Sneak Peek: Toyota Furia Concept

Toyota will reveal the Furia concept at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show on January 14. Visit http://new.livestream.com/Toyota/Detroit2013 to follow the live reveal.

 

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Toyota Expand National Buckle Up for Life Program to Orange County

Responding to disproportionate risks that African American and Hispanic children face in motor vehicle-related crashes, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center today announced the expansion of the groundbreaking safety education program Buckle Up for Life to Orange County (Calif.). Buckle Up for Life – or Abrochate a la Vida in Spanish – is the only national program of its kind.  This is the first time the program will be available in Orange County, joining seven other Buckle Up for Life locations nationwide. 

  Research analyzed by medical experts at Cincinnati Children’s – a national leader in pediatric and adolescent medicine – shows that, due to multiple factors, African American and Hispanic children are significantly less likely than non-African American and non-Hispanic children to be buckled up in seat belts or car seats.

  Key Facts

  ·        Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. between the ages of 1 and 12.
·        Three out of every four car seats are not used or installed correctly and almost 50 percent of fatally injured children were unrestrained at the time of a crash.
·        African American and Hispanic children are as much as ten times more likely than Caucasian children to be unrestrained while traveling in a car.
·        In crashes involving fatalities in children under 14, seat belt use is lower among African Americans than among all other race or ethnic groups.
·        Hispanic children are significantly less likely to be buckled up than non-Hispanic children across all age groups.

  In one pilot city, Buckle Up for Life nearly tripled the number of children properly restrained in seat belts and car seats among the families who participated.  The program was founded and is jointly led by Cincinnati Children’s and Toyota, in coordination with local hospital partners, such as Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

  Toyota and local hospital partners are doubling the reach of Buckle Up for Life

  The expansion of Buckle Up for Life to Orange County is part of an effort by Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s to double the program’s reach.  The Orange County program joins other new programs in Las Vegas, Nev.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Houston, Texas.  Buckle Up for Life programs are already in place with local hospital partners in Chicago; Cincinnati, Ohio; and San Antonio, Texas.  The program has also been deployed successfully in Los Angeles.

  Working in close coordination with local churches, Buckle Up for Life meets people in their own community.  The program’s experts work closely with local clergy to reach parents, caregivers and children with critical, interactive and culturally sensitive safety information and expanded access to car seats.

“At Toyota, we are strongly committed to the belief that everyone deserves to be safe,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation at Toyota Motor North America.  “Through our educational outreach, Collaborative Safety Research Center and numerous partnerships with leading hospitals, nonprofits and research universities nationwide, Toyota is engaged extensively in programs that help ensure that drivers and passengers are safe at every stage of life.  Buckle Up for Life is a vital commitment for Toyota, and we are proud to be working with the visionary medical staff at Cincinnati Children’s, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and with local hospital partners across the country to expand its reach.”

  “The Buckle Up for Life program is a safety program that helps save lives and reduce the number of injuries and deaths of children while riding in cars.” says Jeffrey S. Upperman, MD, director, Trauma Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  “The Children's Hospital Los Angeles Injury Prevention Program is committed to safety and intervention throughout Southern California and beyond. By extending this program to Orange County, we can offer key safety intervention to a greater audience and keep more children safe."

  Toyota’s support for Buckle Up for Life is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to help make local communities safer and stronger.  The company has contributed more than 600 million dollars to nonprofits throughout the United States over the past 20 years.

 

Article Courtesy of Toyota

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Preserve your car during long-term storage

Not going to use your car for more than a month? Make sure you store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return by placing a vapor barrier on your garage floor. A 4-mil polyethylene drop cloth will do.

Your Monday Maintenance Tip courtesy of Reader's Digest.

Toyota fights back in crossover wars with new RAV4

If there's one thing you can say about the current Toyota RAV4, it's distinctive. With a clunky spare tire hanging off the side-opening rear gate in most versions, there is no mistaking the compact crossover for any of the other look-alikes currently in the market.

But the appearance is dated, so Toyota hopes to make a styling and a sales statement with the new version that it just demonstrated here in the desert.

With a new front end that has a "bolder, more aggressive look" and raft of improvements from stem to stern, the new 2013 RAV4 should be able to boost its sales next year past 200,000, says Bill Fay, general manager of the Toyota division. If the mark can be achieved, it would be a big 25% improvement from about 160,000, what it's on track to sell of the outgoing model this year.

Toyota needs the new RAV4, coming to dealers next month, to be a hit. Midsize cars, where Toyota continues to be strong with Camry, and compact crossovers, home to RAV4, continue to be the hottest segments in the auto industry. Many buyers who look at one segment often weigh buying in the other.

Toyota has a built-in advantage. Since the model's debut in 1995, Toyota has sold more than 1.5 million RAV4s. About 80% of them are still being driven, Toyota says. It is banking that many current owners will be willing to replace their old one with the new version.

But unlike the past when small crossovers were largely a three-vehicle sales race between RAV4, Ford Escape and Honda CR-V, every major automaker has stepped into the segment with increasingly strong models -- even German luxury performance brands. Toyota says both the number of models and overall sales have tripled in the segment since 2000.

Against stiffer competition, RAV4 has been outsold through the first 11 months of the year not only by CR-V and Escape, but by Chevrolet Equinox as well. Nissan's Rogue isn't far behind. The new RAV4 is a crossover on a mission.

"What this is going to do is going to do is help Toyota not lose customers to others," says Edmunds.com analyst Jessica Caldwell, who drove the new RAV4 here last week. "It's going to keep people in the Toyota family."

To do it, Toyota engineers went through the current RAV4 to find features to improve, starting with taking the spare tire off the tailgate and burying it spare tire out of sight under the rear cargo area. Now it has a modern liftgate.

In addition, the new one has:

--Better fuel economy. The 2013 RAV4 will be rated at 24 miles a gallon in city driving, 31 mpg on the highway and 26 overall. It's a 2 mpg improvement on the combined. The all-wheel-drive version is expected to come in at 22 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway and 25 mpg overall. Wind drag is cut by a new rear spoiler.

--Six-speed transmission. RAV4 keeps the same 176-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine as the outgoing version, but adds an improved transmission. The powertrain is smooth,though not overly peppy. A "sport" mode button tightens the steering and holds the gears longer, but the notion of making a RAV4 seems to make as much sense as making a Ferrari practical. Toyota says the new RAV4 bolts from zero to 60 in 8.9 seconds, 1.3 seconds faster than the present version. The six-cylinder engine option has been banished. Still want it? Toyota says buy the larger Highlander SUV instead.

--Two more airbags. In an age when automakers always seem to find a way to pack another airbag in family vehicles, Toyota increases RAV4's from six to eight. The two new ones are a knee-level one for the driver and a seat-cushion bag for the front passengerCHK.

--New standard features. The rear-backup camera and a 6.1-inch display screen, previously options, are now standard. As for interesting options, there is now a rear cross-traffic alert system that beeps when it senses another vehicle while the RAV4 is backing in a parking lot.

--More space. The cargo area increases by about 2 cubic feet. The seats are thinner, which makes for more rear legroom, but the roofline tapers towards the rear, which could reduce rear-seat headroom. Overall, the vehicle is about an inch longer if the spare tire on the rear isn't taken into account.

--Quiet. Winding through the desert hills, the RAV4 remained quiet. Toyota says it gave it new aerodynamic outside mirrors to help reduce wind noise.

--Fancier interior. Some of the seat combinations are now two-toned and the interior is also gussied up, with a soft-touch panel with "French stitching" that runs across the dashboard. It's attractive, but it does make it hard to reach the sport and economy mode buttons underneath.

The new RAV4 will be priced at $23,300 for the base model, plus $845 in shipping charges. That's up from $22,650 for the cheapest RAV4 now.

Toyota thinks the more popular version will be the XLE, which has more standard equipment including a sunroof, at $24,290. The fanciest version is the Limited at $27,010, which has larger 18-inch wheels, push button start and Toyota's fancy infotainment system, Entune. Add $1,400 more for all-wheel drive.

Still, RAV4 isn't a luxury barge. The upscale version doesn't come with leather seats. Instead, it has an upscale plastic.

The model will be aimed at young couples with kids, active single people and empty-nest boomers. With a target market that large, Fay indicates it's likely that RAV4's sale campaign will kick off with a Super Bowl ad.

Will it win back the compact crossover segement for Toyota?

It's got a shot, says analyst Caldwell. "It's a compelling package at the price point."

 

Courtesy of USA Today

Toyota and Microsoft working on driver gesture recognition (no, not those gestures)

Raise your hand, palm up, and the radio volume in your car goes up. Toyota sees gesture recognition as one way to reduce the complexity of cars. Not for steering and braking, but to deal with the secondary controls such as infotainment, navigation, or your cellphone. So says Jim Lentz, head of Toyota in the US. The goal is to reduce driver distraction. Toyota’s Board of Awesomeness (seriously) research team is working with Microsoft, a company that has spent years trying to reduce crashes. Their research vehicle is an electric skateboard with a Windows 8 tablet and Kinect motion sensing software (pictured below). In this case, raising or lowering the rider’s hand changes the speed. So, probably, does falling off. This is all theoretical research right now while Toyota and Lexus soldier ahead in production cars with touchscreens, voice recognition, the Entune/Enform infotainment interface, and Remote Touch, the haptic feedback joystick-like device on some Lexuses that controls the LCD display. “Imagine a dashboard where there are no buttons to push… no screens to tap… and your eyes can remain focused on the road. That’s exactly what Toyota is working on,” Lentz said in a speech at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. “This could potentially work in conjunction with voice recognition which sometimes can be hindered by accents or mispronunciations. Hand gestures are pretty universal,” Lentz added. “I’ll wait for a few seconds while you insert your own punch line.” Separately, Lentz said Toyota in Japan is prototyping the Smart Insect (pictured right), a single-passenger electric vehicle with cameras facing inside and outside the car, gesture and voice recognition, motion sensors, and behavior predictions. For instance: Walk up to the car and it recognizes the driver’s face, blinks the headlamps, and unlocks and opens the doors. Sit down and the car says “Hello” or whatever the driver desires. Think custom ringtones-plus. Gesture recognition and the Smart Insect, Lentz says, “are just a few examples of the many types of mobility automakers are creating for a better tomorrow.”

Monday Maintenance: Car Engine Tune Up

Tuning up a car engine can involve inspecting the automatic transmission fluid, the brakes, the brake pads, the drive belts, the evaporative emission system, the fuel tank, the fuel filter, the fuel lines and many other components. Compose a checklist of parts to check during a tune-up with tips from an auto repair shop manager in this free video on car maintenance.

2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

Spirited, versatile and completely redesigned, the 2013 RAV4 is an evolution of the RAV4 revolution that began in 1996. Check out the global reveal at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

December Coupon

Be sure to take advantage of our savings! Print off this coupon to receive two oil changes for the price of one. Hurry, this expires October 31st!

'13 Scion FR-S: A Sporty Funster

The four Scion vehicles are affordable (three of them start in the mid- to high teens) and range from the IQ, a quirky minicar that vies with the Smart Car to be crowned king of the urban parking crevices, and the FR-S, a small sports coupe capable of putting a large smile on your face.

The new-for-2013 FR-S is the product of a Toyota/Subaru joint venture. Its Subaru counterpart, the BR-Z (are you growing weary of these cattle brands yet?) is largely identical mechanically and aesthetically, although there is some styling differentiation up front.

Despite its reasonable price (it starts at $24,200 with the manual gearbox and $25,300 with the automatic), the FR-S is a true sporting machine, a real funster. It's blessed with excellent driving dynamics, thanks in part to its suspension design and the fore-to-aft weight balance afforded by its rear-drive layout.

As a consequence, the FR-S proved a lot of fun to throw around on a back road. The car stayed flat in ambitious corners, exhibiting little body lean, and turned in promptly for those spirited changes in course. The steering is, indeed, another plus. Most electric power steering systems are pretty numb, but this one passes along a decent amount of road feel. It's also very precise, and requires just the right amount of steering effort.

Braking also earns a 4.0 grade-point average. The brake discs are vented, and pretty large for a car with this little body fat - it weighs only a tad over 2,700 pounds. This means the curtain comes down on cruising very quickly if it has to. These binders also please with a firm pedal that's readily modulated.

Motivation is courtesy of a 2-liter four whose diminutive lungs exhale 200 horsepower, thanks, in large part, to the munificence of direct fuel injection. While the FR-S is no stoplight serial killer, its 200 horses and low body weight make for reasonably brisk motoring. The tester, equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox and a Torsen limited-slip differential, got from 0 to 60 in about 6.5 seconds. That's fast enough to be fun.

The FS-R's engine is unusual in that it is horizontally opposed. That means the cylinders lie on their sides, half of them on each side of the crankshaft. This "boxer" design makes for a structurally sound engine, and lowers its center of gravity. That, in turn, lowers the vehicle's center of gravity and enhances handling.

Given its sporting impulses, the FR-S fielded quite acceptable EPA mileage ratings of 25 city and 34 highway.

My only gripe with this engine, and, indeed, the car, was the way it sounded off. Most fours get buzzy when you floor them, but this one was downright noisy. It was fine in normal driving, however.

The FR-S turned out to be the most fun I've had in a Toyota product in a while. I also found the styling interesting. I liked the rather predatory grille opening and the treatments around the wheel openings. This FR-S sheet metal is sporty business, but it aptly pulls up short of boy racer.

 

Courtesy of Philly.com

 

Monday Maintenance: Tips For Storing Your Car Properly

Long term car storage requires a few precautionary steps to ensure the vehicle emerges from storage in tiptop shape. Depending on the length of time a car will be stored, rust, fuel breakdown and other forms of corrosion can take their toll on a vehicle improperly prepared for its period of non-use. The last thing a car owner wants is to retrieve a vehicle from storage only to find it unsuitable for driving due to a dead battery, bad gas in the fuel tank or problems with the crankcase. Avoid these and other problems by taking the proper steps to store a car. 

1. Cover the Vehicle

While it is important to tend to the internal systems of a car when storing it, making sure the exterior of the car stays in good condition is just as vital. When storing a vehicle, cover it. This can be accomplished in several ways. Ideally, a car can sit in a ventilated garage, out of the elements but not entirely sealed off. Other options include a rentable storage unit or a portable garage which consists of a metal frame and a nylon tarp. It is best for a stored car to be indoors, but if this is not possible, cover it at the very least with a breathable canvas car cover crafted with multiple layers for adequate moisture protection. 

2. Fuel System

Given enough time and non-use, gasoline in a car's fuel tank will start to break down and gum up in places, preventing the car from starting. To avoid this, fill up the gas tank before storing a vehicle. Add to the tank a fuel stabilizer designed to prevent hardening. After driving the car for a few miles to work the stabilizer through the system, it's safe to store. Don't store a car with an empty tank, because moisture could creep inside and form rust. 

3. Oil Change

Before storing a vehicle, change both the oil and the oil filter. Old, used oil left to sit inside an engine for a long time may eventually cause corrosion on vital parts. Damage from moisture and acidic substances is possible if the oil is not changed before storage. As with the fuel stabilizer, drive the vehicle for several miles after changing the oil to fully circulate it through the system. 

4. Spark Plugs

Remove all of the spark plugs from the engine block and give them a quick cleaning or replace them if they are black and greasy at the contact point. Into the cylinder pour a small amount of new motor oil, about a teaspoon. Doing this helps to prevent rust from forming in the cylinders. Replace the spark plugs once each cylinder has been lubricated. 

5. Battery

Disconnect the battery from the car. If the top of it is corroded, clean it off using a simple mixture of water and baking soda. Over time the battery will lose its charge, even when disconnected. For best results, attach the battery to a trickle charger to maintain its charge. 

The last thing to do before storing a car is to top off all other fluids including transmission and brake fluids. If these basic steps are followed, upon returning the vehicle to the road, the car should be just as it was before storage.

 

Courtesy of Autos.com

The 2013 Toyota Prius: "Those Who Get It, Get It" with Raphael Saadiq

Toyota Named Best Resale Value Brand for 2013 by Kelley Blue Book

Toyota has earned Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com Best Resale Value Brand Award for the 2013 model year.  This is the second year in a row that Toyota has received the Best Resale Value Brand Award from KBB.com, and it has received this top honor in three of the last four years.

In achieving the award for the top brand, Toyota earned six Best Resale Value Awards for specific 2013 model year vehicle categories   In addition, four Toyota models (FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Tacoma and 4Runner) earned spots on KBB.com’s 2013 Best Resale Value: Top 10 Cars list.

  “We are thrilled that KBB.com has selected Toyota for its Best Resale Value Brand award, and we appreciate Kelley Blue Book’s efforts to help increase consumer awareness as to the importance of resale value when purchasing a car“, said Bill Fay, Group Vice President and General Manager of Toyota division.

2013 KELLY BLUE BOOK BEST RESALE VALUE BY VEHICLE CATEGORY:

FULL-SIZE CAR:	Toyota Avalon
MID-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER:  FULL-SIZE SUV/CROSSOVER:	Toyota FJ Cruiser Toyota Sequoia
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK: FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK:	Toyota Tacoma Toyota Tundra
MINIVAN/VAN:	Toyota Sienna

 
Since vehicle depreciation (or loss of value) is typically a car buyer’s primary expense during ownership, these awards, like all of KBB.com’s new and used vehicle information, are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.
 
Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book^® Official Residual Value Guide, determined by a skilled staff of automotive analysts.  These prestigious awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) after five years of ownership.  Low-volume vehicles and vehicles with a MSRP of more than $60,000 are excluded from award consideration, except in the luxury and high-performance categories.

 

Courtesy of Toyota

Monday Maintenance: The Test Drive

The test drive is one of the most important parts of buying a car. No matter what the car reviews say, if a vehicle doesn't fit you and your lifestyle, you're going to become dissatisfied with it long before that payment book is empty. The test drive is your opportunity to make your own personal assessment in a thorough, hands-on manner. If you're attentive to the details here, you can quickly tell whether or not you and the vehicle are meant for a long-term relationship.

The test drive is your opportunity to make your own personal assessment in a thorough, hands-on manner. When it comes to test driving a vehicle, the more time behind the wheel on various roads, the better. If you can arrange to rent a vehicle that's similar to the one you're considering, it could be worth the cost to be able to spend several days in it. Besides helping you become familiar with the vehicle, a rental car—without the new-car gloss—can also provide a reality check by showing you what yours might be like a year or more down the road. Most often, though, you'll have to make the most of the dealership test-drive. Here are some tips:

Test Drive Tips

• Don't rush. Allow yourself the time to do it properly. A car's true personality (the side you won't find on paper) really only shows up while driving. Also, make sure you can concentrate on the vehicle. If you feel self-conscious or distracted by the salesperson, politely ask him or her if you can drive alone.

• Take another person to the dealership. Your friend can give you a second opinion, take notes while you're driving, or run interference with the salesperson, if necessary.

• Start with the basics. How easy is it to get in and out of the vehicle? Some taller vehicles require a high step-up, which can be awkward for shorter people.

• Does the car fit you? Adjust the seat and steering wheel until you're comfortable. Seats vary quite a bit from one vehicle to the next. A seat that fits one person perfectly may be contoured wrong for someone else. Over the long run, if a seat isn't just right, it can become a real annoyance. Also, can you reach the pedals comfortably without being too close or too far from the steering wheel?

• How's the safety factor? Does the seatbelt fit comfortably across your body, without the shoulder belt cutting into your neck or riding too low? Are the belts adjustable? Is the headrest adjustable? Are there rear headrests?

• Are the controls conveniently located? With all the other distractions of driving, you don't need hard-to-operate controls. Are the dash switches easy to reach and the gauges easy to read? Are commonly used controls positioned high enough so that you don't have to divert your eyes too far from the road?

• Are there places to stow things? Can you fit CDs or cassettes in the center console? Are the cupholders secure and adjustable enough to fit a variety of sizes? Does the rear seat fold down for carrying larger loads in the trunk? On a minivan or sport-utility, can you open and close the rear door or liftgate easily?

• How well can you see in all directions? Are there blind spots that could pose vision problems? Can you see the front of the hood well enough to use it as a gauge when parking? Try pulling into one or more parking spaces to see how easy it is to park.

• Feel free to choose your own driving route so that you can take the car on a variety of road surfaces, from a high-speed highway to a patched-up back road. Is the ride smooth and comfortable or rough and bouncy? If you typically drive on hills, try to include them, too. A car that feels fine on level ground can run out of steam on hills.

• How's the driveability? Is the vehicle easy to steer in a crowded lot without being too vague on the highway? On the road, does the car feel responsive and controlled or sluggish and wallowy? Can you accelerate onto an interstate or freeway comfortably without holding up traffic?

• If you can find an empty stretch of road where you'll be safe, try applying the brakes hard a couple of times. How's the feel of the pedal? Do the brakes respond adequately in proportion to the amount of pressure you apply to the pedal?

• Listen as you drive. How quiet or noisy is the overall experience? Noise typically comes from the engine, wind, and the tires on the road. Also, listen for any squeaks or rattles. There shouldn't be any in a brand new car.

• If you'll be test driving several cars, try to do them in the same day so that your impressions are fresh. When evaluating the differences between vehicles, there's nothing more informative than being able to drive them back to back.

 

Courtesy of Mobil Oil

Help Your Odometer Reach 300,000 Miles

Five Maintenance Tips For Getting To 300,000 Miles

1. Keep your battery charged. This is especially important if you don’t drive your car that often. If you plan to let a vehicle sit for more than a couple weeks, you should invest in a “trickle charger,” or battery tender, which plugs into a regular household outlet and keeps your battery fully charged, automatically. I have a battery tender for my lawn tractor battery for winter months, and it guarantees a strong start in the spring.

2. Keep at least half a tank of gas in the car. Plenty of reasons not to let your car run on fumes, but one I had never considered before reading this article is that an empty gas tank is more prone to rust.  The rust can leach into your fuel and clog filters and fuel lines downstream. Rust could also eventually eat through your gas tank leaving a hole.  At today’s gas prices, who can afford for that to happen!

3. Don’t forget the tires. When you fill up your gas tank, or every couple weeks, whichever happens more frequently, be sure to check your tire pressure. If you drive an older vehicle like me you’ll need to pick up a tire gauge. Look at the label inside the door, or in your owner’s manual, to find the correct tire pressure for your specific model. Low tire pressure causes things like uneven wear on your tires and decreased gas mileage.

4. Change the oil. There is some debate in the frugal car owner world on whether or not you should change your oil as often as prescribed by car manufacturers (and those express oil-changing facilities). I’m no expert, but I think you should stay pretty close to the suggested schedule, only deviating a month or two, or a couple hundred miles. Peters agrees with me. Besides, a $30 oil change is much cheaper than a new engine, and if you are ultra frugal, you can even change your own oil!

5. Be kind to your clutch, and your brakes. If you drive a car with a manual transmission you know at some point you will likely have to replace the clutch. But you can extend the life of your clutch, and your brakes, by not riding either one for long periods of time, and by using your accelerator (or not using your accelerator) to coast a bit as traffic ebbs and flows.

Automobiles are becoming more and more expensive these days. In fact, next to buying a home, it is probably the largest single purchase most people will make in a lifetime. Use the steps above to increase the chances your vehicle will last well beyond your car loan, guaranteeing you many years of debt-free driving.

 

Courtesy of Frugal Dad

Interior Design - 2013 Toyota Avalon

Untitled

We have some exceptional used specials right now. Come see how easy it is to make the switch.

http://www.advantagetoyota.com/used-inventory/index.htm

Keep Your Vehicle Chillin’ Rather Than Illin’: Winter Maintenance Tips That Increase Safety and Value

With the sun shining and the air conditioning cranked to the max, it may be hard to imagine how you or your vehicle will feel when it is below freezing. As the seasons change, however, it is time to think about getting ready for rain, snow, and ice because safety on the road becomes even more critical during the winter months. There are also proactive measures that you can take now that will save money while increasing the vehicle’s reliability and value no matter what Mother Nature unleashes.

Reviewing Maintenance Records

If you have not already recorded oil changes, tires, or other vehicle work that was completed during the spring and summer, now is a good time to get your log updated. This will enable you to reflect on the vehicle’s performance over the last few months. You should also review the previous winter’s records to see how the vehicle fared.

Having organized and accurate maintenance records does not just earn you a gold star; it provides the documentation you need to procure a higher sales price when you trade it in or find a private buyer. And even when you still own the vehicle, this record will provide an easy checklist to consult when the weather changes.

If your record keeping leaves a lot to be desired, there are services that you might consider using that provide these helpful reminders and maintain a real-time log on each of your vehicles, which can help you get ready for the winter.

Safety First

Tires are one of the most important places to check on your vehicle in preparation for winter because they will be coming into contact with all sorts of hazardous road conditions. Here are some suggestions:

• Make sure they are in shape or replace them with a set of special winterized tires.
• Check your vehicle’s alignment, especially if you have added a new set of tires or changed out a couple of them.
• Ensure that the tires have the proper air pressure because this is what will provide you with good handling and traction control when it is most needed. It is critical that this pressure gets checked because the colder weather can cause contraction of the air within the tires, which can drastically alter the pressure without you even realizing it. Don’t sacrifice tire performance and your safety on the road!
• You may need to consult your owner’s manual to guarantee that you have the right tires and pressure for winter driving conditions. Select a tire that has a tread that can hug and hold the road beneath the vehicle no matter what the conditions.
• This is a good time to check that your snow chains are in good working order and within reach so you will not be stuck somewhere in the snow without them.

In terms of safety, it is also important to replace the wiper blades and top up the cold-weather wiper fluid, so that you can keep your windshield free of debris and other things that might inhibit your view while driving. Also remember to test and replace interior and exterior bulbs. Lights are essential when visibility is reduced during blinding rain and snow storms.

Looks Count Too!

Wet weather, snow, salt from the roads, and mud can harm your vehicle’s beautiful paint and, even worse, begin corroding its undercarriage. Here are a few suggestions to prep the exterior of your vehicle:

• Start with a good detailing job on the interior and exterior during the autumn months.
• Protect the vehicle’s exterior with a special wax to minimize the effects brought on by harsh conditions.
• Use a heavy-duty window cleaner to remove all the dust and debris from the summer road trips.
• Complete the process with a paint sealant that goes over the wax coat as an extra layer of defense.

Despite the bad weather, your vehicle will still want to shine and you want to make sure that you do not have to shell out on a new paint job in a few years.

Performance Boosters

After being run under the hottest conditions, your vehicle must shift gears so that performs well under some of the coldest ones. Your car will need to work harder to get started and maintain optimum performance when temperatures plummet below freezing. There are a number of check-ups to be done under the hood:

• Check your battery and charging system, which will be strained once the cold weather starts.
• Switch to a low-viscosity oil or synthetic oil because these oils can handle the severe cold and boost your vehicle’s ability to still get revved up quickly. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Examine all filters and hoses to make sure there are no leaks or cracks that will inhibit the vehicle.
• Consider replacing antifreeze, which must be done every two years or 30,000 miles, because this will also affect vehicle performance.

Unique Winter Challenges

Winter means unique challenges, so you can plan well for these situations:

• Make sure your care heater and defrosting system are working. Look over the vehicle’s thermostat and coolant level to make sure that the engine will be able to warm up properly. You may think that the coolant level is only important in the summer, but it can actually inhibit the performance of your heater.
• There are times when you might get stuck so it is important to have your vehicle stocked with warm blankets, flares, gloves, a shovel, a de-icer, a crank radio, snacks, and first aid kit.

Take Care of Your Vehicle and It Will Return the Favor

While there are specific requirements that your unique vehicle may have, the tips mentioned in this article provide an overview of some of the most important maintenance actions to take in the winter months. Taking care of your vehicle now means that it will return the favor by getting you home in the next rain storm or snow flurry. Being careful and proactive about the maintenance of your vehicle will ease your mind as you and your family can safely navigate the harsh weather.

 

Courtesy of OwnerSite

Funny Friday Time

It's Funny Friday!

Jill's car was old and unreliable and she called John for a ride every time it broke down. One day John got yet another one of those calls.
"What happened this time?" he asked.
"My brakes went out," Jill said. "Can you come to get me?"
"Yeah, all right, where are you?" John asked.
"I'm in the drugstore," Jill responded.
"Okay, and where's the car?" John asked.
Jill replied, "It's in here with me."

Got any good ones? Share them with us!

Toyota Tundra Pulling Endeavor

See just how strong our Tundra is.

What-Were-They-Thinking Wednesday

This poor car! Help us caption this photo. What do you think is going through this officer's mind right now?

SEMA 2012: Toyota Avalon Demo's

See the full gallery on Posterous

Who knew the Toyota Avalon could be so... sporty? SEMA isn't just about tuning no-brainers like the Ford Mustang and Scion FR-S, it's about showing what's possible for a wide variety of cars, even seemingly geriatric machines like the big Avalon.

But remember, Toyota is seriously considering a sportier version of its Avalon flagship – we first brought you this news earlier in the year. And while these SEMA concepts aren't intended for production, nobody is ruling out that something very similar might make it to showrooms in the near future.

The stealth Avalon you see above is the DUB Edition, rolling on 22-inch matte black wheels and featuring a completely de-chromed exterior with blacked-out elements. The DUB Avalon doesn't offer any tweaks to the 3.5-liter V6, but behind that tinted glass is a totally black interior with suede accents on the seats and many of the touchable surfaces.

Moving on, Toyota has brought a TRD Edition Avalon that uses plenty of parts from the company's in-house tuning catalog, and showing that even hybrids can be sporty, the Avalon HV gets a meaner, sleeker look.

 

Courtesy of AutoBlog

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Keeping Up Appearances

What's the simplest thing people can do to help maintain their car's value over time? Richard Griot of car care and tool supplier Griot's Garage says, "Keep all of your vehicle's surfaces — the glass, trim, paint and wheels — clean." And we agree.

Your car has many enemies — some visible, some not. Emissions from industrial plants are released into the environment, where they are transformed into nitric or sulfuric acid. When deposited onto your car, in either a wet or a dry state, these contaminants can eat paint and, in extreme cases, metal. When ignored, acid from dead bugs, bird droppings, tree sap and even fallen leaves can do the same. Even something as benign as dust can cause tiny scratches in your car's finish, which can make the vehicle look dull and lifeless.

And the longer offensive contaminants are left on your vehicle, the greater the extent of the damage they can cause to both the car and its perceived value.

So what, you say? A few war wounds are endearing, right? Wrong!

Perception Versus Reality
The reality is that people often value material items based on the way they look. According to the folks at Kelley Blue Book, aesthetics is one of the top considerations when a person buys a car. And since more people are testing the used-car market these days, it is important to keep your car looking its best so it's worth more when you are ready to sell it. A vehicle that has a pitted or stained finish or splotches of rust is a turnoff, and thus is worth less than a car that looks pristine, regardless of how you maintained the vehicle mechanically — sad, but true.

If you currently don't clean your car regularly (at least twice a month), it's not too late to change your ways. Of course, the quickest and easiest way to a sparkling clean car inside and out is to take your four-wheeled friend to a detail shop for the royal treatment. At $75 to $300 or more per visit, using a professional detailer twice a month can get rather pricey. Luckily, there are plenty of do-it-yourself products on the market that you can use to clean your car at home, saving time and money.

To help, we've compiled some advice from car-care professionals on how to properly clean and care for your automobile. Follow these guidelines and your ride will look like you have a detailer on weekly retainer.

ON THE OUTSIDE
Before breaking out the sponges and getting down to business, you'll want to park the vehicle in a shaded spot, preferably in a gravel area where the water can seep, rather than on asphalt that can cause rapid runoff. Direct sunlight can cause some surfaces to dry faster than you may want them to, leaving residue and, thus, unwanted streaks on the finish.

The Basic Wash
Now you're ready to get busy. You'll need a steady supply of water (make sure your hose has a trigger-type nozzle, to conserve water), a soft and dirt-free cloth (or a wash mitt, terry cloth towel or soft-bristle brush) and — last but not least — a proper car-wash soap.

Don't make the mistake of using dishwashing soap or a household cleaner on your car; they contain harsh detergents that can strip wax and damage paint. As Craig Burnett, chemist for Mothers Polishes-Waxes-Cleaners, puts it: "Car-wash products are designed to remove automotive dirt from cars, not grime from clothes or grease from dishes. Don't confuse your kitchen with your garage."

Also, most car-care experts recommend starting at the top of the vehicle and working your way down, focusing on one section at a time. "The bottom of your car, particularly behind the wheel wells, traditionally has heavier accumulations of dirt particles," explains Mike Pennington, director of training for Meguiar's, a leading producer of car-care products. "Washing from the top down minimizes the risk of contaminants in the water or getting caught in the wash mitt or brush, thus minimizing the chances of creating scratches or swirls in the paint as you rub the car clean."

Here's the best game plan:
1. First rinse the entire car with water to remove loose dirt.
2. Wash and rinse the vehicle one section at a time, working from top to bottom, to prevent a section from drying too quickly and leaving deposits or residue.
3. Don't scrub aggressively. Instead, rub the car's surface gently to loosen dirt. Aggressive rubbing can grind dirt right into the finish, leaving scratches and swirls.
4. Rinse the wash mitt or sponge often to prevent accumulated dirt from scratching the paint.
5. After the final rinse, wipe the excess water from the vehicle's surface to prevent water spotting. A soft terry cloth towel or a high-quality chamois are recommended. Keep the towel or chamois clean to help prevent scratching, and wipe the vehicle lightly to soak up water without abrading the vehicle's finish.

Note: If you live in a climate where sand or salt is used on the road surface, be sure to rinse inside the wheel wells, paying special attention to the lower part of the fender, where salt and sand may have accumulated. We recommend using a high-pressure hose for this task.

Wheels and Tires
One of the most dramatic ways to improve the appearance of your vehicle is to keep its tires and wheels (or rims) clean. Address the wheels first.

Have you ever noticed that the front wheels of many cars appear dirtier than the back wheels? This is caused by the accumulation of brake dust shed by disc brakes, which are on the front wheels of virtually all cars these days. A number of car-care products on the market do a good job of removing it. You simply spray the cleaner on and rinse after 30 to 60 seconds.

Be careful, however, to use the right kind of cleaner for your type of wheels. If you don't, the results could be devastating. For instance, a spray-on product designed for premium alloys will begin to strip off a typical wheel's protective varnish if left on too long. It can also damage plastic wheel covers. So read the directions and warnings carefully before you apply any wheel cleaner.

After the rims are spick-and-span, focus your attention on the tires. Many tire dressings simply spray on and require no wiping. They are formulated to produce a clean, slightly glossy look.

Wax On, Wax Off
At least 97 percent of today's vehicles come from the factory with some type of clear-coat finish that contains stabilizers, ultraviolet light blockers and UV light absorbers that help keep a vehicle's paint looking new longer. While they do provide great protection, clear-coats are not a panacea.

"Clear-coats can give drivers a false sense of security by appearing to protect the underlying base coat," says Matthew Broderick, group vice president of marketing at Turtle Wax Inc. "They are fragile and susceptible to scratches, abrasions and swirls that make the paint look dull."

Waxing your vehicle will help remove paint oxidation and surface dirt, while adding another layer of protection against grease and grime. Wax will also improve or remove minor damage such as surface scratches or light contaminants and will provide a high-luster finish.

Most automakers recommend that you wax your vehicle twice a year to protect its clear-coat from damage and maintain the car's color and shine. However, some auto-care suppliers recommend monthly waxing. "Ideally, a vehicle should be waxed three to four times per year," Pennington says, to maximize the protection provided by the wax. "A good strategy is to start right before the winter and get into a three-month cycle."

When waxing your ride:
1. Wash and dry the vehicle before applying any product.
2. The paint surface should be cool and not in direct sunlight. The outside temperature should be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity should be low.
3. Apply the wax in small sections with either a foam pad or small terry cloth towel using overlapping strokes or circular motions.
4. Wait for a section to dry to a haze before wiping the wax off with a terry cloth towel or cloth diaper. Wipe in both directions, turning the towels often. And remember to shake them out often to remove accumulated wax that might scratch the finish.
5. When completely finished, wipe the entire vehicle again, paying particular attention to the edges of trim pieces, doorjambs and moldings where excess wax may have accumulated.

For additional shine between wax jobs, several manufacturers offer spray-and-wipe products to quickly enhance a vehicle's shine.

ON THE INSIDE
Now that you have finished the exterior, it's time to tackle your car's interior.

First, thoroughly vacuum all carpets and upholstery to remove loose, dry dirt. Don't forget to vacuum under the seats.

Specialists recommend using lint-free towels and clean water to clean the dash area and seats. Cotton swabs are helpful for getting dust out of tight spots, and a clean, stiff-bristled brush is indispensable for removing caked-on dirt and grime in carpets and floor mats.

As far as solvents are concerned, Pennington suggests you always use a product that is designed for the surface you want to clean, whether it is leather, vinyl, plastic, wood, simulated wood or upholstery. Each product is specifically formulated for a particular surface and will not work effectively on other surfaces. In fact, the wrong cleaner may even do damage.

Even with right cleaner, don't use too much of it. "The biggest problem with interior cleaning is that many people overuse the cleaning products or saturate the carpet when they shampoo," Pennington says. Also never use a product that leaves a shiny, slick finish on the dashboard or steering wheel. A shiny dash reflects light, which can be a major safety hazard while driving. Same goes for a slippery steering wheel.

Courtesy of MSN Autos

 

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RAV4 EV Walk Around

 

Take a walk through our all-new RAV4 design. There's a lot to see.

Have a Great Halloween!

What's this fellow driver thinking? Can you come up with a caption for this picture?

The All-New 2013 Avalon - This Time It's Personal

As part of our look behind the scenes of the new Avalon, we’re introducing some of the people who helped create it.

We start with a member of the youthful team at Toyota’s Calty Design Research studios in California and Michigan. Creative designer Miljan Jevremovic guided the design for the car’s exterior.

“Our vision was to create a vehicle that conveys an athletic, sporty image while maintaining the class and elegance of a flagship sedan,” says Jevremovic. The outside has a sleek profile, with dramatic LED taillights and dual, chrome exhaust pipes in the back. Up front, there are two bold intake grilles and square, Quadrabeam headlights.

Pictured is the Avalon designers.

“For me personally, I knew I wanted to design an Avalon that I would want to drive,” Jevromovic adds. “To see the vehicle on the road looking identical to the first sketch holds testament to how hard both engineering and design worked to achieve a successful end result.”

 

Some Tips on Minimizing the Risk of Your Vehicle Being Broken Into or Stolen

Keep it inside a locked garage with an armed guard and Doberman on duty! Or, drive a car that nobody would want to steal.

Seriously, there are some common sense precautions you can use to minimize the risk of your vehicle being stolen or broken into:

Never leave the keys in the ignition, and never leave the engine running while you run into a store or drop something off. You car might not be there when you come back, and you might even be issued a ticket for such stupidity!

Always lock your car, even when running short errands to the grocery store or leaving your car in your own driveway. A car thief will walk right up to an unlocked car in broad daylight, hop in and be gone in 30 seconds. Locking the doors won't prevent him from breaking into or stealing your car, but it will slow him down and may discourage him enough to pick on someone else's car.

Never leave valuables (purses, briefcases, radar detectors, money, portable electronic devices, leather coats, etc.) in plain view. They encourage thieves to break in and help themselves. Either take the valuables with you or lock them out-of-sight in the luggage compartment.

Avoid parking where you have to leave your keys with a valet or parking attendant. It's a simple matter to make a duplicate key and steal your car later. Use self-park facilities where possible.

Park in well-lighted areas, preferably where there are people and/or traffic nearby. This discourages casual thieves from breaking and entering.

If you're installing an expensive stereo system in your vehicle, think hard about getting a "pull-out" unit that can be removed for safe-keeping if you have to park the vehicle outside. Or at least buy a radio that has a theft-deterrent code that makes it inoperable if somebody rips it out of your dash.

 

Courtesy of Yahoo! Autos

Our RAV4 Entune Apps Revolutionize Your Connectivity To Your Vehicle

Entune® is a collection of popular mobile applications and data services integrated with select 2012 or newer Toyota vehicles. Entune includes three years of complimentary access to apps and services. (After three years, access charges will apply; excluding Pandora®) Once the phone is connected to the vehicle using Bluetooth® wireless technology or a USB cable, Entune's features are operated using the vehicle's controls or, for some services, by voice recognition. If your Toyota is equipped with the Display Audio Multimedia system then it is required to cable all iPhone mobile digital devices to the USB port. This requirement allows the Display Audio Entune system to operate with full functionality and it also recharges all iPhone mobile digital devices. Entune's apps include Bing™, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable®, and Pandora®. Entune's data services include fuel guide, sports scores, stocks, traffic and weather. Entune Plug-in Hybrid Advanced model and RAV4 EV Applications include Charge Management, Remote Climate, and Vehicle Finder. Please go to toyota.com/entune for details.

Be Sure To Take Advantage Of Our Savings!

Print off this coupon to receive 5% off parts and service OR 10% off your oil change and tire rotation. Hurry, this expires October 31st!

Toyota boosts home reconstruction in Joplin since devastating tornado

Like most residents of Joplin, Tara Johnston's mind is frozen in time when she thinks back to that late Sunday afternoon on May 22, 2011 – the day a catastrophic tornado destroyed thousands of homes, including her house on S. Jackson Ave.

"Losing my home was one thing; the worst part was I thought I lost my daughter," she said.  "It was horrifying."

While her daughter and the rest of her family survived the tornado, she was faced with the daunting task of rebuilding her home – made even tougher because she had no insurance.  Johnston told her story from the front porch of that very home today at a press conference.  The house, which is just weeks away from being completely rebuilt, is the result of many helping hands coming together to get one more displaced family back into their home.

As part of the celebration, a partnership between Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA) and Rebuild Joplin, a local non-profit group whose mission it is to get storm survivors back into their homes, was outlined.  Toyota has worked with the group the past six months in an effort to reduce the amount of time it takes to rebuild homes and get Joplin residents out of temporary housing.  In addition, Toyota donated $100,000 to Rebuild Joplin and its home-building efforts.

"Rebuild Joplin helps people like me who can't get loans; they help you either rebuild your home, or if damaged, help you fix it up at no cost or little cost to you," said Johnston, a single mother and full-time student whose two children and grandchild live with her.

The partnership is working.

"This has allowed us to take donated dollars and donated time from volunteers and make it more efficient," said Jerrod Hogan, co-founder, Rebuild Joplin. 

Hogan said that by using lessons from the Toyota Production System (TPS), Rebuild Joplin has reduced construction time by three weeks on average.  Bottom line, he said, "these improvements are making an incredible difference in our ability to rebuild homes for families in Joplin quickly and affordably."

He added: "We are so excited to be partnering with Toyota.  Now, one of our biggest challenges is securing enough volunteers so we can get people back in their homes.  We not only need corporate support, we need the help of volunteers to get the job done.  We still have more than 160 families in FEMA trailers and hundreds of families who don't have funds to rebuild their homes."

Toyota, through its non-profit arm – the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) – partnered with Rebuild Joplin in May with the intent to help the group make substantial improvements by increasing quality, productivity, safety and reducing customer wait time in the rebuilding of houses.

Rebuild Joplin is just one of 189 companies or not-for-profits that have been aided by Toyota. 

"We've seen over and over again where our manufacturing techniques can help any kind of organization – whether it's a manufacturer or a non-profit group," said Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president, TEMA, and a managing officer for Toyota Motor Corp.  "There is a lot of demand for this and we are sharing it free of charge."

Since Toyota came on board, the time it takes for Rebuild Joplin to reconstruct a home has dropped from an average of 62 days to 41 days – a 34 percent improvement.

This time reduction can be credited to the following:

- Improved processes: the collaboration has consisted of sharing TPS know-how and working closely with Rebuild Joplin's professional staff, skilled construction supervisors and AmeriCorps volunteer members to improve homebuilding efficiencies;

- Better scheduling of volunteers and construction contractors:  while there was no organized system before, today, as you enter Rebuild Joplin's headquarters, "management boards" track everything from volunteer/worker schedules to inventory to status reports on homes being rebuilt.

TSSC's Sylvester DuPree, who has worked closely with Rebuild Joplin since the onset, points to another success: "One of our main goals coming into Rebuild Joplin was to reduce the amount of time it took from when a home owner applied to when construction began on their house.

"Couple that with reducing the amount of construction time and we are getting people back into their homes faster."

NEW ORLEANS CONNECTION

Rebuild Joplin is the first affiliate of the St. Bernard Project (SBP), a non-profit organization that was founded in 2006 by Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney, an attorney and teacher, respectively, from Washington D.C., after they saw the tremendous needs in the New Orleans region following Hurricane Katrina.  Following a month of service in the area, the pair started the nonprofit, focusing on finding a solution to fulfilling the needs expressed by community members.

SBP believes that by sharing lessons learned and best practices, disaster recovery in America will be more effective in reducing human toll.  Through St. Bernard Project's Disaster Recovery Lab, a community hit by a natural disaster can get a head start by using these lessons learned and utilized in New Orleans, and, now, Joplin.

"We have seen the toll of delay in post-disaster recovery; clients have died waiting, seniors have had their 'golden years' irreparably tarnished, and young people have spent their formative years in untenable living situations," Rosenburg said.  "Understanding the urgent need for a new model – recognizing that disaster recovery in America is broken and that families in other parts of the country impacted by disaster yearn for home as strongly as families in New Orleans – St. Bernard Project decided to share its model with other disaster-impacted communities."

Developed in collaboration with skill-based corporate partners, Disaster Recovery Lab is an answer to reduce recovery time and minimize the devastating impact of delayed recovery on businesses, government and the social and civic fabric of a community.

Communities at-risk will be trained to develop resilience by understanding and mitigating risks, by learning SBP's model, understanding challenges that they will face and by developing an initial recovery plan.

Disaster-struck communities will learn SBP's model, receive a playbook/framework for action and will benefit from technical and on-the-ground support.

"We are a one-year-old organization operating with four-plus years of experience," said Hogan, the Rebuild Joplin co-founder.  "It makes an enormous impact on our ability to serve families."

The Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) is a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA).  TSSC was established by Toyota Motor Corporation in 1992 as the Toyota Supplier Support Center to share TPS knowledge with North American manufacturing companies and other organizations that have a true desire to learn and adopt TPS.  In 2011, TSSC became a not-for-profit in order to share its know-how more broadly to nonprofits and other community organizations.  Since its inception, 189 companies and organizations have used TSSC's services.  TSSC's team is comprised of team members from Toyota manufacturing affiliates in North America and from TEMA headquarters in Erlanger, Ky.

Courtesy of Sacremento Bee

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/23/4932032/toyota-boosts-home-reconstruction.ht...

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/23/4932032/toyota-boosts-home-reconstruction.ht...

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/23/4932032/toyota-boosts-home-reconstruction.ht...

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Great Car Battery Maintenance Tips

Owning jumper cables is like owning a truck. When you own a truck, people seem to cozy up to you when they are moving. When you own jumper cables, you're suddenly like Batman but for dead batteries. You might as well give your friends a Jumper Cables Signal that they can point at the cloudy sky in times of crisis. With great power comes great responsibility, I guess. (And now I am mixing metaphors.)

Car batteries are full of toxic chemicals and have to be dealt with specially when they die. The green thing to do is to squeeze as much life out of them as possible and decrease the overall amount of batteries that you are going to need in your lifetime. Here are some tips for that.

1. Park in a Garage

A thoroughly insulated garage will keep your battery warm in the winter. Skip heated garages. They will rust your car.

2. Keep Your Battery Clean

Remove the clamps and clean away grease, dirt and oxidation. A filthy battery connection will weaken the charge.

3.Insulate Your Car Battery

If you don't have an insulated garage, you can always insulate the battery. It's a cheap way to protect the battery.

4. Recharge it with Solar

You can purchase an inexpensive solar charger for your car battery. The charger refills your battery's charge with solar energy. Combo this device with a monitor so you don't overcharge the battery.

5. Add Distilled Water

If you're stretching the life of a conventional battery, you may have to add some water to it. Here is how this is done.

6. Secure the Battery

If your battery is jiggling around, it could tip over. A loose battery bashing against other parts of your engine is bad. Battery acid spilling all over your motor is also bad. Keep the battery tray clean. Make sure the battery sits correctly.

Courtesy of How Stuff Works

Toyota Presents: The Tundra Endeavour - Overbuilt

Mission Accomplished! Watch what went in to the successful Endeavor tow. Hint: It's overbuilt engineering.

Toyota Tundra Makes History Towing Space Icon

A Toyota Tundra half-ton pickup truck without any special modifications successfully towed the space shuttle Endeavour and custom-built dolly -- a combined weight of nearly 300,000 pounds -- across a bridge spanning the nation’s busiest freeway on Friday night, Oct. 12. The tow was a result of a 20-year partnership between Toyota and the California Science Center to raise awareness of the space program and continue public education through exhibits and events.

The shuttle’s 12-mile route over city streets to its new home at the California Science Center includes one passage over the 405 Freeway. The Tundra assisted in the transport of the Endeavour as it journeyed over the Manchester Boulevard Bridge—an area that required a lighter tow mechanism than other portions of the route for weight distribution purposes. Toyota did extensive testing and worked with the Sarens Group, a heavy lifting and engineering transport company, to develop a dolly to move the Endeavour over the bridge.

“We’ve partnered with the California Science Center since the early '90s as part of our ongoing commitment to inspiring youth in the fields of engineering, innovation and future technology, and we are honored to lend our support for this historic event,” said Michael Rouse, vice president of community affairs and philanthropy for Toyota.

The model selected was a stock 2012 Tundra CrewMax 4x4 with Toyota’s 5.7-liter iForce V8, producing 381 horsepower. All Tundra trucks are produced exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas in San Antonio. The truck used to tow the Endeavour was purchased from a Southern California Toyota dealer, with no modifications or special equipment added for the tow.

The Tundra was piloted by longtime Toyota professional driver Matt McBride. Riding along was Garrett Reisman, one of the astronauts aboard the orbiter when it traveled to the International Space Station in 2008. From start to finish, it took about five minutes to cross the bridge.

“I’m honored to be part of the space shuttle Endeavour’s final mission to the California Science Center,” said Garrett Reisman, an engineer and former NASA astronaut. “I appreciate Toyota’s support in helping bring this space icon home to the Southern California community.”

The Science Center has a popular working exhibit utilizing a Tundra that demonstrates the physics of leverage. The Tundra used to tow the shuttle will replace the existing truck when the Endeavour exhibit opens on Oct. 30, 2012.

Courtesy of Toyota

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: 9 Ways to Increase Gas Mileage

Improving fuel economy not only saves drivers money, it also benefits the environment by releasing fewer emissions into the air and reduces a nation's dependence on oil and oil imports. Reducing the amount of driving we do - by carpooling, using public transportation and combining trips - has the greatest effect on how much gas each person uses. That said, there are many ways to improve fuel economy when we do drive. These primarily involve driving more efficiently and making sure our cars are properly maintained.

Drive More Efficiently

Our driving habits have a significant impact on fuel efficiency:

1. Go Easy on the Pedals
Speeding, braking and rapid acceleration waste gas. Depending on the type of vehicle, poor driving habits can negatively affect fuel economy between 5% and 33%. Based on the current national average of $3.12 per gallon (for regular gasoline), driving sensibly, and not like a race car driver, can lead to an equivalent gas savings of between 16 cents and $1.03 per gallon.

2. Slow Down
Gas mileage decreases above 60 miles per hour. According to fueleconomy.gov, for every five miles per hour that exceeds 60 mph, drivers pay an equivalent of about 24 cents more for each gallon of gas. While each vehicle has its own optimal speed for fuel efficiency, speeding can result in 7% to 23% reduced fuel economy. Driving at slower speeds can save 21 to 71 cents per gallon.

3. Leave Extras at Home
An additional 100 pounds in your car can reduce gas mileage by up to 2%. The reduction is relative to the vehicle's weight: Smaller vehicles are more affected by increased weight than larger ones. For every 100 pounds in extra weight, plan on spending up to 6 cents more per gallon.

4. Use Cruise Control (When Appropriate)
According to Edmunds.com, using cruise control under appropriate conditions (avoiding use during especially hilly terrain) can improve fuel economy by up to 14%. That's a savings of about 43 cents per gallon.

5. Turn off the Car
Idling gets zero miles per gallon and collectively consumes several billion gallons of fuel per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The California Energy Commission (CEC) advises that vehicles should be turned off if the expected wait will be longer than 10 seconds, since an idling vehicle can burn as much as one gallon of gas each hour. Turning the car off can save about 5 cents per minute.

6. Check Tire Pressure
A little bit of vehicle maintenance can go a long way in improving gas mileage. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1.25 billion gallons of gasoline - approximately 1% of total consumption - are wasted each year on underinflated tires. Tires can lose about 2 pounds per square inch (psi) per month. Each tire that is underinflated by 10 psi reduces fuel economy by about 3.3%. Four tires that are underinflated by 10 psi, then, would reduce a vehicle's fuel economy by a substantial 10% at an added cost of 31 cents per gallon.

Follow the guidelines in your vehicle's owner's manual (these recommendations also appear on a sticker inside the driver's side door jamb) - and not what is stamped onto the tire itself.

7. Replace Spark Plugs
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence indicates that bad spark plugs can decrease fuel economy by up to 30%, and can cost drivers up to about 94 cents per gallon at today's prices. If a car's gas mileage suddenly drops, there's a good chance it's because of misfiring spark plugs.

8. Check Alignment
Misaligned tires drag instead of roll freely. Improper alignment can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 10% - about 31 cents per gallon. In addition, the tires can wear out more quickly. Tires that are out of balance (symptom: vibration in the steering wheel) can cause uneven tire wear, which can result in lower gas mileage. Tires should be balanced and rotated according to the vehicle's owner's manual to improve tire performance and fuel economy.

9. Fill Your Tank Early in the Morning - or Late at Night
Fuel is dispensed by volume. If you fill your tank when it is coolest outside - early in the morning or late at night, and avoid the heat of the day - the fuel will be more dense. As a result, you will get more gas for the same amount of money.

Good for You, Good for the Environment
Reducing the amount of driving we do, whether it's by carpooling or foregoing an unnecessary trip, is perhaps the most effective way to decrease the amount of gas that each person uses and make fill-ups at the gas station last longer. Proactive steps can be taken to improve fuel efficiency by paying attention to and changing gas-guzzling driving habits, and following a vehicle's maintenance schedule. Improved gas mileage is good for you, good for your car and good for the environment.

Toyota Presents: The Tundra Endeavour - Born in America

Designed and assembled in America, the Toyota Tundra is more than ready to pull the Space Shuttle Endeavour on it's final journey. Follow the journey: http://www.toyota.com/TundraEndeavour

Toyota sets new record for fastest EV

Toyota Motorsport has done it again. The automaker recently beat its own record for the fastest lap set by an electric vehicle at Germany’s Nürburgring.

The EV P002, driven by Jochen Krumbach, made it around the track in 7 minutes, 22.329 seconds — 25 seconds faster than the same 469-horsepower model’s previous record, set in August 2011.

Audi’s 375-horsepower R8 E-Tron set a record in June for the fastest lap around the Nürburgring track by a series production electric vehicle, at 8 minutes, 9.099 seconds.

The EV P002 still runs on a 42-kWh battery and gets about 161 miles per hour, but was simply driven faster than it was last year. Watch the video below for a view from the driver’s seat:

 

Courtesy of Smart Planet

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Winter Tips To Keep You Content

Perhaps the first frosts have already coated your windshield, forcing you to dig out the scraper. As you adjust to the coming chill, give a thought to your ride, and check out these nine tips that will keep your car rolling smoothly through winter’s challenges.

---

We’re assuming you've covered the basics (such as the scraper!) and are up-to-date on your car’s regular scheduled service. Don't postpone that -- an annoyance in summer can be a hazard that strands you in the winter.

 

Don't make compost in your car

As you tackle fall's bounty on your lawn, leave some energy for removing the leaves that find their way into your vehicle.

Leaves, twigs and other organic matter can cause havoc with gutters on your house -- and the equivalent on your car. When debris builds up in areas of your car where water is supposed to flow out, you can get leaks or corrosion.

The air plenum near the windshield is a classic spot where this can happen.

If you have a sunroof, open it up and poke around in there, too. Sunroofs have drains that flow water that sneaks past the seals down to the ground. Leaf gunk in there can make for wet headliners or worse.

Less common, but more problematic: Animals may make nests in the engine compartment or airbox. You may need a mechanic and an animal trapper to fully solve this problem

 

Consider winter tires

So-called "all-season" tires have been on the market for decades. Coupled with front-wheel-drive and anti-skid systems, they have allowed many folks to avoid mounting a true snow tire for the winter months. But there are two trends in tires you should be aware of:

1) Styling priorities have led to manufacturers fitting wider, low-profile tires on a variety of cars. Wide and low profile, on balance, makes a tire worse in the snow. Pressures to improve tire fuel economy have also worked against the snow utility of all-seasons.

2) Winter tires have improved their behavior from the era of knobby snow tires. New tread patterns and rubber compounds make them quieter on dry roads, yet even more effective on frozen stuff.

If you choose to go with winter tires, note that vendors such as The Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct offer packages with the tires already mounted on a new set of wheels. Switching the entire wheel for the winter is more cost-effective than having two sets of tires mounted on your existing wheels twice a year.

 

Wipers for winter

Fog, snow and rain will cut down your visibility in winter.

Check your wiper blades, which have a lifespan of about a year. If your car doesn’t have the newer "beam blade" style wipers, consider a pair, especially for the winter months. The beam style blades don't have an external spring to freeze up.

When snow or other freezing precipitation threaten, pop your wipers up when you park so they're not touching the windshield. This little trick will make it easier to scrape your windshield and reduce the chance that you burn out the wiper motor by having them turn on while the blades are frozen in place.

 

Is your battery juiced?

Winter puts more stress on your battery, particularly if you park your car outdoors.

Avoid the sinking feeling of hearing nothing when you hit the ignition with a proactive check of your battery and charging system now. Repair shops don't usually charge very much to load-test your battery, and some car-parts stores will do it for free.

If you find out your battery's going south, you can replace it at your convenience, instead of being at the mercy of whomever your dead car’s been towed to. Note that some big-box stores such as Costco offer a good price on batteries for those of you willing to change one yourself (not usually all that hard, though batteries are heavy.) This is many people’s first thought when it comes to winter car care. "Flush and fill" promotional signs abound at service stations as the weather cools.

But chances are good your engine coolant (a better name for it) is just fine for the winter ahead. If you’ve followed your car’s service schedule regularly, give this pitch a pass. Most newer cars have been fitted with coolants that can last as long as five years or 150,000 miles. Read your owner's manual.

If you’ve missed a service interval or have another reason to doubt your coolant, go ahead and have it "flushed and filled." Just make sure your mechanic uses a compatible coolant to refill your car. Some coolants, such as Prestone's Extended Life, work for any car.

If your car has moved to a much colder climate and you’re concerned that your coolant might not be up to the deep freeze, you can check its effectiveness with a simple, under-$10 tester from the car-parts store.

Check your tire pressure

Here are two good reasons to get down there with the gauge and unscrew the valve caps as the weather cools:

1) Tires lose a pound of pressure for every drop of 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) An underinflated tire won't "bite" through snow down to the pavement as well as one at pressure. It's similar to hydroplaning on water -- and just as dangerous.

Don’t forget to put the valve caps back on when you're done. Letting in moisture, which then freezes, could let the valve core leak out air.

 

Survival kit (of some sort)

Everyone should have a space blanket in the car, tucked in the glove compartment or some other storage space in reach of the driver.

The most complete survival kit in the world won’t do a bit of good if you're upside down in a car you can’t get out of and the kit’s in the trunk.

The shiny space blanket's ability to keep you warm could be a lifesaver -- and it takes up virtually no space and costs less than $10.

Next things we’d add:

•Whistle
•Plastic bag for gathering snow for water
•Plumber's candle & lighter
•Single-edged razor blade (cut up your upholstery for insulation)
•Empty metal soup can (for melting snow with the candle)

You can -- and perhaps should -- keep going (some people suggest packing a wordy novel). The more rural and remote your roads, the more you’ll want.

Wax your lights

Okay, we admit it's a little detail, but in winter’s gloom and short days, every last lumen you can squeeze out of your headlamps is going to improve your safety.

Here's an easy two-minute drill: Make sure the headlamps are clean of dirt, rub car wax (any type will do) on the lamps, let it dry and buff it off. And then apply a second coat. For bonus points, do the taillights.

The slippery surface you leave behind will be less likely to build up an "icicle" coat when road slush refreezes on your car -- and will make it easier to remove it if it does.

Courtesy of Kiplinger

Toyota supports Hiring Our Heroes

Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer has joined Toyota and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in supporting Hiring Our Heroes, a program aimed at giving veterans and military spouses the personal branding tools needed to transition into jobs in civilian life

Toyota's ultimate smartphone accessory: a mini-car

Toyota is demonstrating a new single-seater concept car at this year's Ceatec electronics show that works as a giant extension of the driver's smartphone.

The company's "Smart INSECT" vehicle has a pad in its dashboard for mobile handsets, from which it syncs online services while also providing wireless charging. It is billing the electric car as a networked device that will support users on the road much the way their phones do when they are on foot.

The INSECT, whose name stands for "Information Network Social Electricity City Transporter," is packed with features now commonly found on phones and tablets. As a potential driver approaches its front, the car uses facial recognition to identify them, and the individual can then use voice and gesture controls to make queries or open the door and trunk.

Toyota's concept can communicate with its driver's home while on the road, checking whether the front door is locked or the settings of the air conditioning. The car has a large LCD display above the steering wheel that also shows information from the smartphone it is synced to.

"This car is based on the concept of connecting people, cars, and homes. It was developed by an IT engineer and has technologies such as telematics built in," said Yuji Amano, a group manager at Toyota.

The car links into to the "Toyota Smart Center," a platform that connects electric and hybrid cars with buildings and power companies, with the goal of making everything more efficient.

By accessing users' smartphones, Toyota will also gain access to information about its customers beyond their driving habits.

"The car uses data gathered from customers' actions to predict what they will do and suggest information to them," said Amano.

"One example might be in navigation, where the system uses what the user has done so far to suggest a destination."

Another example is advertising. In a demonstration, the INSECT takes a young woman to her favorite convenience store, then suggests a new snack that has recently gone on sale.

The car is based on Toyota's Coms personal electric vehicle, which sells in Japan for about $9,000. The Coms can reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour, and can drive for about 50 kilometers on a six-hour charge.

The Ceatec show, Japan's largest consumer electronics exhibition, runs in Makuhari, just outside of Tokyo from Tuesday through Thursday.

 

Courtesy of Comptuer World