Rene Isip's Toyota of Lewisville Blog

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Do you sweat at the gas pump even when it’s not hot outside? Combine the current state of our economy and Dallas gas prices rising and, if you’re like most people, you are probably feeling the pinch in your pocket every time you fill up. In an effort to save money, some people are asking whether they can get away with using a regular grade gas in their engine. The short answer is: it depends. While cutting corners on gas may be tempting, the best answer to this question is found in the user manual for your car, but here is a breakdown for each fuel grade to help de-mystify their value.

Regular Unleaded

“Regular” unleaded is gas that has an octane rating of 85-87. A fuel’s octane rating is not related to its quality; all fuels in the United States contain an ingredient to prevent deposit build-up in the engine. Put simply, the lower the octane rating, the more quickly the gas is burned in the engine. Regular grade is obviously the least expensive option, but who can get away with using this grade of fuel? Well, the answer is most people. For most engines, unless otherwise indicated in your owner’s manual, filling up with regular is likely to be just as effective as using premium. Using a higher octane gas in an engine that isn’t “high performance” may actually cause damage to the emissions system.

Midgrade Unleaded

Midgrade fuel has an octane rating of 88-90. If your owner’s manual suggests for you to use midgrade, then this is obviously the right choice. Another example of when it might be best to opt for midgrade gas is in the case of an older vehicle that makes a knocking, or “pinging” sound while being driven on regular octane gas. This pinging sound occurs when the air to fuel mixture causes an abnormal combustion in your car’s engine. Using a lower than needed grade of gasoline in a high-powered engine can lead to this problem. Pinging is not only obnoxious, but over time it may damage an engine. If you experience pinging, try experimenting with a higher octane fuel to see if the problem is eliminated.

Premium Unleaded

Premium contains an octane rating of 91 or higher. Although it’s the most costly option, when it comes to premium vs. regular fuel, if you have a high-performance engine, this one is a no contest. High performance cars are designed to run on higher octane gasoline. Not following manufacturer’s advice in this area can and often will negatively affect your car’s performance and, when done over a long period of time, can damage the engine.

When in doubt, consult your owner’s manual. And if you are like most people, and cost of gas has become a concern for you, consider a more fuel efficient vehicle at your next purchase. The Toyota Prius, for example, is the leader in this category, boasting 48 miles to the gallon in city driving. Come in to speak with our helpful sales department or visit http://www.toyotaoflewisville.com for specs and pricing information on our full line of fuel efficient Toyota’s.

Get ready for an exciting spring Saturday in North Texas skate fans, because Rene Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park will once again be hosting the Scion RAT Skate Tour this coming Saturday, March 26^th! Skaters will battle for $2,500 in cash and prizes, and young and old alike will be amazed at what these amateur skaters can do. The event is free for spectators and will have live music and artists to entertain everyone in the family. The Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park has the second largest skate park in North Texas so there will be plenty of room to watch skaters battle for prizes, browse local artists, or just enjoy the sun and the music.

After you have been entertained at the skate park you can wander through Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park’s other 269 acres and enjoy everything from baseball fields to a dog park.  The park contains four football fields, four baseball fields, basketball courts, manmade lakes, and a dog park. The park is named after Rene Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville, a Dallas area new and used car dealership committed to giving back to the local community.  Toyota of Lewisville is contributing $1.5 Million over 10 years to keep the park maintained so that the public can continue to enjoy fun events like the Scion RAT Skate Tour and the Funny Bunny Festival coming up as well on April 11^th, 2011.

Don’t miss out on this fun event! Bring the kids and the dog and come to the Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park to be amazed at what these skaters can do. If you would like more information about the event please visit www.skatetherat.com . For more information about the park, view the video at http://www.toyotaoflewisville.com/toyota-of-lewisville-railroad-park-video4147 located on the Toyota of Lewisville website.

Fluid Changing: Donald writes, I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma truck with 55k miles. I plan to start pulling my boat and I want a little extra protection for my transmission. I decided to switch to synthetic transmission fluid. The other day on your show, you mentioned the fact that dropping the pan and draining the fluid doesn’t remove it all. Ok, then how do I do it?

Mike: Donald, switching to synthetic fluid will really help. However, it is very difficult to remove all of the fluid from your transmission, torque converter, and cooler without using specialized equipment. Like most transmissions these days, removing your transmission pan and replacing the filter only removes about four quarts out of the fourteen that it holds. Rather than kill yourself or make a mess, go to your local shop or dealer and have them flush it for you. They have a really cool machine that will remove all of the old worn out fluid and replace it with synthetic. (think of it as a colonic for your transmission) For years, I have recommended flushes using BG products. If you go to www.bgfindashop.com you can locate a dealer in your area that can do it for you. It is not an expensive service and it will add years to the life of your transmission. I have done this with all of my vehicles with great success.

Here is a tip: Be aware of the noises your vehicle makes. If you hear a new noise, pay attention to it. I had a neighbor who took their Explorer in for an oil change and a tire rotation. Later that day, their daughter was driving it and a wheel fell off. Come to find out, the lug nuts were left loose on one side, human error. We also found out that their daughter heard the noise in plenty of time to keep anything from happening, but she ignored it and turned up the radio. Luckily, the only damage was to the wheel and wheel studs. Of course, it could have been worse. The moral of the story is, when you hear any funny noises coming from your vehicle, pull into a tire store, auto shop, or a dealer and ask them to look. They usually will not charge you for looking. Please be aware, because if you think a noise could be a problem, it usually is.

Listen to The Automotive Reporter radio program with Mike Herzing and Harold Gunn Sunday mornings from 8:00-9:00 on KGOW 1560AM “The Game” or go online www.1560thegame.com to listen to the show. Mike was an ASE Certified Master Tech and auto shop owner for 31 years. Questions or comments? E mail Mike: mikeh@letstalkwheels.com. For an archive of his articles, go to: www.letstalkwheels.com

Rene’ Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville, a new and used car dealership, proudly announces that Toyota received the most awards from the recent J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).

“Of the numerous independent studies conducted each year, the J.D. Power VDS is one Toyota feels is among the most important as it reflects real-world, long-term vehicle quality and dependability,” said Jim Lentz, President of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “More than ever, consumers are considering durability as a key component in their vehicle purchase decision and these awards are one more key indicator that Toyota continues to take the lead.”

The following highlights came from the study:

• Toyota received five highest-ranking awards, more than any other brand.
• The Tundra full-size pickup topped its segment for the sixth year in a row, while the Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid sedan, 4Runner midsize Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Sienna midsize van, and Tacoma pickup truck each topped their respective segments.
• Other Toyota models ranked in the top three of their segment including the Toyota Yaris sub-compact (Total), Toyota Matrix cross-over utility vehicle (CUV), Toyota RAV4 compact SUV, Toyota Solara midsize coupe, Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV, and Scion tC sports coupe.

In addition, not only were 17 Toyota and Scion models listed as “most reliable” by a leading national consumer publication, but of those, 12 of them also made the publication’s “recommended” list. Recognition in both categories is more than any other automaker in the industry.

“We are happy to provide the top selling Toyota models to our community,” said Scott Fly, General Manager of Toyota of Lewisville. “With this much quality and variety there’s a Toyota for everyone.”

Toyota continues to demonstrate their consistency in this all-important study as they have been in the top five among manufacturers since 1990.

About Toyota of Lewisville

Rene’ Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville is a new and used car dealership proudly serving the greater Dallas Fort Worth area including Addison, Allen, Arlington, Carrollton, Colleyville, Coppell, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving, McKinney, Mesquite, Richardson and Southlake.

To make an appointment with a sales associate contact Toyota of Lewisville by phone at 888-805-6888.

Learn more about Toyota Of Lewisville at http://www.toyotaoflewisville.com.

Rene’ Isip’s Toyota Of Lewisville launched a completely redesigned Website on March 1, 2011. The dealership is one of the first in the Dallas area to adopt an impressive new SEO Website strategy.

Dallas, TX –Rene’ Isip’s Toyota Of Lewisville announces an all-new, redesigned Website.  While the address will remain the same, the look, function, and the feel of the Website will improve to make navigation easier and faster for customers looking for new and used cars in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

We want our Dallas-Fort Worth area customers to have the best possible user experience when they visit our Website.  The newly redesigned Website has a brighter, more visually appealing look and feel.

“Our goal is to always make sure our customers have a great experience when they visit our dealership,” Scott Fly, General Manager of Toyota Of Lewisville, said. “Our new Website will expand that great experience online by insuring that our visitors are able to find the vehicles, service, and information they are looking for online more quickly. We are really excited with the new Website and we are looking forward to our customer’s feedback on the update.”

The new Website will allow customers to access each department more quickly and efficiently. Customers will also be able to search the vehicle inventory by body style, model, color, year, and desired price range. An enhanced new search feature allows customers to look up vehicles that receive specific miles per gallon.

Toyota Of Lewisville decided on TK Carsites to host the newly revamped Website in order to bolster Search Engine Optimization efforts. TK Carsites is the leader in Automotive Search Engine Optimization(SEO), having recently won awards for both “Best Marketing Strategy” and “Pinnacle Platform” in the Automotive Website Awards.

As one of the first dealerships in the Dallas area to adopt this strategic SEO platform, Toyota Of Lewisville expects to be one of Ward’s top 100 Internet dealers in the United States this year.

“By being found more easily on the Internet and by having a better online shopping experience, we will be able to take care of more satisfied customers in Dallas and all across Texas,” Fly said.

Being heavily engaged in 21st Century Marketing, Toyota Of Lewisville’s new Website will link to all the popular social networking Websites where customers can directly engage with the company.  Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToyotaofLewisville, or follow Toyota Of Lewisville on twitter at www.twitter.com/ToyotaLew to stay up-to-date on all of the latest and greatest Toyota news from Toyota Of Lewisville.

About Toyota of Lewisville

Rene’ Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville is a new and used car dealership proudly serving the greater Dallas Fort Worth area including Addison, Allen, Arlington, Carrollton, Colleyville, Coppell, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving,McKinney, Mesquite, Richardson and Southlake.

To make an appointment with a sales associate contact Toyota of Lewisville by phone at 888-805-6888 or to contact the service and parts department pleasecall 800-639-5673. Additional information can be found at ToyotaOfLewisville.com.

Learn more about Toyota Of Lewisville at http://www.toyotaoflewisville.com.

Jim Flint

Toyota of Lewisville
713-444-5493

jim@johneagle.net

Without a doubt, Dallas gas prices will continue to rise in 2011. As the world constantly demands more and more fuel, it will become harder to find, and the state of the fuel economy will continue to be more and more critical.  Rene’ Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville offers the Dallas metroplex multiple solutions to conserve fuel and save drivers money with Toyota fuel economy.

Not only are Toyota hybrids like Prius, Camry, and Highlander providing low-cost gas alternatives, but the Toyota Yaris is also hard to beat in the race for top-notch, fuel-efficient cars:

○    In 2009 Toyota launched a special program to test and certify used hybrids

■        3 month/3,000-mile comprehensive warranty

■        7-year/100,000-mile Limited Powertrain Warranty

■        7-year/100,000-mile Roadside Assistance Plan

■        8-year /100,000-mile Factory HV Battery Warranty

■        174-Point Quality Assurance Inspection

■        CARFAX Vehicle History Report

■        Eligibility for Standard New Car Financing Rates

A variety of sources provide Fuel efficiency in vehicles, and Toyota engineers have been researching this with great success.

●      Introduced four – speed automatic

○    To increase fuel efficiency it uses a torque converter with flex lockup

●      Plug – In Hybrids

○    Toyota continues to study and develop the next generation of plug-in

●      Hydrogen Fuel Cell

○    Toyota joined in research with the US Department of Energy in developing the Toyota Highlander Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle – Advanced (FCHV-adv) with mpg of 68.3 and range of 431 miles

●      Natural Gas

○    Toyota’s CNG Camry Hybrid concept highlights the Hybrid Synergy Drive system

It’s important to note that ten percent of all cars sold in America are hybrid, and that Toyota sells 75% of all hybrids sold.  Experience and $1 million per hour spent on research is paving the way for even greater fuel efficiency and safety results.

●      A 2010 Prius used more parts than ever made from ecological plastic carbon-neutral materials that help reduce petroleum use.

$4.00 per gallon for unleaded gasoline, is it possible?

The possibility of $4.00 gas is real and should prompt everyone to consider not only the impact on their budget, but also America’s dependence on foreign oil imports.  The better fuel economy we have, the more control        we will have over gas prices.  Do your part, consider a new fuel efficient car or, to save money, check out the Certified Hybrids backed by Toyota.

Gasoline’s not getting any cheaper and will likely rise in 2011 as the economy cranks back up from the 2008 near-crash.  Toyota has worked hard to stay at the forefront in engineering and design with proven technology like the Prius that, along with the other leading models of hybrids and gas engines, is helping boost fuel economy.  Spending $1,000,000,000 per hour is Toyota’s commitment to researching new valuable ways to push fuel-efficiency even higher.  Stop by, or tweet Rene Isip’s Toyota of Lewisville, and talk to their employees; you will find honest, environmentally-friendly people that are working hard for you.