About Us: The Short of It
We are here simply to eliminate waste of your time and money with transportation.
Use us as needed. No lifestyle change required.
Simple is important.
There are simple “point of use” actions you can take that will save you hours of trouble and hundreds of dollars. We are truly dedicated to humor, accuracy and empowering you with fresh, tools to use in capitalism. Need more details. Read on,
Us: The Longer Version
We are both well over 50 years of age. When you watch automobile advertising on TV, in print or via Internet it’s hard to believe gray haired citizens are now the largest group of new car buyers. TV focuses on youth. Each day in the U.S. more than 10,000 citizens turn 50 years and we’re all heading that way. There are 317 million Americans today including two generations at the top of the age demographics; Boomers (80 million) and the Silent Generation (35 million) and these two groups make up a surprisingly 37% of all U.S. consumers.
Automobiles are a life line. Your auto eats your valuable time and your dollars every step of the way. Most of us have a limited budget or/and limited abilities. All of us have valuable limited time. We are helping drivers stay in control and in touch longer into life.
Regular naps prevent old age, especially if you take them while driving
That of course, is an old joke however, as you age you do approach life skills in a new way.
Individuals over 50 think differently with different values than in their 20’s. We’re broadcasting to our age group. Our gang has different needs & demands too. Our needs must be addressed by manufacturers & sellers.
Mature adults have unique experience and know how. We now celebrate in the age of knowing how to navigate positive outcomes. We each need positive success.
We’ve been writing and broadcasting as a wife and husband team about passenger vehicles & their relative value since July 1977 . Over the decades we have sampled thousands of personal vehicles, toured tons of factories and assembly plants, met and dined with brilliant engineers, dashing designers, boring bean counters & news-making executives. We no longer take cars from automakers preferring to evaluate & drive independently, removing some public relations pressure in favor of less spoon feed information.
The Who We Are and What We Did
Jean (me) grew up in the Seattle area, graduated from University of Washington in Marketing and Communications. My career began in marketing, public relations and communications as assistant editor of, “The Seattle Business Journal” while working 
with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Covering business was a dawn until dusk position with regular evening events.
It was always eye opening mingling with the likes of an intoxicated U.S. Senator Warren Magnuson, the wandering eye of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Brock Adams and the witty, charming Mayor of Seattle Charles Royer at Seattle Chamber events. The PR department worked on issues related to transportation tirelessly to build what is now I-90 in Seattle. Our first magazine automotive work appeared in Seattle Business magazine, Cowboy Cars for CEO’s.
Over the years writing for different outlets has allowed me to drive cars and experience driving schools that I might not have otherwise. Taking a lesson from Jackie Stewart was most enlightening, driving on grease in Bob Bondurant’s driving school taught me lessons in confidence for the street and how to drive on a racetrack. In Las Vegas with Bragg-Smith Advanced Driving school I deepened my respect for “fast car” drivers.
Additionally, I have contributed to a number of media outlets and websites, including; launching Woman Motorist, writing for GMBuypower, the Oregonian and Seattle’s Child. Always bringing my personal experience as a woman, mother and driver.
I enjoy taking public transit or walking to my destination. When we do errands with the car we string them together for efficiency. Each time you start an engine not only do you produce a great deal of wear & tear there is also the earth and the ethics of polluting that must be considered. Climate change concerns all of us.
Ashly grew up on the small East Coast island of Manhattan fixin and ridin bicycles with the gang round town. Technically minded he unprofessionally tuned up and repaired friends cars and bicycles while getting his liberal arts education at Franconia College. Ashly’s future changed when he learned that more Americans died and were damaged from automobiles in one year than in 12 years of our Vietnam War. He wondered, “Where is the war?” There must be a way to prevent this horrible waste.
Once Around the Park
His automotive career began as a night driver on the island. He cruised New York City’s Golden Triangle picking up millionaires, tycoons & famous personalities in his classic six-passenger yellow Checker Marathon Taxi. His hobby; The study of invention technology and it’s social impact as well as its effect on individual behavior. He worked in retail automobile businesses to understand transportation related motivation. Machines are simple, mammals are complex.
In 1977 we began Auto Advisor Incorporated. We consulted individuals and families needing personal transportation. We only charged $60 per hour for consulting or a flat rate package of information. Our clients bought a better car for less money. By 1988 we went nationwide. Doing more than consulting, our flat rate package of information included arranging the purchase of any make any model anywhere in the 50 states while guaranteeing the absolute lowest price. We are proud of the intricate research on each purchase to know we had the absolute lowest price. A flat rate fee is possible because all passenger vehicles are similar in the effort to locate and negotiate.
The AutoAdvisor Legacy
Two years after starting Auto Advisor our automobile consulting business, both of us started writing together. In 1979 we were invited to write for the American Automobile Association. For 17 years we had a column answering questions and letters and we also wrote car and truck reviews. In 1988, Money Magazine wrote a cover story that was complimentary to Auto Advisor. We worked with Money from 1988 to 2002 doing price and technical researched reporting.
In 1992 premiere issue of the Wall Street Journal’s personal finance magazine; Smart Money, Auto Advisor received a favorable review. We worked intimately with numerous auto writers on staff while furnishing technical and economic information till the end of the century.
We’ve Been Places
Ashly on a test drive with Formula 1 Triple World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart
With our knowledge of passenger vehicle technology, pricing & relative personal value, we were asked to create the top Ten Best Car list for both Money & Smart Money magazines. A difficult yet enjoyable task. For many years we’ve also had regular columns in Physician’s Money Digest, Sport Car Market Magazines, Pacific Publishing and Pacific Northwest Magazine. We contributed to Reuters International, Automotive News, The Bottom Line, The Puget Sound Business Journal, The Oregonian, Auto News of the Pacific Northwest, and more. We are members of the Motor Press Guild & the International Motor Press Association.
Ashly has been broadcasting since 1977 and is a long time member ofSAG-AFTRA. For years he had a weekly radio show & TVsegments on KING an NBC affiliate. After KING, KOMO, an ABC affiliate, picked up the Saturday morning live automotive show with Ashly answering questions & providing guest interviews & commentary. He did a weekly car critique for the CBS affiliate, KIRO-TV’s Inside Line. Auto Interview Online was part of The Cyber Station’s daily line-up of programs. As Ashly’s producer I focused on finding guests from the automotive engineering, design, marketing and even racing areas.
Ashly has made multiple appearances on CNN & CNBC. Most memorable was a segment on how people dress like their cars on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He recently worked for America’s Radio News Network, ARNNRadioNews.
Where We Are Going
Auto Advisor now resides with Mature Motoring. Mature Motoring’s mission is to guide and inform so you can have a better value transportation experience. Our mission is to help our readers with their transportation needs so they take as little time and money from their lives while keeping safety at the forefront.
We will engage others in our group to extend our voice to more people with more ideas to help with the continuing process of aging and mobility. We know you will look here as you need to solve your transportation concerns as simply as possible. We will feed you the understanding, knowledge and ability for success. After all these years, we really are wiser.