We've been looking at purchasing a new car lately, since the old minivan is on its last leg.  We have our 4th kid on the way, so we are going to need something pretty hefty, like a minivan or large sized SUV.  But how in the world do we go look for cars when we have 3 kids with us?  We tried this recently, and here was the range of responses:

1. Every car we looked at the kids wanted, and when we didn't buy it, they were upset. 
   
2. At the exact same time they wanted to leave because they were bored. 
   
3. My youngest daughter would not stop messing her britches.   

Obviously this is not a long term solution for vehicle shopping.  I don't want to make a hasty purchase just because my kids are driving me bonkers.  With that said, I sat down and made a list of ideas that will help our car buying experience a little less painful.  Hopefully you will find it helpful too:

1. Narrow down your choices according to price - don't waste your time lusting over something you can't afford
2. Narrow down your choices according to size - if you have 4 kids like me, don't mess around looking for a compact SUV
3. Shop from the comfort of your own home - if you are reading this then you have access to the internet.   Many dealers use websites like craigslist to advertise online.
4. Make a list of dealerships you want to visit - if you live in a large metropolitan area, you will be overwhelmed by the options.  Instead of visiting all of them, narrow it down to 4 or 5, and you are bound to find what you are looking for at the right price.  
5. Don't be in a hurry - put down the impulse to buy the first good deal you see, unless it is absolutely the greatest deal you've ever seen, in which case there is probably more to the deal than meets the eye.  If your  car goes away, another one will show up soon.  
6. Put your salesman to work - build a relationship with the car salesmen by getting his card and checking in with him periodically via email or phone.  Make sure he knows  what you are looking for and that you are serious about buying, and he will get to work if he is worth his salt.  

Look ahead to whats going down in NASCAR in 09 here. 

Aside from the awkward bikini clad anime dolls, this is a pretty good article about using a navigation system to get around Tokyo.  As it turns out, there is more than what is on the shelf at Wal Mart. 

Its hard to imagine from our petroleum based culture that someone could actually speak these words and be serious about it.  We plug toasters in, not cars.  But times they are a' changin.  The question is, are the new times going to be affordable?  David Kwan writes a helpful article exploring the viability of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle). 

It seems silly to say that the President has a nice car.  I guess it should be assumed that the highest ranking official in these United States would have a nice buggy to putter about in.  Still, this car is really nice, as outlined in this article.  The only thing it seems to be missing is rocket launchers and machine gun turrets, which would be horribly impractical but immensely cool.  This particular Presidential Cadillac continues a tradition that began in 1919, "when President Woodrow Wilson sported a Cadillac in a World War I victory parade in Boston. The Calvin Coolidge administration kept up the tradition, utilizing a 1928 Cadillac Town Car."  The article goes on to chronicle the history of the special car up until the time of President Bush.  A great read. 

The Washington Post released an article entitled Car Seats Save Young Lives.  This may seem obvious, but such an article is important, not because we are unaware that car seats save young lives, but because of the fact that our children are so precious to us that we can never hear enough of this kind of thing.  It is good to be reminded. 

We have all seen the teenager texting with both hands while driving with his knees.  And before we throw stones some of us should probably admit that we have done it ourselves a time or two.  For some reason, we need to get that text out, because if we wait the 5 more minutes until we get home, our heads might explode.  The reality is, this is a problem.  Driving and talking/texting makes the road a MUCH more dangerous place.  But how do we deal with it?  Of course the first step lies in obeying the annoyingly self righteous yet accurately wise bumper sticker that tells us to "Shut up and Drive!"  Fair enough.  But what about those in our charge?  What about our children who will be getting behind the wheel strapped with hormones and a blackberry?  AP writer Paul Foy has a good article looking at the options and notes that, as the articles title indicates, "technology to stop phone use in cars isn't perfect." 

The article surveys 3 different technologies designed to stop cell phone usage in the car, all of them revolving around disabling the cell phone while driving.  While each of these work, they turn out to be a scorched earth approach to the situation, sometimes working a little too well.  There are certain situations where disabling the cell phone is desirable, but others that are not (riding as a passenger, in a bus, train, etc.). What is so helpful about the article is this paragraph, quoting Parry Aftab, who advises families on technology and safety: 

"More and more, we see any solution is, in large part, education and awareness, parents getting involved," said Aftab, executive director of WiredSafety.org. Driving and cell phone use can be a bad combination, "but so is putting on makeup and eating a three-course meal," Aftab said. "I wish technology providers would look hard at the problems before coming up with a knee-jerk solution."

And here is what he is saying.  These solutions simply don't get to the heart of the matter.  Why?  Because by the time you are doing damage control on something, the damage is already done.  Preventative measures don't change behavior, because behind behavior, at least this kind of behavior, is the fact that kids and adults alike are underneath the tyranny of the urgent to communicate NOW.  It is this impulse to stay connected that leads everyone to disobey the no cell phone laws, and for tech saavy teenagers to find a "workaround" solution to the GPS devices mentioned in the article.  

The responsibility, as always, first and foremost lies with parents and how they approach the situation with their kids.  Of course they are going to do what they are going to do when they get behind the wheel.  We just need to do our best to help them make wise decisions.  With that in mind, here are some ideas for helping your kids be responsible with cell phones while driving.  Not all of them will work for everyone, but maybe you can find a fit. 

1. Don't get your kid a cellphone.  Seriously, I didn't have one until I was 25 and survived fine.  I realize that this is an old crumudgeon argument, and that being so detached from prevalent technology is much more difficult than the surface suggests.  It also doesn't really teach responsibility, but it might work best for your situation.  
2. Slow down!  Your life is busy, and you feel, like Bilbo Baggins, "like butter spread over too much bread."  This of course is what is driving you to yuck it up while on the road.  The reality is, most of us are so busy out of habit, because we think we need to be.  Slow your life down and throw on some Classical music while in the car.  This will show your kid a. that you can relax without being a slave to your job, and b. that you are willing to drive without talking on the phone.
3. Be honest about your addiction to talking on the phone while in the car, or if you actually don't, try to sympathize with your kid about it.  Condemnation helps little.  Come alongside your kid and and be firm yet understanding about the situaiton.  Ask your kid to hold you accountable.  Be open to rebuke.  
4. Work together to find a solution.  Giving them ownership over an idea will help it sink in. 
   
5. Hold them accountable.  If you catch them talking on the phone, take the phone, the car, or both away for a time.  You are in charge!

I fully realize that all of this goes up in flames the minute you do all of this, and then your kid cheerfully gives you the bird and continues talking/texting and driving anyways.  Of course parenting is never this simple.  The above tips don't fix anything, but encourage a change in heart and therefore behavior.  At the end of the day, your kid has to make the decision.  You can only equip them the best you can. 

Being new to the sport myself, I found this article to be extremely helpful in untying the knots around the redneck NASCAR mystique.  The more I dig into it the more I like it.  This of course is probably more owing to the fact that I am a generic thirtysomething with 4 kids and a minivan.  Not that such people are necessarily NASCAR fans, but such a station in life usually entails a certain amount of insecurity (since one's pride is left on the car lot when he drives off in a minivan) that only watching cool looking cars run in circles can mitigate. 

Tesla has already sold 150 cars, and 1,000 more are on the waiting list.  What's even better, Tesla has a sedan in the making, which according to Jesse Toprak, senior industry analyst at Edmunds.com, will give the vehicle and the genre a wider appeal " if they can bring it in at under $50,000."  Well, they will have to bring it down a smidgeon from there to bring the appeal to my front door, but the direction is promising nonetheless.  No longer is it just a strange spaceship fantasy car...something could really come of this!  See the article here. 

If you didn't get enough of school and want to relive the glory days, are full of useless yet cool car information, or simply want to be challenged, then look no further.  Sound Classics Classically-Tough Triva Quiz 2008 is here.  See how you do!