For some of us, a car collection is the many hot wheels toys that our mom used to buy us, while for some of us, it may mean the real deal, a list of costly and very elegant cars. Cars ranging from Audi’s to Ferrari’s, Vintage to Modern, the very wealthy indeed have a collection worth more than gold.

Continue reading “Car Collection: Will It Help Your Mental Health?”

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to threaten people’s health, keeping you and your family safe is a top priority. You have to make sure that your house or the other places that you often go to are free from the virus, including your vehicle.  

Reminding us of the importance of vigilance during this trying time is Peter Jay Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College dean. He said, “the way we deal with the uncertainty is we have to cover all of our bases.” Therefore, all of us have a part in keeping each other safe from the pandemic. 

Take Proactive Measures 

Before we go in length on how you can protect your car from COVID-19, you must guard yourself first and follow proactive measures so that your vehicle won’t also be infected. If it’s not essential, refrain from going outside. Always carry an alcohol-based sanitizer with you, wear a mask, and avoid visiting crowded places. Or, if you must leave the house, be sure to wear the right protective gear. 

Also, do not get in a vehicle with a person who has or a person suspected of having COVID-19. Avoid having a possible COVID-19 patient as a passenger, unless it’s detrimental. If you need to drive the patient to the hospital, wear protective gear, and immediately disinfect your car. Here are some helpful ways on how to do that.   

Disinfecting Your Vehicle

Before attempting to clean and disinfect your car, make sure that you’re wearing proper and protective clothing. Although you must be used to wearing shorts and t-shirts when washing your vehicle, it will be best to dress conservatively to avoid your car’s surface to have direct contact with your skin. Wear a long-sleeved top and jeans, or any clothing that can cover your whole body. 

Just like when you go outside, wear a face mask, and always bring alcohol with you. You can apply alcohol first before wearing the gloves for more certainty. Ensure that no other people are near the vehicle when you’re disinfecting, especially when they are not wearing protective gear. After preparing yourself, you may start cleaning your car. 

Step #1: Like how you regularly clean your vehicle, you can start dusting the floor mats by using a vacuum cleaner. Be sure that you clean all the corners. You may also use the vacuum in clearing the seats. Afterward, dispose of the dirt from the vacuum cleaner carefully. Use a bin bag and prevent other people from getting near it.       

Step #2: Prepare a large tub of water and put a regular detergent or a liquid soap inside. Take the floor mats, or any other removable fabric in your car and soak them in the tub. Leave it for half an hour or more, and dry them out in the sun. 

Step #3: Use another soap-based solution in cleaning the non-removable fabric of your car. Use a sponge and squeeze it first before rubbing it in your vehicle’s inner parts so it won’t drench in too much water. Be meticulous and scrub every corner. 

Step #4: Prepare an alcohol-based disinfectant and put it on a different sponge. Use it to scrub the other essential components of your vehicle. For your guide, here are the most frequently touched parts of your car.

• Car keys and fobs
• Steering wheel
• Gear shift
• Seat belts and seat belt fasteners
• Outside and inside door handles
• Buttons and controls such as the power ignition, window switches, radio, GPS, etc.
• Car seats and booster seats
• Air ventilators
• Headrests
• Grab handles
• Seat pockets
• Cup holders
• Roof lining

Step #5: It’s now time to clean your vehicle’s exterior. Create a soap-based mix again and use a sponge to scrub the outside. Let the soap sit for 5 minutes before washing it. Prepare a dry cloth to remove excess water after.

Step #6: Discard the gloves, mask, and other disposable materials you used. Your clothes and sponges should go straight into the laundry and take a lengthy shower. 

Stay Alert

Continue being vigilant even after you disinfect your car. Always keep sanitizing wipes in your car so you can clean surfaces immediately. Before riding your vehicle, rinse your hands for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Guarantee that all passengers will do the same. Be alert and disinfect thoroughly when touching gas pumps, parking meters, ATMs, or charging stations outside.  

During this scary time, everyone has to be extra careful and mindful of their habits. We will get through this, as long as each of us does our part in stopping the spread of the disease.

COVID-19 has severely impacted our way of life, and there is no doubt that this pandemic will significantly affect the development of both national and international policies. Interwoven into such far-reaching policies are several private sectors, the automotive industry is one of them. This article discovers how vehicle production, vehicle exportation, and vehicle sales have all changed significantly.

Among the essential things to consider, however, was presented by Laura Hawryluck, MD. She states that “the need for social support is greatest in times of adverse situations and events such as the current pandemic; hence, severing social support as part of an imposed quarantine or isolation strategy can threaten an individual’s sense of connectedness and may take a considerable toll on mental health.”

Major Challenges To The Automotive Realm Due To COVID-19

Many industries have received significant blows financially and are having a hard time staying afloat. Fears of a global recession are just around the corner, and numerous problems are currently surfacing. Among the issues faced by the vehicle industry, there are four that ultimately stand out.

• Limited Supply Of Parts 

Suppliers worldwide have come to a complete halt in production lines due to mandatory policy or voluntary closure for safety reasons. On top of this, stricter legal and trade regulations have increased the shortage of supply and decreased distribution channels.

• Temporary Closure Of Manufacturing 

Quarantine measures and reduced workforce policies have forced most manufacturing establishments to close. The need to secure liquidity has also brought about closure.

• Decline In Capital And Liquidity

The circulation of cash reduced overall due to the pandemic. It has resulted in an extreme drop in demand for vehicles.

• Drop-In Fresh Vehicle Sales

Implementation of several measures such as stay-at-home orders, curfews, closure of factories, and reduction of workforce and operating hours, and the need to prioritize the bare necessities such as food and shelter have all contributed to the sharp decrease of total sales.

Situations Across the Globe

Research has provided critical details for the key countries in the automotive scene. In general, most states have shut down in response to the pandemic, looking into ways to make a safer working environment once operations resume. 

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have all shut down operations in North America after a particular American electric vehicle company ceased operations as per a shelter-in-place order. This widespread halt also happened in all of the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

In China, the Chinese plants and most leading OEMs, having been the first to suffer from the pandemic, have moved forward and restarted operations to bounce back from significant losses experienced during the shutdown period. 

In Europe, all OEMs have shut down production for several weeks, and most have announced a short-time work and overtime reduction for specific departments.

Responses by the Automotive Industry, Constituents and Partner Entities

Sacrifices and quick decisions were necessary to ensure the survival of the automotive industry. As such, they enacted the following:

1. Safety Measures – First and foremost, employee safety was established. The key to thwarting COVID-19 is to flatten the curve, and to effectively reduce the rate of infection, leading automotive entities worldwide have decided to redirect their efforts to making ventilators, disinfectants, face masks, and other protective equipment.
2. Supporting Companies, Jobs, And Income – Governments and other financial institutions have activated stimulus packages and loan offers to safeguard the industry and to maintain stability in the global economy.
3. Stimulating The Economy – The International Monetary Fund, an international agency partaking in a total of 193 economies, recently convened and committed to the protection of lives, the safeguarding of people’s jobs, the revival and growth of private sectors, and the elimination of disruptors to trade and global supply chains.
4. Social Dialogue, Brainstorming, And Policy Development – The best way to keep the confidence and build trust is to enable policy measures that allow communication between crucial figures who represent different populations in society. In several countries, proposals have been made to emergency collective agreements to protect every individual from the economic drought brought about by the pandemic.

Conclusion

COVID-19 took all of us by surprise, but several countries and organizations stood up to the task. In the automotive industry, leading vehicle manufacturers have taken a step beyond what is usually expected of them to help steer the global economy in the right direction. The responses made have been nothing short of masterful, and we must unite as one to defeat the pandemic.

My father taught me how to drive his pickup truck at the age of 13. It was at that time that I fell in love with driving. Listening to the sound of the engine humming was such a thrilling experience. Feeling the entire car vibrating due to its power always put a smile on my lips, too. And whenever I would pull out of the garage, I could not help but wonder when I would be able to drive beyond the farm and go on real adventures.

That time came when I finished college and got a job in the metro. Before I left, my father said that he could get me a new car, but I insisted that I would pay for it with my salary. I had no idea about the automobile prices back then; I only had this dream of buying a brand-new vehicle with my hard-earned money. So, when I went to the dealership with Dad and realized that they were more expensive than what I envisioned, I almost backed out and thought of just keeping my money.

The reason why I told you that little story is that I know that many first-time buyers of new cars can be as naïve as I had been about pricing, etc. You may think about the color or model that you want, but that may be the least of your worries when you see the dealer. That is especially true if you have only started working and, therefore, do not have a lot of savings.
My advice to you is to:

Conduct An Online Research

The first thing that you should consider doing is conducting online research about the car models that suit your budget. A lot of dealerships have websites these days, and they tend to post their price lists there. If not, you can request it.

Doing so will help you see your options at the comforts of your home. There won’t be a dealer who will keep on telling you to get this or that car. You can also see reviews about their performance.

Go To Different Dealerships

Another wise move is to visit more than one dealership once you know what you wish to buy. The reason is that the prices tend to vary for the same model depending on the location of the dealer. The difference may not amount to thousands of dollars, but saving a couple of hundreds will still be amazing.

Think If You Genuinely Need A Brand-New Car

In case you have done your rounds and still don’t think that you can afford a brand-new auto, try to figure out if it has to be brand-new. After all, there are times when people sell their barely used cars at dealerships. If you find something like that and it is within your budget, perhaps it will suffice for now. You can always sell that later to buy a new model once you have enough money anyways.

Final Thoughts

The thought of getting a brand-new car with your own money can undoubtedly boost your confidence level. You can say, “Wow, I’m genuinely an adult now! I don’t need my parents’ money to buy anything!”
While that’s amazing indeed, a part of adulting is accepting when your savings cannot cover what you want to get.

There is a perfect time for everything. If you cannot buy the auto that you are eyeing right now, then there may be a better one for you in the future. See this as a final advice from someone who has been in your shoes not too long ago.
Regardless, congratulations on getting your first car!

I believe that every man or woman who watched movies like RV and Meet The Fockers have thought of what it is like to travel all over the country in a roving home. This kind of vehicle, after all, is elegant in its own right. It is not as handsome as a Lamborghini or Porsche model, but I do not doubt that the owners of the latter would be willing to leave them in exchange for driving a motorhome for a day.

One of the reasons is that an RV is the complete package in the literal sense. It has four wheels, so the ride will certainly be smooth. It is big but will still not look out of place on the freeway. Not to mention, when you get a standard-sized motorhome, you can put a bed, dining table, small kitchen, and even n bathroom in it. Talk about luxury and convenience at its best!
Now, some people cannot decide if they should spend their hard-earned money on a roving vehicle. After all, the fancier the fixtures are inside it, the pricier it is. Despite that, here are a few benefits of owning an RV.

You Don’t Need To Pay For Airfare

The primary advantage of having a motorhome is that you will not feel scared of driving it from one state to another. With its size, you will not worry about truck drivers not noticing you on the road even in the middle of the night. The amount of gas that it will consume undoubtedly costs less than the roundtrip plane tickets for your entire family.

You Can Stay Anywhere Without Booking A Hotel Room

Do you feel discouraged from traveling when you think about the price of a decent hotel room per night? Well, you need not worry about that anymore when you have an RV. It will be as if you are carrying your accommodation when you go all over the country with it. You won’t have to wonder if the sheets are clean because they are yours.

Your Family Can Travel In Comfort

Furthermore, the reason why some people decide to buy a roving vehicle is to be able to travel in comfort.
If you want to visit Idaho from California, for instance, it can take hours before you reach your destination. Your butt – as well as your kids or parents – will be sore in a regular car before you even see the sign that you are already in Idaho. But if everyone is in the RV, they can lay down on the mattress and not feel too exhausted.

Final Thoughts

A motorhome is only expensive at first. Apart from the actual car, after all, you need to customize the carriage portion at the back. You can think of it like furnishing a small apartment and adding everything that you may need in it. E.g., mattress, dining table, shower, sink, and perhaps a mini refrigerator.
However, like an apartment, too, you only have to think about gas afterward and get all the benefits mentioned above. So, to answer question in the title, if you have a lot of extra money laying around, and you love traveling across the country, you should get an RV.
Cheers!

A lot of people consider buying a car. That is because they believe it is a necessity. Perhaps that is due to the long distance drive people have to do every time they go to work and run some errands. However, purchasing a car is a significant investment, and it is not an easy decision for everyone. That is primarily those who can’t seem to afford. But that is not all; there are so many factors involved in the decision-making such as desire, financial means, behavioral approach, environmental impacts, and even other people’s approval. That is where a psychologist tries to explain this behavior specifically on these individuals who are purchasing a car.

People often want to make a statement about their personality every time they attempt to purchase a car. That explains why all consumers are different and don’t share the same preference when it comes to buying. Their actions get defined by a dynamic interaction from the effects of their behavior and cognitive aspects. It also represents their approach in the exchange aspects of their lives, the involvement of cognition and affection, as well as influence from the environmental event.

With apologies or perhaps as depicted by Jason Statham, a new study suggests those who view their car as an extension of themselves have stronger aggressive driving tendencies. — Rick Nauert PhD

Behavior, Affect And Cognition

In terms of understanding consumer behavior, it is essential to understand affection and cognition. That is because it refers to the internal and psychological reactions that people may have concerning their response to objects they encounter and experience from the external environment. Meaning, it relates to consumer’s emotions and thoughts. These two factors are the standard point that will decide whether a consumer should purchase or not. However, there are cases that even if a consumer already recognizes his emotions and thoughts, his behavior still wins the situation. That although the person knows he can’t afford to buy or don’t entirely feel the need of purchasing, he buys the car anyways.

Environment (Social And Physical Characteristic)

The environment takes a significant factor that explains why a consumer should or should not purchase a car. It refers to the social and physical characteristic of a person dealing with the surrounding things. It goes in both macro and micro levels of a consumer’s external world. One of the most notable examples is the inconvenience of distance. With that particular state, a consumer would feel the necessity of having a vehicle. There is this fulfilling sense that guarantees convenience at all times. Another case is social approval. It is where an individual finds himself liking what other people mostly like. That is, regardless of affordability and consistency. Next is peer pressure. There is this mentality that since everyone in a person’s circle owns a car; there is a need to have one too. Peer pressure significantly affects a person’s way of thinking by slowly trying to incorporate negative life perspectives.

Beyond the more theoretical arguments, research has shown implicit attitudes have been more closely associated with green behavior than explicit attitudes. — Ian Zimmerman Ph.D.

Consumer Behavior Model

Convenience Recognition Behavior – It is where the consumer realizes that owning a car is a necessity for daily use. That is, regardless of the distance people have to take every day. Meaning, there are times that even if an individual only needs to walk a couple of miles, he will choose to use a vehicle.

Information Search Behavior – It is a type of consumer behavior model that focuses on source finding. It is where a consumer attempts to complete information about a particular car he wants to purchase. It supports the estimates of an individual’s need that will determine as to whether an automobile fits in his preference.

Evaluation Of Alternatives – It is a consumer behavior model that is more likely common in most people. It supports the process of comparing several other automobile types in regards to their respective prices and equipment. Usually, it does not entirely need to follow a preference. Instead, the consumer focuses on the totality of the whole purchasing process, such as convenience, affordability, quality, and warranty.

Because personality traits and consumer behaviors can be measured accurately, understanding the relationships between the traits and behaviors allows a researcher to understand the motivations without having to ask people for this information. We believe that when a trait is correlated with a consumer behavior, it can be inferred that whatever motivation this trait is connected to is the motivation for that behavior. — Ryan T. Howell Ph.D.

Product Choice – A consumer chooses a car due to its value for money. Meaning, it will not matter to the individual if the car is almost on its warranty or put on sale. It will not also matter even if it is a second-hand item as long as it is still functioning. It will always become a perfect product choice based on consumer monetary preference.

Outcome/Post Purchase – It is a consumer behavior that does not necessarily need to consider anything. It is emotion-based decision-making where when a consumer feels happy about the purchase; he will feel satisfied throughout using it.

Nevertheless, if you are looking into acquiring a car of your own but having second thoughts, it might be best to consult first. Discussing with a counselor has become very convenient ever since the advent of online platforms like BetterHelp. You may be surprised by how licensed and experienced therapists can assist you with this.

Honestly, anyone can purchase a car, depending on their needs and preferences. However, it is vital to know the different consumer behavior types so people can understand where their decision-making process comes from.