The Straight Shift is a podcast that's about cars! Car buying, car selling, car maintenance and repairs, safe driving tips, and general car-related nonsense designed to empower consumers. Brought to you by The Car Chick, the #1 trusted automotive expert for women and smart men. New episodes drop the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month!
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Distracted driving isn't just texting, eating, or screwing around with your touchscreen. After The Car Chick got a ticket for running a red light she didn't even realize she'd run, she learned firsthand how emotions and cognitive distraction can affect even a highly trained, attentive driver. In this episode, LeeAnn looks at what distracted driving really means, why your eyes can be on the road…
Everyone wants to know which car is the most reliable. But what if that's actually the wrong question? In this episode of The Straight Shift, The Car Chick takes a deep dive into what reliability really means in today's automotive world—and why simply looking at a Consumer Reports score or a J.D. Power award isn't enough. Inspired by a real client trying to choose between a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid,…
Episode Summary Could your car become a battlefield in the New Cold War? It sounds like the plot of a spy thriller, but it's actually one of the biggest stories quietly reshaping the automotive industry. This week, The Car Chick® connects the dots between several recent episodes—including vehicle data privacy, EV tax credits, tariffs, and "Made in America"—to reveal the much bigger picture behind…
Electric vehicles were supposed to make cars more affordable. So why does the average EV now cost well over $50,000? Enter Slate Auto , a brand-new American startup that's taking a completely different approach. Their first vehicle is a bare-bones, highly customizable electric pickup that starts at just $24,950 . No giant touchscreen. No built-in stereo. Even crank windows are back. But is Slate…
Think hidden fees, fake discounts, rebate games, mandatory add-ons, and vehicles advertised at prices you can't actually get are just part of buying a car? The FTC doesn't think so. In this episode, The Car Chick® breaks down the six dealership advertising and pricing practices the FTC says may violate federal consumer protection laws. But before we get into the legal stuff, I share a real-life…
Summary After a three-month hiatus, The Car Chick® is back — and apparently while she was gone, the global economy decided to completely lose its damn mind. In this comeback episode of The Straight Shift, The Car Chick breaks down how conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, rising oil prices, tariffs, petrochemicals, EVs, and global supply-chain chaos are affecting far more than just what you pay at the…
We're pumping the brakes on The Straight Shift podcast for a little while, but that doesn't mean you can't still receive important automotive industry updates! Visit my website to sign up for The Straight Shift Newsletter and keep driving safely! https://www.thecarchick.com/ You can view a full list of resources and episode transcripts here . Connect with LeeAnn: Website Instagram Facebook YouTube…
SUMMARY Cars are no longer just mechanical machines — they are rolling software platforms. In this episode of The Straight Shift , The Car Chick® breaks down the growing trend of subscription-based car features and what it actually means for consumers. From life-saving systems like OnStar and connected services such as Subaru STARLINK and Hyundai BlueLink, to hands-free driving tech like Super…
Summary In this episode of The Straight Shift, The Car Chick® discusses the intricacies of car leasing, particularly focusing on what to do at the end of a lease. She shares a real-life example of helping a client navigate lease end options, emphasizing the importance of understanding positive equity and the often-misleading information from leasing companies. The conversation covers the impact of…
Summary In this episode of The Straight Shift, The Car Chick® discusses the importance of understanding different drivetrains, particularly in the context of winter driving. She reflects on the recent winter storms in the Carolinas and addresses common misconceptions about all-wheel drive vehicles. The conversation covers the differences between rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel…