.  A dog traveling on a full stomach can also cause stomach problems.  If the trip will be too long for your dog to travel on an empty stomach, allow plenty of time for your dog to eat and walk around a bit before jumping back in the car.

Some dogs can handle being in the car for long periods of time and thus travel very well, some dogs, not so much.  This is something that you may have to find out, if you don’t already know.  One way to test this is to take your dog on a short trip and see how he reacts.  If he is squirming or jumping around or panicked you may have to train your dog.  You can try putting your dog in the car while it is in the driveway.  Slowly take him for longer and longer rides until he is accustom to being in the car.  It’s a lengthy process, but will save you a lot of problems once your trip starts.  Also consider getting your dog a crate to travel in or a harness to strap him in.  This will keep your dog safe in the car, and also prevent him from jumping around and distracting you from driving.

Something that is always a good idea and really a necessity on trips is to ensure your dog has proper tags and identification on.  Many dogs are lost on vacations and can’t be returned because they have no owner information on their tags. When you go on a vacation you want to bring home all the members of your family so make sure your dog has his tags on at all times to ensure he will always return home too.

These few, simple steps can make your car trip with your dog a lot less stressful and allow you to enjoy your vacation and your dog at the same time.

The first time I had to change a tire on the car was the only time I didn’t know how. I was driving into the gas station at around Mach 10. No, more like 30 mph. I thought I was a good driver and could maneuver the turn. Then I hit the pump and deflated my tire. Not too bright on my part. But what made it worse was that I was unfamiliar with the process to change a tire. Luckily, my father was nearby and was able to show me how to do it.

But, since then I have discovered that a surprisingly high number of people do not know how to change their own car’s tires. A lot of people I know, in fact, are completely without a clue when it comes to this entirely simple task. Here’s a rundown of some dos and don’ts of tire change.

Do: Have a spare ready. Be it in the trunk, under the car, or on the back end, it’s essential to have whenever you’re going to be driving.

Don’t: Leave the spare deflated. That just makes sense, right?

Do: Make sure you have a jack and 4-way (used to unscrew the bolts). You won’t get far without them.

Don’t: Buy a new car with one of your several credit cards because you didn’t have a jack. There is sure to be someone who just couldn’t deal with the flat, caught a cab to the dealer, and got a new car. I would take bets on that.

Do: Loosen the bolts then jack the car.

Don’t: Jack the car then loosen the bolts. Although this method will work, you run the risk tipping the car forward off the jack.

Do: Exchange the flat or damaged tire with the spare. Tightening the bolts and removing the jack when done.

Don’t: Leave the bolts unfastened. You’ll be on the fast track back to the dealer with your credit cards again if you do this.

In an ideal world the car would replace the damaged tire itself. And, perhaps we’re not too far from that idea becoming a reality. Here in the present however, people have to change tires usually for themselves. The knowledge of how do it is simple, yet so many people are caught unawares. There was a time when I didn’t know as well, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about… until you drive into the gas station pump.

William Clay Ford’s Detroit Lions could perhaps learn a lesson from the big 3 automakers begging for mercy in an unforgiving world. And perhaps the big 3 could cast their gaze upon the Detroit Lions and figure out what they need not do in this time of crisis.

In this article I’m going to highlight some mistakes either the big 3 or the Detroit Lions have made and the lessons that the other can learn from those mistakes.

Mistake: Asking the federal government for bailout assistance without a formal model of your plan for the money. In turn making your company and yourself look foolish.

Lesson Learned: The Lions should present a plan to the football league, their fans, and everyone in-between of how they plan to win. I think that without said model they’ll continuing tumbling down an endless spiral (one they’ve already been in since 1950). At least this way the fans will know better than to support this franchise.

Mistake: Waiting 8 years to fire Lions’ GM Matt Millen.

Lesson Learned: The big 3 shouldn’t have to analyze this one too hard. When a big change needs to be made, start at the top.

Mistake: The Fords.

Lesson Learned: If you can’t fun a football organization and your son can’t run the family business, then maybe ownership (of anything) really isn’t in the cards for you.

Mistake: The Lions’ players aren’t fuel efficient. (They never “play” a full for quarters, you see?)

Lesson Learned: Make cars that are fuel efficient! Perhaps gas prices are falling, and that’s good. But the masses have learned that gasoline prices WILL rise, if not now, then eventually. Knowing that, everybody is ready for new, fuel efficient vehicles. Everybody is ready to start paying at the pump with their credit cards again.

Personally, my truck get about 18 mpg. That was an awfully low number when gas was $4.19 a gallon. Gas isn’t so bad now, $1.60 on average where I currently live (that low even for people paying with credit cards!), but I know it will rise again. Before that happens I’d like to get a car that more economically friendly, who wouldn’t? It’s time the big 3 learnt the lesson they should.

On one hand we have a failing auto industry, on the other a failing football team. It’s strange to think they can learn anything from each other, perhaps even illogical. I believe however that they can, will, and will have to in order to flourish.