Greetings,
For the last seven months I
have been filling in, when time permits, as our shuttle driver.
This position allows me to talk to some very interesting people, ranging
in age from barely into their 20’s to those well into their 80’s.
They have been born in places as close as downtown Lexington, to as far
as Russia, India, Romania, Hungary, Japan, China, Indonesia, Australia, Nepal,
England, Ireland, France, Italy, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Iran, and a dozen other
places.
When conversing with these
customers, I find we usually share many interests: their homeland, their careers, their Toyotas, and my
favorite, their ethnic cuisines.
I have discovered the
mystique of an English breakfast of beans over toast, the art of finding fresh
fish for sushi, the best place in Lexington to get authentic Chinese food, and
why those from India seldom eat at Indian restaurants (and when they do, which
Lexington Indian restaurant they choose).
You may ask what all this
has to do with your Toyota. Well to
be frank…nothing - other than to be an introduction to our new column, “Share
a Recipe”. If you have a
tested recipe you would like to share, email it to us at lowells@iglou.com
and put “Recipe” in the subject line. Also,
if you have any recommendations on how to improve a posted recipe, please let me
know.
I hope you enjoy,
Lowell
| Be
Prepared for Winter Driving!
We're right smack in the middle of winter, and for most of us our travel doesn't slow down any just because the temperature drops and the weather is unpredictable. So it's wise to be prepared for the unexpected. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(better known as FEMA) lists the following recommendations for winter
travel:
In
addition, have a mechanic (we have the perfect one in mind…) check the following items on your car:
battery, antifreeze, wipers and windshield washer fluid, ignition
system, thermostat, lights, exhaust system, heater, brakes, and defroster.
Click here if you'd like
to make an appointment online for us to inspect your Toyota, Lexus, or
Scion for winter travel.
|
| 2007
Camry Boasts New Design Toyota officially unveiled the 2007 Camry and Camry hybrid at the 2006 North American International Auto show in January. The new Camry represents a departure from the more utilitarian Camrys of years  past. It is more athletic and modern looking, not
as upright as previous models. The wheelbase is longer and the
track is wider, yet engineers have been able to reduce the turning
radius. Sixteen inch wheels are now standard, while the sportier
SE model features 17" aluminum wheels.Fuel mileage has
remained strong across the board as well. The standard 4 cylinder
CE model has an EPA estimated 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway while
putting out 158 horsepower. Models with the V6 engine (the same V6
used in the 4Runner) should get 22/31 mpg while sporting a whopping 268
horsepower. Hybrid models with Toyota's new Hybrid Synergy Drive
should boast impressive city/highway numbers of 43/37 with 147 horsepower from the 4
cylinder engine and an added 45 horses from the electric drive motor. |
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Do we shuttle...?
|
|
Toyota and GM: A Quick Comparison Much has been written and said lately concerning Toyota's vying for the title of world's No. 1 automaker. Last year the company passed Ford to sit firmly in the No. 2 spot. All signs indicate that Toyota will indeed surpass General Motors as the world's top seller in the near future. With that in mind, here are some statistics comparing the two giants. From the looks of the data, Toyota still has some catching up to do in the U.S. market, but if the trends represented by the lower half of the table below continue, someday Toyota will be No. 1 in both the U.S. and the world.
|
Yet
one more Clark Howard article about gas prices Gas prices are moving up and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Do you feel like a sitting duck? There are things you can do, but you have to be a bit of a free thinker. If you have a diesel car, or can convert your car to a diesel, it will run on restaurant grease, for example. Another man, who recently sent pictures to Clark, runs his diesel Volkswagen Beetle on vegetable oil.
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Camry still on top... The Camry was the best-selling car in the U.S. in 2005. That puts the Camry at the top for four years straight, and eight of the last nine years. Makes you wonder... According
to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Toyota has two vehicles on the top
ten list of most reported vehicles stolen in 2004. The '89 Camry is at #2,
while the '88 Pickup is at #9. In other words, trade in your older Toyota
for a new one. Toyota ahead by a mile... While some automakers have yet to enter the hybrid game, Toyota has already developed its third generation hybrid engine, slotted to be put into use in 2008. The new power plant will be even more economical and offer higher performance than its first and second generation hybrid engines, first used in 1997 and 2003 respectively. |
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Are
you pleased
with your service at Lowell's? |
Share a
Recipe
The first installment of a new regular
feature in Lowell's Toyota Times
Our first recipe
is for Miso, a traditional Japanese soup that is served for breakfast, lunch,
and dinner. By using a combination of recipes, I (Lowell) created my version to be low in
sodium as well as tasty.
Miso is actually
a paste made from fermented soybeans, and is full of healthy, essential fatty
acids and antioxidants like vitamin E. The
linoleic acid contained in Miso is said by the Japanese to promote soft skin.
Miso also contains isoflavones and other elements that provide protection
against cancer.
All the ingredients below can be found at Good Foods Market & Café or the Japanese market on Southland Drive.
Miso
| 12 C | Water |
| 1.75 oz. (50g.) | Kombu (kelp) |
| ¾ box, (3 C) | Bonito flakes |
| 1 T | Bonito essence (Hon Dashi) |
| ¾ c | Soy (reduced sodium 3%). Regular soy makes it salty! |
| 1.5 T | Mirin (Japanese rice wine) |
| 1.5 T | Sugar |
| 6 T | Organic mellow barley Miso paste |
Add Kombu to water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then discard Kombu.
Add Bonito
flakes and boil for an additional 3 minutes.
Steep for 2 minutes.
Strain.
Return to a boil.
Mix soy, Mirin, sugar, and bean paste until smooth. Add to soup.
Simmer 3 more minutes.
You can add any of the items below for variety:
| shaved carrots | udon noodles |
| bean sprouts | scallions |
| spinach | chives |
| tofu | dried seawood |
Don't
miss our "MONTHLY
SPECIAL" at www.chooselowells.com.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
To have your name removed from our mailing list, send us an email by clicking here. Just type "remove" in the subject line.
Cars in Brazil are
“multi-fuel” vehicles, meaning they can run on sugar cane and other
types of fuel. The country made it a national policy to break away from
foreign oil sources, and it’s working. The powers-that-be in the U.S.
are trying to block the use of sugar as a fuel source and luckily it
hasn’t happened yet. But they’ll continue to try. Our country should
be in favor of any initiatives that reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
So Clark doesn’t get it. In the meantime, consider converting your car
if you really want to save money.
