RIDES - September 2012

Eastern Jackson County’s Premier Dealership’s Magazine

The Examiner

Issue 5

SEPTEMBER 2012

Get to know your dealerships!

AUTO BITS tip of the week and car Q&A

COMMITMENT LEARN HOW LOCAL COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY!

INSURANCE

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

WELCOME BACK

Index 3 Auto Bits

5

Metro Ford

7

McCarthy Blue Springs Nissan

9

StateFarm Insurance

11

Dell’s Powersports

13

Blue Springs Harley-Davidson

14

Vehicle Review

15

Get to know the gang

SEPTEMBER 2012

Contact Us Phone: 816-254-8600 Fax: 816-254-0211 (news) 816-836-3805 (advertising) Publisher: Stephen Wade stephen.wade@examiner.net Advertising: Director of Advertising: David T. Lammers dave.lammers@examiner.net Director of Marketing: Sharon Dankenbring sharon.dankenbring@examiner.net ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Josh Englebrake 816-350-6378 josh.englebrake@examiner.net New media: New Media Manager: Ginger Kuftack ginger.kuftack@examiner.net WebSite: www.examiner.net

The Examiner © 2012 gatehouse media All rights reserved

Cover: EXAMINER STAFF Photo

Oh Ain’t It Lovely I don’t know about you but this recent weather has been stupendous. It gives us the chance to roll the windows down, turn the music up, and enjoy the ride.

There are very few things as amazing as cruising along to your favorite tunes with a nice cool breeze blowing through your freshly detailed ride. I spend at least 2 hours a week on detailing my car. I want it supreme clean all the time. And that is not easy to do with kids and Missouri weather conditions. Trust me though, I get it done.

The only thing that makes it better

is when it is a new car. If you go to the right dealerships, you will drive the car off the lot in pristine condition. If not, you need to purchase elsewhere. Once you have gotten your new ride home, keeping it looking Don Draper fabulous should be a priority. When you get to cruising around and you know everyone is looking at your car, truck or bike looking all good, you know it makes you feel better inside.

Every dealership in this magazine knows how to make that first drive off the lot one of the most amazing drives ever. They give you the type of customer service that entails teaching you about your car and all of its lovely little buttons and gadgets. The porters will be given explicit instructions to detail every inch of the ride. You get in, adjust the mirrors for the first and hopefully last time, and then the real fun begins.

I just want to take a minute and thank those dealerships for making that moment one of the most memorable. Cheers to you and your idea of great customer service. Keep Calm and Chive On.

auto bits

Smartphone help

Tip of the Week

If you can resist the temptation to reach for it while you’re behind the wheel, your smartphone can be a great asset as you care for your vehicle.

Fuel economy

n Maintenance

diaries.

There are now a number of mobile apps that help you keep track of all your maintenance notes. Some even have the ability to send you reminders when you are due for an oil change or other routine maintenance procedures. n Garage

locators.

If you end up breaking down in unfamiliar territory, a smartphone can be of great assistance in finding a reputable shop. Your map app can help you locate the shops closest to you, and there are other apps available to read reviews. n Car

buying info.

On the showroom floor, you can use your smartphone to browse vehicle specifications and read reviews. Many car magazines now have mobile sites, and you can even get a quick answer on what kind of fuel economy to expect at fueleconomy.gov/m.

- ARA

Some gas-saving tips: n Check your tires.

Once a month, when the tires are cold check tire pressure with a reliable tire gauge. Be sure that the valve stems have a plastic or metal cap to keep dirt out and seal against leakage. n Replace air filter. A clogged air filter blocks the air needed to burn fuel and wastes gas. n Keep your car tuned up according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule to keep all systems in good working order, which can optimize your mileage. n Slow down. For every 5 mph you go above 60 mph, you’re using more gas, and, ultimately, paying even more for each gallon of gas.

- ARA

Drive green To improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. Just follow these easy steps: n Take care of your tires.

Underinflated and/or misaligned tires can increase fuel consumption by as much as 4 percent.

n Replace a clogged air filter. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your fuel economy by up to 6 percent. n Stay tuned. Fixing a vehicle in need of a tune-up can improve gas mileage by up to 4 percent. n Recycle. If you do your own oil changes, find a place that will accept your used motor oil.

— Royal Purple/ ARA

Car Q&A

Flexibility needed Q: What can you tell me about the Ford Flex? We need a vehicle that will hold six persons with good gas mileage.

A: The Ford Flex will carry up to seven. I drove a 2013 Flex AWD 3.5 V/6. A couple of weeks ago we used it to go to dinner with two other couples. The Flex is like a Mini Cooper on steroids.

There is no question that Ford has done a great job on this vehicle. Gas mileage 17 city 23 highway. Base price $35,000 as tested; with optional equipment $39,900.

— Junior Damato, Talking Cars columnist RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

FORD

FIESTA

0% for 60 months or $250

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORKS PACKAGE AND ALL YOUR SERVICE NEEDS.

CASH BACK

FOCUS

FUSION

0% for 60 months or $1,500

0% for 60 months & $1,750 or $3,250

CASH BACK

CASH BACK

It’s Your Dealer That Makes The Difference!

2860 S. Noland Road, Independence, MO 64055

816.254.9800

Just announced 0% financing for up to 60 months on select 2012 models. This would include Fiesta*, Focus*, Fusion, Edge, Explorer, F-150 and Super Duty Trucks. Hurry while supplies last. *Does not include S models for Fiesta and Focus.

www.kcmetroford.com

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

FORD

Your dealer really does make the difference

BY THE EXAMINER STAFF

A

t Metro Ford in Independence, you can buy a new or used Ford – just like an employee does.

Yes, said David Barber, the sales manager at the Noland Road dealership, anyone who buys their vehicle now can get the employee discount, “which could be thousands of dollars. And customers still get all the rebates.”

And through Ford’s “S Plan Pricing,” you can expect haggle-free pricing on every vehicle. No hassles! You’ll know your price within 10 minutes.

What else can you expect when you buy from Metro?

• Your first year of maintenance is free.

That means things like oil changes, tire rotations, at no charge.

• You’ll be automatically enrolled in the Owners Advantage Rewards Program, which means you get cash back on parts and service. The program covers every vehicle in your household, regardless of make or model. Members can receive a $10 enrollment bonus toward a future purchase of parts or service; a 5% credit on all parts and service that can be applied forward; oil change rewards giving you a free oil change after your first few paid ones.

And Barber said if you’re looking for a pickup, you’ll want to take advantage of the truck maintenance special. The power train on that F-150 will be covered for 5 years/100,000 miles.

For more information on Metro Ford, visit the dealership at 2860 S. Noland Road in Independence. You can call them at 816-254-9800 or visit the website: http://www.kcmetroford. com/ or find them on Facebook or Twitter.

Upcoming Events at Metro Ford Month of October Truck Month Save Bucks on Trucks

Fall Tire Event Service Specials All Month RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

NISSAN

McCARTHY AUTOGROUP 0% available on select 2011 & 2012 models 2012 Nissan Sentra 2.0 Sedan $18,670 MSRP

N24338

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

14,976 N24239

$15,915 MSRP

N24327

20,976

$

$34,495 MSRP

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

www.bluespringsnissan.com SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

$

$48,020 MSRP

3030 S. Outer Rd., Blue Springs, MO 64015

N24379

26,764

2011 Nissan Murano Crossover

McCarthy Blue Springs Nissan 816-224-7500

19,176

$

2012 Nissan Maxima 3.5 S Sedan

13,539

$24,240 MSRP

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

$

2012 Nissan Rogue S AWD SUV

N24405

$23,820 MSRP

$

2012 Nissan Versa 1.8 Hatchback

After all rebates & financing with Nissan

2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 Sedan

N13792

39,876

$

NISSAN

MORE THAN YOU KNOW

McCARTHY AUTOGROUP

BY EXAMINER STAFF

I

f you’ve been seeing the McCarthy Blue Springs Nissan and the McCarthy Auto Group names recently, then that’s no mistake.

The dealership at 3030 S. Outer Road in Blue Springs and its parent company are making a push to get involved in the community in recent months.

“McCarthy is mainly known for their exceptional service during sales and service of your vehicles, but there is much more to the company than that. We are involved in several charities, events and sponsorships,” says Sandra Chapman, Customer Care Director at McCarthy Blue Springs Nissan.

“We think of our customers as part of our family,” Chapman added. “We strive to be exceptional in the way we treat our customers before, during and after the purchase of their vehicle. We want them to have an experience with us that makes buying a vehicle fun! After all, it should be.”

And that shows with how McCarthy deals with the community.

Fans of the Missouri Mavericks might recognize McCarthy’s name as one of the Central Hockey League team’s biggest sponsors. McCarthy also has been one of the main sponsors for the WIN for KC Triathlon, a swimming, cycling and running event in July of each year put on by the Women’s Intersport Network of Kansas City, which helps empower women and girls through sports and fitness.

But McCarthy also has been big in giving back to the community with many of its charity endeavors.

One of its biggest sponsorships of charitable organizations is for Shoe Kansas City. Twelve years ago, Elite Feet began collecting and donating shoes to a single charity in Shawnee, Kan. Now it has expanded to help the homeless and under-served families in the Eastern Jackson County and Kansas City metro areas through donations to five different charities. Last year, more than 12,000 shoes were collected. The goal for this year, because of the struggling economy, has been raised to 15,000. Blue Springs Nissan will be one of the drop-off sites to donate new and gently used shoes if you would like to help.

McCarthy also aids the Heartland Habitat for Humanity, which helps build homes for those in need, and Variety: The Children’s Charity, which helps disabled children with mobility concerns.

In addition to helping the needy, McCarthy also has been a big contributor to area student-athletes. McCarthy has given out 22 scholarships a year over the past four years through the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association. McCarthy sponsors a banquet each season to honor the high school scholar athletes, who are chosen for their performance on the field, in the classroom and around the community.

If you have any questions about McCarthy’s charitable events or sponsorships, visit the dealership at 3030 S. Outer Road in Blue Springs, call 816-224-7500 or 1-877-6315479 or visit the website at www.bluespringsnissan.com.

RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

INSURANCE

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

STATEFARM

CELEBRATE MY DRIVE

BY EXAMINER STAFF

S

tate Farm is taking the lead on trying to keep teen drivers safe.

To that end, on Sept. 15, State Farm will be partnering with 16-plus Kansas City area high schools to join the largest-ever simultaneous gathering of new teen drivers in North America in a new kind of teen driver safety program called “Celebrate My Drive.” The event will feature 300 communities across the continent, including teens from Independence.

“Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of American teens, according to the Center for Disease Control, and their first year on the road as a new driver is the most dangerous,” says Independence State Farm agent Chad Mitchell.

“Though traditional scare tactics can be engaging for some, State Farm and others believe a supportive and positive approach to teen driver safety in addition to education, awareness, legislation and enforcement is key to keeping teens engaged and safe on the road.”

With this in mind, State Farm is debuting “Celebrate My Drive” on Sept. 15 at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park,

Kan. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. that Saturday.

Because of the program, Truman and William Chrisman high schools will be two of many Kansas City area schools that have a chance to win a $100,000 grant from State Farm.

Interested community members can show their support for Truman and William Chrisman by voting for the school to win the $100,000 grant at celebratemydrive. com between Sept. 10 and Sept. 15. State Farm is handing out a total of 14 $100,000 grants to high schools across the U.S. and Canada.

In addition, one teenager (ages 15-18) in the Kansas City area will win a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic LS car with an additional $5,000 for attending the program at Oak Park Mall.

Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self also will be in attendance and signing autographs.

Learn more by visiting www.facebook.com/CelebrateMyDrive or call Mitchell at 816-836-0114.

RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

POWERSPORTS VEHICLES

10

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

POWERSPORTS VEHICLES

WE LOVE WHAT WE DO!

BY THE EXAMINER STAFF

A

t Dell’s Powersports, selling motorcycles isn’t just a job.

It’s what they love to do.

In support of that, Dell’s is very active in organizing local rides for the Kansas City area community.

“Our jobs are our passion,” says Karl Morrison, Dell’s general manager.

“Working is more than just earning a paycheck to support our families. We love motorcycles and most of our employees enjoy hours of seat time on motorcycles and ATVS.” Morrison says Dell’s employees enjoy sharing their favorite riding spots with their customers, whether it’s a fun restaurant, windy blacktop, motocross track or a dusty, low-maintenance farm road.

Dell’s hosts dozens of rides and events throughout the year, ranging from bike shows, such as last month’s Geezers & Wheezers Classic Motorcycle Show, to rides, like the Breakfast Ride earlier this month to Hot Pots Cafe in Higginsville, Mo. They also host bike nights, street rides, charity rides, offroad events, dual sport rides and breakfast, lunch and dinner rides.

See the photos from some recent events and rides accompanying this article.

Stop in at 3105 S.W. U.S. 40 in Blue Springs and ask them about their next adventure and they will be glad to fill you in with all the details.

And the best way to keep up with all the exciting events at Dell’s is to sign up for the exclusive e-newsletter at www.dellspowersports.com. You can also see photos and videos from Dell’s rides on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DellsPowersports.

RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

11

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

12

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Upcoming Events September 15 Tent Event with the new 2013s

September 18 H.O.G. meeting 7 pm

committed to local charities

September 22 Second annual Bikers & Blues BBQ Pre Party Entertainment, food and specials.

September 29

BY THE EXAMINER STAFF

Tent Event with the new 2013s

October 6

9-11am $5 buffet with proceeds benefiting Recovery Lighthouse.

October 13 Hogtoberfest

A

t Blue Springs HarleyDavidson, the new 2013 model year bikes are rolling in.

“They trickling in now and we should have them all in by the end of the month,” said sales associate John Brewer.

Look for some hard-candy custom paints on some mod-

els, paying tribute to the oldstyle customizers.

And, Brewer said, this year customers can build their own Street Bob. Either online or at Blue Springs Harley, you can sit down and with a few clicks and keystrokes, make your bike the Harley of your dreams. It’s part of Harley’s

H-D1 Customization program.

Choose your wheels, your paint, your performance, your seat…

Speaking of choices, when you walk into Blue Springs Harley-Davidson, you’ll have nearly 20 models to choose from, with a knowledgeable sales staff – who are Harley riders themselves – to help you find your dream ride.

Harley riders will be aiding the dreams of families in the KC metro area on Sept. 16 when they gather at the Kansas Speedway for the Bikers for Babies ride for March of Dimes.

“Last weekend, in the pouring rain, we had a preregistration day for the ride, and we signed up 155 riders and raised around $9,000 for March of Dimes,” Brewer said.

“We do lots of charity rides, but this is one of the largest.”

If you didn’t make it out to pre-register, there’s still time.

You can even show up the morning of the ride at the Kansas Speedway to take part.

The ride starts at 8 a.m.

“And every dollar raised for March of Dimes stays in the Kansas City area,” Brewer said.

RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

13

VEHICLE REVIEW

Ford Edge EcoBoost impresses

By Barbara and Bill Schaffer | Auto Digest

S

ince its 2006 debut, the Edge has been a hit for the Ford lineup with sales averaging near 10,000 per month, except when the bottom fell out of the market in 2009.

The Edge has the right combination of styling, performance and utilitarian characteristics to give it that popularity.

We recently spent a week reacquainting ourselves with the Edge, driving the latest iteration, of the good-looking crossover with the new EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. Normally on a vehicle like this, we find ourselves favoring more horsepower and the larger engine, but we think the new turbocharged EcoBoost has an “edge” on the other choices.

As the smallest engine in the lineup, the four-cylinder EcoBoost only has 240 horsepower as compared to the standard V-6, which is rated at 285 hp.

However, the turbocharged Edge feels agile, responsive and itís quick making the 0 to 60 mph acceleration run in 7.7 seconds -- that’s just a few tenths of a second more than the V-6 time (7.3 seconds). In addition, passing power was strong, with no discernible turbo lag, and with speeds approaching three digits when passing a big truck on a long, straight stretch.

As expected, the EcoBoost has better fuel economy than the V-6 — 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 24 combined. We averaged 27.8 mpg during our 14

SEPTEMBER 2012 RIDES

time behind the wheel.

The 3.5-V-6 has a combined rating of 22 mpg for FWD and 21 for AWD; the 3.7-liter is 22 mpg and 19 mpg, respectively.

When the Edge debuted, one of our complaints was the lack of a manual shift mode on the six-speed automatic transmission. The new models now have the mechanism for manual

THE JESTER

shifting. On the EcoBoost and 3.5-liter V-6 models, manual shifting is accomplished using a thumb-activated toggle on the left side of the console mounted shifter. The Sport, with its 305hp 3.7-liter V-6, gets much more desirable wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Our test car was the Edge Limited wearing a $35,765

sticker including the destination charge. The lower level SE and SEL models with front-wheel drive start at $28,350 and $31,905, respectively, while the top of the line performance-oriented Sport starts at $37,935.

The EcoBoost engine option adds $995 to the SE, SEL and Limited models. All-wheel drive is $1,950 on any V-6 model.

here to serve

get to know the GANG

By EXAMINER STAFF

Frank Rodgers Finance Manager Dell’s Powersports

Frank Rodgers AKA “Finance Frank” enjoys helping customers come up with the best finance options for their powersports unit maximizing their enjoyment! He has 3 local grand kids he loves to spoil! Let him put his years of experience to work for you!

Johnny Rebel Phillips Sales Manager McCarthy Blue Springs Nissan

Johnny Rebel Phillips was born and raised in Blue Springs. He graduated from Blue Springs High School in 1993. Phillips has been in the car business 15 years and with McCarthy Auto Group for eight years. He is in the automotive business because he likes the challenge and feels he is a good salesman because he likes to have fun. Phillips loves golfing, fishing and is a big MU fan.

Danny Worth

Brent Davidson

Sales Associate Blue Springs Harley-Davidson

Service Manager Metro Ford

Danny, who has been with Harley for 10 years, loves to help people and see their dreams come true. Harley-Davidson is a passion for him, and that’s what makes for a good salesman. When he’s not at work, Danny enjoys AHDRA Pro-Stock motorcycle racing.

He came by his love for Harleys naturally, since his grandfather started the family business off 38 years ago. Danny has a son named Damain.

Brent has been part of the Ford family for 19 years, and he says he likes being at Metro Ford because “it’s like family” and he supports and believes in Ford Motor Company. What makes a good service manager? Brent sums that up in one word: “commitment.” Brent and his wife have two kids. When he’s off duty, his hobbies include Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

RIDES SEPTEMBER 2012

15