Archive for the ‘Fuel Efficient Cars’ Category
Portland Toyota Dealer: A Hybrid Unlike Anything We’ve Seen
At Gresham Toyota, we’re fortunate to constantly experience the latest and greatest technology that Toyota offers. Our fleet of vehicles always receives some annual improvements, but Toyota recently displayed a concept car that surpassed any jump in technology we’ve ever seen. Concept cars are often nothing more than lofty dreams, but if even a few elements of this new design go into production, we may all witness a significant mark in the automotive industry.
Called the NS4, the car premiered at January’s 2012 Detroit Show without much publicity. On first glance, the car seemed to be nothing more than an advanced Prius plug-in. Toyota promised it would drive faster, longer, and with less recharging needs. Since the vehicle is a concept and specifics weren’t released, that advancement alone didn’t stir much interest. It’s the intuitive technology that people began talking about. Some have called the NS4 an iPhone car, because like the latest Apple features, it almost has a mind of its own.
The NS4 actually engages with its driver: learns habits, quirks, and even faults. The computer system within the NS4 would make any drive more enjoyable, and also much safer. If the car thinks a driver has lost control, a radar and camera system will kick in to steer and apply brakes. Additionally, if the car strikes a pedestrian, its hood will automatically pop up from the rear to protect against head injuries. Features like these have been seen before, but they were limited to luxury vehicles that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Incorporating this futuristic technology hasn’t been implemented in mass-production scale—but according to analysts, the NS4 won’t be produced for at least a few years.
The model displayed in Detroit wasn’t yet fit for the road, so we have some waiting to do before the NS4 enters our lots. In the meantime, we’re content with the hybrid technology Toyota already has in the Prius. If you’re looking for your own hybrid Toyota car, truck or SUV, check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!
source: caranddriver.com
Portland Toyota Dealer: Check out our Great Selection of Affordable Toyotas!
On the hunt for a quality Toyota at an affordable price? We would love to find the perfect fit for you at Gresham Toyota! We have dozens of top-rated models in stock – including the Tacoma, Camry, Corolla, Sienna, and RAV4. Make your way in for a pressure-free test drive!
Looking for your own well-equipped Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!
Portland Toyota Dealer: Not-So-Obvious Ways to Keep Your Car Running Great
When it comes to proper maintenance of your car, there’s the typical stuff you hear all the time. Most of it involves fluids: changing your oil, changing your coolant, changing your transmission fluid. On the hardware side, replacing fuel filters, windshield wipers and checking your tire pressure are all important maintenance habits.
But there are several less-obvious things you can do to make sure your car stays running smoothly:
Use your parking brake on hills If you depend on your transmission to keep your car in place on a hill — by putting it in park — you are putting a lot of pressure on a tiny pin called a parking pawl. Add years to the life of your transmission, and use the parking brake on hills.
Change the differential fluid About every 60K miles, you will want to have a mechanic change the differential fluid. Like the transmission, the differential is extremely important to the forward motion of your car and expensive to replace.
Make a complete stop before shifting It’s easy to get lazy when you’re backing out of a spot and want to get going, but shifting into drive before your car is ready is a sure way to cook your transmission—not right away, but over time. Bring your car to a full stop and then shift. A transmission is a terrible thing to waste.
Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!
Portland Toyota Dealer: The 2012 Toyota Lineup Has Arrived at Gresham Toyota!
On the hunt for a brand new Toyota at an affordable price? We would love to find the perfect fit for you at Gresham Toyota! We have dozens of top-rated models in stock – including the 4Runner, Camry, Highlander, Prius, and RAV4. Make your way in for a pressure-free test drive!
2012 Toyota 4 Runner: Only 2 left in stock!
2012 Toyota Camry: More than 20 in stock!
2012 Toyota Highlander: 13 in stock!
2012 Toyota Prius: 6 in stock!
2012 Toyota RAV4: 12 in stock!
Looking for your own well-equipped Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!
Portland Toyota Dealer: Is Higher Octane Fuel Worth the Added Cost?
Pull into any fuel station and you’re faced with a choice: 87, 89, or 91 octane, regular, premium, or super. But is there any quantifiable difference in how a car performs when filled with one over the others? Does premium gas do anything other than cost more? Experts say, unless your car was built before 1990, probably not in any way that you’re going to notice.
If your car has a computer, technology has improved vehicles to the point where engine knocking—the pre-computer reason for needing higher-octane fuel—has become a non-issue. Censors and other high-tech installations under the hood prevent engine damage by constantly regulating the vehicle. Higher-octane fuel doesn’t change the computer’s abilities or programming.
If you’re not on a racetrack, you’re not going to notice a difference. It may take an extra half-second to go from 0-60 if there’s regular in the tank instead of premium. While that may be important on a race track or in a lab setting when cars are being tested and evaluated for performance, humans can’t tell split-second differences like that and everyday driving conditions rarely (if ever) call for 0-60 in very few seconds.
If you drive a hybrid or other highly efficient vehicle, you’ll achieve high miles-per-gallon so that even a mile or two extra per gallon won’t make a noticeable difference in fuel expenditures. To break down the math, someone driving a 35MPG vehicle 15,000 miles per year would spend the same amount of money buying mid-grade gas to get one mile per gallon more, and that’s if the higher-octane improved fuel efficiency at all.
Check your driver’s manual. Just as it would be disastrous to put diesel in a standard engine (or vice-versa), your car may require higher-grade fuel. If this is the case, then use it. On the other hand, if the manual simply recommends a higher-octane gas, save your money and go with regular instead.
Looking for your own fuel efficent Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!
