People sometimes think buying a used car is a bad thing.   Many used or “preowned” cars found on the lots of your Toyota Kenosha dealership are in great condition, don’t have a ton of miles on them, and come at a great price.  But, like most things in life, some used models are great, and some, well, not worth your time and money! 

A recent article I found on our ever so useful world wide web compiled a list of the best and worst used cars.  The list was based on J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study and reviews by owners received by US News and World Report.  The list covers vehicles manufactured mainly for the 2007 car year, and some before or after that date.  But, all the cars listed are from the same generation time frame.

Lucky for your used cars Libertyville dealer, one Toyota model made the list of one of the best used car options- the Toyota Prius.  Let’s check out some of the features that make this a good choice when test driving a potential purchase.  This model made it’s debut in the auto world in 2001 and has amazing fuel economy.  It is reported that the highway mpg is around 41 gallons, but some drivers have found it’s even better than that!

Overall, this car has received many accolades not only for fuel economy, but for it’s roomy interior, performance, and styling, just to name a few.  It’s a four door model than can comfortably fit 5 passengers.  A 2007 Prius, for example, gives passengers more elbow room than in the original model.  There is also ample cargo space for a car of this size.  A friend who owns one was able to easily stow her stroller, a few suitcases and infant eating chair in the back on a trip to grandma’s house!

Moreover, the Prius accelerates and handles well.  You get a continuously variable transmission that makes for a nice ride.  The base engine is a 1.5 liter, I-4 that provides 76 HP.   Certainly not a sports car by any means, but after all, you’re not opting for a Prius for that reason.  You would choose one because it’s an overall great ride at a comfortable price, plus it’s easier on the environment!

Come and check one out at your Toyota Kenosha dealership today.

Hello everyone! It’s Fred Marks again, GM Manager of Classic Toyota, continuing my monthly feature on the our Toyota blog. Today I’m happy to announce that Toyota has been given a completely clean bill of health! Recently, U.S. regulators have not been able to find any electronic defects in Toyota Motor Corp vehicles. Dealerships of Waukegan used cars, as well as the rest of Toyota Motor Corp., are thrilled about this news since our company has been even more dedicated to ensuring the safety on all Toyota vehicles since the recall.

Some members of Congress believe that it was in fact the engine electronics that led to our major recall program. If you’re not aware, we had to recall over 8 million vehicles all around the world due to sudden acceleration problems and gas pedal issues. However, since then, Toyota, as well as government regulators, will be putting in more research towards the study of electronics to help advance vehicle technology. The goal, of course, is to make sure such problems never happen again. Toyota has always been committed to customer satisfaction and care, but our number one priority is safety.

Since the recall, Toyota automobiles have undergone more testing in addition to other evaluations and critiques. Dan Smith of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says on this matter, “We have not actually been able to find a defect of electronic-throttle-control systems”.

This confirms what we have been saying since the beginning of our brand: Toyota offers the best and safest vehicles available. We are in fact pleased that more electronic studies are being conducted since we are extremely committed to safety and always interested in learning more ways to make Toyota vehicles safer for all of you.

At your local Toyota dealership, we offer the highest quality new and used cars. Waukegan, Libertyville and Kenosha drivers or interested Toyota customers should contact (877) 216-7474, or stop by the Classic Toyota dealership. I’ll be in touch again soon. Meanwhile, read the other Classic Toyota blog posts for more Toyota news and information. We hope to see you soon!

Unless you know someone who knows someone, chances are you will just have to wait around like all the rest of the plebeians to get a taste of the Toyota Prius plug-in set to go on sale in 2012.  While everyone takes a minute to manically scroll through their PDAs (didn’t that Toyota Kenosha dealer say he’d owe you a major if you bought that ’98 Avalon from him?), let it be known you’re really gonna need to know a guy because Toyota Motor Sales has announced they will be loaning only 150 of the Prius plug-in prototypes to various organizations around the country.

The plug-in Prius will still use gasoline, but it arrives with a stronger lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged in the living room or at the office.  On a full charge, the plug-in Prius is supposed to be able to run 13 miles and it should be able to reach highway speeds of up to 60 mph in the electric-only mode.  The increased all-electric cruising range and its top speeds and, uh, it being a plug-in, distinguish it from the conventional hybrid.  For longer travel, the Prius will revert to standard hybrid mode, so this really is the best of both worlds.  Did you ever hear back from that Toyota Kenosha dealer?

The purpose of TMS’s charity, beyond a nice marketing boost, of course, is for these 150 vehicles to serve as a mass test drive.  You know, so the plug-in upon official release doesn’t immediately end up in a lot full of used cars in Waukegan.  All of these prototypes Toyota sends out will be equipped with data retrieval systems that will measure and watch the activities critical to the functioning of the vehicle, such as how often it is charged, where it is charged, and its all EV driving range.  So, perhaps letting others have first run at it is in fact good news if you don’t see yourself as the guinea pig type, but Toyota did recently present the Silicon Valley Leadership Group with the first three vehicles and those guys (and gals) are smart.  Chances are probably pretty good you won’t be finding the Prius plug-in in a Waukegan used cars lot anytime in the near or distant future.

Wrigley Field means a variety of things to different people.  To veracious Cubs fans it stands for their undying belief in their beloved team, good times with good friends, and refreshing summer ale.  To people who are lucky enough to have it part of their community, it is a true and beautiful landmark.

The ballpark was built in 1914 and was originally known as Weeghman Park.  It is the second oldest ballpark in major league baseball behind Fenway Park in Boston, which was built in 1912.   No wonder community members are so drawn to protecting and preserving this historical ballpark.

Toyota will soon have a hand in helping to preserve and protect Wrigley Field thanks to a sign permit that has been approved on May 25^th.  However, this approval did not come easily.  It was with the support of Alderman Tom Tunney that the sign became possible.  At a prior buildings committee hearing, Tunney’s view on installing the Toyota sign was not viewed in a positive light as he stated it would not be “in keeping with the character of the neighborhood or the spirit of the landmarks”.  Even though there is both current community support and objection, in the big picture, the Toyota sign is a blessing in disguise for the historically famous ballpark.  It may even remind you of the super friendly salesman from the Gurnee Toyota Dealership that sold you your recent eco-friendly Prius.

The 360 square-foot sign will not block any of the views from the rooftop clubs in the outfield location.  While it may give props to the automaker and dealerships, such as Toyota Kenosha, the main reason for its placement is to bring in much needed revenue.  The sign may create as much as $2.5 million annually to help preserve and maintain Wrigley Field.  This should make all Cubs fans smile, as it will help prevent hikes in ticket prices or food items, allowing them to continue to support their team without having to pay more.

The approval does come with a catch, and that is the Cubs cannot install any additional outfield signs that can rise above the existing bleachers until June 2014.  What does this mean for Wrigley Field at this moment?  Well, a red illuminated Toyota sign will be placed about 40 feet above the left field bleachers.  If the entire City council approves the actual Toyota sign coming up on June 9^th, then a sign most likely will be installed and visible to all within days after the city’s okay.

With the recent woes some Toyota drivers have experienced in recent months, one might think traffic would be way down at your Classic Toyota dealership!  This is definitely not the case, based on sales numbers for May 2010.  Let’s see what the company is reporting.

Comparing May 2010 with May ’09 sales, the amount of cars sold was up 6.7 %.   The top Toyota Kenosha model to be sold was the Camry and Camry Hybrid combining for 29,295 units.  Following that model was the Corolla, the gas-electric Prius, and finally the Avalon.  This was the breakdown for the Toyota Passenger Division.

For the light trucks part of Toyota, the RAV4 Compact SUV led the way with 54,133 going to the hands of excited drivers.  After that, you get combined Highlander and Highlander Hybrid sales of 6,691 units.  The Tundra full-size truck and the Tundra mid-size also did very sell.  Some of these were likely sold at your used car Waukegan Toyota store!  The Sienna mini-van saw sales up 49% versus May 2009!

Toyota is very committed to making sure all of their “problematic” vehicles were fixed right so loyal customers will continue to come back for more!  They are putting safety, reliability, and service and quality at the top of their list of importance.  They want to continue to be at the top of brand loyalty lists for many years to come!

If you head out to Classic Toyota right now, what might you find in stock?  There are many new and used car Waukegan models to check out.  For example, the models named in this article as being top sellers can be found.  They come with great amenities and an affordable sticker price.

If you have never driven a Toyota Kenosha model before, now is your chance.  See why Toyota is one of the top brands in the business!

When it comes to purchasing the best and most reliable four-door sedan, two cars come to mind: the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. These two cars have been dominating the roads for the past two decades and it has always been difficult distinguishing which one is the best. The question of why one should choose Toyota over Honda and vice versa remains.

Let’s breakdown the two cars extensively and see if buying one over the other really makes a significant difference.

For starters the average maximum price is almost identical with the manufacturer’s suggested retail price at $29,045 for the Camry and $29,305 for the Accord. The base prices do differ with the advantage going to the Camry with a base price of $19,395 and the Accord with a base price of $21,055. 1-0 Camry.

Consumer incentives are a considerable factor, but because of Toyotas recent efforts to restore its tarnished image they are offering ridiculous incentives like zero percent APR loans and lease incentives as low as .02% not to mention a handful of other tasty handouts. The Accord has no chance of competing in this category. 2-0 Camry.

Next up is the fuel economy. The Camry has 19-22 city mpg which barley edges out the Accord who has 17-22 mpg. The Camry also edges out the Accord in Highway MPG with 28-33 mpg over 25-31 mpg. 3-0 Camry.

The engines are essentially identical both with Inline-4 and V-6 options, so this one is a wash. The same goes for the identical three year, 36,000 mile basic warranty.

Is there a clear winner? Yes, and it’s the Toyota Camry, sold at your local Toyota Libertyville dealerships. Toyota in the past three months has increased their sales significantly, just last month there was an overall 24 percent increase in sales. This can partially be attributed to their consumer incentive program that offers cut-rate lease deals, zero percent financing, and low annual percentage rate loyalty programs. Stop by your used cars Libertyville dealership to find out the exact details on the consumer incentive programs and learn further why the Camry trumps the Accord.

Toyota Motor Corp. recently announced their financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010.  While it might seem natural for a year ending at the same time March also exits to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb, it can be said rather certainly that in these twelve months the opposite was true.  Much of the truly leonine happenings occurred toward the end of the year, after the New Year.  You might recall something about sticking brake pedals and “sudden unintended acceleration”?  These issues were serious enough to force Toyota into recalling over 6 million vehicles, and it earned TMC a fine of $16 million dollars, the largest allowed under current U.S. law (the previous largest was $1 million against GM in 2004). However…

Instead of retreating or folding amid the turmoil and controversy, Toyota and its employees worked diligently to fix the problem.  It’s service centers, like the one at the Gurnee dealership in Illinois, were staffed extra long hours to accommodate troubled customers, and Toyota offered some serious incentives to win back the consumer loyalty they had lost (in one prominent brand loyalty survey it was shown Hyundai had replaced Toyota for #1).  They offered zero percent financing and subsidized leases on many of their popular models (sales of used cars in Gurnee turned into new car sales), and all customers could have up to two years free maintenance.

Through these incentives and a very strong end to the year after what you can imagine were some quiet months, it all added up to a year that was not as bad as it could have been, and was in some ways quite good business-wise.  Some of the highlights include TMC’s net revenues which were nearly 19 trillion yen, a decrease of 7.7% compared to the year before.  Net income increased to 209.4 billion yen, and the operating income for TMC increased by 608.5 billion yen.  In North America, vehicle sales units, which were 2.1 million, saw a modest decrease of $114,000 from the previous year.  The press release with complete figures can be found at http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-announces-year-end-financial-158402.aspx.

So all in all, for Toyota rolling off the lots were still both new and used cars.  Gurnee, Illinois, weathered the storm, as did dealerships around the country and around the world.  In fact, the Gurnee dealership would be the first to say that this lapse in judgment has made the Toyota community stronger, in a sense.  It’s a shame what they had to go through to get there, but all through life stuff happens and what matters is how you deal with it.

“Safety is our number one priority” – you probably hear that phrase all the time. At Classic Toyota we understand that without measurable actions, the words alone ring a little hollow. That’s why we’re here to tell you everything Toyota’s been doing to reestablish our identity as a safe, responsive, reliable car brand you can trust. In the month of May alone, Toyota has made some noteworthy progress.

So far, almost 3.5 million recalled vehicles have been fixed by Toyota dealers like Classic Toyota. These enormous efforts will continue in the future as needed. Importantly, after completing over 2,000 vehicle inspections for unintended acceleration complaints, none of the problems were linked to our electronic throttle control system.

To handle customer concerns, Toyota is currently using teams of experts throughout the U.S. to increase our ability to promptly respond, occasionally even within 24 hours. This measure increases our ability to quickly act on safety issues. For example, Toyota has already responded within hours after a magazine voiced concern over the Lexus GX in April, and also announced that the Lexus LS steering recall would take place after only 12 complaints.

For future Toyota vehicles, we’re equipping all new cars and trucks with even more advanced safety technologies, including brake override and improved event data recorders by the end of the year. This move is in line with our unprecedented levels of independent review from various scientific institutions, such as NASA.

All in all, Toyota is making every available effort to ensure a position among the industry leaders in safety. Here at Classic Toyota we look forward to bringing you the safest new and used Toyota cars to drivers in Gurnee. Toyota dealership Classic Toyota is doing its part to ensure your safety.

Looking for the ultimate summer vehicle?  Check out the all new Chicago Scion XB at Classic Toyota!  This car has it all: extremely spacious interior, premium sound system, sporty exterior, great handling and a paint job that is sure to turn heads.  The all new XB is sure to have enough space to fit all of your passengers comfortably with plenty of room to spare.  If you’re looking for a fun car that is also versatile and efficient, the Scion XB is for you!

Check out this super sporty Chicago Toyota Camry at Classic Toyota in Waukegan, IL.  This all black, decked-out Camry is on the lot and ready to be test drove.  Plenty of space for the whole family or just for you if you prefer some privacy.  Great safety features and awesome amenities.  Look at our quick video and then swing by today!