Florene H. - thank you for the 5-star review and enjoy your new car!

"The experience was nice. I got a deal I wasn't expecting and though it took longer than I expected, I walked out of the dealership with an exceptional value. I love my new car!" -Florene H.

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Worldwide Prius Sales Top 3-Million Mark

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that as of the end of June, worldwide cumulative sales of the iconic Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle passed the 3-million mark⁽²⁾.

In 1997, TMC launched the Prius, which was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger car. The second generation followed in 2003, and the third generation in 2009. From the first to third generation, TMC greatly reduced the cost of the hybrid system by two-thirds while improving the EPA-estimated ratings for combined driving by nearly 22 percent⁽³⁾. In addition, TMC applied for 1,261 patents relating to the third-generation Prius, achieving progress worthy of the Prius name (derived from a Latin word meaning “to go before”).

Since the development of the first-generation Prius, TMC has positioned hybrid technology as a core technology required for the development of various types of environment-friendly vehicles and has placed emphasis on the development and production of core components such as motors, inverters, batteries and electronic control units (ECUs), giving rise to substantial investment in Japan.

TMC will continue to conduct R&D and invest in facilities in Japan for the development of hybrid and other cutting-edge technologies and achieve sustainable growth by deploying these Japan-developed technologies across the globe.

In the fiscal year ending March 2014, TMC expects to spend a consolidated 890 billion yen⁽⁴⁾ (790 billion yen⁽⁵⁾ unconsolidated) on environmental technology development, as well as on strengthening new platform and major component development.

In the same period, TMC also plans to make consolidated capital expenditure investments of 910 billion yen (up seven percent year-on-year), with 440 billion yen invested in Japan (up nine percent year-on-year).

Investments in R&D infrastructure include a new R&D facility (651 hectares) and the Powertrain Development and Production Engineering Building (a 12-story structure with a total floor area of 100,000 m²) in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, that will serve as a next-generation powertrain development base, as well as the Aerodynamics Laboratory (capable of producing winds of 250 km/h) located in the Honsha Technical Center.

Future capital investments by consolidated subsidiaries include an investment by Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE) for expanding battery production capacity at its Omori Plant in Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Courtesy of Toyota Newsroom

How to Trailer a Boat Safely

Get on the water faster by using this step-by-step guide to tow a boat.

Step 1: Know your towing capacity.

Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the towing capacity of your car, truck or SUV and make sure the combination of your boat, trailer and supplies won’t exceed it.

• If you drive a small car (like a family sedan), you can probably tow a small boat, but it’s unlikely you can tow a large boat. Standard pick-up trucks and SUVs can trailer boats up to 25 feet, but check the owner’s manual to be sure.
• The boat’s manual will tell you the “dry weight” of the boat, which is the total boat weight without fuel and gear. Add several hundred pounds to account for fuel, water skis, coolers, and other items that will add to the weight of the boat.

Step 2: Check the hitch

Most towing relies on a ball and coupler system. The receiver is mounted to the tow vehicle and the ball mount is fitted inside the receiver. On the front of the trailer, a coupler joins the ball mount and links the tow vehicle and trailer. Sway control and spring bars promote weight distribution and load leveling.
Make sure the loaded tow vehicle and trailer are level so the hitch works properly. To verify:

1. Measure the distance between the vehicle and the ground in the front and back.
2. Hitch the trailer and adjust the tension on the spring bars so the tow vehicle remains at roughly the same attitude (that means if the rear drops an inch after hitching, the front should also drop an inch).
3. Inspect the trailer to be sure it’s level. If it is not, the hitch ball height should be raised or lowered.

Hitch failure is rare, but safety chains are required for travel trailers to prevent the trailer from separating from the tow vehicle. The chains should be crossed in an "X" fashion below the ball mount, with enough slack to allow unrestricted turning. Breakaway switches are also required so that if the tow vehicle separates from the trailer brakes can be activated.

Step 3: Distribute the load

Weigh the trailer to help you properly distribute and balance the load, placing 10 to15 percent of the trailer’s total weight on the front axle (and onto the hitching mechanism) to enhance stability.
To calculate how much weight to put in the front:

1. Visit a local public scale (a quick internet search of “public scales near me” should help you find one).
2. Park your loaded trailer on a scale so that the hitch coupler extends beyond the end of the scale, but the tongue jack post (the post on the front of the trailer that rests on the ground when unhitched) is on the scale.
3. Block the trailer wheels, unhitch the tow vehicle. Note the weight. This is the curb weight of the trailer vehicle.
4. Place a jack stand (or 4" x 4" blocks) under the coupler and beyond the scale so that the tongue jack post is supported off the scale and the trailer is fairly level. Log this weight rating.
5. Subtract the reading in line 2 from the reading in line 3 for the hitch weight

Use the hitch weight to determine where to place supplies in the boat. If it is more than 10 percent of the curb weight, load heavier supplies in the back, at the bottom to keep the center of gravity low and ensure the best handling. If the hitch weight is less than 10 percent of the curb weight, load heavy supplies in the front. You may need spring bars rated for more weight if you cannot keep the tow vehicle from sagging in the back.

Conduct routine maintenance

Because the hubs and lights get dunked each time you launch and retrieve your boat, you’ll need to inspect them regularly. Add grease if the hubs are dry. Ask a friend to help you test brake lights, taillights, and turn signals.

Courtesy of Ameriprise

Denis enjoyed his hassle-free shopping experience at North Hills Toyota and drove away a happy customer in his new Prius!

"Appreciated the low-pressure approach. Made a couple of visits to the lot to browse, and was not bothered by anyone until I went in and was ready to talk to them. Taken for an initial test drive with Mark Entress, who demonstrated a good grasp of the technical side of the Prius, answered all questions, and did not force any sales talk at all. Made the deal later with Jason Russell, who also knew his stuff during a test drive, got me a fair deal, and was pleasant to work with throughout. Jason also gave a thorough explanation of the Prius while handing it over to me. Joe McMahon handled the financial side of things, clearly explaining all of it, and presented the available extras without exerting any undue pressure. Appreciated the overall no-nonsense approach." -Denis

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Steven A. - congratulations on your new car and thank you for this awesome review! Kudos, team!

"I had a great experience with Nemet Motors and drove home in a wonderful car. This dealership has been around forever and operates professional. I will buy my next car from them and highly recommend them to everyone." -Steven A.

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Greta A. had a good experience at our dealership and drove away in a new car! Learn what she had to say!

“Overall, I had a good experience at this dealership. Craig was friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. We quickly found the vehicle I had in mind and I was satisfied with the features. It did seem to take a little long for the vehicle to be ready to take home (we took it home that day) but overall a good, stress-less car buying experience. I would definitely recommend this dealership and salesperson.” –Greta A.

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