The internet has opened up our world in so many ways, and is usually the first stop in our search for answers to our questions. It’s the quick and easy “go to” for the information we need.
Many of us have gotten used to buying just about anything online: clothes, shoes, vacations, exercise equipment – you name it, someone sells it. And we like that we can make purchases in our own time frames, wherever we happen to be, makeup or not, and even in our pajamas.
Many dealers recognize that their customers wish for the same kind of buying experience when they need to purchase a car, and have therefore responded by creating internet sales departments. Take advantage of the wealth of information and (hopefully) good customer service that dealers make available to you online. It will save you time, money, and frustration!
The Pros of Buying Through the Internet Department
- Research You can view the entire inventory at your dealership, and read through each model’s online brochure.
- Photos and Videos You can quickly weed out the vehicles you don’t want, and more closely view the ones you might be interested in.
- Full Disclosure of Options Many dealerships list the options, and you are able to better understand your needs – again, in your own time.
- Pricing Compare without being hassled.
- Quick Response You can email an internet sales associate with questions and can expect immediate answers.
- Get Preapproved Your internet sales associate will direct you where you can go.
- Most Arrangements Done Online The only thing you have to do in person is sign the paperwork, get the keys and drive away!
- It’s Easy Why not make your life a little easier by starting the car buying process at home? No pressure, no bad weather, no hassles and no haggling in person.
Milton Ruben Toyota of Augusta has a dedicated Internet Team to meet the demands of today’s car buyers. We want you to have a smooth, hassle-free, efficient and positive car buying experience. Contact your next internet sales professional or check out our online inventory at www.miltonrubentoyota.com.
We at Milton Ruben Toyota are proud of the products we sell, and are equally confident in the quality and safety of all Toyota vehicles.
Toyota has taken major steps to become a more responsive, safety-focused organization.
Here are some of the actions taken to be an industry leader in Quality and Safety:
- Established a Special Committee for Global Quality under the direction of Global President Akio Toyoda to reexamine all aspects of quality assurance.
- Star Safety System now standard across all lineups.
- Making SmartStop Technology brake override system standard on all new models by the end of 2010.
- Created SMART Teams to help quickly investigate reports of unintended acceleration.
- Established independent Quality Advisory Panel – chaired by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.
- Appointed Chief Quality Officer for North America – Steve St. Angelo
- Appointed Chief Safety Executive for North America – Dino Triantafyllos.
- Increasing the use of Event Data Recorder (“black boxes”) in cars for better data collection and providing new EDR readers to government safety regulators.
- Set up Design Quality Innovation Division in Japan, and transferred 1,000 engineers to focus on design of components and other quality issues.
- Created a new team of 100 engineers to audit vehicle quality by studying use by customers.
- Expanded product development cycle by 4 weeks, to help ensure high quality/safety.
- Developed next-generation virtual test dummy to help guard against internal organ damage in the event of an accident.
- Refined our global Early Detection, Early Resolution (EDER) system to include a wider variety of sources to help monitor quality/safety, including customer calls, web mentions, and government databases.
- Appointed 4 North American leaders to join 5 others as presidents of plants in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, providing more regional autonomy.
- Establishing 6 additional Product Quality Field Offices throughout North America to improve our ability to detect and respond to customer and quality issues.
- Opened our electronic technology to an unprecedented level of review by outside experts, including NASA, the National Academy of Sciences, and engineering firm Exponent.
If you are considering buying a Toyota vehicle and are concerned about safety, visit us at Milton Ruben Toyota and see the vehicles for yourself. We will be happy to discuss all of your questions and concerns.
www.miltonrubentoyota.com
Who says we can’t put the Swagger in the Wagon?
I was reading blogs and came across two women/mothers who thought that is was ridiculous that Toyota was trying to make their Toyota Sienna Minivan “cool” looking.
Quotes below:
“It’s tough to put swagger in a minivan. Toyota Motor Corp. has tried to claim its all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna is cool, fun and the kind of vehicle young, hip parents want in their lives. But that’s simply not true. There’s nothing particularly cool about a minivan. Cool is Corvette, cool is cruising to a Tigers’ game on a summer night with the top down and 89X cranking on the stereo. There are no juice boxes in cool. Coolness is instantly removed when a person becomes a parent. This is a fact of life even Edna Garrett can agree with. But don’t let dumb marketing get in the way of a great minivan…..The Sienna has been redesigned for 2011, and it’s precisely some of those redesigned features that don’t rock my world. The Sienna’s wider, shorter body sits low to the ground, and when coupled with the rear spoiler the new look made me feel like I should be cruising the strip rather than going to the grocery store. Superficial? Perhaps, but it matters.”
“Something about the 2011 Sienna’s exterior makes me think it’s trying too hard to be cool. It doesn’t quite work for me. While this Sienna has purportedly borrowed some style tips from Toyota’s Venza and Camry models, it made me think that this is what a minivan would look like if Toyota ever decided to have its Scion brand manufacture one. Let’s be honest, this is a car that people buy to be pragmatic, not to flaunt their cool factor. I’m just not buying into the Swagger Wagon idea. “
Well I happen to completely disagree with these women. After these above quotes, they both go on to talk about how wonderful, safe, and functional they are. Why can’t a minivan look good? I don’t get it. I am 24 years old without any children of my own and I have seen Siennas here that I would love to drive. They do look cool. They really do not resemble minivans at all compared to all other brands.
SAFETY
The 2011 Toyota Sienna has been named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. To earn this safety award, a car must get the highest score of Good in front, side-impact, rear and rollover crash tests. It also must have standard stability control, which the Sienna does.
The Sienna also has standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist, traction control, active head restraints in the front row and seven airbags, including side curtains for all three rows and a driver’s knee airbag. All-wheel drive is optional.
The Sienna has three sets of lower Latch anchors, with two sets in the outboard second-row seats and a third in the middle position of the third row. The Latch anchors are deeply embedded in the seats. While the seat cushions were pliable enough to get to the Latch anchors without chipping your diamond ring (as I did in another test car), I’d love to see them a little easier to access in future models.
The second row slides back and forth, which is a godsend when installing child-safety seats. Because of it, there’s plenty of room for a rear-facing infant-safety seat and convertible seat in the second row. While I ran into visibility issues with my son’s forward-facing convertible seat installed in the third row, my son had plenty of room. A high-back booster seat fit well in both the second and third rows.
Online Buying…the best new thing since sliced bread!
Check your local dealer’s website.
The internet isn’t just about pricing, the biggest advantage to purchasing online is the ability to become informed and save yourself hours of time that would normally be spent at most dealerships. Negotiating car prices, options, and financing can be a lengthy process at some dealerships, and by going online, you can have this taken care of before you even step foot on a lot.
Accomplished dealer websites offer video tours, 360 degree views, and customer testimonials. Sites such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.nhtsa.gov and Consumer Reports www.comsumerreports.org allow buyers to compare data, child safety statistics, crash tests, ratings, and recalls. The internet also provides information such as: Car and Price Comparisons, Financing Comparisons, Insurance Comparisons, and Warranty Comparisons. The Web tends to be a straightforward gateway for sellers as well as customers, and these days more customers than ever are going online to make their decisions. Of course at some point you’ll have to see the car in person, so by doing your research online, you can go ahead and narrow down your choices and find the best deals, then find a salesman you can enjoy working with.
Here at Milton Ruben, we offer free Carfax reports for every vehicle on the lot, so there is no hidden information. We take pride in our customer satisfaction and the trust we build with each customer.
Chances are you never thought about car buying statistics, but it is something you might want to know. These are not the kinds of things that you would normally care about unless you are in the car business. Some of these car buying statistics might surprise you and you might see how they come into play when you are buying a car. The two main things that auto shoppers want are price (especially a good one) and availability.
Here at Milton Ruben, we have over 1,600 on the lot for our customers to choose from. The best thing is to get yourself educated by doing your homework. These car buying statistics should help you be a more educated car buyer and understand the thinking on the car dealer and car salesman.
Car Buying Statistics Help Get The Best Deal
It is said that 86% of all car buyers start their car buying research online by visiting various manufacturers and dealers websites.
80% of those Purchasers Used Google Car buyers will usually buy a car in 3 days or less of making the decision to buy before they even visit a dealer.
It is said that 80% of car buyers buy a car different than what they came in to buy. Such as different color, model etc..
More than half of the car buyers visiting a car dealership that sells their preferred brand will come to look and end up buying a car on their first visit.
Over 95% of car buyers take their new car home on their first visit, it is called a Spot Delivery.
The car buyers that are the happiest with their car buying experience usually paid the most profit.
Car buyers that are determined to look at many different dealers in order to get the best deal usually buy at the second car dealer they visit.
And I’ll just throw this one in there…..90% of Camrys sold after 1994 are still on the road TODAY! Maybe you should come check out our great prices on Camrys. Just an idea. 🙂
When you decide it is time for you to buy a new car, keep these car buying statistics in mind and do all the research regarding price, model, colors, options and financing in order to get the best deal possible. Remember, it is your money so make sure you spend it the way you want. Want to get started right away? Do an online search for the type of car you’re interested in purchasing, plus your geographic location, and you should be presented with lots of opportunities.
If you are in the CSRA, you can easily access any of the Milton Ruben online showrooms. Our websites are extremely up to date and helpful. We guarantee that it will be a pleasure to work with us online and/or in person. We are your Whatever It Takes Dealer and We do the deals the other guys won’t!
Please visit us at:
www.miltonrubenscion.com
The Key to Car Shopping Success!
“Despite the abundance of resources and information available to all car shoppers, women surprisingly still feel less comfortable shopping for and buying a car than men. According to a recent AutoTrader.com survey, approximately one in four women (24%) find shopping for a vehicle “stressful,” compared to 15% of men. And while nearly half of men (44%) feel “certain and confident” when visiting car dealerships, only one in four women (25%) feel the same way. “
We’ve broken it down for ya and here’s the fool proof plan for choosing a great automobile for you and your family while making sure you get the price you deserve…
First, decide whether you want new, used or certified pre-owned?
New –The main reason for a new car is that A. It’s NEW and B. It comes with a Warranty. Warranty periods are typically at least three years or up to 36,000 miles and cover just about everything from bumper to bumper.
Used – The most obvious advantage to buying a pre-owned car is that you can get a great deal. Just be smart about it. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Certified Pre-Owned – CPO cars are a happy medium. They’re typically two to three years old, have been reconditioned and come with some warranty protection. A CPO car will have a higher price tag than a similar non-CPO vehicle, but the warranty protection may make it worth it.
- 1. You’ve gotta know what you WANT and what you NEED (and knowing the difference may help you out some too!).
- Before stepping foot onto a dealership lot…research and prepare for your car buying experience. Dealerships aren’t open 24/7 anyways, so why not take advantage of your pajama time and check out some local DEALER WEBSITES. Ah hem….MiltonRubenToyota.com wouldn’t be a bad place to start!
- Start paying attention to other vehicles on the road…what you like, what you don’t like, etc. Other customers know best….we have plenty of customer testimonials on our YouTube! Page (Milton Ruben Superstore) to help and inform you on what our customers appreciate about their vehicles and their car buying experiences.
These next tips should seem pretty obvious…but trust us, there are people who think they know what they WANT and NEED until they get home and wonder why they bought a car without a third seat when they just added Bobby Jo and Billy Sue to their already 8 person family! Ask yourself:
- How many passengers are normally in my vehicle? Even if you have only 2 kids, consider the fact that they may want to have one of those “play dates” one day and you may find youself having to strap their friends to the roof! Take into account room for car seats, life-size Dora the Explorer dolls, and everything else kids bring along to make them feel at home while in the car.
- Do I need a significant amount of trunk space or hauling capacity? When you go on vacation, do you take everything but the kitchen sink with you? If you’re like my mom, you might need a 4×4 truck instead of the cute, little, sporty sedan you were eyeballin’.
- Do I need an all-wheel drive vehicle? Even if you aren’t going to be towing anything, you might want to consider the weather and terrain in your area. Down here in Georgia, we don’t think its possible to leave the house without a snow plow if there are snow flurries. This is something to consider.
- How much driving do I do? Can I afford to fill up the tank once a week in this monster? What are normal maintenance costs on this vehicle? That’s when you may look into a car such as the Toyota Prius…a Hybrid that gets an estimated 51 miles to the gallon. (Hybrid=gas and electric…but no, you do not have to plug it in to the wall in your garage to charge like your son’s Fisher Price PowerWheels monster truck.) This is cool stuff we’re talkin’ about here.
2. Now it’s time to head to the dealership and there is no reason to fret!
After reading these tips, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to walk in there confident and informed.
Like in school, DO NOT BE SCARED TO ASK QUESTIONS!!! YOU MUST!!! Asking questions will help you get to know your salesman, sense how committed they are to their customers and show them that you’re prepared and knowledgeable. Be sure to ask:
- What special offers do you currently have available?
- What types of warranties do you offer? Can I purchase an extended warranty?
- What did the previous owners use the car for and what type of climate was it driven in? (If it is pre-owned)
- How long of a test drive can I take?
- What new equipment comes as part of this purchase?
- Do you take trade-ins?
Bring along your research.
Print out pages of the cars that you saw online that caught your attention. These are good to provide the salesman with and you can write notes on each car as you go.
If you saw the same car for a lower price, print that evidence out! A lot of dealers will match prices.
3. Test Driving and Inspection
If you aren’t a car officionado, bring along a buddy that knows more about cars to help you point out possible problems or turn-offs.
Start inspecting!
Take time on your test drive and pay attention to things like…funny smells, awkward sounds, handling, and mechanics. Also make sure the interior and exterior meet your standards and there isn’t a huge scratch on the car that you might not see until you get it home and its too late.
4. Considerations and Precautions
Get a CARFAX report. Before buying any pre-owned vehicle, based on the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), to review its history. We offer them free on any car you buy here!
Consider safety. Review government and insurance company crash test ratings for any vehicle you’re considering and look into the available add-on safety features before signing your lease or purchase agreement. You can do this on sites like Safercar.gov or IIHS.org.
5. Negotiating
Negotiating can be the most difficult part of the car buying process. Follow these tips to help ease the process.
The car loan and lease experts at Milton Ruben Toyota of Augusta will do the work for you to ensure you get the lowest possible rate on your car loan. We work with area and national lenders to provide you with options, from low rates to short terms. Some dealerships do not provide this service, and you may have to research rates and options with banks in your area.
Focus on the total price of the car and let that dictate what your monthly payment will be and what you can afford to pay each month.
Get it all in writing. Ask the dealer or seller to explain to you how the cost specifically breaks down and see it clearly in writing. You want to make sure that you understand where any additional fees come in, and that you’re aware of every cost, large or small, for the vehicle. This is your purchase and you have the right to know this information!
We are your “Whatever It Takes Dealer” and we do the deals the other guys just won’t! Visit us online at MiltonRubenToyota.com or at 3514 Washington Road in Augusta, GA.
We love our Toyotas….and so should you! Here’s the low down.
The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates a vehicle for how well it protects its occupants from front and side impacts, rollovers, and rear impacts. The vehicles must also offer electronic stability control. And can we please leave all of this recall hoopla behind already?? The IIHS awarded Toyota with more Top Safety Picks than any other brand. Models included are the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Sienna, and Highlander. The Toyota Camry has been the best-selling passenger car in America for the last eight years so Toyota went with the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” theory. The Camry remains unchanged for the 2011 model year.
Here are a few more stats:
190-The number of feet of test track it takes for a Camry V6 to stop from 70 mph.
100%-The percentage of Toyota vehicles that now come standard with Star Safety System™.
5-The number of advanced safety features that make up Star Safety System™.
200-The number of engineers and technical associates that make up Toyota’s rapid response SMART Teams.
1,000,000-The amount in dollars that Toyota invests per hour on research and development to enhance the safety and technology of its vehicles.
In an age in which consumers don’t expect to have to maintain their cars and trucks anymore, Toyota may find itself increasingly investigating more consumer preference design defects in order to sway clear of safety problems before they actually become problems.
After suffering several major blows to its reputation in the past year, it was clear that Toyota in Tokyo gave its North American operations far too little authority and autonomy in dealing with quality, safety and overall engineering and management issues.
Its quality initiative is designed to take on all of these issues, existing and potential. It has added an extra league of management to train its workers. And about 1000 engineers were added to Toyota’s quality innovation activity. It’s stepping up evaluation of quality and safety problems from consumers’ points of view, therefore adding about four weeks to a typical new model’s development time.
Now, having studied about 3600 complaints of “unintended acceleration” so far, Toyota has found no reproducible cases, and it may be changing the public’s view on this issue after a couple of sincere, though ridiculous “demon runaway car” claims. Toyota has spent two days, so far, trying to convince us that its thorough quality and safety programs are about to get much better. It desperately wants to salvage its hard-fought reputation Unspeakable as it may be, the unintended acceleration issue looks to me like it’s largely the product of a quickly aging Toyota buyer base. There have been no such cases regarding its Scion youth brand.
While there’s a clear distinction now between consumer satisfaction with a model’s lack of quality defects and the quality of its design, including ergonomics and ease of use, the distinction may be going away. Thanks largely to Toyota’s leadership, consumers now are conditioned to expect zero defects and such ease of use that the car should virtually drive itself and let its owner text. After all, nobody even reads owners manuals, anymore.
Under Toyota’s newly enhanced system, it gives priority to identifying and solving problems when safety is involved, as compared with quality problems that simply annoy the driver. Even the floor mat issue that began Toyota’s woes is the result of consumer “preference” for stacking more than one mat on the driver’s floorpan, or changing into winter mats without proper installation has become a problem that endangers safety.
We are your “Whatever it Takes Dealer”. We do the deals the other guys won’t! Come pick our your new 2011 Toyota from the Milton Ruben Superstore. Let us prove to you why we stand by the Toyota brand, and why you should too!
2010 Toyota 4Runner Review
There are a few automotive reviewers whose work I read religiously. Alright, I read ALL of the reviewers, but there are some who stand out because of the quality and fairness of their assessments. One such writer is Chris Shunk of AOL Autos. I had the pleasure of meeting Chris at an industry function and I find him to be intelligent and devoted to the industry. It’s true that his opinions are often biased toward Ford – after all, in his previous life, he was a project manager for the Blue Oval. But when he is favorably impressed by one of our vehicles, the fact of his predisposition makes his endorsement all the more authentic.
Recently, Chris reviewed the 2010 Toyota 4Runner which, in his parlance, “[F]aithfully sticks to the formula it helped create . . . as it helped define America’s sport-utility genre along with the original Jeep Cherokee way back in 1984.” Chris goes on to say that the new Toyota 4Runner model is at once “Bigger, more capable and more luxurious . . . and boasting a big and bold theme inside the cabin, with oversized seats, a wonderful Delmonico-inspired steering wheel and a shift lever that could double as the barrel of a Louisville Slugger. Even the knobs are over an inch in diameter. The wide, squared-off center stack very efficiently packs in all the 4Runner’s supersized buttons and switchgear, and ergonomics are surprisingly good. The 4Runner’s overall length, at 189 inches, is three inches shorter than the Nissan Pathfinder, but the 4Runner is a far more useful 2.4 inches wider. That means more shoulder and hip room for passengers, more presence in traffic, and perhaps most importantly, more stability.” Furthermore, Chris enthuses how much he, “[L]iked the 4Runner’s comfortable leather seats, commanding view of the road and roomy dimensions.” Most importantly, however, Chris found “[C]onsiderable surprises once [he] got behind the wheel. The first area of delight came courtesy of Toyota’s 4.0-liter V6 engine . . . which makes the 4Runner feel surprisingly fleet-footed. Perhaps more surprising than the 4Runner’s perkiness is the impressive 19.5 miles per gallon [he] managed during a week of mixed driving (EPA figures: 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway). Not bad for a two-ton SUV with a five-speed transmission and large-displacement V6.” Chris’ tester also proved to be very comfortable on the highway and around town, with the V6 providing reliable power and the chassis remaining well-controlled. Let’s not forget, however, that the 2010 Toyota 4Runner might be the most sure footed SUV in the world when the highways are left in the rear view mirror. I agree with Chris’ assessment that, “[O]ff the beaten path . . . the 4Runner revealed itself to be a very capable partner. Substantial P265/70SR17 tires and above average wheel travel made most pits feel like small potholes, and the 4WD system proved to be very difficult to overwhelm.” Chris concludes that, “The Toyota 4Runner may be every bit as safe and reliable as Toyota models of the past, but it also has a bit of attitude in its design and capability, and that’s a good thing. And with the Chevrolet Trailblazer gone and the Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango about to reinvent themselves as crossovers, the 4Runner has very little competition in a segment that just a decade ago surpassed well over one million units per year.”
The 2010 Toyota 4Runner is the hottest looking and stoutest performing SUV on the road. It is a worthy inheritor of the brand’s august pedigree which includes 1.5 million 4Runners sold over the course of 4 generations spread out over a quarter century of continuous production.
Of course, the best deals on Toyota 4Runners are available at Milton Ruben Toyota on Washington Road in Augusta. Don’t forget that if you still love your old one, bring it to Milton Ruben where our factory trained technicians will give it the TLC it deserves. While you are here, you might find out that a new 4Runner is more within your reach than you might have dreamed. Milton Ruben is your Whatever it Takes dealer. Shop us online at www.drivebaby.com.
Safety First
Safety First — At Milton Ruben, our family looks after your family.
The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) is an influential auto safety group headquartered in Washington, D.C. that prods automakers to build safer cars.
IIHS reports that after testing twelve 2011 midsize SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) for safety, five have been awarded the group’s top safety rating for their performance in crash tests and in a new rollover test that measures roof strength.
Milton Ruben Superstore is proud to report that four of the five top rated 2011 midsize SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) are available for sale at Milton Ruben Superstore on Washington Road and for sale or review at drivebaby.com.
The Winners:
Toyota Highlander (Available at Milton Ruben and at www.miltonrubentoyota.com)
Toyota Venza (Available at Milton Ruben and at www.miltonrubentoyota.com)
Jeep Grand Cherokee (Available at Milton Ruben and at drivebaby.com)
Chevrolet Equinox (Available at Milton Ruben and at drivebaby.com)
Kia Sorento (Occasionally available at Milton Ruben Pre-Owned Superstore and at drivebaby.com)
Automakers tout the insurance institute’s rankings, which are based on dozens of crash tests annually, and many smart, educated, informed consumers consult them before buying a new vehicle.
Included among the SUVs that failed to receive IIHS’s Top Safety Ratings are:
Ford Edge’s (Acceptable roof strength but not a Top IIHS Pick for Safety)
Mazda CX-7 (Marginal roof strength)
Nissan Murano (Marginal roof strength)
Honda Pilot (Marginal roof strength)
Mitsubishi Endeavor (Marginal roof strength)
Honda Accord Crosstour (Marginal roof strength)
In February 2009, IIHS told automakers it would require stronger roof standards to get top safety pick status. Some of the vehicles that didn’t get top honors haven’t been
redesigned since the new requirement was announced.
The insurance institute insists automakers build roofs that are twice as strong as what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Automakers are making progress in rollover protection,” said Adrian Lund, president of the safety group.
In addition to the roof tests, vehicles must earn good ratings in front, side and rear crashes to be named a top safety pick.
Jeep brand President Mike Manley touted the designation for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle provides consumers with “enhanced safety and security,” Manley said, plus traditional Jeep capability and a “premium driving experience.”
Milton Ruben Superstore is proud to offer the safest vehicles on the road. Help keep your family safe. Please visit us on Washington Road or shop us online at drivebaby.com. Milton Ruben Superstore. Your Whatever it Takes dealer. We do deals the other guys just won’t. And we never compromise on safety.
Ever Heard of OICA?
June 14, 2010
Have you ever heard of OICA? The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers was founded in Paris in 1919. It is now known as the “Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles” (OICA). Former United States Congressman, Dave McCurdy, is the President of this global alliance that studies issues of mutual interest relating to the development and future of the automobile industry.
Milton Ruben Superstore has obtained an OICA press release that will be disseminated later this summer. In part, OICA will announce the global leaders in automobile production. The listing is as follows:
| TTAC Rank 2009 | Manufacturer | Global units 2009 | OICA Rank 2008 | OICA Units 2008 | 2009/2008 |
| 1 | Toyota Group | 7,234,439 | 1 | 9,237,780 | -21.7% |
| 2 | General Motors Group | 6,503,000 | 2 | 8,282,803 | -21.5% |
| 3 | Volkswagen Group | 6,290,000 | 3 | 6,437,414 | -2.3% |
| 4 | Ford Group | 4,817,000 | 4 | 5,407,000 | -10.9% |
| 5 | PSA Group | 3,188,000 | 7 | 3,325,407 | -4.1% |
| 6 | Hyundai | 3,106,178 | 8 | 2,777,137 | 11.8% |
| 7 | Honda | 3,012,000 | 5 | 3,912,700 | -23.0% |
| 8 | Nissan | 2,744,562 | 6 | 3,395,065 | -19.2% |
| 9 | Renault | 2,642,659 | 11 | 2,417,351 | 9.3% |
| 10 | Suzuki | 2,387,533 | 9 | 2,623,567 | -9.0% |
Milton Ruben Superstore (shop us online at www.drivebaby.com) is proud to represent the world’s #1 and #2 global manufacturer of cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs – Toyota (Milton Ruben Toyota – go to www.miltonrubentoyota.com for details) and General Motors (Milton Ruben Chevrolet – go to www.miltonrubenchevy.com for details).
It is interesting to note that the aggregate global production of the two Milton Ruben partners – Toyota and General Motors is greater than Ford, Hyundai, Honda (falling sharply from #5 in 2008 to #7 in 2009), and Nissan (also falling sharply from #6 in 2008 to #8 in 2009) put together!
Milton Ruben Superstore is one of the top selling dealership groups in the United States. In May, Milton Ruben Superstore sold more than 500 new and used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs for a record third consecutive month. Milton Ruben Superstore sells new Chevrolets, Chryslers, Jeeps, and Dodges as well as Toyotas. Milton Ruben is also one of the top Used Car dealers selling vehicles to fit every need and budget.
Milton Ruben also repairs and maintains any make or model of car, truck, van, or SUV.
Since 1982, we are Augusta’s Whatever it Takes dealer. We do deals the other guys just won’t. Shop us online at www.drivebaby.com
The Detroit News today
June 1, 2010
I read a vindicating article in The Detroit News today. It seems that warranty costs for U.S. automakers are down by 40 percent or more since 2007.
Forgive me if this sounds overly elementary but I find that there are enduring misconceptions about automobile warranties. In short, the companies that build the cars pay the repair expenses for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles. When those companies’ warranty expenses go down, it is a pretty clear indication that the quality of the vehicles is on the rise.
As The Detroit News points out, the biggest contributor to the growing trend is improved quality. Ford’s warranty costs have dropped by 40 percent since 2007. General Motors (Chevrolet makes up more than half of GM’s sales) costs have dropped 45 percent and Chrysler has seen a 48 percent decrease.
Doug Betts, senior vice president in charge of quality for Chrysler, told The Detroit News that the manufacturer of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles saw its warranty costs drop by $240 million in 2008 alone, and 2009 saw still more savings. This is a personal aside. I have met Doug Betts. I think he is one of the most important contributors to Chrysler’s turnaround. He came to Chrysler after working at Nissan and Toyota and has brought some of their principles with him. The man breathes, eats, and lives quality.
Milton Ruben Superstore is one of the top selling dealership groups in the United States. In May, Milton Ruben Superstore sold more than 500 new and used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs for a record third consecutive month. Milton Ruben Superstore sells new Chevrolets, Chryslers, Jeeps, and Dodges as well as Toyotas. Milton Ruben is also one of the top Used Car dealers selling vehicles to fit every need and budget.
Milton Ruben also repairs and maintains any make or model of car, truck, van, or SUV.
Since 1982, we are Augusta’s Whatever it Takes dealer. We do deals the other guys just won’t. Shop us online at www.drivebaby.com
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- Make Your Tacoma Even Tougher With These Modifications
- New Owner’s Clinic Launches at Milton Ruben Toyota
- Putt Away Your Trade Sales Event at Milton Ruben Toyota
- Get Ready for the Master’s at Milton Ruben Toyota with our Putting Competition!
- How to WIN A PRIUS at Milton Ruben Toyota! (with Recycling Perks of Augusta, GA)