The Summer of Saving Gas

Easy Ways To Save Money At The Pump 

Summer's just about here, and that means time for road trips.  No matter what the gas prices are, we all like to save money whenever we have the chance.  

To do so, we recommend a few tips to keep your gas usage down, along with your costs.  As Popular Mechanics pointed out:  "For every penny that gas prices go up, Americans spend $1.25 billion more per year at the pump."  Yeesh.

THE WARMEST ENGINES ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT-  So this means group your errands and travels together, and drive to the farthest destination first.  

OPEN THE WINDOWS INSTEAD OF USING A/C- When you're driving under 60 MPH.  Any faster and the open windows could create a drag.  So over 60 MPH, go for the air conditioning.  

PRACTICE PROPER TIRE INFLATION- Also be sure to check them for uneven wear, which works against you. Stickier, wider performance tires also increase road friction and sap mileage.

CLEAN OUT YOUR TRUNK- Pretty simple but effective hear:  less weight equates to better gas mileage. 

AVOID HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS IF POSSIBLE Not always an option but take it if you can.  Driving at speed saves more gas than moving along slowly in a low gear, if you're a stick driver.  

Welcome Your New Buffalo Chevy Dealer

West Herr Opens New Building:  Chevy Williamsville

We are proud to announce a new addition to the West Herr family:  West Herr Chevrolet of Williamsville.  This is the former Glen Campbell Chevrolet building on Transit and and Maple Rd. 

"Our entire team is excited about the potential that this store has based on the popularity of the Chevrolet brand in Western New York and because of the outstanding location," said Scott Bieler, West Herr's president, in a statement.

This is our 18th location and we now represent over 20 brands.  This marks our third Chevy store, and we are proud to bring new and used Chevrolets to Buffalo, NY. 

"They're doing it through good business practices and they're pretty successful," said Paul Stasiak, president of the Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association, to the Buffalo news. 

We are very thankful to the Chevrolet brand for their continued support, but most importantly we owe a huge thank you to our customers, employees and supporters.  Without you, none of this would be possible.  

Top Cars For College Grads

So you've graduated college.  Now what?  

Not a question you want to hear, but something worth thinking about.  One thing you shouldnt have to worry about is a car.  We told you last week about the great incentives available for college grads, but now its time to get into specific cars.  

Total Car Score recently named the best cars for college grads.  Their main critera was the right mix of affordability and quality.  As usual, plenty of West Herr cars appeared on the list.  

2012 Ford Focus

The Focus was named a 2012 "Best Car To Buy" by the Car Connection, and with good reason.  It received high praise for it's smooth steering and excellent handling.  Another key is it's fuel economy:  with the right model you can get close to 40 mpg.  Hard to argue with that.  For the Ford Focus in Buffalo, visit West Herr Ford in Hamburg or Amherst.   

2012 Chevy Cruze

We've talked about the Cruze a lot on here, and it looks like the car writers are agreeing with us.  For one, the Cruze boasts very high safety ratings.  The Car Connection called it "a practical, comfortable, fuel-efficient and a strong value" and we agree.  The fuel efficicency is also well into the 30 mpg territory, and it comes with some great tech options.  For the Chevy Cruze in Western New York, visit West Herr Chevy in Hamburg or Orchard Park.  

2012 Kia Forte

Prices range from $15,200 to $19,200, making the 2012 Kia Forte the most affordably-priced of Total Car Score’s top cars for college grads.  Not bad. Plus, it got high marks for it's connectivity, namely with Bluetooth it's USB interface.  Not bad at all.  For the Kia Forte in the Buffalo area, visit West Herr Subaru Kia in Orchard Park.   

The Gus Macker Is Back!

Annual Charity Basketball Tournament Returns To Buffalo

As the weather turns, it signals we're getting close to the Gus Macker 3 on 3 basketball tournament. We love this event and what it brings to the city of Buffalo.  

The tournament started in 1974 in a Lowell, MI driveway as Scott and Mitch McNeal found 18 friends and played for an $18 purse.

Since 1987, the Macker tour has expanded, holding a total of 972 tournaments with over 2.2 million players – male and female from 7 years old to 50+ - and more than 23 million spectators.

The Macker Tournament is designed so that anyone can play: male or female, young and old, short and tall, the most experienced or no experience at all. This maintains the purity and integrity of the driveway game.

The Buffalo event is always one of the most highly attended in terms of participants and volunteers.  There have been over 700 volunteers at the past two events and we are sure to hit or exceed that number again.  

This and the Ride For Roswell are two amazing events were are thoroughly proud to be a part of.  

To register, volunteer or read more about the event, visit the Gus Macker's official site here: http://www.macker.com/.

Here's the official promotional video:

Best Buffalo Car Dealer?

West Herr Up For "Best Car Dealer in Buffalo Award" From Artvoice

Local publication Artvoice are holding their annual "Best of Buffalo" awards this week, and we at West Herr are proud to be a a nominee. 

West Herr won "Best Car Dealer" under the "Shops and Services" category the past two years, and we are nominated again.  Regardless of the outcome, we are thrilled to be nominated again this year. 

What sets this award apart is that is completely reader and user driven.  Artvoice does not even suggest potential winners, they simply take the top vote getters as decided by their readers.  That is what makes us especially honored to be considered. 

The ceremony will take place Monday night dowtown at the Town Ballroom.   

For a full list of nominess click here. 

West Herr is proud to have been nominated this year and awarded in the past purely by the people. We truly love this community.  Thank you kindly to everyone who participated in the voting. 

Store Your Stuff

Spacious 2013 Ford Escape Offers Creative Cargo Solutions 

Have you ever had to transport someting in your car and then realized "uh oh, I do not have the space for that" even when you thought you did?  It's happened to most of us at one point or another.  

Luckily, the 2013 Ford Escape will not only come with tons of storage space, it will also have some clever little compartments you'd never think of.  

Here's a breakdown:  The rear seats fold back with the push of a button and a lever release providing additional cargo space for bicycles, ski bags or luggage.

Clever spaces like umbrella holders on the seats, a second-row hidden floor bin and ticket holders in the sun visors help organize your belongings.

 “Whether you have an umbrella, parking stub, cell phone, sunglasses or large water bottle, the new Escape has a specific place for it where it won’t get lost or roll under the seat," said Eric Jackson, vehicle architecture supervisor. "The hidden storage under the second-row floor is great for keeping items secure and out of view.”

The available hands-free power liftgate brings new technology to the SUV market and makes it easier to stow gear. The Escape is the only SUV to have this convenient and unique feature.

Very cool.  For Ford Escapes in Buffalo, visit West Herr Ford in Amherst or Hamburg! 

Self-Driving Cars A Reality

Nevada Allows Google's Autonomous Cars To Hit The Streets

Robot cars are happening, and the future is now.  We talked about Google's self-driving cars on here not long ago when they were just a new idea.  Now they're a reality, as Nevada recently granted Google a license to test out their cars on the street.

"We're excited to receive the first testing license for self-driving vehicles in Nevada," a Google spokesperson told CNET. "We believe the state's framework -- the first of its kind -- will help speed up the delivery of technology that will make driving safer and more enjoyable."

If you have safety questions, it appears the legislation covers that.  For now the cars are must have at least two people in the car while being tested -- one directly behind the wheel and one in the front passenger seat.

While there are concerns about autonomous cars, there are multiple benefits as well.  For one, the reduction of carbon emissions (most of Google's self-driving cars are Toyota Priuses.) Second, it could help prevent traffic accidents.  And also, its just convenient.  Imagine being able to send your robot car out for errands while you do other things? 

We're very excited to see where this all goes! 

College Grads: It's Time To Save Money On A Car

Take Advantage of Special Incentives 

You've graduated college.  First off, congratulations.  You're probably going through a wealth of emotions at the moment.    

One thing you shouldn't have to worry is a car.  Luckily, there are multiple manufacturers out there that have your back.  Ford, Honda and GM are all offering special pricing for college graduates, all with varying incentives.  

So let's take a deeper look by manufacturer:

Ford College Student Purchase Program 

Ford's program extends beyond recent graduates.  Full-time and part-time college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students, and trade school students also qualify.  

It's fairly simple too: All you need to do is to sign up for the Ford College Student Purchase Program and then purchase or lease a new 2011, 2012 or 2013 Ford or Lincoln vehicle to receive your $500 student bonus. This is on top of any applicable national Ford incentives available at the time.  Visit West Herr Ford in Hamburg or Amherst for more info.  

General Motors Best In Class Alumni & Student Discount Program 

This one is slightly similar to the Ford program.  Eligible participants for the GM college discount program include college students from any two- or four-year school, recent graduates who have graduated no more than two years ago, and current nursing school and graduate students.

This one has some more intense details, so its best to check out the programs website to get specific details.  Or just stop in to your Western New York Chevy dealer:  West Herr Chevy in Orchard Park or Hamburg.  

Honda Graduate Program 

This one focuses more on flexible and competitive financing.  College grads can get a deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days interest-free.The program is open to graduates with a master’s, bachelor’s or associate degree from a U.S.-accredited two- or four-year college or registered nursing school.  Visit the program online here:  

Or just visit your Buffalo Honda dealer, West Herr Honda on Transit in Lockport.  

Moving Towards The Ride For Roswell

A quick update on the West Herr Ride For Roswell team.  We have raised more than $41,000, so a big thank you to everyone who has donated or is riding.  We have more to achieve though, so to donate or spread the word visit:

http://teamwestherr.com/

We are proud to be  the full sponsor for the Ride For Roswell this year.  We have been involved with the ride since 1994 and it has been an incredible experience overall.  We look forward to it every year.  

We are very happy to have Gregory Cavanaugh, the manager of Buffalo Felt Products, as our team captain as well.  We know he will lead us towards our goal.  

We also have a great team of volunteers who will provide refreshments at stop number 8 along the ride.  

About the Ride:  

The Ride is in it's 17th year and is by far the largest fundraising event in the Western New York.  The Ride is a homegrown, community event that now has more than 10,000 participants each year.  

Now drawing pledges and participants from across the country and Canada, The Ride For Roswell uses its collective strength to help ensure cancer research is always funded and that the most advanced treatments and world-class care are always available to patients.

Again, we'd like to thank everyone involved and appreciate everyone who donates or who takes the time to help out.  We can't wait for June!

The Cure For Traffic Congestion

New Honda Technology Could Reduce Stop-And-Go Traffic

So let's be honest, even if we love traveling or just driving, no one likes ending up in stop-and-go traffic. Well, it looks like Honda is working on a new driver alert system that could help drivers reduce it or, hopefully avoid it all together.  

Honda researchers are working with the University of Tokyo to develop a system, known as Adaptive Cruise Control, which detects potential traffic patterns and helps drivers adjust to avoid the creation of stop-and-go traffic.

As we know, if one person applies the brakes on a crowded thruway, it will cause a chain reaction.  The Honda system would, hypothetically, alert the driver and coach the driver to give themselves distance from the driver and reduce their speed.  This would then prevent other drivers from hitting the brakes and could keep traffic moving.

It's ambitious, but as a driver you have to be intrigued.  Here's where it benefits you:

"Test results have demonstrated that such a system could increase the average driving speed by approximately 23%. In addition to saving time, the technology can also save drivers gas money. By eliminating the need to start and stop during traffic, the technology improves fuel consumption by approximately 8%," CNet reported.  

For vehicles equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control, the traffic feature could theoretically be connected to a cloud-based system to sync vehicles with each other. Very cool.

So while this technology is still a bit in the future, it's good to know of nonetheless.  In the mean time, to check out Hondas in the Buffalo area, visit West Herr Honda on South Transit Road in Lockport!