Dealership New Owner Events- Worth Your Time?

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Have you ever bought a brand new car? Think back for a moment and try to remember what the dealership did after you signed the paperwork. Surely you were happy to drive off with your shiny ride, and they're of course thrilled to have sold a vehicle, but did they send you a thank you card? Maybe a gift basket with some treats? How about an invitation to an open house event with other new owners, where you're treated to dinner and a Q&A session with mechanics and certified experts?

That's what we did recently, as we invited new owners out on a chilly January night for an evening of information, food, and freebies.

Salesman John chatting with one of his customers.

So what happens at a New Owner Event? Why would you go? Here's a rundown of what we typically do, and what you can expect if you attend a similar event in the future.

• Welcome guests and offer dinner. For this event, we catered with Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe, a nearby sandwich shop. Our guests enjoyed salad, sandwiches, and cookies while getting to re-connect with their salesmen and chit chat for awhile.

Our buffet line. Those cookies go fast.

• Brief introduction and schedule of events. Our manager, Patrick Fusz, greeted everyone and talked a bit about Lou Fusz and how they got into business (the building that is our showroom now used to be a grocery store, believe it or not!)

Patrick Fusz introducing some of our staff.

• Meet the staff Q&A's with mechanics, our service department, and body shop. Not everyone knows, but the dealership can actually be the same (if not cheaper) price than going to a local body shop for repairs and service such as oil changes! In addition, if you need custom work, whether adding something like leather seats or a sun roof, we can do it. These kinds of topics were covered as our certified technicians and representatives were on-hand to answer frequently asked questions and what-if scenarios.

Taking a look under the hood of a Camry. 

• How to take care of your car- for Prius and non-hybrid owners, with strategies for keeping your car in tip-top shape, such as how many miles to go between oil changes (in most newer Toyota vehicles, it's 10,000). Last but not least, we offer our guests some freebies. For this event, it was a voucher for a free tire rotation.  

Mike Hecht explaining lesser known features of the Prius.

If you get the opportunity, these kind of events are definitely a great way to learn more about your local dealership and how you can keep your car running optimally when your odometer starts climbing towards six digits...or further! We typically hold ours several times a year, in addition to other events that existing owners can attend, such as our hybrid clinics.

What kind of information or items would you like to see at a New Owner Event? 

Have You Fallen Asleep While Driving?

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Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel! It would seem that not everyone is a fan of taking the advice from "Roadhouse Blues", the classic hit song by The Doors. A new study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed over 147,000 people, of which 4.9% on average claimed that they've fallen asleep at least once while driving.

The survey, which was done from 2009-2010 and included drivers from 19 different states, found that Texas and California were among the states with the biggest problem of drowsy drivers. 6.1% of drivers in Texas and 4.8% Californians in the study admitting to falling asleep. Oregon, on the other hand, was found to have the least, with only 2.5% of drivers. My home state of Missouri fared well, with only a 3.3% rate which landed it closer towards the bottom of the list.

What were some of the key takeaways? Drivers were more likely to fall asleep if:

• They had snoring problems
• Less than six hours of sleep in a day
• Fell asleep during the day
• Were male
• Between the ages of 25-34

Uh oh. Based on those stats, I'm in the prime demographic for falling asleep while driving! As much as I hate to admit it, I've made the mistake in the past myself, having attempted road trips that began at night. At a certain point, it seems that no amount of Arizona Tea, Monster Energy, or novelty concept items like Le Whif can stop you from nodding off every few seconds. At least until you're jolted awake by the sound of your car rubbing up against the rumble strips on the highway.

Anne G. Wheaton, an epidemiologist and the lead author of the CDC report, said that long commutes and a higher percentage of shift workers can increase the likelihood of sleepy driving. "This percentage we reported is people that actually recognize that they had fallen asleep while driving," she said. "A lot of people, if they fall asleep for a second or two, don't even realize it."

What do you do to combat sleepiness when you have to drive somewhere for an extended amount of time? Do you think we're simply becoming more sleep deprived nowadays?

CES 2013: Toyota's new dashboard feature

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One of the cooler tech related things to come out this year was recently announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) involving a deal between Toyota and The Weather Channel, which is part of Total Traffic Network (TTN) and Clear Channel Media. The partnership will provide real-time updates of traffic and weather in certain 2013 Toyota vehicles via the dashboard! It will use a combination of text and graphics on the display screen to minimize driver distraction, and help drivers plan for safer trips.

Weather forecasts will come from The Weather Channel's Doppler radar system, and traffic updates from TTN, which will be provided through a combination of maps and incident coverage reports that are updated every two minutes. The system will also include predictive traffic information in 15, 30, and 45 minute increments! Definitely a useful feature if you're headed somewhere on a time limit and worried about hitting pockets of congestion. I'm most interested if it can quickly provide alternative routes in the case of lane closures and accidents.

Now, the two big questions you're probably wondering: How much does it cost, and what vehicles will come with it? There hasn't been a list of what 2013 models will offer the dashboard system as of yet (which I will update as soon as more information becomes available) but it has been stated that the feature will be free to the cars that it is built in. If you've got an Entune equipped vehicle and smartphone, Toyota is also working on the ability to offer both features for those users in the future as well. I think giving older cars the ability to take advantage of these is a good move on Toyota's part. With the advent of smartphone technology and apps, it shouldn't be too difficult to port over.

Do you currently use any apps or similar programs that provide weather or traffic on demand while you're driving? What sort of improvements would you like to see in a system that provides this kind of information?

Lunch tastes better with a discount [VIDEO]

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We recently visited Moe's Southwest Grill in Creve Coeur for lunch and faced a tough decision...what to order? There was tons of deliciousness on the menu, and everything sounded good. Granted, once noon hits here at the dealership, just about anything looks tasty! It came down to two choices: the "Homewrecker" burrito, or the loaded "Billy Barou" nachos. As any sane adult would do, I decided that I haven't eaten nachos for a meal in awhile, and opted for a plate full of chips, chicken, and pools of white queso. It was glorious.

Our lunch experience was made even better by the fact that my group and I each got a 10% discount for showing our AutoAwards cards! Check out the video we shot below, and see how you can save too. Don't forget to check the full list of participating businesses and restaurants where you're eligible for a discount!

What's your favorite AutoAwards discount? Leave a comment or tell us on Facebook!