http://www.motherproof.com/ Stay on top of the latest car reviews, tips and trends from MotherProof.com with our RSS feeds en editor@motherproof.com Copyright 2009 2009-07-03T14:55:37-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/momosphere-7.3.09/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/momosphere-7.3.09/#When:14:55:37Z Dear Small People in My Bed; Mamma Loves Kids sleep in the most amazing positions. I love snuggling with my boys when they sneak into my bed in the early morning, but I don’t love having my son’s foot pushing into my kidney as some of us doze off. This mom shares my pain. She’s crafted some important rules for the little ones who like to sneak into her bed. The most important one is, “Humans lie parallel to each other in bed.” My boys haven’t mastered that one yet. How Far Does the Apple Fall; MommyTrackd.com Risa Green managed to have a child just like her, which is both wonderful and difficult when she sees her not-so-great qualities in her son.“My son, while a sweet, warm, wonderful kid, somehow managed to inherit every single quality of mine that I have always regretted having. He’s overly cautious. He’s a homebody. He’s a stickler for routine, and uncomfortable in new situations. He doesn’t deal well with change. Fun stuff, especially in a 4-year-old.” Familiar Territory; Dooce.com  Heather Armstrong has an uber-successful blog, and she just gave birth to her second child, Marlo. Her life sounds perfect, but cracks are starting to appear. After the birth of her first daughter, Heather struggled with postpartum depression and ultimately checked into a hospital to get help. Of course, she blogged about the experience and recently wrote a book about it, too. A few days after Marlo’s birth, she started having panic attacks. Heather and her husband immediately sought help. Now, she’s under a doctor’s care and feeling better. It’s incredibly brave of Heather to share her postpartum struggles, and we’re all better for it. 2009-07-03T14:55:37-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-ford-edge/ http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-ford-edge/#When:16:14:45Z I went into labor with my daughter the day after I completed a Driver’s Edge training course with my MotherProof.com colleagues. Driver’s Edge is a nonprofit organization aimed at teaching teens real-life driving skills on a closed test course. The class is exciting, fun and, yes, you guessed it, edgy. My daughter consequently earned the nickname “Francie Edge,” which is befitting because she’s spunky, fast and lots of fun. I often feel beholden to all things edgy and was excited to give the 2009 Ford Edge a whirl. I expected it to embody some of the qualities that my daughter and Driver’s Edge courses offer, but the Ford Edge didn’t light my fire. There was no “edge” to this Edge. The crossover’s stout body and electric blue exterior color made me feel like a frumpy Cookie Monster. Furthermore, the rate at which the Edge ate gas resembled the rate to which that silly blue monster eats cookies. The Edge gets an EPA-estimated 17/24 mpg city/highway, but I never managed to hit those numbers. I had to fill ’er up twice in two weeks. This seemed like a lot given I don’t log that many miles and usually fill up my own car once every two to three weeks. While my overall experience with the Edge wasn’t all polka dots and moonbeams, there were a couple of bright spots. The rear cargo space is huge, and the cubby in between the front seats is spacious and offers several trays for organizing my stuff. The seating is comfortable, the cabin provides ample legroom and the Edge gets high safety marks. In Diapers, In School, Teens, SUVs (two rows) 2009-07-02T16:14:45-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/michael-jacksons-car-collection-is-opulent-creepy/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/michael-jacksons-car-collection-is-opulent-creepy/#When:14:59:26Z We’ve all been inundated with Michael Jackson news since his death last week, but there was one story about his cars that I found interesting. Jackson was an unusual man, and his car collection was a bit odd, too. This post at Auto Trader UK has a slideshow of the vehicles, most dating back to the 1990s. The vehicles were to be auctioned off with the singer’s Neverland estate. That auction never happened, but the images can still be seen online.  His 1999 Rolls Royce Seraph limousine is opulent, with lots of polished wood and 24-carat gold. However, the blue ruffled curtains make it feel a little creepy and hearse-like. The ceiling has gold details, and when paired with the mirrors behind the bar, it looks very Palace at Versailles. Jackson had another Rolls Royce limo, a 1990 Silver Spur II, but it’s much less opulent than the Seraph. It has standard limousine fare, including a bar and curtains — but this time in white. However, there’s no painted ceiling or gold mantel clocks. There are some domestic vehicles in the collection, including a 1988 Lincoln Town Car limo, a 1988 GMC Jimmy High Sierra and a 1993 Ford Econoline van with all kinds of entertainment systems in it. I’m sure kids of all ages thought this was the coolest thing ever when it came out, but I’m kind of creeped out by vans. A 1997 Neoplan tour bus is furnished in granite, leather and more gold. It has two seating levels to provide lots of room for your entourage. Those of you with huge families should pay attention to this one and see if it is ever auctioned. The seats don’t look too bolstered for booster seats, and every seat has a window, which helps cut down on arguments. In the case of accidents (of the potty-training type, not the vehicular type), it’s even got a bidet. Eeeew!  2009-07-02T14:59:26-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alerts-2008-saturn-vues-2006-09-toyota-sienna-2009-lexus-gx-2004-toy/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alerts-2008-saturn-vues-2006-09-toyota-sienna-2009-lexus-gx-2004-toy/#When:20:07:15Z GM is recalling 44,451 Saturn Vues from the 2008 model year because of a problem with body-colored door handles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The door handles could stick or bind and cause the door not to latch when closed. This could lead to an unbelted occupant falling out of the SUV, increasing the chance of injury. Saturn dealers will replace the body-colored door handles with chrome door handles free of charge. For more information, owners can call Saturn at 800-972-8876 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. 2006-09 Toyota Sienna, 2009 Lexus GX, 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser Toyota is recalling 1,281 family vehicles, including the 2006-09 Sienna, 2004 Land Cruiser and 2009 Lexus GX, because of insufficient information on two labels in the cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but this incorrect information could — in theory — lead to a crash. The vehicle capacity weight on the tire and loading information label and the gross vehicle weight rating on the certification label are incorrect. The vehicles in this recall fail to comply with federal standards. Incorrect load-carrying capacity labels could lead to the vehicle being overloaded, which would increase the risk of a crash. Owners can take their vehicle to a Toyota or Lexus dealership for an exchange of the certification label and the tire and loading information label. The owner’s manual will also be corrected. This will be performed free of charge. For more information, owners can call Toyota at 888-270-9371 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. 2009-07-01T20:07:15-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/lifestyle-trends/story/mom-rewards-tiger-cub-scouts-with-ride-in-audi-r8/ http://www.motherproof.com/lifestyle-trends/story/mom-rewards-tiger-cub-scouts-with-ride-in-audi-r8/#When:14:51:25Z As the mom of a Tiger Cub Scout, I’ve camped, I’ve hiked and I’ve sewn on as many patches as there are scars on my fingertips. To help my son’s den celebrate a great year, this car-loving mommy wanted to do something fun for the boys. Thanks to Audi, nine boys enjoyed a horsepower-filled evening with the unforgettable Audi R8, and they earned a communications badge in the process. Each Tiger Cub Scout had the opportunity to go for a ride around the school parking lot in the R8 before putting pencil to paper to answer a questionnaire on the car and earn that extra badge. The questionnaire asked whether they’d be interested in designing cars like the R8 and if so, what they’d do to modify the car. Based on his answer, Mike, one of the Tiger Cubs, isn’t interested in an automotive design career; however, something in the military might be up his alley. He wrote that he’d add “an AK47 to the front and two Tombson sub machene guns at the frount.” Holy cow, you may want to steer clear of Mike’s souped-up R8. Kevin, another den member, was one of two boys who wanted to add ”NiTrus Bost” — or nitrous boost — to the already super-quick R8. Jeez guys, how fast do you need to go? I guess when your fastest means of transport is a bicycle, your mind might wander toward more powerful options. My all-time favorite comment was also from Kevin. When asked if he’d like to have this car, his response was, “Yes. Because it goes 20020!” Atta, boy! I don’t know of any car that goes that fast, but who knows what the future may hold for these budding racers. All in all, the Tiger Scouts of our den thought this particular Audi was G-R8! In School, Trends 2009-07-01T14:51:25-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-2009-ford-expedition-2009-lincoln-navigator/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-2009-ford-expedition-2009-lincoln-navigator/#When:17:59:31Z Ford is recalling 1,357 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 2009 model year because of a problem with the brake lights, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The brake stop lamp switch could be improperly adjusted on these family-haulers, which could cause a delay in brake-light illumination when the brake pedal is depressed. During mild braking, the brake lights might not illuminate. This could increase the risk of a crash. Ford and Lincoln dealers will adjust the brake stop lamp switch free of charge. For more information, owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. 2009-06-30T17:59:31-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-porsche-cayenne-gts/ http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-porsche-cayenne-gts/#When:15:34:54Z When I started writing for MotherProof.com almost four years ago, I had the Porsche Cayenne in my sights as the pinnacle mom-mobile. It’s fast, sporty, fancy and, well, a Porsche I could fit my kids into. I’ve been patiently waiting, hoping for the day a Cayenne showed up at MotherProof.com’s global headquarters. Then one day it did, and our Chief Mom Kristin Varela let me drive it. OMG. Could the Cayenne live up to my dreams? Oh, yes, it could. However, I first had to realize that the Cayenne is really two cars rolled into one. It’s a sports car and a luxury car. It’s an expensive, high-end SUV with a lovely design that no one notices until after you’re gone. It’s a looker but not an attention hog. It’s got luxurious leather on the inside, and its information system is the best I’ve used. Thanks to an adjustable suspension system, it’s hardcore sporty in Sport mode, still kind of sporty in Normal mode and a calm, chill drive in Comfort mode. However, what really makes the Cayenne so attractive to me is its deep, sultry-sounding engine. The rumbly V-8 gets an EPA-estimated 11/17 mpg city/highway, and even worse it requires premium fuel. However, if you can afford this pricey SUV — my test car cost $91,185 — you’re probably not counting your pennies at the pump. What about the kids? Would they love the Cayenne? One look in the backseat gave me pause. The bolstered backseat is great for adults, but they’re the kind of seat that can break a kid’s heart. The bolsters often mess with the fit of child-safety seats. More on that in the Interior section. Just like my kids in a grassy park, the Cayenne wants to run. I couldn’t deny her. That beautiful engine, paired with the sport suspension and some curvy roads, made me happy. I was grinning even when trolling the grocery store parking lot. I couldn’t help it. In Diapers, Teens, SUVs (two rows) 2009-06-30T15:34:54-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-cadillac-escalade-hybrid/ http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2009-cadillac-escalade-hybrid/#When:18:00:30Z I see a lot of Cadillac Escalades on the road where I live in Los Angeles. I don’t know if it’s Tony Soprano or what, but these big ol’ things are popular around here. When I got a chance to drive the 2009 Escalade Hybrid I was pretty excited to see what all the, er, excitement was about, and now I’m just confused. Are people really that influenced by trends and good looks? Because as far as I can tell that’s just about all the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid has to offer. The Escalade Hybrid is cumbersome, plasticky and overpriced, and it gets truly awful gas mileage. While it’s rated by the EPA to get 20/21 mpg city/highway, in my hilly area this monster could barely crack 13 mpg, even with my attempts to keep the needle in the “green” area. So, don’t let the ginormous hybrid decals fool you; this behemoth is no planet-saver. I really can’t see what makes the Escalade Hybrid so popular. I have to admit that the Escalade Hybrid drives nicely, for an SUV. The V-8 is coupled with a Two-Mode hybrid system that assists the engine during acceleration. The ride is smooth over rough roads and minor bumps, but turning requires caution because of its squishy ride. I had no trouble remembering that I was driving a massive truck; from the giant steering wheel to the giant side mirrors, everything about the Escalade Hybrid is huge. Except interior space. Oddly, for such a large vehicle, the interior felt cramped. This SUV feels wider than it is long, with a third row that is fit only for children, and virtually no cargo space when the third row is in place. I got lots of looks and comments during my week in the Escalade Hybrid, and I spent a lot of time shaking my head and trying to see the appeal. There is a bunch of technology in the Escalade, but none of it seems to integrate well. It’s like Caddy just tossed in a long list of options without thinking how they would be used. There are two different buttons to open and close the sunroof. There is a great remote-start function, but the Escalade Hybrid still uses an old-school key. Even though you can start the car from your living room via the key fob, you still need to insert a key and turn it to drive off in the Escalade Hybrid. You get OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation in the Escalade Hybrid, but there’s also a DVD-based navigation system. Cadillac was clearly swinging for the fences with this Escalade, but, wow, did they miss with me. This is one trend I’m happy to avoid. In Diapers, In School, Teens, SUVs (three rows) 2009-06-29T18:00:30-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/hot-or-not-texting-while-driving/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/hot-or-not-texting-while-driving/#When:16:36:22Z Moms are multitaskers. I can help my oldest son find his glasses, feed the dog and play “Star Wars” with my youngest, all at the same time. However, there’s one place where moms, dads and everybody else needs to stop multitasking: behind the wheel of a car. In a road test, Car & Driver found that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08, the legal limit. The test, which took place on an abandoned air strip, measured the difference in reaction times when driving with no distractions, driving while reading a text, actively texting and driving under the influence of alcohol. Car & Driver Editor in Chief Eddie Alterman, 37, and intern Jordan Brown, 22, served as guinea pigs for the test. The results? Both drivers’ reaction times were significantly slower when they were reading a text and writing a text. They had better reaction times when they were driving under the influence of alcohol. That’s scary. This test by Car & Driver caught my attention because I didn’t think it was dangerous to read a text while driving. It was just one more multitasking thing that I could do in the car: drive, talk to the kids, fiddle with the radio and read a text. Clearly, I was wrong. I don’t text and drive, and now I’ll no longer read a text while the car is moving. Are you willing to give up texting while driving? Tell us in the comment section below. 2009-06-29T16:36:22-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/momosphere-6.26.09/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/momosphere-6.26.09/#When:20:07:51Z Now This is What I Call a Vacation; Merlot Mom The holiday weekend is approaching, and I’m starting to mentally prepare for our family vacation. I’m looking forward to taking my oldest son fishing with my dad, who is a fly fisherman. I’d love to instill a love of nature in my city boy, and a fishing trip in Minnesota is always a good start. Merlot Mom is vacationing with her family in Utah’s Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Her photos alone will inspire you to pack your bags and start driving. Photo Booth Legacy; Mother May I Photographer, author, blogger and busy mom Tracey Clark loves photo booths. Her parents used them to document her childhood, and she’s continued that tradition with her own family. “To watch the progression that transpires from strip to strip is hilarious and fascinating. I am so glad my parents (who were kids themselves at the time) made the effort to capture my early life in ‘the booth.’ ” This might be the most painless way to take a family photo. I’ll be keeping an eye out for them from now on. In Case You Were Wondering…; Knot Sew Crafty A few weeks ago, I walked into my oldest son’s room to find him crafting his Christmas list. At least he’s not a procrastinator. He’d been working on it for days, and it was filled with phonetic spellings of nearly every “Star Wars” and “Transformer” toy ever made. My boy isn’t the only one working on a gift list. Blogger Alexis’ young daughter wrote out her birthday list and taped it to her house’s front door. It’s only a matter of time before my 6-year-old thinks of that. 2009-06-26T20:07:51-06:00