How Do YOU Find the Right Vehicle? (POLL)

At a car dealership, our main priority is finding the perfect vehicle for you: the consumer.  In today’s day and age, so many individuals are well versed in what they want.  Through careful research in online forums, review sites and word of mouth, they know the exact model to fit their lifestyle-all the way down to the trim color.  In today’s blog, we would like to get YOUR feedback.  We want to know how you research a new vehicle.  Just leave your comments below to discuss.  Thanks for your participation!

Feel free to choose an option below or create your own!

1.    I research cars through sites like Edmunds, Car and Driver and Consumer Reports to find a great fit with reviews I can trust

2.    I talk to my friends and family about what cars are reasonably priced and affordable.

3.    I use social media as a mechanism for questions and answers on the newest vehicles.

4.    I call up the dealership directly and inquire about a vehicle

5.    I visit my closest dealership’s website for more information

# Automotive Advertising

Going Green: Keeping Your Home Environmentally Friendly

We understand the importance of the environment.  We’re the first to appreciate the aesthetic look of the intercostal as waves crash on a harbor, or the setting sun burrowing into the horizon.  To maintain that sense of beauty, we all participate in making the world a greener place to live.   By lowering emissions and using environmentally sound products, we can all make sure to keep our planet green.  In today’s blog, we discuss some easy ways to maintain these same principles in your home.

1.    A Green Home is a Clean Home

Green homes allow for bill slashing, efficiency boosting, and the ability to minimize leakage.  One example is dual-paned windows.  They keep cool during the summer and warm during the winter.  One other great feature is a low-flow toilet, as well as tankless water heaters and solar energy systems. 

2.    Watch the Temperature

A lot of energy consumption is used during heating and cooling.  Turn down your thermostat in cold weather and keep it high in warm weather.  According to MSN: “Each degree below 68°F (20°C) during colder weather saves 3%-5% more heating energy, while keeping your thermostat at 78°F in warmer weather will save you energy and money. A programmable thermostat will make these temperature changes for you automatically.”

3.    Save Water

Just changing some of your routines can yield efficient water usage.  For example, try using a broom instead of a garden hose to clean your driveway, it can save you 80 gallons of water!!  Turn off the water while brushing your teeth will yield 4.5 gallons.

4.    Energy Efficient Light

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, lasting up to 10x longer than the standard bulb.  Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

5.    Use More Efficient Paint

The average paint contains solvents, toxic materials, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution, and indoor air quality problems, according to the EPA.  Try zero-low-VOC paint, made by most major paint manufacturers.

These are just a few quick pointers to get you started, for more tips visit your nearest hardware store for more info and visit http://www.greenamerica.org/livinggreen/greencleaners.cfm

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Automotive Advertising

Making Music Integration Easy

Driving is a fundamental tool for getting from point A to point B.  That’s a given.  In most cases, we need something to cut the monotony of driving day in and day out.  Listening to music in the car has always been a great way to pass that long morning drive in traffic.  If your favorite song is blaring through the speakers, it’s hard not to remember a nostalgic memory tied to a rock ballad from the 70’s, or a classical piece of music that rivets the soul.  In today’s blog, we’re going a step further.  We’re going to provide you with some innovative ways to listen to music in your car.  Feel free to read below and add your own comments.

Cassette tapes, CDs and if you’re ‘seasoned’ enough, 8-tracks were always a distraction in the car.  Now, with the emergence of mp3 players like the iPod, you can hold thousands of music files in one small device.  You can connect your iPod four ways:

1.    Aux-in connection: this is a common feature in most cars and only requires an Auxiliary cable (which you can pick up for about $2 on Amazon) to be plugged into a car’s aux-in jack on one end and the music player’s headphone jack on the other.  Then, just select AUX on a car’s stereo and viola!

2.    USB Port: most carmakers offer a computer-style connection.  You can plug in your iPod/iPhone using the computer-sync cable it was supplied with.  This allows you to control your device easily.

3.    Proprietary connection: This relies on a cable supplied by the automaker that plugs into the iPod’s 30-pin connector on one end, just as a USB cable does.  The other end plugs into a connection that's unique to the vehicle. Another connection setup uses a two-pronged cable that has to plug into both the aux-in jack and a USB port.

4.    Bluetooth Audio: allows you to transfer a conversation from a mobile phone to a car’s stereo that also let you wirelessly stream music between compatible devices.  Typically, the only features available are pause/play. 

These are just some of the ways music technology is making waves in the auto industry.  Choose the most convenient for you and run with it!

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Automotive Advertising