emily-chung-mummy-mechanic

Dec

2012

You might be your kid's chauffeur for a while

by: Emily Chung

Generation Y Prefers iPhone Over Car

I recently spoke with two of my clients whose teenagers didn't seem interested in getting their driver's licenses. Really? When I was 15, I couldn't wait to get my driver's license. I wrote my driver's test the day I turned 16. For these two separate clients, the concern was that their teenagers were limited in getting jobs. Both of these clients had driven their teens to job interviews because the commute by transit was incredibly long.

It was widely reported earlier this year that the auto industry is concerned with declining auto sales amongst 18-to-34-year-olds. Industry experts believe that Gen Y connect online so there isn't as much need to connect in person. Apparently cars are not the only symbols of freedom and technology has become a great competitor. Consider this from the Business Week article: “For most Gen Y buyers...skipping a vehicle purchase is preferable to forgoing technology. Smartphones, laptops and tablet devices compete for their dollars and are higher priorities than vehicle purchases, said Joe Vitale, an automotive consultant with Deloitte.”

Generation Y sees their iPhone, tablets and other tech gadgets as more essential and valuable than a car. Have you ever been without your phone for a day? I have...I felt...naked. I had no idea what my schedule was, I couldn't connect with anyone – it didn't feel right. So I understand the importance of technology. On the other hand, I couldn't do without my car. Between family and work, my car gets me where I need to be.

I've always said that while many women believe that they don't know much about cars, I see the same thing in men. More and more men don't know much about cars either—but they could list me the specs off their newest tablet, cell phone or camera. Times are a-changin'.

Interestingly, the Business Week article notes the following changes that the auto manufacturers have done in response to Generation Y:

Toyota created its Scion brand to appeal to Gen Y
Ford used social media outlets to promote the Fiesta subcompact
General Motors set up programs with Walt Disney Company and MTV

There are other alternatives to owning a car that didn't exist when I was young(er). Car sharing companies like Zipcar provide 'wheels when you want them,' a service that is appealing if you don't want to own or rent a car.

So how about you? If you had to choose, absolutely had to choose, to make do without either your car or your mobile phone for let's say...a week—which would it be?

Image via thinkwithgoogle.com

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Life - Cars

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Generation Y

auto sales

Dec

2012

Don't dump it on your mechanic's shoulders

by: Emily Chung

Questions to Ask When it Comes to Maintaining your Car

“What would you do if this was your car?” That's a question we get asked a lot and to be honest, it's not really a fair question.

Don't ask your mechanic what he or she would do in terms of repairing your car. There are so many variables that make you—you have different needs for your vehicle, it's probably more inconvenient for you to make a trip to visit your mechanic, etc.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when it comes to auto maintenance:

Is this a safety issue?

If your vehicle needs to be repaired because of a safety issue, there's no question about it—you need to fix it. It's amazing how much work people put off thinking that as they can drive the car then it's fine. The reality is that you are compromising yourself... if that doesn't bother you because you feel you're a safe driver, then remember that you're putting others on the road at risk too.

What is my purpose for the car?

Do you only make short trips? Do you mostly park at the bus station and take transit in? Do you rely on your vehicle for work every day and commute a fair distance? How easy is it for you to make alternate arrangements if you didn't have your car? Do you want your car to last another year? Five years? Two months?

Do you rely on your car for your business? Can you afford to be without a vehicle for a day or two if it ever needed repairs? I ask this because we have some clients who are contractors and they depend heavily on their car. Every minute that car is 'down' means lost opportunity for income.

What is my budget?

Often times we have clients that ask if the car is worth putting in money to repair. We then have to ask what their budget is like. Could you afford another car at this time? Maybe you can only afford that $500 repair right now and would rather not go into debt to get another car. Are there any other foreseeable repairs needed in the near future? Generally-speaking, if a car owner has a habit of not maintaining their current car, it doesn't matter if they get another (newer) car... the habit will still be there. And remember that even a newer (or brand new) car will have maintenance costs.

These questions should help determine what type of parts are used—cheap ones, good quality ones, parts with longer warranties, etc. It also will determine what our options are (for example, repair versus replacement of parts) when applicable. All of these questions are what a good technician will want to discuss with you to understand your unique situation and expectations for the car. What I might do if I were you could be something that is absolutely not an option for you.

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Category:

Life - Cars

Tags:

auto repair

auto maintenance

auto repair budget

questions to ask mechanic

auto maintenance costs

Emily Chung

Dec

2012

Monkey see, monkey do—and more

by: Emily Chung

What Your Teen Really Thinks About Your Driving

A study released by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. found that parents who engaged in distracted driving behaviours had teenagers who modeled the same behaviour. Dr. Ray Bingham, head of UMTRI's Young Driver Behaviour and Injury Prevention Group says, “[p]arents should know that every time they get behind the wheel with their child in the car they are providing a visible example that their child is likely to follow.”

An interesting find from the study is that teens who think that their parents were engaged in distracted driving behaviours were more likely to engage in those behaviours themselves. For example, if parents reported looking for something in the vehicle while driving, their teen was twice as likely to do the same. However, if the teen thinks that their parents were looking for something in the car while driving, they were 4 times more likely to do the same. Bingham explains that “...teens think that their parent engage in distracted driving behaviours more often than may be the case, which may allow them to justify certain high-risk behaviours behind the wheel.”

Another worrisome finding from the study is that only 1% of parents surveyed said that their teens texted while driving, yet 26% of teens surveyed indicated that they read or send a text message at least once every time they drive.

“Driver education begins the day a child's car seat is turned around to face front,” said Dr. Tina Sayer, teen safe driving expert and principal engineer at the Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center. “[T]he one piece of advice I would give to parents to help them keep newly licensed drivers safe on the road is to always be the driver you want your teen to be.”

These findings are still preliminary and more data from the study will analyzed for a few months yet.

For more details about the study, visit the University of Michigan Transpotation Research Institute. To read the news release for the study, visit the University of Michigan News Service.

Image via Stonebridge Church of God - Ozark, Ala.