End of Summer Sell Down!
It has been another great summer here at the Irwin Automotive Group, but with August upon us, we are now looking to reduce our inventory as we head into the cooler months. We got a great start to our inventory sell down this past week, and ended up with 330 retail sales out of our Toyota/Ford rooftop for the first time in company history! In order to keep this pace going to make room for the snow [shudder] that will be on our lot sooner than we would like to admit, we are keeping our sales throttle wide open with the End of Summer Sell Down! This end of summer savings event means great deals on popular models like the Camry, Corolla, Tacoma, Tundra, RAV4, and Highlander. Our sizzling deals put you in the driver’s seat with a $1,000 savings voucher, 0% APR for 72 months on some models, $0 down payment required, and 0 payments for 90 days!
2015 Toyota Sienna Revealed Online
Toyota revealed the redesigned 2015 Sienna today, and it looks awesome! So awesome, in fact, that Toyota launched the hashtag #swaggerwagon so people can talk about how much they enjoy the LED daytime running lights, soft-touch surfaces, and a new intercom feature called the Driver Easy Speak System (DES). DES is also found 0n the Highlander, and it allows parents to speak through a microphone to children in the third row so they do not have to yell while driving. Many of the interior changes to the Sienna such as optional black leather seats with white stitching are designed to make the Sienna feel more upscale. Joe Phillipi of AutoTrends Consulting says this says that minivans are no longer designed to be strictly “utilitarian.”
What is truly interesting about the the 2015 Sienna reveal, is that despite the Sienna being a major contender in the competivie minivan segment, Toyota’s marketing strategy for the Sienna has been done entirely online, and at a fraction of the cost of a traditional media unveiling. To launch the Sienna, Toyota recruited parents known for their viral videos to make their own videos to unveil the Sienna. Explaining this low-budget marketing effort, Edmunds.com analyst Jessica Caldwell says, “Why spend the money [on traditional media] when you can spend the money another way?”
How Do I Turn In My Lease Before It’s Due?
Leases are great. They allow you drive more car for less money, and they keep you under a factory warranty for the duration of the lease. But what happens if you still have time left on your lease when you find a new car you want and/or a lower monthly payment? Can you still get out of your lease? The answer is absolutely, although in practice it usually works best if you have 6 months or less remaining on your lease. The reason for this is because of what automotive industry insiders call “lease pull-ahead programs.”
Lease pull-ahead programs generally come from the financial branch of the car manufacturer, and often allow you to use the equity in your lease to satisfy remaining payments. In fact, sometimes the manufacturer will even waive some monthly payments as part of the program! Although not always the case, it is still quite common for customers to be able to come out of a lease a couple months early and get into a new lease with lower monthly payments with no money out of pocket.
In short, lease pull-ahead programs can be a great way to get into a newer car faster, and for less money. But why do the manufacturers do this? Why give up a few months of higher payments? There is a two-part answer. First, it is a loyalty program to keep you with the same brand and to reward you for doing so. Second, these programs help the manufacturer control how many cars of a given model are coming off lease and arriving at the auction at any one time. If too many car leases mature in, say, August, then the market will be flooded with inventory, and the prices will fall. But if the manufacturer can pull some of these car leases forward and spread them across May, June, July, and August, then the supply will remain stable and the prices will not drop.
Lease pull-ahead programs help the customers by getting them into newer cars for lower monthly payments, and they help the manufacturers not lose money at the auction, so when these programs work properly, it is a win-win all the way around. As with the initial lease, it will be important to review the terms and conditions of the program carefully to make sure that the terms of the program make sound financial sense. These programs might not always work for everyone, but they work often enough that it is worth looking into as you approach the end of your lease.
Sizzling Summer Sell-abration!
If you want the very best deal on a new car, truck, or SUV this summer, then you will be delighted to know that Irwin Toyota is currently running its Sizzling Summer Sell-abration! This amazing sales event runs the entire month of July, and features $1,000 savings voucher, 0% APR financing for up to 72 months on some models, $0 down payment reaquired, and our goal of 100% credit approval!
The all-new 2015 Scion tC 3-door liftback will be arriving at Irwin Toyota Scion at the end of July! This sporty red coupe will feature a charcoal black interior, fog lights, high-profile rear-lip spoiler, a powerful 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. With an MSRP of $22,084, this red tC is an attractive sports car at a very attractive price.
July will also see the arrival a 2015 Scion FR-S! This black-on-black sports coupe has a 6-speed manual transmission, 17″ alloy wheels, and is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder Boxer engine that delivers 200 horsepower to the rear wheels. For pure driving enjoyment at a reasonable price, the FR-S cannot be beat!
It’s time for those summer camping trips, towing boats, trips to the beach, cookouts, and all the best that a New England summer has to offer! With all that in mind, be sure to check out our extensive assortment of hatchbacks, wagons, SUV’s, and trucks!
Sell Us Your Car
Are you tired of high car payments? Do you have more vehicles than you really need? Wouldn’t you rather spend your hard-earned money on something fun rather than registering your vehicle for another year? If so, then sell us your car. The Irwin Automotive Group is proud to announce that we will buy your car, whether or not you buy a car from us. You can sell us your car in 3 easy steps:
1) Bring us your car. We will need to look at the condition and mileage of your vehicle to analyze the live market value of your car using our sophisticated, cutting-edge software.
2) Get a written offer. Once we have determined the value of your car, we will make you a written offer, and we will honor that price for 7 days while you make up your mind. There is no obligation on your part to sell to us. It is pressure-free, hassle-free, and stress-free; all we want is to give you a fair market-based price for your car and let you think it over.
3) Sell us your car! Complete the sale by either signing over your title and getting a check, or by trading your car in for a newer, safer, more reliable vehicle. Again, there is absolutely no obligation to sell your car, and we will honor your written offer for 7 days. While your are considering selling your car to us, you might want to take some time to learn about how selling your car to the Irwin Automotive Group is easier than selling your car on your own, or to any other dealer.
Why Rotate Your Tires
Did you know that not rotating your tires can cause them to wear out more than three times as quickly? Tires that are not rotated can wear unevenly, becoming “chopped.” At first, chopped tires will be only a minor nuisance; they will be noisier and less fuel-efficient than tires with even wear. Over time, however, the chop will become so severe that the tires will no longer pass a state safety inspection, even as early as 20,000 miles!
With the cost of a new set of 4 tires being easily in the $400 to $500 range, prolonging the life of your tires for only about $20 is a bargain! Better still, when you buy a set of 4 tires from any of our Irwin locations (including Laconia Quick Lane) we include free tire rotations for the life of the tire. A good rule of thumb is to have your tires rotated whenever you have your oil changed.
Even though rotating your tires makes good financial sense (especially when the service is free!), there is an even more important reason for doing so, and that is safety. Even when a tire is becoming chopped but still technically passes inspection, it will not perform as well as an un-chopped tire with the same tread depth, all else being equal.
Tires are one of the most important parts of your vehicle since they are what connects you to the road. With that in mind, it is crucial to take care of them, both for your own safety, and to get the most life out of them. Having your tires rotated when you have your oil changed and keeping them properly inflated will help you get the most life out of your tires, while also maximizing your fuel economy.
Why Buy Certified Used Cars?
When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, it is especially important to know exactly what you are getting. Unlike new vehicles, used cars can vary substantially in quality, even when comparing two cars of the same year, make and model. To provide peace-of-mind to our customers, many new car franchises have factory certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle programs. A CPO vehicle is one that has undergone a more rigorous inspection than the average used car, and has been fully reconditioned to meet the exacting requirements of the original manufacturer.
For example, Toyota has one of the most stringent set of requirements of any CPO program. For a used Toyota to become a certified Toyota, the vehicle undergoes a 170-point inspection. Among other items, the tire tread and brake pads must both be 50% or better, and no more than two body panels can have had prior paintwork (even by a professional bodyshop). Because the tires and brakes have a high minimum requirement, many CPO Toyotas actually have new tires and brake pads installed so that they can pass the CPO inspection, providing a higher quality used car to the consumer.
Certified pre-owned cars do not just provide peace-of-mind and higher quality, there are other benefits to the CPO program as well, such as better warranties, and sometimes, reduced interest rates. For example, a CPO Toyota comes with the balance of a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a full year of roadside assistance. Additionally, Toyota CPO models are eligible for special financing rates. Currently, all Toyota CPO vehicles are eligible for 2.90% APR financing for up to 60 months for qualified customers, and this program is good until August 4th.
The specific requirements for certification and any added benefit in the form of warranties or financing rates will vary between manufacturers, but in every case the goal is to provide an exceptional used car and to remove any uncertainty about the car. When considering a used car, definitely consider a factory certified pre-owned vehicle. For the peace-of-mind that comes with a superior product, be sure to look for the terms “Toyota certified,” “Ford certified,” or “Hyundai certified.” Vehicles that pass a manufacturer’s certification requirements represent the very best used cars on the market and we are proud to offer them to our customers.
2015 Camry is Coming to Irwin Toyota
The newly redesigned 2015 Toyota Camry will be available for sale at Irwin Toyota this fall. The 2015 Camry features a bold new design that is its sportiest one yet! The more aggressive design is based on the very popular Corolla redesign which has continued to be a best seller for Toyota. The aggressive grille is accented by deep-set LED fog lamps. The interior has been reworked as well and now includes stain chrome accents. The interior is quieter than ever thanks to improved sound deadening design. On the technology front, don’t miss the available 7-inch touchscreen interface for Entune and the optional Qi wireless charging pad. Newly added safety tech includes a lane deaprture warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and forward collision warning. Under the hood will be the same tried-and-true lineup of a 2.5L I4, 3.5L V6, and the 2.5L Synergy Drive Hybrid.
Spring Maintenance Tips
Spring is here once again, and it is time to do some spring cleaning on your car. Now that the frost heaves have gone, it is important to have an alignment performed on your vehicle. Those bumpy commutes can do more than just slosh your coffee around, they can actually knock your wheels out of alignment. Alignment issues result in the wheels all pulling your vehicle in slightly different directions, effectively fighting against each other. When the wheels fight each other, you do not achieve optimal fuel economy, and your tires my wear unevenly. An alignment check is a quick and simple procedure that can help improve the fuel economy of your car and increase the longevity of your tires.
Speaking of tires, be sure to have them rotated every 5,000 miles. A good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires whenever you have your oil changed or an alignment performed. If you are still driving with snow tires on, it’s time to take them off! Snow tires are excellent for providing additional traction and control on winter roads. Snow tires achieve better winter performance because of two factors: more aggressive tire tread, and a softer rubber compound in the actual tire. This softer rubber is ideal for gripping the roads in cold weather, but during the warm months, it wears down much more quickly than the rubber used in all-season tires. Switching back to all-season or summer tires once the cold months have passed will help extend the life of your winter tires by preventing excess wear. Switching back to all-season or summer tires will also improve your fuel economy thanks to the less aggressive tread on all-season and summer tires.
Now that cold and flu season is behind us, you might want to consider changing your cabin filters. These filters only work properly for a few months, and they can trap harmful bacteria, mold, and viruses. It is best to just switch them out with new filters to get cleaner air and more peace of mind.
Know what I really won’t miss about winter? The road salt. Salt wreaks havoc on cars by eating through paint and rusting metal parts. Be sure to clean your car very thoroughly, especially the under carriage. Better yet, why not get your car professionally detailed with a complete reconditioning? Our hard-working members of the Reconditioning Department can wash, vacuum, shampoo, and buff your car to have it in tip-top shape, inside and out. Spring cleaning is not just for your house. Let’s get your vehicle looking and running great for another wonderful summer season in the Lakes Region!
Irwin’s Upgrades to a $1,000 Savings Voucher
It is the Spring Upgrade Sales Event at the Irwin Automotive Group, and we are trying to to do some serious spring cleaning on our lot. We have too many new Toyota cars, trucks, and SUV’s, and so we are stepping up our game to help you upgrade to a new Toyota this month. We are providing a $1,000 savings voucher instead of the $750 gift card we offered last month, as well as no payments for 90 days and the availability of 0% APR financing for up to 72 months on some models. As always, our goal is 100% credit approval, and our dedicated finance professionals are standing by to assist you in securing a loan for your purchase!
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