Back to School: Organizing a Carpool

Cole Quinnell,

8/14/2014
Don’t look now, but summer vacation is winding to a close.

If your kids are in school, it won’t be long until mornings revert to a whirlwind of activity. Getting your kids up and ready for school is hard enough, but then you actually have to get them there.

Some of you may be lucky, with a school bus picking them up and dropping them off right down the street. But for others, the weekdays may include taxiing the kids to and from school.

With just a few weeks before the bell starts ringing on another school year, now is the perfect time to organize a local carpool. Carpools are a great way to save you time, money and hassle this year. Plus, by cutting down on the number of duplicate trips to and from school, you’re also helping the environment.

Does it sound like a neighborhood carpool might work for you? Great! Here are a few pointers for getting one started.

Pick the Right Participants

If you’re looking to organize a carpool, chances are there are probably lots of other parents from your school that would want in. The goal of any carpool is to get the kids to school on time and safely. You wouldn’t trust the welfare of your kids to just anyone with a car. And some parents, although well intentioned, always seem to be running a few minutes behind schedule.

Start with your children’s circle of friends. Spread the word to their parents that you’re putting together a carpool. Keep the list of participants small and trustworthy. If you have a few candidates in mind, organize a meeting and get to know the other parents to make sure they’re a good fit.

Get Organized

Once you’ve found a core group of like-minded parents, it’s time to develop a plan.

First, you’ll need to draft a schedule that works for everyone. There are a lot of different ways to create a driving rotation. You could have one parent be responsible for pickup and drop-off on a designated day of the week. Or, maybe parents would prefer to work on a week-to-week basis where one individual is responsible for all of the driving on a given week. Regardless of how the responsibilities are distributed, make sure everyone is pitching in equally and onboard with the plan.

Next, you’ll need a way to organize your efforts. Depending on the level of technological savvy of your carpool group, this can be accomplished a couple of different ways. You can meet in person on a regular basis to update schedules, contact info and responsibilities as time goes on. At the very least, make sure every parent understands the pickup and drop-off locations and has contact information for everyone else in the group.

You can also take advantage of technology by creating an online meeting space using the internet and social media. Facebook groups are a great way to keep everyone in the know. You might also consider using smartphone apps like Carpool School Edition or Looptivity. Both were developed to help busy parents with carpool organization, and have a number of helpful tools for setting up and maintaining your carpool.

Be Safe and Be Fun

When it comes to carpooling, you’ll need to be ready for everything. Make sure each parent’s vehicle is stocked with an emergency roadside kit, first-aid supplies and snacks for all of the little travelers (be aware of and sensitive to food allergies too). You never know what’s going to happen on the road, so you should plan for contingencies.

Today, it seems like just about every kid has some kind of electronic device that their eyes are glued to. But it’s a good idea to have good conversation starters or road-trip games in your back pocket in case you need to break the ice, or keep everyone focused and ready for school.

Have any tips, tricks or great ideas for getting a carpool off the ground? Share your wisdom and expertise with your fellow Ford Social fans by leaving a comment below or submitting a carpool story today!

 Hyundai To Launch New Crossover Vehicle, Plug-In Hybrid Sedan, RWD Small Sedan

 
  
Hyundai has some big plans for the future, including getting more involved in the crossover segment.

They also have a plug-in hybrid Sonata in the pipeline, and are also rumored to be considering a compact rear-wheel drive sports sedan.

2016 Hyundai Tucson

The next major launch for the Koreans will be the redesigned 2016 Tucson compact crossover, which should arrive in the spring of 2015.

While the new model will ride on the same platform as the current model, it will have an improved suspension, as well as more high-strength steel used in the construction.

Hyundai has high hopes for this model, with the expectation being that it will hit 90,000 sales annually. That would be a major increase over the 41,906 units sold in the US in 2013.

Also expected to remain in place are the 2.0- and 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engines in the current model. There is also a chance that 1.6-liter 4-cylinder turbo found in the 2015 Sonata Eco.

The current Tucson is smaller than its rivals – Honda CR-V and Ford Escape – in the segment, so don’t be surprised if it stretches out a little.

Sub-Tucson Crossover Vehicle

Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski has also been quotes as saying that the company is interested in perhaps getting into the subcompact crossover segment, but that no decision has been made yet.

Hyundai did show off an ix25 crossover concept at the Beijing auto show, with many feeling that the model on display might eventually be released to compete with the upcoming Honda HR-V and Chevrolet Trax.

2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid Car

The new 2015 Sonata was rolled out without a redesigned hybrid model, but that will be rectified when an all-new Sonata Hybrid arrives next year as a 2016 model.

The expectations are that it will use a powertrain similar to the current version, which is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine mated to a 35-kilowatt electric motor.

One area of improvement should come in the fuel economy ratings, where it’s expected that the current 36/40 mpg city/highway will be better when the 2016 model does hit the streets.

A plug-in Sonata Hybrid will also be offered by Hyundai, with a more powerful battery pack sure to be found in this model, as that would be required to increase the expected driving range.

The plug-in model likely won’t appear in showrooms until the early part of 2016.

There is also the possibility of yet another plug-in model on the same drivetrain the following year, with a crossover model the most likely to get the electric treatment.

Small RWD Sporty Sedan

As of now, the Equus and the Genesis sedan are the only two rear-wheel drive models in the Hyundai stable.

That is expected to increase by one when Hyundai delivers a small sports sedan that would rival the BMW 3 series, with delivery due sometime in 2017.

Rumor has it that the platform used in the new car would eventually underpin the Genesis Coupe.

This future model is still very much in the planning stage, though, so little is known about how it would fit into a segment that is already pretty full.

The feeling is that the new sports sedan, codenamed the IK, would have a base price point in the $30,000 range and would come with a pair of engine options: an aspirated V6 and a turbocharged 4-cylinder.

Other news has it that a new version of the Accent could be delivered in 2016 as a 2017 model. The new Elantra, which was slated for a late 2015 release, may be pushed back to 2016.

Stay tuned for more news about Hyundai Motor Copany!

Car Salesman Confidential: 

How To Buy A Used Car

It's All About Who You Can Trust

By Mark McDonald | August 01, 2014  |  

In recent years, with the transaction price of the average new 

car climbing past $30,000, and the sluggish economy, more 

and more people are electing to keep their cars a little longer, 

or buy used. So the question is, how do you keep from getting 

stuck with a bad used car? Here are my suggestions, 

as a ten year veteran of car sales:

1. Establish a Relationship With a Salesperson

Any time you buy from a person you've never met, 

whether he's a salesman for a dealership or some guy on eBay, 

it's a bit of a gamble. The seller may be a straight shooter, 

and the car he's selling may be perfectly fine. Or he may 

be a con artist and the car may have serious problems with it.

 In my opinion, a good strategy is to find a salesperson 

you trust -- maybe the man or woman you bought your 

last new car from -- and work through them. 

When it comes time to buy something used, call them up 

and tell them what you're looking for. If he's smart, your 

salesman will steer you to a car you'll be happy with, 

if for no other reason than he wants to sell you more cars 

in the future.

2. Buy From a Large Dealership With a Good Reputation

I'm not knocking small "Mom & Pop" dealerships, 

because I have many friends who work at places 

like this and there's nothing wrong with the cars

they sell. But I think you have a slightly better chance 

of finding a good used car at a large, well-established 

dealership. There are two reasons. First, large dealerships 

have service departments, whereas your local "dirt lot"

 probably does not. Chances are good that any car you 

find at a large dealership has at least gone through a 

basic Safety Inspection to make sure the tires are good, 

the brakes work, and nothing is wrong with the steering. 

Most dealerships will also check the fluids and change 

the oil. With a small lot you just have to take the seller's

 word for it that the car is mechanically sound, or arrange 

to have your own mechanic inspect it. Second, a big

 dealership has a bigger reputation to protect. They 

know that if they abuse you, you'll go on line and write 

a bad review or complain to their corporate office, and 

nobody wants that. So they go to greater lengths to 

make sure their used cars are sound, and they'll be more 

responsive to your complaints after the sale. Let me give 

you a quick example. A used car manager at a large 

dealership I know went to an auction and bought five 

used BMWs for a song. On the outside, these cars

 looked fine -- but every single one of them had 

frame damage. 

I'm not sure how this guy expected to get away with 

it, but his plan was to sell these cars without disclosing 

the damage and make a killing. But when their history 

was discovered this guy was fired – instantly -- and the 

cars never even made it onto the dealer's lot. A large 

organization just cannot afford to do business like that.

 A Cautionary Word About CarFax. CarFax is great . . . 

but don't put all your faith in it. CarFax only reports 

what's reported to it. If two people have an accident, 

but choose not to report it, it won't show up on the 

CarFax. Second, just because CarFax says the car has 

been in an accident, it doesn't mean it's a "bad vehicle" 

or you shouldn't buy it. Read the fine print. Was the 

vehicle unable to move on its own power, and had to 

be towed away? Or was it able to be driven away? 

The fact is, the collision might have been a minor 

incident with only minimal damage, but because 

the Police were called and a report was taken, it 

shows up on CarFax as an "accident." Third, even

 if a vehicle is involved in a collison, 

if the damage has been repaired properly there's 

no reason to avoid buying the car. See if records 

are available, and ask how it was repaired and by whom.

  

A Word About Rental Cars.

Many times, dealerships will supplement their 

used car inventory with vehicles from rental 

car companies. The reason is simple: they need

 the inventory. A dealership can't just sit around 

and wait for customers to trade in what's popular,

 so they go out and buy desirable vehicles from 

rental companies, or at auction. A lot of people

 are put off by this, but they shouldn't be. 

If a car is in good condition it shouldn't matter 

who the previous owner was. (In fact, you may 

even have a better chance that the vehicle was 

properly maintained because most rental companies

 perform regular maintenance.) Rentals will 

typically have a little higher mileage on them

 than comparable privately owned cars, but that 

also means they're priced lower. I have sold 

many a used car that came from a rental fleet 

and had no complaints yet.

3. Buy a Certified Used Car

If you've been out cruising dealerships lately you
 may have noticed some of the cars have stickers
 on them saying things like "Certified" or 
"Certified Pre-Owned." What this means is that 
the car has gone through an inspection process, 
been serviced and, if necessary, repaired, and is 
being sold with an extended warranty. For example,
 if you come across a Certified Honda, it means that
 the regular 5 years or 60,000 mile drivetrain warranty 
has been extended to 7 years, 100,000 miles.
 This is a tremendous value. A certified car has a 
warranty on it that, in some ways, is better than 
the original factory warranty. Certification offers
 every used car buyer extra "peace of mind" that 
they haven't bought a lemon, and knowledge 
that the manufacturer stands behind it. 
Of course, a certified car will also cost a little more
 than a car that isn't certified, but in my opinion it's
 worth it. A Word About "As Is" Vehicles. 
Most of the used cars found on dealership lots 
have a sticker called the "Buyer's Guide" or 
"As Is" that tells you whether or not the car has 
any warranty left on it. Pay attention to this sticker. 
If it says "As Is," it means As Is -- you're buying the 
car just as it sits, with no warranty. There's an old 
saying in the car biz that, if you buy an "As Is" 
vehicle and you drive it off the lot and it breaks 
into two pieces, you own both pieces. The dealership
 is under no obligation whatsoever to fix that 
vehicle for you. Here's the thing. If you discover a 
problem with an "As Is" vehicle before you complete
 the paperwork or drive it off the lot, most dealerships
will probably fix it for you -- depending on what it is.
 If it's a minor cosmetic issue, like a broken cupholder 
or soiled carpet, probably not. But if it's something
 major, like a bad headlight or mechanical issue, 
they probably will. Just be sure to get any promises
 in writing on the "We Owe" (that's the document 
the dealer uses to remind us of what we owe
 the customer). Verbal representations in the
middle of a sale tend to get forgotten, or can 
be distorted by memory, so always get it in writing.

Read more: http://blogs.motortrend.com/1408_car_salesman_confidential_how_to_buy_a_used_car.html#ixzz3As5KeVjF