In This
Issue:
Greetings,
We are very excited. The other day Keith Shelburne, one of our prized technicians, came to me with an excellent idea.
He said, “Wouldn’t it be great to provide our customers with bicycles while their cars are in the shop being
serviced?”
We know many of you enjoy biking, so we purchased two new bicycles for your use while your car is being serviced.
You can use these to tour downtown, ride home or to work, or just get out for some fresh air and exercise.
For safety and security, we also have helmets and locks to go with the bikes.
There is no charge for use of the bikes. When you make your appointment for your next service,
simply mention that you would like a bike, and we will reserve one for you.
We would like to give a special thanks to our friends Brad and Billy at Pedal
Power (www.pedalpowerbikeshop.com) for helping select the right bike.
They are great people, who know their bikes.
To the right, David Moore and Keith Shelburne check out
our new "rides". David is the Executive Vice-President of Central Bank
and, along with being an avid bicyclist, is the proud owner of two
Toyotas. Keith is a certified Master Technician.
Lowell & Betty
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| An
Important Message to Our Customers...
Lowell’s can perform
all preventive and factory scheduled maintenance on your Toyota or Lexus,
whether it’s brand new, mature, has 5000 or 500,000 miles.
Our extensive
inventory of parts and years of Toyota and Lexus experience will keep your
new car warranty (and all extended warranties) intact, no matter where you
bought your car.
To protect your
warranty, all required service we perform will be noted in your
maintenance book and recorded in our database for permanent record.
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| Clark
Howard, the Economist, on Keeping Your Old Car
In Clark's TV work, he recently reported on a
Web site that offers an interactive tool that should help the owners of old gas guzzlers.
The site addresses that all-important question: Does it make sense to keep it or dump it and get a brand-new fuel-efficient vehicle?
Before you play around with this tool, you should realize that the cost of a car is more than just the price of a gallon of gas or a barrel of oil.
You have depreciation, maintenance, insurance, repairs and interest on the loan if you're not buying upfront.
What kind of gas mileage are you really getting? To find out, fill up your tank, set your trip odometer to zero and drive your normal route over a tank of gas.
Then fill up again and divide the number of gallons you buy into the number of miles you drove.
Keep in mind that if you replace your gas guzzler with a used car of similar age that gets great fuel economy, well, the math is irrelevant for you.
You've simply bought like to replace like, in terms of age.
Clark's been hearing some interesting things in the car market. For the longest time, 4 cylinder engines were unloved.
Now they're back with a vengeance. If your last 4 cylinder went from 0 to 60 in a day and a half, the technology has changed so much over the last few years.
Today's 4 cylinder engines are more powerful and get better fuel economy than yesteryear.
Meanwhile, sales of ultra-small cars like the Honda Fit have shot through the roof.
So Clark's advice is look one size bigger for a steal of a deal. You'll get less depreciation over time and the slight decrease in fuel economy won't be much to outweigh the potential savings upfront.
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Courtesy Shuttle Service
Lowell's offers shuttle service to your home or work. When you make your appointment, just let us know that
you need a ride, and we'll be glad to give you one. Our
"fleet" is waiting at your service.
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|
Ten
Gas-Saving Tips
With gas prices climbing
ever higher, we should all pay attention to these...
- Use cruise control if you
have it.
It’s a 4 mpg savings. Continuous up and down acceleration and
braking lowers your gas mileage. Use your cruise control on
the highway to help maintain a constant speed.
- Turn off the AC
If you don’t have to use air conditioning, don’t.
City driving will save you more with the AC off. Highway
driving is a toss-up, as having the windows down causes drag)
- Don’t idle and don’t
make jack-rabbit starts.
Your trip may take a couple extra minutes, but you’ll save money
in the long run.
- Travel at the speed limit.
Stick with the speed limit. Every 5 mph over 60 mph will cost about 21 cents per
gallon extra, so if you spent $3.75 per gallon, it will be as if you paid
$3.96 per gallon at 65 mph, or $4.17 at 70 mph, etc.
- Get the junk out of your
trunk.
The rule of thumb is for every extra 100 pounds you consume an extra
1 mpg.
- Tune it up, fix it up.
Get regular tune-ups and change your oil. An improperly tuned
engine hurts gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent.
Changing the oil could save you up to three percent, and something
as simple as replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can boost gas mileage
up to 40 percent!
- Fresh air.
A clogged air filter can decrease gas mileage by up to 10
percent. The air filter helps protect the inside of the engine
from impurities. The potential gas savings from keeping a clog-free
air filter can be substantial.
- Fill those tires.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Poorly inflated
tires create rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy.
Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by around 3.3
percent.
- Watch your wheel alignment.
Going in a straight line, instead of wobbling, will save gas.
- Anything you can turn off,
do so.
Radios, fans, and all those new great technologies put a load on
your engine, which decreases your gas mileage.
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Lowell's
Gift Certificates
Are you trying to decide what to get that special someone for a birthday or
other special occasion? How about a gift certificate for repair work at
Lowell's? We can print one (or more) out for you, good for any amount
you'd like. They make an ideal gift for a family member or co-worker who
drives a Toyota or Lexus. Just give us a call at (859) 233-1173 or email
us if you'd like to purchase one.
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|
 Do
you have a question about car repair or maintenance?
We love to hear from all our good friends
and customers
who enjoy reading Lowell’s Toyota Times.
If you have a question about anything related to your Toyota,
Lexus, or Scion,
feel free to give us a call at (859) 233-1173, or drop us a line at lowells@iglou.com.
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Lowell's
Toyota Tidbits That's
a lot of Priuseses - umm Prii - I mean Priuses... Toyota
said recently that cumulative sales of its Prius hybrid
car had topped one million units worldwide since its launch in 1997.
Toyota and Ford tops in
customer satisfaction... Toyota
tied with Ford in the 2008 Strategic Vision Total Quality Index, which rates
consumer satisfaction during the first three months of new-car ownership.
Both manufacturers had three vehicles winning their segments. For Toyota
these were the Yaris, 4Runner, and Sequoia.
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Were
you pleased with your recent visit to Lowell's?
If so, then tell a friend, relative, or co-worker who drives a Toyota, Lexus,
or Scion. If
you weren't happy with your experience at Lowell's, then let us
know. Call (859) 233-1173, email
us, or stop by - we want to know how we can improve.
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Contents
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Share a
Recipe
A regular
feature in Lowell's Toyota Times
This edition's recipe was sent in by
Dale Lewis, a long-time friend and customer of Lowell's.
Layered Salad
1 head shredded lettuce
2 packages frozen peas, cooked and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fried, crumbled bacon (optional)
Arrange the
above ingredients in separate layers in a large bowl or 13 X 9 pan. Cover
tightly and refrigerate at least six hours. Do not mix when serving.
If you have a recipe you'd like to share, send it to us at lowells@iglou.com.
Lowell
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Lowell's
Awards &
Honors
::Better Business Bureau Integrity Award in 1991.
::Voted "Best in the Bluegrass" in ACE Weekly poll in 1997, 1999, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007.
::Voted "Favorite Auto Repair Shop" in the Lexington Herald-Leader
Readers' Choice Poll in 1994 and 2007.
::Featured on a television special for employing women in a traditionally male
environment.
::Featured on Hometown Heroes for work done in the community.
|
Don't
miss our "MONTHLY
SPECIAL" at www.chooselowells.com.
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______________________________________________________________________________________________
Lowell's Toyota Times is published by Lowell's Bluegrass
Automotive. Opened in 1979, Lowell's is the the only independent repair
shop in the Bluegrass specializing in the maintenance and repair of Toyota,
Lexus, and Scion vehicles.
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