Pre-Owned Special: 2006 Toyota Avalon

We have a great deal on this '06 Toyota Avalon. This gas miser is in superb condition, gets great mileage, AND has less than 100K miles on it. Come check out this steal of a deal, today! http://bit.ly/12jj8qK

Spring Showers Bring Driving Safety Hazards

Worn out tires and windshield wiper blades are symptoms of neglected vehicle maintenance that put drivers and passengers at serious risk during the typically rainy months of spring.

Thin tire treads create hazardous driving conditions when water builds up on the roadway, according to the Car Care Council. Deep tread accommodates accumulated water; thin tread does not. Thin tread causes the tire to hydroplane – ride up on a film of water, losing contact with the pavement, similar to driving on ice.

The simplest way to check tire tread depth is with a penny. Insert the penny into the grooves of the tread. If you are able to see all of Lincoln’s head, the tire needs replacement.

Rainy weather also affects driver visibility. Because 90 percent of driving decisions depend on good vision, a clean windshield is imperative. Streaking and smearing impair vision and are caused by worn windshield blades. One out of every five vehicles that went through the Car Care Council’s check lanes had worn wiper blades.

“Replacing worn wiper blades is easy and inexpensive,” said Rich White of the Car Care Council. “Why put it off until there’s a downpour and your blades are chattering and smearing the windshield?”

Courtesy of Car Care Council

Toyota "Let's Go Places" Commercial - Super Bowl XLVII 2013

In celebration of the NFL Draft tonight, we're bringing back this Super Bowl XLVII commercial for this week's Throwback-Thursday. Check it out!

New Car Special: 2013 Toyota Corolla

Receive $500 Toyota Cash with the purchase of a brand new 2013 Toyota Corolla! Click here for more details: http://bit.ly/YS6Epb

Dancing With The Stars’ Maksim Chmerkovskiy to Serve as Grand Marshal for 2013 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

“Dancing with the Stars” professional dancer and popular cast member Maksim Chmerkovskiy will bring his ballroom flair to the 37th Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race as grand marshal of the long-running, prestigious charitable event. Chmerkovskiy will be joined by singer and former “American Idol” contestant Paul McDonald, who will open the race by performing the national anthem.

Chmerkovskiy, a Latin ballroom dance champion, choreographer and instructor, thrilled audiences as an outspoken and fiery competitor on “Dancing with the Stars.” McDonald was a popular finalist on Season 10 of “American Idol,” performing original music from his band, The Grand Magnolias.

The participation of both celebrities adds to the impressive list of Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race drivers from film, television, music, sports and the military who will speed through the historic 1.97-mile street circuit on the streets of downtown Long Beach, Calif. They include one of Mexico’s most acclaimed actresses Kate del Castillo; Jenna Elfman, star of “1600 Penn”; Olympic gold medalist Jessica Hardy; “Dallas” star Jesse Metcalfe; actor Jackson Rathbone, best known for his role as Jasper Halein the hit “Twilight” movie series; comedian Wanda Sykes, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer and Jeremy Sisto, star of “Suburgatory.”

The celebrity participants also include Brett Davern, star of MTV's hit series “Awkward”; Mark Steines host of Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family”; Michael Truccoof SyFy's acclaimed series "Battlestar Galactica" and most recently “Revenge”;Fox Sports/SPEED auto racing analyst and co-host of “Top Gear USA” Rutledge Wood and 2012 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race winner and comedian Adam Carolla.Each will get behind the wheel of an identically prepared, race-ready Scion FR-S sports car to compete in the 10-lap event.

“We are thrilled to have Maksim Chmerkovskiy serve as grand marshal and Paul McDonald sing the anthem before this year’s race, bringing more star power to this high-profile charitable event,” said Les Unger, Toyota national motorsports manager. “Together their presence will help bring more attention to the children who benefit from The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.”

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity race is one of the longest-running, corporate-sponsored events of its kind. Toyota annually donates $5,000 to Racing for Kids on behalf of each participant and another $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice.  Racing for Kids – a national nonprofit program benefiting children’s hospitals throughout the country – was created as a way to connect these children with their favorite celebrities and race car drivers.

Since 1991, Toyota has donated more than $2 million to the Racing for Kids organization, on behalf of this race and its participants. In addition to Toyota’s contributions, a $15,000 donation will be made in conjunction with the 16th annual “People Pole Award.” Sponsored by People magazine, the award honors the pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race qualifying session on April 19.

Courtesy of 

Monday Maintenance: Driving the speed limit may save you gas mileage

Observe the Speed Limit 

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph.
You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas.

Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-14%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.26-$0.53/gallon





Courtesy of  Fuel Economy.gov

Toyota RAV4: Safety Wish

National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation to Kick Off in Washington, D.C.

The Wyland Foundation and Toyota will launch the second annual National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation from the nation’s capital, with support from Mayor Vincent C. Gray and city leaders from around the country. The challenge runs April 1 - 30 and asks residents to show their commitment to conserving natural resources by taking an online pledge at www.mywaterpledge.com. The Earth Month initiative will reward residents from cities with the highest percentage of participants with hundreds of environmentally friendly prizes, including a Toyota Prius c, water-saving fixtures and gift certificates to Lowe's stores.

At the kick-off in Washington, D.C., renowned marine artist Wyland will join Gray, Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and representatives from Toyota, National League of Cities, CH2M Hill WaterMatch, DC Water and the U.S. Forest Service to discuss the importance of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Pete Dominick, longtime SiriusXM host, stand-up comic and CNN contributor, will also speak at the kick-off as the official spokesperson of Comics for Conservation, a series of public service announcements by well-known comics in support of the environment. During the event, Wyland will create a five-by-ten foot conservation-themed mural that will be awarded to one of the Mayor’s Challenge winning cities.

“There has never been a more important time to make a commitment to conserving water in the District of Columbia and across the country,” noted Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “I proudly stand with the Wyland Foundation, Toyota and mayors from across the country to urge residents to conserve this important natural resource and build a more sustainable future.”

The challenge divides cities into five population categories: 5,000 – 30,000 residents, 30,000 – 100,000 residents, 100,000 – 300,000 residents, 300,000 – 600,000 residents, and cities with more than 600,000 residents.One winning city will be determined in each of the five population categories. The grand prize of a Toyota Prius c will be awarded to one participant from a winning city by random drawing. A second prize drawing for a $1,000 Lowe’s shopping spree will be held among all challenge entries, regardless if a city is among the five winning cities. Participating mayors and elected officials can earn additional prizes for their residents if their cities win.

In addition to Gray, other mayors who will encourage their residents to participate in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation include:

• Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus, Ohio
• Mayor David Coss, Santa Fe, N.M.
• Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Denver, Colo.
• Mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle, Wash.
• Mayor Kasim Reed, Atlanta, Ga.
• Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson, Ariz.

Presented nationally by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota, with support from the National League of Cities, CH2M Hill WaterMatch, Rain Bird Corporation, Lowe's home improvement stores, the EPA, and the U.S. Forest Service, the challenge also provides residents with local resources to take their commitments of conservation even further. Regional water and energy resources to cost-saving tips at home are available at www.mywaterpledge.com. Organizers are currently leading an eight-state U.S. educational tour, visiting schools and community events to prime cities for the Earth Month initiative in which thousands of residents nationwide are expected to participate.

“Building awareness around the importance of reducing waste will show that we can all do our part to help contribute to the long-term preservation of our environment,” said artist Wyland. “Understanding the responsibility we all have is the first step in realizing a sustainable future.”

Toyota’s support of the Wyland Foundation is part of the automobile company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.

“This year’s challenge features a broad outreach to us all to preserve our natural resources,” said Michael Rouse, vice president of diversity, philanthropy, and community affairs for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Since protecting the environment is a priority woven into all aspects of our business at Toyota, we are proud to support an effort that develops conservation advocates and leaders throughout our communities.”

In last year’s challenge, residents from 1,000 cities in all 50 states made online pledges to save a total of 4.7 billion gallons of water over the next year, with a potential cost savings of $11.6 million. Residents further pledged to reduce their use of single-use plastic water bottles by 1.1 million bottles and eliminate 60,000 pounds of hazardous waste from entering watersheds.

To take the pledge or learn more about the National Mayor’s Challenge, visit www.mywaterpledge.com. For tips on how to save water every day and to learn about water-efficient products for the home, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.>


Courtesy of Toyota Press Room

2013 Toyota Corolla TV Commercial - "Giving Up Lifestyle"

Wallpaper Wednesday: Toyota Land Cruiser!

We're halfway to the weekend fans! In honor of Wallpaper Wednesday, today we'd like to share this Toyota Land Cruiser and its beautiful background! How would you like to watch the sunset in this sweet ride?

Toyota's Teen Safe Driving Program

Toyota continues to offer its free-of-charge safe driving skills program, Toyota Driving Expectations, and comprehensive online resources with the goal of reducing motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among teens. Upcoming behind-the-wheel safety events will be held in Torrance, Calif., Denver and San Antonio for newly licensed or permitted teens and their parents to learn about defensive driving skills, crash avoidance techniques and the dangers of distracted driving during the 2.5-hour program. 

Moving into its 10^th year, Toyota Driving Expectations supplements standard driver’s education to prepare inexperienced drivers for the challenges they’ll face on the road. In recognizing the importance of parents’ involvement to help their teens develop responsible driving habits, the program requires a parent or guardian to accompany their teen.

Kicking-off in Torrance, Calif., professional instructors in the Toyota Driving Expectations “On The Road” program tour lead teens through driving courses and in-classroom discussions, while encouraging continued learning at home and demonstrating safe driving habits. This year’s events will be held at:

• Torrance, Calif.on May 4-5 at Toyota headquarters. Registration now open at www.toyotadrivingexpectations.com
• Denver, Colo. on May 18-19 at Bass Pro Shops. Registration opens April 18.
• San Antonio, Texason June 8–9 at Toyota Texas Plant. Registration opens May 9.

 
“Safer drivers lead to safer roads, so Toyota is committed to helping educate and empower teens and parents around smart driving choices,” said Michael Rouse, Toyota’s vice president of diversity, philanthropy and community affairs. “Through our safe driving programs, partnerships and online resources, we hope more young drivers will absorb the sobering lessons of distracted driving and learn key skills to keep themselves safe behind the wheel.”

To further the connection with teens in local communities, Toyota Driving Expectations has launched teen driving assemblies in high schools and dealerships across the country. Free Toyota Driving Expectations safety clinics at select Toyota dealerships will be led this summer by professional drivers who address vehicle safety features, defensive driving, distracted driving and vehicle maintenance.

Making Safe Driving Information and Resources Available
Toyota also offers free online safety resources for teens, parents and educators through its partnership with Discovery Education at ToyotaTeenDriver.com.  The Toyota Teen Driver also has annual contests for teens and educators, including the current Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, whose top ten videos are open for public voting now through April 16^th.  The winning teen will receive $15,000.  

Last fall, Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) announced preliminary findings from a major, national study that analyzed the critical role parents play in shaping teen driving habits. The UMTRI/Toyota Teen Driver Distraction Study found a significant correlation between parent and teen behaviors behind the wheel, suggesting parents can be influential role models for young drivers. Startling study findings showed that 61 percent of parents and 54 percent of teens report that they use a hand-held cellphone while driving, emphasizing the importance of including parents in the Toyota Driving Expectations program. 

While helping parents talk to their teens about safety can be challenging, Toyota is dedicated to furthering this important conversation. Earlier this month, the company partnered with Teen Vogue to launch “Arrive in Style”, a safe driving campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving among teenage girls and inspire them to make a mutual commitment with their mothers to drive safely.  The campaign features monthly advertorials with tips and advice from Toyota on different safe driving topics, as well as stories and online videos of Teen Vogue readers and their mothers about their commitment to driving safely.  A microsite (arriveinstyle.teenvogue.com) will feature Toyota’s Mutual Driving Agreement that mothers and daughters can e-sign and share via Facebook for a chance to win monthly prizes. In addition to signing the Agreement, teens can upload a photo on the microsite of them and their mom “air driving” for a chance to win a trip to New York City to be featured in the February 2014 issue of Teen Vogue.

Building on its 10-year relationship with the National Safety Council, Toyota supports the Council’s DriveitHOME initiative, launched in March at www.driveithome.org. Designed by and for parents of newly licensed teen drivers, the online community uses highly visual media to educate parents on the dangers facing teens on the road and ways to coach recently licensed drivers. Like Toyota Driving Expectations, DriveitHOMEencourages the conversation about safe habits to continue long after teens receive a license.

Courtesy of Toyota Press Room

Maintenance Tip Monday

Lights

One indicator or blinker is flashing faster than the other

When you indicate one way and the blinker flashes quicker than when you indicate the other way, it means one of the bulbs has blown. An auto parts store will be able to tell you what sort of bulb you need to replace it with and your manual should show you how to get at the indicator bulbs - they're different on every car.

Don't touch the glass when changing headlight bulbs

Most headlight bulbs now are filled with halogen and have special coatings on the outside of the glass. If you pick the bulb up by the glass with your fingers, you will leave trace amounts of oil and grease on the glass. When the bulb is used, that area of the glass will get hotter than the rest and it will eventually cause the bulb to crack. When changing headlight bulbs, only hold the metal bulb holder at the base, or make sure you're wearing rubber surgical / mechanic's gloves (clean ones) if you're touching the glass. 

Courtesy of Carbibles.com

Fantasy Friday!

It’s Fantasy Friday fans! We’d like to know, what’s in your dream 5-car garage? Share your top picks with us in the comments!

Let's Go Places, with Toyota!

Toyota Motor Sales No. 1 Retail Manufacturer in March 2013

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported March 2013 sales results of 205,342 units, an increase of 4.8 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. Unadjusted for 27 selling days in March 2013 versus 28 in March 2012, TMS sales were up 1.0 percent over the year-ago month. 

For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 529,444 vehicles, an increase of 10.1 percent over the same period in 2012 on a DSR basis.  With 76 selling days in the first quarter of 2013 compared to 77 selling days in the first quarter of 2012, sales were up 8.7 percent on an unadjusted raw volume basis.

"The auto industry continued its string of impressive monthly results, and at Toyota we had our best month since Cash for Clunkers in August of 2009,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.  “A strong first-quarter close and increased consumer confidence continue to position the auto industry as a leader in the economic recovery.”

Toyota Division posted March total sales of 182,152 units, up 3.1 percent year-over-year on a DSR basis.  Volume-wise, Toyota Division sales decreased 0.5 percent over March 2012.

Lexus reported March total sales of 23,190 units, up 19.4 percent on a DSR basis and up 15.1 percent by raw volume compared to the same period last year.

“With our strong new products, Lexus’ March sales were up 19 percent, and year-to-date we are now 17 percent ahead of last year’s sales pace,” said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “For me, it’s great to be back at Lexus, and I look forward to partnering with our dealers and associates to continue Lexus’ innovation and success.”

Other Highlights:

• Toyota, Lexus and Scion combined were the No. 1 retail manufacturer
• Toyota was the No. 1 retail nameplate
• Avalon sales of 6,982 units, up 109.9 percent
• Corolla sales of 31,423 units, up 11.1 percent
• Toyota Division truck sales of 75,119 units, up 7.3 percent
• RAV4 was the best-selling truck with sales of nearly 16,500 units
• Tacoma and Tundra up 21.2 and 7.9 percent, respectively
• Sienna sales of 12,062 units, up 17.8 percent
• 4Runner sales of 4,609 units, up 13.4 percent
• Lexus passenger car sales up 13.1 percent
• Lexus LS sales up 71.0 percent, with 980 units sold
• Lexus ES sales of 6,798 units, up 116.4 percent
• Lexus RX sales of 9,072 units, up 28.6 percent
• Total Lexus Hybrid sales of 3,617 units, up 7.4 percent on a DSR basis

*Note: Unless otherwise stated, all figures reflect unadjusted raw sales volume (compared to the year-ago month).


Courtesy of Toyota News Room