Buy a Toyota or Scion and Get Five Free Factory-Scheduled Maintenance Visits for Two Years or 25,000 Miles—Plus Westboro Toyota’s Tips on How to Keep Your Vehicle in Tip-Top Shape

Keeping your vehicle in tip-top working order is an important part of ensuring that your vehicle will be around for a long time. A simple way to prevent major damage to your vehicle’s moving parts is to undergo regularly scheduled maintenance. 

Having a trained mechanic inspect your vehicle regularly will help ensure that the car, truck or SUV is functioning properly. Plus, if the mechanic uncovers a problem, it can be remedied on the spot—so you’re not surprised by a sudden and unwelcome breakdown in the driveway or on the side of the road.

Westboro Toyota has compiled a list of parts that we recommend getting inspected fairly regularly to ensure that your vehicle runs smoothly and reliably.

Let’s start with the radiator—Westboro Toyota recommends inspection about once every six months, or, of course, anytime a problem is evident. The caps and hoses should be visually inspected for erosion. Also, you can do a quick spot check by squatting down to see if there is any radiator fluid leaking below your parked vehicle. 

Next up are the brakes and rotors—These should be checked every 10,000 miles, or when you believe there may be a problem, such as slipping or noise or when they don’t appear to be stopping properly. The rotors should be smooth, without deep grooves. In addition, when the brake pads get worn, it’s time to replace them. Generally, at the very least, you should be able to get 20,000 miles out of your brake pads, but keep in mind that replacement time depends on a number of factors, including your driving habits.

Now is a good time to inspect your vehicle’s air conditioning unit—With summer right around the corner, now is the time to check for leaks. A trained technician can tell you if you require repair or a recharge to your vehicle’s air-cooling system. Keep in mind, too, that once the fall rolls around, you may want to consider having your heating unit checked as well, just to make sure it is in tip-top shape for chilly autumn nights.

The oil: This one should go without saying, but it's worth stressing!—Your engine’s oil should be checked regularly and changed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles (check your owner’s manual for specific information concerning your make and model). If you prefer to go less frequently for oil changes, consider going with synthetic oil for your vehicle. For instance, with synthetic lubrication standard (SAE 0W-20) oil only needs to be changed once every 10,000 miles or so, or every year, depending on operating conditions.

Check those air filters for clogs and dirt—The air filter is an important component of your vehicle’s intake system and should be checked about once every six months. It’s through the air filter that your engine can “breathe” with the right mixture of air to support the fuel it takes to run. Keeping the filter clean is key, since it’s purpose is to filter out dirt and other debris that could otherwise damage the engine.

Also, when purchasing a new vehicle, see if the dealership offers any sort of complimentary factory-scheduled maintenance. This will save you money and can go a long way toward ensuring that your vehicle’s first few years on the road are “bump free” in the mechanics department.

For example, Westboro Toyota’s Enhanced Complimentary Maintenance Plan is available for both Toyota and Scion vehicles. With this plan, we’ve got your first five scheduled maintenance service intervals covered for two years or 25,000 miles. Our professional service staff will perform an engine oil and filter change, tire rotation, multi-point inspection, and fluid top-off and a visual inspection of your vehicle.

Don't forget, too, that Toyota and Scion plans include two years of 24-hour roadside assistance, which includes battery jumpstart, tire service, fuel delivery, lockout protection and towing.

Toyota’s complimentary maintenance has always been a big win for Westboro Toyota customers. For starters, you can rest assured that your factory-scheduled service is being performed by factory-trained technicians with genuine Toyota parts.

Check out Westboro Toyota’s Enhanced Complimentary Maintenance Plan: It can help you reduce your ownership costs and give you peace of mind about your vehicle’s reliability!

And, if you have any questions or concerns about your vehicle’s maintenance schedule or performance, please give us a call at 508.366.1741. Don't forget, too, that you can always schedule service with Westboro Toyota 24/7 with our online scheduler!

WestboroToyota Secures Helmets for Local Youth Football League: Our Message to Young Players—A Helmet Is Like a Seatbelt (Use It Properly and Always)

Recently, Westboro Toyota purchased 80 new Schutt DNA Pro+ football helmets for the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association, which gives local youth between the ages of five and 15 the chance to play ball. Protecting our youth from potentially serious head injuries is something none of us can put a price on.
Westboro Toyota wants kids to know that a helmet is like the seat belt. It’s imperative that we teach our kids from an early age the importance of playing safe and that we make sure they have secure, well-constructed equipment to protect them against potential injuries.

It’s estimated that about 3 million kids in the United States between the ages of six and 14 play tackle football. Generally, kids don’t hit hard enough to cause injuries, but the rare occasion could arise when a tackle or other move on the field could result in a head injury.

According to the NFL, there is no “concussion proof” helmet, but technological advances in helmet design may significantly reduce the likelihood of concussions. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons reports that using helmets in conjunction with keeping up on head-injury guidelines have had a significant impact on decreasing the severity of head injuries in sports.

To prevent head injuries from occurring, youth league administrators should:

1) educate kids on proper tackling techniques—e.g., don’t hit with your head down;

2) stress the importance of maintaining sportsmanlike conduct at all times; and

3) make sure youth players are outfitted with helmets and other equipment that is worn correctly.

Properly fitted helmets can go a long way toward protecting kids against concussions. According to Schutt, which manufactures the helmets the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association was able to purchase with our donation:

• a properly fitting helmet should be snug but not overly tight;

• the nose bumper and front edge of the helmet should be a little less than one inch from player’s eyebrow—using the index finger as a guide, you can find the proper distance, which is about one to one-and-and-half fingers;

• for the chin strap, have the player hold the chin cup securely over the chin while the straps are being adjusted;

• attach the bottom straps so all four straps for the chin cup are snug without any slack; and

• make sure the ear holes are centered over the player’s ears.

Once the helmet is fitted, try to turn it. It’s acceptable for the hair and skin to move inside, but the helmet should never rotate or wobble independently. If it does either, the fit isn’t right and you should go back to the drawing board.

Westboro Toyota is committed not only to providing our customers with exceptional value and service with competitive live pricing, maintenance specials and superior customer service but also to making positive contributions to the local community through our support for youth-oriented extracurricular programs, such as the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association and other local nonprofit organizations.

We’re extremely glad we were able to buy the helmets for the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association this year, and we wish all of the league’s youth players a fun-filled and safe football season!

Westboro Toyota Secures Helmets for Local Youth Football League: Our Message to Young Players—A Helmet Is Like a Seatbelt (Use It Properly and Always)

Recently, Westboro Toyota purchased 80 new Schutt DNA Pro+ football helmets for the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association, which gives local youth between the ages of five and 15 the chance to play ball. Protecting our youth from potentially serious head injuries is something none of us can put a price on.

Westboro Toyota wants kids to know that a helmet is like the seat belt. It’s imperative that we teach our kids from an early age the importance of playing safe and that we make sure they have secure, well-constructed equipment to protect them against potential injuries.

It’s estimated that about 3 million kids in the United States between the ages of six and 14 play tackle football. Generally, kids don’t hit hard enough to cause injuries, but the rare occasion could arise when a tackle or other move on the field could result in a head injury.

According to the NFL, there is no “concussion proof” helmet, but technological advances in helmet design may significantly reduce the likelihood of concussions. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons reports that using helmets in conjunction with keeping up on head-injury guidelines have had a significant impact on decreasing the severity of head injuries in sports.

To prevent head injuries from occurring, youth league administrators should:

1) educate kids on proper tackling techniques—e.g., don’t hit with your head down;

2) stress the importance of maintaining sportsmanlike conduct at all times; and

3) make sure youth players are outfitted with helmets and other equipment that is worn correctly.

Properly fitted helmets can go a long way toward protecting kids against concussions. According to Schutt, which manufactures the helmets the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association was able to purchase with our donation:

• a properly fitting helmet should be snug but not overly tight;

• the nose bumper and front edge of the helmet should be a little less than one inch from player’s eyebrow—using the index finger as a guide, you can find the proper distance, which is about one to one-and-and-half fingers;

• for the chin strap, have the player hold the chin cup securely over the chin while the straps are being adjusted;

• attach the bottom straps so all four straps for the chin cup are snug without any slack; and

• make sure the ear holes are centered over the player’s ears.

Once the helmet is fitted, try to turn it. It’s acceptable for the hair and skin to move inside, but the helmet should never rotate or wobble independently. If it does either, the fit isn’t right and you should go back to the drawing board.

Westboro Toyota is committed not only to providing our customers with exceptional value and service with competitive live pricing, maintenance specials and superior customer service but also to making positive contributions to the local community through our support for youth-oriented extracurricular programs, such as the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association and other local nonprofit organizations.

We’re extremely glad we were able to buy the helmets for the Northboro/Southboro Youth Football and Cheer Association this year, and we wish all of the league’s youth players a fun-filled and safe football season!

Great Performance + Convenience + Safety + Stellar MPG = Brand-New 2012 Yaris

The all-new 2012 Toyota Yaris is a subcompact that Westboro Toyota recommends for its performance, comfort, fuel efficiency and safety. With the choice of a three-door or five-door liftback, and either a four-speed electronic automatic or five-speed manual transmission, the Yaris is an efficient vehicle with seating for five and ample cargo capacity—on the LE and SE grades the rear seatback folds down to expand the cargo capacity from 9.3 to 25.7 cubic feet.

The fuel economy and safety features are just as impressive. The Yaris garners a tremendous value at an estimated 38 mpg highway/30 mpg city, and includes nine airbags and Toyota’s Star Safety System™, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology (SST).

The Yaris has a crisp and contemporary exterior style. Sharp character lines compliment the grill and flow into a sleek hood and windshield. If you’re in the market for a sporty driving experience, the Yaris SE answers the call, sporting 16-inch alloy wheels and tires, sport-tuned suspension, quicker-ratio steering and integrated fog lamps.

Westboro Toyota has the Yaris in stock and ready for a test drive! Right now, the three-door liftback L (stock #T35430) is just $14,378. You also can lease a new Yaris L for just $189 per month with $1,999 due at signing or $249 per month with $0 down (Model #1422, Stk# 35430).

Buy the all-new 2012 Toyota Yaris and get complimentary Toyota Care, which covers normal factory maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Stop by our showroom on Route 9 West in Westboro to check out the all-new 2012 Toyota Yaris!

Westboro Toyota Wants You to Make Promoting Your Teen’s Driving Safety a Priority This Spring

Proms, graduations and parties. May and June are a great time for getting together with family and friends to celebrate the accomplishments of our local teenagers as they graduate high school and make their way into the world—whether it’s on to college, into the military or to a job. Westboro Toyota thinks it’s also a good time to remind teenagers about driving safety.

Recently, Toyota, in partnership with Discovery Education, announced the winners of its Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge and Toyota Teen Driver Educators’ Challenge. Both companies are committed to provided educators, parents and students with comprehensive lesson plans, take-home resources, an interactive game and more to help avoid distractions while driving and stay safe behind the wheel.

Here at Westboro Toyota, we’re glad that Toyota has taken the initiative to assemble programs to educate teens and their parents on driving safety. In fact, Toyota Driving Expectations, a free program that has educated more nearly 20,000 participants since 2004, puts teens and their parents behind the wheel and introduces “real world” obstacles, conditions and distractions in a safe and controlled driving environment—a pretty cool tool that teaches young people the dangers of distracted driving.

To jumpstart your conversation with your teenager about safe driving practices, consider the following:

Teen crash risks are generally attributed to inexperience, having teenage passengers in the vehicle and nighttime driving. That said, devise a short- and long-term agreement that covers your teen’s driving privileges, including curfew, whether or not they may carry other teenage passengers, drive at night and so on.

As a general best practice, in the first one to three months following licensure, make sure they aren’t driving past 9 or 10 pm, carrying any teen passengers or driving more than a couple of miles from home. Consider relaxing the rules accordingly at the six-, nine- and 12-month marks if they've met the objectives you've set. Let your teens demonstrate their responsible driving practices before giving them carte blanche to drive all over creation! Setting clearly defined expectations and consequences for not meeting those goals can be an effective way to keep your kids' heads in the safe-driving game.

After your teen gets his or her license, let him or her drive when you both need to go somewhere. Riding as a passenger is a good way for you to evaluate their everyday driving practices. Giving them this additional on-the-road practice may do wonders for ensuring their future safety.

When you drive, always set a good example for your teen. Obey the rules of the road, e.g., stop fully at stop signs, reserve a safe distance to the vehicle traveling in front of you and don't dial calls on your cell phone or program your GPS while driving. Kids learn from example—giving them positive riding experiences will likely translate into positive driving experiences for them when they’re behind the wheel.

Consider participating in the National Safety Council’s Alive at 25® Parent Program. For a nomimal fee of $24.95, you’ll get 90 days’ worth of access to the program, a two-hour Internet-based course that identifies the risks teen drivers face and helps parents reinforce basic driving skills and good decision making to help their kids become safe, responsible and defensive drivers.

Buckle up. This one should go without saying, but we think it should be said anyway! That goes for everyone in the vehicle.

Visit the National Safety Council for additional tips on talking to your kids about driving, and be safe everyone as you’re celebrating those proms and graduations!

Westboro Toyota Has Got Many Ways for You to Save in May!

How does up to $6,365 off the MSRP sound on a brand-new Toyota? Right now, Westboro Toyota’s Save in May Sales Event is in full swing, and that means you can reap tremendous savings off the MSRP when buying a brand-new Toyota car, truck, SUV or hybrid.

Westboro Toyota has got plenty of shiny, high-performance inventory here on the lot, so we’re confident we can help you select the vehicle that’s right for you.

Check out some of the deals going on right now at Westboro Toyota:

• a brand-new 2012 Toyota Tundra double cab six-speed automatic 4x4 for just $27,355 (model #8339, stk #35685), a jaw-dropping $6,365 off the MSRP—find out for yourself why the Toyota Tundra has been ranked higher than the Ford F150, Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra;

• a brand-new 2012 Toyota 4Runner SRS 4x4 five-speed automatic for just $33,490 (model #8664, stk #35880)—that’s more than $3,000 off the MSRP and $0 down and 2.9 percent financing may be available—and did you know that there are more 4Runners on the road today than any other midsize SUV; and

• a brand-new 2012 Toyota Venza LE AWD (model #2820, stk #35144) for just $26,625 (that’s more than $4,000 off the MSRP)—check out the IIHS top safety pick for 2011 for yourself!

This is just a small sampling of the deals that are going on right now during Westboro Toyota’s Save in May Sales Event. We’ve got many more deals on the Corolla, Camry, Highlander, Yaris, Tacoma, Sienna, Matrix, Pruis Five, Prius Two, Prius V and Rav4.

With prices this hot, you’d think it was July! Nope. Westboro Toyota says why wait for the dog days of summer to offer our valued customers sizzling deals on some of the hottest new vehicles on the market today. Stop by our showroom today, or check out our live pricing for up-to-the-minute information on the car, truck, SUV or hybrid of your dreams during Westboro Toyota's Save in May Sales Event!