Spring Break 2010 has forever changed Tara O’Malley, 18, from Thousand Oaks, California. A freshman at the University of Arizona, Tara and a few friends were excited to attend a concert in Ventura, and Tara agreed to be the designated driver.

The concert lasted longer than expected, and by the time Tara dropped off each of her friends it was nearly 3 o’clock in the morning. Her last stop was to drop off her boyfriend in Moorpark just a couple exits from her house. Her mom called to check on her and Tara told her that she would be home in 15 minutes.

She remembers getting on the freeway and heading home and because she was so tired, she made sure she was driving exactly 65 miles per hour. “I remember seeing the sign ‘Olsen Road 1 Mile,’ and the next thing I knew, I woke up and my car was flipping over and over. I found out later that I had hit a light pole and the impact must have jolted me awake,” said Tara. According to Tara’s dad, Robert, the car had flipped end over front several times because the Highway Patrol officers found five areas of impact. Tara’s car continued to flip down a 50-foot embankment onto the freeway ramp below and landed upright. By this time, Tara was in total shock. “It was so dark. I had no idea where I was. I couldn’t open the doors because they were stuck shut, and I couldn’t find my cell phone. The sunroof was smashed but there was an opening; so I took off my seatbelt, stood up through the opening and screamed for help. I looked to my right and saw a car driving toward me. It was a police officer. He had heard the car crash so he rushed over to make sure I was okay and then called the paramedics.”

After checking to see if Tara had any neck pain or trouble moving, the paramedics helped her get out of the car through the passenger side door, and she actually walked to the ambulance. While inside the ambulance, someone had found her cell phone that was wedged between the windshield and the dashboard and they asked her if she wanted to call her mom. “I was just so flustered. I was bawling and crying. I couldn’t even use the phone, so I asked them if they could please call her for me, and just as they were looking for her number, my mom called to see where I was. Then my boyfriend called to see if I had gotten home okay.”

Tara was taken to the hospital, and as a precaution, they ran blood work and X-Rays. Amazingly, she had a small gash on her head and her eye area, a large bump, her thumb was swollen and she had a bad bone bruise to her shin. The doctors determined later that she suffered a concussion.

The California Highway Patrol officers who arrived at the scene of the accident after Tara’s ambulance had already left were shocked to see Tara sitting up and talking with her family in the hospital. “They asked me if I remembered hitting the light pole, and I hadn’t even seen the pole. Then they asked me if I had been drinking, which I hadn’t at all,” said Tara. They told my parents, ‘I can’t believe your daughter right now. When we showed up at the accident, we thought the person in that car didn’t survive.’ One of the officers said that his cousin had just been in a similar accident but didn’t make it.”

After a few hours, Tara was released from the hospital. Later that day, Tara’s parents were the ones in shock after seeing the wrecked Volvo. Robert O’Malley summed up their feelings, “We are very grateful that we still have her. We thank God and Volvo!”

Tara only missed one week of school. She just completed her freshman year at the University of Arizona and is looking forward to the summer break. “I’ve been telling everyone I know that I’m going to drive a Volvo for the rest of my life.”

Volvo is SAFE and GREEN

While Volvo doesn't officially have a "Hybrid" vehicle to sell, it offers "Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle" options on four models: The Volvo S40, V50, S60 and V70

PZEV meets today's cleanest emissions standards for gasoline-powered vehicles, and that's not all. Volvos are designed to be 85% recylable. Since 1989, Volvo has marked all plastic components over 50 grams with the Universal Recycling Symbol.

Here are some PZEV Facts:

Vehicles with a PZEZ rating emit about two pounds of hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving. This is equivalent to spilling a pint of gasoline!

Did you know that some HYBRIDS do not even meet the PZEV standard?

A PZEV-rated vehicle would have to be driven more than 2,100 miles to be equal to mowing your lawn for one hour using a 5.4 horsepower lawn mower.

If you grilled one hamburger in your backyard, you would produce the same smog-forming emissions as driving a PZEV car for three hours or 180 miles.

Call 1-800-GO-VOLVO for more information.

Freecreditreport.com is NOT

I always wondered how a company like Freecreditreport.com could afford all those fancy television ads and provide a free service to consumers. If it's "free," who pays for the ads? This falls under the category "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."

The folks at Experian, the company that owns Freecreditreport.com, didn't flat out lie or anything . You do get a copy of your credit report at no charge but only after you enroll in a $14.95 a month credit monitoring service.

Turns out the Federal Trade Commission has been working for years to try to force Freecreditreport.com to more clearly disclose that "free" refers to the one time credit report you receive AFTER you sign up for their credit monitoring service. It was reported that the FTC fined Experian twice for deceptive advertising - once for $950,000 and another one for $300,000. Meanwhile, London based Experian posted earnings for 2009 at $3.9 billion. Even when you consider the costs for the Freecreditreport.com ads are estimated at $58 million dollars a year, these fines amount to nothing more than a light slap on the wrist.

The good news is that there is a way to get a TRULY FREE credit report. It's called AnnualCreditReport.com. By Federal law, consumers are entitled to receive a FREE copy of their credit report once a year from all three credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.

You can also protect yourself against identity theft by putting a freeze on your credit. Instead of paying $200 a year for a credit card monitoring service, just sign up online with all three bureaus and freeze your credit. The charge to freeze or "temporarily thaw" your credit by using a personal identification number (PIN) is typically less than $10 per bureau depending on where you live.

Here are a few websites to get you started:
https://www.freeze.equifax.com/
http://www.experian.com/consumer/security_freeze.html
https://annualcreditreport.transunion.com/fa/securityFreeze/landing


Consumers should always be cautious when signing up for anything that claims to be "free." Rarely are there no strings attached. It's important to always read the fine print especially with cleverly designed online ads. You can also check the Better Business Bureau for a list of complaints.

EDUCATION PAYS

Volvo Cars of North America is helping Educators with their new car purchase by offering a $1500 discount off the purchase or lease of eligible Volvo vehicles.

Eligible vehicles include all new XC90, XC70, S80, V70 or C70 models.

Customers must be a member of the National Education Association – the largest membership organization for education professionals in the United States, a NEA employee or state Affiliate employee to qualify. For instance, for California, the state Affiliate is the California Teacher’s Association.

All you need is your school ID (members) or business card (employees) and the NEA discount coupon in order to qualify for the program.

Call 1-800-GO-VOLVO (800/468-6586) for more information.

Like all good things, this promotion will end soon, so call today and take advantage of this great benefit before Sept. 30, 2009.

DUST OFF YOUR PASSPORTS!

May Husk taking delivery of her new Volvo C30 in Sweden

Are you in the market for a new Volvo?

Have you always wanted to travel to Sweden?

The timing couldn’t be better to take full advantage of the VOLVO OVERSEAS DELIVERY program.

Here are just a few benefits:

* A huge savings off the MSRP compared to taking delivery of a Volvo that has already arrived here in the USA.
* Roundtrip tickets for two to Europe!
* One free night at the Raddison SAS, a first class hotel in Gothenburg, Sweden, home of Volvo. For a limited time, if customers take delivery of a 2009 in-stock vehicle, Volvo offers an additional free night.
* Fifteen day European Car Insurance coverage including Swedish temporary registration of your new vehicle.
* Tour of the Factory Delivery Center in Gothenburg, Sweden and enjoy a complimentary Swedish Meatball lunch.
* And much, much more…

According to Steve Johnson, Volvo of Calabasas Overseas Delivery expert, this is the best way to buy a new Volvo. Johnson traveled to Sweden in March 2009 to take delivery of the 2010 Volvo XC60. “Go hungry,” said Johnson. The most amazing thing about the Raddison SAS is the breakfast. You have never seen so much food in your life… every day … free,” he said.

As “2008 Salesman of the Year” for Volvo of Calabasas, Francisco Rodriguez earned a factory trip to Sweden. “Volvo treats you like royalty. You feel like you are part of the Volvo Royal family the minute you get off the plane,” he said.

But don’t take our word for it. Just ask Norm and May Husk, Volvo of Calabasas customers who took delivery of their 2009 Volvo C30 in October 2008.

“Our experience with the Volvo Overseas program was truly remarkable. Absolutely every detail was taken care of. The flights were perfect. The accommodations at the Radisson were beyond what we expected. And, yes, the food was outrageously delicious! We spent a week after delivery of the Volvo just traveling by train to Stockholm then back to Denmark. This is an opportunity every prospective Volvo owner should take advantage of. Thank you, Volvo, and Steve Johnson, for this once in a lifetime experience!!!"

Warm regards, Norm and May Husk

For more information, give us a call at 1-800-VOLVO! Or visit us at www.volvoofcalabasas.com

Why Do I Need GAP Insurance?

Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) is insurance for car buyers who are financing their vehicle and is available only at the time of sale. It is especially beneficial if you don't plan to make a significant down payment or you are financing negative equity from a traded vehicle. GAP benefits come into play in the event of a total loss. Your primary insurance company may pay the actual cash or market value of your vehicle. However, you may owe your bank more than the market value of your vehicle when you consider tax, title and license fees. The difference between what you owe your lender and what your insurance company is willing to pay is the amount GAP insurance pays. And most GAP insurance policies will pay your primary insurance deductible up to $1,000.


Here's an example: Say total amount financed for your vehicle is $30,000 for 60 months, and your vehicle is involved in an accident and deemed a "total loss" by your insurance company. At the time of the total loss, your loan balance is $28,000, but your primary insurance company agrees to pay you $20,000 based on the current market value of your vehicle. You would be responsible to pay $8,000 to cover the "gap" between what you owe your lender and the amount your insurance company is willing to pay.


For a small monthly fee, you can have peace of mind that you won't be asked to pay for a car you can no longer can drive.

That's the GAP advantage.

FROM SWEDEN WITH LÖV

With the tour of the 2010 XC60 just underway, Volvo has redefined its customer ownership experience, and by the sounds of some of the reviews, it’s LÖV at first sight!

The 2010 Volvo XC60 Crossover takes safety to a whole new level. The car even stops itself! It’s called “City Safety,” and it is standard equipment on all XC60s along with Standard Bluetooth, HD Radio with SIRIUS Satellite Radio (comes with a complimentary six month subscription), Dual Zone Climate Control, Leather Seating Surfaces and both USB and AUX input jacks.

For all pre-orders taken prior to March 31, 2009, Volvo is offering a complimentary lifetime SIRIUS subscription. An additional standard feature offered only during the launch is complimentary two-panel Panoramic Sun Roof. Optional packages include navigation, heated seats, a factory installed rear park assist back up camera and much more.

After 80 years, Volvo continues to live up to the slogan “Volvo for Life” with the addition of the XC60 to its already superb lineup. When you add Complimentary Factory Scheduled Maintenance and a Turbo Charged engine that uses regular gasoline, you might be thinking “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Volvo is convinced that this vehicle will not only bring in new customers but will also be an attractive switch for its already loyal customer base. And Volvo customers are among the most loyal I have ever seen.

Time and time again customers tell me that they wouldn’t drive any other brand. One customer even confessed that she thought she might be missing out on something, so she tried another manufacturer and couldn’t wait to get back into a Volvo. “I won’t make that mistake again,” she said.

The XC60 is considered a Small Premium Utility vehicle and competes with the Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35 and the Lexus RX350. The XC60 utilizes a Volvo engineered 3.0 liter, 281 horsepower T6 engine. With All Wheel Drive, Instant Traction and a six-speed Geartronic™ automatic transmission, this car could already be ahead of the competition.

But Volvo doesn’t rest on its laurels when it comes to safety. By far the most compelling feature of the XC60 is City Safety. According to talking points from Volvo Cars of North America , City Safety is the “world’s first standard equipment driver support system aimed at preventing or mitigating collisions occurring at speeds of 19 MPH or less. These represent about 75% of all collisions with about half occurring in city traffic situations.” But what does that really mean?

Say you are driving along in normal stop-and-go traffic and the car in front of you slows down to a crawl. City Safety is active at speeds from 2 to 19 miles per hour and uses a "closing velocity sensor" that is mounted ahead of the inside rear view mirror to determine whether a collision is likely. So when the car in front of you slows down to 9 MPH or less your XC60 recognizes the slowdown and immediately reacts to prevent or lessen the impact of a rear end collision. At the same time, it prepares the restraint system to optimize protection in the event of an unavoidable collision.

The XC60 also offers stand alone safety options like integrated second-row child booster seats, trailer stability assist, Blind Spot Information System, Volvo's Personal Car Communicator with heartbeat sensor and keyless drive.

Technology packages will feature a 650-watt Dynaudio surround sound audio system, a six-disc CD changer, navigation with real-time traffic and a rear view camera.

According to Volvo of Calabasas General Manager Mike Abell, the XC60 will quickly become a best seller at his store. "I drove the car and was really impressed at how well it handled. I was amazed at how well the City Safety feature worked. It's also loaded with the amenities everyone asks for like built-in bluetooth and HD Radio, which are standard," he said.

The first batch of XC60s will be six cylinder Turbos with All Wheel Drive and a base price of $37,200. Base models will follow shortly thereafter, but when you throw in all the standard features, I think you will agree that this car is definitely an affordable alternative to others in its class.

Call 1-800-GO-VOLVO for an invitation to a sneak preview of the 2010 Volvo XC60 at Volvo of Calabasas in mid-February. This is an "invitation only" event, and space is limited, so call today. Customer deliveries will begin in March 2009.

You can also go to http://www.volvocars.us/new%20XC60 for more details.