At Honda, every drop counts.

Using spare parts and materials from Honda's manufacturing plant in Marysville, Ohio, the team built a small-scale hydropower generation system. The waterwheel-like gadget captures energy from water as it falls from a cooling tower, cutting the plant's CO2 emissions by 77,000 pounds per year.

Weekly Car Care Tip- Don’t forget the timing belt

On many cars, it’s the belt you can’t see that is the most critical. If your manual says, as many do, that you should replace the timing belt at 50,000 miles, do it! A failed timing belt can, depending on engine type, cause thousands of dollars of damage to your engine.

Courtesy of Reader’s Digest

Fantastic job Frank, keep up the good work!

 

"Frank treated us like adults instead of children. It's due to Frank that I would recommend anyone to purchase their Honda at the Tracy dealership. By the way, I love my Honda." -Melissa Y.

For more great reviews, click here

In a male-dominated market, the cute new Honda Fit She's was created for women

 

Around the world, building and designing cars remains a male-dominated business, and many companies live by an old axiom that women will buy a man's car but men won't buy a woman's car. While a few companies have attempted to bend that rule, only Honda has chosen to embrace it with the Honda Fit She's -- the only model built by an automaker today aimed exclusively at women. Hope you like pink, ladies. 

 

There's a long and embarrassing history of automakers attempting to lure women with ladies-only models. At the turn of the 20th century, electric cars were marketed to wives with the pitch that their lack of hand-crank starting would avoid broken shoulders and/or death. In 1955, Chrysler made a bid for feminine attention with the Dodge LaFemme -- which came in a two-tone pink-and-white paint scheme, along with a storage place for the matching purse and rain hat. Lest you think modern executives learned from errors of the past, in 2000 Ford showed off a concept Windstar minivan developed with Maytag featuring a compact washer/dryer, microwave and vacuum in the rear hatch, because why would a soccer mom ever want to be parted from her appliances?

As women have grown to buy more cars in recent decades -- accounting for about one-third of car shoppers in the United States -- such attempts have given way to more savvy marketing. But in Japan, the gender divide remains more stark; half of all working-age women stay out of the workforce due to more stringent societal pressure to choose homemaking over careers, a major reason Japan's economy has been stuck in a rut for decades. But there's a cohort of younger Japanese women putting work first, and in a weak market Honda sees an opening.

Launched this summer, the Honda Fit She's designers say they wanted to take a regular Fit subcompact and make it in their words "adult cute." That means lots of pink: Pink stitching in the seats and steering wheel and floor mats, matched by pink metallic bezels around the shifter and displays. There's also a few extra shades of pink in the special She's badge, spelled with a heart for an apostrophe. If pink isn't a customer's style, Japanese buyers can also select a Fit She's in shades of brown and white that a Honda executive told the Yomuri Shinbun newspaper match the color of eyeshadow.

To Honda's credit, the Fit She's beauty treatment isn't just skin deep. It also comes with special windshield glass that cuts 99 percent of ultraviolet rays and a "Plasmacluster" air conditioning system that Honda claims can improve a driver's skin quality, all aimed at stopping those wrinkles that turn adult cute into just adult. With a starting price of $17,500, the Fit She's got an attractive price for a home-market Japanese car.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Auto

Take advantage of our Military Appreciation Special now!

In appreciation of your military service, Honda is offering you $500 toward any new Honda automobile when you finance or lease through Honda Financial Services^SM (HFS).

This offer applies to eligible active-duty and reserve personnel in the U.S. Military and their spouses. A valid Military Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) is required as proof of eligibility.


Click here to print your coupon now.

The all-new 2013 Honda Accord Coupe was built with you in mind

Come in now and take advantage of our Rain Check Special!

 

Must bring coupon to dealership. Offer expires 12/31/12. See dealer for complete details.
Click here to print your coupon: http://bit.ly/V2HxNU

Awesome job team, keep up the good work!

"If you are in the market for a Honda or any Pre Owned car, I would definitely pay Chad Watts at Tracy Honda a visit! Chad gets you the best deals without all the hassles of back and forth; he was also very straightforward and honest." - Roby L. 


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Honda Beat Confirmed for Production

Honda President Takanobu Ito has confirmed that a new-generation Beat model will be heading to production, bringing back the automaker’s mini-sports car  from 20 years ago.

 

Rumors and speculation of the Honda Beat revival began last year, and when the Japanese automaker displayed its EV-STER Concept, giving us a glimpse into its design. It’s the car that excites Honda President Ito the most and recently mentioned how his interest in the Beat came when development of the new NSX began.

“When the Beat was being built, I was on the development team to work on the NSX sports car and sports cars are something I really love,” Ito said. “I was kind of envious of the little cute sports car.”

Last year Honda confirmed that the EV-STER was heading to production, and now it appears that the production Beat model will be based on the EV-STER. The question is whether or not it’ll be a true sports car to take on the Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ, or if it’ll be an electric vehicle. Or perhaps, given its rumored Fit underpinnings, the new Beat will be available with a choice of electric or gasoline propulsion.

Courtesy of AutoGuide

Honda Element is stylish and perfect if you are looking for a smaller SUV

This rootbeer metallic Element features remote keyless entry, steering wheel mounted audio controls, ignition disable, and much more. Click here for more details and stop by today to take it for a spin!

Ever wonder how your Accord was made? Watch from start to finish!

Honda is helping you save on a new timing belt!

 

Timing belt failure could result in serious engine damage and should be replaced on a regular basis. Click here to print your coupon now!

The sophisticated all-new 2013 Honda Accord is made for you

Superb job providing exceptional customer service!

"I have bought several cars in my lifetime, this experience was the fastest and best to date.  Plus I LOVE MY NEW CAR.  I live in Livermore but  the drive to Tracy was well worth it.  You have a customer for life." - Dana P.

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Get this hot hybrid Honda CR-Z before it's too late!

Save money on gas without sacrificing style in this 2011 Honda CR-Z! This hot ride features a rear window wiper, an MP3 decoder, remote keyless entry, and a security system. Visit our website to read more about this hot two-seater.

Honda to Provide $3,000 Fuel Cards to New Civic Natural Gas Vehicle Customers

Fighting back against a spike in gasoline prices and building on momentum from record sales of the Civic Natural Gas Vehicle, American Honda today announced that it is working with Clean Energy Fuels Corp., America's largest owner of public compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations, and participating Honda dealers to provide a special savings to customers purchasing a new 2012 Civic Natural Gas Vehicle – a debit card pre-loaded with $3,000 that can be used at Clean Energy CNG fueling stations around the country to purchase fuel*. In addition to the fuel card savings, 2012 Civic Natural Gas Vehicle customers in California may have the added benefit of single-occupant access to High Occupancy Vehicle "carpool" lanes through January 1, 2015.**

With a combined EPA fuel economy rating of 31 mpg and a fuel cost savings of up to 40 percent compared to a typical gasoline-powered compact car, the Civic Natural Gas Vehicle can significantly reduce the pain at the pump. The Civic Natural Gas Vehicle can also be refueled in a matter of minutes, much like a conventional gasoline-powered car, and should be able to cover over 200 miles on a single tank of fuel (depending on driving conditions and style).

The nation-wide average price of natural gas fuel for vehicles in July was $2.05 per equivalent gasoline gallon, according to the most recent Department of Energy, Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price report on fuel prices. Ninety-eight percent of natural gas consumed in North America is domestically produced.

The 2012 Civic Natural Gas Vehicle, the only OEM produced natural-gas powered passenger vehicle in the U.S, posted record sales since going on-sale in October 2011 as a new model, increasing 22 percent versus the same period a year ago, highlighting continued growing consumer interest in practical alternatives to gasoline, and natural gas in particular.

Named the "2012 Green Car of the Year" by Green Car Journal and one of the "greenest vehicles of 2012" by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the redesigned 2012 Civic Natural Gas Vehicle runs on cleaner, abundant and domestically sourced inexpensive natural gas.

 

Courtesy of Honda Media Newsroom

Receive 15% off parts and labor for your new Honda

Save 15% on parts and labor for your new ride with this exclusive coupon from Ken Harvey's Tracy Honda.  Present coupon at time of purchase.

The 2013 Honda Accord: A vehicle you can be proud of

Experience the 2012 Honda Pilot at Tracy Honda

This is the SUV you are looking for. It's the 2012 Honda Pilot and it can be yours today. We invite you to stop in and enjoy a test drive. Click here for a closer look at the Pilot.

The 2013 Accord: Honda's great leap forward

In the eight generations since it first hit the streets in 1976, Honda's Accord has grown in size, performance, sophistication and model range, expanding at various points to include sedan, wagon and coupe body styles.

It was better-equipped than most and its reliability became legend. It's grown in sales, too, leading the mid-size sedan field for many years.

Now comes the ninth generation, available in sedan and coupe. The former is on sale now, the latter on Nov. 1.

Final pricing hasn't been announced, but the base LX sedan is expected to start at about $24,000. Pricing for the coupe will be revealed closer to its launch date.

Shoji Matsui, project leader on the new Accord and a 30-year veteran of the company, did not exactly criticize the eighth-gen car, called bland by critics.

But he wanted a car that excels in all areas, which pretty much meant starting from scratch. The 2013 Accord is about as new as it gets.

The body is smaller (by 70 mm overall, 25 in wheelbase) and lighter (by about 11 kg), in the interests of better performance, handling and fuel economy.

Total passenger volume is down by 50 litres, although key dimensions such as rear seat legroom and trunk space are improved.

Although many cars employ a rising beltline (the sill of the side windows) to convey a sense of forward motion, Matsui favours a flatter line, to improve outward visibility.

It still looks a bit rakish, but it doesn't catch the eye like Kia's Optima does. Accord has a typical Honda grille, with more than a hint of BMW 5 Series in the reverse rear roof pillar kink and tail lights.

There's a bigger step-up inside - perhaps the most impressive improvement in the entire car. Classy design and upgraded materials, especially in the so-called "touch zones" - door pulls, steering wheel and shift knob.

The instrument cluster has a three-dimensional layered look, with the speedometer literally front and centre, flanked by tachometer on the left and fuel and temperature gauges on the right.

A standard eight-inch touchscreen enables a host of standard or available features, including audio, cellphone, and HondaLink, a system containing applications such as an online music system, Facebook and Twitter.

The automatic door-locking can be disabled by the driver. Thanks, Honda.

Accord offers a lane-departure warning system, a forward-collision warning system and Lane Watch, wherein a camera in the right side-view mirror pod automatically displays a picture of your "blind spot" on the centre stack screen if it detects a car there.

If all this fails, Honda's "Advanced Compatibility Engineering" (ACE) body structure has been revised for better crash performance.

Honda is staying with a two-engine strategy - a four and a V6. A plug-in hybrid follows next summer.

The description of the four sounds the same as before - 2.4 litre twin-cam 16-valve with I-VTEC (variable valve timing and lift) and counter-rotating balance shafts.

But it is an all-new engine, with a lighter aluminum block, redesigned pistons and several friction-reducing technologies.

The big news is the adoption of direct fuel injection, which helps boost power by 4 per cent and torque by 12 per cent.

That means 185 horses and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. The Sport's more open exhaust system boosts those numbers to 189 and 182.

Fuel consumption is excellent, although not quite as good as the Altima's non-direct-injection 2.5 litre. Honda engineers admit they're stumped as to how Nissan gets its numbers.

The 3.5 litre V6 continues as the one-up option. It, too, has been reworked for improved power, torque and economy.

Bigger news still is the adoption of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as the automatic option on the four (a six-speed manual is standard fitment on lower trim levels. V6 models offer a six-speed conventional automatic or, on the V6 coupe, a six-speed manual).

A CVT has a wider spread of ratios - higher high; lower low - and allows the engine to remain in its most efficient rev band for a greater percentage of the time, leading to better fuel consumption.

There is also no jerkiness between shifts because there are no "shifts" as such.

CVTs typically do have drawbacks, though. Most drivers are used to a stepped transmission, and the continuous variation feels unnatural. And there can be jerkiness when switching from Drive to Reverse.

Honda has incorporated a torque converter into its CVT, which essentially eliminates the latter issue and also helps allow for shift programming to feel more car-like, even if it costs a count or two on the efficiency scale.

The double-wishbone front suspension is replaced with a seemingly less-sophisticated MacStrut. Honda insists the new system, combined with electric power steering and a fluid-filled bushing on the lower control arm, provides more precise handling and greatly reduced vibration for a smoother ride. It also saves weight and cost.

The rear suspension remains multi-link, although revised again for a smoother quieter ride.

I spent most of my time during this one-day driving preview in a four-cylinder CVT sedan, because that figures to be the most popular version, by far.

The 2013 Accord is a huge step forward, as you'll note when you step inside: Big, comfy seats, fine finish and detailing, and a much more luxurious ambience.

The impression remains when you fire up and drive off. That cheaper suspension does a surprisingly good job of controlling body motions - the lighter body makes it easier.

Electric power steering is light. But enthusiasts should be able to dig down and feel that the feedback and precision are surprisingly good.

The engine is already pretty quiet. Active Noise Cancellation is said to reduce interior noise even further, although without an off switch, it's impossible to determine by how much.

Personally, I have never minded the unusual characteristics of a CVT, because the things we have got used to - the steps in a transmission - are only there to cover up the failure of an internal combustion engine to generate sufficient torque over a broad enough rev range to be useful in a car. A CVT simply works better, under most conditions.

The rear seat - one strong point of the outgoing Accord - is still spacious, despite the smaller overall cabin. If rear seat room is your primary criterion, you won't look further than the VW Passat.

In this competitive segment, Accords have the built-in advantage of 37 years of history, leaving it with a huge, deliriously happy customer base. The wide range of attributes on the new one will surely tempt newcomers, too.

Courtesy of: http://bit.ly/RavfCl

Let the 2012 Honda Crosstour EX-L make your day

Feast your eyes on this beautiful vehicle! It's the 2012 Honda Crosstour EX-L. Click here to view our Crosstour EX inventory.