All Charged Up: RAV4 EV Coming Soon to Westboro Toyota

It’s coming: an EV (electronic voltage) version of a Toyota favorite—the Rav 4! Recently, Toyota Corporation set the record straight, debunking myths swirling out there in media land that the RAV4 EV would only be marketed to fleet and car-sharing programs. Not so, thankfully.

Westboro Toyota is very pleased to report that the 2012 RAV4 EV will “definitely be sold to the general public,” Toyota announced this week. That means it’s only a charge, ship, and roll—into the showroom—away from being on sale right here at Westboro Toyota.

We’re super proud that Toyota is the only manufacturer bringing two battery electric vehicles to market in 2012—the Scion iQ EV joins the RAV4 in earning this distinction. Don’t forget, too, that the first ever plug-in hybrid Prius is coming in 2012, too—what an exciting year 2012 is shaping up to be!

Toyota, in its truly innovative style, first produced an EV version of the RAV4 back in 1997. Powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, it averaged about 95 miles on a single charge. About 1,500 vehicles were sold or leased in the United States, and more than half of those are still zooming around on their electric charge today.

The new RAV4 EV, with its powerful electric motor with Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack, is a zero-emission vehicle (commonly referred to as a ZEV) that can get about 100 miles on a single charge. (Translation: We could depart our showroom here at 271 Turnpike Road in Westboro and zip into Boston and all the way back and still have 40 or so miles worth of charge!) It will also feature a weightier electric powertrain, but that won’t affect the pep you’re accustomed to during acceleration.

What else can you expect from the RAV4 EV?

• Distinct styling changes, including a new front bumper, grille, head lamps, fog lamps, and 18-inch alloy wheels • Custom seat trims for the interior, as well as multimedia dash displays, push-button shifter and dashboard meters

• Mega cargo area—we’re talking around 73-cubic-foot cargo area with the rear seats folded down, sweet!

Stay tuned to our website for updates on when to expect the RAV4 EV in our Westboro Toyota showroom. We just can’t wait to show it off to you!

Count On Our Complimentary Maintenance

Toyota is all about safety and dependability, and Westboro Toyota is proud of that. That’s why we offer complimentary, worry-free maintenance for two years with the purchase or lease of every new Toyota. That means for the first two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first, you’ll be covered.

You might be wondering just how far our complimentary maintenance goes. Check out what’s covered—quite an impressive list, and we think you’ll agree:

24-Hour Roadside Assistance—Been locked out of your care? Need a flat tire changed, a jump start or to have vehicle fluids delivered ? Need an unexpected tow after a fender bender? With the Toyota Care 24-hour roadside assistance, you’re covered.

Toyota Care Scheduled Factory Maintenance—Our factory-trained team of service professionals will change the oil and filter, perform a lubrication check of key chassis parts, rotate your tires and perform a 19-point inspection (we’ll get to those 19 points in just a minute!). We’ll also keep a complete history of maintenance visits and we’ll even send you reminders so you don’t inadvertently skip a maintenance service.

19-Point Inspection—sounds almost like a 21-gun salute, and it is: to your new Toyota. Westboro Toyota wants to be sure to identify any potential issues before they cause any sort of part failure. We understand the importance of preventative maintenance, which will help keep your Toyota in tip-top shape for years to come.

The inspection is divided into two parts: the fluid inspection and replenishment and the visual inspection. During the visual inspection, Westboro Toyota’s trained service professionals will evaluate your Toyota’s air filter, system hoses, drive belts, axle boots, shock absorbers and suspension, PCV valve (if applicable), cooling system, exhaust system and muffler, tire wear, tire pressure, and windshield wipers.

The fluid inspection and replenishment phase includes the following: brake master cylinder, clutch master cylinder, transmission, differential, coolant, windshield washer, power steering and transfer case (if applicable).

Speaking of fluids, in these the doggiest days of summer, be sure to drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 10 am to 2 pm. Be kind to your Toyota, too. When not cruisin’ with the A/C cranked, park it in the shade!

Grads and Military Men & Women: Get Great Deals on New Toyotas!

If you’re a recent college graduate or an active member of the U.S. military, Toyota offers some great rebates that could put you in a brand new Toyota. Westboro Toyota is here to answer all your questions about rebates, financing and special offers (give us a call at 888.274.0849), but in the meantime consider the following:

Toyota offers a $500 rebate for all active duty military personnel toward the purchase of a new Toyota when you finance through Toyota Financial Services. If you are on current active duty with the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, National Guard or Coast Guard you may be eligible for the rebate pending credit approval and verifiable proof of military status or active service at the time of purchase, i.e., leave and earning statement and military identification card.

Also, school may be out, but recent college graduates may be eligible for a $1,000 rebate toward the purchase or lease of a new Toyota Camry (except the Hybrid model), Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Tacoma or Yaris through Jan. 3, 2012, pending credit approval and proof of current or future employment within 120 days of the purchase date. To be eligible for the Toyota College Graduate Finance Program, you:

• must have graduated from an accredited two- or four-year college, university or registered nursing-degree program during the last two years or graduate from such a school/program within the next six months; or

• be enrolled in an accredited graduate degree program or have received a degree from an accredited graduate program during the last two years.

Westboro Toyota wants to thank all our military service men and women for their dedication and hard work. And, congratulations to all of you recent college graduates. Those of you who are in school this summer working to finish up your degree, check out Toyota’s scholarships webpage. There’s a lot of free money to be had!

Hot summer deals sizzle at Westboro Toyota

Westboro Toyota’s hot summer deals are just as sizzling as the scorching temperatures outside. But, hey what can you expect? It’s July in New England and Westboro Toyota aims to please by bringing super summer savings to our customers.

We’ve got a number of specials going on right now that you don’t want to miss. Check these out:

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Camry LE: The 6-speed automatic Camry, which was recently named the Most-American Car by Car.com for the third straight year and features a 2.5 liter/4-cylinder engine, may list for $23,494, but Westboro Toyota wants to see you drive away in it for just $19,761 (model #2532, stk #33885). A new 2011 Camry for under $20,000 – you might be able to beat the summer heat by escaping into the A/C, but you sure can’t beat that price!

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Rav4 4X4: Toyota’s compact crossover 4-speed automatic SUV, which lists for $24,475 and features a 4-cylinder/2.5 liter engine, is available at Westboro Toyota for you to ride away in for just $23,227 (model #4432, stk 33662).

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Tacoma: Load up all your summer gear, like your jet ski, your tent and your grill for just $29,457 (model #3544, stk 33771) and hit the open road in Toyota’s compact pickup. The 6-speed automatic Tacoma, which lists for $34,061 and features a 3.5 liter/ V-6 engine, is ranked #1 in its class by U.S. News & World Report.

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Venza AWD: The Venza was named one of the top 10 affordable midsize SUVs for 2011 by U.S. News & World Report and it’s no wonder why. With a list price of $29,978, the 6-speed automatic Venza, which features a 2.5 liter/ 4-cylinder engine, is on sale at Westboro Toyota for just $26,128 (model #2820, stk 33585).

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Yaris: The 5-door hatchback Yaris, 4-speed automatic with its 1.5-liter/4-cylinder engine, lists for $17,082, but come down to Westboro Toyota where the price has been rolled down to just $15,571 (model #1462, stk 33498).

• Brand new 2011 Toyota Tundra: With the sizzling temperatures outside, we can all use a little arctic intervention! Drive away in Toyota’s full-size double cab 4X4 pickup truck, which made U.S. News & World Report’s top five for 2011, and head for the beaches or the mountains for some rough and rugged summertime fun. The 6-speed automatic Tundra, which has a 5.7 liter/V-8 engine and lists for $36,898, is on sale for just $31,522 (model #8341, stk 33231).

Visit WestboroToyota.com for details on these hot summer deals and more – like the specials we’re running on the 2011 Toyota Highlander and the Toyota Avalon. Better yet, come down to our showroom at 271 Turnpike Road in Westboro (Route 9 West) to check out these “summa sizzlas” for yourself. And, stay cool, it’s a scorcher out there!

Happy Birthday America, and Congrats to Our American-Made Camry

With the 4th of July right around the corner, it’s just about that time to take in breathtaking fireworks displays and enjoy barbeques with family and friends. Independence Day is an important piece of our heritage and a living reminder of the resiliency, resolve and pride Americans share.

As we celebrate the birth of this great nation, we here at Westboro Toyota want to also pay homage to our own American icon: the Toyota Camry. Named the “Most American Car” for the third consecutive year, our Camry beat out a slew of competitors in Car.com’s annual American-Made Index.

The index ranks which vehicle is “most American” by the percentage of parts made right here in the United States, where the vehicles are assembled, and how many are sold to buyers domestically. The index can be a helpful tool to refer to when you’re shopping for a new car, truck or SUV because given today’s global economy, it’s not always easy to tell “how American” a vehicle really is.

Westboro Toyota is proud that the Toyota Camry has come in first place for the past three years. We want to recognize the Toyota Tundra, made in Princeton, Ind., and the Sienna, manufactured in San Antonio, Texas, which also made the Index’s 2011 top 10 list.

Many may be surprised to discover that the Camry coveted the top spot given the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan earlier this year. But, the fact is that the Camry is such a popular vehicle here in the States that Toyota relies heavily on U.S.-based factory workers and suppliers to manufacture high-quality parts and the vehicles themselves. Incidentally, the two towns where the Camrys we all drive are assembled carry Colonial-era names: Georgetown, Ky., and Lafayette, Ind. (coincidence…perhaps not!).

American-made products have always been a symbol of excellence. They bring jobs and prosperity to our nation as a whole. The Camry has become a symbol of such excellence, and the results of the American-Made Index are a win-win for Toyota suppliers, Toyota factories and you, our loyal Westboro Toyota customers.

Congrats Camry, and Happy 235th Birthday America. And, from all of us here at Westboro Toyota, we hope you and your families have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Hello Summer: Hello Open Road!

June 21 marked the day we’ve all been waiting for given the long and harsh 2010/11 winter. It’s hard to believe just a mere four months ago we were shoveling snow off our roofs so they wouldn’t collapse under the weight of massive quantities of snow and ice that Mother Nature so graciously dumped on us.

But enough snow talk. Summer is officially here and when we think Solstice, we tend to think road trip, too. Hallejhiah! The time is here to load up the trunk, pile in the kids, and head for the beaches off the New England coast, to the White Mountains, or even further.

Summer is a time to explore the open road, kick back, and relax, and regardless of your destination, your Toyota can get you where you want to go. Here are some tips we at Westboro Toyota recommend to make summer drive time as fun and relaxing as it should be.

Travel at non-peak hours if possible. Summer is the time for roadway construction, so you’re bound to hit some bottlenecks in your travels, but if you on traveling before or after the morning and afternoon rush, you’ll be more likely to sail through those construction zones without all that much idling.

Speaking of idling, it wastes fuel—something given the current price of gas, none of us want to do! If you find yourself stuck in traffic—and we certainly hope you don’t—it’s better to turn the engine off if you’re not going to be moving forward anytime soon. Also, don’t rev the engine, as this, too, is a gas guzzler.

Turning the engine off isn’t the only way to conserve gas. For instance, you also can improve fuel economy by following these simple steps:

Drive the speed limit. If the maximum posted speed is 65 mph, don’t go over that. Driving the speed limit is safer than speeding, which we do not recommend. Plus, it allows you to drive without the worry that you’ll be tagged by a state trooper’s radar gun and pulled over—talk about a summer road trip bummer). And, driving no more than 65 mph can save you about 20 percent in amount of fuel used.

Clean out that trunk. Toyotas have great cargo space, but the added weight of anything you put there means lower fuel economy because the engine has to exert more power to pull the extra load.

Cruise when you can. Cruise control allows your Toyota to consistently deliver fuel to the engine. Giving the engine a steady flow of gas is far better than the alternative.

Don’t over-accelerate. Gunning the gas pedal can lower your miles per gallon by more than 30 percent—ouch!

Maintain ideal tire pressure. If your tires aren’t inflated to the proper psi, this presents a danger to you as the driver, your passengers, and other vehicles on the road. Tires and brakes are a vehicle’s crucial safety mechanisms. Poor tire pressure adversely affects your car, truck, or SUV’s ability to corner and brake, as well as its overall stability on the road. Under-inflated tires also may cause additional fuel loss—you can wave bye to about 3 percent of gas as the result of poor tire pressure.

Before embarking on your summer jaunts, come on in to Westboro Toyota for a quick filter oil change. We’ll rotate your tires and perform a 21-point inspection, both complimentary with the oil change, for the low price of $34.95 plus tax. Visit http://westborotoyota.com/Specials.aspx and scroll down to the offer to print your coupon today.

Above all, have a safe, sun-filled, and fantastic summer. After this past winter, we all for sure deserve it!

Congrats to Our Boston Bruins: How Far Westboro Toyota & the Black, Yellow and White Have Come Since '72

Thirty-nine years in the making. Congratulations from all of us here at Westboro Toyota to our Boston Bruins for overcoming what to those outside the ring of Beantown fandom may have seemed insurmountable—winning a Game 7 not once, not twice, but three times in the same postseason, not to mention while away from the comfort of the Garden’s home ice! It’s the first time it went down just like this in NHL history and we’re proud to say our Bruins did it.

It’s hard to fathom that nearly four decades have passed since Bruins greats Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Derek Sanderson embraced the coveted Stanley Cup. But, seeing the emotion and excitement on the faces of current stars, including standouts Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Tim Thomas, shows us that unadulterated pride is timeless.

Sure, Causeway Street and the Boston Garden looked a lot different back in ’72, which coincidentally is the year we established Westboro Toyota. The elevated central artery cut the city of Boston virtually in half. Life was different, too. Gas prices hovered around 36 cents per gallon. Toyota’s fleet included the Carina, the Celica, the Corolla, the Corona, and the Crown. Cars had a boxy style featuring wood paneling and shag carpets dominated interiors. Bill Gates formed Traf-O-Data, a computer company that strived to read raw road data and create reports for traffic engineers—a far cry from the Microsoft of today.

In the more than 14,200 days that have past since the Cup last resided here, we’ve witnessed and been a part of so much history in the making. We’ve seen the political and economic landscape of this country and countless others shift in ways that before may have seemed unimaginable. With the birth and explosive growth of the Internet over the past 10-plus years, we’ve gained 24/7 connectivity to the world at large—not to mention we’ve found a way to plug in our cars, too!

Gas prices are now about 10 times what they were back then. Big Dig tunnels have replaced the monstrosity of the Central Artery, marrying North Station to the North End, as it should be. Toyota has since retired many of its classics, only to reinvent itself with so many sleek and beloved models, like the Camry, the Prius Hybrid, the Rav4, the Matrix, and the Highlander, just to name a few. Have you checked out Toyota’s concept models lately (http://www.toyota.com/concept-vehicles/)? Pretty impressive technology that’s light years away from the AM radio of the 1970s.

Yes, times have changed, but some things never will. Today, hard-core and fair-weather fans alike in the city of Boston and across our state will be decked out in their black, gold and white, beaming with a renewed sense of pride and adoration for what the Bruins and the rest of our revered sports teams have accomplished.

Did you know that Wednesday’s win makes this the 7th championship title we’ve won in the past 10 years? Rock on Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics and rock on fans. To the next 40 or so years—I wonder what our Toyotas will look like then!