Blog

If it’s time to replace your trusty vehicle, don’t burden yourself with the aggravation of selling it yourself. Instead, save yourself the headache, time, energy, and stop by your dealer. Not only will they have the new car you desire, but they will be able to take your old car off your hands without any hassles. Plus, they’ll know the best market value for your used vehicle, and make sure you get a fair trade-in price. Turning to your dealer will allow you to avoid the work of having to place an ad in the paper or online, and meeting with strangers who want to test drive your vehicle and negotiate down the price. Instead, simply enjoy your new car, and let your dealer deal with your old car.

The seesaw battle between General Motors and Toyota for global sales leadership just tipped in Toyota’s direction again, reports Forbes. Figures from the company show Toyota sold 2.49 million vehicles in the first quarter, putting it ahead of GM with 2.28 million. Germany’s Volkswagen ranks third, with 2.16 million. Toyota had grabbed the top-selling title in 2008, but lost it to GM for 2010. Now, Toyota is picking up sales and market share in the United States, particularly through sales of the newest Camry and new Prius models, while GM is giving up some of the market share gains that boosted it into the top spot. It’s likely that the title will be changing hands frequently as Toyota, Volkswagen, and GM introduce new vehicles. Volkswagen, in particular, is on an aggressive sales push, aiming to sell 10 million vehicles world wide by 2018. Meanwhile, Toyota said Tuesday it has sold 4 million hybrid-electric vehicles around the world, since it put its first hybrid Prius on sale in Japan in 1997. Of those hybrids, 1.5 million have been sold in the United States. Click here to read the full story.

In the past, your car’s interior temperature was as the mercy of the weather. On chilly days, you would find yourself shivering until the heat finally warmed it up, and on hot days, you would find yourself sweltering until the AC cooled the car down enough to provide some relief. But today is a different ball game, as new technology puts temperature comfort at your fingertips. With remote start options, you can pre-program your heat or air conditioning setting before you exit your car. Then, when you are just about ready to return to your vehicle, you can hit your remote start, and the car will get the AC or heat going before you enter your car. That way, when you open the door, your desired interior environment will greet you – no more shivering or sweltering! If this option intrigues you, visit your dealer to see if they can install a remote starter in your current car. If not, it might just be the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new vehicle!

The 2012 Toyota Prius c earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top award for good performance in front, side, rollover and rear impact evaluations. The Prius c joins the Prius and Prius v as IIHS award winners. Click Here for the full Story.

Wishing all of the mothers a very happy and relaxing Mother's Day surrounded by the ones you love.

We use our car windows all of the time – making a deposit at the bank’s drive-up window, ordering a meal from a drive thru, paying a toll, and even making small talk when you see someone you know passing by. Over time, you may begin to notice that your windows are going up and down a little slower than you remember, or, even worse, one is not going up or down at all. If you find yourself in either of the aforementioned situations, know that your dealer can help. Your dealer’s mechanics can easily service your windows, and have them going up and down just like when your car was brand new. With the lovely days of spring upon us, don’t lose out on driving with your windows open to enjoy the fresh air – take your car to your dealer, and enjoy the freedom of driving with the windows down!

The Scion FR-S is a performance driving machine, developed from the accumulated knowledge and continuous research throughout Toyota’s extensive history of racing. Fueled by passion and evolved by competing in arenas from World Rally Championship to Formula 1, Toyota has gained valuable information and developed technology that has trickled down into all of its performance cars like the MR2, Supra, Lexus LFA and now the Scion FR-S. The FR-S gets its core inspiration from three Toyota models, the Sports 800, 2000GT and the Corolla GT-S. The Sports 800’s most important inspiration to the FR-S is its innovative and unique combination of a front-mounted boxer engine in a rear-wheel drive configuration. The flat architecture of the boxer engine, allows it to be mounted low, dropping the center of gravity down, resulting in sporty handling characteristics. For this reason, the FR-S adopted this distinctive combination. The 2000GT was perhaps the first Toyota model to gain recognition within the sports car world, setting 13 international speed records. When it debuted in 1967, one car magazine described the 2000GT as, "A fantastic engineering masterpiece on wheels… a magnificent manifestation of complete automotive ingenuity." Even by today’s standards, the 2000GT’s styling is sophisticated and modern. The exterior design of the FR-S is heavily influenced by the 2000GT’s profile, making it extremely low to the ground with a long, sleek hood. Although the S800 and the 2000GT play a significant role in the roots of the FR-S, the car that inspires the Scion sport coupe the most is the Corolla GT-S, known by its true fans as the AE86 or “Hachi-Roku,” which means 8-6 in Japanese. The 5th generation Corolla GT-S model, offered in model years 1985-1987, gets its “AE86” name from the car’s unique chassis code given by Toyota. It was a moderately priced sports car with a front-engine in a rear-wheel drive configuration. The AE86 didn’t rely on brute horsepower, but instead a remarkable combination of a lightweight design and manageable power, offering a perfect balance. It made its way into almost every genre of racing from grip to drift…and from the circuit to mountain roads. Although the FR-S will arrive almost 30 years later and doesn’t share a single piece of hardware, the spirit and the heritage of the AE86 bleeds into every ounce of the car. The goal was to create an authentic rear-wheel drive sports car with compelling style, exceptionally balanced performance and handling, flexible utility and surprising MPG. The FR-S is expected to achieve all of that in a package that will no doubt bring the “Sport” back to the "Car." The Scion FR-S; built by passion, not by committee.

Overall, your car is running well and in good shape, but you notice a noise that could be the sign of a bad muffler. If you’re like most, the immediate fix is to turn up the radio, and try to ignore it. But, we all know that a “fix” such as that is short-lived. Without a properly working muffler, exhaust could be leaking into your car, which is certainly not healthy. Also, your car’s efficiency could be affected due to the change of airflow, which can in turn cue the “check engine” light to illuminate. Instead of ignoring the issue, and crossing your fingers that it goes away, bring your car to your dealer. Many times your dealer’s mechanics can order the specific part you’re in need of before the whole exhaust system is in need of replacement. Moral of the story – if your car is making an unfamiliar sound, or the check engine light is on, give your dealer a call, and keep your car noise (and problem) free!

Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) has named the Toyota Prius c, Lexus CT 200h and Scion iQ among the 10 “Best Green Cars of 2012.” Along with outstanding fuel efficiency, editors also weighed factors like value, features and comfort in putting together this year's collection of exceptional efficiency experts. Editors ranked the Toyota Prius c in the No. 1 spot on the list. When it comes to vehicle production and conserving the world's natural resources, editors noted significantly fewer materials are required to build a Scion iQ thanks to its petite dimensions, lightweight design and efficient 1.3-liter gasoline engine. Click Here for the full Story.

Scion is pleased to announce that starting May 1 through July 31, 2012, buyers of a new 2012 Scion iQ will receive a PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita), portable entertainment system, while supplies last. The promotion coincides with the nationwide release of the iQ, Scion’s fourth vehicle and the world’s smallest four-seater. Click Here for the full Story.

We would like to thank everyone for coming out to our successful weekend sales event. Hot Dogs, sodas, Basketball contests and giveaways. Not to mention all the fabulous customers who got a new vehicle. We thank you and look forward to helping you with all your automotive needs. –Ardmore Toyota Social Media Team

There is no denying that today’s automobiles are becoming more and more computerized. Knowing what the consumers want, the industry has kept up with the demand for more intuitive cars by offering onboard navigational systems, "on line" help, and vehicle communication services like GM's OnStar and Mercedes’ system. If creating a more intuitive driving experience is important to you, talk to your dealer about the onboard services they offer for their cars. And, even if they don’t currently offer the service you want for your specific make and model, chances are they will be able to add it to your car upon your request. To stay connected and safe, talk to your dealer about the right vehicle communication system for you!