Huffington Post: "Women Are Better At Parking Than Men".

(I guess a guy parked this car)

Huffington Post released a highly interesting, yet truthful article entitled: Women Are Better At Parking Than Men. The shortened form of the article is that a study was released in the UK, although we (women) aren't necessarily better or worse than you'se guys (men) at driving, women are incredibly better at parking.

(Why not use a photo of Amber Rose)

Let me continue. According to HuffPo, "the BBC reports that men rush when parking and end up wasting time and gas driving past parking spaces and, once they do find one, are more apt to park sloppily. A press release states "The ladies' slower approach meant they were better able to notice spaces, or spot when other drivers were about to leave."

(Kimora Lee Simmons, and no she didn't crash that car)

"While women take longer to park, according to the report -- an average of 21 seconds, compared to 16 seconds for men (or, if you prefer a more depressing figure, 12 days out of our lives parking compared to nine days for men) -- that extra time pays off. 53 percent of women were judged to have parked centrally within a space, compared to just a quarter of men. This is largely due to what researchers called "the female shuffle." They found that 56 percent of women will reposition a car if they aren't aligned to go in, while just 29 percent of men bother to do so, the press release claimed."

Women Better at Parking Than Men

I agree with this article, since the one thing I do notice on customized cars is scratched rims from bad parallel parking. Young Jeezy had them on his Camaro, and sadly, he wasn't the only one. For the rest of this glowing article, check out Women Are Better At Parking Than Men at Huffington Post.com

Now guys are gonna be salty with me since I posted this. Oh well, at least I know how to parallel park my Envoy.

Sallas Auto Repair’s Ten Tips for Winter Driving

(Notice how I used a Bentley Continental in snow)

Sallas Auto Repair in Kansas City, MO released their Ten Steps for Preparing a Vehicle for Winter. And I would follow this list because Kansas City knows a thing or two about preparing for winter.

“Over the years I’ve had many customers come in with problems that could have been easily avoided if they would have readied their vehicles for winter. Most of the steps to winterize a car are easy, and take very little time,” said Nick Sallas, owner of sallasauto.com

Ten Steps for Preparing a Vehicle for Winter

1. Evaluate the Car Tires.
Sallas explains that old tires (over seven years) run the risk of drying out and cracking in cold temperatures. Tires need ample tread to avoid hydro planning and sliding on ice and snow. Tire pressure must also be checked since cold weather can deflate tires.

2. Get the Antifreeze Mixture Right.
Vehicles need a mixture of 50-50 (antifreeze and water) in order to protect the motor from freezing and cracking. This needs to be 35 degrees below zero.

3. Clean the Car Battery.
Clean battery posts with baking soda, water and a small wire brush for proper maintenance and to extend battery life.

4. Replace Wipers & Wiper Fluid.
The life expectancy of wipers is only one year. Add wiper fluid in winter that contains a de-icer to prevent freezing on the windshield.

5. Check Belts & Hoses.
Cold weather can make a hose, or belt, fail. These parts need to be checked during vehicle servicing.

6. Test the Heater & Defrost.
These systems keep windshields clear when driving in precipitation. Check them for ample air pressure.

7. Keep your Gas Tank Full.
A full gas tank prevents gas lines from freezing when the temperature drops.

8. Carry an Emergency Kit for Winter.
Emergency kits for winter need to include: an ice scraper and brush; flashlight; flares; a first aid kit; blanket; gloves; boots; hats; warm clothes; snacks and water; jumper cables; paper towels and extra wiper fluid.

9. Know What to Do If Stranded.
A vehicle that is stranded, but still runs, can withstand the heater on for 10 minutes each hour. A stranded car needs a cracked window so that the car isn’t sealed shut.

10. Wax the Vehicle.
Waxing a vehicle twice per year will protect it from sun and salt. This can be done at home, or by an auto repair shop’s detail specialist. This prevents rust and paint chipping.

Top 10 Cars That Old People Buy

According to The Street.com, they compiled a list of the Top 10 Cars That Old People Buy. In any case, a recent study by TrueCar indicates that seniors in America, defined as age 65 and over, "chose vehicles from brands they grew up with." The study reviewed purchases by more than 200,000 car buyers in 2009 and 2010.

"Seniors are looking for a luxurious and comfortable vehicle from a brand they are familiar with and trust, and many seniors grew up with these iconic American luxury brands in their parents' garage," said TrueCar analyst Jesse Toprak, in a prepared statement.

TrueCar.com compiled a list of the top brands purchased by seniors in 2009 and 2010, by percentage of buyers. Topping the list of brands were Buick, Lincoln and Cadillac.

Presenting the Top 10 Cars That Old People Buy according to True Car

10. Toyota Avalon, MSRP: $29,876

According to TrueCar.com, 53.7% of Avalon buyers are seniors.

No other Japanese manufacturer has a single vehicle among geezer's top ten vehicle preferences, although Lexus is ranked as the No. 9 favorite geezer brand. Seniors account for 27.6% of Lexus sales.

9. Lincoln MKZ, MSRP: $32,575

TrueCar's survey shows that 53.8% of all MKZ buyers were seniors.

Seniors love Lincolns, their second-favorite brand. Seniors buy 47.7% of the Lincolns that are sold.

8. Buick LaCrosse, MSRP: $26,044

The survey shows that 58.9% of LaCrosse buyers were seniors.

Although it has been gaining buyers in all segments, Buick leads all brands in the percentage of senior buyers, with 57.5%. For the first seven months, Buick sales rose 27.2%, leading all GM brands, while the average age of the brand's buyers is falling.

7. Chevrolet Impala, MSRP: $23,515

The survey shows that 51.3% of Impala buyers are 65 or older.

Chevrolet is the sixth favorite brand for seniors, who account for 31.2% of its sales.

6. Hyundai Azera, MSRP: $24,230

Seniors accounted for 64.7% of Azera buyers, TrueCar said.

Hyundai was seniors' No. 10 favorite brand, with 25% of sales coming from the group.

5. Cadillac STS, MSRP: $36,000

Seniors accounted for 71% of STS buyers.

4. Cadillac CTS Wagon, MSRP: $36,349

Seniors accounted for 74.2% of all CTS buyers.

3. Cadillac DTS, MSRP: $43,500

Of DTS Buyers, 84.8% were seniors.

2. Buick Lucerne, MSRP: $26,044

The survey shows that 86.8% of Lucerne buyers were older than 65.

And number 1......

Lincoln Town Car, MSRP: $44,355

The survey shows that 89.6% of Town Car buyers were seniors.

Wall Street Journal: "American Express Black Card Holders Own As Many Hyundais as Bentleys"

According to the Wall Street Journal, those with the American Express Centurion Card b.k.a. the Black Card have as many Hyundais in their garage as they do with Bentleys. That means that for every Flying Spur, there's probably a Genesis not far behind. Of course, there's still Black Card holders who enjoy the finer things in life where: 22% of card holders own BMWs, 21% own Mercedes Benz, 15% own Porsche, and 11% own Lexus. I'm sure we're all aware that most (but not all) Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Lexus, and BMW models cost less than than a Bentley.

Again, not everyone is eligible for an American Express Centurion Card. In order to obtain one, it offered to the wealthiest of people, with the average holder having $16.3 million in assets and an annual household income of $1.3 million.

Reminiscing over the Chevrolet Chevette

I was on Car and Driver's site, and unlike some sites that steal posts verbatim from Car and Driver and Autoblog, I actually read a story and take something away from it, or give my own honest opinion.

Case in point: Car and Driver had an excerpt from their June 2011 issue about the Ford Pinto and the Chevy Chevette. The meat and potatoes of the story was about how unsafe these cars are and if you're desperate for a car without having much money, these two cars would come into mind.

I've never experienced the "joys" of a Ford Pinto, however, I remember the Chevy Chevette all too well. My mom was and still is a nervous driver. She's so nervous, she went to a special driving school- the school for the nervous in the Bronx. After failing her road tests for three times, she finally passed-- in a compact vehicle.

In about 1986, my Dad bought her a 1987 Chevrolet Chevette in that god-awful grey above for a grand total of under $10,000. Because of my mom, I had my first taste in customizations- where she had a manual popup sunroof installed, had custom paint job, and made sure that she had all four of her hubcaps on her car. For 9 years, my mom proudly drove this car around Long Island, sometimes venturing into the five boroughs of New York City. There's more stories than I can count about this car, but it met it's kiss of death in 1995 in a car accident that sent yours truly to the hospital. Ironically, the doctors said if my mom didn't react as fast as she did, I would have had the same destination as her Chevette... dead.

The best part about the Car and Driver's article was that they shamelessly ran the specs of each vehicle. If you were to compare the specs to a present day car, it would match the Smart Car. And I quote:

The rear-drive Chevette upheld the American tradition of punishing small-car buyers. In its favor, it was cheap and relatively reliable. Today, it would wear EPA numbers of 33 mpg highway for the 60-hp 1.6-liter and up to 42 mpg highway for the 51-hp, 1.8-liter Isuzu diesel. Performance? Not really. In our testing, the gas ’Vette did 0 to 60 in 13.0 seconds, and the diesel took 21.2. The best one in the world, a 16,727-mile ’81, brought $4290 at auction in 2009.

ENGINES > SOHC 1.4-liter inline-4, 52 hp, 70 lb-ft (1976); SOHC 1.6-liter inline-4, 60 hp, 82 lb-ft (1976); 1.8-liter diesel inline-4, 51 hp, 72 lb-ft (1982)
TOP SPEED > 80–88 mph • UNITS MADE > 2.75 million (including 26,681 diesels)

Thank goodness Chevrolet doesn't make Chevettes anymore, but they still make Aveos (now known as the Chevrolet Sonic), which is practically the same thing. Needless to say, my mom's taste in cars has evolved. She now likes cars that have more than 100 horsepower.

Some people had Ford Mustangs in their family. In my family, we had cars that you don't want to remember owning.

Florida Drivers Must Be On Something...

Not every state has the joy of charging drivers every time they drive across a bridge or down a highway. Just like New Jersey, Florida has the tolls when you get off exits on the Florida Turnpike. The further down you go, the more you have to spend.

Some people complain about spending money on the tolls. According to the folks at St. Petersburg Times, Florida drivers decided to have friends leaning out of open hatchbacks, motorcyclists kicking their feet back to obscure their own license plates among other things are just two of the tricks.

I rather spend the $2.00. $2.00 is a lot less than the tolls in New York.

Doing Donuts: The Flash Mob Version...

Whenever you mention The Guinness Book of World Records, it brings out the competitive spirit in people. Case in point: in 2009, some Brits tried to break the record with 29 cars...



Recently, some Australians attempted the same challenge and shattered it by using close to twice as many cars and shattered the record of the previous owners. Check this out...



Source: jalopnik.com