West Herr Chevy of Orchard Park Earns National Acclaim

Chevrolet Executive Visits Buffalo To Bestow Honor

Thanks to aggressive deals and honest service, West Herr Chevrolet of Orchard Park is on the national radar.  The dealership recently finished 15th in the country for Chevrolet Sales for February 2011.  

To mark the occasion, Chevrolet's Vice President of Sales and Marketing Alan Batey personally visited the location and extend his regards.  It was his first official visit to the location and West Herr would like to thank him for his visit.    

"Our amazing staff is what made this all possible, they put in an incredible month," said Rich Wilkinson, GM of West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park.  "We're especially honored to have Mr. Batey visit us for the occasion."

Wilkinson says the dealership is on pace for a record year.  He credits the specific deals on the Chevy Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Plus the electric Chevy Volt just arrived and more are on their way. 

So a hearty congratulations to the Chevy OP crew and now is as good a time as ever to stop by and check out what the Chevy buzz is all about.  

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As vice president of Chevrolet Sales and Service, Alan Batey is responsible for sales distribution, retail advertising, customer service and relationships with the Chevrolet dealer network. He assumed the position in March, 2010, having previously served as chairman and managing director of GM Holden Ltd. Operations in Australia and New Zealand.

The Chevy Mark of Excellence

Buffalo Chevrolet Dealer Earns Manufacturer Award

GM Rich Wilkinson (left) accepting the award!West Herr Chevrolet of Orchard Park is proud to announce they've won their 6^th consecutive Chevrolet “Mark of Excellence” Award.  This prestigious Award is won by less than 1% of Chevrolet Dealers Nationally and combines Overall Sales and Customer Satisfaction scores for criteria.  

“This award is so important to us because it shows the commitment to the customer, not just volume," said store GM Rich Wilkinson.  "You truly have to be focused on the most important thing, the experience of the clients before, during and after the sale.” 

Nationally, Chevrolet awarded fewer Mark of Excellence awards this year by raising the criteria to qualify.  West Herr is proud to continue the tradition and uphold the Chevrolet values.  

”This award is great for every employee in the store both Sales and Service, it shows we are all focused on the same thing and the team is very proud of what it represents," Wilkinson said. 

Wilkinson and other West Herr team members will be heading to Ohio next week to check out the all new Chevy Cruze.  We've posted a few timesabout all the new exciting stuff the Cruze will offer.

So what are you waiting for?  Get down to West Herr Chevy in Orchard Park today and see what all the buzz is about!

Have A Quiet Ride With Chevy

New Sound Deafening Engineering Will Redefine Ride Comfort

When you drive, you want to hear your music, the conversation with your fellow riders or maybe just some silence.  But you don't want to hear construction work or other distractions.  With the Chevy Cruze, Chevy has taken steps towards the ultimate quiet ride.

"The ride was not only free of vibration, it was big-car quiet, ” wrote MotorWeek’s John Davis. 

Compact cars are rarely associated with very quiet, refined interiors. Chevrolet's engineers developing the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze took that as a challenge: deliver the quietness of a larger, upscale vehicle while maintaining the value and efficiency of a compact.  See this video demo for how effective it truly is:

To meet their objectives for the U.S. market, engineers developed more than 30 acoustic treatments that mute unwanted engine, road, and wind noise. THe more significant features:

• 30 “Snickers bars” of expandable, sound-blocking baffles in the roofline and window frames quiet noise transmitted around the door openings
• The 26- x 50-inch hood liner features acoustic materials that mute engine noise  
• Two sound-absorbing mats on both sides of the front-of-dash panel isolate engine noise, and save three kilograms of weight by using lightweight materials
• A 15-millimeter-thick mat in the spare-tire well absorbs road noise
• Four wheel-well liners, backed with textile material, block tire noise
• A five-layer headliner muffles cabin noise

“Every noise masks other, quieter sounds,”  said Cruze Performance Manager, Brandon Vivian. “For example, reducing a wind whistle on the highway can uncover a tire rumble on coarse roads. With Cruze, we recently added a dampener to the fuel line, because the interior is so quiet that we could hear fuel flowing through the line.”

Aside from Motorweek's early review, DriverSide.com’s Alison Lakin had positive things to say about the Cruze's noise deafening technology.

Chevy engineers worked hard to improve sound damping in the car, and it has clearly paid off. The Cruze cabin reaches levels of luxury car quietness. Seriously." she wrote. 

The Chevy Cruze launches this month, so visit West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park or Hamburg for more information. 

Chevy Cruze To Roll Out As Safest Car In Class

New Chevy Car Offers Safety and Fuel-Efficiency

 The Chevy Cruze is already looking to conquer fuel efficicency, as reported here on the West Herr WNY Auto blog last month.  In addition, the Cruze will feature new standard safety features that will make it the safest car in it's class. An interior shot of the 2011 Chevy Cruze

The Cruze will arrive in Buffalo in the third quarter this year.  West Herr Chevrolet of Hamburg and Orchard Park are excited to be your Buffalo Chevy Cruze dealer. 

“To benefit our customers, we went way beyond requirements to exceed government safety mandates,” said Chuck Russell, vehicle line director.   We are very confident of the safety performance of the Cruze and believe it will prove to be one of the safest vehicles in the segment."

The newest safety feature highlights include:

• Ten standard air bags – the most in the segment – including frontal, head curtain side air bags, front and outboard rear-seat side-impact air bags and new knee air bags
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control and anti-lock brakes
• Collapsible pedal system, which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries
• OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.

The Onstar Automatic Crash Response and Injury Severity features offer some of the most revolutionary safety technology available.  The new Onstar features sensors that can assess damages to the car and alert responders as to the severity of the crash. 

The Cruse is already on sale in some European countries, and early safety ratings are excellent.  The Cruze earned the top rating of five stars in European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) testing. According to EuroNCAP, the Cruze scored 79 points out of 100, making it one of the safest models in the passenger car class. The Cruze is the first passenger car to receive maximum scores in both tests since EuroNCAP began providing crash test ratings in 1997.

For more information on the Cruze's release in Western New York, visit West Herr's Chevy locations online at orchardparkchevrolet.com or chevyhamburg.com. 

Proud Day to be a Buffalo Chevy Dealer

Chevrolet Named on the kbb.com's 2010 Top 10 Family Cars (3 times)

West Herr is so proud to be a Chevrolet Dealer in Buffalo today, with the news that KBB named 3 of our cars to their TOP 10 List.

Chevy Dealer BuffaloDETROIT – 2/16/2010, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com recognized three Chevrolet vehicles as their 2010 Top 10 Family Cars, including Equinox, Suburban and Traverse. The list represents the kbb.com editors’ recommendations for the best vehicles for families, based on factors such as resale value, fuel efficiency, capability and kid-friendliness.

"The factors Kelley Blue Book editors consider are in line with what we believe appeals to modern families who consider Chevrolet vehicles," says Jim Campbell, Chevrolet General Manager. "As such, it’s no coincidence that Equinox, Traverse, and Suburban assembly plants are all running overtime to keep up with customer demand."

Here’s what Kellley Blue Book’s kbb.com editors had to say about Chevrolet line-up:

2010 Chevrolet Traverse

Boasting more cargo volume than even its Chevy Tahoe stablemate, the Traverse is the biggest crossover on the road -- yet it beats the fuel economy of many smaller three-row vehicles. We like both of the Traverse's siblings -- the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia -- but the Chevrolet’s lower starting price makes it our choice for families.

2010 Chevy Suburban

Even when carrying nine passengers, the Chevy Suburban still offers a cavernous 45.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. Still not enough? Hook up a trailer and the Suburban can tow up to 9,600 pounds. Beyond sheer size and strength, the Suburban delivers a comfortable ride and plenty of occupant-coddling niceties.

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

In the highly populated crossover category, the Chevy Equinox stands out from the crowd as a vehicle that competently embodies function and form. In addition to an upscale interior and bold exterior styling, the Equinox is also able to achieve a class-leading 32 mpg on the highway (in four-cylinder form).

Click on the links below to see Equinox Program Manager Whitney Krause highlighting some of the features that help make the Equinox one of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com 2010 Top Ten Family Cars.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhHlE_TOGn0
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZqQh__nGlQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSLibibYmXo

 For more information on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com Top 10 Family Cars for 2010, the Top 10 list, including editorial commentary and reasoning behind each of the editors’ picks, visit www.kbb.com/Top10FamilyCars.

***Breaking News*** GM's 72 hour sale, NOW its time to buy

General Motors just announced a 72 hour sale.

Examples:

2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 PickUp
0% APR for 72 months for qualified buyers. Monthly payment is $13.89 for every $1000 you finance. Example down payment: 7.7%. Some customers will not qualify. Take delivery by 07-06-2009. Residency restrictions apply. See West Herr for details.

2009 Cadillac SRX Crossover V6
0% APR for 72 months for qualified buyers. Monthly payment is $13.89 for every $1000 you finance. Example down payment: 6.8%. Some customers will not qualify. Take delivery by 07-06-2009. Residency restrictions apply. See West Herr for details.

2009 Saturn Vue SUV FWD XR
0% APR for 60 months for qualified buyers. Monthly payment is $16.67 for every $1000 you finance. Example down payment: 10.4%. Some customers will not qualify. Take delivery by 07-06-2009. Residency restrictions apply. See dealer for details.

2009 Pontiac G8 for previous GM owner
+$2500 Owner Appreciation Cash
+$1500 Customer Cash
$4000 Total Cash Allowance

--- Source, gm.com

 Call us for details

	East Aurora Buick Pontiac GMC Cadillac 535 Main Street East Aurora, NY14052	716-652-2600
	Hours, Map & Directions Visit this location	Contact a Sales Consultant
	Saturn of Clarence 5535 Transit Rd Clarence, NY14221	716-689-8900
	Hours, Map & Directions Visit this location	Contact a Sales Consultant
	Saturn Of Orchard Park 3559 Southwestern Blvd Orchard Park, NY14127	716-667-3100
	Hours, Map & Directions Visit this location	Contact a Sales Consultant
	West Herr Chevrolet Hamburg 5025 Southwestern Blvd Hamburg, NY14075	716-649-7800
	Hours, Map & Directions Visit this location	Contact a Sales Consultant
	West Herr Chevrolet Orchard Park 3575 Southwestern Blvd Orchard Park, NY14127	716-662-9775
	Hours, Map & Directions Visit this location	Contact a Sales Consultant

West Herr sells the most #1 cars on J.D. Powers Study

West Herr Has most #1 cars acording to J.D. Powers Study. Most are in stock and available for express delivery.

"Vehicles we carry are highlighted in yellowThe initial quality of vehicles has continued to improve, according to the 2009 Initial Quality Study by J. D. Power & Associates that was released last week. In fact, it improved 8 percent when compared with 2008, with Toyota models topping this year’s study.

The study, which grades automakers on the number of problems per 100 vehicles, found that the industry average for all vehicles was 108 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 118 in 2008."

Source NY Times

Chevy Volt, PreProduction Vehicle Video

If you are a Chevrolet Fan and like the latest and greatest features, then the new Chevy Volt is for you. Now that it is in pre-production, you can start to see the true shape of the Volt's future.

Below is a video of the Cheif Engineer on the Chevy Volt Electric Car Project, Andrew Farah, actually driving the pre-production model. This is like beta testing in the software world, and is quite interesting to watch.

Great Gas Mileage Car, with MPG over 30

Last year when gas almost reached five bucks we all took a hard look at the amount of fuel we used everywhere. In our cars, in our homes and reconsidered the need for our higher gas mileage cars and trucks.

Well lately prices have been creeping up again, so I thought now would be a good time to feature a car that was designed to be great on gas and to be the least expensive car in America.

Its the Chevrolet Aveo, and with all the giveaways and incentives it is a really great buy.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo, lowest prices car in the USAThe well appointed 2009 Chevrolet Aveo is a beautifullydesigned compact car. Most people don't realize that Chevrolet has the most cars with gas mileage under 30mpg and the Aveo is truely the charmer of the catagory.

The automatic transmission features a hold control mode to hold a higher gear and to aid traction on slippery roads. By utilizing "tall car" design aesthetics, both body styles are quite roomy inside and have a comfortable ride relative to other small cars. On the Aveo5, the standard GM OnStar sets it apart from other cars in its class.

MSNAuto.com consumer reviews:

2009 Chevrolet Aveo, 35mpg and oh so cuteUser Reviews

	8.8		Overall Rating
	8.8		Styling
	8.2		Performance
	9.2		Interior
	9.0		Quality
	8.8		Recommendation

Reviewer #1: "It's cute, sporty, brand new, and about 14k out the door. The interior is nice and overall it's a pretty good looking car. It runs on fairly low RPM's which helps fuel economy and is pretty quiet and smooth at high speeds."

Reviewer #2:

"AVEO - The New CHEVY EXPERIENCE - The best small car made! Smooth Ride, no road noise at all, easy to steer, looks sporty and great, comfortable to seat in and operate to drive, GREAT MPG 44-46 hwy 34-37 city, plenty of power/pep, great radio stereo equipment, love ONSTAR and Satellite radio option, lots of leg room, seats 4 people easy, very easy to see out of the windows all directions, large trunk with fold down seats, fun to drive and sips gas, for the price and quality you cannot go wrong with this car it is tremendous!"

Shopping Tools

More at MSNauto.com

Look for Aveos in Buffalo at West Herr

Read Chevrolet Reviews from Westherr.com

Watch Video on the Avea

Compare gas mileage with other cars.

Chevy Volt... Powerfull?

Excerpt from Detroit Free Press:

Chevy Volt Electric CarGeneral Motors drove a stake through the notion that environmentally friendly electric cars can’t also be fun and sporty in a brief test drive of the company’s Chevrolet Volt powertrain this morning.

A fast, smooth blast from zero to 70 m.p.h. on the roads within the GM Tech Center in Warren proved the car can be electrifying as well as electric-powered.

The Volt is on schedule to go on sale in November 2010, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz said.

GM has about 35 test vehicles on the road equipped with the electric motor and lithium-ion batteries that will power the Volt. Those development cars have the body of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze compact, which uses the same architecture as the Volt.

GM will put 80 Volts with the production car’s sleek and futuristic body on the road beginning in June.

The test vehicle ran with smooth, quiet power, but driving it felt reassuringly like getting behind the wheel of any new car. That’s a key goal for the Volt program, GM electric vehicle chief Frank Weber said.

“People must understand that you don’t have to give anything up to drive an electric vehicle,” Weber said. “This is something you will really like and enjoy.”

The test car’s electric motor provided immediate torque for acceleration most sporty small cars would envy.

The Volt is designed to cover about 40 miles on electricity stored in the big lithium-ion battery pack that runs down the center of the car. For longer trips, a 1.4-liter gasoline engine will kick in to recharge the batteries. Unlike hybrids, the engine never drives the wheels.

The onboard generator frees the Volt of the drawback that crippled previous electric cars: range. While an electric vehicle without a generator must stop and recharge when the batteries run low, the Volt has an essentially unlimited range, and should be able to cover 500 to 600 miles on the combination of battery power and a single tank of gasoline.

Contact MARK PHELAN: phelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731.

From GM-Volt.com

These are very interesting questions. About a year ago we worked through them and here is where we are...

1. Customer access to High Voltage
The customer will have no access to high voltage. In fact, if the customer accidentally takes some action that might get them close to high voltage (e.g. disconnects a HV connection) then the system will cut off that voltage up stream of the potential breach. As with all systems, “nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool”, but we have a number of layers of HV protection for the customer, the service technician, and the vehicle assembler.

2. “Jump” Start
We had also wrestled with this issue on the EV1. Answer there was no jump start of any kind, but the EV1 had a different electrical architecture that offered other remedies. For Volt the answer is a bit more conventional. Yes, we have a 12v battery. It is not a typical automotive “flooded” lead, but a sealed “acid starved” type.... and it is capable of providing enough power to jump start another vehicle.

Chevrolet's Electric Car Site .