Ward's Dealer Business, an industry publiciation, recently published a good article on women-owned dealerships. Here's an excerpt:

"Women bring a different approach and style to something that has been a man's world," [Deborah Dorman, president of ENYCAR, Inc., the Eastern New York Coalition of Automotive Retailers] says. "And what they bring helps the industry to prosper because of some of the old traditional methods and styles commonly used in auto retailing today are not effective for today's workforce."

 Few women dealers woke up one morning and decided to buy a dealership. Most women dealers became dealers because their fathers were dealers before them or their husbands were.

They learned the business the traditional way in many cases, learning through family need: filing, working the customer service desk, filling in the parts and service departments and otherwise helping out where needed.

Today women own a mere 8% of U.S. dealerships, but that should change as more women become aware of the opportunities.

To read the whole article, click here.

Time to take your car in for service? Before you call to make an appointment, check out this super useful tool we have on Edmunds.com. I was recently reminded of its existence in the Tips & Advice section after one of our editors posted about taking our long-term Hyundai Veracruz in for service this week. I wish I had known of its existence before I took my car to the dealer the last time (which was before I worked here).

It’s a great resource for estimating how much a visit to your dealership’s service department should cost you. You get a customized estimate for your vehicle’s exact year, make, model, trim level, engine and transmission, mileage and zip code. No generic country-wide figures here! Plus you can see info about any recalls and technical service bulletins that have been issued for your car. And we’ve got information for cars as far back as 1990.

So fear not the hidden, confusing fees! Go forth to yonder service desk, armed with a realistic idea of what that 15,000 mile service should really cost you, thanks to our handy little tool.

Even if you're not working on Wall Street or an employee of one of the four airlines that failed in 2008, chances are you're feeling the pain of the slow economy. Gas prices up, unemployment up, spending money down. Sounds like a lousy time to buy some wheels.

But there's always a way to find a good deal, even in tough times. My new article, Car-Buying Tips for a Slow Economy, aims to give you a leg up if you're planning to buy a car during the "economic slowdown" (cough cough). Here's a hint: Many automakers and dealers are hurting, too.

Nowadays when you hear the word "subprime," you think of the housing market. But subprime simply means that your credit isn't ideal, and it affects every loan you want to take out, including car loans.

What to do? You can get a car loan with bad credit; you just have to try a little harder. And you'll pay higher interest rates than customers with ideal credit.

Briefly, here are the steps you need to take:

- Check your credit report; see what your score is. There are ways to improve it, and quite often there are mistakes on the report that can be corrected.

- Don't rely on the dealer for the loan. There are plenty of other sources, including credit unions, banks, etc.

- Shop around. Different lenders have different rates. There are online sites to help you do this quickly.

For all the details and the "how tos,", see Tips for Subprime Borrowers. It's worth the time you'll take to get the best loan you can, no matter what your credit is like. And good luck!

2008 Hyundai Azera... practically identical to the 2007, but you can get great deals on all remaining 2007 makes and models.

A little while ago, my brother ran over a stop sign. He made the mistake of trying to go back and forth to loosen it from the undercarriage of his old Buick. Instead of shaking free, the sign tore up his "baby" to the point that it was totalled. So, doing what I do, I gave him some advice on buying a new car.

He had tentatively chosen a new, 2007 Hyundai Azera. Great car!, I told him. I liked the way our long-term Azera accelerated and handled, it had great safety ratings, and it was one of our Editors Most Wanted Sedan Under $30,000 for 2007. Why not a 2008? Because buying last year's model saves you plenty. He ended up buying the car for well under dealer invoice price, after taking into account the $2,000 cash back that Hyundai is offering. He even got the dealer to cough up his dealer holdback.

There are definitely 2007 models left on the lots, though there won't be for long. This is the "fire sale" time of year for last year's models, and we're not just talking models no one wants. So if you're in the market right now, consider a 2007 -- compare it to a 2008 using our comparison tool, of course, and see the price differential.

Who knows? You might get a screaming deal.

The best part of the Lexus booth was their spa loft. Sure, I loved the look of the LF-A Roadster concept, the one with a V10 engine capable of 500 plus horsepower and a top speed of over 200 mph. All very nice.

But, after checking out their vehicles and hybrid technology, I couldn’t stop myself from floating up a cascade of white steps to an aromatherapy infused loft based in soothing music and scents of aromatherapy. And then there were the attendants handing out hot towels and organic hand creams. This was my refuge for the next couple of days. Whenever I thought that the show was getting to me I just climbed that set of stairs, relaxed into a fabulous bamboo chair, ate organic goodies and sipped cucumber infused mineral water. And when I got my head healed upstairs, I descended to Lexus’s main floor for a chair massage.

“Is this a prototype for Lexus’s dealership of the future?” I inquired of Mark Lawrence, Creative Director at George P. Johnson Event Marketing Agency, who helped to conceptualize the booth.

“We did a discovery process on where Lexus wanted to take the consumer experience,” Lawrence noted. “And yes, the overall theme is a hi-end boutique auto dealership. It’s all about contemporary luxury.”

He explained that the 2nd level was an exploration of the Lexus life style, which is all about the pursuit of perfection.

Perfection? Hmmm…I thought. That doesn’t sound very organic. Lawrence explained that perfection is different for everyone.

 “The lounge was designed as the ultimate experience in a harried workday environment as a place to relax and refuel,” he added.  “Yes, refuel,” I thought, grabbing a couple more chocolate chip cookies and a handful of organic almonds.

I finished the cookies off with a cappuccino and headed downstairs for a back massage. That’s perfection for me!

For more information about the Lexus lifestyle go to lexus.com/hybrid

It never ceases to amaze me how many car ads there are this time of year. It feels as though 50 percent of all TV advertising is for cars. There are a lot of deals to be had now -- 0% financing, lease specials, etc. -- and not just on '07s, but on '08s as well. So if you find yourself lured by the siren song of incentives, you've got to check out our Three-Day Shopping Plan for Holiday Weekends. It's a smart game plan that will help you take advantage of those incentives -- without getting taken yourself.

And of course, it all begins (but doesn't end) with our Current Incentives and Rebates page, which tells you exactly what kind of cash rebates, vehicle financing, leasing, and marketing support deals are available in your area for the car you want. Do you know, some poor, unfortunate souls actually go to the car dealer without being armed with this information? Don't be one of them. And good luck!

The automotive business is one place where a woman's skill set (compassion, communication, creativity, organizational skills and multitasking) is appreciated. Got your interest? Read on...



Last year, a free event hosted by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) was dubbed "Chocolate, Cars and Careers" to entice more women to attend. This year they didn't need to win women over. The theme; "Women in the Driver's Seat: Automotive Career Forum for Women" was enough to enroll over 125 women.

Held at the Center for Automotive Education & Training in Queens, New York, the forum was designed to "break down stereotypes and encourage women entering, or re-entering, the workforce to look at careers in the retail automotive industry."  Featuring a host of heavy weights, speakers ranged from Christine C. Quinn, New York City Council Speaker to Jody DeVere, President of AskPatty.com, a website for automotive advice.

Panelist Suzanne Cochrane, GM of Helms Bros in Bayside, NY, a Mercedes-Benz/VW franchise, feels the industry has great opportunities for women. Cochrane says that flexibility and earning potential (there are no minimum wage earners at her franchise) are big draws and an added bonus for mothers.

Mark Schienberg, President of GNYADA, adds; "This is a place where women can hear from other successful women who have found careers in the automotive business."
 
He suggests that while women holding key positions in dealerships are still a small percentage, the industry is open to it. 

 "What has been told to me over and over again, is that when a woman is the sales person, there are better closings and an increase in customer satisfaction."

Apparently, the brutal "dance of the sale" takes on a whole different meaning when a woman is involved. "Women ask a whole different set of questions than men," quips Schienberg. "Plus, they have excellent organizational and communication skills." (Gotta love this man!)

And yes, women bring multitasking to the job, especially if they have a family. Schienberg sums it up; " A woman brings a fresh approach to the business that's contagious!"

GNYADA is developing additional programs for women. They are also tuning up their website with more female friendly info. Website is: www.autoedcenter.com

Of course you know that there's more to test-driving a used car than listening to its radio while driving. Well, in case you didn't know that, you might want to check out our newest top 10 article, Top 10 Tips on How To Test-Drive Used Cars. A professional race driver offers his tips on how to figure out if a used car is a safe, reliable value by just showing you what to look out for and how to drive it.