The old slogan See the USA in Your Chevrolet still rings true sixty years after it debuted in advertising. It is something millions of Americans have been able to do in hundreds of different models produced by the iconic General Motors brand. One museum in Decatur is dedicated to highlighting the different eras and types that have made Chevrolet such a famous brand.
Looking for your own classic Chevy? Visit Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL or call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630. Feel free to visit our website at http://www.WestphalChevy.com anytime.
Thanks for reading about the Chevrolet museum in Decatur, IL .
For additional information and pics visit this awesome 2017 Cruze Hatchback on the Ron Westphal Chevrolet website. Or better yet, call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 and arrange a V.I.P. demonstration drive.
It’s Cyber Monday at Ron Westphal Chevrolet and we’re going all-out to make sure you get the best possible value on the Chevy of your dreams.
Our sales department will be OPEN on Cyber Monday from 9 am to 9 pm. We still have new and demo 2017 Chevrolet models in stock to choose from but hurry in for the best selection.
We also have brand new 2018 models in stock with over 400 total vehicles available to shop from.
We have too many incentives to list them all but here are a few of the available money-saving offers:
0% apr for up to 72 months
2017 Chevy Closeout Cash
Over 20% off MSRP
Low-payment Lease Specials
Select Market Bonus Cash
Trade-In Assistance Cash Back
Loyalty Cash Back
There are so many low finance, rebate and cash back offers it’s difficult to keep track of them all. And, some offers are not compatible with other offers. Call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 or visit us today to find out which incentives would work best for you.
General Motors is recalling about 35,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 3500 trucks because of a problem with the fuel tanks in the heavy-duty vehicles.
General Motors is recalling about 35,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 3500 trucks because of a problem with the fuel tanks in the vehicles.
The truck recall affects heavy-duty chassis cab-style trucks with dual fuel tanks from 2011 through 2015 model years.
The automaker said that if the front tank overfills, excess pressure could press it into the driveshaft and risk causing a leak. If fuel leaks onto a hot spot in the truck, a fire could start.
The problem is triggered when the low-fuel-level sensor for the front tank sticks, GM said.
Drivers could hear a knocking or grinding noise if an over-pressured fuel tank starts to contact with the driveshaft, GM said.
Owners will be asked to take their trucks to dealers. Technicians will replace the rear tank fuel pump or update the fuel-level sensor software, as well as inspect the front tank, replacing it as necessary.
GM plans to send recall notices to owners in December and then again in February. Owners can also contact GM customer service for Chevrolet (800) 222-1020 or for GMC customer service at (800) 462-8782. Owners asking about the recall should refer to GM’s identification number for it – 17399.
Thanks for reading about the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 recall. For additional information please contact our service department at 630-898–9630.
The Chevrolet Corvette Carbon 65 Edition is a racy little number, isn’t it? Thanks to General Motors and the George W. Bush Presidential Center, you now have a chance to become the first owner of the special edition sports car when it goes up for auction at the upcoming Barret-Jackson Scottsdale event this coming January. Proceeds from the sale from the auction will go to the Bush Center’s Military Service Initiative, a charity that focuses on supporting post-9/11 veterans and helping them transition back to civilian life. The charity is supported by no less than former US President George W. Bush.
Get your own slice of the American Muscle Pie at Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL. Or, call our Customer Care Team now at 630-898-9630 to arrange your V.I.P. test drive.
The Corvette Carbon 65 Edition made its debut at the 2017 New York Auto Show in April, created in no small part to Chevy’s motivation to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the legendary sports car. The car itself isn’t a special edition in the traditional sense of the phrase. Instead, the Carbon 65 Edition is a package that can be added to either coupe or convertible versions of the Corvette. The package consists mainly of exterior and interior upgrades, and Chevy is only creating 650 of them. That “numbered” status is a big part of the Corvette Carbon 65 Edition’s appeal, and the fact that the first-of-its-kind is headed to the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction makes this specific model all the more desirable. So is the fact that it will be signed by President Bush himself. That’s an extra shot of provenance for a special edition package that breathes new life into the iconic American sports car.
General Motors often adds companies unaffiliated with the automotive industry to its list of approved “suppliers” for GM Supplier Pricing. That includes Taco Bell… for some reason.
CarsDirect reported on Friday that all Taco Bell employees can utilize GM Supplier Pricing, which translates to $4,385 off a 2018 C7 Corvette Grand Sport. That’s notable because the Grand Sport is not eligible for any other incentives. The sports car’s $66,590 MSRP is probably more than what the average Taco Bell employee makes in a year, but hey, no harm in dreaming right?
Right now you don’t have to work at Taco Bell to save money on a new Chevrolet. GM is offering GM Employee Pricing for All! Our current Employee Pricing for All is much lower/better than supplier pricing. And, it’s on many of our most popular models. But hurry, this offer ends November 30th, 2017. For more information please call our Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630 or visit us online.
The report also found another obscure deal for GM buyers. For the San Francisco auto show, GM will offer $1,000 off the GMC Sierra 1500 and buyers don’t even have to attend the California-based auto show to redeem the incentive. GMC will also offer $500 off the Acadia and Buick will provide a $500 incentive for the Encore. It’s free money, people.
Want to learn how to drive a manual transmission vehicle? It’s easy. Call Ron Westphal Chevrolet’s Customer Care Team at 630-898-9630. Visit our website anytime to find your perfect stick-shift Chevy.
Step One: Know Your Way Around
A manual transmission requires the driver to shift the gears themselves. Most cars have four or five forward speeds, as well as reverse. In order to master the process, you need to know the following:
The clutch pedal is located at the far left and is used when moving up or down from one gear to another. The clutch is disengaged when the pedal is pushed to the floor.
Neutral is not a gear; actually, it is the absence of gear. When the engine is running in neutral, you can rev up the engine, but you won’t go anywhere. You’ll also be able to wiggle the shifter back and forth – which you can’t do when engaged in any gear.</li.
For most cars, second gear is the workhorse. It will get you up (and down) steep hills as well as through congested downtown.
Reverse gear is somewhat different from the others: it’s got more range than, say, first gear, but doesn’t like going for too long or too fast. So, don’t back up around the block to pass the time.
The gas pedal (at far right) works with the gears to give the engine power at different levels. As mentioned before, if you press on the gas pedal while out of gear, you will only rev the car up: this is how young men impress women. But if you over-accelerate with the clutch partially engaged, you’ll eventually wear it out.
Step Two: Learn The Gears
Learn the location of and feel of passing through the gears. First learn to shift the gears without the car running (pushing the clutch in each time). Then, from the passenger seat, try it with someone else driving the car and operating the clutch. Be sure to place the stick all the way into gear—until it won’t go any more—but don’t force it. If you stop halfway, you will hear an incredibly unpleasant grinding sound which means your car is not in gear.
Eventually, you will know when to shift by feel, but early on you’ll have to act deliberately. Even if you’ve never been in a car before, you can tell when a car is in the appropriate gear: the car’s not making a coughing and chugging sound (gear too high) but it’s not making a high-revving sound either (gear too low). If you have a tachometer, shift around “3″ (3000 RPM) on each gear or every 15 miles per hour (1st gear 1-15 MPH, 2nd 15-30, 3rd 30-45, etc.). This is only a general rule, of course, and higher-powered autos will deviate from this. Shift before you hear that loud revving sound.
Step Three: Starting The Car
Put the car in neutral before starting, or you will jump and stall the car. This is bad. Keep in mind that most new cars will not start without the clutch pressed down. Leave the shifter into neutral while the car warms up. Alternately, start the car in gear with the clutch pedal pushed to the floor, then shift into neutral, release the clutch pedal, and let the car warm up.
Step Four: Using The Clutch
The clutch is the mechanism that allows the gears to transition back and forth smoothly. If you pull the car in or out of gear without using the clutch, or release the clutch only halfway into gear, you will hear an amazingly unpleasant sound. Avoid this.
The clutch is the pedal on the left. The brake is in the middle and the gas on the right. Use your left foot on the clutch and your right foot on the brake and gas, just like with an automatic.
It’s difficult to avoid some sort of wear and tear on the clutch when learning how to drive a stick shift. If you go slowly at first and pay close attention, you can feel (in your feet) where the clutch engages and disengages. If you learn that well, you’ll put less strain on your car. You’ll also be able to drive any stick shift more smoothly from the get-go.
Avoid needless acceleration when the clutch is partially engaged. When at a stoplight, don’t get in the habit of holding the clutch in for more than a few seconds or you will have other problems down the line. Instead, put the car in neutral while stopped for any period of time.
Popping the clutch: Invariably, you will miss your gear (or release the clutch too quickly) and the car will lurch ahead. Often at the outset, you will pop the clutch too quickly and stall the car. Don’t worry, it happens to everyone. Just get those exercises out of the way before you find yourself in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Step Five: Upshifting
Here we are at the most important junction of the stick shift world: the door to acceleration. Driving a stick shift is all about that magical place where the clutch comes up and the gas pedal goes down. It’s that seamless place where the gears are shifted and the car accelerates. Let’s take first to second on a flat road as an example: First gear going steady, clutch in as you come off the gas quickly, then off the clutch slowly while pressing in the gas.
That place in the middle where the clutch pedal is to the floor and you’re off the gas is where you take the shifter from first to second. Get those feet and hands used to working together.
Here we go once more:
Revving high (around 3000 RPM or at 15 mph).
Clutch in and gas off.
Move the shifter smoothly from first to second.
Slowly off the clutch while pushing on the gas.
Completely let your foot off the clutch and gas it up.
Same thing next gear
Step Six: Downshifting
Downshifting is the act of moving appropriately to lower gears while slowing down. This is the essential difference between the operation of an automatic transmission and one of manual persuasion: downshifting not only helps you slow the car, but it also puts you in the right gear for the speed. Downshifting is your friend – especially in bad weather or on hills, where immediate braking can be dangerous.
Keep in mind that you may shift down only one gear or simply apply the brakes. Again, knowing your range in each gear will help determine what’s needed.
While downshifting, move from clutch to brake while in gear. This will help you slow down without revving too high between gears.
If you are driving 45 mph in fourth gear and come upon a stop sign ahead:
Push in the clutch and shift down to third while using the brake.
Let the clutch out slowly to avoid high revs.
Next, do it again into second before you stop.
Don’t downshift into first!
Step Seven: Reverse
Be very careful in backing up. The reverse gear is very quick and can jump out at you. To get into reverse, sometimes you need lift collar on the shift lever or push it down. Only do this while at a complete stop.
The clutch is key while going in reverse. Since reverse is so quick, let out the clutch slowly and push it back in while using the brake if necessary; you will likely be able to back out of any spot with this simple measure. If you need to, only push the gas pedal in a little bit.
Step Eight: Starting On A Hill
Find a hill with little traffic. Use your emergency brake when coming to a stop. When the light turns green to go, shift into first, start to accelerate slowly as you release the clutch pedal, then release the emergency brake just as you feel the car engage the gear. This way you are using the brake to keep you from rolling back. If you stall, put on your brake and start again.
Step Nine: Parking
It is important to note that the emergency brake is very important when parking a stick shift car, because there exists no “park” gear to keep the car from rolling. Some rely only on the pull-up emergency brake, usually sufficient in most situations. But for extra safety, leave the car in gear AND use the emergency brake.
Step Ten: Practice!
All of this is going to seem overwhelming at first, but it all become natural with practice. Start off in a big empty parking lot, then progress to quiet roads when you feel comfortable doing so. Even if it’s frustrating, keep at it and you’ll be rewarded with far more control over your car, better performance, better fuel economy, a valuable life skill and the ability to drive any four-wheeled vehicle on the planet.
THE TAKATA AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL and how it affects your General Motors vehicle
At General Motors, we’re committed to your safety. As part of that commitment, this website can help you understand the Takata airbag recall and what you should do if your vehicle is affected.
There have been a number of recalls initiated by GM and other manufacturers relating to Takata airbag inflators. Takata has advised the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the vehicle manufacturers that without a chemical drying agent, prolonged exposure to heat and humidity can degrade the chemical propellant used in the airbag inflators. In time, if the propellant degrades to a certain level, the inflator may rupture when the airbag deploys during a crash event.
GM has announced various Safety Recalls involving Takata airbag inflators in a number of GM vehicles.Reference the charts below to see if your vehicle is involved in the Takata airbag recall. Call Ron Westphal Chevrolet service department at 630-898-9630. You can also call GM at 1-866-467-9700 if you have any questions. We’re here to help!
Your tires are your vehicle’s only contact with the road; your vehicle’s performance relies on them. With our Tire Price Match Guarantee, you can get great tire prices to help keep your vehicle moving forward.
Tire price match guarantee at Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL. Find your perfect set of tires with our convenient tire-finder.
GET UP TO $200 BACK ON TIRES
UP TO $100 MAIL-IN REBATE ON A SET OF FOUR TIRES
$100 mail-in rebate†† on Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, and Pirelli $70 mail-in rebate†† on BFGoodrich and Michelin $50 mail-in rebate†† on Dunlop, Firestone, and General $40 mail-in rebate†† on Uniroyal
PLUS UP TO $100 STATEMENT CREDIT
Get instantly approved‡‡ when you apply for a BuyPower Card® at your dealership. You could qualify for a one-time statement credit in the amount of your first dealership purchase, up to $100.ΔΔΔ
TIRE PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE
Provide us with a better price at the time of purchase and we’ll match it. Find a better price within 30 days of the purchase, and we’ll refund the difference.‡
Eligible Tire Brands: BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Pirelli, and Uniroyal.
Looking for a new or pre-owned ride? Call our Customer Care Team now at 630-898-9630 or visit our website anytime.
