Happy Holidays from the AskPatty Blog Carnival! We've been so busy compiling weekly holiday gift guides, we've gotten a little behind with our regular female friendly carnival! There's so much happening in the automotive industry, whether it's informative stories about winter car care and gadgets,  exciting reports about amazing women in the automotive industry, or other female friendly car information, we've got something here for everyone. Have you got female friendly news or interesting automotive tidbits to share? Email Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com or use the form to include your own blog bits in next week's carnival!

We like Carsforgirls.com! The site is always full of useful, female friendly automotive articles, including this one, which gives six tips for getting your vehicle out of the snow.  Because she lives in the Midwest she understands the situation and shares some very helpful tips to make the job a little easier and less time consuming. She also posted another cool article full of fun automotive sites,  including the Walter P. Chrysler Museum & Gift Shop, Vespa Scooters, and the Cost 2 Drive road trip cost calculator. 

If you live in snowy areas, then you'll want to check out these MirrorMateMitts  made of durable, water-repellent nylon material that fit over your side mirrors to save you time, eliminates effort, and best of all, protect your car, truck, minivan and SUV side mirrors from scuffs, snow, ice, and frost. A variety of colors, including red, yellow, green, and blue, provide maximum mirror visibility for passing motorists when your vehicle is parked on the street or in a lot. Available in two sizes to fit most vehicles, the MirrorMateMitts are sold in pairs for $20, and can be personalized with a monogram, high school and college logos, or even Greek fraternity or sorority letters.

The Car Care Council Women's Board recently awarded Lauren Fix-- the Car Coach(R) and a spokesperson for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign -- the fifth annual "Aftermarket Woman of the Year" recognition. The announcement was made during the 2008 Women's Board reception during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lauren was chosen by the Women's Board membership and special programs committee, based on her longevity in the aftermarket, her career accomplishments, her leadership capabilities and dedication to the automotive aftermarket industry. As an ASE-certified technician and engineer, Lauren is an expert in all areas of the car world, from experience in the driver's seat to expertise under the hood. She learned how to maintain and work on cars when she was 10 years old, and has been a leader in positive consumer awareness in the automotive world for over 20 years. She is a nationally recognized TV automotive expert, frequently-quoted authority on automotive culture and issues, a journalist, author of three books, most recently "Lauren Fix's Guide To Loving Your Car," several service manuals and a contributor to numerous technical and consumer articles. Congratulations, Lauren!

If you're a lady who loves flowers, then you'll want one of these "Spirited Corsages" for your car. Spirited Corsages  are the original flower corsage seat belt protector / seat belt cover that adds a touch of beauty and fun to any car!  Spirited Corsages are a fun, way for women to express themselves in their car, or girls to decorate their backpack, with beautiful, long-lasting flower corsages.

According to this article at the New York Daily News, Shiro Nakamura thinks creating cars is like making music, and as chief creative officer for Nissan Motor Co. and an active cello player, he should know. Since he began heading up design at Japan's third-biggest automaker nine years ago, the 57-year-old has transformed the company's image as a technologically savvy but generally form-challenged outfit into one known for its design flair. One of the biggest challenges car designers face is creating a uniqueness that is evident across the line-up and at the same time, appeals to the masses. "Nissan draws hints from contemporary Japan -- things like animation, and manga (comics)," Nakamura said. Cool.

Female Friendly Dealers in the News!

Special Events at Checkered Flag
Would you buy a car from a Rock Star? Check out this special event held recently at Checkered Flag Volkswagen: Everyone on the sales staff was dressed up as their favorite rock celebrity and there was so much going on in the spirit of charity and Rock & Roll. Checkered Flag donated $250 from each vehicle sold to raise more than $5000 to support St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children in Norfolk and the United Way. One participant in the Guitar Hero contest (co-sponsored with a local radio station) won a $500 prize, XBOX 360 and flat screen television.  Watch the video to find out more about this rocking event.

While you're perusing the Checkered Flag site, be sure to check out this blog posted by a satisfied Checkered Flag Customer  in which she shares the details of her recent service appointment.

Welcome to Larry's AutoWorks to the AskPatty Certified Female Friendly Dealer network
Larry's AutoWorks is a woman-owned, team-operated, 11,500-square-foot Automotive Service and Repair Facility located in Mountain View, California. Larry's AutoWorks maintains a clean, organized, first-rate facility and keeps up with the rapidly changing technical aspects of today's vehicles through advanced training and obtaining the most up-to-date equipment to service and repair your vehicle. Larry's AutoWorks became green certified by Santa Clara County in November 2006, the first Certified Green Business in Mountain View, and has been voted Best Auto Repair by local residents for the past 5 years. They also hire and train individuals that are head-and-shoulders above the industry average to assure superior customer service. Larry's insist that each of their technicians specialize in specific makes of vehicles and continues to take at least 48-hours of advanced training in their specific specialty areas each year. And, they employ five ASE Master Technicians and an Automotive Engineer.

Prestige Auto Sales Photo Album
Prestige Auto Sales in Ocala, Florida, says they know that buyers have high expectations, and as a used car dealer they enjoy the challenge of meeting and exceeding those standards each and every time. To demonstrate how important it is for them treat the needs of each individual customer with paramount concern, they have posted a gallery of dozens of their happy customers -- and their new cars! Are you looking for a used car in the Ocala area? Then stop by Prestige Auto Sales and ask to speak to Lisa U. for a certified female friendly buying experience.

Boardwalk Volkswagen's Fall Fashion Clearance Event
Boardwalk Volkswagen in Richardson, Texas, recently gave their female shoppers an opportunity to escape from the lipstick jungle by offering a special two-weekend Fall Fashion Clearance Event. During the event, Boardwalk invited local ladies to strut down a fashion catwalk and offered exclusive deals on their inventory with special promotions and 30-second  and 60-second   radio commercials promising their listeners "There's nothing more attractive than intelligence."

Dave Mungenast Lexus Leads Girl Scout Car Care Clinic
More than 40 enthusiastic St. Louis-area Girl Scouts recently joined the Dave Mungenast Lexus team to explore a variety of learning centers focused on topics like car care and safety, air bags, anti-lock brakes, how to change a tire, and how to check a vehicle's oil level. The girls really enjoyed this hands-on event that helped girls break barriers and learn to be comfortable performing basic tasks on vehicles. One Girl Scout said she couldn't wait to show her dad her newfound ability to change a tire on her own. A troop leader, whose teenage daughter just started driving, expressed relief and appreciation, saying "I feel more confident about my teenager driving now that she knows more about car care safety." Environmental issues were also an important topic of the event: the girls learned about the Lexus Eco-Challenge, as well as about Dave Mungenast's soon-to-be-constructed environmentally friendly building, making them the first such "green" Lexus dealership in the country. Girls left the event with tire pressure gauges, and parents learned about the entire Lexus lineup.