2014 Nissan Versa Note Offers Class-Exclusive Technology & Class-Leading Fuel Economy
The all-new 2014 Versa Note is the fourth of five all-new vehicles Nissan launched in the last year and a half. The Versa family has been the top selling car in this segment for 38 of the last 42 months. Nissan executives say this new model is designed to keep it there.
“This car has the features and the value to continue that momentum, absolutely,” said Nissan Senior Manager of Product Planning, John Curl.
The car has class-leading fuel economy at 40 miles per gallon highway. The 2014 Versa Note also offers best-in-class 31 city MPG & 35 MPG combined city/highway fuel efficiency. Part of how the car accomplished an improved fuel economy is the new Versa Note weighs about 300 pounds less than the earlier model.
“Total cost of ownership is very important for these buyers. When you buy a car in the entry class you don’t want to spend a lot of fuel,” said Curl.
Nissan’s 2014 Versa Note is the only car in its class with an option called Around View Monitor. It gives a virtual 360 degree “bird’s eye” view of the surroundings. Around View Monitor allows drivers to see the lines on either side of a parking space and the wall behind them, so they can park more quickly and more accurately.
“There’s no car anywhere close to this price point that has the Around View Monitor. It’s class exclusive for a couple classes above actually,” said Marcy Maguire, Dealer Principal of Windsor Nissan in NJ.
Four cameras, one on each side of the vehicle, are processed to create this 360-degree view. The feature is available with the SL tech package.
Another new feature available on the Versa Note is something called Divide-N-Hide Adjustable Floor. The system’s large split-folding floor can be used to create a flat cargo area or to provide a hidden cargo storage area.
“With the fold-down seats we have a class-leading over 20 feet of cargo space, so yes, the Divide-N-Hide helps you utilize that to its full advantage,” said a Nissan Sales Executive.
Nissan executives say this new Versa Note will help keep Nissan’s overall Versa lineup number one in the entry-level segment in terms of sales. The 2014 Versa Note has a manufacturer’s suggested retail starting price of $13,990.
“It will continue to be Americas best selling entry car,” said Michael Castiello from Windsor Nissan in East Windsor, New Jersey.
6 Ways to Find Cheaper Gas This Memorial Day
Memorial Day is here and many of you are probably enjoying a cold one and getting ready to begin some serious grilling with your family and friends. However, the day will come to an end and everyone will be hitting the roads to drive back home today so these easy to follow tips will at least save you a few dollars.
Tips to Finding Cheaper Gas This Memorial Day
While Spring gas prices are already trending higher then usual, these tips will be ever more important if we experience record highs for the 2013 summer. The hunt for less expensive gas is not, and does not, need to be difficult. Like most daily activities today, there are apps out there to help.
GasBuddy.com started out as a website that let users report and view fuel prices in their area to help others find cheap gas locally. It now has an app for both iOS and Android devices.
Gregg Laskoski, an analyst for GasBuddy, said the app can help drivers save money.
“A lot of people don’t realize how much of a gap exists just in their local markets,” he said. “In Miami … there was a gap in the lowest priced station and the highest priced station at $1.05 a gallon. In mini-markets, it can be $0.50, $0.60, $0.70 cents per gallon.”
This app will not only save you money, but it turns into a fun game as well as you earn points for entering gas prices in your local market. Depending how much you drive on annual basis, will clearly determine how much you save with the assistance of an application like GasBuddy, but figure that you will save anywhere between $250 to $300 for every 15,000 miles you drive.
Aside from a helpful app like GasBuddy.com, here are 6 basic money-saving tips to help you determine where, and how, you fill up next.
1. Pay Attention to the Newest Price Reports
Whichever app or website you use to retrieve local gas prices, be sure to pay attention to the age of the information. For example., postings from 22 hours ago are probably not very reliable whereas information posted 3 hours ago is most likely on the money.
2. Pick a Card, But Not Just Any Credit Card
The credit card you use at the gas station can be the critical difference between saving you money at the local pump or costing you more then you initial thought.
Many stations will charge a surcharge unless [you] use their particular gas card. On the flip side, you can seek out and get a credit card that includes specific perks related to purchasing gasoline. For example, the Chase Freedom credit card can provide you with 5 percent rebate on gas. But to complicate matters, you better make sure that you are filling up at a gas station that does not have the up-charge when paying with your credit card since the uptick in cost will most likely wipe out your savings.
To put simply, If you are paying with a credit card, you can sometimes be slapped with an extra fee at the pump so pay attention.
3. Location, Location, Location
Gasoline stations near the highway can be a win if there is more than one major truck or travel stop or a loss if there is only one station and it is small in size. Also, in areas like NJ, Sunoco has contracts with the Turnpike Authority to provide fuel services on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, but under the terms of the agreement, those specific gas stations may only change their prices weekly, prior to 7 am on Fridays.
4. Keep an Eye on Those Truck Stops
Truck stops are a good indicator to see if the price of gas will go up because they sell ample amounts of gas very quickly. Hence, truck stops are constantly receiving new loads of gasoline and that means that truck stop owners are paying the most-up-to-date prices for gasoline. You can use this tip in conjunction with the previous fuel saving tidbit to determine whether or not you should fill your vehicle up in NJ before or after the weekly price change.
5. Fill Up in an Area With Many Gas Stations
This is really just common sense since competition will typically keep prices lower.
6. Fill Up Near State Lines
Filling up near state lines will save you money. States are more competitive because of any difference in taxes. For example, the combined tax in Illinois is nearly $0.61 per gallon, where Missouri is $0.36 per gallon. This holds a lot of weight if you travel the roads in the Northeast or the Mid-Atlantic since a typical road trip often involves crossing multiple state lines.
Be sure to take a moment of silence to remember the brave service men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Have fun cooking, attending parades, swimming in the ocean, camping in the mountains or just relaxing this Memorial Day and from everyone at Windsor Nissan, please drive safe…and save some money at the gas pumps!!!
Top 5 Tips To Save Money While Driving Memorial Day Weekend
It is pretty simple when it comes down to it; find ways to maximize your MPG. Driving a car can be analogous to a video game. For example, you can drive from point A to point B exactly as stated by your Navigation or Google Maps just like you can play Zelda on Nintendo from beginning to end, but Google Maps and your vehicle do not tell that there are tons of ways to manipulate your car that will save you real money and time by earning an extra 50 miles on the road compared to your previous full tank of gas in your 2013 Nissan Rogue.
Whether you are visiting family, heading to the beach or camping in the mountains, you are probably driving, as it is far more convenient then having to strip down at airport security and that is after paying United Airlines $25.00 for your bag. Considering 31.2 million people hit the roads on Memorial Day Weekend, US drivers will spend approximately $1.44 billion filling up at the pump.
So, in an attempt to save you some of your hard earned wages and to make a small impact on our environments (come on….every bit helps), here are the Top 5 Fuel Saving Tips that will enhance the amount of miles you will achieve while driving per gallon of gasoline this Memorial Day Weekend (and obviously anytime that you are driving your vehicle).
1. Plan Ahead & Pick Your Route Wisely
Most people are fairly lazy when it comes to this specific topic since vehicle navigation is becoming as standard as a CD player in new vehicles. Combine that with the prevalent use of smart phones and map applications and you fill find that most people simply get into their vehicle and then figure out how to get to their end point from the driver’s seat. Yet, since everyone relies on this method, the end result is having everyone on the same road at the same time in a gigantic traffic jam…..wasting fuel.
If you plan ahead, you can avoid this nightmare and waste of expensive fuel. It might mean taking the road less-traveled, but it could result in a more pleasant, scenic route, free of traffic and even if it’s longer, in terms of actual miles driven, it might prove quicker. A moving car that spends less time on the road is more efficient than one stuck in traffic for hours.
2. Check Your Tires
To start, make sure you tire is wearing evenly across the tread because if it is not, you may find yourself an unfortunate situation and/or with a much larger service bill the next time you visit your local Car Dealership. For example, if your tire tread is uneven, this might be a direct result of your vehicles alignment being off.
Or, your tire could just be under-inflated (I know that sounds awkward), which is a quick fix you can accomplish by yourself at any gas station in a matter of minutes. This is an easy fix and it will pay huge dividends. Lower tire pressures can adversely affect wear and increase drag, reducing gas mileage. From a safety standpoint, low pressure tries are my susceptible to overheat at high speeds, and will increase the potential for blowouts.
Tire pressure gauges are inexpensive, and a weekly check will ensure you are always at a safe, economical pressure.
Tires don’t have to cause you much stress, and confirming that yours are always in tip-top shape will both improve safety, and save you money on gas.
3. Check Your Car
Do a few quick checks over your automobile. By checking that the engine has sufficient oil, confirming all the lights work, and cleaning your vehicle before your departure are easy and inexpensive to do and increase the fuel efficiency of your ride.
Although you’ll likely be loading the car up with people and luggage, do a check around to make sure your car isn’t full of junk or unnecessary paraphernalia, like mine is, because it all adds weight, and weight is the enemy of efficient driving.
4. Timing Is Everything
Set off earlier and travel during off hours. No, really. New Yorkers know not to head to the Jersey Shore, Southampton, or the Catskills Friday night. If you have any control over your schedule, take an extra day off or travel at night. After dark, it will be cooler in the car, less taxing on your engine and you will burn less fuel.
Big rigs also take a break in the evening, so fewer trucks on the highway will give you peace of mind over your precious cargo…your loved ones and/or friends. Otherwise, avoid city centers and major interstate exchanges during rush hour or the hours right after lunch.
Finally, you will be able to drive slower (saving fuel) without the anxiety of sitting in traffic.
5. Drive Smoothly
Now we’re onto specific driving techniques. First, treat all the car’s controls with some respect so use smooth, measured inputs. Not only will it make things more pleasant for your passengers, but accelerating, braking and steering smoothly will mean less engine, brake and tire wear, which increases your vehicles fuel efficiency.
That is not to say you need to travel everywhere at a snail’s pace either. It’s better to accelerate briskly, but be sure to change gears earlier. In addition, reach your economical cruising speed sooner. Hence do not draw out your acceleration. The more time you spend in the process of accelerating, the less time you will spend at low revs in top gear, where the best economy can be had.
I hope these tips help you save a few bucks this weekend and whenever you decide to go on your next road trip.
Happy Driving This Memorial Day from everyone at Windsor Nissan!!!!
GM Opens New Design Studio!
General Motors has opened a new design studio in Seoul, South Korea, this past Wednesday, April 20, 2010. This will be GM’s tenth global design studio, to date, and will be responsible for creating mini and small vehicles to be sold around the world. There will be over thirty designers at the Seoul Advanced Design studio working diligently to create new concept vehicles for GM world-wide.
As time goes by, I believe that this design studio will become a crucial part of GM as the United States, and the World, enforces more strict fuel-efficiency and emissions standards. Soon, more and more people will be driving mini or small vehicles in order to comply with fuel-efficiency and emissions standards, and this GM design studio will be one of the major players contributing to the designs of those vehicles.
General Motors Co. to payback the US and Canadian Governments Loans.
US auto giant General Motors has officially announced the repayment of its $5.8 Billion loan by the end of June ‘10. The loan is from the U.S Treasury and Export Development Canada, both of which currently hold Equity Shares in the company.
The company that emerged from bankruptcy in July 2009 also stated that once the repayments are complete “the focus will be to upgrade the plants in Detroit and Kansas to build their Next Generation- Chevrolet Malibu.”
The news of the repayment was made on the Wall Street Journal website on Tuesday April 20th by the CEO of GM, Ed Whitacre, as he announced “Our ability to pay back these loans less than a year after emerging from bankruptcy is a sign that our plan for building a new GM is working.”
The Detroit- Hamtramck and Kansan City factories will be updated with an investment of $ 275 million. The update will enable the plants to manufacture the Next Generation Malibu slated for release next year. On Wednesday, Mr.Whitacre addressing the Kansas City plant said that it will receive $136 million of the investment as the plant will be the prime manufacturing site for the Malibu.
As per the Automotive News Data Center, the new Chevy Malibu has a 53 day supply and Buick LaCrosse a 43 day supply, and the Kansas plant is working 3 shifts and on Saturdays to build both the cars which began production in April to maintain a 60 Day supply level as recommended by analysts.
The Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS sedans currently being produced at the Detroit Hamtramck plant will be downsized this year to accommodate the production of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in sedan, to be released in the fourth quarter of ’10. The Hamtramck plant investment of $121 will assist in the production of the Malibu in period of spike in demand.
GM Geely competes for limelight @ Beijing auto show
The most awaited and important event on China ‘s automotive calendar is just nearing. The Auto China 2010 will begin Friday, April 12, in Beijing . And almost all the automakers, both domestic and global, have said what they will put on display. And Of course each and everyone of the automakers is vying for its share of the limelight. This may be the toughest contest of the year for the Geely Holdings and General Motors Company. Both of these two companies will display more on their products in the show more than other automakers.
And in detail, Geely Holdings will display almost 39 models of their products and General Motors will display 28 products. They will also show more new models than most other automakers. Geely says it will put 11 all new models on stage at the event. Meanwhile General Motors has announced it will show 6 new models for the first time in front of a Chinese audience.
The General Motors vehicles are Chevy Volt MPV5 concept, the Cadillac Concept, the Cadillac XTS concept, the Chevy Aveo RS concept, the two-box Chevy New Sail and the new Chevy Spark. Last week Geely held an event in Beijing with several company executives taking turns to explain to reporters the long list of new models and power train technologies their company will display at the show. General Motors China convened reporters from across the country in Shanghai for a briefing on its middle and long term growth plans for China .
For sure, Geely Holdings didn’t start making cars until the late of 1990s. So it goes without saying that it still can’t mount serious competition for General Motors. With most of its products selling less than 70,000 yuan ($10,248), the company still confines itself to the low end of the domestic market. This will change very soon. In addition to rolling out more expensive models under its own brand, the private Chinese company wants to launch more Volvo models in China after it completes the purchase of the Swedish brand from Ford Motor Co in the third quarter.
With a brand that is now a byword for excellence in safety in its stable, Geely holdings should become a rival to reckon with for global players including General Motors.
How to Reserve Your Very Own Nissan LEAF!
As the arrival of Nissan’s electric car, the LEAF, approaches, many people are concerned about how to get their hands on one. We all know that there is a reservation process that needs to be done in order to purchase one, but just how does one go about doing that? Well, I am here to tell you to worry no more! I am going to explain all of the tips and tricks to reserve your space in line!
First and Foremost: Reservations are open to the public on May 15th, 2010.
Step #1: To being your Nissan LEAF Customer Journey Reservation Process, you need to go onto the Nissan LEAF website, http://www.nissausa.com/leaf-electric-car, to create an account.
Step #2: You need to complete the New Driver Snapshot (everything about this will be explained on the website)
Step #3: Create and configure your very own Nissan LEAF in the New Driver Snapshot
Step #4: Lock in your reservation through a reservation fee, which will be found on the reservation payment page
Things to remember:
1 – You can only place a reservation on the LEAF if you have created an account on the Nissan LEAF website.
2 – There is only one reservation per customer! If you try to create more than one entry, your name will be removed from the system. Similarly, only one reservation per address will be accepted.
3 – Reservations are meant to be solely for the individual reserving the LEAF. The reservation can not be transferred, traded, assigned, or sold.
4 – Nissan reserves the right to cancel any reservation that does not comply with the procedures outlined above.
Stop by Windsor Nissan for more information and details on how to reserve your very own Nissan LEAF!
2011 Chevy Cruze Eco
General Motors unveiled the Chevrolet Cruze ECO at New York Auto Show. The Chevrolet Cruze ECO is a high-efficiency model which is powered by a 1.4-liter Ecotec turbocharged engine equipped with variable valve timing that’s coupled with a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic will also be offered as an option. The company estimates the Chevrolet Cruze ECO will give a 40 mpg fuel consumption on the highway.
The Chevrolet Cruze ECO comes with a lower front grille air shutter that closes at high speeds to improve aerodynamics and a lower front air dam extension. The Chevrolet Cruze ECO also features a lowered ride height, 17-inch lightweight aluminum wheels and ultra-low rolling resistance 17-inch Goodyear tires.
The Eco achieves greater fuel economy using a number of features that enhance its aerodynamics, minimize weight and reduce rolling resistance. The Chevrolet says the Cruze ECO will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 10 seconds with the manual gearbox and in 0 to 60mph in just 9 seconds with the automatic gearbox.
Also debuting in New York will be a sporty variant of the Cruze, the RS model, which is essentially a styling package. It will be available on the upscale Cruze LT and LTZ trim levels. It features special bumpers, side skirt, a rear spoiler and an instrument cluster with chrome accent rings.
The Chevrolet Cruze ECO price and availability will be announced at a later date and the Cruze Eco will be available in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Nissan’s leaf Electric Vehicle to be launched soon
Nissan Motor Co. will sell the Leaf electric car for a base price of $32,780 in the United States and begin taking orders on April 20. When combined with a $7,500 federal tax credit, the Leaf will be priced at $25,280, the automaker said in a statement today. State and local credits can further reduce the cost to consumers, Nissan said. Early on today, the automaker also said it would sell the battery-powered Leaf hatchback starting off at 3.76 million yen ($40,640) in Japan, where it is also counting on government subsidies to slash the cost to consumers. Nissan said it aims to sell 6,000 Leaf cars, its first mass-volume all-electric model, in Japan for the year ending in March 2011. The company will start taking orders for the model April 1 in Japan, with the first delivery expected in December. After accounting for Japanese government subsidies, Nissan said the net cost to consumers to buy a new Leaf would be near 2.99 million yen ($32,373). The Leaf pricing also represents a premium over established, combustion-engine powered small sedans, such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Analysts have said the premium reflects the cost of developing and producing the Leaf’s lithium-ion battery pack. The cost of batteries and the reluctance of consumers to pay more upfront for fuel-saving technology are seen as the major hurdles to mass-market adoption of electric vehicles. Toyota Motor Corp.’s gasoline-electric Prius hybrid, now in its third generation, has a base model starting price at just over 2 million yen ($22,195) in Japan. After trailing rivals Toyota Motor and Honda Motor in the hybrid field, Japan’s No.3 automaker has bet heavily on pure electric vehicles along with partner Renault SA of France. Nissan has said it expects that 10 percent of the world’s auto market will be electric vehicles by 2020, a ratio at the top of industry projections. The automaker has also announced a series of partnerships with utilities and government agencies in the United States and Europe where it believes it has a chance of seizing market leadership. The five-passenger Leaf is designed to provide a range of about 100 miles. Nissan has developed the battery pack for the Leaf with NEC Corp., so that it can be recharged overnight on a 220-volt connection. While skeptics abound, almost all major automakers are working on developing battery-run cars for use mainly in urban areas, to meet stricter emissions and mileage regulations being introduced around the world.
Electric Cars Are Almost Here!
We all know how important it is to lower our carbon footprint; what we do today ultimately affects those in the future. Nissan and Chevrolet have decided to help future generations by introducing electric cars. Nissan is placing its ‘Leaf’ on the market later on this year, and the same goes for Chevrolet with its ‘Volt’.
The Nissan Leaf will be able to travel up to 100 miles on one charge! Now, 100 miles may not seem like that long of a distance, but most Americans actually travel less than that to get to work and back every day. Wouldn’t it be nice to virtually never have to pay for gas again?
The new electric cars are being modeled to look and act as normal, gas vehicles. There are many technological attractions about green cars – including, blind spot sensors, collision avoidance systems and touch sensitive controls. Even the prices of the vehicles are aimed to be priced around those of its gas competitors (roughly $30,000 to $40,000).
Be on the look out for Nissan and Chevy’s electric cars later on this year!
The Maguire Auto Blog 