EPS and EPP Foam in Car Seats - What Does That Mean?

In searching for a new car seat, you often encounter terminology that you may not understand. What is this EPS and EPP foam the car seat manufacturer keeps boasting about? And what does it mean for me and my child? It is important to have as much knowledge and understanding of your child's safety seat as possible. Your child's life literally depends on it. Here, you will gain a better understanding of some of the most important safety features included in many of today's car seats.

Car Seat

EPS Foam

Car Seat

EPS stands for Expanded Polystyrene and is most commonly known as Styrofoam. It is often used in items such as portable coolers and bicycle helmets. It is made up of thousands of mini beads that can be molded into various shapes and sizes. EPS foam has the ability to withstand a lot of abuse, but can also snap or tear. EPS is relatively inflexible and breaks easily when compared to EPP.

EPP Foam

EPP stands for Expanded Polypropylene. This is a high-grade engineering foam that has an elastic nature, allowing it to regain its shape when deformed. EPP foam has such extreme strength in fact, that it is often used in automotive bumpers. EPP usually recovers completely from impacts and is harder to tear than EPS.

So what does all of this information mean for you and your kids? Basically, since all car seats must meet certain government regulations for safety, both EPS and EPP foam provide adequate protection in a collision. Many high-end child safety seat companies will use EPP foam, which often costs up to four times that of EPS foam. EPP foam is flexible, which means it may not become permanently damaged as readily as that of EPS. This means that after an accident, the car seat with EPP foam may sustain its original shape better than the one with EPS. Some parents feel more comfortable using safety seats made up of EPP, as it is a higher-end product. However, since any car seat that has been in an accident should be deemed ineffective, it should be replaced, regardless of the type of energy-absorbing material inside of it. This is a personal decision to be considered. The important thing is that you have an understanding of what these different "ingredients" inside your child's seat mean.

Driving has become such a mundane, every day activity that it is easy to forget how dangerous it can be. When it comes to the safety of your children, it is imperative that they are as protected as possible.

EPS and EPP Foam in Car Seats - What Does That Mean?

Car Seat

Cyber Monday Graco Highback Turbo Booster Seat, Megan - Girl 2011 Deals

Dec 01, 2011 12:58:13

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Cyber Monday Graco Highback Turbo Booster Seat, Megan - Girl Feature

• Fits your "big kid" 3-10 years old, from 30-100 pounds and 38" to 57" tall
• Easily converts to backless booster for years of use
• Height adjustable head support grows with your child
• Padded, height adjustable armrests are extra comfortable
• Open loop belt guides easily position your vehicle's seatbelt

Cyber Monday Graco Highback Turbo Booster Seat, Megan - Girl Overview

Graco High Back Turbo Booster - Megan

This is the seat children pick as often as parents. Kids love cool perks like the hide-away cup holders and the “big kid” design features, especially the height-adjustable head support and padded, height-adjustable armrests. Parents love that it helps keep their children safe. It has EPS, energy absorbing foam, and open loop belt guides to help ensure proper seat belt positioning. And when needed, it easily converts to backless booster, giving you years of use

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Car Seat Covers - A Great Way to Add Some Personal Touch to Your Vehicle

The use of car seat covers is one of the best ways to keep your vehicle's interior in good condition. Car seat covers are an excellent investment if you want to retain the value of your vehicle and keep it looking clean and tidy.

Car Seat

Car seat covers have many benefits and are practical as well as nice to look at. No more sticking or burning on your hot vinyl seats, or the fear of unsightly stains appearing on your upholstery. Besides protecting your car's seats from the sun and general wear and tear, you can wash them in the washing machine when they become dirty.

Car Seat

Car seat covers are available in a wide range of styles and fabrics, from warm and woolly to cool and comfy. Styles are available for bucket seats, as well as the back seat of your car or SUV. It is not difficult to find car seat covers which will suit all of your needs.

If you have kids who create a mess in your car, there are novelty car seat covers available in many colorful designs. For newborn babies, baby car seat covers are almost a necessity. Baby car seat covers are designed to fit over the original manufacturer's cover, providing even more support for your baby.

If you take your pet with you in your car, there are dog car seat covers which protect your car seats from dog-related problems. A shedding pet will change the appearance of your car seats forever, so using seat covers in this situation would be a must.

Car seat covers come in two main types: Universal, and Custom.

Universal car seat covers: These come in one standard size to fit most vehicle makes and models. The disadvantage of these is that they do not always provide a perfect fit.

Custom car seat covers: The great thing about custom car seat covers is that they are designed to fit every popular model of car, van or truck. These provide a much better fit, as they are designed specifically for that particular vehicle.

There are several materials used for car seat covers. These are poly cotton, and sheepskin.

Poly cotton is the most common fabric used for car seat covers. It is soft to the touch, and is also very durable.

Sheepskin car seat covers are also very common next to poly cotton. Sheepskin car seat covers are known to reduce stress, as they provide warmth and massage your back while you drive. They are also cool during hot weather. Sheepskin car seat covers can also be machine washed.

Car seat covers are an excellent way to protect your expensive car seats, or make old seats look like new. Having a set of unique car seat covers is a great way to add some personal touch to the interior of your vehicle, as well as a cost effective method to extend the life of your car's seats. Car seat covers are a great relief if you are worried about preserving the overall look of your vehicle.

Car Seat Covers - A Great Way to Add Some Personal Touch to Your Vehicle

Car Seat

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Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat (Previous Version), Onyx

Cyber Monday Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat (Previous Version), Onyx 2011 Deals

Nov 29, 2011 12:12:56

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Cyber Monday Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat (Previous Version), Onyx Feature

• The Britax Marathon 70 convertible car seat is designed for children rear facing from 5 to 40 pounds and forward facing up to 70 pounds
• Safecell technology features safecells designed to compress in a crash, significantly lowering the center of gravity and counteracting the forward rotation of the child seat which normally propels child toward the front seat
• Integrated Steel Bars strengthen the connection to the vehicle and reduce forward flexing of the child seat during a crash
• Side Impact Protection comprised of deep side walls lined with energy-absorbing EPP foam distributes crash forces, shields from vehicle intrusion and contains the head, neck and body
• Quick-adjust harness repositions the harness shoulder height without disassembling the harness straps

Cyber Monday Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat (Previous Version), Onyx Overview

The BRITAX MARATHON 70 Convertible Car Seat achieves optimum head safety through the combination of BRITAX SafeCell Technology, integrated steel bars, and a Versa-Tether, which work together to minimize head excursion and reduce the risk of head injury during a frontal impact. It also features easy installation, Side Impact Protection, and innovative details for your child's comfort and safety. The seat fits children in the rear-facing position weighing from 5 to 40 pounds, and children in the forward-facing position starting at one year old and 20 pounds, up to 70 pounds.

MARATHON 70 (Onyx) Convertible Car Seat At a Glance: Age/Weight Requirements: In rear- facing position, fits children weighing 5 - 40 pounds; in forward-facing position, fits children 1+ years old weighing 20 - 70 pounds Warranty: 1-year limited warranty

Available in (from left to right): Onyx, Crimson, Waverly, Cowmooflage, Blueprint, and Allison.

Safety features include SafeCell Technology and True Side Impact Protection. View larger.

Comfort features include dual recline positions and high-density comfort foam. (Shown here in Allison.) View larger.

BRITAX 360 Degree Protection
The BRITAX MARATHON 70 features technologies that work to minimize injury to your child during a crash from any direction, including both frontal and side impact crashes - the most frequent types of crashes. These technologies work together with other features on the car seat to minimize injury to your child during a crash by:

keeping your child in the vehicle, diverting crash forces away from your child, helping to slow down your child's body, minimizing movement of your child, and protecting your child's brain and spinal cord.

SafeCell Technology for Advanced Head Safety
Designed with SafeCell Technology, the MARATHON 70 features SafeCells, which are engineered structures located in the base of the seat designed to compress in the event of a crash. This compression significantly lowers the center of gravity and counteracts the forward rotation of the car seat, delivering unprecedented performance in a crash.

The MARATHON 70 also features integrated steel bars, which strengthen the connection to the vehicle seat and reduce the forward flexing of the car seat. In addition, the energy-absorbing Versa-Tether anchors the top of the car seat and minimizes forward rotation of the car seat to reduce the crash forces that can reach your child if an accident occurs. These three features work together as a system to provide revolutionary head safety protection for your child.

Side Impact Protection for Added Security
To keep your child safe in the event of a side-impact collision, the MARATHON 70 includes Side Impact Protection. Side Impact Protection is a system composed of a rigid seat shell with deep side walls and energy-absorbing EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) foam lining the seat shell. These combined features work together to protect your child's head and chest from incoming crash forces by distributing the forces over a larger surface area, helping shield your child from vehicle intrusion and contain your child's head and body in the seat.

Premium Fit and Comfort Features
Whether children are watching the world go by or snuggling in for a nap, they'll enjoy that the MARATHON 70 reclines in both the forward and rear positions. And thanks to additional features, which include high-density comfort foam and a plush cover set with a matching belly pad, they'll always ride in style and comfort. A 70-pound weight capacity, two buckle positions, and a tangle-free five-point harness with ten harness-height settings provide a snug, custom fit for your growing child. Plus, an optional Infant Positioning Insert (sold separately) allows you to properly and snugly fit smaller infants into the car seat.

Ease-of-Use for Safety and Convenience
Packed with perks for parents, the MARATHON 70 makes it easy to secure your child in the proper position without guesswork. Premium lower LATCH connectors make for a quick, simple, and tight installation, while the push-button allows you to easily uninstall the connectors. Easy-to-access built-in lock-offs allow you to install the car seat with ease using your vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. The quick-adjust harness system and buckle allow you to reposition the harness height without disassembling the harness straps.

Additionally, an anti-slip contoured base grips and protects the vehicle seat, ensuring a tight installation in all types of vehicles. Convenient holders keep harness straps out of the way when you're placing your child in the seat, and the plush cover set with matching pads removes easily for cleaning without requiring you to disassemble or uninstall the car seat.

The BRITAX MARATHON 70 Convertible Car Seat is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
One BRITAX MARATHON 70 Convertible Car Seat and manual.

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Driving And Back Pain - Is Your Car Seat Causing Lower Back Pain?

A lot of us experience lower back pain whilst driving. A number of researches have investigated the relationship between driving and Back Pain, which uncovered uncovered some interesting results. One finding is a comparison of drivers in the USA and in Sweden found that 50% of people questioned in both countries reported low back pain.

Car Seat

So what is the connection of driving and back pain?

Car Seat

So far research has found three factors for low back pain whilst driving. The first one is the vibration from the engine (something that you can not change), the sitting position is the second factor and the third one is the length of time that we drive.

Scientists at laboratories have researched the effects of vibration of our body whilst driving. The Lumbar Spine(lower back) naturally resonates at a frequency of 4-5 Hertz and from research they found that this natural frequency can be distorted. This distortion can result into higher spinal loadings (compression) in the lower back, therefore causing an increased chance of low back pain. As mentioned before you can not change the vibration of the engine, but what you can do to reduce the effects of this on your lower back is to drive shorter periods at a time.

It is a lot easier to get comfortable in your seat when the car is stationary, a bit like sitting in a normal chair. But once you start driving the body will be subject to various forces like accelerations and decelerations, lateral movements from side to side and whole body vibrations.When we sit on a chair our feet, when on the floor, are used to support and stabilise the lower body. Whilst driving our abdominal muscles can not provide enough stability to our upper body and arms when turning the wheel. This will result in a significant increase of torsional stresses in the lower back, which in return will significantly increase the risk of low back pain.

To start with we should address one more important issue first - we all are guilty when it comes to adjusting our car seats correctly! In 2004 one of the largest car insurance companies (I won't mention a name, after all you may think I am paid to write about this), released the findings of a research into how we sit in our car. (about 2.000 people were involved in this).

The research resulted in the following -

The headrest was found to be in an incorrect angle when driving of 61% of people involved in the study. This will increase the chance of ruptures of the spinal ligaments or worse when involved in an accident.
50% showed a slouched or hunched position over the steering wheel.
About a third of the drivers had back pain whilst driving.
25% tilted their heads or shifted in their seats each time they had to look into the 'rear view mirror'.
Wearing unsuitable footwear or clothing happened to 34% of the drivers.
Please find below a list of 10 ways that can help to improve your seating position, make your driving experience more comfortable.

The Seat

Make sure that your bottom sits all the way in the back of the seat - where the base and the back of the seat meet. This will help to make you sit more upright and maintain the natural curvature of the spine, minimizing the stress on the spinal ligaments. If your seat has a lumbar roll built in have this all the way out - most cars with lumbar support that i tried do not allow enough support fom this lumbar roll, therefore it would be best to have it all the way out.

The Base length and Height of the Seat

The base of the seat should never touch the back of your knees and the front of the base should be slightly higher then the back, helping to provide more support and allowing you press the pedals without changing your spinal posture.

The Backrest

First relax back into your seat, place the seat at about a 10-15 degrees incline from the vertical position. If this feels unnatural to you then it probably means that the backrest is not upright enough for you. This can result into neck strain and / or coccyx (sitting bone) pain. Move the backrest more upright or if that doesn't help you can place a small towel (folded in three) against the midspine, between the shoulder blades.

The Headrest

Have you ever noticed when watching an American movie that the headrests are often missing from the seats - it makes me crinch each time i see this (ooch). So much for giving a good example to our children. The position of your headrest will not only help to minimise the injuries of an accident but also to help to allow a better posture. The bony bit at the back of your head (known as the 'inion') is a good guiding point, the headrest should be level with this. There should be about 2.3 cm's (1 inch for the non -metrics) between the back of your head and the headrest, when you are in the sitting position as described earlier. This to absorb shock as much as possible. This allows for the ligaments and the muscles of your neck to control the posture of your head better and giving better support in case of an accident.

Seat - Pedal distance

Make sure you have the distance between seat and the pedals so that when operating the pedals this does not cause you to over strech your legs or twist your body in any way. Thus your legs should not be straight when pushing the throttle or clutch all the way down. Obviously your knees should not be bend to the point you cannot easily move from one pedal to another. It is normally adviced to have your knees bend about 45 degrees.

The Arm position

Your arms should be as relaxed as possible, elbows bend around 20-30 degrees. If your steering wheel is adjustable have it in the mid to lower position (make sure the wheel does not partially obstruct the instrument panel), this will help to reduce the stress on your shoulders. Your hands should be positioned at '10 past10' and not as is suggested left hand at 9 o'clock and right hand at 3 o'clock.

The Armrests

If your seat has armrests then it is adviced to use these. As a guidance you should position the armrests so that they gently support the elbows, any more will cause the shoulders to rise and increase the change of straining your neck.

The Mirrors

These should only be adjusted once you have positioned your seat as described above. If not sure then please revisit the information again how to adjust your seat. The mirrors should be adjusted to allow you to freely look into them without the need of having to move your head much. you either have adjusted the mirrors incorrectly or you are to close to the steering wheel.

Adjusting Seat at intervals

This sound great in theory but for most of us this may be akward whilst driving. For those who have electric seats it is easier (although it always advicable to stop first), just reach for the buttons to adjust the seat without the need to take our attention of the road. It is said that you should be doing this every 30 mins. to reduce the incidents of back pain. This allows to change the pressure that is placed on the spine is varied regularly. Once arrived at your destination it would be good to strech! (don't worry if it looks funny, soon everybody in the carpark will join in - you can be proud having started a new 'healthy' trend)

Have breaks

We all have seen the 'take a break' sign along the roads, helping you to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel. Taking a break helps your back as well, so when you need to take a rest you can have a strech at the same time to help your back. An hour maximum is the current thinking, although these tips should be taken as a general rule. This is a good time to adjust your seating position!

Driving And Back Pain - Is Your Car Seat Causing Lower Back Pain?

Car Seat

Black Friday Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat, Fairfax 2011 Deals

Nov 28, 2011 12:08:01

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Black Friday Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat, Fairfax Feature

• Side-Impact tested
• 5-Point harness
• Eps, energy absorbing foam liner
• Upfront harness adjustment
• Fold-down cup holder

Black Friday Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat, Fairfax Overview

Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car SeatThe Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat offers comfort for your child and exclusive convenience for Mom. This seat, along with all other Evenflo Car Seats, meets or exceeds all Federal safety standards, and Evenflo's Side Impact test standards. Safety features of the Tribute 5 include a 5-point harness, two piece chest-clip, four shoulder harness positions, a central front adjust making for an easy harness adjustment, tether and latch connectors to secure.

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Steps to Drive a Manual Car

Everyone needs to learn driving as this is the basic skill in our life. It is inconvenience and expensive for us to go from one place to another by using public transport. So, here are the steps which are provided by most of the car trainers during manual driving lesson.

Car Seat

First, you have to adjust your seat properly so that you'll feel comfortable while driving. Make sure the front space is just nice for your leg to reach the pedals. After that, adjust the rear mirror to enable you to look at the back cars. Don't forget to adjust the right hand side and left hand side mirror.

Car Seat

After adjusting the mirrors and seat, now make sure the gear is in "free gear" (it should be in the middle position to move freely). Now, talking on the pedals, there are three pedals that you can find in a manual car. Your right leg will always be used to control the accelerator pedal on the very right and the brake pedal next to the accelerator. Your left leg will be controlling the clutch pedal only.

After knowing all these, now you can start your car engine by turning the car key to the right. Slightly step on the accelerator pedal and you can hear the engine revving sound. This shows that your car is ready to move. Now use your left leg to step on the clutch fully and shift your gear to 1. Then, let go your handbrake. Now, to start moving the car, release the clutch about 40% to 50% and you will definitely feel the car is moving forward. Slowly control your car by stepping the accelerator pedal and at the same time release your clutch pedal. Now, your car is moving forward. Make sure you control the steering firmly.

Now after moving about 15 to 20 meters or when the car speed reaches 30km/h, start to change from gear 1 to gear 2. As a beginner, try to practice on gear 1 up to gear 2 first until you are expert in the whole procedure. Do not rush yourself to learn everything in a day. It is not that difficult to drive on a manual car if you know the step by step procedure. Manual driving lesson needs full attention and concentration for you to acquire the driving skills successfully.

Steps to Drive a Manual Car

Car Seat

Black Friday Cosco Juvenile High Back Booster Car Seat, Viola 2011 Deals

Nov 27, 2011 11:58:15

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Black Friday Cosco Juvenile High Back Booster Car Seat, Viola Feature

• Thin profile and lightweight design
• Padded seat pad
• Removable cup holder
• 5-point harness
• Up-front harness adjustment

Black Friday Cosco Juvenile High Back Booster Car Seat, Viola Overview

Since 1935, Cosco has been a leading juvenile products brand recognized for its dedication to safety and value. The High Back Booster car seat is designed for children from 22 to 80 pounds. The 5-point harness has easy, up-front harness adjustment. The car seat also features 2-position shoulder belt guides and a removable cup holder for drinks on the go. Features: Forward-facing car seat 22-40 lbs. Belt-positioning booster 40-80 lbs. 5-point harness with up-front adjustment. Removable cup holder 2-position shoulder belt guides LATCH equipped Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards.

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Unique Car Seat Covers

Unique car seat covers are essential car accessories for making the interior of a car attractive. They have a special place among car accessories as they enhance comfort and driving pleasure. A car seat cover should ensure comfort under all conditions and they are necessary for all those who want to maintain their car in impeccable condition. They are unique in the sense of having extra value, function and utility, and are considered special features of various cars. Most unique car seat covers have visual appeal as they provide a snug fit with no sagging ends. These seat covers are tailored to fit over the seats of the cars.

Car Seat

Manufacturers providing unique car seat covers incorporate several ingredients to make them unique. There are many manufacturing units offering unique car seat covers of various materials and sizes. High quality unique seat covers are available in standard universal sizes as well as custom patterns for most vehicles. They come in a wide variety of fabrics, designs, patterns, styles and colors. Seat covers are available in neoprene, poly, cotton, tweed, and nylon.

Car Seat

Like simple car seat covers, unique car seat covers protect the original car seats from dirt, liquid, stains, food and other elements.

Unique car seat covers are obviously more expensive than standard car seat covers available in the car accessory showrooms. A common car seat cover may cost about to depending on the finish and the material with which it has been made. But in the case of unique car seat covers, they will be more expensive.

Increase in the production of unique car seat covers implies that car seat covers are today not just a matter of security, but also a matter of vehicle enhancement.

Unique Car Seat Covers

Car Seat

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Car Rental Ratings 2009 (Not the Companies, The Cars)

Now that 2009 is behind me, I took a minute to think about every car I rented, and boy has this been quite a travel year for me. As businesses start to look around and ask the question, "So, Now What?", I have been on the road more than planned. A big part of being a road warrior is knowing how to get from the airport to your real destination. Trains, buses, taxi's, limos and rental cars all can meet the need depending on where you are going.

Car Seat

As an airline pilot twice a month, there isn't a lot of wiggle room. You stand there and wait for whatever the airline told you is your form of travel. If that company doesn't show up, you can take a cab and hope the airline pays you back. As a business adviser and owner the rest of the month, the cost of transportation is part of the fee I charge my clients. Since I own the company I have a lot more flexibility in what I do as long as my wife sees the price after we get paid. My basic plan is easy. If I have more than 8 hours of time to kill or my wife goes with me, then I rent a car. Sadly that is most of the time I travel. I also carry my own portable GPS since I can pre-program the routes or places I want to go before I start the trip.

Car Seat

I start out on Expedia or Travelocity and then book the second cheapest car I can at Hertz or Budget. I have tried other companies in the past and it wasn't worth the hassle to save a day. During 2009, I rented 15 times, and all but once my basic plan worked out. I learned this trick in 2007 when renting from Hertz. If they have an abundance of "premium" cars, you can usually get a great deal at the last second on the upgrade. The flaw is using your "gold" membership to get the one class upgrade. Hertz automatically assigns the upgrade and you get what you get.

In 2007 when Hertz had the Shelby GT350H available, I was chomping at the bit to rent one. The online price was over 0 a day, so I decided to rent the a day economy car. When I got to the counter, I happened to get Todd, a manager of the LAX Hertz counter. I asked why there were so many GT350H Mustangs sitting outside. He said no body was renting them, and the negotiations started. He of course did the right thing for Hertz and started at 9 a day. We eventually settled much lower at a price that made me very happy to rent such a cool car, he even threw in a years membership to the #1Gold program.

The Shelby was an absolute blast to drive, and other than being a little stiff in the suspension arena for my wife, the GT350H was a perfect car for a Southern California work week. Cruising Beverly Hills famous Rodeo Drive shopping district, the Shelby felt right at home. I have reserved an economy car every trip since and all but once got some kind of good deal on the upgrade. I don't know if Hertz and Budget keep customer notes, but I usually buy the gas and return it at about a quarter tank. If I get a cool car I usually will wash it too.

In 2009 the economy rental upgrade plan failed one time. Sure enough it was a vacation with my wife. We selected economy from Budget at the Nashville Airport, and I couldn't talk the guy out of any deals except a Ford Crown Victoria land yacht. We ended up with a Kia Spectra. The spectra had manual windows, a feature I didn't even know still existed on US spec cars. The entire week we joked about driving a "spec" as in the old commercials the car was so small. It was easy to park at least.

Several times in 2009, I ended up with various versions of the Ford Mustang. What was impressive about the Mustangs was the overall quality. Not one had a rattle or drip, and the most recent rental was a Mustang convertible with 24,000 miles on it. Another successful upgrade from a reserved "economy car". We dropped the top and visited my friends at Truspeed in Costa Mesa before running up into Central California then back for a topless tour on the Pacific Coast Highway. My wife joined me on that trip making the convertible all the better.

All of the Mustangs offered a very nice drive for a car guy, and the 2009 models have better seats than the 2008. I can't put my finger on what is different, I just felt better after the 3 hour ride up the central valley on I-5. The multi-layered top on the convertible is just quiet enough to talk on a cellular with a headset at highway speeds which is a nice bonus. Both the GT and the standard Mustang Coupe we rented were quieter than my F-150 at all speeds, never mind easier to park. The GT and GT convertible were met with about the same response at the Shelby GT350H, except no one scratched the Shelby or the convertible. The valet at the Four Seasons added a nice bumper stripe to the Bright Red Mustang GT. All three got the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) test this year, and the GT convertible is the hands down winner. Cruising PCH with the top down is the quintessential California experience. I got lucky with three trips up the coast in one year.

Our most recent rental deal was an Infiniti FX-35. This time I was willing to pay the 0 a day for an SUV to get up to the Lake Tahoe area for a combination work and play week. The weather up there is very unpredictable so having all wheel drive is a huge bonus. Sorry, I don't buy chains for rentals, to much risk of damaging the car. Sadly there weren't any AWD cars available at all on the web reservations systems, so we selected a mid-sized front wheel drive. At the counter my Hertz #1 Gold reservation wasn't there, my car had been given away since we were late. Max at the Gold service counter was quick to apologize and offer a free upgrade. I asked for an SUV, and he said he couldn't give me an upgrade that far, but would look into it. They did have one SUV that canceled and was ready to go. Max gave us a great price, so we grabbed it an ran like the wind.

The Infinity FX is a very solid SUV. I had rented one in 2008 and didn't remember anything about it for some reason. Maybe because we had just purchased a Mercedes ML CDI, or Maybe it was just a one night rental so I didn't get time to really look at the car. I really couldn't say much about that rental in 2008, nothing good, nothing bad. This time was a little different. The newer model FX-35 had a seven speed automatic with paddle shifting capability. The funny part was even when you used the paddles, it would start to shift on its own in 10 or 15 seconds. The dash would read the gear position for about a minute then it would go back to D. Running up the hills to the Lake Tahoe area in AWD due to the snow the FX-35 was shifting constantly. I tried to override it and leave it in 6th but couldn't figure out how.

One of the problems with paddle shifting is everyone has a different way to do it. The FX-35 up shifts on the right and downshifts on the left, similar to our ML. With the ML it takes one shift past the top gear to return to automatic mode. My BMW requires that you move the shift selector to sport and back to return to full automatic mode. I am sure the FX-35 has a way to select Manual and leave it there, but I couldn't find it.

The FX-35 is like a rolling PS-3 with leather seats and seat heaters. Every button I pressed came up with a new toy. Not one button in the car was labeled SAT or XM, yet when I pushed the button marked "Radio AM/FM" 3 times I got XM. That was a sweet bonus. Classic Vinyl replaced the static of Sacramento radio while running up the mountain roads. We figured out the FX-35 also had seat coolers just in case you are thinking of renting one in Phoenix Arizona, mid summer. I don't think my ML has that, I will have to check when it warms up. The range of adjustment for the FX-35 seats was impressive. It took a little getting used to the drivers seat going full back every time you opened the door, and moving forward when you got in. The back seat passengers needed to get out quickly, preferably before you pressed the stop button. Oh yeah, the keyless was a nice feature. I like that on our ML also.

On solid pavement the handling of the FX-35 was crisp and clean with very nice feed back. On slick and icy roads the handling was reasonably sure footed with the exception of dead stop acceleration. Even with the "snow" button on, you could be just a little heavy on the right pedal and get the back end to come loose. This is an odd feature for an AWD vehicle with traction control. The traction warning light would come on just as the back end got loose and you are busy wondering where the thing is going.

The unintentional excitement came on the patchy road where there was a mix of clean pavement, ice and snow. The traction control and anti-lock would get in a fight and the car would pull right or left or get loose even when driving very timidly. Our 2000 Chevy Astro AWD van does better in those conditions. The only thing I saw different on the dash was the "icy" indication. In the heavy snow, the FX-35 returned to normal and tracked very nicely.

The final note for the FX-35 was the fuel economy. For a normally aspirated vehicle it was uncommonly high. The trip from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe to Reno was less than a half tank including a full lake tour on New Years Eve. In Reno I made the mistake of filling it up and washing it. I returned it with nearly ¾ of a tank after paying the tank fee. Maybe that is why Hertz gives me the deals, they make up for it in the gas I buy them.

The only real let down of the FX-35 was finding an oil puddle after we parked it in the garage for two days while riding up to the ski resorts with family.

So here is my Rental Car Ratings for 2009:

Ford Escape ***, Great little SUV, but little and not very powerful. Nice fit and ride. Good for two adults and no kids on a short trip.

Ford Mustang ***, Great car, not to peppy, average MPG

Ford Mustang GT ****, Great car, fun to drive just enough trunk for a week and two people. This car gets on it when you want it too. I started to wonder if Hertz has tracking in the cars more than once.

Ford Mustang GT Convertible ****, More fun to drive, very solid car, easy to operate top and gauranteed to put a smile on your face when cruising a coastline in the sun. Wear SPF 50, you might forget how long you've been out there.

Jaguar ****, Fun to drive, very easy car to get around town in, good trunk room and comfortable back seats for clients. MPG better than expected for such a nice car.

Mercedes C320 **, Nav system is horrible, just like my ML at home. Reasonably quick car, MPG average, fit, finish and ride quality were typical Mercedes.

Infiniti FX-35 ***, Add the fourth star if you need AWD, otherwise there is more fun stuff out there. Great Fuel efficiency, didn't have NAV, used the big NeverLost which is kinda in the way.

Ford Explorer ****, Great AWD vehicle for snow trips when they are available. Just enough room for a weeks worth of stuff for four people. MPG isn't the FX-35 but not to bad either.

Jeep Liberty, ** same size as the Ford Escape, less power, same gas mileage as Mustang GT, and not nearly as fun, very comfortable seats for long drives but the wallet shock isn't worth it.

Kia Spectra *, good fuel economy, poor seats for long drives.

One over all observation. American muscle is still just that, brute strength which always gets a smile when merging or passing on a lightly traveled highway. The Japanese models had the most toys and the best driver to car to driver interface. The German cars clearly still have the focus on the driver to road interface the driver to car interface still needs work. The Mercedes C300 did have excellent road feel, but for the fun the slightly heavier driving Mustangs win.

The one upgrade I haven't been able to talk any Hertz rep out of is a great deal on the new Corvette ZH model. It doesn't matter how many are sitting on the lot in LA, Orange County or Miami, the price doesn't seem to come down to my territory ever.

Car Rental Ratings 2009 (Not the Companies, The Cars)

Car Seat

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