Summer Auto Maintenance: Preparing for the Back to School Rush

by Dennis, Cars for Keeps Customer Service Manager

As much as we dread the end of summer, it's just around the corner, and that means kids will be going back to school. Back to school bring sports, field trips, ect. - let the craziness begin!

With all the events going on during the fall season, August is the time to make sure that mom or dad’s vehicle, (or taxi, as I lovingly call it at that time of year) is up to it new task.

Safety and reliability is the key. From fluid checks to standard maintenance, this is the time to get a head start - leaving one less thing for you to worry about once the frantic back to school rush begins.

Whether Cars for Keeps is your auto service garage or not, I encourage you to take advantage this opportunity of getting the family vehicle maintained before the hussel and bussel of school time.

Why does your family vehicle need to be maintained?

In the heat of summer, vehicle systems work very hard. Systems which take the most strain are the electrical system, cooling system, transmission, air conditioning and all of the fluids. The heat of running during how Michigan summers can make any of these systems weak, and a lack of maintenance can cause them to break down.

In Michigan we mostly think of the cold being the biggest factor, but the heat is
just as bad. So take a few hours in the afternoon to pamper your vehicle with a basic tune up and fluid flush. You - and your hectic schedule - will be glad you did!

So long for now,
Your Friendly neighborhood Service Manager,
Dennis

A Woman's Point of View: Telephones & Technology

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

I just bought an Evo Android cell phone. Wow! It is a phone, but so much more. It’s a computer that is synchronized to my home computer, a GPS that has made my not-that-old Garmin obsolete, a Kindle reader, a hot-spot device that can hook up my laptop when no Wi-Fi is around, a still camera, a video camera, a voice recorder, an appointment calendar with sound reminders, a weather station, a conference center with live video, an office center, and on, and on. I have only had it for four days and am still finding stuff.

With all that amazing technology in my pocket I sit at my computer station at work and talk on a corded telephone. And guess what? The person I am talking to hears me perfectly and is not bothered with me going through the dreaded “dead zones.” That says a lot about sticking to the basics in some areas of your life.

We live in an exciting technological time in history. We just acquired a new scanner at Cars For Keeps. That sounds kind of mundane but actually it is pretty cool. Every year cars are coming out with more electronics and more sophisticated computers, and car repair facilities have to keep up with the means to diagnose problems. Our mechanics feel more like ‘doctors for cars’ than ever before.

When you think about it, the similarities are close. Diagnose, operate, treat, recover and send on its way all well again. That makes everyone at Cars For Keeps very happy.

Michigan Road Trip Ideas: Traveling the Great Lakes State!

by Marjorie, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

This time of year, the shop sees plenty of vacationers passing through who are experiencing car troubles of one kind or the other. While we're sorry for these customers' troubles, it's always a pleasure to hear about their destinations and road trip adventures. It reminds us of how many beautiful places there are to visit right here on Michigan's West coast.

It also reminds us that pre-road trip repairs and maintenance can save vacationers unwanted headaches!

Ok, that was our sales pitch for this post.

It's the season of summer road trips, and veteran Michigan residents know that there's plenty interesting pavement to explore right here in our own backyard. Not only is Michigan home to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the US, but many of these destinations are unknown to all but a few.

Personally, I prefer to avoid the vacationing crowds, traveling instead to remote, little-known places. Thankfully, I don't have to shell out the cash it would take to hop a plane or drive 1,000's of miles to find beautiful, unpopulated road trip destinations. With Michigan's abundance of natural lakes, state forests, white sand dunes and shorelines, why would you road trip in any other state?

This is a very, very short list of beautiful Michigan road trip destinations that aren't too far from our own backyard.

West Michigan Scenic Drive - My personal favorite, this meandering stretch of road travels along the coast from Muskegon to Silver Lake State Park. There are plenty of beaches and lighthouses along the way, but Silver Lake's white sand dunes take the cake. There's a breathtaking view of the dunes as you crest a hill on B-1 traveling North which never fails to amaze me.

Although the name of the road sometimes changes (Scenic Drive, Route B-15, Lakeside Drive), it's never hard to find - just keep Lake Michigan out your driver's side window! map link

Shrine of the Pines - As beautiful as it is unique, this destination is nestled in the heart of Michigan's Manistee National Forest, near Baldwin. Visiting the world's largest collection of hand-made pine furniture is a fantastic beginning or start to a trip through the dense wilderness of Manistee's many parks and hiking trails. map link

Harrisville, Northern Michigan (East coast) - Home of Iargo Springs, one of the most fascinating and little-known natural wonders in Michigan, this road trip destination lies on Michigan's East coast. A fantastic destination for a week long meandering road trip, the Widow's Watch bed and breakfast provides nearby lodging that is a treat in and of itself. map link

M-22 Highway, Leelanau Penninsula Drive - A popular and beautiful destination for road trips, Leelanau has everything you could want. From fudge shops and unique towns to serene fishing locations, M-22 is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the Lower Peninsula. map link

If you'd like to see more Michigan road trip destinations, or find tips for lodging, check out this link.

Did we miss a destination? Comment and tell us about your favorite Michigan getaway!

A Womans Point of View: A Typical Day Heats Up

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

My alarm clock does not ring, or buzz, or play music. It starts off with birds singing and then my very British butler, who lives in my alarm clock, announces the events of the day so far. This morning he informed me that Opray Winfrey would like to luncheon with me today and he took the liberty of only charging her $100,000 for the privilege.

It is hard enough to wake up in the morning, you might as well do it with some silliness and a smile. I was feeling pretty perky until I got to work and walked into a furnace – the air conditioning konked out over the weekend and it had to be 100 degrees in there. Oh, Joy! I do not do well in muggy heat. It only took me five minutes to discover the computer that I work at was the only dead air space in the whole building. The temperature was already well on its way to over the 90 degree mark outside. It felt cooler outside. We were all in that fragile moment of deciding if we were going to give in to this and be grouchy or are we going to make the best of this bad situation.

Then I began to notice something. The customers sitting in our sweltering lounge sporting the most wonderful sheen, were taking it all in stride. We would apologize for the uncomfortable warmth and they all smiled and assured us that, “Hey, life happens.” Because of these wonderful people and their positive attitudes, we adapted.

We slowed down our usual frantic pace, took the time to hand out cold drinks, made sure we were all drinking plenty of water. In other words, everyone looked after each other. We even treated ourselves to some old-fashioned malted milks.

Good things happen at Cars For Keeps even when it starts out looking bad.

Luxury 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL AMG

An official picture of the updated 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL (see the spy shots here) in AMG guise has been found by our fellow bloggers over at Autoblog.nl. The facelifted CL gets a new snout with a more pointed design and a single, instead of two, horizontal bar on the grille along with new LED daytime running lights.

We still don't know if there are any changes under the hood, but it is believed that like the new CLS AMG, the CL 63 AMG coupe will get Merc's new 5.5-liter bi-turbocharged V8 engine delivering 544 ponies in standard form and 571HP with an optional performance package.

Flamboyantly unique Audi S5 Coupe

Found for sale on eBay is this flamboyantly unique Audi S5 Coupe featuring a killer color combination that makes it stand out like a lime in a bowl of lemons. And this ain't no vinyl wrap; the "Porsche Lime Green" exterior finish was a special factory order that cost the owner $2,500. Open the door and you'll see why most manufacturers don't allow customers to combine certain exterior shades with certain interior colors even if they are available.

Chevrolet Cruze Irmscher Edition with 186HP

Chevrolet and its European tuning partner Irmscher presented a humbly beefed up version of the Cruze compact sedan with cosmetic and performance upgrades at this week's AMI motorshow in Leipzig, Germany.

Dubbed the Cruze Irmscher Edition, the car gets an optional boot lid spoiler along with 18-inch alloy wheels shod in beefier 225 sport tires and aluminum door sills.

Irmscher's performance modifications include a 25mm suspension drop and exhaust silencers with elliptical twin exits along with a 36HP and 146Nm boost for the 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine increasing total output to 186HP and 466Nm at 2,300 rpm.

According to the tuner, the diesel version accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.0 seconds.

Luxury 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class Facelift

This here is the refreshed 2011 CL-Class, which despite the rumors, doesn't adopt the S-Class Coupe moniker as part of Mercedes-Benz's new nomenclature that started with the new E-Class Coupe that replaced the CLK. For its mid-life facelift, the CL coupe has received a mild redesigned and a new bi-turbo V8 engine.

Visual updates include a redesigned front bumper housing LED strips with chrome surrounds for the daytime running lights, a reshaped hood, new headlamps and a more V-shaped grille.

The LED turn indicators and position marker lamps along with the reprofiled rear bumper and newly-designed tail lamps round off the exterior changes.

Inside, the higher-quality trim materials and new color options are matted with redesigned multifunction wood/leather steering wheel steering and additional ambient light spots.

Under the bonnet, there's a new 4.7-liter bi-turbocharged V8 engine with BlueDIRECT technology for the CL500 (CL550 for North America), which comes with a revised version of Mercedes-Benz's seven-speed automatic gearbox with an integrated stop-start system and brake energy recuperation.

The eight-cylinder unit produces 429HP, a 12 percent increase in power over its predecessor, which had an output of 382HP. At the same time, torque was raised from 391 lb-ft to 516 lb-ft, an increase of 32 percent.

Furthermore, the new V8 engine achieves a 10-15% improvement in fuel economy and 23% improvement in CO2 emissions.

The CL500 / CL550 4MATIC requires 4.9 seconds to accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h (62mph), a 0.5 second improvement over the previous model.

The range also includes the CL600, with its 510HP 12-cylinder biturbo engine and 612 lb-ft. of torque that accelerates the luxury coupé from a standstill to 100km/h (62mph) mph in a 4.5 seconds. Top speed on both models is electronically limited at 250km/h (155mph).

For buyers needing more power, Mercedes will debut the new CL63 AMG and CL65 AMG models later this year.

Among the many tech highlights is a new Active Lane Keeping Assist safety feature that utilizes a camera mounted on the inside of the windshield and a radar system that scans the side of the roadway, to gently apply the brakes when the driver steers away from his lane.

Luxury Qvale Mangusta

One of the 270 or so Mangusta sports cars that were produced by Qvale between 2000 and 2002 is up for sale on eBay with the current owner asking $26,500 to depart with it.

The Qvale Mangusta has quite an interesting history behind it involving many different people and companies over the years.

Designed by Marcello Gandini (notice the signature shape of the rear wheel arches), responsible for the styling of many cars including the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Maserati Quattroporte and the first generation BMW 5er, the 2+2-seater convertible began its life at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show as the De Tomaso Bigua.

However, due to various problems (chiefly financial), it never made it into production as the Bigua with De Tomaso selling the rights to the car to the Qvale family, a US importer for high-end European cars.

Qvalve went ahead and renamed the car after an older De Tomaso model, the Mangusta and begun production at a new assembly plant in Modena, Italy, in 2000.

The Mangusta features an odd roof system with a targa-like removable center panel and a separate mechanism that allows the rear section to electrically rotate into a dedicated space behind the seats, thus allowing the car to be a Coupe, a Targa or a Roadster.

Power comes from a Ford Mustang-sourced 4.6-liter V8 with 320-horspower and 314 lb/ft of peak torque that propels the Mangusta to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.5 seconds and to a top speed of around 150mph or 241 km/h, while returning 26mpg on the highway (all manufacturer figures).

Ford's pony-car also provided the five-speed manual gearbox, steering wheel system, the dashboard, switchgear and a whole bunch of other bits and pieces.

Most Mangustas were exported to the USA but Qvale never managed to achieve its sales target of around 900 cars a year and ended up selling the rights to the Mangusta to Britain's MG Rover Group in 2003. MG used the car's underpinnings to build the short lived Xpower SV from 2003 to 2005.

New Chevrolet Cruze CS Sport Kit for UK Market Model

Chevrolet has launched a new sport package called "CS" for the UK market Cruze. Available from mid-July on all trim and engine variants of the Cruze, the styling kit includes a set of 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels finished in white, a lowered suspension, a boot spoiler, unique CS graphics and matching carpet mats. Chevrolet has priced the sport package at £1,595, which includes VAT and fitment.

In Britain, the Chevrolet Cruze is offered with a choice of two petrol engines, a 1.6-liter unit with 113HP and a 1.8-liter unit with 141HP, and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel available with 125HP and 150HP versions.

2011 Fastest Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster Reader Spy Shots

Carscoop reader Benjamin L. has grabbed some new spy shots of the next generation Mercedes-Benz SLK. Apparently, the German automaker is still conducting real-world testing for the new hardtop roadster as Benjamin snapped this prototype earlier today wondering around the outskirts of Paris in a black plastic suit of armor.

Like the current version of the SLK, Stuttgart's BMW Z4 rival will feature a two-piece folding metal roof, but it will also receive all of Mercedes' newest gadgets and accessories.

While the heavy camouflage doesn't allow us to get a clear view of the new SLK's looks, it is expected that Mercedes will drop the current model's F1-inspired nose in favor of a much bolder grille and more geometrically shaped headlamps, all themed after the SLS AMG Gullwing model.

Previous spy shots (see here) confirm that the new SLKs interior will be completely revamped with the dashboard styling also inspired by the Gullwing supercar.

There will be significant changes under the skin as the two-seater model will make use of the new C-class platform and suspension hardware, tuned to deliver more responsive handling characteristics.

Powerplant options at launch are expected to include Mercedes-Benz's latest-generation four-cylinder and V6 petrol units, with an AMG version featuring either a twin-turbo V6 or a turbocharged V8 to follow later on.

Luxury 2011 Ford Shelby GT500

Even though the 2011 Shelby GT500 carries a base price of $49,495 without any options ticked, Ford has already received more than 3,000 orders for the 550HP Mustang since the car was announced earlier this year. But despite the sales success, the Deaborn-based automaker said today that U.S. sales of the 2011 Shelby GT500 will be limited to just 5,500 units for this model year.

"We are pleased with the pace of retail orders for the 2011 Shelby GT500," said Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager. "The car continues to be popular with sports car enthusiasts and collectors who are blown away by the increase in horsepower and performance. The limited production of the 2011 should make this year even more desirable."

Based on the latest Mustang, the 2011 Shelby GT500 is powered by a new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine, which churns out 550 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque.

New 2012 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan and Hatchback

What you see here are official design patent drawings of the all-new 2012 Chevrolet Aveo four-door sedan and five-door hatchback models, filed by General Motors. The next generation of GM's Ford Fiesta rival was teased in concept form with the sporty Aveo RS hatchback study at 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January while shortly after we also got a sneak peak of the sedan variant through some leaked illustrations.

The drawings of the five-door model suggest that the production version follows pretty closely to the RS concept minus of course some snazzy details like the shaved door handles, big alloy wheels and the more pronounced side sills that made the concept model really stand out.

However, the hatchback does keep the concept study's hidden rear door handles that are concealed in the C-pillars. The sedan, on the other hand, gets a more conventional design.

We're likely to see the production versions of both the sedan and hatchback Aveo making their official debut by the end of this year's auto show season, possibly even at the Paris show in September, with sales following in 2011.

Luxury 2011 Citroen C4

Following on from yesterday's release of the first photos of Citroën's new C4 compact hatchback, we just got our hands on a short static film as well as details on the engine range that will be available at launch.

When it goes on sale across Europe after its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show, the French firm's Golf-rival will be offered with a total of three petrol (plus one LPG capable) and three diesel engines.

The gasoline range includes a 95HP 1.4-liter unit coupled to a five-speed manual, a 120HP 1.6-liter available with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, an LPG capable version of the 1.6L unit, and finally a 1.6-liter turbo with 155HP that's hooked up to a 6-speed semi-automatic gearbox.

Diesel fans can choose between a 1.6-liter HDi producing 90HP or 105HP (both linked to a manual gearbox), and a 2.0L HDi with 150HP coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Furthermore, the two 1.6-liter HDi units are available in e-HDi versions that come with a semi-automatic 6-speed transmission and Citroën's new pseudo micro-hybrid system that features the latest generation Stop & Start system.

Output remains the same on the two e-HDi variants but fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are improved over the standard HDi models.

New Buick Excelle GT Buick Excelle GT

Shanghai GM, a joint venture between General Motors Corp and China's SAIC Motor Corp, has revealed the all-new 2011 Buick Excelle GT compact sedan that will go on sale in the country on June 23. It will be available in China with a choice of two petrol engines, a naturally-aspirated 1.8-liter with 108kW/145HP and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-pot churning out 135kW/181HP.

The GT model expands Buick China's Excelle range that already includes the five-door hatchback XT model. And in case you didn't notice, both the Excelle XT and GT are based on the latest generation of the Opel Astra and share the same Delta II platform and mechanical hardware as the Chevrolet Cruze.

As we have already told you in previous reports, the four-door Excelle GT will be coming to Buick stores here in the States sometime next year, most likely with a different name but without any significant cosmetic changes.

Buick's new entry-level model will slot under the new Regal in the firm's U.S. range with the Volkswagen Jetta considered one of its closest rivals.

Luxury Hyundai i20 STC 3-Door Version Photos Leaked Ahead of Geneva

We were supposed to see the three-door Hyundai i20 for the first time at the Geneva Auto Show, but no thanks to an online leak, we now have official photos of the newest version of the Korean supermini. Besides the fact that the 3-door i20 is less practical than its five-door sibling and that it features restyled rear-quarter windows, there are no other visible differences between the two models.

Same goes for the engine range that will consists of a total of seven gasoline and diesel units. The i20's gasoline range includes a 78PS 1.2-liter, a 100PS 1.4-liter and a 126PS 1.6-liter engine, all of which are mated to five-speed manual gearboxes. The 1.4- and 1.6-liter models can be equipped optionally with a four-speed automatic transmission.

The diesel line-up comprises of a 1.4-liter unit available in two guises with outputs of 75PS and 90PS, and a 1.6-liter motor with 115PS and 128PS. Both 1.4-liter diesel models are equipped with a five-speed stick shift, while the flagship 1.6-liter modes are offered with a six-gear manual gearbox.

Photos via: Telegraaf

Super Exclusive Hyundai i20

The new five-door i20 will go on sale in the UK on January 15, with the first three-door i20s arriving in April, but Hyundai decided to announce full pricing for its Getz replacement model. When the i20 goes on sale in the new year, the entry level 1.2-litre Classic will start at £8,195 for the three-door with a five door costing an extra £450. All i20s will be equipped with air-conditioning, six airbags, active head restraints, remote locking, electric front windows and an aux-in socket as standard.

The mid-range Comfort model, which Hyundai expects to be the best seller, starts from £8,995 and adds 15-inch alloy wheels, body colour door mirrors and handles, electric rear windows, full iPod integration, steering wheel mounted audio controls, a trip computer and a six-speaker system. The flagship model of the i20 range is the Style and it comes with 16-inch alloys, climate control, part-leather upholstery, metal-look facia and front fog lights.

The i20 will be available with two new petrol and diesel engines, including a 78HP 1.2-litre 'Kappa' petrol and 100HP 1.4-litre petrol borrowed from the i30 and the 1.4-litre capacity diesel unit offered in two version with outputs of 75HP and 90HP.

Luxury Hyundai i20 Perked Up

The European market Hyundai i20 has received some minor improvements under the hood as well as to the aerodynamics and the interior of the car. Hyundai started by adding a small spoiler to the underneath of the vehicle to improve airflow around the wheels, while all i20s now use low friction engine oil and an alternator management system.

These changes help the best-selling 1.2-litre petrol engine reduce its CO2 emissions by 5g/km to 119g/km, while the 1.4-liter petrol model sees a 13g/km drop to 129g/km as well as a 4.3mpg UK improvement in fuel consumption.

As for the diesel engines, CO2 emissions on the 75HP model drop by 6g/km to 110g/km. Thanks to the introduction of a new 6-speed gearbox, the 90HP version achieves a 7.2% improvement in fuel economy.

Hyundai also made a few minor changes to the interior. Along with the addition of an 'Eco Drive' indicator that suggests the best time to change gear, the dashboard and instrument illumination is now blue instead of red, while Bluetooth phone connectivity with voice recognition is now added as standard on all models except the entry-level Classic.

The South Korean supermini is available to order now, with prices in the UK starting from £9,520.

Fuel Efficiency Tips for Cutting Down on Road Trip Gas Bills

by Marjorie, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

Drivers are always looking for ways to get better gas mileage, especially when it comes to long-distance travel. Not only does gas-efficient driving cut down on the costs of gas, but it also conserves natural resources and helps to keep pollution down. Every little bit counts!

Whether you're commuting across town or are driving across the country, there are many things drivers can do to help their vehicles get more efficient gas mileage.

Driving more efficiently.

That's right, drivers can do many things to get better gas mileage - without the help of a mechanic! Drivers can improve gas mileage by as much as 10% by observing the following rules:

- Drive sensibly and carefully. Fast acceleration, quick breaking and quick cornering can increase your vehicle's gas consumption by 5% in town and 33% on the freeway. So take it easy, and do your best to work with your vehicle's inertia, rather than fighting it.

- Go the speed limit. Research has shown that fuel efficiency over the speed of 60 miles per hour decreases rapidly. In general, you can estimate your vehicle uses an extra 24 cents per gallon for every 5 miles you go over 60mph.
- Clean out the trunk. Do you really need to carry golf clubs, a tool box and other clutter in your trunk? Those boxes of books you've been meaning to drop off at Goodwill are making your vehicle run inefficiently.
- Avoid idling unnecessarily. If your vehicle will be sitting still for more than 60 seconds, it's most efficient to simply turn the engine off. Remember: idling gets you zero miles per gallon.



Good vehicle maintenance.

It's been said before, but it's true. Keeping your vehicle in great working condition will not only cut down on the cost of serious mechanical problems, but also on gas consumption as well.

- Keep the engine tuned. Tuning an engine that is significantly out of tune can raise gas mileage by 4%, and it will help the engine last longer as well. Fixing more serious problems, such as broken oxygen sensors, can boost gas mileage by 40%.
- Proper tire inflation. Good tire inflation can improve gas efficiency as much as 3.3%. Under-inflated tires waste gas and aren't nearly as safe as properly inflated tires. Aren't sure about your vehicle's proper PSI? We know a few good auto technicians who'd be happy to find out for you.
- Consistently use the right motor oil. All car manufacturers recommend a specific grade of motor oil, and using the wrong grade can lower your gas mileage by 1-2%.
- Replace dirty air filters. Cars need to breathe, just like we do. Air filters are very cheap but essential parts; they protect vehicles' engines from becoming contaminated with dirt and dust, and when they become old and clogged, vehicles struggle to get enough oxygen and end up using more fuel than necessary. Dirty air filters can lower gas mileage anywhere from 2-14%.

Save money on commutes or summer vacations by making sure your vehicle isn't wasting gas. Stop by Cars for Keeps for a free pit stop, and see how we can help you save money on gas.

Safe driving!

A Women’s Point of View: It’s Summertime and the Living is Easy

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Summertime seems to bring out the ‘anything is possible’ gene in most of us. Slow, easygoing, mind renewing, exciting things that fill our days in the summer. The picnics on the beach or in a meadow; where the ants and flies show up in hordes of happiness. Bike riding to feel the breeze against your warm skin and an occasional bug to swallow. Swimming which soothes the body and the mind in nature’s womb.

Watching those sunsets while holding the hand of someone you love. Meeting someone really interesting over a vegetable stall at the open air market. Giving into temptation to wade in the fountain in the park. Going barefoot through the grass. Watching the local teams practice baseball. Catching fireflies. Enjoying fireworks. Running away from home (which we sometimes refer to as a vacation) to seek relaxation and/or adventure.

Cars For Keeps has had an influx of vacationers with car troubles. Hey - things happen! Just think of it as the adventurous side of the vacation. We know it is irritating to have your car break down when on vacation, and that is why we are experts at turning a negative into a positive.

We have met some new friends from out of town and even ended up having some laughs for everyone. We may never see these wonderful people again, but for a moment, we touched each other’s lives in a positive way. Aaaahhh! Summertime is full of possibilities and the living is easy.

A Women’s Point of View: Let Freedom Ring

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

How often do we consciously think about all the freedom we have in this country? Sometimes we focus on things that we are not allowed to do in our lives, like being able to quit our jobs, getting the kids educated for free, and, gee, let’s not pay our taxes this year. Those are pesky problems in our lives that we all have to deal with, but actually do not have anything to do with our freedoms. I would love to pay a million dollars in taxes - do you know what kind of income that would mean for me?

Let’s focus on the freedom to live where and how we want live. The freedom to marry who we want and have as many children as we want. The freedom to choose any profession, from collecting empty bottles to being the President of the United States, and then the freedom to pursue that profession. The freedom to wear the clothes we want, visit any place we want, handle our own money and to drive the car we want. (You knew I would be getting around to cars.)

No patting Cars For Keeps on the back in this blog, just a moment of remembrance and appreciation for the men and women who have strived and won the victories for the freedoms that we celebrate this past 4th of July. In appreciation to the men and women who are actively serving in the military, Cars For Keeps offers free oil changes for them and their spouses.

Let Freedom Ring!