As gas prices rapidly approach four bucks a gallon, Americans are feeling pain at the pump.  So are the automobile manufacturers and dealers.  Rising gas prices and their negative impact on the economy are causing consumers to put off vehicle purchases or to trade in their gas guzzlers for smaller, more fuel efficient cars.  As a result, automakers and dealers are experiencing a significant decrease in sales and profits.  Although small car sales rose over 7% the first four months of this year, SUV sales have dropped 28%, minivan sales fell 20% and pickup truck sales dropped nearly 18%.

This trend is especially hard on the American auto manufacturers whose profits depend heavily on sales of large trucks and SUVs.  Although the “Detroit Three” (GM, Ford and Chrysler) now offer dozens of smaller cars that get around 30 miles per gallon (with much improved quality), they still build far more trucks and SUVs than their Asian competitors.  While Detroit can shift its production to the more fuel-efficient vehicles to some extent, it can’t just turn on a dime.  The development cycle for new cars (from research to design to production) can run anywhere from three to ten years, severely hampering an automaker’s ability to adjust to sudden market changes.

Since the auto manufacturers can’t magically replace their inventory with more fuel-efficient vehicles, they have to develop more creative ways to market the vehicles they already have.  The traditional solution is to offer large cash rebates and zero-percent financing to make slow selling vehicles more attractive to consumers.  This year, that hasn’t been enough.  So, some automakers have created a new type of incentive – discounted gas!  This program is very clever, as it speaks to consumers’ greatest area of pain.  But, is it really a good deal?

To answer that question, we have to read the fine print, make some comparisons, and actually do the math.  (Yuck!)  Most programs limit the amount of gas that can be purchased at the discounted price to cover fuel for 12,000 miles per year for three years.  Most Americans drive closer to 15,000 miles per year, so the discount will not last the entire year.  The discounted gas program uses the combined city/highway fuel economy estimates for each vehicle to calculate how many gallons of gas add up to 12,000 miles.  For example, an SUV with a combined rating of 15 mpg will give you an allotment of 800 gallons of gas per year.  At the discounted price of $2.99, that comes to $2,392 per year.  If gas prices stabilize at $4.00 per gallon (which some economists say is likely – yeah, right), you would save $808 per year or $2,424 over three years. 

That sounds like a pretty good deal.  However, we must consider that the vehicles offering the special gas program tend to have lower fuel economy ratings than their competitors (which is why they aren’t selling in the first place).  Going back to our example above, if you instead purchase an SUV that gets 22 mpg, you would only need 545 gallons of gas to get you 12,000 miles.  At $4.00 per gallon, you would spend $2,180 – that’s $212 less per year (or $636 over three years) than what you would have spent with the discounted gas program.  If gas prices soar to over $4.50 per gallon, then it’s probably a push.   Of course, if you keep the gas program vehicle for more than three years, you will go back to paying the same high price for gas as everyone else, while driving a less fuel efficient vehicle.  Any amount of money you saved under the discounted gas program will be quickly lost. 
Furthermore, the gas deals typically reduce the amount of the cash-back incentives you can apply to the purchase of the vehicle.  Sometimes the gas savings makes up for the difference in the incentives, but sometimes it doesn’t—particularly for vehicles with large cash incentives.

Unfortunately, there is no magical solution to the gas price predicament.  If you have your heart set on one of the vehicles offering a discounted gas deal, and the gas savings is greater than the cash incentives, then take advantage of it.  However, if your goal is simply to save money at the pump, then you are better off purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle.  Or maybe a bicycle.

The 2008 Tesla Roadster is a fully electric sports car developed by Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Martin Eberhard and electric motor inventor Nikola Tesla under the company name Tesla Motors. The car is assembled for Tesla Motors by Lotus at their plant in Hethel, England along side the Lotus Elise. The cars are then shipped back to Tesla’s plant in California for installation of the powertrain and other final components.

Despite being 100% electric, the Tesla Roadster is no wind-up toy! The little two-seater can travel 225 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion battery back and requires only 3.5 hours to re-charge, very much like a cell phone. The car ships with a home charging station and costs only 2 cents per mile to drive. The 6,831 cell lithium-ion battery pack weighs about 1,000 pounds, more than a third of the weight of the 2,700 pound car, and gives off zero emissions. The battery is warranted for 100,000 miles or five years.

Although the Roadster’s body is made of light weight carbon fiber materials, the car has passed all of the required U.S. safety tests. The all-torque electric motor makes 248 hp and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds, topping out at 125 mph. The rear mounted engine redlines at 13,500 rpm with practically no noise at all. When did going green become so sexy!?!

The two-speed, rear wheel drive Roadster starts at $109,000 and comes in practically every color in the metallic rainbow. Air conditioning, heated leather seats, power windows and locks, cruise control, a single CD stereo with iPod interface, Homelink universal transmitter, and even a retractable cup holder are all standard. Safety features include four wheel anti-lock breaks, traction control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and dual front airbags. The Tesla sits on a set of high performance Yokohama tires mounted on 16” alloy wheels in the front and wider 17’s in the rear. A double insulated soft top is standard, but a removable, carbon fiber hard top is also available.   Other upgrades include a premium sound system, Bluetooth, satellite radio and touch screen navigation with voice guidance. You can even squeeze a set of golf clubs in the small, rear trunk.

If you’re thinking, “sign me up!” – get in line. All of the 600 cars that Tesla plans to produce for 2008 are spoken for, and they are now taking orders for the 1500 cars they plan to build for 2009. A mere $60,000 deposit is required to place an order. Tesla’s first dealership opened in the trendy L.A. neighborhood of Westwood, where Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Brentwood meet. Not surprisingly, Hollywood’s elite, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney and Jay Leno, were among the first to place their orders. The first Telsa Roadsters were delivered to their excited owners in late March. Lucky dogs!

Learn more about the Tesla Roadster at Jay Leno’s Garage!

The following 13 vehicles are rated the most fuel efficient in their class, according to EPA estimates and Forbes.com:

strong>Two-Seater:  Smart Fourtwo (33 mpg city / 41 mpg highway)
Subcompact:  Toyota Yaris (29 mpg city / 36 mpg highway)
Compact:  Mini Cooper (28 mpg city / 37 mpg highway)
Hybrid:  Honda Civic Hybrid (40 mpg city / 45 mpg highway)
Midsize:  Toyota Prius Hybrid (48 mpg city / 45 mpg highway)
Large Car:  Honda Accord (22 mpg city / 31 mpg highway)
Hatchback:  Honda Fit (28 mpg city / 34 mpg highway)
Wagon:  Volkswagen Passat (21 mpg city / 29 mpg highway)
SUV:  Ford Escape Hybrid (34 mpg city / 30 mpg highway)
Minivan:  Mazda 5 (22 mpg city / 28 mpg highway)
Truck:  Ford Ranger Pickup (21 mpg city / 26 mpg highway)
Sports Car:  Audi TT Coupe (23 mpg city / 31 mpg highway)
Luxury: Mercedes E320 Bluetec (23 mpg city / 32 mpg highway)

I recently received an email describing a new law that is supposedly going into effect on July 1, 2008 in North Carolina. The law would prohibit drivers from talking on a cell phone while driving, unless they use a hands-free device. (Drivers under age 18 would be prohibited from using any type of wireless device.) The email gives extensive details about the new law, including penalties for breaking it.

Unlike most emails of this nature that I receive, I believed it to be true because I had heard about the new law from other sources, including mainstream media and even a NC DMV employee. I have recently learned that THIS EMAIL IS A HOAX! According to the North Carolina General Assembly’s website, no such law is scheduled to take effect in North Carolina. The law described in the email is actually for the state of California. The content of the email was taken directly from the California Department of Motor Vehicles Code publication on their DMV website.

There are currently laws in North Carolina prohibiting cell phone use for some drivers. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use a cell phone behind the wheel, except to call their parents or law enforcement in an emergency situation. Bus Drivers are also not permitted to speak on cell phones while driving. A law outlawing cell phone use while driving (except with a hands-free phone or head set) has been introduced into the N.C. General Assembly several times over the past few years. The law was passed by the State Senate in 2007, but it was not ratified by the legislature.

Even though it looks like North Carolina drivers will be permitted to talk freely for a while longer, it is only a matter of time before such a law is passed. Although many of us do it on a regular basis, talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. Not only is it a significant distraction, but it takes one hand off the wheel that could be needed to help control the vehicle to avoid an accident. Talking on the phone also limits your ability to turn your head to see clearly while backing up or changing lanes.

Remember - being a good, safe driver requires paying constant attention to your surroundings, having quick reactions, and maintaining total control over your vehicle. You can’t do any of these things while holding a cell phone. You didn’t see Danika Patrick using a cell phone at the Japan 300 last week, did you?

Drive Safely!

Are you looking for a really special birthday or anniversary gift for your spouse?  Or, maybe, for yourself?  How about renting an exotic car! 

A woman called me a few weeks ago and asked if I could help her rent a car, instead of purchase one.  Her husband has always wanted to drive a high end sports car, so she decided to treat him for his birthday.  Since buying him a swanky ride was not quite in the budget, she looked into renting one for a week.  Exotic car rental companies are a dime a dozen in places like Miami and LA, but not so much in Charlotte.  So, she turned to the Car Chick for help. 

Although I was unable to find any exotic car rental companies (that are still in business) in the Carolinas, I did find a Porsche club that fit the bill.  Club Ferdinand, located near Ashville, North Carolina, is a car club that affords its members the opportunity to drive a fleet of ten beautiful Porsches.  This dream fleet includes Boxsters, Caymans, Cayennes, 911s, and even a classic 356 Carrera Speedster.  Memberships are based either on points or driving days, and start as low as $990. 

While Club Ferdinand does offer rentals, a driving days based membership is a more cost effective option.  For just under $1500, you can purchase a seven driving day membership.  You can use all seven days at one time, or you can spread them out over two years.  You can drive any Porsche in their fleet with unlimited mileage in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.  Liability, collision and comprensive insurance are included. 

Want to combine the thrill of driving a Porsche with a romantic weekend?  Club Ferdinand has partnered with the historic Mast Farm Inn to provide driving tour packages of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.  To learn more about Club Ferdinand, their Porsche fleet, and available driving tours, please visit them on the web at www.ClubFerdinand.com or call Henri Deschamps at 828-963-2626.

The Car Chick (a.k.a. LeeAnn Shattuck) was a guest this past Tuesday night (April 15, 2008) on the nationally syndicated Cooper Lawrence Radio Show!  The segment aired at 9pm Tuesday evening and ran for about 20 minutes.  Cooper asked LeeAnn a few questions about women and car buying, and then LeeAnn took questions from listeners.  All the listeners who called in were women, and they asked what the Car Chick though about various makes and models, reliability issues and maintenance concerns.  It was a fun show! 

For those of you who don’t know, Cooper Lawrence is a relationship and psychology expert with a master’s degree in developmental psychology.  She is the host of her own nationally syndicated radio show airing weekdays M-F 7pm-10pm ET on Charlotte’s 107.9 The Link. Cooper has appeared in many media outlets, including radio, magazines and TV.  Cooper is the also the author of Been There, Done That, Kept The Jewelry, and she has two new books set for release in January 2008:   The Cult of Perfection: Making Peace With Your Inner Overachiever and The Fixer Upper Man: How to Turn Mr. Maybe Into Mr. Right. 

To learn more about Cooper and her radio show, go to www.CooperLawrenceShow.com.  If you missed hearing the Car Chick on her show Tuesday night, you can listen to the Podcast (Select 4/15, Tuesday, Hour 3) at http://www.podtrac.com/PodtracPlayer/podtracplayer.aspx?podcast=http://www.cooperlawrenceshow.com/podcast/cl.cfm

Do you hate having to make the time to take your car in for service or an inspection?  Do you hate standing in line at the DMV?  (Ok, who doesn’t?)  Women’s Automotive Solutions can take care of these pesky, but necessary, tasks for you through our affiliate partner “Top- Priority Concierge & Errand Service”.   Top-Priority is a woman-owned, professional errand service company serving the Charlotte, NC market.  VIP auto services include taking your car to be washed or detailed, taking it in for scheduled maintenance, inspection or repairs, handling DMV paperwork, even filling it up with gas!  Contact the Car Chick to learn more!

Top-Priority can also save you valuable time on a varity of other tasks and errands.  Visit them on the web to learn more, and tell them that Women’s Automotive Solutions sent you!

I admit it – I’m a geek.  Between my passion for cars and a background in Information Technology, I really had no choice.  I was doomed from the start.  So, naturally, I love to keep up with the latest technology they are shoving into cars these days. 

It wasn’t too many years ago that navigation systems and DVD players were the newest gizmos and considered rare luxuries.  Now, most people wouldn’t even consider buying a luxury vehicle without navigation or an SUV without a rear entertainment system for fear of reduced resale value.  Many auto manufacturers, like Honda, Ford and GM have caught up with the times and offer iPod / MP3 interfaces or onboard MP3 hard drive systems for your listening pleasure.  Some luxury brands, like BMW, are upping the sound quality ante with new, digital audio technologies like DVD-Audio and HD digital radio.  In just a few more years, CD players in cars will likely be as archaic as tape decks are today.

The techno gadgetry is not limited to entertainment systems, however.  A popular feature to emerge in the last couple of years is the reverse parking assist system, available on many large SUVs.  The simple version uses ultrasonic technology to determine how close the vehicle is to an object.  As you get closer to the object, a warning alarm inside the vehicle becomes louder and more insistent.  Some systems also use a series of lights on the dashboard to visually alert the driver.  The more advanced version of the parking-assist system utilizes a small camera mounted in a protected area on the rear of the vehicle, usually near the license plate. A wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the vehicle is projected on the display screen of the vehicle’s navigation system.  The purpose of the parking assist system is not only to help you maneuver your behemoth SUV out of a parking space, but to keep you from running over small children in the process.

Lexus has taken this technology one step further and offers an automated parking system on its flagship sedan, the LS460.  Yes, the car parallel parks itself.  Really.  The system requires the target parking space to be a minimum of 6.5 feet longer than the car, and it uses a total of 10 sonar sensors to detect the other two vehicles and the gap between.  The car’s computer does the math, steers the wheel, applies the brakes and maneuvers the car perfectly into the space.  (Don’t believe me?  Watch the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4kBbIOZaGE&feature=related)  BMW and Mercedes offer similar systems on their top-of-the-line sedans.  The systems are usually packaged with other options and cost an average of $3,000.

Automobile manufacturers have not only developed systems to help you park your car, but to help you drive it as well.  Several different manufacturers, from Lexus to Chrysler, offer adaptive cruise control, a system that uses either radar or a laser to keep pace with the vehicle in front of you.  Some systems also feature a collision warning and avoidance system, which warns the driver and/or automatically hits the brakes and tightens the seatbelts if there is a high risk of a rear-end collision.  These systems typically run at least $2,000.  The laser-based system is less expensive, but it is also less reliable in adverse weather conditions and in tracking extremely dirty vehicles.

Some car makers are also helping you drive better in the dark with night vision systems.  If you are envisioning yourself driving down a dark, country road wearing military-issue night vision goggles, you are not far off.  These systems use the same infrared technology but, thankfully, without the dorky goggles.  Infrared sensors mounted on the front of the car use thermal imaging to “see” animals, people and objects in the vehicle’s path before the driver can see them in the headlights. The images are then transmitted onto the vehicle’s navigation screen. The more heat the object gives off, the brighter it appears on the screen.  Most systems cover a range of up to 1,000 feet ahead of the car and cost around $2,000.  Both BMW and Mercedes offer night vision systems on certain models, but Lexus has dropped this technology for 2008 due to high production costs and low demand.

Thanks to these technology innovations, you can now safely drive backwards, forwards and park your car both during the day and at night.  That is, if you have the money to pay for both the pricey vehicles and the extra options.  But, as with any technology, these options will no doubt come down in price over time and become available on vehicles the average person can afford.  So, what’s next?  Autopilot?  Flying cars?  They may not be as far off as you think.

Despite the fact that Lexus dropped the night vision system option for 2008, their flagship sedan, the LS460 is still one of the most geeked-out vehicles on the market. The LS460, a redesign of the LS430 sedan, debuted in 2007 and is essentially unchanged for 2008.

The flagship of the Lexus fleet, the LS460 offers a delicate balance of performance, luxury, space and value. The 4.6-liter V8 engine makes a respectable 380 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, accomplishing a swift 5.8 second 0-60 time while remaining remarkable quiet. Standard safety features include antilock disc brakes, traction / stability control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and knee-protection airbags for front passengers. Side-impact airbags for rear passengers are optional. The LS also boasts higher reliability and safety ratings and lower maintenance costs than its European rivals.

Between the luxury appointments and technical features, sliding behind the wheel of the LS460 feels like boarding a Lear jet. Rich wood trim perfectly compliments the plush leather seating and elegant electroluminescent gauges. Starting at a relatively reasonable $62,000, the LS460 features standard 18” alloy wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, power and heated front seats, keyless ignition, Bluetooth, and a premium audio system with six-CD changer and an auxiliary audio jack. Optional packages offer features such as a hard drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic and a backup camera, cooled front seats, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system, satellite radio, park assist, the Advanced Parking Guidance System (that cool “car parks itself system”) and adaptive cruise control.
The LS also comes in a long wheel base model, aptly called the 460L, which offers an adaptive air suspension system, variable-ratio steering, 19-inch wheels and upgraded brakes. If you really want to go First Class, you can opt for the “Executive Class Seating Package”. For just under $13,000, this special-order-only package reduces the rear seating capacity from three to two, but adds a middle console with a “cool box” (i.e. beer fridge). Rear seat passengers are further pampered with reclining power seats (with heating, cooling and massage options), a DVD entertainment system, and dual-zone climate control. The total price for this wingless, private jet – around $100,000. If that’s not enough for you, then go for a loaded LS 600h L hybrid for a mere $130,000. After all, it’s only money.

I just wanted to write and tell you how delighted I am with my experience with Charlotte and Women’s Automotive Solutions.  My 2008 Honda Accord is just beautiful, and I am enjoying it very much!  While I miss my 2006 Accord, I am amazed that your sharp negotiating skills put me in a brand new ’08 for basically the same payment I was making on the ’06!  I know that you got top dollar for my trade-in and negotiated a “sweet” price on the new Accord.  The best thing was not spending my valuable time visiting car lots and trying to negotiate with strangers whose job it is to make too much money off of me!  My experience with Crown Honda was pure pleasure!  All I had to do was meet you at the dealership, sign the paperwork with a very friendly and courteous Financial Manager, and drive away in my brand new car!  Thank you SO much for working so hard for me!  The fee is worth every penny!  I have told numerous friends – including men – about my experience using you, and everyone says they plan to give you a call when they’re ready to trade.  I’m still amazed that this whole experience was so easy and pleasant!  You truly delivered what you promised.  Thank you – thank you!
- Gail Williams, Director of Sales, SKIRT! Magazine

If you are in the market for a new car, you’d be crazy not to contact Charlotte Spraggins with Women’s Automotive Solutions! Charlotte is very professional and knowledgeable in the automobile industry and uses her expertise to handle the process for you from start to finish. Two reasons why you should choose Charlotte; she saves you time and stress, and she will get you a great deal on your new car and your trade-in. She does all the work for you! I hired her to help me and her services were worth every penny. Charlotte made the process extremely smooth and headache-free; this is worth her service fee alone. Even better–she saved me money! She got me a fantastic deal on my trade-in and a great deal on the new car. She really looked out for me and she knows how to negotiate with the dealerships. I am certain I would not have been able to negotiate this deal myself. I asked her to keep my payments at a certain price a month—Charlotte worked her magic!! Within only days of contacting Charlotte, I drove off the dealership lot in a brand new vehicle. I remember thinking, buying a car has never been this fun and easy. If I ever am in the market for a second vehicle or a new car, I will definitely be calling Charlotte again.
- Bailie Thompson, Account Executive, SKIRT! Magazine