Warm Weather Driving Prep: Get Your Vehicle Set for Summer

Summer’s a’comin’! So, it’s time again to treat your vehicle to a little TLC. Last November, we posted a list of everything you might need to tackle winter driving conditions. Now that the studded and snow tires have (hopefully) been removed, here’s how to travel worry free into the warmer months:

 

1. Check tires. Remove and store your winter tires, and rotate all-season radials.

2. Check tire pressure. And check again. Because air pressure increases with temperature you’ll want to check your tire pressure more frequently during the summer months.

3. Check brakes for noise. You’re looking for grinding, squealing, screeching or chatter. Excessive amounts of any or all mean it’s time to invest in new ones.

4. Replace windshield wiper blades. They took a beating over the winter.

5. Wash it! And not just the parts you can see. Spray the underbody and undersides of both bumpers to get rid of build-up. As for the body, wash it in the shade. Then wax it. But wait until it’s completely dry before doing so.

6. Apply “sunscreen”. Hours in the sun can result in the cracking of any vinyl surface or the fading of cloth. Apply a protectant… reapply when needed.

7. Clean – and clean OUT – the interior. You don’t want your old trash blowing around when it’s finally warm enough to drive with the windows down.

8. Change the oil. Consider synthetics… they’re specifically designed for warm weather engine protection.

9. Check all fluids. That means brake, transmission, coolant, power steering and windshield washer fluid. Replace, or refill, to proper levels.

10. Test the AC.

11. Examine belts and hoses for wear or deterioration.

12. Consider assembling a car care kit, if you don’t already have one. Include a couple large bottles of water, non-perishable food items, jumper cables, a flashlight with extra batteries, road flares or an emergency beacon, basic hand tools, and a first aid kit. Maybe throw in a blanket, just in case.

Finally, be aware that heat often makes people uncomfortable and thus, irritated. Irritated drivers tend to be impatient and less apt to pay attention. Give drivers their space and stay alert.

Now all that’s left to do is plan a road trip! Happy travels!

(To read up on Winter Driving Preparations, visit: http://butlerautogroup.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/oh-no-snow-everything-you-and-your-vehicle-need-for-winter-driving/)

Hyundai Owners Clinic, April 2012

If we thought our first Owners Clinic (at Butler Kia, February 23, 2012) was a success (which we did!) then our second one at Butler Hyundai on April 19, 2012 was nothing short of triumphant.  Close to 80 customers joined us for snacks, conversation with fellow Hyundai owners, and the chance to talk with their sales consultant, service technician and parts advisor.  We answered questions having to do with everything from warranties to spare tire kits to interacting with Hyundai’s in-car technology. We even had a couple of Hyundais up on racks to show owners what their vehicle looks like from the mechanics’ point of view.  Judging from customers’ comments… and the smile on *our* faces, it appears a good time was had by all!

What’s Covered Under a “Bumper to Bumper” Warranty?

Butler Sales Manager Joel Nickerson has the answer.

Leasing vs. Buying: Which Works for You?

When I was a kid my father used to come home with a new car every two years.  I’ve since learned that he had a great need for variety in his life and that, rather than uproot his family so as to accept new jobs in new places he channeled that need in the direction of the car lot.  I don’t know how he financed all those automotive changes but I do know we drove fancy new wheels every other year.

I, on the other hand, drive the one vehicle that makes me consistently happy, a vehicle I continue to love even four years after paying it off (some might argue that paying it off made me love it even more).  I’ll drive it until it doesn’t want to drive anymore.

So, my father was a perfect candidate for leasing while I’m the ideal buyer… right?

At least I used to think so.

We’ve put together a list of the pros and cons of buying and leasing, with a few extras thrown in for context.  If, after reading this, you’re surprised to find you’re a buyer when you thought you were a leaser, or vice versa, drop us a line and tell us what changed your mind.

Here goes:

	LEASING	BUYING
PROS	Down-payment has more impact on monthly payment Sales tax based on monthly payment, not overall price Allows you to drive a new vehicle every few years You’ll never owe more than the vehicle is worth May offer business owners certain tax advantages Might offer lower monthly payments*	Assuming you pay it off, you’ll eventually own the vehicle There are no mileage restrictions Insurance limits may be lower
CONS	You’ll always have a car payment ** Restrictions on the number of miles you drive every year (usually between 12-20 cents per mile, depending on the lease program and the vehicle manufacturer)*** Insurance costs may be higher	Up-front, out-of-pocket costs may be higher (ie: sales tax) Down-payment has less impact on monthly payment The vehicle depreciates faster than you earn equity Might require a higher monthly payment*

Okay, now some clarification:

*One of the most common misconceptions about leasing is that the monthly payment will be lower than buying the same vehicle.  That’s not necessarily true, so says Butler
Acura Sales Manager Mark Zinn.  Mark says the leasing concept was primarily created for business owners in order to allow them to move their fleet from the asset column to the expense column.  Because, let’s face it, we all know our car or truck isn’t an asset; It loses value the second we drive it off the lot and it becomes “used”.  Leasing allows
business owners, and now the rest of us, to “rent” our transportation, investing as little as possible into a depreciating product.   So, say you have your eye on a $30,000
vehicle.  Finance it for 60 months or lease it for 36, either way it will be worth the same amount at the 36 month mark.  The only way you can guarantee a lower monthly payment through leasing is if you would have financed the vehicle for the same length of time.

**You’ll only always have a car payment if you continue to lease new cars.  If however,
you reach the end of your lease but you’ve fallen head over heels for your ride, you may have some options, depending on your lease program.  You can drop the keys off at the dealership and walk away (forever referring to that car or truck as “the one that got
away”), or you can finance the remainder of the vehicle’s value and turn the lease into a loan.

***Mileage restrictions. As we mentioned in the Pros and Cons, the penalty for driving more than the allotted number of miles per year can be pretty steep at 12 to 20 cents per mile.  But let’s put it in perspective.  Mark Zinn says, “There’s no such thing as a person driving too many miles to lease.”  Here’s why:  When you lease a vehicle you are guaranteed a residual value, or the predetermined value of the car at the end of the lease
period.  That value is figured by taking into consideration the amount of wear and tear the vehicle will go through in your care.  Your sales consultant will ask you how many miles a year you think you’ll drive before arriving at a residual value.  So, say you think you’ll drive the $30,000 car that’s calling your name 10,000 miles a year and your sales consultant guarantees you residual value of $15,000.  But then you drive the vehicle 12,000 miles a year.  When you turn it back in it’s less valuable than it would have been if you’d stuck to your original estimate.  So, in order to guarantee you the $15,000
equity residual value, the dealer has to charge you the difference between what was promised and what the vehicle’s now worth.

On the other hand, if you bring your leased vehicle in at the end of the contract with fewer miles on it, and that leads to an appraisal higher than the residual value, the dealer owes you money!  The bottom line is the wear and tear you put on your vehicle will result in lowered value.  As an owner, you may make money when you decide to sell it but, you
could also lose money.  With a lease, you’ll either make money or break-even but you’ll never lose money.

Which brings me back to my family’s automotive history.  Remember my father, the perfect lease customer?  Well, he’s surprised us all and stuck with the same car for at least the past 5 years.  And as for me… I’m still in love with my little rig and wouldn’t trade it for anything.  But, should I ever need a second car, you can bet I’ll consider a lease.

$25K Hyundai Sonata VS $50K Mercedes Benz E350!

In a recent article MSN Autos recently compared a 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T (with options) to a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 in an effort to describe the difference in value between a $25,000 car and a $50,000 car.

Author Sam Foley wanted to know whether the Benz, which costs literally twice as much as the Sonata, was also twice the car. So he studied the dimensions, powertrain, safety, luxury, reliability, and style of both… and concluded that, either one of the vehicles is wildly overpriced or the other is one is a heck of a bargain. From Butler Hyundai’s perspective, the results are eye-opening!

See for yourself:

Dimensions: The Benz is wider but only by a few inches. And the Hyundai actually boasts more interior room up front.

Powertrain: Despite the fact that the Mercedes sports a 3.5-liter V-6 engine, the Sonata’s turbocharged 2-liter inline 4-cylinder delivers more horsepower. The Hyundai also gets better gas mileage, and runs on less expensive fuel.

Safety: Both vehicles rank the same in crash tests, earning 4-5 stars. But Hyundai garnered those stars after undergoing the more stringent 2011 tests, which Mercedes has yet to submit to.

Luxury: The E350 is plush, but unless you want to pay another $1,620, you won’t get real leather. You will in the Sonata, though. In fact, the Sonata Limited is as already as tricked out as it can get, minus the $2,100 navigation system. But if you want to pimp your Benz, you’ll be shelling out *at least* another $25,000.

Reliability: JD Power and Associates gave both vehicles a 4-star rating. But the Hyundai’s warranties are better: 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper compared to the E-Class’s 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper. Mercedes customers can, however, fork out another 3-grand for extended coverage.

Style: Both cars could be considered beautiful but, of course, that determination is in the eye of the beholder. The Mercedes features wood trim; The Hyundai sports a little more plastic. But, all other things considered, Mr. Foley wants to know, is that detail worth the $25,000 difference in price?

The answer is up to you… only you know what matters to you when you’re buying a car. If it’s the manufacturer’s name, status, and long history, you might lean towards the Mercedes. But, if you’re like most of us who want the best value for our dollar, the Hyundai is the better buy.

To read the entire article: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspxcpdocumentid=1184001&page=2

Hyundai at the Oscars

If you watched the 2011 Academy Awards Presentation you know Hollywood’s royalty shared the spotlight with another star:  Hyundai!  Now in its third year as the Oscar’s Exclusive Automotive Sponsor, Hyundai garnered nine commercial spots prior to and during the extravaganza.  In keeping with Academy rules, the automaker also brought in the “guest voice” of Jason Bateman to allow regular spokesman Jeff Daniels to participate in the festivities surrounding his second consecutive Oscar nomination.  Obviously, none of the awards were vehicle related but if they had been, all it takes is one look at the looooong and ever-growing list of Hyundai Accolades (check it out here: https://butlerhyundai.wordpress.com/accolades-2/) to know who would have driven off with the statue!

2011Hyundai Sonata Wins International Car of the Year

Winning the International Car of the Year (ICOTY) title is a little like taking the crown for Miss Universe (although we bet there’re fewer tears)… both are a unique mix of popularity contest, beauty contest, and talent show. 

So, when the 2011 Hyundai Sonata was effectively handed the tiara last month, we were curious:  What was it about the Sonata that blinded the judges to all the other contestants?  Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY Executive Producer, provided the answer.  “With a completely new look for 2011, the Sonata really took us by surprise,” she said.  “Hyundai laces the new Sonata with serious hardware including sporty suspension tuning and a strong powertrain that achieves best-in-class fuel economy scores.  Combine that with a stunning shape and design, it truly is a complete package that will satisfy the emotional connection consumers seek when shopping for a mid-size sedan.” And she didn’t even mention the swimsuit scores.

Hyundai’s Mission – 35 MPG by 2015, 50 MPG’s By 2025

As part of Hyundai’s mission to offer the most efficient line of U.S. vehicles, the South Korean automaker publicly stated in 2010 that it intends its entire fleet to average 50 mpg by 2025. So how’s progress? You don’t have to go far to find out. John Krafcik, Hyundai’s U.S. Chief says the company figured fuel economy is discussed internally; Why not discuss it externally?

So, fuel economy gains will now be prominently featured in monthly sales reports. It helps that the numbers are good. In January 2011, Hyundai models averaged 34.7 mpg, tantalizingly close to the company’s 2015 goal of 35 mpg, and beyond the federal requirement of 34.1 by 2016. Ah, it’s good to be an overachiever.

For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/4u68ffa

Are There Too Many Options?

America was founded on the premise that her citizens should have options, and not only options but, the freedom to choose among them. The founding fathers were primarily concerned with religion and politics but, the idea pretty much sums up the free market system, as well.

Which is exactly the problem. Sometimes there’s just too much to choose from.

While grocery shopping the other day I spent 20 minutes in the toothpaste aisle. It’s not that there are too many brands to choose from, it’s that each brand has an entire array of products.

There’s toothpaste to whiten, freshen, and protect; to ward off sensitivity, plaque and gingivitis; to battle germs, prevent bacteria and strengthen enamel. There’s regular, there’s gel, there’s some swirly combination of both. And then there are the flavors: Cinnamon, mint, citrus breeze, root beer, licorice, and, for those rare diehard carnivores, pork. There’s even one the brains at MIT allege can forecast the weather (I kid you not: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/mit-media-labs-build-weather-forecasting-toothpaste%E2%80%94with-flavors-5-1-2010/). Is it any wonder my brain short circuits if I even consider moving past “Regular Tooth Paste”? But the real question is, why do I find it so annoying to wade through the broad selection of toothpaste but on the other spectrum, excessively liberating to have just as many, if not more, choices when buying a car?

The view from my office in the Butler Acura showroom includes any number of Fords, Acuras, Hyundais and Kias, one super clean Mini-Cooper, a Dodge Ram and a handful of Ford F-150s (to see what I see visit: www.butlerman.com.) They are new and previously loved, sedans and hatchbacks, trucks, crossovers and SUVs. They represent a host of options, colors, and possibilities. I love having the ability to see each and every one of them and, unless they’ve been sold by the time I get around to them, I plan to test drive them all. I’m looking forward to it.

So far, my “research” has put me behind the wheel of an Acura MDX, Acura RDX, Ford F-150 King Ranch, and a sweet 2011 Ford Mustang. This weekend, I drove one of Butler’s new powerful 2011 F-150 Lariats, you know, just to get a feel for the latest class of Ford trucks. In seeing my temporary ride, and knowing me the way she does, my mom smiled and nodded. “You have a good job,” she said.

So, I guess it comes down to passion. Obviously, someone (at Crest, Colgate and, apparently, MIT) is in love with toothpaste. For that person, the more toothpaste options, the better… even if he’s still driving the same car he’s had since high school. I, on the other hand will revel in every new car and truck that rolls onto our lot, while continuing to stick to Regular Crest. In doing so, both us are confirming our right to choose, upholding our freedom of choice. Being American.

Best, Worst, and Weirdest Car Names Ever

 

The infamous Chevy Nova

Remember the story about Chevy and the Nova? The auto maker’s efforts to market the car in Latin America failed spectacularly . Turns out “no va” in Spanish means “it doesn’t go”, and nobody wants a car that doesn’t go!

The story is usually cited to illustrate the difficulties in translation when it comes to naming vehicles. But I’m not concerned with what American model names may mean in other languages so much as in what they mean – or don’t mean – in America.

Here’s a pretty comprehensive list of the best, worst and weirdest car names: http://www.forbes.com/2004/07/12/cx_dl_0712feat.html. But there must be others out there… can you think of any?