It Has Been COLD in California
January 22, 2013 By 5 Comments
Finding yourself stranded in your car due to treacherous conditions like snow, ice, poor visibility and slick roads only to discover you have junk in the trunk, rather than the necessary roadside emergency supplies, can place you and your family in jeopardy.
Pay attention to the end of the post to win these emergency materials!
According to a new survey by State Farm® and KRCResearch, more than 60 percent of drivers had some sort of “junk” (non-emergency supplies) in their trunk ranging from extra clothes and shoes to used food or drink containers. While 99 percent of drivers had at least one emergency supply in their vehicle, such as spare tire or jumper cables, a mere nine percent carried all the essential emergency roadside supplies, including:
- Jumper cables
- Spare tire
- Hazard triangle/road flares
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Water
- Blanket
“Even on a relatively short trip, you can find yourself stranded for several hours. From icy waters splashing up on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago to fog covering the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, it’s important to be prepared,” said Robert Medved, safety expert, State Farm. “These new findings highlight the importance of having the right emergency equipment so people can safely get back on the road faster.”
Medved also recommends drivers check at least twice a year to ensure the equipment is in working order. This means spare tires are properly inflated, first-aid supplies are current, all other supplies are fully stocked, and the cell phone charger is compatible with either a power outlet or an USB port in your car. Communication capability can be the number one lifeline in some roadside emergency cases.
How Your Junk Stacks Up:
New survey findings also revealed that sedan drivers (63 percent) are less likely to carry emergency supplies compared to SUV and truck owners (75 percent and 73 percent respectively). Also, only two in five drivers said they check that the emergency supplies in their vehicle are working at least twice a year, in line with what State Farm recommends.
Advice for Drivers:
State Farm encourages responsible driving every day of the year, and especially during cold weather months when inclement weather is more common. If you are stranded on the road, follow these tips:
- Pull off the highway (if possible), turn on your hazard lights and use a road flare or reflectors to signal attention.
- If you have a cell phone, call 911 and describe your location as precisely as possible. Follow any instructions from the dispatcher.
- Remain in your vehicle so help can find you.
- Run your vehicle’s engine and heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm.
- Open a downwind window slightly for ventilation and clear snow from the exhaust pipe to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Don’t waste your vehicle’s battery power. Balance electrical energy needs – lights, heat and radio – with supply.
- At night, turn on an inside light when you run the engine so help can see you.
- Keep emergency supplies like road flares, a flashlight, blanket, windshield scraper, jumper cables, spare tire and a first aid kit in your vehicle or trunk at all times.
- Keep your fuel tank at least ½ full at all times during bad weather.
To put it simply:
I am completely guilty of having too much junk in my trunk
But somewhere under all that mess is an emergency kit – somewhere.
If you would like to win the emergency kit mentioned and pictured above just fill out the Rafflecopter form below
For additional information and emergency roadside tips, visithttp://learningcenter.statefarm.com/safety-2/auto-2/worst-case-winter-driving-survival/
Ford Drive Event
November 14, 2012 By 3 Comments
I have had to pass up some fun events now that I am working full time, but I try to find others to share the wealth with and also to help me share the events with you. Pattie Cordova of Living Mi Vida Loca was kind enough to attend a local Ford Drive Event and share her thoughts with us.
I had the opportunity to experience a few popular Ford 2013 automobiles and I learned about some great new features in many of the new models. You know how sometimes you don’t know that you’re missing something until you see it? That’s exactly how I felt after driving the Ford vehicles.
I personally own a 2008 minivan, family stickers in the back and everything. Now, four years might not seem like a lot, but in car years – it might as well be a lifetime. The advances that have come to vehicles are nothing but forward thinking and really with the family in mind. My favorite feature of them all? The hands-free liftgate.
Hands-Free Liftgate
Tested on the 2013 Escape 2.0L EcoBoost
This single new option is the main reason why I am looking to purchase a new vehicle. You know all those times you’ve walked to your vehicle with bags in your hands, maybe a kid on your hip? Yes, I know those times all too well myself. Well, the hands-free liftgate is an awesome new feature whereby with the key fob in your pocket you swipe your foot under the vehicle, where the sensor is located, and it magically opens up. Hands free! You throw the bags in the trunk and swipe your foot under the vehicle again to close it – or push the little button on the door to close now that you have your hands free of bags. It is absolutely amazing.
EcoBoost Engine
Tested on the 2013 Explorer Sport 3.5L EcoBoost
The EcoBoost Engine is an add-on that will propel Ford to the top of the automobile industry pyramid. The EcoBoost engine is a bit of a hybrid engine in that it runs on both gasoline and energy created by the vehicle itself. So what does this mean to you? Fewer runs to the gas station (and having to calm the kids down while the gas is being pumped) and not having to hook up the vehicle to a charging station. Win-win! Plus, the EcoBoost engine is also smaller and lighter than other engines. So theoretically, the vehicle should weigh less and waste less gas in the process.
Ford SYNC powered by Microsoft
Tested on the 2013 Focus ST
When you sit down in most of the 2013 Ford vehicles, you’ll see a huge dashboard in front of you equipped with Ford SYNC powered by Microsoft display. The abilities that this dashboard has is like a thing of the future. It does everything you could need to do while driving your vehicle (most of it hands-free), including weather conditions, 911 Assist, traffic, directions, news, etc. The display works double-time when Sirius radio is activated. My favorite part about SYNC is the fact that it’s upgradable, so information will always be new and should a new service be added down the line, you’ll have access to it as well. And lastly, the SYNC system helps you stay on top of things with its Vehicle Health Report for vehicle maintenance (available free of charge). This report will list any recalls that may be out there for the vehicle, scheduled maintenance and other useful information.
It became quite obvious to me that vehicles have come a long way – even from just four years ago. Though some people are still waiting for the flying automobiles, I would be more than happy to have a vehicle equipped with the hands-free liftgate instead – and the inflatable seatbelts that I also saw on the Ford Explorer. It’s a whole new world of vehicles and I cannot wait to get my next one.
This is not a sponsored post. I attended a Ford Drive Event as a member of the press. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
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Green Car of the Year
November 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Mazda CX-5 2.0 SKYACTIV-G AWD Sports-Line (Photo credit: M 93)
Five exceptional vehicles have been named finalists for Green Car Journal’s 2013 Green Car of the Year®. For the eighth consecutive year, the Green Car of the Year will recognize and honor environmental leadership in the automotive field. The winner will be announced at a press conference during the LA Auto Show Press Days on Nov. 29. This year’s finalists include the Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-MAX, Ford Fusion, Mazda CX-5 SkyACTIV and the Toyota Prius c.
“This is a very exciting time for the Green Car of the Year program,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and president of the Green Car Institute. “For two decades now, Green Car Journal has documented the ‘greening’ of the auto industry, from a time of mere concepts and demonstration programs to today, when the sheer number of environmentally positive production vehicles available to consumers is just eye-opening.”
Cogan points out that the shift toward ‘green’ vehicles is great for new car buyers who want to drive cleaner and more efficiently, while still experiencing the joy of driving. “What’s tougher these days is narrowing down the universe of great candidates to a field of five nominees, as we have today,” said Cogan.
This ‘greenest’ field-of-five – representing not only the five finalists for the 2013 Green Car of the Year award but also Green Car Journal’s distinguished ‘Top 5 Green Cars for 2013′ – underscores the evolving auto industry’s increasing focus on efficiencies and tailpipe/CO2 emissions. The high mpg Dodge Dart Aero and Mazda CX-5 SkyACTIV show that conventionally-powered, internal combustion vehicles can indeed compete with the efficiencies of hybrids. Toyota’s Prius c continues this automaker’s tradition of offering all-new, high mpg hybrid models under the Prius name. The Ford C-MAX and Fusion illustrate how mainstream models can present drivers multiple high-efficiency choices – with the C-MAX offering both hybrid and plug-in hybrid iterations, and the Fusion offering these power options, plus fuel-efficient EcoBoost variants. Importantly, all are affordable mass-market products that provide drivers full functionality and mainstream appeal, paving the way for making a difference in fuel use and overall emissions in daily driving.
The winner will be selected by an esteemed jury comprised of the nation’s top environmental leaders, including Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune, Ocean Futures Society president Jean-Michel Cousteau, and Global Green USA president Matt Petersen, plus Tonight Show host and auto enthusiast Jay Leno and Green Car Journalstaff.
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Looking Forward to the LA Auto Show
October 26, 2012 By 2 Comments
2013 Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid (Photo credit: mariordo59)
Green continues to be a dominant shade of innovation in the automotive sector as 2013 looks to be a banner year for vehicle efficiency. According to AutoTrader.com, total shopper interest for alternative fuel and highly fuel-efficient models is up 54 percent so far in 2012. This year’s LA Auto Show® reflects this trend and will host significant debuts across all green categories. There will be two dozen all-electric or plug-in electric models at the Show, at least a dozen clean-diesel vehicles and nearly 20 vehicles achieving 40-plus mpg with highly advanced four-cylinder gasoline engines.
Automakers are incorporating multiple approaches—-even within a single model line—-to reach new benchmarks, and all categories of vehicles are well represented. Everything from luxury performance models, such as the BMW i8 Spyder plug-in hybrid to the Chevrolet Spark micro car are trending green.
“The green technology innovations demonstrated by automakers around the world continue to attract the attention of the car-buying public,” said Andy Fuzesi, general manager of the LA Auto Show. “We’re excited to be able to provide one of the world’s best stages for manufacturers to display their very latest achievements that match virtually every budget.”
The race for the lowest-emission automobile is hottest in the electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid categories. During the first six months of 2012, U.S. hybrid car sales increased 63.5 percent, while the overall automobile market increased 14.9 percent.
This year’s Show will feature three electric vehicle debuts, including the all new Fiat 500e. However, it is the number of electric and plug-in vehicles available to the consumer that has grown most dramatically in the last few years. New releases at the Show from Ford alone include the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, the Fusion Energi plug-in and the Focus Electric. Honda will have its new Accord plug-in hybrid, which joins the ranks of existing electrics and plug-ins from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Coda, Fisker, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Smart.
Once shunned as a polluting underperformer, diesel is back in a big way. During the first six months of 2012, clean-diesel automobile sales in the United States increased 27.5 percent, outpacing the overall auto market by 12 percent. As clean-diesel technology continues to accelerate, bringing an increasing number of vehicles to market, particularly with European brands, clean-diesel will give hybrids a run for the money. Audi is a case in point. The company has expanded its focus on TDI vehicles and will make some specific news on that front at this year’s LA Auto Show.
Volkswagen shows equal enthusiasm for modern diesel technology, offering six turbocharged clean-diesel vehicles, which thanks to advanced engineering and “greener” fuels, routinely deliver EPA-rated mileage estimates of over 40 mpg on the highway. Volkswagen’s latest diesel entry slated to debut at the LA Auto Show includes the 2013 Beetle Cabriolet, which will be available in both diesel and gasoline engine configurations. Volkswagen is even testing renewable diesel from fuel maker Solazyme in some of its TDI products.
Mercedes-Benz B Class front (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Mercedes-Benz continues to expand its clean-diesel offerings in the U.S. with a plan to bring a total of eight clean-diesel models to the states by 2014, including the GLK250 BlueTEC, which will be on display at the Show and in showrooms by Spring 2013. Mercedes-Benz has also invested heavily in start-stop technology to further improve efficiency. Nearly 40 percent of its vehicles will have the fuel conserving feature, which is a 12 percent gain over last year.
Four-cylinder gasoline-powered models are also breaking stereotypes. A new generation of vehicles pairing performance and up-market styling with fuel-sipping EPA numbers near or over 40 mpg are becoming more prevalent. Four-cylinder cars once seen as under-powered and underwhelming in design, certainly do not fit that mold today. New nameplates such as the new Dodge Dart Aero, which delivers aggressive styling with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission, returns 41 mpg on the highway. Ford’s new Fiesta, making its debut at the Show, also delivers sporty styling combined with excellent fuel economy. In fact, Ford is offering eight vehicles that deliver 40 mpg or better by year’s end, double the number in 2011. The automaker’s fuel-efficient EcoBoost powertrains have become a company mainstay and make appearances in vehicles such as the 2013 Ford Fusion Titanium.
More performance-oriented small cars that still deliver impressive fuel economy are on the rise including the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabriolet making its debut at the Show. Featuring aggressive rally styling and a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine producing 170 lb.-ft. of torque, the vehicle still manages an EPA rating of 34 mpg highway. Also, Mini will unveil its new Paceman also boasting both performance and excellent fuel economy.
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No It’s Not
August 21, 2012 By 2 Comments
He and I were driving to Vegas for our daughter’s wedding. We left Monday morning in the beautiful 2013 Ford Flex that was on loan from Ford Motor Company to me specifically for this trip and headed out the 210 and up the 15. Over the next few days I will chronicle some of the more entertaining conversations he and I had during that road trip.
Him: What’s the big mountain we go over on the way.
Me: The Cajon?
Him: No, we did that one already before we got to Barstow. There’s another one.
Me: Halloran?
Him: No I’ve never heard of that one.
Me: It’s the one we are on right now.
Him: No that’s not it. There is a really big one between Baker and State Line.
Me: Yeah, Halloran, we’re going up it right now.
Him: No it’s not.
Me: Yes it is.
We do this back and forth for another few miles
Me: Look, the sign says “Altitude 4300 feet”. We are at the Halloran summit and once we turn this curve we should see State Line in the distance.
Him: They must have changed the name.
Me: Can’t you ever just admit I am right?
Him: Nope
He never noticed we were climbing to such a high altitude because we have never been able to do it without driving in the slow as molasses truck lane. We have always had to turn off the air conditioning and move as far right as possible. With the 2013 Ford Flex we drove at (or above) speed limit the entire time with the AC blasting me as much as possible.
Source: Ford Photo Library
I Think We Need to Stop
August 17, 2012 By 9 Comments
He and I were driving to Vegas for our daughter’s wedding. We left Monday morning in the beautiful 2013 Ford Flex that was on loan from Ford Motor Company to me specifically for this trip and headed out the 210 and up the 15. Over the next few days I will chronicle some of the more entertaining conversations he and I had during that road trip.
Him: I think we may need to pull over.
Me: Why?
Him: I may need a restroom sooner rather than later.
Me: But we just stopped a half hour ago. Are you okay?
Him: I don’t know, my bottom feels…..funny.
Me: ::giggling:: strange how?
Him: Either cold or wet, I can’t figure out which.
Me: ::laughing loudly:: I turned on the seat air conditioning without telling you.
Him: Good lord
Probably my favorite feature on the 2013 Ford Flex. The air conditioned seats were truly a life saver, not my life per se, but those around me. I am prone to hot flashes at any given moment and driving in and around the desert does not help that “I’m going to spontaneously combust at any given moment” feeling. But having the A/C in the seats certainly gave me relief when it was needed.
But Your Hands Didn’t Move
August 15, 2012 By 8 Comments
He and I were driving to Vegas for our daughter’s wedding. We left Monday morning in the beautiful 2013 Ford Flex that was on loan from Ford Motor Company to me specifically for this trip and headed out the 210 and up the 15. Over the next few days I will chronicle some of the more entertaining conversations he and I had during that road trip.
Just past Baker we notice some drops on the windshield.
Him: Is it raining?
Me: No of course not, we are in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
Him: There is water on the windshield.
Me: Someone else probably just sprayed their windshield wiper fluid in front of us.
WHOOSH!
Him: Told you it was raining.
Me: Whoa and the wipers just came on all by themselves.
Him: How could they do that? Your hands didn’t even move off the steering wheel.
Freaked us both out! When the car was delivered two days before, I never thought to figure out where the wipers were located. I live in Southern California and was driving through the desert to Las Vegas. Rain was no where in my mind. Thankfully, the Flex read my mind and turned on the wipers when needed and adjusted their speed as needed and turned them off as well. Only downside was it didn’t work on the rear wiper and I only figured out where that control was the day before they took the Flex away.
I really miss that car.
Vote for Me and I Will Kiss Your Baby
August 4, 2012 By 2 Comments
I have never entered any kind of blogging popularity contest before, but something compelled me this time.
If you can spare a moment to vote for me I would greatly appreciate it.
Ps. YOU CAN VOTE ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS!
FLEXible
July 17, 2012 By 8 Comments
Next weekend I will be receiving a 2013 Ford Flex to drive for 10 days. We will take it to Las Vegas for the wedding. One of the main parts I am interested in “testing” is the inflatable seat belts in the back seats. I hope I am never able to actually test their inflatbility (which only occurs in an accident) but I do want to try them on kids and adults and see how their comfort compares to a plain old fashioned seat belt.
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