Automobile Retailers

Today’s younger generation seems to have just about everything tailored to it. Marketers and corporations stumble embarrassingly over one another for the youth dollar, hoping to sell something fresh and hip to today’s teens and preteens.

It’s quite exhausting when 9.5 out of 10 advertisements on television feature music, visuals, and noises geared straight for the teenager likely taking up space in your basement with his or her iPod cranked and Myspace page blingin’ with all sorts of graphics and designs you never thought possible.

Keep heart, dear friend.

Some day, those teens will rise from the squalor of the basement bedroom and will enter another stage of their youth. That day may come sooner than you expected, as you’ll be able to overcome the rising energy costs and huge phone bill just long enough to be able to pour your teen into 2008’s Toyota Scion xB.

This clunky but funky wagon seems geared directly for those who like something that looks a little different but still drives like a dream. No longer will you need to budget for aeons or make a slew of payments to get your kids out of the house and on to the road, either. The Scion xB is affordable to purchase and, shockingly, is affordable to fuel up. See? There is a new day dawning!

So the next time you think your kid will never leave his or her couch groove and PS3 for any longer than a bathroom trip, visualize the short hood, alloy wheels, low-slung doors, and square-looking lift gate of Toyota’s little dream wagon. Heck, the Scion xB may do more for your escape than it will for your teens, but who’s keeping score here anyway?

The Scion xB is the ideal car for getting kids OR parents out of the house. There. That’s better.

If you’ve ever taken your vehicle to a mechanic, you know the frustrations involved with the experience. The mechanic’s shop is almost like a mystical place full of uncertainty and hidden costs that can scare you. But you can gain the upper hand by knowing some of the things your mechanic knows and isn’t telling you. Here are some things to ask about or look out for on your next mechanic visit so you can avoid paying more than you should.

1. Ask for your old parts back. In fact, most service garages have a sign that say you’re entitled to getting your old parts if they’re not too big. By getting these parts, you can tell if they actually needed repairing and you can ensure that they were replaced.

2. Don’t skimp on the brakes. Prices for brake jobs can vary from mechanic to mechanic, so get a few estimates before deciding on one. Some bad mechanics often use cheap brake parts and jack up the price. Make sure they use the parts they say they’re going to use.

3. Don’t take the car home before the mechanic takes it for a test drive. If they drive the vehicle after repairing it, they can notice any problems that still need to be fixed. If you wait and drive it home yourself, some mechanics won’t take it back and finish any needed repairs without charging you. I’ve seen this case on People’s Court several times.

4. Ask your mechanic to explain what they’re going to do and how much the entire procedure will cost. If it sounds fishy, you might be right. There’s nothing wrong with getting a second (or even third) opinion.

Tomorrow, we’ll have some more tips to help you avoid getting ripped off. Of course, you can avoid all of this by getting a new car from your local Pontiac dealer. When you do that, you won’t have to worry about visiting a mechanic for years to come!