Rental vehicles

I have a question for you...why is it that a rental vehicle gets so much abuse? I mean we rent these vehicles with our own credit cards (most of the time). We use our own insurance in many cases. Many people have this attitude, IT AIN'T MINE. I find it interesting that we can use someone else's property and treat it anyway that we want. Granted I am not going to wash a rented vehicle. But did you know that if the car is dirty enough you can take it back to the rental agency and get it cleaned free of charge? They may not do the best job of cleaning it but at least they get most of the dirt off of it. That's if you are really concerned about driving a clean vehicle.

The other day I was returning a vehicle that had been rented for a month. It was not a vehicle that I had actualy rented but one that I had been driving around because the car that I rented was being driven by someone else. Any of you who really know me know that I do not like driving in a dirty car. Especially if it is someone else's ride. It's like taking a bath in a dirty bathroom...yuck! I think it's a little embarrassing. Even if it is not my car, I want to at least make sure that it is somewhat clean. Anyway, when I was returning this vehicle Hertz the other day I was removing the trash that I actually did cause. The Popeyes Fried Chicken bag (love that chicken from Popeyes). The papers from Kinkos that did not make the cut. And some toher trash that was not mine. White Castle wrappers; plates used for pizza I think; half empty bottles of water, not mine; and other stuff that had been there I am sure at least a month. I also was cleaning out the truck of omy luggage. There was a bag of new towels that someone else had left. Several cases of energy drinks. A bunch of towels that looked like they belonged to the hotel.

I wonder sometimes...not all of the time but just sometime what the attendants do with stuff that they find left behind in vehicles. Obviously, no one can take a case of energy drinks on the plane. But what about those new towels? The seafoam green towels that were left in the trunk, does anyone take that stuff home? Look honey, several cases of NOS Energy Drink for the kids. What about things that have more value like your laptop. Would you miss your flight to go back for your laptop? I would for sure...not even a question.

So you are returning this vehicle that does not belong to you and hopefully you did not abuse it. Hopefully all you did was drive it faster than your own vehicle. If you do have to "front" like the vehicle was yours make sure you at least keep the inside picked up of trash and things. Especially if you are going to be carrying others around with you.

Really?

So the other day I was leaving the office with the top down on my whip. It was about 73 perfect degrees here in beautiful sunny Southern California. If you are in a position to have any type of convertible I say go for it. There is nothing like driving with the top down and the wind rushing through your hair (I keep my head clean shaven so just work with me here). I used to wonder what the big deal but after getting my first convertible I now know why I was wrong.

Well on this particular day, I was cruising to some old school Jackson 5 hit. I was blasting that music loud enough for cars nearby to hear. I saw this one woman roll her window down to hear the song better. She was smiling and chair dancing...her man was not quite as enthusiastic. I guess he was too cool for such expressions of fun. Anyway, I am about two miles from my house when I stop at one of three lights that lead to my humble abode. Out of no where comes a gift from heaven. Maybe not quite heaven...more like 50' up. A little brown bird decided that my white shirt was too white and he wanted to "tag" my shirt with his own brand of graffiti. Yup, that bird pooped on me. I could have sworn when I looked up that bird was giving me the finger. YUCK! That is the first time in my life that I have ever been hit by bird poop.

If only I had some Red Bull to give me wings so that I could fly up there and slap the avian flu out him...I read somewhere that that was supposed to be good luck. I don't believe in luck, ESPECIALLY NOW! But speaking of bird crap...make sure that if a bird ever craps on your ride, you need to get that stuff off immediately or it will "etch" a stain into your paint. Of course I would recommend Hit it and Quit it to remove those stains. Maybe you don't wash and wax your own ride. But we do offer a 2 ounce bottle that you can keep in your glove compartment for emergencies. (Do you really keep gloves in your glove compartment?)

The Drive in Theater

How many of you have ever been to a drive in movie theater? I would hazard a guess to say that the majority of those that are reading this have never been to a drive in movie. I am probably dating myself when I say that I have gone to one a time or two, huh? Well, I have and it was not really that long ago. I don't think it was...hmmm...the last drive in movie that I went to was in Eatontown, NJ. I recently saw a picture from an old newspaper advertising the opening of the drive in April 1950. Wow...I had no idea that place had been around that long. It was eventually closed because the owner sold it to make room for a new neighborhood. A neighborhood near the intersection of the two busy roads Highway 35 and Route 36. They intersect at this particular neighborhood that was tucked behind the old Eatontown Theater that was closed and torn down as well. The theater was replaced with a Blinds to Go store and a Sleepy's mattress store.


What was fascinating to me was that there was a movie theater right next to a drive in. The last movie that I saw at the drive in just happened to be Grease, I think. Honestly, I don't even have a clue. But I do remember what I was driving. My baby blue 1977 Pontiac Astre. I wonder who's bright idea it was to watch a movie in a car? From my research I have found that there are still a few of these gems of the golden era of entertainment still around. Not sure why they haven't succumbed to over-development but they are still hanging tough. I wonder if young people still go to the drive in theater.

Our cars have always been an integral part of the entertainment industry. Whether it's some really cool car chase in the latest Jerry Bruckheimer flick or sitting at a drive through with your kids or your girlfriend. Ask someon about their first car and they will invariably say things like, I LOVED THAT CAR! Or I COULD NOT STAND THAT HUNK OF JUNK! Whatever the response, our lov affair with the car has been so well illustrated in your favorite movie. Some of our favorite movies had the hero driving this really cool car. 1983 Delorean in Back to the Future. The new Hotness as Will Smith called his Mercedes Benz E Class in MIB 2. What about that futuristic Audi from I, Robot? OH, don't forget the Duke of Hazzard.

I think I will dedicate our next blog to cars in the movies. That should be fun. In any event, keep that ride cleaned, it will drive better. OK, maybe it won't, but it sure will look good.

Music and your whip

This week has been very emotional for everyone. Unless you have been on a space expedition with the crew of the Star ship Enterprise then you know that several icons died this week. Some more prolific than others. Ed McMahon was the notorious sidekick for Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show for 30 years! Farrah Fawcett was only on Charlie's Angels for one season and left that show in pursuit of more serious roles. She set a world record for the sales of her famous poster (taken in her backyard - believe it or not) which had her posing in a red swimsuit. That poster sold more than 12 million units. She still holds that record. Billy Mays was the ultimate pitch man. He could sell just about anything and probably has at some point. He had a way of making whatever he was selling sound like it was something that you needed. That thing that you needed so badly that you could hardly wait to put it in your garage and sell it at a garage sale next year. Over the past decade the products he's hawked on TV have racked up combined sales of over $1 billion - and made him a personal fortune.

Michael Jackson's story was like watching the Curious Life of Benjamin Button. How so? Well you see this little boy who is performing on stage like a little man. The older he got the more juvenile he seemed to become, as if he was aging in reverse. As he aged the world became his playground. He seemed to be more at ease with children than with adults. His philanthropic efforts centered around the well-being of distraught children. His heart was huge as he tried to fill it with the love of everyone in the world. The sad part is that others would take this kindness for weakness and exploit it. But in the end he gave us some of the best music ever.

I am sure that you may have played some of his music at some point in your ride. You probably had the 8 track player/CB radio combination, didn't you? I had the 8 track player/CB radio combo in my 1977 Pontiac Astre (it was the cousin of the Chevy Vega). Tell me if you remember driving driving on a hot summer day and hearing I Want You Back. Or ABC (it's easy as 1-2-3). Here you are washing your ride and you can hardly wait to get in your clean whip to turn up your stereo. It's like you are having a Jackson Five concert in your car. Blasting the music in hopes that some hot woman (or man-but let's be serious...how many women actually wash their own cars? Not that many, right? Post a comment and tell me otherwise.) My Dad was not the one who would blast the music as much as Mom but he was the one that would wash her car.

My point is this: That music and cars go hand in hand. There are companies out there that make a strong living installing car audio systems that are better than those found in many homes. But even more impressive was a clean car that had the 'boomin' system'. It was so crazy seeing and hearing a car cruising down the street only to look up and see a car that was dirty as heck. Not a good look at all. There is no excuse now though...(here comes the shameless plug...) http://www.skincareforyourride.com/ is perfect for those days when you want to cruise the ave or boulevard in your freshly cleaned whip.

We here at Whip Appeal-Skin Care for Your Ride! are saddened by the loss of these pop culture stars. Our thoughts go out to their families. We share in your loss.

Here's a tip

I remember as a young man (even though I still consider myself such) washing my car every week...unless of course it rained. Growing up on the East Coast it seemed like it rained every single weekend like clockwork. It was like nature had a way of tricking me into believing that this would be the weekend that I would be able to wash my car...nope, not this weekend...nope, not this weekend either...nope, don't even try it. By the time the sun came out on the weekend it was December 21st, GREAT!

Ok that was a slight exaggeration, NOT. It really was like that. Seriously though, growing up I looked forward to washing my car. After all I didn't want the ladies to see me driving my busted car full of dirt. I used to own a 1966 Datsun 411. It was busted, but it was my first car. I think I paid $35.00 for it. I wonder what the value of that car would be today if I had kept it and had it restored? Hmmm, think I will surf the net to see what it is going for...I will be right back. Talk amongst yourselves.

This is what I found out. The car that I bought for only $35.00 and had junked for $25.00 would go for...get this...$5,900.00 had I restored it. Who would have thought that that piece of fine Japanese engineering would have fetched that kind of price? It says that it had 60 horse power. Really? I am thinking that my lawnmower has more power than that. I remember installing a horrible shag carpet in that thing. I also put this black gorilla fur in the rear window sill and on the dash. It eventually faded to light gray. I even painted the 12 inch rims candy apple red. Oh I almost forgot about the really cool red racing stripe. The fact that the front seat was broken and could not go back only enhanced the experience. As busted as this car may have been I still washed it (when it was not raining) every weekend.

My next car was a 1969 Ford Country Squire station wagon. That car was huge! I was like cruising on a Royal Caribbean cruiseship. That thing used so much gas that I would charge all of my friends money to get in the car...it was a 9 passenger behemouth. I was heartbroken when my Dad sold it. Huh? How could he sell my car without my permission? Well, apparently I still owed him money on it. Yes my Dad bought it for me and I was supposed to pay him back. Oh well.

So whether you are driving a 1966 Datsun or a 2006 Black BMW Convertible with black leather interior take pride in your ride. Wash and wax that thing often. Did you know that a clean car gets better gas mileage? Just kidding. But it feels like it does. Our Whip Wash Body Shampoo is super concentrated, smells great and won't harm your clearcoat finish. Then make sure you hand dry your car...air drying your car will only add water spots that could be etched into your paint.

Just Economics

The other day I saw a young man wiping down his black Oldsmobile Alero on the street across from my house. I figured this would be a great time to introduce this young man to Whip Appeal - Skin Care for Your Ride! So, as I get closer I tell him that I have this spray on wax that I wanted to demonstrate (Hit it and Quit it - Detail Spray). His response was not quite what I expected from a young man wiping down his ride. He said that he did not know how to wax his car. In looking at the surface of the vehicle it looked as if it had never been waxed since he purchased it. I questioned him about this and low and behold he had never waxed it. Wow. So I took my sample with me as I told him that his ride needed some heavy duty treatment. But since he seemed to care less I was not going to give away gems of product or information to someone who just wanted his car dry and busted.

Let me explain why I entitled this Whip Blog "Just Economics". When you purchase a vehicle either from a new car dealer or even a used car lot, that vehicle has been washed and waxed. Even on the new car lot the car is washed frequently. Here in Los Angeles it is not uncommon to see mobile detailers wash and wiping down those new cars right there on the lot. You see, a car is subjected to the same atmospheric conditions as your skin. Those dang UV rays can do a job on that paint. Road dirt can stick to the paint and contaminate the surface as well. This is especially true in areas where it rarely rains. All of the pollutants in the air will come down like acid rain on your car. Bird crap can "etch" your paint if the crap is not removed immediately.

Here is where the economics comes in. However much you spend on your ride, it makes no sense to just let the elements destroy that paint; especially when a wash and wax can save you thousands in repainting costs. Every car that I have ever owned was cleaned about 3 to 4 times a month (unless of course it was raining). You may think this is excessive but are you aware that you can add a few thousand bucks value to your ride because your car is clean? Some people are of the mind that if you let a car get rained on that is like nature washing it. Ummm that won't do. Actually it is worse.

So by not caring for the surface of your car with regular washing and waxing there are several things you can expect to happen to your WHIP. Faded paint that has bird crap spots on it. Paint that is so full of dirt that even washing it once after it's too late may make little to no difference if not treated with the proper solutions. The cost of a GOOD paint job can cost you thousands if you want it done right. And last but not least a clean shiny car just looks way better than a dried up busted one!

Whip Appeal - Skin Care for Your Ride!

FINALLY! http://www.skincareforyourride.com/ is open and ready to serve the whole entire world!

This is my first blog ever. I have been resistant for years but I guess I will step into the new millenium with everyone else. I will be very diligent with the tips and such.

For those of you who don't know what the heck is going on, I will tell you. Some time ago I decided to embark on an adventure into the world of car care products. I started a company with the name Whip Appeal, LLC. The brand name being Whip Appeal - Skin Care for Your Ride! The premise is that we manufacture a cosmetic line of skin care products for your car, your ride, your WHIP! A what? A WHIP! Just in case you didn't know a WHIP is a nice car...or just a car period now a days.

Our product line includes:

The very hot Hit It and Quit It Detail Spray - "Sometimes you just want to do it quick!"...a spray on wax that is quick and easy to use.

The very sexy Brazilian Body Wax - "Bikini's aren't the only things that need a good wax job!" This is a paste wax for a more long lasting shine.

Whip Wash Body Shampoo - "A lavish spa treatment for your whip." It is super concentrated and a little goes a long way.

All of these products have a unique fragrance that makes car care more of a sensory experience than ever before. We will be adding more products in coming months. Products for your tires, your leather interior, your chrome rims...we even have an air freshener in the works.

We will be including a page for those of you that want to showcase your clean rides. Oh and I almost forgot about the monthly contest. So check this out, we will give the winner a prize of either product or some hot Whip Apparel gear...t-shirt or hat.

I want to especially thank the following people. If I write your name stand up and take a bow where ever you are while you are reading this. Armando Martinez and Wesley Minor who were the ones who asked me what I used to keep my car clean...great story...I will tell you about it one day. But it was because of them that I even thought of the possibility of making a car care product. Tim Hawkins who used to own a lipstick and nail polish company named Nina International. I actually had another name in mind and he advised me that Whip Appeal was a better choice. Damon Haley, co-owner of UMCA (Urban Marketing Corporation of America) who I was the most nervous about approaching because I valued his opinion very highly. My friend and mentor Paul Schneider. He is the man...he has always been gracious from day one when I walked into his office. My friend Mario Roberson. He has opened the doors to so many more opportunities for Whip Appeal. My partner Drego (need I say) Moore, for his enthusiasm!

How exciting are the times that we are living in? I can hardly wait to see this thing go and grow...watch out world Whip Appeal - Skin Care for Your Ride! has arrived.

So holla back (that is contact me for my corporate friends and family)
robert@skincareforyourride.com

Made in Los Angeles, California
home of the stars, movies and cars