Graduate with Honda

Honda Offering Special Financing For College Grads

So you've just graduated college.  You're thinking about your future, and no matter what path you choose, you'll need a way to get there.  Honda wants to help you with that.  

The automaker is offering flexible financing for college grads on any new or Honda Certified Used Car.  

They even have a deferred payment option, contact your local Honda dealer for more information on that.  

Here are the basic eligibility rules:

• 5% minimum down payment
• No adverse credit history
• Verifiable proof of employment or a firm commitment from an employer with a start date no more than 120 days from the date of the finance contract
• Graduate with a master's, bachelor's or associate degree from a U.S. accredited college or registered nursing school
• Have graduated in the past two years or will graduate in the next four months
• Provide your Honda dealer with the credit and document requirements.

As Honda says "your hard work has paid off." Time to enjoy it, and West Herr Honda in Lockport can help you with that.  

Honda CR-V To Be Redesigned This Fall

THE NEW 2012 CR-V WILL BE RELEASED IN ONLY A FEW MONTHS!

If you don’t know already, you should - Honda plans on releasing a newly redesigned CR-V in the fall! It will be the first redesign for this model since 2007.

Honda lovers everywhere are eager to see what the 2012 CR-V is going to look like, but some are also surprised that the model is being redesigned at all, including Car and Driver magazine.

Car and Driver writes on their website that the CR-V has been very successful, and so they’re not sure why Honda feels the need to redesign it at all. But, maybe Honda is just ready to try something new. Regardless, Car and Driver is just as excited to see what the new CR-V will look like, and what features it will be able to brag about, as most Honda customers.

Car and Driver points out that Honda is not releasing any details about the new crossover, but speculates that there will likely be an increase in fuel economy. And, if the 2012 CR-V turns out to be anything like the 2012 Civic, the new CR-V may have a sleeker exterior and possibly some new innovative, technological features.

Though the new CR-V will be coming out this fall, Autoblog.com reports that Honda has been forced to delay the release of the newly redesigned 2012 CR-V for a month from its initially planned release date. Honda reports that they have little choice due to the natural disasters that struck Japan in March and the complications resulting from those tragic events.

The CR-V has been a huge success in America ever since its introduction, and if its reputation is any predictor, this crossover is sure to be a must see! So, be sure to keep an eye open for the 2012 CR-V this fall!

Honda Mile Makers

ONLINE CLUB FOR HONDA DRIVERS WITH 100,000+ MILES!

Honda vehicles certainly have a reputation for both reliability and durability. Honda buyers know that they can easily get a couple hundred thousand miles, if not more, out of their Hondas. A rare few have even made it over half a million miles with their Honda vehicles!

In celebration of its own reputation for durability and the drivers who have helped to make that reputation possible, Honda created a website for what they call the Honda Mile Makers Club.

The website, Honda writes, is “a space where each person who has achieved a commendable mileage milestone can pass on their own personal adventure as a member of the Honda Mile Makers Club” (http://automobiles.honda.com/mile-makers/).

What does it take to make the grade for this club? All you need to do is own a Honda with over 100,000 miles! Then, just go here and click on the “Tell Your Story” link, post pictures of your car and write a couple lines on your secret for getting 6-digits out of your odometer. That’s it.

As an added benefit, once you’re in the Honda Mile Makers Club, you can access the Club’s exclusive store and buy shirts, mugs, screensavers and other paraphernalia inscribed with the Club’s logo (shown above).

Once you post, your story will be sorted into one of five categories, depending on what milestone you have reached: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Ruby or Diamond. Though there aren’t currently any diamond stories on the website (This category is for cars that have made it over one million miles, after all.), there are five ruby (700,000 – 999,999 miles) stories among the collection you can browse and comment on!

If your Honda has less than 100,000 miles on it or even if you do not own a Honda, you can still peruse the website and see how far Club members have gone with their Hondas at the same website you can use to join - http://automobiles.honda.com/mile-makers/. But, if you are in need of a new vehicle and are hoping to get one that will last for quite awhile, you should consider taking a look at the Honda Mile Makers Club website. There are currently 872 Hondas waiting there to show you which is the right car manufacturer for you.

Honda Supports The Relief Effort In Japan

HONDA DONATES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED

Honda is currently dealing with a number of problems due to the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that shook Japan on March 11^th. However, Honda has also been able to help those iin need.  

The Honda Corporation has provided assistance to victims of the natural disasters that occurred in Japan.

Shortly after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., in Japan announced that it would provide $3.7 million toward the relief and recovery effort, along with 1,000 generators. Also, the Honda family of companies in North America announced that it would match its associates’ personal donations to the Red Cross relief and recovery effort on a dollar-for-dollar basis (http://www.honda.com/newsandviews).

On March 23^rd, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. also opened a website to the public that had been developed to accept donations for the relief effort from Honda and Acura dealers. Honda reported that opening the website to the public was the result of an “outpouring of support and messages of sympathy and concern…from so many friends of Honda” (http://www.honda.com/newsandviews).

You can visit the site and make a donation yourself if you so choose at this web address:

http://american.redcross.org/hondaacura-emp

While Honda does its best to get vehicle production back on track and to help the tsunami victims, at West Herr, our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the tsunami, as well. We all hope that the difficult situation there will improve as quickly as possible and that the lives of those impacted by the disaster will soon be returned to some level of normality.

Racing Honda

YOU KNEW HONDA WAS HARD TO BEAT IN FUEL EFFICIENCY, BUT HOW ABOUT IN A RACE?

Honda has always been your go to automobile manufacturer for fuel efficiency, environmental sustainability and reliability. You may not know it, but Honda doesn’t let down if you’re looking for power or speed either.

In fact, Honda knows enough about performance to run a Formula One racing team, which the company did from 2006 to 2008. Honda has also been building Formula One engines since 1983 (racing.honda.com).

Honda has done quite well in Formula One, winning the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006, and the company’s interest in racing has found its way into their commercial models, too. The S2000, Honda’s recently retired roadster, was inspired by the company’s Formula One heritage and Honda’s recognition of the American market for muscle cars (www.automobiles.honda.com).

Though the S2000 is no longer on the market and though Honda no longer has a Formula One team, the company isn’t done with racing yet: they continue to produce engines for Grand Prix races.

In March of 2011, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg saw 25 teams race vehicles all running on Honda engines. Two more of these races were held in April, one in Alabama and one in Long Beach, CA. It looks like Honda engineers are still excited about testing out their powerful motors (www.honda.com).

 You can watch some of the 2011 Honda Grand Prix in St. Petersburg yourself on YouTube. Just follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiObU788_yo.

So, the next time you’re looking into buying a new car, don’t forget that Honda isn’t known only for its durability and economy, but also for the quality and performance of its engines. If Honda engines can win Grand Prix races, you can rest assured that they will perform quite well for you in your next car.

ASIMO

HONDA DOESN'T JUST BUILD CARS AND MOTORCYCLES ANYMORE

Besides automobiles and motorcycles, Honda manufactures a wide array of heavy equipment, including watercraft, generators, and even robots. In fact, the pinnacle of achievement in robotics today may be the Honda ASIMO, a human-like robot standing a little over four feet high and weighing 119 pounds (asimo.honda.com).

ASIMO was first unveiled in 2000, but a number of new versions have been released since then, each with new and impressive abilities. Check out this YouTube video to see for yourself what ASIMO can do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZngYDDDfW4.

The latest version of ASIMO can individually recognize approximately 10 faces and address them by name, can walk up and down stairs, can greet people as they approach and can even shake hands. Additionally, ASIMO responds not only to voice commands but also to gestures like pointing, which is to say it will move to any location a person points to. Finally, ASIMO’s movements are gentle enough to allow it to receive, carry and hand over objects such as food trays.

Honda’s engineers have broken monumental boundaries by building one of the most human robots ever made, but they aren’t done yet. There will certainly be more to come from Honda’s robotics program, so keep an eye on ASIMO in the future.

Honda Brings Your Music To Your Car

BLUETOOTH AUDIO: WIRELESS CONVENIENCE FOR HONDA DRIVERS WHO LOVE MUSIC

Bluetooth and Honda are bringing your music to you anytime, anywehre.  

For those unfamiliar with Bluetooth, it allows you to wirelessly stream music from many electronic sources (such as a computer, an iPod or an mp3 player) directly to that stereo system.

Sounds awesome, right? Well lately, Bluetooth audio has been available in more cars.  It works the same way in your car as it does in your home: you can use it to play any music from your iPod through the stereo system in the car without even plugging the device in.

Though more recently available only in luxury cars, Honda is eagerly getting a head start on making Bluetooth audio a standard feature in many of their vehicles. This innovative technology already comes standard in the 2011 Odyssey minivan and it will be standard in the 2012 Civic (from the EX model up), as well.

Drivers need only select the device they would like to play music from on the display screen in the dashboard, and they are ready to enjoy any and all of their favorite songs!

Honda As Safe As it Gets

2011 Odyssey Earns Best-Possible Safety Rating With New Standards

Recently, the government raised the standards for crash test safety ratings, and significantly at that. Either way, the Honda Odyssey earned a the highest possible rating under the new system, one of the first cars to do so.  

"Not only is the Honda Odyssey safe, but it's also one of the best minivans on the market," said TheCarConnection.com.  

In addition to the stability control, anti-lock brakes, driver and passenger front side airbags, and full-length side curtains that we've come to expect in this class of vehicle, Honda has also distinguished itself with the Odyssey in offering a class-leading six child-seat tether locations and five LATCH locations (the official clips)--enabling you to fit up to four child seats of any kind, or five in some cases.

The Odyssey also remains one of the best-handling minivans in our opinion, which will decrease accident possibilites in the first place.  

The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. As a convenience to new car shoppers, the Overall Vehicle Score represents the combined results of the overall ratings from the frontal crash tests, the side crash tests and the rollover-resistance into a single, summary score between one and five stars. Additional information is available at www.safercar.gov.

Another interesting note, the 2011 Honda Accord Sedan was one of the few other vehicles to get a 5 start rating under the new safety standards.  So if safety is your preference, then Honda should be on your list.

Head over to West Herr Honda in Lockport today for a test drive! 

The Future Is Now

A Look At 3 Electric Vehicles From West Herr Brands 

It wasn't too long ago that the electric car was just an idea.  Then it became a fringe model, something only a few manufacturers dabbled in.  Now, electric vehicles are bordering on pervasive.  States such as Oregon and Tennessee are installing charging stations to facilitate the inevitable increase in electric vehicles.

With that in mind, we took a look at the electric offerings from 4 West Herr brands, to let you know what you could be driving in 2011.

Nissan Leaf:

We've written extensively about the Nissan Leaf.  It may not be available in Buffalo until the end of 2011, but it will be worth the wait.  Nissan has invested in battery manufacturing plants with the expectation of selling a half-million electric cars a year worldwide.  The electric car is likely here to stay, and the Leaf will play a pivotal role in keeping it that way.  

Chevy Volt: 

This electric car recently took home "Car of the Year" honors from Motortend, with plenty of good reason.  Chris Theodore of Motortrend said:

"This is a fully developed vehicle with seamlessly integrated systems and software, a real car that provides a unique driving experience. And commuters may never need to buy gas."

The Chevy Volt also addresses the fear of running low on battery charge with no power outlet nearby by including a gas-powered generator on board to propel the car to the next charging station.  That should about seal the deal on this fine car.  

Honda Fit EV:  

The Fit won’t reach showrooms until 2012, but like the preceding models it will come from an established carmaker that can provide sales and service from a nearby dealer for most customers. The Fit will have the same 100-mile range as most cars in the battery EV segment, but it offers three driving modes that can improve acceleration or driving range, depending on the program selected. The electric drive motor is derived from the one in Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel-cell car, and the Fit EV can reach a top speed of 90 mph.

These electric vehicles are just a small taste of what the West Herr fleet will offer.  Visit us online today and see what we've got for your driving needs. 

Ever See A 3D Magazine Ad? Honda's Got One

Automaker Going Digital, No Traditional Print Ads for CR-Z Hybrid Launch

"Two dimensions just doesnt do it justice," says the new Honda CR-Z ad.  Magazine readers will be in for a surprise next month when a Honda pops out at them in 3D. 

Using a new 3-D technology called a Phantaglyph, Honda is creating print advertising that makes the car seem to rise off the page. With 3-D glasses, the Phantaglyph appears more lifelike than other 3-D renderings. The first ad will appear in Maxim next to an article about former professional tennis player Anna Kournikova.

The biggest 3-D viewing will be in Times Square on September 23, when Honda will hand out thousands of pairs of 3-D glasses to see the ad on a 40-foot TV screen.

"It will basically look like a hologram," said Tom Peyton, Honda brand manager. "For a product like CR-Z, where you can have pop-up displays and Flash video, it makes sense."

Honda is also launching a digital brochure available only through applications for iPods, iPads and Android.  No traditional print media will be used in the CR Z ad campaign. 

The brochure entitled "The CR-Z Experience" can be found on the web here.  It features some amazing shots of the car's exterior, interior and breaks down most of the functionality. 

The CR-Z will feature 3 different driving modes: sport, normal and econ.  Each mode is designed to adjust to the surrounding driving conditions and help conserve fuel.  The mpg estimates for the CR-Z are 41 city, 50 highway. 

There's much more to learn about the CR-Z.  Be sure to visit West Herr Honda in Lockport for information on the CR-Z.