Soy-based wiring coating makes your vehicle a mouse treat

Are rodents chewing up the wiring in your General Motors vehicle? It may seem like a strange, out-of-pocket question, but this is, unfortunately, becoming more of a problem among owners of later model-year vehicles.

Some years back, the world’s automakers began using soy-based wiring coating in their vehicles. In addition to reducing plastic waste in landfills and oceans, this change also brought with it some cost benefits, helping automakers squeeze more profits out of today’s increasingly complex and expensive vehicles.

Unfortunately, rodents seem to think the soy-based coating is rather tasty, with more and more vehicle owners reporting that rats and other critters are chewing through their vehicle’s wiring. Toyota even had a class-action lawsuit filed against it over this issue, with plaintiffs accusing Toyota of using the soy-based coating despite knowing rodents are attracted to the material. It’s not just Toyota, either. A quick Google search will turn up complaints from owners of various vehicle makes, including Kia, Honda and Ford, among many others.

So, with that in mind, we figured we’d ask our readers if rodents have been chewing up the wiring in their General Motors vehicle as of late. While it’s not clear how many GM vehicles feature soy-based wiring coating, this material has become widespread in the automotive industry over the years and is used by a variety of suppliers. If rats seem particularly attracted to your vehicle’s underbody or engine bay, the problem could be related to extra tasty soy-based wires.

The internet is full of DIY solutions for tackling this problem. David Albin, who created a website dedicated to preventing rats from chewing on car wires, says the best solution is to leave your hood up at night, place Tomcat rat traps on the tops and bases of the tread of the two front tires and spray Rodent Defense into the engine compartment. Owners can also hang string lights near their two front tires to deter the would-be nibblers.

While rats have always chewed on car wires, Albin told Car and Driver in a 2018 interview that he believes the use of soy-based wiring has made the problem worse.

“I certainly believe that soy-based wiring has exacerbated this problem,” he told the publication. “I was curious about this as well, so I started emailing and contacting mechanics across the country. The common consensus was that rodent damage in cars has increased exponentially over the last 10 years.”

For more view source: https://gmauthority.com/blog/2022/01/are-rodents-chewing-up-the-wiring-in-your-general-motors-vehicle/

suburban yukon and yukon xl Sales Update

The range of GM SUVs commanded the top two spots in the mainstream full-size SUV segment during the third quarter of 2021. As the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban continued to hold their first place position, the GMC Yukon family pushed the Ford Expedition down to third place during the quarter, a circumstance that hasn’t taken place in at least five years. This noteworthy accomplishment in a very lucrative segment is good news for The General and its shareholders.

Looking for a full-size SUV? Call Ron Westphal Chevrolet’s Customer Care Team. We’ll be happy to let you know what we have in stock and when our next vehicle shipment is due. Feel free to visit our website too!

Cumulative Tahoe and Suburban sales totaled 33,869 units, comprised of 24,202 units of the Tahoe and 9,667 units of the Suburban. The results give Chevy a 46 percent segment share.

Joint sales of the GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL totaled 17,428 units, up 24 percent year-over-year. The results give GMC a segment share of 24 percent, enabling Big Red to displace the Ford Expedition family for a second place rank.

Speaking of the Ford Expedition, it missed a second place finish by only 732 units during the quarter, taking 23 percent segment share. Note that Expedition sales figures include those of the regular-length Expedition (a Tahoe competitor) and those of the extended-length Expedition XL (a Suburban competitor), as does the GMC Yukon (Yukon and Yukon XL) while Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Yukon XL sales are reported separately.

Taking into account the Tahoe, Suburban, and both Yukon models, GM saw sales rise 15 percent to 51,297 units for a domineering 70 percent segment share during the quarter.

The Chevy Tahoe received a complete overhaul (re-engineering and redesign) of the flagship SUV for the 2021 model year, debuting the Tahoe nameplate’s fifth generation. The Tahoe’s extended-length variant, the 2021 Chevy Suburban, was similarly overhauled for the nameplate’s 12^th generation.

Both models feature the most interior space in the full-size SUV class, exclusive technologies and features, and the best driving dynamics in the full-size segment. This was achieved through a complete transformation of Chevrolet’s and GMC’s full-size SUVs, combining the strongest aspects of the Bow Tie’s full-size body-on-frame architecture with entirely new systems tailored to the needs of today’s SUV drivers and passengers. Noteworthy changes include the introduction of the Z71, RST, and High Country trim levels.

Built on the same GM T1 platform, the GMC Yukon range – comprised of the regular-length Yukon and extended-length Yukon XL – similarly received a complete overhaul, representing the model’s fifth generation. The 2021 GMC Yukon lineup enjoys the same improvements mentioned above for Chevrolet, while adding a more upscale Denali model and the first-ever Yukon AT4.

The former features a range-exclusive interior while the latter takes Yukon into the premium off-road space never occupied prior to its introduction.

It’s worth noting that full-size SUVs are extremely lucrative products for General Motors, so much so that the automaker allocated scarcely-available microchips to the vehicles while choosing to pause production of other, less profitable models. In fact, the GM Arlington plant where the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Yukon XL are made, is one of the only GM plants worldwide to not be idled during the ongoing semiconductor shortage.

For more view source: Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy Tahoe news, Chevy Suburban news, Chevy news, GMC Yukon news, GMC news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

New Corvette Factory Ordering

It’s been less than 24 hours since the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was announced, but one car dealer in Maryland already has 1,087 orders on file. Do you think people are excited?

This Vette above just came in today 10-28-21. Don’t want to wait 3-4 years for New Corvette Factory Ordering? Call our New Vehicle Sales Manager Joe Fosco at 630-898-9630. He will be happy to explain our Corvette ordering policies. Visit us online at https://www.WestphalChevy.com.

The info comes via a friend of the site Zerin Dube, who posted a screenshot from a Facebook group called Wholesale Car Club — a group dedicated to connecting people who are looking to buy, sell, or trade vehicles at competitive prices. The poster, dealer Chris Morgan, decided to clear up some confusion about his Z06 waitlist by posting some frankly astounding facts:

Morgan alleges that his dealership is one of the biggest Chevy dealers in America, so they can get up to 100 new Corvette C8s per month, and he also claims that his dealership is probably going to get a lot more Z06 allocations than your dealership — hence why there are so many orders. He’s also promising that everyone who places an order now won’t later be surprised by some extra crazy fees; these orders are strictly MSRP only. And, again, we have no idea how much, exactly, MSRP will be; we can estimate that a Z06 will start somewhere in the mid-$80,000, but there’s still a lot we don’t know yet.

If you’re interested, Morgan suggests that you get on the list for a refundable deposit of $1,000… but with over 1,000 people ahead of you, he also hedges that you’re probably going to be sitting on the waiting list for three to four years. That could even end up being a conservative estimate considering how backed-up the supply chain is right now. It’s honestly kind of wild to think that people could be receiving a car that is, effectively, four years out of date.

And this is all just guesswork because Morgan does hedge that he has no idea how many Z06s his dealership will be allotted. He could get 100 per month. He could get 100 per year. It’s all a crapshoot at this point.

Thanks for reading about New Corvette Factory Ordering. For more view-source: https://jalopnik.com/one-dealer-already-has-over-1000-people-waiting-on-a-co-1847944908

Good thing we sell fast trucks

Feel free to visit our website or call our Customer Care Team at 1-630-898-9630.

How about that three-row chevrolet blazer?

After it started taking pre-orders in the middle of last month, General Motors is now officially launching the all-new three-row Chevrolet Blazer in China. The launch event was held at the SAIC-GM joint venture manufacturing facility in Shanghai, specifically at the Jinqiao plant, where the newest member of the Chevrolet crossover family for the Chinese market is manufactured.

Would you like a Chevy Blazer now? Call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630.

With the arrival of the seven-passenger Chevrolet Blazer, the Bow Tie brand’s utility vehicle range expands for the first time into the D-segment in China, the new model being positioned above the Tracker, Trailblazer and Equinox as the flagship crossover in the country. The new variant of the Blazer will not only be able to satisfy the growing demand for utility vehicles, but will also drive the renewal of Chevrolet’s image in the world’s largest market.

“The Blazer midsize SUV is taking Chevrolet into one of the market’s fastest-growing segments,” said General Director of Chevrolet for SAIC-GM, Scott Lawson, in a press release. “It will fulfill the diverse needs and preferences of local consumers through its youthful and sporty styling, fashionable interior and advanced technology,” he finished.

Meanwhile, the cabin reaffirms its sporty character with a distinctive design inspired by that of the Chevrolet Camaro, accompanied by a 10-inch “floating” center display and an 8-inch digital driver instrument panel. All versions include a highly modular 2+3+2 seating configuration, a total of 37 storage spaces and up to 69.6 cubic feet of cargo room.

The Chinese-market Chevrolet Blazer is exclusively equipped with the turbocharged 2.0L LSY four-cylinder engine that produces 233 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, managed by GM’s nine-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the model offers two all-wheel drive systems and four driving modes: Normal, AWD, Off-road and Sport. The Blazer RS variant is equipped with an advanced dual-clutch AWD setup that can vary torque distribution to each of the rear wheels, improving its handling characteristics.

The all-new three-row Chevrolet Blazer is now on sale in China, with more than 70 standard comfort, convenience and connectivity features in addition to 13 class-leading advanced safety technologies. Pricing starts at 259,900 CNY (about $36,700 USD at the current exchange rate) for the base variant, while the range-topping RS is listed from 329,900 CNY, or about $46,600 USD.

For more view source: https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/04/three-row-chevrolet-blazer-officially-launches-in-china/

Ron Westphal Chevrolet is OPEN!

Rebates have INCREASED as of today -PLUS- 0% x 84 has been e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d !

Posted by Ron Westphal Chevy on Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Check HERE to see if you qualify for a 1st Responder Discount! They just added Veterinary Technician, Athletic Trainer, Massage Therapist and much more! So, even if you think you probably don’t qualify it’s worth it to check and make sure.

Shop online at Ron Westphal Chevrolet and CHAT with one of our Customer Care Team member in real time! Or, give them a call at 630-898-9630.

0% x 84 months has been extended! It applies to all new 2019 models and 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s, Equinox and Trax Crossovers. This is a stand alone program and not compatible with most other programs. See dealer for complete program details.

Rebates have been inflated as of 4.8.20. Trax incentives went up to $3500 on all new 2020 models making the total savings OVER $5,600!. We have new 2020 Equinox models in stock with savings off MSRP of over $8,000!

WE’RE OPEN & HERE TO HELP

Ron Westphal Chevrolet understands that you may have concerns about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Your health and safety are of the utmost importance to us. Our team is following and exceeding the protocols recommended by the WHO and CDC to keep you safe, including regularly cleaning and sanitizing the lobby and common areas with approved disinfectants, as well as ramping up the frequency of sanitizing common touch-points such as doors and counters. As always, our vehicles are deep-cleaned and sanitized inside and out, so you have the peace of mind the moment you sit behind the wheel for a test drive. During this time, we are open and prepared to serve you.

Ron Westphal Chevrolet is considered an essential business and will remain OPEN. Service Hours are weekdays 8-5 and Saturdays 8-1. Touchless drop off and pick up is available. Call our Service Department at 630-898-9630 for details.

Sales is currently by appointment only. Call them NOW for an immediate appointment. 630-898-9630 Home delivery is available.

Sales will be OPEN from 9-7 during the week and from 9-5 on Saturdays.

For additional information visit our website at https://www.WestphalChevy.com.

Zero down leases are plus tax, license and fees. See disclosures here: https://www.westphalchevy.com/New-Truck-SUV-Lease-Specials and https://www.westphalchevy.com/new-car-lease-specials.

2019 CHEVROLET COLORADO WT: WHY I’D BUY IT

2019 CHEVROLET COLORADO WT: WHY I’D BUY IT — KELLY LIN

I learned to drive in an old 1995 Ford Ranger. It was dependable, and it lasted forever, but this was the era when pickups really felt like trucks. The ride was firmer, handling was more distant, and I’m convinced it wasn’t meant for someone 5’2″ because I couldn’t see out the front windshield without sitting on a phone book or cushion. Fortunately, smaller pickups have become much more livable since then, to the point that they can make solid active-lifestyle vehicles for those who don’t want an SUV.

Looking for a Colorado? Call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 or visit us online.

The list of competitors in the space keeps growing, with the most recent newcomer being the Jeep Gladiator, which is a bit expensive for my budget at $35,040 and above. Other strong rivals include the Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, and recently revived Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger. If I were in the market, I would choose the Colorado, in part because it has one of the most compliant rides of its competitors. The Ridgeline also excels in this category, but to be honest, I don’t love the look of the unibody Honda. And I’m not tempted by the Colorado’s more upmarket twin, the GMC Canyon.

The Colorado also benefits from sharp handling. It feels smaller than it really is, and it’s easy to maneuver into small parking spaces. When you need to haul, the 5-foot bed swallows up your gear better than many rivals with the same bed size, as we learned in our recent midsize pickup comparison test, which the Colorado won with flying colors. It maintains a solid ride when loaded, and a handy bed step makes it easy to unload at the end of the day. While I wouldn’t be filling the bed with bales of hay, I would make use of the bed for sports gear.

Since I prefer a car-like feel to the trucks I drive, acceleration is important. When equipped with a V-6 gas engine, the Colorado is quicker and more powerful than competitors. Packing 308 hp, a Colorado Z71 we tested reached 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, making it much peppier than gas and diesel four-cylinder Colorados we’ve run in the eight- and nine-second range. The V-6 is the engine I would pick, as the extra quickness comes with a relatively small sacrifice in fuel economy—18/25/20 mpg city/highway/combined compared to 20/26/22 mpg with the four-cylinder gas engine. There aren’t too many diesel pumps in my area, so I wouldn’t consider the fuel-sipping Duramax version.

Managing my needs for passenger and cargo space, I would opt for the crew cab and short box. When paired with the sprightly V-6 engine, the base Work Truck model has everything I need. That includes a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four-way power driver seat, dual USB ports, and rearview camera. Prices for this version start at a reasonable $29,280.

Words: Kelly Lin

Photos: Manufacturer

Photos: Motor Trend Staff

July 09, 2019

Auction of Final Seventh Generation Corvette

NEW YORK — General Motors will auction the final production seventh generation Chevrolet Corvette this summer, with the proceeds benefiting the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The announcement, along with confirmation of the Next Generation Corvette’s development, was made this evening by General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, who was honored at the foundation’s annual Footsteps to the Future Gala in New York.

“GM, GMC and Chevrolet support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its commitment to injured and fallen military members, first responders and their families,” said Barra. “The sale of this iconic Corvette will help the foundation continue its good work, and pave the way for the Next Generation Corvette that we will introduce on July 18.”

The final seventh gen Corvette — a black 2019 Z06 model — will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast sale in Connecticut June 28. Registration information is available at www.barrett-jackson.com.

Every dollar of the winning bid will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named for New York City firefighter Stephen Siller, who died during the Sept. 11 attacks.

The foundation builds mortgage-free, accessible smart homes for the most catastrophically injured service members and helps pay off the mortgages for families of first responders killed in the line of duty. More information is available at www.tunnel2towers.org.

“The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation thanks GM, GMC and Chevrolet for supporting the brave men and women of our armed forces and our first responders,” said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO. “This generous gift will help us provide more injured veterans with the independence they deserve.”

For the past five years, GMC has supported the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation as its national foundation of choice. In that time, it has helped the foundation raise more than $10 million. That includes $2.2 million raised last year, with $925,000 of it coming from the auction of the first production 2019 Corvette ZR1. It was purchased by Chevrolet dealer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick at the 2018 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale.

Other money has come from employee donations and events across the country such as 5K Tunnel to Towers races and other activities sponsored by GMC dealers.

GM is committed to helping those who have given so much for their country. GM’s current and retired workforce includes 60,000 veterans.

To obtain the latest information on the Next Generation Corvette, visit the official website linked here.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, Maven, its personal mobility brand, and Cruise, its autonomous vehicle ride-sharing company, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Thanks for reading about the Auction of Final Seventh Generation Corvette.

View Source: https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2019/apr/0411-auction.html

Joe Girard, world’s best car salesman dies

Joe Girard, right, with his first customer, who is shown here buying another car in 1977, shortly before Girard's "retirement." — Joe Girard, right, with his first customer, who is shown here buying another car in 1977, shortly before Girard’s “retirement.”

Joe Girard, an author and speaker famous for his long-standing Guinness Book of World Records title as the world’s best car salesman, died Feb. 28 at age 90 from injuries incurred from a fall in his home.

Girard sustained head trauma after falling backward on the stairs in his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., the Detroit Free Press first reported. He died in the hospital two days later.

Girard won the annual title as the world’s No. 1 car salesman from 1966 through 1977, and he sold 13,001 vehicles in 15 years at Merollis Chevrolet in suburban Detroit. In 1973, Girard set the record for most cars sold by a salesman in one year: 1,425. In 2001, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Joe Girard

Sales tactics

Throughout his career, Girard was an eccentric, speaking often of himself in the third person. He refused to talk to co-workers outside of a “Good morning,” and always ate lunch at his desk so he could dedicate every minute to selling. He paid for customer referrals, wined and dined supervisors at big local companies who knew many people and could send them his way.

Girard made sure his customers were his dealership’s priority, too. He often picked up the tab himself if a customer’s vehicle needed a minor repair, and he hosted an annual barbecue at his home for service department members and their families to ensure his customers were treated well. Girard handed out buttons with his personal logo — an apple with a bite taken out, emblazoned with the words “I like you.”

Girard retired from car sales at age 49 are began writing books, including How to Close Every Sale and How to Sell Yourself.

Record keeper?

Girard was fiercely protective of the Guinness title. Last year, a salesman in Dearborn, Mich., claimed to have shattered Girard’s record. Ali Reda, of Les Stanford Chevrolet and Les Stanford Cadillac, said he sold 1,582 vehicles in 2017, a claim supported by General Motors. Reda said he obtained the skills to break the record through reading Girard’s book, How to Sell Anything to Anybody.

Girard sued Reda, “claiming loss of reputation in the community and economic loss, including, but not limited to, loss of book sales, loss of income, loss of opportunities and loss of earning capacity,” according to the lawsuit filed in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Guinness said it would not update the category because of GM’s stake in the game. Without an objective third-party to ascertain the record was broken, Guinness declared Girard the winner by default.

10 things about the 2019 Chevy Blazer

1. Unibody foundation: Unlike the previous-generation Blazers, the new 2019 Chevy Blazer will not be an old-school body-on-frame SUV. Instead, it’s based on a unibody platform that’s also used for the GMC Acadia.

View our 2019 Chevy Blazer inventory

2. Three trim levels: Entry-level versions will simply be known as Blazer. The sportier-looking RS will occupy the middle of the lineup, while the Premier will be the most luxurious, range-topping example.

10 things about the 2019 Chevy Blazer in stock ron westphal chevy

3. Two engine options: A 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque will be the Blazer’s base engine, while customers will be able to upgrade to a 3.6-liter V6 making 305 horses and 269 pound-feet.

4. Nine-speed transmission: Both the four-cylinder and V6 will be mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

5. Front- and all-wheel-drive versions of the 2019 Chevy Blazer will be offered.

6. Towing: Chevy says a V6-equipped Blazer is estimated to have a 4,500-pound tow capacity.

7. Sporty looks: Design influence from the Camaro is evident in the new Blazer with a big grille, tall hood, skinny headlights, sculpted sheetmetal, high beltline and strong rear haunches. Inside, the center stack and round air vents are also taken from the Chevy muscle car.

8. Cabin features: Sliding rear seats and dual-zone climate controls are standard. A panoramic roof and hands-free power liftgate will be options on the Blazer.

10 things about the 2019 Chevy Blazer — In stock now – 2019 Chevrolet Blazer

9. Technology: Chevy’s latest MyLink system will handle infotainment with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bose audio, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and offer up to six USB ports. Available safety technologies include adaptive cruise control and rear camera mirror.

10. On sale: The all-new 2019 Chevy Blazer will go on sale in January and will start at $29,995. That puts it on par with the Ford Edge, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Murano.