Practical Auto Gift for Any Budget

If you want to be a secret Santa, or just get the perfect, last-minute practical gift for a loved one, then consider what I describe as a winter car kit.

It’s something you put together yourself. It’ll fit most any budget. You fill it with as many items as you like. It’s a gift for most any occasion – Christmas, birthday, Valentine’s.

Lead by Example with Teens

Did you know this week is National Teen Driver Safety Week? How can we influence our teens to make good decisions while driving? Perhaps the best approach is by being a good model.

Let’s take to heart these tips offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

1.    No Drinking and Driving.

Set a good example by not driving after drinking. Remind your teen that drinking before the age of 21 is illegal, and alcohol and driving should never mix no matter your age.

Please, no honking at bicyclists

Have you noticed that there are more bicyclists on the road – both adult and children? In fact, esurance.com tells us that roughly 865,000 workers in the U.S. used bicycles as their main mode of commuting in 2012. In just two decades, the number of U.S. bicyclists jumped 64 percent (1990 to 2009), reports the University Transportation Research Center in a 2011 study. Closer to home, the Research Center says, cycling in New York City was up 75 percent from 2000 to 2007.

If You Think Driving in U.S. Is Scary...

If you have traveled abroad and rented a car, you know the driving experience can be different – if not outright scary.

A friend recently returned from Italy, where it takes about five minutes to realize, especially in cities like Rome, that there are no real traffic laws – just traffic suggestions.

Passing on double lines, WITH oncoming traffic, appears to be as normal as 90-degree weather in July and August. Lines of traffic instinctively move to the right, widening the road even when roads are narrow (which is common). And while all this is happening, young men and women on scooters are zipping by, weaving through traffic on both the right and left. It makes one long for the more sane chaos of contending with New York and Boston drivers.

Follow Your Nose: Burning Odors

Did you burn the toast? Probably not, especially if you smell it in your car. It could be an electrical short circuit or the wire insulation.

Burning odors can indicate a variety of problems: Your car may be overheating, or there is an oil leak, or a temperature gauge may be broken.

The smell of oil burning may mean you have a leak in the engine block or exhaust manifold.

Follow Your Nose to Safe Driving

You can see some problems. Others you can feel. You also can SMELL them! If you want to take good care of your car and ensure its safety, follow your nose. Your car can alert you to problems through the odors it emits.

That sweet smell, like maple syrup, probably means that you have a leak from the radiator or heater hose. If the odor is more noticeable from the outside of the car, it could be a leaky radiator or the cap. If you smell it from inside the car, it could be the heater core.

Does Your Car Take Care of You in Brrrr-Cold Weather

Brrrr. It’s cold outside. You wear gloves, a winter coat, boots. What about your car? Have you done all you can to keep it running safely during the coldest of days?

• Have you considered how to keep your car from freezing? Have you drained out the old antifreeze this year? Imagine all the sludge and dirt that can clog up the cooling system.

Wait! It’s Not Too Late for These Resolutions

I know what you’re saying, “The New Year has already started and it’s too late to make those New Year’s Resolutions.”

Really? Resolutions can start any time. Don’t make excuses. The important thing is to make a serious commitment to them. So let’s begin…

What are some good resolutions that you can make for your car’s performance and your family’s safety?