The Toyota Family Tree

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Are you a fan of infographics? Those flashy images you constantly see people share that make learning about statistics, history, or scientific data more interesting? I can't seem to get enough of them, and even made a simple family tree one below showing some of the different vehicles Toyota has released over the years. A lot of this information came from two sources: Google (of course- I'd be lying if I didn't mention them!) but also the fully interactive "75 Years of Toyota" website that was recently launched by Toyota's global site. 

"75 Years of Toyota" is a complete history of nearly every Toyota vehicle ever made. I spent close to two hours browsing through it, reading about first editions of various cars, and still feel like I've only scratched the surface!

Whether you're a Toyota fan, curious about the vehicles that eventually turned into the ones we know today, or simply looking for a distraction, it's definitely worth checking out. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you can also get more of a slideshow view of Toyota's history, without having to browse through tons and tons of vehicle data. Using that link, you can see some of the more quirky stuff Toyota has put time and energy into, such as in 2004, when they developed "partner robots".

Was there anything within the infographic or slideshow history that surprised you? Leave a comment below with your favorite! 

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? 

Toyota and KBB- Karate Chopping to Victory

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You've probably used Kelley Blue Book at some point during your car search. It's a great online resource for getting an initial estimate on the value of a specific car, whether you're buying or selling. The estimates they give for trading in your vehicle to a dealership are pretty competitive too. I once looked up the value of my car and then asked my sales manager to give me an estimate. Both numbers weren't too far off from one another.

For the Toyota enthusiasts out there, if you've found your eyes drifting towards a new Camry or an Entune equipped vehicle lately while browsing KBB, feel free to rejoice! Since the beginning of 2010, car shoppers on KBB have been most loyal to Toyota compared to other auto brands. KBB did a study and found that the majority of people searching their site were looking up Toyota vehicles. In fact, in August of 2012, of the 25 most shopped for vehicles, number one was the Camry (the Highlander was the 13th most searched for, Corolla 17th, RAV4 18th, and Tacoma 23rd)!

"Toyota's reputation for quality, reliability and strong resale values undoubtedly contribute to the brand's success. New-car shoppers on KBB.com continue to prove their love for Toyota, time and time again," said Arthur Henry, manager of market intelligence for Kelley Blue Book. "Recent redesigns of best-selling models like the Camry, and increasing popularity of fuel-sippers like the Prius family, continue to drive interest and traffic to Toyota's new cars on KBB.com. The brand also has very impressive, longstanding shopper loyalty statistics."

You know who else was loyal and succeeded? Daniel LaRusso, the karate kid. That famous song from the equally famous movie was one of the first things to randomly pop into my mind. Followed up fairly quickly by "Wax on, wax off!"
I'm sure the guys at Toyota are celebrating the news of their victory on KBB's website by playing Joe Esposito's ultimate montage song repeatedly-

Now that we've gotten the nostalgia fix out of our system- do you use Kelley Blue Book? What other resources do you search when looking for car information online?

Tech My Ride: Entune

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You gotta love technology. Not only does it help to simplify our lives, it keeps innovating and keeping us excited for what’s to come. Remember life before smartphones and GPS? Those were scary days, weren’t they?
That being said, Toyota is debuting a new navigation and infotainment system, Entune, which is currently outfitted in select vehicles, such as the 2012 Camry.

So, what does this thing do? Why should you care?

Entune works by syncing with your smartphone and giving you quick access to apps and information on the fly using its large display screen. When you purchase a new Entune equipped vehicle, your salesperson will help you setup the system so that is syncs specifically with your phone. What's cool is that when these apps and services on your phone update, such as Pandora, Entune will automatically sync to the latest versions as well. Even cooler is the fact that it’s an all-in-one system. You get a CD player, HD radio, DVD player, blue tooth capability, and USB/auxiliary ports, with a 7’’ LCD screen to navigate or access your content.

To put things in perspective, think of Entune as Inspector Gadget. It has tools for every situation! You can check the weather at your current location, or wherever you plan on being. If there's traffic ahead, such as a closed lane, Entune will alert you ahead of time. You can even have the system create a detour route for you on the fly in case of heavy highway congestion or road closures!

Along with those features, you can also use the built in gas app to search for nearby gas stations, and Entune will compare prices so that you can find the best deal. Want directions? There's a button that will let you speak out a business or address, and Entune will automatically find the best path for you to take.
Early next year, Toyota is hoping to add more voice recognition technology (similar to iPhone's Siri) so that you can utilize voice commands for just about anything, such as saying "I'm hungry" to pull up nearby restaurants.

 Entune-equipped vehicles come with 3 free years of service, and Toyota will add the service to more vehicles next year. Check out the Toyota website for more on Entune, or visit the Lou Fusz Toyota showroom to take a test drive and try it out for yourself.