The average new car price in 2016

At Ron Westphal Chevrolet we're proud to be below average. — At Ron Westphal Chevrolet we’re proud to be below average. 2017 Chevy Spark’s MSRP is under $14,000.

$34,077 dollars. Yikes. That’s about twice what my folks paid for their first house. Yessiree, the average new car price for 2016 now over $34,000. And, Edmunds expects that to rise to over $35,00o for this year.

But, the average car loan amount finances was only $30,022 (according to Experian), which means most folks have some cash or trade-in equity to use as down payment.

What if you can’t afford $34,077?

No problem. At Ron Westphal Chevrolet we’re proud to be below average! We offer many, many cars, trucks and SUV’s priced well below the 2016 average. Some new 2017 models are selling for only $12,558* and come with full factory warranty. Call our Customer Care Team now at 630-898-9630 to go over all your options. Or, find your new vehicle on our website at www.WestphalChevy.com.

The average new car prices are up over 12% in only 5 years.

So what’s causing this? Edmunds believes the primary factor is growth in the light-duty truck market. It currently engulfs about 62 percent of the new-car market, and if you’ve ever been to a truck manufacturer’s site to play around with Build and Price tools, you’d know pickup trucks or an SUV can get expensive. A new 2017 loaded Silverado Crew Cab LT 4×4 has a MSRP around $45,000+ but lease deals can put these trucks in the hands of those who may not be able to afford traditional financing.

Leasing gains in popularity

Almost 1/3 of new vehicle sales are leases. If you think a brand new car, truck, van or suv is out of your budget-think again. We may be able to get you behind the wheel of your ideal Chevrolet with no money out of your pocket and with a low monthly payment. Call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 for more information or drop by our showroom.

*Plus tax, license and fees. Includes all incentives.

30 Day Tire Price Guarantee

Tire price guarantee at Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL. — Visit Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL.

30 Day Tire Price Guarantee at Ron Westphal Chevrolet. Visit us today or schedule your appointment at 630-898-9630.

30 day tire price guarantee

With our 30 day tire price guarantee you have the peace of mind that you’ve received the best possible value. Provide us with a better price at time of purchase and we’ll match it. Find a better price within 30 days of purchase and we’ll refund the difference. Ad, written estimate or internet quote for identical tires from a competing tire retailer located within 100 miles of Ron Westphal Chevy required during period of price match.

Quality Tires at a Great Value

Whether you’re in the market for repair or replacement, our Certified Service technicians can handle all of your tire needs. Use our Tire Finder Tool to start shopping for tires – simply enter your vehicle’s year, make, model, and tire size. Not sure about your tire size? It’s the combination of letters and numbers located on the side of your tire. Once you’ve selected the right set, schedule an appointment that’s convenient for you.

Your tires are the first and only contact with the road, so it’s important to choose the right set. Our Tire Finder tool makes it quick and easy to find tires for any vehicle. Use the drop-down menus to select your vehicle information and navigate your search. Once you’ve selected your new tires, the Certified Service expert technicians can handle all of your tire needs at your scheduled appointment—it’s that simple.

You are encouraged to routinely inspect your vehicle’s tire pressure because all tires will lose pressure progressively, during both warm and cold temperature months. The weather is not the only element that results in a decrease in pressure either. Altitude variations, flexing, and tire wall impacts will slowly decrease air pressure. The proper process for optimal tire care is to always inspect tire pressure each alternate visit to the gas station. With respect to tread depth, it’s recommended that you rotate your tires every alternate oil change to extend the life of your tires. Rotating your tires every 6 to 8 thousand miles will help maintain a level tread wear throughout the life span of the tire.

Feel free to visit our service department for a free tire pressure check or if you have any questions. Thanks!

Auto Loan Credit Inquiries Explained

Learn how Auto Loan Credit Inquiries impact your credit report.

Explained: The difference between hard inquires and soft Auto Loan Inquiries — Explained: The difference between hard inquires and soft inquires

Did you know…FICO score considers all inquiries within a 45 day period for an auto loan as a single inquiry.

Ever wondered…Hey, what’s the difference between a hard inquiry and a soft inquiry on my credit report?

Well, here are some answers.

When someone checks your credit report, it’s called an inquiry. Some inquires do not affect your credit, while others might.

Soft Inquiries

Lenders do not see soft inquiries when they order your credit report. Soft inquiries include:

Pre-screened offers for credit (example: free credit card offers)
Account reviews by your existing lenders
Requests related to employment
Requests for insurance purposes
When you request your own credit report

Hard Inquiries

Hard inquiries typically come from a lender or other creditor who wants to check your credit report as a result of your loan application or request for credit, goods or services. These inquiries are shared with other lenders viewing the report and can have an impact on credit scores and lending decisions.

Multiple Inquiries

One exception occurs when you are “shopping”. FICO score considers all inquiries within a 45 day period for an auto loan as a single inquiry. You can avoid lowering your FICO Score by doing your all your serious auto hunting within a short period of time.

Looking for an Auto Loan?

We can help!

It’s common for Ron Westphal Chevrolet to submit your information to multiple lenders in an effort to find the lowest interest rate and most favorable loan terms. This practice allows you to benefit from lenders competing for your business.

Lenders recognize that shopping for only one car and does not mean you are trying to open multiple new accounts. Credit scoring systems have been designed to account for that practice and include rules such as counting the same type of inquiry as only one inquiry as long as they are made within a short period of time.

Call our Finance Department at 630-898-9630. We will be happy to provide you with additional information in English or Spanish. Or, visit our website.

What is the ‘FICO Score’

A FICO score is a type of credit score created by the Fair Isaac Corporation. Lenders use borrowers’ FICO scores along with other details on borrowers’ credit reports to assess credit risk and determine whether to extend credit. FICO scores take into account various factors in five areas to determine credit worthiness: payment history, current level of indebtedness, types of credit used, length of credit history and new credit accounts.

Source: Experian.com and Fico.com

Chevrolet Teen Driver Technology

Leading the Competition

To encourage safer driving habits, Chevy is the only car company to offer Teen Driver technology with an in-vehicle report on most of its models.

Included on new 2017 Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu, Bolt, Camaro, Colorado, Silverado 1500, Silverado HD, Suburban, Tahoe and Volt.
Would you like to upgrade your ride? Call Ron Westphal Chevrolet’s Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 or visit us in person or online.

Teen Driver technology available at Ron Westphal Chevrolet on select new 2016 and 2017 models.

Promoting Safe Driving Habits

Nothing is more important than the safety of your family. That’s why Chevrolet offers Teen Driver an available built-in system that helps you coach your new driver — even when you’re not there. It lets you set speed alerts, a volume limit and more; and with the industry’s first and only in-vehicle report card, it’s easy to track your teen’s driving performance.

Showing New Drivers the Way

Studies show that teenage drivers are more likely to make poor decisions like speeding or not fastening their safety belts than adults. Teen Driver gives parents the tools to discuss and correct some of the possible mistakes they or their new drivers make on the road.

A Hands-On Teaching Tool

Teen Driver has a number of safety features, from muting audio until front seat occupants are buckled, to automatically turning on available active safety technologies like Side Blind Zone Alert, Forward Collision Alert and Front Automatic Braking. The in-vehicle report card shows how your teen performs behind the wheel so you can identify potential problem areas and coach your new driver on improvements.

Teen Driver Technology

Teen Driver is easy to set up. Just enter a PIN to access the Teen Driver^† menu through the available Chevrolet MyLink^† display and register a key. When your teen drives the vehicle with a registered key, Teen Driver enables various features, including: Custom Alerts, Speed Limiter, Audio Limit and Distance Driven.

For more view source: http://www.chevrolet.com/teen-driver-technology.html

GM Recalls – Do you need one?

Don't know if your Chevy needs a recall? — Not sure if your Chevrolet needs a recall?

GM Recalls. Not sure if your vehicle needs a recall? No problem. Just give our service department a call at 630-898-9630 and provide us with your VIN number. Or, if you have visited our service department in the past or purchased a vehicle from us, we will have your VIN number on file. We’ll be happy to investigate your vehicle to make sure it is up to date.

Online GM Recalls

You can also check for GM recalls online at https://my.chevrolet.com/recalls. GM provides information on this website for recalls announced on or after August 20, 1999. This information is available for vehicles in which repairs have not been completed.

Many recalls can be completed while you wait, but if you need to get back on the road immediately let us know. We offer free current model year loaner vehicles to insured motorists 25 years or older.*

Would you like to upgrade your ride? Visit our website or call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 to schedule a no-obligation demonstration drive.

*(Must have valid insurance and license along with major credit card)

GM to Start Autonomous Vehicle Manufacturing and Testing in Michigan

On the heels of the signing of the SAVE Act legislation to support autonomous vehicle testing and deployment in Michigan, General Motors will immediately begin testing autonomous vehicles on public roads. GM also announced it will produce the next generation of its autonomous test vehicles at its Orion Township assembly plant beginning in early 2017.

Source: GM to Start Autonomous Vehicle Manufacturing and Testing in Michigan

busiest shopping days

vehicle.shopping.online ron westphal chevrolet aurora il — Shop online anytime at RonWestphalChevrolet.com

In a bit of Sunday surprise, the busiest day of the year for U.S. shoppers on auto dealership websites was Sunday, July 24. The slowest day was Sunday, May 8, or Mother’s Day, Dealer.com reported.

Visit RonWestphalChevrolet.com anytime.

Dealer.com, a Cox Automotive website manager for dealerships, said in its report that the July 24 date was an “anomaly” because nine out of the 10 slowest days of online traffic in 2016 were Sundays. But the date is likely representative of a healthy summer shopping season, said James Grace, senior director of analytics products at Cox Automotive Media Solutions.

The runner-up dates for the busiest shopping days of 2016 were, in order, Aug. 26, 29 and 25, which better align with the beginning of the “sell-down season” for the latest model-year vehicles, Dealer.com said.

While Fridays were generally the busiest shopping days, Grace said Fridays also had one of the smallest forms-to-visits ratios, or the amount of visitors to dealership sites who filled out forms. Grace said the forms-to-visits ratio is low on Fridays because customers may only be viewing vehicle pages to develop “game plans” before in-store weekend shopping. Though he says it’s still a point dealerships can improve on.

“The analytics themselves show that high traffic quantity doesn’t always correlate to high quality and there is significant room for improvement in terms of giving consumers more online deal-making tools that can close the gaps in engagement and conversion to sales,” Grace said in an emailed statement.

There was also a jump in online traffic on Nov. 22 and 23, the two days before Thanksgiving, likely due to Black Friday sales.

The busiest hours for online traffic in certain time zones were 7 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, 2 p.m. EST and 11 a.m. PST.

As for the slowest days: Sundays. Out of the 10 slowest days of the year, the only non-Sunday was Friday, Jan. 1. Dealer.com said that date can be attributed to consumers who needed to “recuperate physically and financially from the holidays.”

Sunday’s relatively slow stream of online traffic had a high percentage of visitors to vehicle pages. Grace says this makes sense on a day when many dealerships are closed.

An extra nugget of information, which Grace says may be based loosely on population, is the top five states by aggregate online traffic:

1. Texas

2. California

3. Florida

4. New York

5. Pennsylvania

source: http://www.autonews.com/article/20161229/RETAIL03/161229878/busiest-day-for-online-auto-shopping-comes-as-surprise

Pam Weaver from Pam’s Boutique Wins our December Facebook Contest

Pam Weaver Wins Ron Westphal Chevrolet Facebook Contest — Pam Weaver Wins Ron Westphal Chevrolet’s December Facebook Contest

Congratulations to Pam Weaver from Pam’s Boutique in Oswego, IL. Pam wins our December Facebook Contest and receives a $100 Gift Card to Top Golf!

To enter our next contest: Like our Facebook Page. Keep checking our page, our next Facebook Contest will be coming up soon.

Thanks to Pam for liking our page!

Visit us online anytime at RonWestphalChevrolet.com

Reat Seat Reminder

DETROIT — Rear Seat Reminder, an industry-first feature designed to remind drivers to check the back seat as they exit their vehicles under certain circumstances, will be offered across many Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles by the 2018 model year.

The system monitors rear door usage to remind drivers to check their rear seats before walking away from their vehicles.

Looking for Rear Seat Reminder?

Looking for a 2017 model with rear seat reminder? Call Ron Westphal Chevy at 630-898-9630 or visit our website.

“GM’s Rear Seat Reminder feature is an initial step to use technology to help remind drivers to check the rear seat before exiting the vehicle under certain conditions,” said Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM Global Vehicle Safety. “We want to help everyone to take one simple, extra step. That’s why Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac will offer the Rear Seat Reminder on a broad range of vehicles, from small cars to full-size SUVs and everything in between.”

Thirty-nine children died from heatstroke this year as result of being left in vehicles or gaining access to an unattended vehicle, a 60 percent increase over last year’s figure.

Rear Seat Reminder debuted earlier this year on the all-new 2017 GMC Acadia. Models to offer the feature include those listed below as well as some 2018 vehicles models that will be announced at a later date:

2017 Buick Lacrosse
2017 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
2017 Cadillac CT6
2017 Chevrolet Cruze and Cruze Hatchback
2017 Chevrolet Malibu
2017 Chevrolet Tahoe
2017 Chevrolet Suburban
2017 Chevrolet Silverado
2017 Chevrolet Colorado
2017 GMC Yukon
2017 GMC Yukon XL
2017 GMC Sierra
2017 GMC Canyon
2018 Cadillac XT5
2018 Cadillac CTS and CTS-V
2018 Cadillac ATS
2018 Chevrolet Equinox

The Rear Seat Reminder works by monitoring the vehicle’s rear doors. The feature is intended to activate when either rear door is opened and closed up to 10 minutes before the vehicle is started or while the vehicle is running. Once the system is activated, the vehicle is designed to sound five chimes and display a message in the driver information center that reads “Rear Seat Reminder / Look in Rear Seat” the next time the vehicle is turned off.

“This new technology developed by General Motors will give busy parents and caregivers the important reminder to always check the back seat,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “The safest way to protect a child from heatstroke is to never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, and features like Rear Seat Reminder, coupled with continued public education, can help combat this preventable tragedy.”

The feature cannot actually detect items in the back seat, so it is always important to check the rear seat prior to exiting the vehicle.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Rebecca White

Cybersecurity, Safety

Mobile 248-321-6433

rebecca.white@gm.com

Flat Armando: The Legend Exposed

Flat Armando standing with Paul — Is it weird that a Jesus-type figure appears the TV (in the upper left corner) at this exact moment?

Stories of a flat, human-like creature that appears half man and half cardboard have existed in various parts of the world for many centuries. In fact, the only continent not to have stories of “cardboard men” is Antarctica.

Flat Armando never could say "No" to those puppy dog eyes. — Flat Armando never could say “No” to those puppy dog eyes.

The most common explanation for Flat Armando sightings is that people are playing pranks. There was even once a thriving market for “Flat Armando cutouts” to trick your family and friends. People still even dress up in Flat Armando costumes in order to perpetuate the legend.

Some sightings are also simply misidentified animals. In 2007, a photo was snapped in Pennsylvania using an automatically triggered camera hanging from a tree. While believers claimed the blurry photo—showing a flat, cardboard creature standing on two feet—was that of a “juvenile Flat Armando,” the Pennsylvania Game Commission said the creature was most likely “a bear with an extreme case of mange.”

Flat Armando seems to have some sort of supernatural/hypnotic power over humans. — Flat Armando seems to have some sort of supernatural/hypnotic power that literally stuns and partially paralyzes humans.

The actual Flat Armando made a rare appearance at a nearby restaurant a few weeks ago and astonished locals with his open & friendly demeanor. Everyone thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LntNCppb0Lo&feature=youtu.be

But, in an unforeseen development, Flat Armando seems to have formed some sort of primal attachment to our Parts Department Manager, Paul Smith. He mysteriously showed up again at our Christmas party and hung around his favorite Parts Manager all evening. Perhaps, Paul reminds him of his father or a lost sibling. In any event, the attraction/bond between the two seems to grow stronger the more alcohol they consume together.

Then, with the evening’s festivities over, Flat Armando disappeared into the darkness but his presence in Paul’s heart remains strong and bright. Will we ever see him again? Only time will tell…

Good Bye Flat Armando. Until we meet again... — Good Bye Flat Armando. Until we meet again…