Thursday, February 26, 2009

Autobody Issues? Its your car, your choice who will fix it!

Connecticut motorists are finally being told the truth: they have the right to determine where they will have their vehicles repaired in the event of an accident.

A new law, effective this past January 1st, reinforces motorist's rights to have their auto repaired by a qualified, licensed, competent auto body shop of their own choosing.

Some repair shops that insurance companies refer policy owners to often charge less, but, that's because they may use substandard parts and cut corners on repairs so even consumer safety may be in jeopardy. Deceptively referring consumers to insurance company "preferred" shops has been illegal for decades, but, far too often the insurance companies have been able to bully unsuspecting consumers.

This new law is the rest of years of efforts by the Auto Body Association of Connecticut in conjunction with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, to whom we and the motoring public owe our thanks.

Specifically, the new law requires that motorists who have been involved in an accident with vehicle damage must be notified that they have a choice of repair facilities. This notification must appear on insurance identification cards, on estimates supplied by the insurance company or repair shops, and also be clearly posted on signs in all body shops.

It's your car, your choice.

This is a giant step forward. It will go a long way to help educate consumers that they don't have to be afraid of insurance companies. It's your car, and your choice of where to have it repaired.

Now, its up to consumers to take advantage of this new legislation. Consumers still must have the courage to go to the repair facility of their choice. Don't be fooled by inaccurate suggestions of out-of-pocket costs or statements about repair delays.

A knowledgable consumer should call or visit more than one repair facility when in an accident, in order to learn which shop is qualified to repair your car properly. This is critical when you want to maintain the value of a vehicle after the repair, or, simply ensure that the safety features in your vehicle operate as designed.

Beware of low ball estimates! You have the right to a proper repair! The facility with the lowest estimate may base that estimate on using substandard, after-market parts, that are not authorized for use in many vehicles. Or, in many cases leave out necessary procedures needed to bring your car back to pre-loss condition. In fact, the warranty on many new cars will become void if the car is repaired with non-approved parts.

One last thing. We have seen some terrible repairs done by auto body shops. If you are in doubt, or, would like us to assist you in locating a reputable body shop near your home, please call us.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Premier Subaru Becomes a SERIES SPONSOR For the New BRANFORD JAZZ ON THE GREEN SERIES!


PREMIER SUBARU ANNOUNCES THAT IS HAS BECOME THE SERIES SPONSOR FOR THE BRANFORD JAZZ ON THE GREEN SERIES!

Premier Subaru has announced that it has become the Series Sponsor for the Branford Jazz on the Green Series. The Branford Jazz on the Green Series is presented by the Branford Festival Corporation, the Branford Recreation Department and Blue Plate Radio (http://www.blueplateradio.com).


The Branford Jazz on the Green Series begins on Thursday night, July 9, 2009 and runs on consecutive Thursday nights from 6pm to 8pm through August 20th on the Branford Green. All shows are free and open to the public.


Premier Subaru has been nationally recognized as one of the most community involved dealerships in the country.

Consumer Auto Incentive Included In The Final Stimulus Bill

PREMIER SUBARU CLIENT ADVISORY
February 17, 2009

CONSUMER AUTO INCENTIVE INCLUDED IN FINAL STIMULUS BILL (H.R.1)

AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

Effective February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Incorporated therein is the Consumer Auto Incentive.

What Taxes Are Deductible?
- State Motor Vehicle Sales
- Local Motor Vehicle Sales
- Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes

What Customers Qualify For The Deduction?
- Individual customers with modified adjusted gross income of less than $125,000 or joint-filers making less than $250,000 a year in 2009 would qualify for the deduction.
- Deductible as an “above the line” (for itemizers and non-itemizers) deduction on Federal Tax Return.

Effective Date:
- New vehicle purchases shall apply on purchases on or after the date of enactment (February 17, 2009) until December 31st, 2009.

What New Vehicles Qualify For The Deduction?
- Any new vehicle under 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight (all Subaru vehicles are eligible).
- New vehicles of any model year – when the original use commences with the taxpayer.
- Any new vehicle sold for under $49,500 qualifies for the full deduction. Consumers may deduct sales taxes on the 1st $49,500 of any vehicle sold above this price.

THIS IS A GENERALIZED SUMMARY. For more specific information on eligible customers, taxes and applicability, consumers are encouraged to consult with a qualified tax attorney or professional.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Subaru Designs Custom Impreza WRX STi For Rally Champ Travis Pastrana!


Subaru Designs Custom Impreza WRX STI for Rally Champ Travis Pastrana



- Pastrana Won His Third Consecutive Rally America National Championship for Subaru in 2008
- Special WRX STI Fortified with SPT and STI Parts
- Carbon Fiber Hood and Rear Wing
- Custom Interior with High-Power Audio System and Xbox

Subaru of America, Inc. will show a one-of-a-kind Subaru Impreza WRX STI designed for its factory rally driver Travis Pastrana at the Chicago Auto Show, February 13-22 in McCormick Place. Subaru worked with Pastrana to create a brilliant yellow "199" liveried WRX STI to commemorate his third consecutive Rally America National Championship. Pastrana is scheduled to appear at the Chicago Auto Show to sign autographs in the Subaru booth February 14th and 15th.

Winner of nine X Games Gold Medals, two for X Games Rally competition, Pastrana's street ride had to be as formidable on the road as his racing WRX STI is on the rally circuit. The Travis Pastrana WRX STI is not only a visual stunner, but also amps up performance capability of the stock production Impreza WRX STI. Vermont SportsCar, technical partner for Subaru and builder of the team's rally cars, customized the WRX STI using an array of Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) and STI parts, along with unique custom pieces. The SPT and STI engine, exhaust, chassis and interior parts showcased on the Travis Pastrana WRX STI are available for any WRX STI through authorized Subaru dealers.

Travis Pastrana: Rally Star
Pastrana was already a motocross champion and X Games gold medal winner when he launched a rally career in 2003. He began driving for the Subaru-backed Vermont SportsCar rally team in 2004.
On August 5, 2006 Pastrana won the gold medal in the first rally car competition at the X Games and was signed to lead the new Subaru Rally Team USA in 2006. Pastrana secured his third consecutive Rally America National Championship driver's title with a win at the 2008 Rally Colorado round of the championship.


Pastrana WRX STI: Back-Road and Highway Star
Commissioned by Subaru, Vermont SportsCar started the Travis Pastrana WRX STI with a stock 305-horsepower 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Pastrana's new WRX STI delivers even sharper handling response than the stock model. An SPT front strut tower brace and SPT lower chassis brace help to further tighten handling response. The stock wheels and tires are replaced by BF Goodrich G-Force Super Sport A/S 275/35 ZR18 tires on Work Evolution XD-9 18 x 9-in. wheels in custom satin black. Red STI Brembo brake calipers with white "STI" decals are visible behind the spokes.


The rally-bred WRX STI exterior design lights up with custom yellow paint and graphics. The carbon fiber hood and carbon fiber rear wing are unique to the Pastrana's WRX STI. As on the stock production WRX STI, the functional hood scoop streams outside air to an intercooler. The Sport Mesh Grille is available for all WRX STI owners. Likewise, the STI front chin spoiler and the exhaust finishers are available through Subaru dealers. A set of PIAA 2100 HID driving lights and rally-spec mud flaps underscore the aggressive rally-bred design of the 5-door WRX STI.


Engine Compartment
Under its custom carbon fiber hood, this WRX STI is equipped with a number of modifications including a performance-tuned ECU and custom Down Pipe to unleash a bit more power from the DOHC 2.5-liter intercooled turbo Boxer engine. A turbo boost gauge facilitates tuning. The SPT billet aluminum battery hold-down and billet aluminum oil cap are rendered in the trademark SPT blue color.


Interior
The custom blue Alcantara interior upholstery, the trademark of the original U.S.-spec WRX STIs, is accented with Pastrana's traditional yellow piping and "199 Pastrana" embroidered logos in yellow thread to match vehicle exterior. Likewise, custom yellow stitching is used to accent the steering wheel, shifter boot and parking brake handle boot. An STI short-throw shifter provides an even more direct connection to the 6-speed manual gearbox. Carbon fiber patterned interior trim highlights the dash, doors and console. A rally map light and co-driver foot rest bring a bit of Pastrana's Subaru Rally Team USA car into his new street WRX STI.
During a rally, Pastrana listens to a continuous stream of navigation commands from his co-driver. In his new custom WRX STI, he can listen to anything he wants -- loudly. The audio system is based on an Eclipse AVN 6620 navigation/DVD/CD/MP3 stereo head unit and uses Kicker amplifiers and speakers, including:
Kicker ZX700.5 4x75 watt and 1x400 watt stereo amplifier
Kicker RS65.2 6.5-in. component speakers, front
Kicker RS56.2 5.25/6-in. component speakers, rear
Kicker Solo-Baric L5 10-in. subwoofer in a custom subwoofer/amplifier enclosure
An Xbox 360 is also mounted under the front passenger seat, rounding a package that is as entertaining as its owner. Pastrana and his co-driver can play the Colin McRae DIRT video game using custom yellow controllers.

Subaru Hands over Proceeds from ‘Share the Love' First-of-Its-Kind Cause-related Campaign

Subaru Hands over Proceeds from ‘Share the Love' First-of-Its-Kind Cause-related Campaign

Motorweek Award Given To The 2009 Forester!

On what is rapidly becoming a regular occurence, I am please to enclose the following press release acknowleding an award given to the 2009 Subaru Forester from the PBS show MOTORWEEK!

Subaru Forester Wins MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award for Best Small Utility
PRNewswireCHERRY HILL, N.J.
- Award Joins Growing List of Accolades for Subaru of America's Most Popular Model -

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2009 Subaru Forester has been recognized with the MotorWeek Driver's Choice Award for Best Small Utility. The team at MotorWeek, a weekly magazine series produced by Maryland Public Television, evaluated vehicles for this year's awards based on performance, technology, practicality and dollar value. The winners, including the new Subaru Forester, represent what MotorWeek considers to be the best in each class.

"We are excited that MotorWeek has recognized the new Subaru Forester with their Driver's Choice Award," said Tom Doll, executive vice president of Subaru of America, Inc. "This award is really a tribute to our designers and engineers, who have created a versatile, all-wheel drive vehicle that is fun to drive, offers great value, in a unique combination that drivers appreciate in these difficult economic times."

Other awards received by the 2009 Subaru Forester include: Motor Trend's 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) "Top Safety Pick" - Small SUV; and the Polk Automotive Loyalty Award for consumer loyalty in the Compact SUV category.

About MotorWeek

MotorWeek, the original television automotive magazine series, is one of the nation's leading sources for automotive industry news, new car information and driving entertainment. The award-winning series, seen nationwide on PBS, PBS HD, SPEED and V-me, is sponsored by Cars.com, Valvoline and Goodyear. The weekly series is produced by Maryland Public Television. For more information on MotorWeek and the Drivers' Choice Awards, visit www.pbs.org/motorweek.

Monday, February 2, 2009

2010 Legacy Concept - A HUGE HIT FOR SUBARU!

The 2010 Subaru Legacy Concept was a huge hit for Subaru during it's introduction at the recent Detroit Auto Show. The concept car is larger than the existing Legacy - being about the same size at the current Toyota Camry. It looks great. The line are wonderful and the vehicle is very stylish. In a previous blog posting, I have listed a copy of Subaru's official announcement describing the 2010 Subaru Legacy Concept vehicle. However, I came across these videos. One of these videos shows the lines of the vehicle and how it looks in motion. The second video is a commentary from the actual designer of the car. Too many times, consumers are unable to see who really designed a vehicle and the reasons for the design intent. This is a great video so that you can see why the designer designed the 2010 Subaru Legacy in this manner.



This is all so important since the styling cues you see in this vehicle should be very visible in the production version of the 2010 Subaru Legacy!



2010 Subaru Legacy Concept - Running Footage:








2010 Subaru Legacy Concept - Designer Instruction: