Monday, November 30, 2009

Happy Cyber Monday!!

What is Cyber Monday??




Happy Cyber Monday everyone! What is cyber monday you ask? The video above gives a really good description of this new cultural phenomenon that really goes to show how far online shopping has come in the last few years. With black Friday being one of the biggest in store shopping days of the year for retailers, cyber Monday is starting to really gain some steam. Its online retailers way of catering to their more net savvy customers and helping people who can't get out to the stores take advantage of great holiday savings. Plus its a great marketing idea that gets more business for stores online as opposed to just in the store. How does this relate to the car business you ask? Great question? I have to just sit back in awe and wonder why during a time of such great savings and deals that people are very slow to pull the trigger on a new car purchase during this time of year. Incentives are at their peak during this time of the year and the Preston Auto Group has made it easy for our online customers to take advantage of online shopping like never before with our newly redesigned internet department. Let me be the first to introduce you to cyber Monday....and invite you to save on a brand new car as well as your annual christmas shopping! Visit www.prestonauto.com for more information and for previews of great incentives on new and pre owned vehicles!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Turkey Day!!!

It has arrived. Today is the eve of, in my opinion, the best holiday of the year, Thanksgiving!! For me there are many reasons why this is my favorite holiday. First lets start off with the obvious, being around all of your family and tons of great food and every kind of pie you could think of. It has been a tradition that my family always hosts Thanksgiving, so lets just say I always wake up to the smell of that giant turkey being cooked. After that, my thanksgiving usually consists of this, eating,watching NFL football games, eating some more, watching some more football, take a siesta, and just relaxing all day!! Being an outdoors man, it is also the start of deer hunting season, where for the past few years I travel up to Tionesta, PA where I stay the whole weekend with friends and a camp. All in all it's definitely my favorite time of the year and as soon as its over you already get to start looking forward to Christmas.

I would imagine everyone has their own little traditions that they do this time of the year and I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Van Man


I'm actually excited about a van but there is probably a reason for that. When I turned 16 there were not one but two vans parked in my driveway. On my sixteenth birthday I got behind the wheel of my mom's Ford Windstar, put my hand over the passenger's headrest, looked into the rear view window, and backed down my driveway. At this point I'm really not hiding anything so I will share with you that there was a leopard cover over the steering wheel too difficult to remove and a sign under the license plate simply stating; Yield to the Princess.



Now let me explain a couple more things. I was 16 one year before all my friends and I had a van so the effeminate qualities the vehicle had were insignificant to me at the time. I had a ride and so did they. So I grew up driving a van and I am sure at one point in my life I will be behind one once again. The feeling I had, at sixteen, driving through the streets of my old town was a distinct feeling of importance. A feeling quite similar to any middle aged man getting looks in his new Sienna, unashamed and comfortable. Yield to the Princess for these times' are a changing. The new 2011 Toyota Sienna is almost here, and when it arrives, please don't put a leopard steering wheel cover on it.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Thanksgiving Honda Style

Last week, after I blogged a little bit about the Happy Honda Days promotion, I figured with all the attention Honda pays to the Holidays there must be some good video out there! Here is a great Ridgeline commercial from a few years ago I had never seen before, I know you will enjoy it! Happy Thanksgiving!


Thursday, November 19, 2009

TOYOTATHON!!!

Tis the season. That's right, it's that time of year again, Toyotathon!! For a limited time, there are super savings going on right now here at Preston Toyota. Whether you prefer to lease or purchase, whether it's a car, suv, van, or truck that you are looking for, no problem.....Preston Toyota got you covered. Seriously, due to finance rates as low as 0% on select models and the incredible residual values, it has never been a better time to get into a new Toyota.

One quote that I heard a lot growing up was "Practice what you preach." Now I could sit here tell you how great of time it is right now to get into a Toyota and one might ask..."if now is definitely the time, why haven't you done so yourself?"

The car I was originally driving was purchased when I was doing a ton of traveling for my job. Sooooo, lets just say I put my fair share of miles on that vehicle. Now that I work for Preston Motors, I won't be traveling for my job anymore, so I started thinking...... It would be nice to get into a new vehicle. However, I kind of knew that the trade in value of my vehicle was less then what I owed on it, especially due to the miles!!!! Well, NO PROBLEM!! I just started leasing a brand new 2010 AWD Toyota Rav4 with nothing more down then my first months payment and plate fees. And the best part is that my payments are where I want them to be!!!!

Toyotathon is back!!!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Green Week!!

I`m sure you all know that this week is Green Week, and we all know that Toyota is doing it`s part by producing enviromentally safe and fuel efficient vehicles. So, what can we do? I thought I`d give you some tips on how to live green, it`s alot easier than you`d think! Here are some ideas on how to reduce your carbon footprint!

What we can do to be green at work:

-Re-use office paper by printing on the other side for interoffice documents.
-Purchase only acid free recycled paper for everyday photo copies.
-Use of recycled, brown paper large document envelopes
-Offering invoices by email
-Limit mailings by inserting occasional small flyers with our billing invoices
-Using energy star light bulbs as much as possible. LED bulbs do not contain mercury
-Turning off computers and monitors over nights and weekends whenever possible


At Home:

-Buy locally produced goods as much as possible. This cuts down on carbon emissions and helps support your local economy.
-Are you in the market for a new car? Consider a slightly used car with efficient fuel economy.
-Buy organic food and other organic products as much as you can
-Reuse cloth or other strong bags at the grocery and other retail stores. Keep bags in the trunk of the car (I love Trader Joe's bags, they are very strong and sturdy). Support companies that are trying to make a difference environmentally.
-Consider purchasing more products sold in metal or glass containers.
Reuse a non bacterial metal or plastic drinking bottle. Refill with a larger plastic water container that you can refill or at the filtered tap
-Reuse containers and reduce consumption waste. Ask yourself, "Does that product that I want to buy really need to be packaged in all that plastic?"and "Do I really need it?"
-Wrap your water heater in a special made blanket that you can find at your local hardware store to insulate, save energy and save money on the electric bill.
-Take shorter showers and conserve water use in the kitchen and garden whenever possible
-Use cold water and biodegradalbe, phosphate and petrochemical free soap for laundry
-Use more natural, biodegradable cleaning products.
Unplug chargers and small appliances that aren't being used.
-Keep the thermostat between 65-68 degrees and wear layers in the winter months

The 2010 Buick "Lexus Fighter"



General Motors definately has some ground to cover since their most recent financial difficulties. Just before tumbling into the disgrace of Chapter 11, GM finally figured out something to carry itself outside of the mediocracy of the past decade. Maybe your parents or even your granparents once looked at Buick as a contender with most car companies, but over the years Buick's luxerious reputation fueled by powerful engines has faded. There are many reasons for this but the most important thing to understand is that the Buick Lacrosse, once dubbed the Buick "Lexus Fighter," is back and easily one of the best redesigns of the year.

"I will never buy another American made car again."

The mutterings of a compliant customer throughout the nineties and early 20th century slowly become a faint whisper as your behind the wheel of 2010 Lacrosse. The ride remains more quiet than the past models and seemingly just as smooth. Buick has decided that one of its brand characteristics will be hushed motoring. Even on the highway the wind noise is seemingly faint to silent behind the continious hum of the concrete below the tires.

Celebs and their Hybrids







So,l the other day I was indulging in my worst habit, reading gossip blogs, when I came across a story about Ashton Kutcher buying his wife(Demi Moore) a Prius for her birthday. My first thought was, with all his money, he went with a Prius?? Not that I don`t love them, I think the 2010`s are awesome, but why not a designer handbag, a nice piece of jewelry, or a trip to some remote island? So then I started thinking, I wonder how many other celebs are taking a step towards helping the environment by purchasing a hybrid vehicle? The list is huge! Some names included were, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, Will Ferrel, Alicia Silverstone, and Brad Pitt. Also Miley Cyrus just traded in her mom`s Porche for a Prius! I found over 50 celebrities that drive the Toyota Prius and countless more who have turned in their luxury cars for hybrids. I think it`s very telling that these celebrities who could drive just about anything choose to drive Hybrids!!


“It gets 52 miles per gallon. In the city. Isn't that exciting?”- Cameron Diaz




"I absolutely love our Prius. In addition to being obviously economical and environmentally friendly, they drive great and are just plain sexy. There’s no reason all Americans shouldn't’t be driving hybrid cars."- Will Ferrell

Monday, November 16, 2009

Happy Honda Days....Here Again!!


Its getting to be that time of year again. The weather is changing, football season is in full swing, and people all over are starting to think of Thanksgiving and Christmas which are right around the corner. With all the excitement going on, family dinners, holiday get togethers etc...its not a popular time for most people to be thinking of purchasing a new vehicle with all the other things going on in their lives. This is why American Honda Motor, in conjunction with Preston Honda would like to officially announce the start of our Happy Honda Days annual holiday sales Event. If you find yourself in need of a vehicle upgrade, or simply want to see what new makes and models are offered that may fit into your budget, there has never been a better time to do so than now. With the end of the 2009 model year, and the arrival of most new 2010 models Honda has really made an effort to accommodate their customers with fantastic incentives for the holiday season. In a time where leasing has mostly disappeared Honda is offering some of the most competitive leases of the decade. Residuals on all Honda models are at an all time high, and special lease rates are available on most models. Offering customers a great alternative to the traditional purchase in a time where other manufacturers are not. Special leases are available now on most 2010 models including the 2010 Accord, Civic, Pilot, Odyssey and all new hybrid Insight just to name a few. Leasing not for you? Enjoy special low APR from Honda Financial as low as 1.9% for 36 months and 2.9% for up to 60 months on ALL 2009 and 2010 Models! How special is this you ask? So special, that many of our customers can trade up from a new vehicle they just purchased, to a new model year Honda and not only keep their payments the same, but in some cases lower them! Please contact us at Preston Honda to go over some of your personal options 1-888-839-7855 or visit our website at www.prestonhonda.com to view our inventory.

Friday, November 13, 2009

My opinion? The Prius...

Which do you think is better? Take a look at this 2-part informational video that compares and contrasts the Toyota Prius vs. the Honda Insight. It is really interesting, check it out and decide for yourself which you think is better!



Thursday, November 12, 2009

It's about that time of year again

Fantasy football playoffs are approaching!!!!! Any strategic roster moves that need to be made in order to be standing at the top of the league come week 16 need to be made NOW. Of course unless your like myself and are a fantasy football guru and your roster is already in tip top shape. ( hence the reason why people the league are always asking me if I want to make a trade with them) Now, I know there are a lot of people who think fantasy football is pointless and has no meaning ( one being my roommate who never had a good thing to say about fantasy football until he joined the league and now enjoys it like everyone else.) Well I beg the differ. In our Preston Auto league, there is a ton of strategy, competition, and of course, some trash talking. All in all its really fun and gives us co-workers another reason to get together and joke around, and most of all have some friendly competition. I posted the standing below as of week 9. Only the top 4 teams will make the playoffs and playoffs start week 15. Only time will tell who be crowned champion!!!

Da King 14-4
Dice Ekting Opponents 11-7
Canes Cuz 10-8
Bucked up 10-8
Gambler's Anonymous 9-9
Spin Stealers 9-9
Jelli 500 9-9
Giordano's Giants 8-10
Rock Flag and Eagle 6-12
Team5 4-14

Dog-Friendly Element!!





The Honda Element has never been a vehicle that tried to appeal to the mass population. Built on the CR-V platform the Element went out of its way to be different and therefore it has a charm that's all its own. From the boxy shape to the water-resistant FXC (Fabric for Extreme Conditions), the versatility of the Element is unparalleled. Now Honda has given the Element another niche to fill: The people who travel with their dog on a regular basis.

Honda has released a whole package called the Dog-Friendly package for the Honda Element. This package is designed to make it completely convenient for one to take their family dog on any trip they desire. The kit comes with a stowable ramp, pet bed, water bowl, large or small dog kennel and more! Come see us and let us show you how we can make your pet enjoy going for a ride in the car even more than they already do!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A Consumer's Consumer















I love fruit smoothies, Subway sandwiches, and leases.

What?

When I went to college in Texas, I worked at a place called Smoothie King. I ate a nutritional smoothie almost everyday I worked. I even gave them a visit on my off days. I worked at Subway for a little while and still continue to enjoy a "five dollar, five dollar foot long." I never said I liked the commercials. I also just recently leased a Corolla from Preston Motors. There really is no better compliment I could give to these three establishments. The employee will know the ins and outs of how the product is made and which way it would be best to utilize it as a consumer. I'm not talking about the sandwiches anymore. Being in the working world now but not exactly sure what to do, I had my truck appraised at Preston's. The appraisal was fair but I wasn't too sure what to do with the money, and what sort of vehicle to get into. A one pay lease was the answer to my questions. In three years I plan to be in a different place financially and in the meantime why not drive a more fuel efficient, brand new car!

It's not just about convenience, but more of utilizing a financial opportunity. What better way to build my credit after college than going into a one pay lease. Not only do you save yourself some money with the interest, but you also get the payments in on time without even worrying about it.
So I can no longer tell my customer's, "Hey, I drive a Toyota with 100,000 miles on it and I've never had a problem." Now I can say, "Hey, I drove a Toyota with 100,000 miles without a single problem, and then traded it in for a brand new Corolla!"


Monday, November 9, 2009

Long Distance?

(04 Mazda RX-8, I took a similar one in on trade from Massachusetts)

People always wonder why other people drive so far, "just to buy a car". Well today, I'm here to explain why these smart consumers who are willing to travel for a used car are actually smarter than you may think!

Lately, I have been 'the out of state salesman'. I have sold two vehicles to customers in Massachusetts, one in Michigan, hopefully one tomorrow from Western Ohio, and a couple pending from Michigan and Illinois. Now you may wonder, "why would someone ever drive that far, simply to buy a car?" But, you need to think about that question, most of the time you can answer it, without that much thought.

>>>> ITS TO GET A GOOD DEAL!!! (duh!)

Here at Preston Auto, we believe in selling cars for a small profit, so that we can get more satsified customers, and more Preston plate tags out there, so that we can get a lot of referral and repeat business in the future. Many other dealers like to sell cars at higher profit margins, so that they can make more money, but something they don't realize they're sacrificing is there customers loyalty! If you go to ABC Motors and buy a car for $15,000 and find out 2 days later that you could have gotten a similar car for $14,000 at XYZ Motors then you have an unsatisfied customer, who is more than likely, going to shop around at XYZ before they go back to ABC. In essence, stick with me here guys, Prestons is XYZ; we'd rather sell you a car for less, hoping you will send us more customers, and buy your next vehicle here as well.

So, these people who come from miles away, are saving tons of money! The one customer from Masschusetts came down because the they needed a specific Toyota Tacoma and the only ones up that way were way too expensive, or not anything they were looking for, and so they made the trip down to get a great deal. Another customer from Massachusetts was looking for a specific Camry, the V6 SE model, with leather, which isn't too abundant, but moreso, the ones he found online cost way more than the one he bought from us. Can you see the pattern here?!

The only cost to the customer from out of state is the gas to get down here, and most of the time, they don't mind taking the mini road trip anyway!
What I'm getting at here, is never think that traveling a distance for a used car is ever too far! We can help you out with taking care of taxes and all here at our dealership. Give me a call and I'll be happy to share any information I can about some of these stories!

(One car I took in on trade from Massachusetts)

More work for local factory

The all new 2010 Honda Crosstour


Honda begins mass producing new vehicle in Ohio


(AP) – 5 days ago




EAST LIBERTY, Ohio — Honda Motor Co. says it has begun mass production in Ohio of its new crossover utility vehicle.


The automaker says the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour began rolling off the line Monday night at the company's factory in East Liberty.


It's the largest vehicle ever produced at the plant, which also makes the Honda CR-V and Honda Element.


Honda says the Crosstour combines the features of a sedan with a sport utility vehicle.
Honda's engine plant in nearby Anna is supplying the V-6 engines for the Crosstour. The transmissions are being supplied by the Honda plant in Russells Point.
The Crosstour goes on sale Nov. 20.






Thursday, November 5, 2009

Toyota Sports Car


Toyota announced that it is taking a significantly larger stake in Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries. The two companies will actually come together and create a small, inexpensive rear-wheel-drive coupe for various markets. Word on the street is that the rear wheel drive version will be a 2.0l 4cyl with 175 horsepower. However there is speculation that there will be a turbocharged option that will give the customer all wheel drive and up to 300 horsepower. Although the vehicle will be built in a Subaru plant, Toyota is directing the design and overall development effort. Also, even though both companies are joining ideas, each model will feature distinctive front and rear styling. It is said that this vehicle will arrive somewhere between 2010-2011. One of the most encouraging things is that the buzz has been that this sports car will sell for less then $20,000.

The Accord Crosstour First Drive!




The Honda Accord badge is legendary. The accord is the vehicle that can be different things for different people. It is the epitome of practicality when one buys the vehicle in sedan form. Yet even in its most stately model it still has an underlying sportiness that can't be denied. For those that don't need to accommodate for a family, they can opt for the coupe model that has an extraordinary amount of style. Most recently Honda decided to open up one more option to the consumers out there who need an Accord but also might want to carry some extras around town.

This newest Accord dubbed "Accord Crosstour" has a cabin that is very similar to most other Accords yet it is one step higher on the luxury scale. The gauges on the dash have a blue ambiance that isn't available on other accords. The Crosstour comes standard with an upgraded sound system, dual-climate control, and 17-in alloy wheels. These options make the Crosstour a very appealing choice for those who wish to combine luxury with utility and not have to sacrifice appealing looks.

The standard engine is the 3.5L V6 with 271Hp to help make this crossover a thrilling ride. This engine is the same one found in the Accord sedan and coupe and therefore provides brisk acceleration without giving up fuel economy numbers.

The Crosstour is the most unique Accord to date and is sure to get people talking. If you're in the market for a vehicle with more cargo space but you don't want to step all the way up to an SUV then this just might be the perfect vehicle for you.

Getting to Know You

Well friends it's Thursday so you know what that means, another employee of the week! This time I got the opportunity to sit down with Jim Barth and find out who our dealership's "Lunch Guru" really is...

Me: "Alright Jim, let's start with the basics. What is your full name?"

JB: "James Morgan Barth"

Me: "What are your nicknames?"

JB: "Bizel and Jimbo"

Me: "When is your birthday?"

JB: "June 3, 1961"

Me: "And where is your hometown?"

JB: "Baldwin, PA"

Me: "Never heard of it! Where is that?"

JB: "South of Pittsburgh."

Me: "How long have you been in the car business?"

JB: "Since 1992. About 17 years."

Me: "What is your favorite Toyota and why?"

JB: "Camry SE, I own one! I like the look, style, comfort, reliability and it makes me feel good!"

Me: "Who are your favorite sports teams?"

JB: "Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins"

Me: "When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

JB: "An airplane pilot."

Me: "Where is your favorite place to get lunch?"

JB: "Olive garden."

Me: "What was your best golf score? Don't lie!"

JB: "70!"

Me: "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"

JB: "I would go to Nassau, Bahamas because it’s the most beautiful place in the world."

Me: "What makes you a great salesman?"

JB: "Patience, listening, and I get it done!!"

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Getting the Facts Straight

Please watch in regards to Toyota floor mats.


John Daly

Vice President of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Preston Auto Ice Holes!


I just realized recently that Preston Auto was in another way reaching out and getting involved in the community in a physical and competitive way, involving bumps and bruises, coaching and teamwork, applauds and boos, and it was something called hockey. Leagues like this do a lot more than you would think for any community and I feel like New Castle's YMCA did an exceptional job running this particular league. I grew up in Texas and moved here a year ago. Let's just say hockey isn't winning any popularity contests where I'm from. I recall sitting in a bar in upstate New York during all the College Football bowl games. I was with a good friend of mine and she looked around at all the televisions and back at me.

"If we were back in Texas, there would be riots in the streets."

Every single television had the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL Winter Classic. All fifteen of them.

Now I'm sitting on my couch drinking a Yuengling and watching the Pens game. If my Texan friends saw me they would gasp but I wouldn't care. I haven't looked back since I put on those pads and crosschecked my manager into a wall. Through the community and team work, the game has taken on a new meaning and life in this Texan.





For updates on the season or to join the New Castle YMCA hockey league simply go to the link below.

http://leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?cmenuid=1&url=ncymca&sid=165726695

Honda New Car Owner Clinic 11-11-2009


Event Date: Wednesday, November 11th at 6:00PM


Come visit the brand new, state of the art Preston Honda and meet the Service personnel at the Preston Honda New Car Service Owner Clinic!! We promise at Preston Honda, to deliver the utmost customer care and service. Preston Honda has a courteous staff that strives to to not only meet our customer's expectations in taking care of their vehicle, but EXCEED them. Preston Honda's service department makes sure that all appointments are done quickly and easily. We understand that your time is very valuable, which is why Preston Honda offers Express Service and Online Scheduling which is very fast as well as efficient. Our goal is to service your vehicle correctly, quickly, and at a price that is easy on your pocket! You will come to find that Preston Honda does offer the most quality and professional service ever!

So come in and see for yourself why you will love our exceptional and professional service! Visit with your sales person and meet the excellent people who make Preston Honda a customer service leader! It's going to be a night of fun! We're going to have giveaways, beverages, and fantastic hors d'oeuvres. You will have an opportunity to not only ask questions but view some of newest models on display as well! This special event will be held at our brand new Honda state-of-the-art service and sales facility! We look forward to seeing you and enjoying a night a fun! For more information, and to RSVP for this special event, please click the following link! http://tiny.cc/NewCarOwnerClinic861

Sincerely,

Your friends at Preston Honda service