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Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
How to pack smart for a road trip
Before you hit the road it's key to plan -- carefully and thoroughly. Things like a true budget is vital, although a special “indulge” is permissible (but keep it sensible).
Also important is what you take, as you don't want to have to buy what you forget at home. How you pack it in your vehicle (car, truck van, mini-bus, you name it) is vital. The good news is whether it is a trip alone or with many there is a packing format.
Here are some tips I have learned along the way:
Bag It
Individual bags are packed or perhaps you choose individual plastic boxes with an individual small duffle bag for daily “things”. Daily items such as tooth brush, tooth paste, etc. Label each “container’ with masking tape. You remember today, tomorrow but not in a few days. Put each person’s bags and items in separate piles by the door. Departure time is close! When you pack the car, keep in individual piles rather than just tossing into a heap. Packing space is never enough.
Access to the Vitals
Easy access, a separate bag/box with medical supplies is important, ie: band-aids, Neosporin, bug spray, sun screen, scissors, tweezers, Pepto Bismol, Milk Magnesia. You know the things that you don’t need daily but when you do they are worth a king’s ransom.
Front Seaters
A couple of large towels- under front seats, back seats - will have multi purposes: as a blanket, cover for items in car, beach, and such.
In front, thermos bag for those “I’m hungry” snacks (15 minutes after lunch), bottled water and soft drinks. Frozen ice paks are good if feasible. Real ice can get a little messy, but it can work. Plastic bags of several sizes can be so helpful especially the middle size for unexpected tummy happenings. A roll of paper towels – in front area will be used more than you expect. Always in your pocket, have a few folded paper towels. Never can tell, but the multi-use Duck tape if needed can be a treasure. A zillion good places to store it -even with medical supplies. Pillows-placed conveniently are a very useful must-haves.
Secret Space
There is a nice amount of space under the seats, so use it. Tightly rolled rain parkas, flashlight, and such can fit nicely. Another nice space is [usually] in the door which is perfect for umbrella, hand sanitizer, napkins, etc.
A large plastic pill bottle- preferably with dark sides – is perfect for coins, be they for tolls, newspapers, etc. Lottery! In a semi clandestine area, like taped under glove compartment, but not so hidden it can be seen if looked for – an emergency card with contact numbers [written with a permanent ink pen] just in case.
If you have OnStar or a GPS, of course, they have their perches, but real maps, should be marked and folded BEFORE leaving for easy reading –not by the driver while driving. NO!
If your vehicle has a middle console, this can be a perfect place for more items: Cell phone car charger, reservation confirmation data with phone numbers, small amount of monies [just in case], camera, and such.
The pockets in back of seats are useful for toys, books, pencils and such, especially the individual spiral notebooks [I recommend] that each has for their road trip memories. These will become keepsakes, even if they are a little hard to decipher.
There is a lot of useable space and if you use it wisely and carefully you will be surprise how much you can fit in the nooks and crannies of a vehicle. Speaking of “space” don’t squish passengers, or parcels.
Keep a List
As you carefully and excitedly pack your car, consider making an inventory or directory of boxes/bags and such. So helpful. Take a picture of what your car looks like packed as you start your trip and then what it looks like when you return home.
No matter how or what you pack, road trips are wonderful, therapeutic, rejuvenating, rewarding, surprisingly special. Enjoy.
Stay safe. Plan another.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Honda Earns Multiple Honors in AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards and Total Car Score's 2012 Top Scoring Car Awards
"It's fantastic to have so much of Honda's outstanding product line represented in these awards," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing operations for American Honda. "AutoPacific's awards tell us we're creating truly satisfied owners, and the Total Car Score awards demonstrate how widely and well regarded Honda's products are among top authoritative sites."
AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) are based on over 75,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first quarter of 2012.The VSAs are based solely on owner input, and are an accurate measurement of how satisfied new car and light truck buyers are with their recently purchased vehicle.
The Top Scoring Car Awards are based on Total Car Score's ranking formula, which utilizes the ratings from trusted automotive sites converted into a simple percentage. These ratings are translated into a single Total Car Score that allows car shoppers to quickly and easily compare cars.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tracy Honda Memorial Day Sales Event Going on Now!
Come in to Tracy Honda today for our Memorial Day Sales Event! We've got deals on every Honda imaginable, not to mention our 0.9% APR for up to 60 months! With savings of up to $3500, you can't afford to miss this sale. Come in today or SHOP ONLINE.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Review: 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
Exterior
The all-new 9th generation exterior is instantly recognizable as a Civic. While there are virtually no carryover parts from 2011, the changes are subtle enough to be a refresh. Unlike the Civic Hybrid, which gains a few blue-tinted trim bits and some LED brake lights to set it apart from the rabble, the only way to identify the Civic Natural Gas is by the legally required blue diamond CNG logo on the trunk lid. (The sticker is supposed to help emergency responders know that high-pressure gas lurks within.) Limited production means limited options, and you can get your Civic Natural gas in any color you want so long as its light grey, dark grey, periwinkle or white.
InteriorThe Civic Natural Gas started out in 1998 as a cleaner alternative for the parking enforcement specialists in Los Angeles. Since then, the majority of gaseous sales have gone to fleet customers looking for lower operating costs, a green image and a vehicle that uses the same fueling infrastructure as their vans and buses. Honda’s focus on fleet customers (and their needs) is obvious by the lack of options found on Honda’s retail-focused models. The interior is only available in one color scheme, with cloth seats and only one option: Honda’s touchscreen nav system. You won’t find leather seats, automatic climate control, heated seats, or an up-level speaker package at any price.
Drivetrain
Under the hood beats the biggest change: a re-worked 1.8L engine. This is one of the few engines in the world built specifically for CNG. Unlike conversion kits that blow gas into the air intake, the Civic uses a CNG multi-port injection system. To compensate for the lower energy density of CNG, the compression ratio is increased from 10.6 to 12.7. Despite this, power drops from 140HP to 110HP while torque goes from 128lb-ft to 106lb-ft. Honda toyed with a CVT in the past, but for 2012, the 5-speed automatic from the regular Civic makes a cameo. I’m probably the only car guy to wish the CVT from the hybrid was under the hood as it would have improved the fuel economy
According to the EPA, this engine produces 70-90% lower smog forming emissions, 20-30% lower CO2 and virtually no evaporative emissions when compared to a regular Civic. It’s smog numbers and CO2 numbers are lower than VW’s most efficient clean diesel and it delivers considerably lower NOx and particulate emissions when compared to clean diesels. A side benefit of CNG engines is improved spark plug and oil life as there are fewer impurities to foul either one.
Cargo
Sound too good to be true? There are a few problems. First off, natural gas must be stored in a pressure cylinder. By their design, these cylinders are large, need to be placed somewhere safe, and can’t be shaped like your typical gas tank. This means the cylinder is in the trunk and cargo space gets cut in half from 12.5 cubic feet to 6.1. As you can see below, it is still possible to fit two carry-on sized roller bags and some small hand luggage in the trunk, but larger items like large strollers might not fit.
About CNG
According to the EPA, CNG is a plentiful and as a result, 87% of the natural gas consumed in the United States in 2011 was produced domestically. The rest came from Canada and Mexico. If you are simply seeking to reduce this country’s dependence on foreign energy without changing your lifestyle, CNG is one of your better options. While there are about 120,000 CNG powered vehicles in the United States, most of them are buses. You want something other than a cargo or people hauler, the Civic is the only factory built CNG vehicle around.
Since virtually all natural gas consumed in America comes from underground deposits created by ancient decaying matter, it’s not a renewable resource in its current form. Unlike gasoline, diesel and liquid propane, natural gas isn’t sold by the gallon. Instead, it is served up by the Gasoline Gallon Equivalent or GGE. At 3,600psi this equates to 0.51 cubic feet of gas. In California we averaged $2.19 per GGE while gasoline was around $4.27 a gallon.
Finding CNG can be tricky as there are only 1,000 stations in the US, and half of them are closed to the public. Approximately 250 public stations are available in California with New York and Utah coming in second and third at 101 and 84 respectively. Operating your CNG Civic in a state like Texas could be tricky, with both long driving distances and only 36 stations to fill up at. Most stations are located near airports and industrial areas, so if your commute takes you near these locations it’s an easy sell. While there are home refueling stations available, Honda does not recommend them as they may not sufficiently dry the gas and allow moisture to build up in the tank. The home unit costs $4,900 without installation and is only good for 3,000 GGE of CNG. Although not recommended, it is much cheaper to fill up at home, with an estimated cost per GGE of $1.43 in California. While the CNG station nearest to my home is 20 miles away, there are several on the way to my office and one only 0.2 miles from my office, making commuter-car use a real option for me.
Infotainment
Honda’s Civic Natural Gas carries a mid-range feature set despite its price tag. This means that although a nav system is available (the only option on the CNG), upgraded speakers are not. The sound quality is mediocre with dull highs and muddy lows. Remember, this is a fleet-oriented vehicle. The only real reason to get the factory nav system is that it is preloaded with a CNG station database which can be handy if you don’t have a smartphone. If you have a smartphone, stick with the base radio and get a CNG finder app.
Drive
Out on the road the Civic Natural Gas drives just like a regular Civic, with less power. From a standstill, 60 arrives in 10.9 seconds, about 2 seconds slower than a regular Civic, but only 3/4 of a second behind the hybrid. When it comes to road holding, the CNG performs essentially the same as a regular Civic LX sedan, since Honda chose not to use low rolling resistance rubber on the CNG like they did on the hybrid.
Savings
You should know that essentially all the tax credits for CNG vehicles have evaporated. This means your CNG Civic is a whopping $6,710 more than a comparably equipped Civic LX and even $2,105 more than a Civic Hybrid. Based on current fuel costs in northern California, it would take 5.5 years for the CNG to break even with the Hybrid and 7.5 with the Civic LX. The Civic Natural Gas has a trump card to play in California: Solo carpool usage. If you live on the left coast as I do, and “enjoy” a “healthy” commute, the CNG may just be the best investment you could make in your family. On my daily commute, being able to drive in the carpool lane saved me 25-35 minutes of commute time per day. That adds up to 125 hours less commuting a year, or 5.2 days less time in a car on my commute. The scarcity of CNG filling stations will continue to ensure Civic Natural Gas sales remain low. However, for those that live near CNG infrastructure, the Civic Natural gas makes an interesting proposition. While it will take nearly a decade to justify the cost of buying one, in states like California where you can use the HOV lane, it presents quite a different reason to buy one. It also makes a compelling case against EVs, as America is the land of coal and gas power plants, the CO2 emissions from the CNG Civic are similar or lower than the Leaf depending on the state you live in.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Honda Fit, Hyundai Sonata and Ford F-Series top car rankings
Total Car Score (www.totalcarscore.com) looked at auto review and ratings sites and measured which brands and vehicles received the most kudos.
The idea was to develop a comprehensive evaluation that takes advantage of expert opinions and ratings of autos, said Karl Brauer, founder and chief executive of Total Car Score.
Ford earned the most Total Car Score awards with a top-scoring vehicle in five of 20 categories.
Honda followed closely with four. Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen all had three winners each.
“These brands all managed to earn a top score in multiple vehicle categories,” Brauer said. “That’s an impressive accomplishment given the highly competitive nature of today’s automotive marketplace.”
The top-scoring vehicles for the 2012 model year were Lexus LS, Hyundai Sonata and Infiniti M.
“These models are universally praised by the industry in terms of quality, design and safety,” Brauer said.
Other winners, followed by the runners-up:
Economy car: Honda Fit, Kia Soul
Compact car: Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus
Mid-size car: Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry hybrid
Port coupe/convertible: Ford Mustang, Mini Cooper
Compact SUV: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester
Mid-size SUV: Volkswagen Touareg, Kia Sorento
Large truck: Ford F-Series, Toyota Tundra
Luxury sedan: Infiniti M, Hyundai Genesis
High performance car: Volkswagen Golf R, Ford Taurus SHO
Exotic car: Audi R8, no runner-up
A car must have a rating from at least five sources to qualify as a validated Total Car Score.
Courtesy of the LA Times
Monday, May 21, 2012
Buying A Car, College Grad? Don’t Forget The Rebates
You’ve worked hard to get your college degree. If you’re not swamped in student loan debt and are considering buying a car to help you navigate your new place in the world, there’s some help available.
The good news is that most major automakers offer some form of college graduate discount. The bad news is that some are regional offers, and many are somewhat confusing in their terms.
But you got through college exams, right? So, sifting through the fine print should be a talent you’ve developed by now.
Here’s a sampling of some of the special discounts available from automakers to college grads this June.
Honda Graduate Program
Honda gives graduates a head start by offering flexible, competitive financing through Honda Financial Services on the purchase or lease of a new or Certified Used Honda vehicle. On traditional financing, college grads can also benefit from a deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days interest-free.
The Honda Graduate Program has a few minimum eligibility requirements, including five percent minimum down payment; no adverse credit history; verifiable proof of employment or a firm job offer commitment with a start date no more than 120 days from the date of the finance contract.
The program is open to graduates with a master’s, bachelor’s or associate degree from a U.S.-accredited two- or four-year college or registered nursing school. Eligible participants must have graduated during the past two years or will graduate in the next four months from the date of the finance contract.
Credit and document requirements must be presented to the Honda dealer at the time of purchase or lease. Certain current offers are also available with the Honda Graduate Program.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Honda at the Mom 2.0 Summit 2012
Honda was a presenting sponsor at the 2012 Mom 2.0 Summit in Key Biscayne, Florida. See what these moms had to say about the Honda family-friendly vehicles at this conference where bloggers and brands can interact and learn from each other.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
HondaJet F3 First Flight
Honda Aircraft Company's fourth conforming HondaJet aircraft, referred to as "F3," successfully completed its first flight last week on May 4, 2012. This first flight milestone was a key highlight amongst many, underscoring the HondaJet's progress and momentum toward certification.
The F3 aircraft, painted in a unique and striking yellow and white signature HondaJet paint scheme, began its first flight with engine startup at 10:40 am Eastern Time and lift-off at 10:57 am, on May 4, 2012, from Honda Aircraft Company's world headquarters at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina.Honda Aircraft has now completed four FAA-conforming aircraft. Three of these aircraft are in its flight test fleet, plus one additional aircraft is in its structural ground test program. Earlier FAA-conforming HondaJet flight test aircraft have already achieved key benchmarks that meet or exceed the aircraft's designed performance goals of a maximum speed of 420 KTAS, maximum cruise altitude of 43,000 feet, climb rate of 3,990 feet per minute, and more.Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Honda Floats New Personal Electric Vehicle
Honda’s new personal mobility device is guided by a small wheel that protrudes from the back. It is intended to be used to get around the inside of large buildings like airports and museums. It was developed based on Honda’s earlier robotic personal transport device, the U3-X, which was unveiled three years ago.
On the UNI-CUB, riders move backward and forward, side-to-side or diagonally at a top speed of six kilometers per hour just by shifting their weight. It is latest product of the robotic technologies Honda has been developing, the most recognizable example of which is probably the ASIMO humanoid robot, which appeared in 2000.
Honda plans to sell the UNI-CUB on a commercial basis. As a step toward this, it will begin testing it in cooperation with Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.
Asked about his impressions of riding the UNI-CUB, the museum’s director, Mamoru Mohri — a former astronaut with NASA’s space shuttle program–described it as “floaty,” and “like being in zero-gravity.”
The UNI-CUB’s main competitor among personal mobility devices will likely be the Segway Human Transporter, which has been around since 2001. The Segway has two wheels about the size of those on an electric scooter that support a platform on which the rider stands. The device is controlled with a bicycle-like handlebar that comes up to chest height. The Segway can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Honda’s engineers say the UNI-CUB has its advantages. The rider’s hands are always free, and the saddle-style package makes it easy for the feet to reach the ground. Such features are important for “harmony” when weaving between and around walkers, they say.
But the UNI-CUB’s developers are most interested in how much value potential users will find in the vehicle, which will ultimately determine its price. An indication might be the price of the Segway, which costs around Y750,000 ($9,300).
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Honda Going, Going, Gone Giveaway
Honda is proud to be a national Little League® Baseball and Softball sponsor since 1996. By teaming up with Little League®, Honda provides kids with the opportunity to learn discipline and teamwork and develop self-esteem. Check out a television spot about Honda's partnership with Little League®, and enter this year's Going, Going, Gone Giveaway: http://www.littleleague.honda.com for a chance to win one of four family trips to the Little League Baseball® World Series and a 2012 Honda Pilot. You can also nominate the local Little League® of your choice to receive $5,000.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Honda in breakthrough rare earths recycling move
Honda Motor Company and the Japan Metals & Chemicals Company have confirmed the establishment of a world-first process to extract rare-earth metals from various used parts in Honda products.
The recycling process could, in the longer term, appease the current mercurial rare earths supply-demand cycle that depends on the mining of these 15 elements.
Rare earths are used in green-energy devices, such as wind turbines, electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as consumer and industrial electronics, such as iPads and television screens.
China effectively controls the rare earths market as it currently produces around 95% of all rare earths in the world. However, the Asian tiger has been in the habit of trimming export quotas – a move which has alarmed rare earths users, leaving them scrambling to secure supply.
These supply fears, as well as increased demand, have seen rare earths prices soar since the middle of 2010 – and not by single digits.
Honda’s reclamation process is not experimental, says the vehicle manufacturer, with the process rather an actual mass-production method conducted at a recycling plant.
Honda and Japan Metals & Chemicals began extracting rare earth metals from used nickel-metal hydride batteries in April.
The batteries used in the process are collected from Honda hybrid vehicles at Honda dealers inside and outside of Japan.
The new operation is the first in the world to extract rare-earth metals as part of a mass-production process at a recycling plant.
The successful stabilisation of the extraction process at the Japan Metals & Chemicals plant has made it possible to extract rare earth metals with a purity as high as that of newly mined and refined metals in a mass-production process, says Honda.
The newly established process enables the extraction of more than 80% of rare-earth metals contained in used nickel-metal hydride batteries.
An average nickel-metal hydride battery used in a typical hybrid vehicle contains around 12 kg of rare-earth metals.
Honda is planning to use the extracted rare-earth metals in the manufacturing of new nickel-metal hydride batteries, as well as for a wide range of Honda products.
However, the new process will also allow Honda to expand the recycling of rare-earth metals beyond nickel-metal hydride batteries, states the company.
“This is in line with the company’s long-established commitment to the so-called 3R approach: reduce, reuse and recycle.”
Honda says it was the first Japanese automaker to begin sales of recycled parts and to collect and recycle oil filters and replaced bumpers.
New 5-star review on Google Maps!
"Nick Sandhu is a great salesperson very knowledgeable and professional, this is my second car purchase from him. Sonny Singh sales manager my good friend and ex mentor was also helpful in getting me a great deal." -Carlos V.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Don't forget about Bunco Night, sponsored by Ken Harvey Autos!
See you there!
Monday, May 7, 2012
2012 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe Recognized by USAA as a Best Value
The Honda CR-Z rose to the top in the coupe category, recognized for offering best-in-class EPA fuel economy ratings, achieving the "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and offering reasonable maintenance and ownership costs.
Best Value automobiles offer the best financial value of all vehicles USAA evaluates as part of a broader rating system called USAA Preferred, which uses quantitative data to evaluate vehicles' cost, safety and reliability, among other key factors. There are nearly 80 cars, trucks and minivans that are currently designated as USAA Preferred vehicles, and the Best Value list represents the vehicles that rose to the top of each category.
"The CR-Z creates a whole new value category as the first true sport hybrid, offering great fuel economy, a low entry price, an available 6-speed manual transmission and a feisty change of character with the push of the Sport button," said Mike Accavitti, Vice President of National Marketing Operations for American Honda. "It's like having two cars for the price of one."
"The goal of the list is to help members identify vehicles that typically offer better safety ratings, lower insurance premium costs, higher fuel economy, better overall reliability and lower MSRP compared to other vehicles in the same category," said Steve Thompson, an assistant vice president at USAA. "The Honda CR-Z rose to the top as a vehicle that offers these key elements, making it a great buy for the value-minded consumer."
Thursday, May 3, 2012
May Timing Belt and Water Pump Special!
There's nothing more frustrating than a car that ends up costing you tons of money in its' extended age. You can keep that from happening, though. The best way to do that is taking car of your car's issues before they become a real problem. Right now at Tracy Honda, we're offering you $75 off the replacement of your timing belt and water pump. This is one service that can go a long way towards keeping your car in tip-top shape. So don't wait, bring your car into Tracy Honda today and let us keep your car running in peak condition! Call us at 877-579-6712 or visit us at TracyHonda.com.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tracy Honda Certified Used Cars - A Better Value
Every Honda is a product of innovative engineering and quality manufacturing. And only well-maintained Honda models that are less than six years old or have a maximum of 80,000 miles are eligible for certification. The certification process includes:
- An exhaustive 150-point mechanical and appearance inspection, performed by the dealer, to ensure that each vehicle meets Honda Certified Used Cars standards
- Honda-trained technicians scrutinize all major vehicle systems, including brakes, engine, drivetrain, steering, suspension, tires, wheels, exhaust system and vehicle interior and exterior
- Dealer technicians recondition any component that does not meet our standards, or replace it with Genuine Honda parts
- Up-to-date scheduled maintenance services
A copy of each car's CARFAX Vehicle History Report will be kept at the Honda dealership and will be available for you to see. Or you can always get a free Vehicle History Report online. View important details about the vehicle, including your free CARFAX Vehicle History Report
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