Tag Archives: New York

Toyota Offers Major Discounts to New York Drivers

In an effort to match their 2012 sales, Toyota is offering massive discounts and refunds on the 2012 Prius plug-in including some deep price cuts for Manhattan-area drivers.

While these discounts will vary by region and dealership, New Yorkers can get approximately $6,500 off on a 2012 Prius plug-in or $4,650 off a 2013 Prius plug-in. They are hoping that the discounts will make car buyers take another look at Prius instead of going with other popular hybrid and electric models such as the 2013 Ford C-Max, the 2013 Nissan Leaf, or the 2013 Chevy Volt.

In an interview with Wards Auto, Toyota Div. Group Vice President Bill Fay acknowledged that the price cuts would make the Prius more competitive, but their main focus is making the car more affordable for the average driver. “I think we have to be cognizant of the world those shoppers are operating in…and we have to be sure we offer the same kind of value when they go to buy the vehicle.” This isn’t a bad idea considering that hybrids and electric cars have been relatively expensive in the past. Perhaps Toyota’s discounts will push more drivers to make the switch to a more environmentally-conscious car.

No matter what kind of car you are looking for, Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU get it! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get the car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Ferrari Auction Benefits Red Cross’ Hurricane Sandy Efforts

If you happen to have a load of money burning in your pocket and want to do something for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, Ferrari is auctioning off a car that is the first of its kind.

The very first F12 Berlinetta sold in the United States will be auctioned off by Ferrari this Saturday in Austin, Texas. Proceeds for this car, which typically goes for a base price of $315,000, will go to the American Red Cross. Ferrari will be taking bids in person, and bidders who cannot make it to Austin can contact their local Ferrari dealership this week to get information about placing a bid virtually.

Marco Mattiacci, chief executive and president of Ferrari North America, expressed his sympathy for those affected by the hurricane, saying, “Here at Ferrari, we have experienced and seen the devastation that Hurricane Sandy has caused in the affected area firsthand. We want to use our event next week at Formula One in Austin to give back to our local community by auctioning the F12 Berlinetta.”

If you don’t have the money to bid on the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, don’t worry. Ferrari is also working with the American Red Cross to collect general donations. You can donate through Ferrari’s Red Cross page here.

Are you looking for a new or used car? That Ferrari might be out of reach, but Approved Loan Store can help you find a car you want at rates you can afford, whether or not you have good credit! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and be sure to like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Nissan Offers Employee Discount to Hurricane Sandy Victims

Hurricane Sandy might have come and gone, but she left behind a mess of destroyed homes and vehicles throughout New York and New Jersey. Many car owners are unable to salvage their flooded cars and have to rely on an already overburdened public transit system. Some car manufacturers and dealerships, however, are offering special discounts to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Nissan announced last week that employee pricing would be available for businesses and individuals whose cars were damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. Consumers can take advantage of this offer through January 2, 2013, and if they have questions about qualifications and details of the offer, Nissan has set up this website so customers can get a VPP claim ID to take to their local dealership.

The employee discount is as follows:

  1. $750 under invoice on Nissan Versa, Sentra, cube, and Nissan LEAF
  2. $1,000 under invoice on Nissan Altima, Altima Coupe, Rogue, Xterra, Frontier, and Juke
  3. $1,000 under invoice on Nissan NV Standard Roof, High Roof, and Passenger Van
  4. $1,250 under invoice on New Infiniti models
  5. $1,500 under invoice on Nissan 370Z Coupe and Roadstar, Maxima, Pathfinder, Titan, Armada, Quest, Murano, and Murano CrossCabriolet

Other car manufacturers including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz have pledged donations to the American Red Cross, and Fisker has opened its Wilmington, Delaware factory for housing utility trucks and repair crews who are assisting with relief efforts.

We want to hear from our readers who were affected by Hurricane Sandy. Will you take advantage of Nissan’s offer, and do you think these car manufacturers are doing enough? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

Are you looking for a new or used car? Approved Loan Store wants to help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will go above and beyond to get you a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and be sure to like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Brooklyn Dealership to Pay Fines, Restitution for Misleading Customers

At Approved Loan Store, we strive to make the auto buying process easier and better for all of our customers, but we hear horror stories all the time about other dealerships and their deceptive practices. Many of our customers have been to other dealerships and had such a poor experience that they are reluctant to even set up an appointment with our Special Finance Representatives. This is why we get so upset when we read about dealerships (particularly local dealerships) that are taking advantage of customers and not following the law.

On Sunday, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that 46 consumers who purchased cars at Brooklyn’s Giuffre Hyundai, Giuffre Kia, Giuffre Mitsubishi, and Giuffre Mazda dealerships would receive $300,000 in restitutions. The dealership used fraudulent sales practices and additionally misled customers about the terms of their car sale and financing.

Sadly, most of these customers were vulnerable to these tactics. Brooklyn State Supreme Court Judge Bernard J. Graham stated that the dealership targeted “older persons, unsophisticated, or unfamiliar with English,” and the dealership sold them cars “they never intended to buy or [at] a price that was dishonestly represented to them.”

At Approved Loan Store, our goal is to get our customers into cars they want and cars they can afford. Every step of the way, we strive to give our customers a great car buying experience, and Approved Loan Store’s Special Finance Representatives make sure that the financing is clear and reasonable. Our results and the glowing testimonials we receive every day are proof that our methods work, and we are glad that dishonest dealerships are being held accountable for their actions.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest car news and buying advice by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of Boaz Yiftach / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Paris Motor Show: What’s New and Shiny from Chevrolet

The Paris Motor Show kicks off tomorrow, and all the major car manufacturers are giving auto enthusiasts an early sneak peek at what they can expect to see from the show. Today is our last day of coverage before the show, but you can get the latest from the Paris Motor Show via the show’s official website.

Chevrolet will be only debuting one new SUV at the Paris Motor Show, but they are showing off several new updates to old favorites that are certainly worthy of note.

First up, the headliner is the new Chevrolet Trax which Chevy has touted as dependable yet modern, a highly versatile SUV that handles like a car. It is a smaller sized SUV but has space to seat 5 people, and the seats can be folded over for additional storage in the back. For the driver, the Chevrolet Trax will include Chevrolet MyLink as a standard feature. MyLink syncs with the driver’s smartphone and allows the driver to place calls, select a music playlist, get directions, or access other information from their smartphone on the car’s high resolution touchscreen.  The screen also shows the car’s rear view camera, an invaluable tool when parallel parking.

I have a feeling that the Trax will appeal to people who like the look and space of an SUV vs. a sedan but prefer the handling of a smaller car. Families will probably be the target audience, and with the MyLink system as a standard feature, I could see the Trax doing very well with car shoppers who might otherwise consider a minivan or a four-door hatchback sedan.

The rest of Chevy’s Paris Motor Show line-up is mainly redesigns and updates. The Chevy Spark will get a redesigned grille, front bumper, head light covers, and fog lights as well as a new center LED light in the spoiler above the window. Additionally, the Chevy Orlando will be getting a new 1.4L turbo gasoline engine that will be more fuel efficient at about 38 miles per gallon, and the Cruze station wagon and Malibu diesel will be on display, though they have already premiered in Europe. Finally, Chevrolet’s two Youth Concepts, the Code 130R and Tru 140S, will be on display again. These concepts have previously been on display at shows around the world from New York to Beijing and Geneva, and they have gotten rave reviews. The Code 130R even made CNET’s top 10 best concept cars of the international auto show season, so while the Code 130R and Tru 140S have already been seen around the world, they are still an exciting addition to the Paris Motor Show.

To see more of the upcoming show, stay tuned to the Approved Loan Store and check out the event’s official site here. Also, get the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Consumer Alert: Westchester Car Buying Scam

At Approved Loan Store, we want to make your car buying process easier and more pleasant. Unfortunately, there are people who offer car terms that are too good to be true, and we have to deal with the fall-out of disillusioned consumers who fell prey to these scams. That is why we wanted to alert our readers to a recent car buying scam in Westchester. It is our hope that by reporting about this scam, car shoppers in the New York City area will not fall for it and then wind up out of money and without a car.

We heard about this car buying scam through the Scarsdale Patch. According to their report, a Westchester man was trying to buy a 1961 Impala from a seller on Auto Trader. The buyer was instructed by the seller to wire the payment for the car through a Google Wallet account. Once the transaction was complete, the seller promised that the car would be shipped. Anyone familiar with these kinds of scams will know how it turned out. After wiring the money late last month, the buyer suddenly couldn’t get a hold of the seller, and even more infuriating, the buyer saw that the car was still listed as available on the Auto Trader Website.

Not everyone who purchases a car through Auto Trader, Craigslist, or other websites has a poor experience. Car buying online can seem convenient, and we have many car buying tools on our website including our online auto loan application. However, there are risks to going through a private buyer on Auto Trader or Craigslist. Even if the seller had shipped the 1961 Impala, there is no telling what condition that car would be in. Furthermore, if a seller asks to have money wired in advance, run the other way. Money transfers are an immediate red flag. To avoid these problems, we recommend buying from a car dealership, preferably an Approved Loan Store dealership. If a private seller still seems promising, though, deal with the seller in person and get the vehicle inspected before purchasing.

Are you looking to get into a new or used car? Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to help you get into a great car at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and connect with us by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After 30 Years, New Yorker Says Goodbye to Beloved Car Bluey

Back when I was in high school, I bought my first car. It wasn’t flashy or really anything special on the outside. In fact, I bought it used from my grandma, earning it the nickname of “The Grannymobile” in my family. On the outside, it was an unremarkable silver-grey sedan, and inside, the entertainment center didn’t even have a CD player. Instead, I had to hit up discount and vintage stores and buy cassette tapes, and I ended up with a very strange music collection including Prince’s “Love Machine” and Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That a Shame.” While it wasn’t exactly a teenager’s dream car, the Grannymobile was reliable, and I grew to love all of its quirks. I finally had to retire the Grannymobile after a rough road trip to Florida (and a rainstorm/mini-hurricane) left the bottom rusting through. It was a bittersweet goodbye. After all, this car had seen me through my high school and college years. It wasn’t just a way to get around. The Grannymobile was like an old friend who had seen me through good times and bad, and many of my best memories of those years wouldn’t have been the same without it.

This week, I was reminded of the Grannymobile when I read the story of New Yorker Harry Ettling and his old reliable car Bluey. Bluey, a 1982 Honda Civic, had lasted three decades and 170,000 miles with Ettling. Throughout Bluey’s life, the car survived getting totaled, having all four tires stolen, and then later getting flipped during the Washington Heights riots in 1992. Somehow, Bluey kept on running all these years until Ettling noticed the car floor was rusting out and knew it wasn’t safe for the road anymore.

After 30 years of service, Ettling didn’t want to just send Bluey off to be sold for parts. Instead, he hosted a full-fledged “funeral” for Bluey. He hired a Dixieland band to play in Bluey’s honor, and he dressed up in a black suit jacket and top hat. A floral wreath was even placed on the hood of the car, and when Bluey was eventually taken away to the junkyard, Ettling headed off to a local bar to continue the festivities.

What I really loved about this story was not only the impact of Bluey on Ettling’s life but also on Ettling’s neighborhood. Bluey certainly didn’t look like much, but this car became an icon with neighbors regularly stopping to get a picture with it. On the day of Bluey’s funeral, a New York neighborhood came together as a community to celebrate one of their own, even if it traveled on four wheels, and that kind of unity is wonderful to see in the headlines these days.

Ettling has said he’s not ready to get a new car because he needs “time to heal,” but we hope that when he is ready, he will consider going through Approved Loan Store. We want to get you the best terms on a new or used vehicle. Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.