How to Wash Your Car - a Girly Guide

Washing Your Car is Easy, Fun, Cheap...AND Makes You Look Good!The summer is coming and driving around in the sun in freshly washed, shiny car feels terrific. It is also the perfect season to wash your own car because it is a fun way to exercise, get wet and keep cool while saving money. So where do you start?

The Exterior First of all, choose a clear day and put on old, comfortable clothing. Find a shady spot away from dripping trees and accessible to your water supply. Close all doors and windows of the car. Put the car soap into a bucket and fill it a couple of inches from the top with warm water. Hose down the car to remove surface dirt and grime. Lather up a sponge or terry cloth rag in the soapy bucket and start with the roof of the car. Always start at the top and work your way down when washing a car. After the roof, soap up each of the four sides individually. Make sure to include windows, rear view mirrors, tires and fenders. Rinse the car with cool, clear water. Finally, dry the car off with a chamois leather cloth (shammy) or soft terry cloth towel. After this, you may decide to spray a protective agent over your tires to clean them. Avoid spraying the agent on your car or tire rims and direct the spray only on your tires. Let is sit for a couple of minutes and then wipe off each tire with a terry towel. Many people use dish detergent rather than traditional car soap to wash their cars. Although it is okay to do so, remember that dish detergent was developed to remove animal and vegetable oils from your dishes. Therefore, it also washes a great deal of the wax off your car. Wax or Polish Wax and polish are terms that are used interchangeably and all such products are designed to clean, shine and protect, unless other specified by the manufacturer. The only real difference between the two is that a



polishing compound will clean and shine only and the compound is also used to remove small scratches on the paint's surface. There is absolutely no difference between the protection provided by liquid wax versus paste wax and the decision is made based purely on preference and ease of application. However, when using a paste wax, it often makes the wax easier to apply in a uniform layer when you dampen the applicator. A terry cloth bonnet is a great way to apply was because it is inexpensive, easy to wash and does not scratch. The time to wax your car is when water does not bead on its surface anymore. Usually, a car should be waxed three to four times per year for maximum protection, including cars with a clear coat finish. Also, certain conditions make it more difficult to wax your car, such as high humidity, extreme hot or cold temperatures (ideal temperature for waxing is between 55-85 degrees Fahrenheit), oxidation, direct sunlight and over-application. Make sure your car has been recently washed prior to waxing. Also, do not apply wax to surfaces that cannot be easily buffed and always apply wax in thin coats. The InteriorOnce the exterior of your car is clean, you can start on the interior. Begin by getting a trash bag and remove all junk and debris. Shake out your floor mats and wash your seat covers, if you have them. Vacuum your seats and mats. Use a mild carpet cleaner or stain remove on your mats and fabric seats, if that is what your car has. Air the floor mats out in the sun and open the windows to air out your car. Use window cleaner and paper towels or newspaper to wash the interior and exterior of your windows. This is also a good time to check the windshield wiper fluid level in your vehicle. Clean your dashboard and doors with a vinyl protectant. If you have leather seats, use a designated leather cleaner to wash them. Little TipsA great tip for getting rid of bird feces is seltzer water without salt. A little bit applied to the offensive area removes the grime. A good tip for removing water spots is neutralizing them with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. My favorite preferred car wash and wax products are Turtle Wax – I have always had success with them. For vinyl and rubber, I use Armour All products. Windex remains my preferred window cleaner, whether used with paper towels or newspaper. Finally, I find that Coach makes an outstanding leather cleaner. Washing your own car is fun, inexpensive and rewarding and protects your investment. Besides, don't you look so much better in a clean set of wheels?

What's all the squealing about?

I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to drive all sorts of makes and models of vehicles. And I will tell you this: They all drive differently, they all feel different and they all brake differently. It is important to know this! Because when it comes to checking your brakes, each vehicle will vary, as will each driver.
Here’s some answers to common questions I often hear about brakes:
What are soft brakes?
Soft brakes are when you push down on the pedal, it’s a soft & spongy feeling. This feeling may indicate a leak of brake fluid, a bad master cylinder or air in your brake system. If you start to feel a soft brake, you should get it checked out.
What are hard brakes?
Hard brakes are when you push down on the pedal, and it’s very difficult and hard to force. This is a more severe situation because it could indicate a blockage of fluid thru the system and allow the brakes to grab, and you need to get them looked at immediately.
What purpose do brake pads serve?
Brake pads have special wear indicators, which detect when the pads are getting worn down. You will hear a constant “squeak” until the brakes are applied.
Why are my brakes so squeaky when it rains?
After it rains, your brakes may squeak because of rusting. No worries, it should go away with use. And in the morning, your brakes may sound a bit squeaky because moisture may have built up on the pads. If you give it some time, the noise will go away.
So tell me … have you had your brakes repaired in the past? Did a noise or the way they felt prompt you to bring them in for repair?

Brake Pads

Financing 101: What’s a credit report?

One of the first things to understand about financing a vehicle is the importance of a credit report. Your credit report is basically a history book on your spending and earning habits. It tells you a lot! It tells banks and lending institutions a lot, too. “Your credit score tells you what you can buy,”

Why is it so important? “It’s kinda like a backup plan, if you don’t have cash to pay for things,”

A lot of people can’t write a check for a brand new car. We are lucky to have an option for monthly payments and that’s why maintaining your credit score is so important. As is not living beyond your means! I recommend viewing your credit report at least once a year. This will keep you knowledgeable and on top of your credit.
How do you feel about the finance part of buying a car? Do you have any financing questions that you’d like me to write about here?

How to deal with negative equity on a vehicle

I can’t tell you how many times a new purchase cannot go through because of negative equity. In the car biz, we call this being “upside down.” It is a major and sometimes deal-breaking concern these days.
Negative equity is “when the value of an asset falls below the outstanding balance on the loan used to purchase that asset.” In simpler terms, it is when your vehicle is not worth the amount that you owe on it.
So, what should you do if you want to buy a car but have negative equity on your current vehicle? How can you get “turned around?”
Put cash down! I can’t stress the importance of cash down! It automatically puts you in a better equity position.
So how can you protect yourself from negative equity on your next purchase?
“A lower finance term (if you can), ensures a quicker trade cycle,” “Also, there are products that protect you against a total loss. I call it “save your butt” insurance … the professional term is GAP (Guaranteed Auto/Asset Protection).”
Have you ever dealt with negative equity? Were you able to turn the situation around? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.

Mynatt dealership fights for reinstatement

By Kirsten Vallekvalle@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Tuesday, Mar. 09, 2010

CONCORD
Cyndie Mynatt spends much of her time these days sifting through sales figures, projections and records, piled in stacks around her office, meeting with accountants and marketers, building the case to save her car dealership.
The fight began on a Friday in May, when she learned Ben Mynatt Chevrolet Cadillac was one of the about 2,000 nationwide GM planned to shutter as it began bankruptcy proceedings. It continued Monday, when calls went out to the last of the 661 dealers the automaker announced recently it would reinstate. Mynatt’s store wasn’t on the list.
But there’s optimism among those disappointments, from the four dozen employees, longtime customers and Mynatt herself, who owns the dealership her father built into a Concord fixture before he died in 2001.
“When we got the termination letter, it’s like he died all over again,” Mynatt said Tuesday morning in her office, tears in her eyes. “But I’m going to get it back.”
Ben Mynatt Chevrolet Cadillac was among the 50 or so N.C. dealerships targeted for closing last spring, and one of a handful in the Charlotte region, said Bob Glaser, president of the N.C. Automobile Dealers Association, though GM hasn’t released that list publicly.
Many have shut down already, a few months after government officials forced the struggling GM into bankruptcy court. But some, such as Mynatt’s, which is set to close in October, are battling for another chance. Congress passed a law in December giving angry dealers the right to arbitration, which Mynatt expects to happen in May. And a few weeks ago, GM executives said the automaker would meet with individual dealers in the next few months to try to settle without arbitration.
For Mynatt, a three-decade livelihood is at stake.
Her father started selling Chevrolets in 1955 in Knoxville, Tenn., and moved 12 years later with his wife, Grace, to a dealership in Hickory, where he became general manager. In the years that followed, the Mynatts tucked away a savings, and in 1976, they bought what would become Ben Mynatt Chevrolet Cadillac.
The dealership, situated along U.S. 29 within earshot of Charlotte Motor Speedway, racked up sales and honors, such as the N.C. Automobile Dealer Association’s lifetime achievement award in 2000. The Mynatts branched out to other shops: Pontiac, GMC and Buick next door, which has not been terminated, Nissan in Salisbury and a used-car lot in Kannapolis. And they became prominent in the community.
Ben Mynatt served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Cabarrus County Boys & Girls Club and other organizations. Grace Mynatt was chairman of the Cabarrus Board of Education and is currently a county commissioner.
Cyndie Mynatt, a Duke graduate who began her career at the Mint Museum in Charlotte in 1979, followed suit, serving as chairman of the N.C. dealers association and more than a dozen foundations and boards over the years.
She bought the Chevrolet shop from her brother in 2008 and spent her first few months there trying to reverse lagging sales. She’s had to lay off a handful of employees, though the store became profitable around the time GM fell into bankruptcy, she said.
Mynatt waited a few weeks – long enough to appeal – after the termination letter arrived to tell workers the news. Shortly after, community members started calling: “How is this possible? What can we do?”
More than 1,400 people have expressed support so far, becoming fans of the dealership’s Facebook page and writing letters to employees, elected officials and the new Web site, SaveBenMynattChevy.com.
“Finding a new dealer that could win the hearts of this community like the Mynatts would be impossible,” one woman wrote. “People like to do business with people they like and respect, which is exactly why the Mynatts have been so successful over the years.”
Another wrote, “Best of luck, Ben Mynatt, on the fight of your life!”
Glaser, the dealers association president, said dealerships such as Mynatt’s are crucial to the economic and social fabric of N.C. communities. He said he’s encouraged by the fact that Mynatt is “fighting like heck,” and optimistic about her chances with GM.
“It’s a tragic set of circumstances, anyway, that she was cut in the first place,” he said. “I’m optimistic she can put her best foot forward. … And if all goes well, she’ll get her dealership back.”
Receptionist Judy Pless hopes so. She’s worked at Ben Mynatt Chevrolet Cadillac for almost 24 years and called it a mistake to cut a dealership so plugged into its community.
“It’s like a family,” she said, between answering phone calls. “They treat you well, and they care about you, and they care about the customers.”
Commercial and fleet salesman Ray Overby has been at the dealership 14 years and said it’s the best place he’s ever worked.
“It’s just a shame,” he said. “We’ve been here so long and done so much, and just to come in and take our store away – I hope we can get something done, because a lot of people’s lives depend on working here.”
In recent weeks, floor traffic and Internet activity have climbed, Mynatt said, and recent sales figures show sales of GM’s four core brands jumped 32 percent last month nationally over the year before.
She’s convinced she’ll win her case, but if not, she said she’ll continue to give to charity and continue to be a part of the community.
It’s difficult to talk about that, though, she said, reaching into a desk drawer for a tissue. Her father, after all, put everything he had into the dealership.
“It was his life’s dream,” she said. “It’s just who my dad was. You know, it’s more than a business.”
Kirsten Valle: 704-358-5248Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/09/1301550/mynatt-dealership-fights-for-reinstatement.html#ixzz0iNQjfZf8

Who can you trust online?

With the endless information on the internet how can you determine who’s telling the truth? I’ve always been a believer in ‘following your instincts’ because they’re usually right. But when selling, trading in and buying a car, who do you trust?
Based on what I’ve learned from hanging around the store, read in reports and experienced first hand, there is a lot of information out there. You just got to be careful where you’re getting it from and if it’s, in fact, accurate.
So what’s out there? Who can tell you what your car is worth?
Kelley Blue Book (KBB): The online version, kbb.com, launched in 1995 and is probably the most popular site for consumers to get a value on their vehicle today.
Black Book: This guide has been active for more than 53 years and is known to be reliable market driven information. It is published daily.
NADA Guides: It all started in 1933. NADA provides market-reflective value for all including dealers, auctions, financial institutions and credit unions.
Manheim (MMR): Established more than 60 years ago, it is known as the world’s largest provider of vehicle remarketing services.
Vehicle Purchase Program (VPP): The autotrader.com trade-in marketplace. They offer an online guarantee.
People love Kelley Blue Book! Customers like to throw out terms like “Black Book, Blue Book … NADA.” And I would agree with the people, these are helpful tools. However, they are simply a personal guide to buying and selling a car. They are not an absolute. The truth is, your vehicle is only worth what someone is actually willing to pay for it.
MMR (Manheim) and Black Book are probably the most accurate guides because they are based off a selling history of a vehicle, sold at auctions. However, the only true online guarantee is VPP (Vehicle Purchase Program) through Autotrader. If the vehicle matches the exact description you gave through this site, the check is handed over to you.
For next time, be careful who you listen to. I wouldn’t want your expectations to be broken or a bad feeling in your stomach. It’s important to leave feeling good!
So tell me, what sites do you use to gather your information before buying and selling a car? Are there any I’ve left out?

Did you pass?

First driving test: What was your grade?
Your driver’s test may be the only test you take that studying for isn’t a total nightmare. Over 50 hours of hands-on experience and nearly 15 years of anticipation and preparation. But no one could have warned me about the big day.
I managed to memorize all the answers in my little driver’s manual and … nailed the written exam! Next up, the actual driver’s test. I was expecting side streets, a bit of parking, maybe a main road and one shot at parallel parking.
But no! As I slowly approached the highway on-ramp, I could feel my blood beginning to boil, my palms were starting to sweat, and I know for a fact that my heart was racing. It was what I like to call “utter fear.” After moments of cruising at a snail’s pace, a giant orange and white barrel would jump out of nowhere and attack my vehicle. I was heartbroken.
After the test was over, waiting alongside the curb for my parents to pick me up, I thought to myself “If only I had a smaller car…” And still, I got 98 percent on the exam, baby!
Do you have any memories of your driver’s test? Did you pass with flying colors or hit a few bumps (or barrels) along the way? What was your grade?

Oil changes: Are they really better at an express shop?

Let me ask you this … are you more apt to go to the dealership or an auto repair chain when you need service? How about for an oil change?

I think it’s important to share some common myths about dealerships and oil change centers.
Myth #1 : Oil changes are cheaper at an oil change center than at the dealership.
After gathering prices from the Ben Mynatt dealerships, an average oil change is around $31. And, after speaking to a gentlemen at the nearest chain shop, the cost was $36.99 plus tax (and an additional $4.99 if it exceeds 5 quarts). Interesting!

Myth #2: It’s quicker to get your oil changed at an oil change center. Afterall, they are called “quick” oil change shops.
At our dealerships, on average, 45 minutes is the allotted time for an oil change. And after calling a different, chain shop in Salisbury NC a wait of 1 and a half hours was given to me.
Another reason, and probably the most important one, is the quality of work at the dealer. Dealership service professionals are master technicians and have certification levels, years of training and education, checklists provided by manufacturers … the list goes on. And a customer who takes their vehicle to the dealer each time will not only earn good will, but a better resale value on the vehicle when they trade it back in (all records documented). So, utilize the dealer!
Do you take your vehicle to a dealership to get your oil changed? Why or why not?