Florida draws millions of retirees from the rest of the country, and, of necessity, has now become the leader in making adaptations in its transportation environment to facilitate safer driving for seniors.

With the Baby Boomers aging and poised to push the over 65 population into tidal wave proportions, it’s time for other states to sit up and take notice.

Here are a few of the steps Florida has taken to make the roads safer for seniors and everyone else sharing the road, according to Edmunds.com:

1. Since 1991, Florida has improved visibility and navigability on its road by:

a. Widening pavement stripes on state highways from 4 to 6 inches.
b. Putting reflective pavement markings in the middle of roads at 40 foot intervals, instead of 80 foot intervals.
c. Making street name signs and street signs for public buildings bigger.
d. Placing “Advance” street name signs 1,000 feet before intersections to give senior drivers more time to decide if they want to turn and more time to get in the correct lane for turning.
e. Including “refuge islands” for crosswalks in the middle of wide roadways.

2. Florida Launched the “GrandDriver” Program Developed by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators http://www.aamva.org/ This program:

a. Promotes education and awareness by providing Web-based information related to driver-safety courses and alternative transportation.
b. Provides training to medical, social service and transportation professionals on older-driver issues.
c. Sponsors safety talks at senior centers.
d. Holds events to help older drivers determine if they need to make adjustments to better fit into their cars.

3. Florida is Easing in the Use of Mass Transit for Seniors. Improving mass transit specifically for senior passengers has long been a broad aim of state and local transportation officials. For example, here are some steps that Palm Beach County’s Palm Tran, the public transportation agency, is taking:

a. Provides a steep fare discount for riders 65 and older.
b. Uses large-print maps that are easier for seniors to read.
c. Equips buses with security cameras to provide a sense of safety.
d. Installs easy-entry front doors on mass transit vehicles.
e. Provides trip planning services for seniors via telephone.
f. Sends out an agency representative to meet with small groups of seniors who are new mass transit riders to show them the basics of how to use the bus system. They are told how to dress comfortably for their bus ride, when to let the driver know they want to get off, and why it’s important for new riders to use a buddy system.

For more information, on Florida’s proactive approach visit:

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/121473/article.html

To Buy or to Lease? – That is the Question!

Shakespeare didn’t give us the answer to this one. He just didn’t have the experience.

But, it’s a question most car owners ask themselves — at least once every so often. And, there is no universal or simple answer. It all depends….

• On how many miles you drive each year.
• How you use your car – for business? for pleasure? for everyday living?
• What you can afford.

Edmunds.com summarizes the pros and cons of leasing a car vs. buying a car:

Advantages of Car Leasing

• Lower monthly payments
• Lower down payment
• You can drive a better car for less money each month.
• Lower repair costs (With a three-year lease, the factory warranty covers most repairs.)
• You can more easily drive a new car every two or three years.
• No trade-in hassles at the end of the lease
• You pay sales tax only on the portion of the car you finance.

Disadvantages of Car Leasing

• You don’t own the car at the end of the lease.
• Your mileage is limited to a set amount, typically 12,000-15,000 miles a year (excess miles are paid for at the lease termination).
• Lease contracts are confusing.
• Leasing is more expensive in the long run (as opposed to buying and driving until the wheels fall off).
• Wear-and-tear charges can add up (paid at lease termination).
• It’s costly to terminate a lease early if your driving needs change.

Advantages of Car Buying

• Pride of ownership — you can modify your car as you please.
• Car buying is more economical in the long run unless you buy and trade-in regularly.
• No penalty for driving excess mileage
• Increased flexibility — you can easily sell the car whenever you want.

Disadvantages of Car Buying

• Higher down payment is generally required.
• Higher monthly payments
• You’re responsible for maintenance costs once the warranty expires.
• Trade-in or selling hassles when you’re ready to get rid of your car
• More of your ready cash is tied up in a car, which depreciates, rather than an investment that appreciates.

If you would like to see by the numbers how leasing a car compares with buying, visit Edmunds.com’ s Auto Loan and Auto Lease calculators.

After selecting a car, you can see an estimated leasing payment, an estimated loan payment and which financing method is recommended. You can also see how your payment will change if, for example, the length of the loan is extended or the down payment is increased.

Leasing makes it easier to get more car for less money, at least initially. You are essentially paying for a portion of the car, instead of buying the entire vehicle. So, leasing sometimes looks like the best option in the short run.

However, if you buy the car, at the end of five years of car payments, the car belongs to you. It might not have much value on the open market, but if you’re willing to drive it for several more years, it becomes nearly free transportation — until you buy or lease your next car.

Ultimately, leasing or buying is both a dollars-and-cents decision and a personal taste and priorities decision. For instance, if you entertain business clients, leasing allows you to drive a luxury vehicle for less money — with possible tax write-offs for certain professions. If you like to drive a brand-new car every two or three years, leasing facilitates that.

But, if you are more concerned with economy than appearances or tax write-offs, then in the long run, buying a car is more cost effective.

For more information and discussion on this topic, visit:
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/leasing/articles/index.html

The Devil is in the Details – Tips on finding a detailer and checking out pricing in the Sebring area…

There are more than 50,000 automotive detailing operations in the U.S. and Canada.

Auto detailing services are offered at car washes, specialty stores and auto body repair shops with car washes generally offering consumers the lowest prices.

Sizable businesses that specialize in auto detailing typically serve car owners who are selling a vehicle, car enthusiasts or luxury vehicle owners, and fleet or government contracts.

According to Consumers’ Checkbook, more and more mobile detailing operators are serving individual customers — going to their homes or businesses with a truck, trailer and mounted water tank.

In short, detailing operations, large, small and mobile, are everywhere in Florida and a lot of people are spending good money to get their cars detailed.

Typically, auto detailing includes a thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of the automobile, inside and out. That usually means a touchless or hand wash, wax, tire cleaning, vacuuming of the interior, and wipe-down or polish of all interior surfaces, such as the dashboard, windows, mirrors and trim.

But detailing can be expanded to include any or all of the following:

• Washing Door Jambs, Wheels, and Wheel Wells.
• Clay Bar Treatment — the safest and most effective way to clean car paint. Detailing clay bars clean paint below the surface – gripping contaminants that have penetrated the clear coat.
• Floor mat Shampooing.
• Air Purging – Using ozone generators to remove smoke odors, stale pet odors, mildew and odors caused by leaky interiors.
• Cleaning Headliners and Trunks. (My young niece once had grand time writing on my car’s headliner with a tube of lipstick – who would have thought?)
• Cleaning Plastic Interior Panels.
• Carpet Shampooing.
• Interior Door Panel Cleaning.
• Leather Seat Cleaning.
• Cleaning Steering Wheel, Vents and Gauges.
• Road Tar Removal.
• Dressing (deep cleaning) Rubber and Plastic.
• Polishing and Waxing in One Step.
• Wax Removal and Surface Inspection.
• Chrome Trim Cleaning and Polishing.
• Window Cleaning: The Two Towel Method.

What’s the Best Way to Choose a Detailer?

Detailing is a largely unregulated industry. Anyone can hang up a shingle and there will always be detailers who have not been properly trained or certified in the art of detailing. Unsuspecting customers can sometimes be lulled into thinking they just had their vehicle professionally detailed when, in reality, they just paid a premium for an elaborate car wash.

It’s always best to select a detailer after getting a recommendation from a friend, but suppose you don’t know anyone who has used a detailer in the Sebring area recently?

Check for recommendations and customer reviews on subscriber websites like Angie’s List or free websites such as CitySearch and Yelp. Or better still, ask your Alan Jay Automotive Group for a referral. And, as with most businesses, it’s a good idea to see whether a particular detailing company has a history of consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

Detailing: Luxury or Investment?

Now, let’s look at your reason for having your car detailed in the first place. Is it a luxury or an investment? Is it for your personal satisfaction? Are you preparing a classic car for a car show? Do you just want to preserve your car to improve its resale value down the road? Are you on your way to trade it in?

Your answer to these questions will determine whether you just need a quick, inexpensive once over, or THE WORKS!

Professional Pricing is Key

Once you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your list of potential detailers, pricing is the next factor to consider. How can you tell if the prices you are being quoted for the basic service and for each add-on item are fair? Choosing even one add-on can sometimes double the cost.

Does the detailer you are considering have a professional looking price list, or are you standing in the street negotiating a price?

It’s a good sign if your auto detailer has a professional looking price list — one with different price breakouts for different sizes and types of vehicles, and with individual add-on items’ prices listed separately.
An SUV will take longer (cost more) to detail than a sedan – because there’s more surface area all around – body, interior, tire size, etc., And, it may get more wear and tear.

Most car trunks will usually just need a good vacuuming, but because in an SUV what would be considered the trunk might be used as play space for the kids, or for seating space, more cleaning may be required – say to scrape up embedded gum or mashed in French fries. A car with a serious soda stain on the upholstery will take longer (cost more) to clean than one without such a stain.

So, with all these variations to consider, it’s extremely important to ask your detailer upfront what services you are getting and what each individual item will cost, so your bill doesn’t come as a shocker.

A quick walk around with the detailer and a firm and mutual understanding of the price based on the size and condition of your particular car and any special add-ons you require, can be very reassuring.

To get an idea about what the average detailing costs, visit:
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/cars/car-detailing.html

Additional Considerations

If you decide to use a mobile detailer — their rates are usually lower than one with the overhead of a stationary operation — you may want to check out whether the company is environmentally sound, as well. Find out if the company you are interested in uses products and practices that are eco-friendly. How this detailer disposes of waste water in your driveway, in your neighborhood, or at your place of business is especially important.

Plus, Florida, Texas, California and other coastal states have special restrictions on runoff water.

Don’t forget to look for coupons before you go to the detailer: Sources such as Entertainment and ValPak may offer discounts specific to your area.

And remember, detailing for vintage or classic cars, boats, motorcycles, RVs, motor homes and trailers all incur their own variety of additional charges.

Here are some sites you may find interesting:

For do-it-yourself detailing help, visit: http://www.web-cars.com/detail/

For a look at how the industry views itself, visit:
http://automotivedetailing.com/assets/articles_htm/what_is_detailing.htm

And, finally, here’s a forum on auto detailing:
http://www.detailcity.org/forums/

Share with us your experiences and advice on detailing by visiting Alan Jay Automotive’s community forum and starting a conversation.

Old Woodies – A Site for Sebring Area Car Lovers’ Sore Eyes

What’s a Woodie? Would you like to impress your friends in the Sebring area with your knowledge of a fascinating niche in automotive history?

You don’t have to leave Florida to do so.

You can learn everything you’ve ever wanted to learn about Woodies by visiting one of the most visually fascinating sites I’ve discovered on the web.

But, before you go there, there are a few basic things that every Sebring area resident should know about Woodies.

A Woodie is type of car, usually called a station wagon in the U.S. and Canada, or an estate car in England, in which some portion, usually the rear portion, of the car’s bodywork is made of wood. This humble definition belies a world of intricate automotive art that has evolved from the beginning of the twentieth century.

This evolution is captured and preserved, on this web site, in photographs, illustrations and cartoons that cover: North American, British, French and so called “World” Woodies from roughly 1910 to 1959 – an era when Woodies flourished.

Besides beautiful renditions of Woodie Cars, the site also has photos and illustrations of Woodie trucks, buses, and Jeeps, plus military, phantom, wicker and weird Woodies.

You can also see “House” Woodies – the rudimentary version of today’s RVs (recreational vehicles) or mobile homes and Woodie Trailers – so much more elegant that today’s U-Hauls.

But a picture is worth a thousand words, and I won’t delay you any further. Visit Old Woodies:

http://www.oldwoodies.com/index.htm

Then click on Gallery, and, I promise, you won’t want to leave the site for hours.