Author: Westphal Chevy

Vehicle Recalls Save Lives.

Vehicle recalls are important.  So are dentist appointments.  But how many people put off visiting the dentist?  A lot.  How many people put off visiting the dealership to have a recall performed?  A lot.  Folks probably put off both appointments for similar reasons.

• Both types of visits can be inconvenient, painful or stressful.

We can’t speak for your dentist, but at Ron Westphal Chevy we take the sting out of having your recall(s) performed.

We’ll make sure we have your recall parts in stock and available for your vehicle.  And, if your recall requires a lengthy service visit, we’ll provide you with a loaner vehicle.  All our service loaners are nearly-new with under 4,000 miles and current model year.  We have nearly all models available;  Traverse, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Silverado, Equinox and more. And, the good news is that vehicle recalls are performed at no charge to you.

Loaner car not for you?  No problem.  We’ll be happy to give you a ride to your nearby home or office and pick you up again when your recall is completed.  Your freshly-washed vehicle will be ready and waiting for you.

O.K.  How do you even know if you need a recall?  Make sure you have your vehicle’s vin id number handy.  The just call Ron Westphal Chevy’s service department at 630-898-9630 and we’ll be happy to look up your vehicle’s history and recall information.

Don’t put off off your vehicle recall.  Even if it doesn’t seem like an important fix, don’t delay your visit.  If your vehicle is not displaying any symptoms, don’t put off visiting your dealership.  It’s always better to nip a potential issue in the bud and avoid a possible future breakdown.

Ron Westphal Chevy Service Department has added convenient Saturday hours from 8 am to 4 pm.  You can schedule your service appointment online.  

Congratulations to our latest $500 Test Drive Winners for April and May.

 

 

 

 

VIEW ALL OUR TEST DRIVE WINNERS

Would you like to join our $500 Test Drive Winners?  It’s easy and fun.  All you have to do is visit Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL and test drive the vehicle of your choice.  New, used, car, truck, van, suv…you decide what you would like to drive.  No purchase necessary.  You must be 18 years or older to enter.

After your test drive, your salesperson will give you an entry form to fill out.  Then, put it in our entry box located in the showroom.  It’s that simple.  Ron Westphal Chevy selects a new winner every month.

And when you consider that an average state lottery has jackpot odds of about 100,000,000 to 1 …The odds for winning $500 at Ron Westphal Chevrolet are much better! 

Anton Yelchin, a rising actor best known for his role as Chekov in the new “Star Trek” films, was killed in a freak car accident.

Anton Yelchin, the actor best known for playing Chekhov in the reboot of the “Star Trek” movies, unexpectedly died Sunday when his SUV rolled down his driveway and trapped him against a security gate. The death raised the fear of anyone who’s ever parked on a steep incline and worried if the brakes would hold.

Rollaway vehicles kill about 93 people a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Between 2008-2011, there were were 370 known deaths resulting from an unattended car that had rolled away. NHTSA estimates that rollaway cars also injure about 2,000 people a year. The NHTSA also estimates that about 500 people every year are killed by cars in non-crash accidents — a quarter of those deaths involve carbon monoxide poisoning, and another quarter which involve someone getting crushed by the car, usually when the victim was working underneath it.

But these are just a tiny fraction of the number of people killed in traffic crashes. The CDC estimates that in 2013, 33,804 people died in motor vehicle accidents.

In Yelchin’s case, he appears to have been using a car that has come under scrutiny for its gear system. TMZ has reported, citing the Los Angeles Police Department, that when friends discovered Yelchin’s body, they found his car — a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee — idling in neutral.

The automotive blog Jalopnik reported Monday that the Jeep was one of 1.1 million vehicles that were recalled in April because of a confusing gear shifter that could cause the car to roll away unexpectedly,

Last year, NHTSA began investigating the unconventional gearstick design on these cars, which was causing crashes because drivers were mistakenly shifting to neutral when they thought they were shifting to park.

With a regular gearstick, drivers choose a transmission option (park, reverse, neutral, drive, etc.) by moving the stick into the corresponding notch or detent. Drivers can feel the stick settle into position.

But a new, different, design was used in the cars affected by the recall, which include certain recent models of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

These cars use a “monostable electric gearshift assembly”, which resembles an arcade joystick. To shift gears, drivers push the gearstick forward or backward and hold it there until the change registers on the display. Drivers then release the gearstick, which springs back into its centered position.

Vehicle recalls are important.  If you have a received a recall notice for your Chevrolet vehicle, please contact our service department at 630-898-9630 to schedule an appointment.  If you prefer, visit our website to schedule your appointment online.

Silverado versus Ford

A 28 pound toolbox makes the Ford F150 cry “Uncle.”  It’s the old Silverado verse Ford story and the end results are in Chevy’s favor.  Again.

Take a regular old toolbox.  Something an average guy might have in the basement or garage.  Let’s make it a steel box that weighs 28 pounds or so.  And then, we’ll take that toolbox and throw it into aluminum bed in a new Ford pickup.  Why not?  General Motors did just that.

The toolbox dented the F150’s stamped aluminum bed once.  It actually punctured the bed floor the remaining 13 times.  Yep, 13 out of 14 times the toolbox created an actual hole in the Ford’s bed.  And no, it wasn’t dropped from 6 stories.  It was pushed diagonally off the side rail of the truck.  That’s a real-life situation.  It’s a real-life situation that creates a hole in the bed of your pricey new Ford pickup.  Yikes!

Hokey dokey.  So, the Ford failed the toolbox test.  Whattabout Chevy Silverado?  GM did the exact same test to a new Silverado truck.  Although it did sustain some cosmetic damage (dents and scratches), it did NOT have any holes, tears or rips in the roll-formed high-strength steel pickup bed.  O.K.  So, Silverado got a couple of dents while the Ford bed actually had holes.

You really have to consider which vehicle is going to have your back.  Yeah, you might treat your new truck like a queen for the first month or two…but after the honeymoon is over the real you’ll be throwing a whole bunch of items in the bed of your new truck.  You know you will.  So why not answer the age-old question of Silverado versus Ford and throw your stuff in the bed of a truck that can take it and ask “Yes sir.  May I have another?”  Chevy Silverado.  It’s always the right choice.

If you are looking for a truck that works as hard as you do, visit Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL.  We have a wide variety of new and pre-owned Chevrolet trucks.  If you have a questions or would like a price quote, give our customer care team a call at 630-898-9630.  Westphal Chevy has always been known as a truck dealership…why not give us a try?

 

The next generation Volt

is giving customers what they’ve been asking for.  More electric range.  Offering nearly 20 more miles of pure electric power versus 2016 models, the 2017 Volt cruises up to 53 miles on with a total range of up to 420 miles.  Chevrolet has refined the aerodynamics and drag coefficient, resulting in a 40 percent increase in efficiency over the first-generation Volt.

The new Voltec propulsion system has 2 new motors for maximum power delivery. while increasing fuel efficiency.  GM expects typical Volt owners to go over 1,000 miles between fill-ups by charging regularly.  So say “Bye, bye gas stations, Hello Volt!”

The first generation Volt was a breakthrough vehicle and the second-generation Volt takes that idea even further.  You’ll have no worries due to Volt’s standard gasoline powered generator.  The backup generator takes you hundreds of miles beyond the battery’s range so there’s no need to stop and re-charge at inconvenient times.  GM reworked every system of the Volt to make it more efficient and the next-generation Volt is over 230 pounds lighter than it’s predecessor.  All-New Volt also has a brand new battery cell that delivers 20 percent more energy by volume even though it weighs 21 pounds less than last year’s model.

The next generation Volt has more upscale materials in the interior that offer a sleeker and richer appearance.  The controls are designed to be just where you would want them.  Apple CarPlay allows you to access features through your iPhone such as Google Maps and Spotify.  And, if you own an Android Smart phone don’t feel left out.  GM has included Android Auto compatibility so you can select phone apps easily.

So, if you would like to average over 125 miles per gallon while reducing your carbon footprint, stop by Ron Westphal Chevrolet for a free demonstration drive in the next generation Volt.  Or, if you have any questions, feel free to call our customer care team at 630-898-9630.