Aisha Mulligan loves her new Holden Barina. Wakeling's WOW Club has a chat with Aisha about her car buying experience at Paul Wakeling Holden.



Why did you buy a new car instead of used?

When I looked around at cars the used cars were approximately the same price as the Barina an a new car warranty was more beneficial.

After owning a used car previously I felt a new car would be more reliable and not to mention I could choose the colour I wanted.

What made you choose the Holden Barina?

Holden is a reliable make of car and it was within my price range.  I was looking for a small car which was fuel efficient, safe and very cute.

What other cars were on your shopping list?

I looked at many small hatchbacks of various makes and models but I decided I liked the Holden Barina the best.

What would your advice be to girls buying their first car?

My first advice would be to set yourself a price limit and stay within it, as it is very easy to spend more than you can afford.  I found it really helpful to have a lady salesperson (Brooke Mallard of Paul Wakeling Holden) to speak to and answer my questions as she was much easier to relate to.

Yes, girls love their cars too! 


DECLARE YOUR LOVE AND YOUR CAR COULD WIN!
Post a pic of you and your other half (the automobile one) on our Facebook Page and a few words on why you love it so much and you could win a Premium Car Wash to give to your beloved car for Valentine's Day worth $55 which includes:

• Hand wash
• vacuum
• fragrance
• bug scrub
• interior glass clean
• alloy wheel 'pedicure'
• tyre shine

• Soft Wash Gel
• Wet Look Polish
• Polish Applicator Pads
• Soft Buff Chamois

Sick of getting Car Sick?  The best remedies for car sickness, as well as travel sickness tablets, are ginger and sucking on lemon slices.  

Some other tips that may help are:

- Eat lightly before travelling. Avoid a heavy meal or one that's high in fat.
- Sit where you're as stable as possible, like in the front seat of a car.
- Get plenty of fresh air on your face.
- Avoid reading, because your eyes need to keep in constant contact with the surroundings.

(From the article http://health.ninemsn.com.au/whatsgoodforyou/theshow/694104/travel-sickness-151-whats-the-best-cure)

If you have your own remedy that works - share it with us here.

Last year our Marketing & Communications Manager, Janina Geraghty, took the Hyundai iMax CRDi People Mover on holidays to the Gold Coast.  Here's the flashback....



The annual summer holiday road trip conjures up images reminiscent of a B-grade horror movie. Hot and sweaty family members frustrated and on the verge of killing each other. Sharing their limited space for endless hours in a crowded metal box and all to the spine-chilling looping soundtrack of “Are we there yet?”

However, this year’s trip to the Gold Coast was to be a welcome break from that nightmare.  This year my family was driving up in the new Hyundai iMax and we were actually looking forward to the trip as much as the destination.  Our travelling tribe consisted of three adults, two teenagers and two young children and we had originally planned to take two cars.  Now with the iMax we were able to travel together, share the driving and save money on fuel.

Our concern with having only one vehicle for seven people was predominantly luggage space.  Many people movers have plenty of passenger room but compromise on space in the luggage area.  Our jaws dropped at the sight of the massive 851 litre boot in the iMax which had more than enough room for all our luggage plus a stroller.
We put the booster seat in the third row, loaded up the kids with their pillows and blankets and hit the open road while it was still dark and quiet. 

The kids were quick to get comfy in the spacious seats and sleep for the first few hours of the trip.  The middle row of seats reclined for additional comfort and there was plenty of leg room.  Independent rear seat air conditioning let the kids in the back alter the temperature in their space.

The Hyundai iMax CRDi has a diesel engine which offers amazing power as well as fuel efficiency.  With a van loaded up to capacity with passengers and luggage I expected sluggish performance, particularly on inclines, however, this couldn’t have been further from the truth.  The iMax travelled effortlessly and smoothly the whole way.  Up hills, the diesel engine powered away at speed without the need to go down a gear!  I was very impressed. 

Diesel has become a popular option for many reasons, but mainly for its fuel efficiency. The distance from Sydney to the Gold Coast is approximately 1,000km. The iMax has a 75 litre fuel tank and does about 8.5 litres/100km. The price for diesel per litre at this time was $1.25 so the total price for the trip up was roughly around $110.00. 

Diesel cars chug like small trucks when you’re idle but once in motion the iMax travels smoothly and quietly. The iMax definitely doesn’t handle like a truck either.  Reverse parking large cars is a little scary, however, with Rear Park Assist, Power Steering and decent sized mirrors, parking was a breeze.

Other additional stand out features of the iMax include cup holders galore (good sized ones too), practical storage compartments such as over head for sunglasses and dual glove compartment.  Sliding doors on both sides, 6-speaker CD/MP3 audio system and interior lights everywhere (even on the driver and passenger vanity mirrors). All this luxury encased in a sleek exterior available in four stylish colours, grey titanium, sleek silver, blue diamond and ceramic white.

Overall, it was very easy to see how the iMax Turbo Diesel Manual rose above the likes of Honda Odyssey Luxury, Mitsubishi Grandis VR-X and Toyota Tarago to take out Australia’s Best People Mover in 2008 (and also won in the category 2009). http://www.australiasbestcars.com.au and at only $46,224 drive away (2009 price) it also wins my vote on true value for money.
 
‘MUST HAVE’ OF THE WEEK:  I have mentioned this in a prior review, but I can’t speak highly enough of the Schneider roof mounted DVD player.  It doesn’t come standard but is truly worth installing for peace and quiet from bored passengers in the back. It includes two infrared wireless headphones and is Playstation compatible. 

Want to transport your tribe around in the Hyundai iMax for a day?  Contact me on 46 28 1444 to arrange a 24 hour test drive.

Enjoy the rest of the summer holidays and drive safely!

 

We all know, there doesn’t have to be a full moon in the sky to bring out the maniacs on the road.  We are living in a society on the edge.  People are always in a rush, traffic congestion is getting worse and good old fashioned courtesy is almost dead.  All these factors contribute to stressed out drivers and potentially dangerous road rage incidents on the road. 

So what can we do? Well, the only behaviour we can control is our own.  We need to practice patience and remember that everyone makes mistakes on the road at some time. No one deserves to die because they didn’t indicate or cut in front of someone in traffic.  If the mistake doesn’t cause any harm, forgive and forget. Don’t appoint yourself the one to teach that driver a lesson – that’s a job for the police.

If it’s you who has made a mistake, gesture to show you are sorry.  Even if it appears no one else on the road is using manners, set an example to others, especially if you are a parent with children in the car.

If you are confronted with an enraged driver:

• Lock your doors and wind up windows
• Do not respond as this may antagonise and make the situation worse
• Avoid making eye contact
• Allow them to pass you and hopefully they will leave you alone

However, if you are being followed and feel threatened drive to the nearest police station or call the police on your mobile phone.

You are probably all aware of the RTA "No One Thinks Big of You"campaign aimed at getting young hoons to slow down on the road by giving them the "pinky".

I, for one, am a big fan of the campaign and have even taken to giving hoons the pinky myself.  However, while cruising the net, I stumbled across a news article that may curb my new pinky-wiggling ways.

In November last year, Simon Jardak blamed the "Pinky" campaign for his road rage attack on a woman while driving on the Anzac Bridge.  He claimed he was not phased when she flashed her lights and gave him the middle finger gesture after a lane change incident, but took extreme offence when she wiggled her pinky at him. He then threw a plastic bottle out the window which caused damage to her car and was fined $400.

It goes to show, the "pinky" advertising has hit the nerve of it's target.  But has it made a real impact on stopping their stupid and dangerous behaviour on the road?

According to a survey commissioned by the RTA’s NSW Centre for Road Safety:

• 53 per cent of the general population and 53 per cent of young males (17-25 years) said that they would be more likely to comment on someone’s driving as a result of seeing the ‘Pinkie’ campaign.
• 64 per cent of the general population, and 63 per cent of young male drivers, believed the campaign to have some effect in encouraging young male drivers to obey the speed limit.
• 74 per cent of the general population and 75 per cent of young males revealed strong recognition of the anti-speeding message, aimed at making speeding socially unacceptable and at undermining the perceived pay off for speeding.
• 60 per cent of the general population and 59 per cent of young males recognised the meaning behind the message, that speeding is not cool, does not impress, or is stupid.

So what are your thoughts on the "Pinky" ad?  Have you ever flipped the Pinky in traffic?