Toyota of Dothan Offers Tools For the Trade
Toyota of Dothan Service Technicians remember a simpler time when cars could be fixed with a good wrench and elbow grease. But just because these new cars are more precise machines with complicated parts it doesn’t mean you should be too intimidated to do simple routine maintenance
Personal Protective Equipment
The service technicians don’t wear the gloves and goggles just to look cool, they do it to stay safe. Wear the right equipment when attempting your own care maintenance. Cars today have plenty of sharp edges you can cut yourself on and plenty of fluids that can be squirted in to your eyes, so get out the work gloves and safety goggles before you get started.
Quality Screwdrivers
When you are picking out screwdrivers, don’t just buy the cheapest ones. Buy a complete kit with many heads and drivers so you are not caught off guard. It is best to find kits that have a mechanics quality seal, as these ones will be job trade specific.
Instruction Manuals
It’s always a good idea to know what you’re doing before you attempt any car repairs or maintenance. Get an instruction manual or watch Youtube videos – and if the task seems too challenging for your level of experience – call our Alabama Toyota service department for an appointment.
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With fall approaching, your friends at Toyota of Dothan know that the holidays are just around the corner. If you are traveling in areas where inclement weather occurs then you may want to consider these following tips to keep your family safe during your travels.
Keep Emergency Items
Your car may be quite weighed down with your family’s suitcases and travel items, but make sure to also keep enough space to store a few practical items. Keep tire sealant in the car in case of a flat tire. Changing a tire in cold weather is not fun, nor is it safe to be on the side of a busy highway. Tire sealant will temporarily fix a flat tire and help you get to the nearest service station for a more permanent solution.
Keep a warm blanket you and your family can share. This may seem a weird thing to keep in for emergencies, but people who live or have driven where a blizzard strikes will tell you they can come on very quickly and without warning and leave you stranded for a while. Blankets are also useful if you break down or after a car accident to help keep someone warm while waiting for help to arrive.
Snow Tires
If you are traveling for the holidays into areas that get a lot of snow, you should invest in snow tires for your vehicle. Snow tires will help give you traction on winter streets, but take extra precautions if you are not used to driving in snow and ice, too.
Our service experts at Toyota of Dothan want you to know that things are just getting better as far as heating options are concerned. Keep your seat warm with heated interior seats and melt ice quickly and efficiently with heated wiper blades. Here’s what you should know about heating options for your vehicle:
Why You Should Get Heated Wiper Blades
People in warmer climates always wonder why they should get heated wiper blades since they don’t deal with ice and frost as often as colder climate areas. Heated wiper blades are excellent for helping keep your windshield clear during rain and fog, too. Heated wiper blades have automatic sensors that turn them on automatically, which is convenient and one less thing to worry about while you’re driving.
Heated Seats
Who wants to get into a cold car and shiver until it warms up? Not only can heated seats keep you comfortable in cold weather, but they’re also great for aching muscles or after a long day at work. Having heated seats just adds a touch of luxury to your daily commute.
Visit or Toyota dealership near Troy to see which vehicles offer heated seats, and ask about adding heated wiper blades to your vehicle, too.
Toyota of Dothan Debate Sealants Versus Spare Tires
There is a fierce debate of preparedness, practicality, and safety waging between your service experts at Toyota of Dothan. Your service team experts will give you both sides of the argument for using tire sealants or spare tires when you’re faced with a flat tire, so you can make the best decision as it affects your lifestyle.
Space Considerations
A spare tire obviously will take up more room in your vehicle than a can of tire sealant, although most cars have a compartment for spare tires. If your car cleverly stores the spare tire, it may be quite difficult to get out when you need it – which can be a problem when stuck with a flat tire on the side of the road
Some people decide they need the storage space where their tire is kept for other items, and remove the spare and replace it with a can of tire sealant for emergencies.
Less Time on the Side of the Road
Most sealants do a great job of temporarily sealing the hole in your tire so you can get back to your trip quicker. When you temporarily fix a flat with a tire sealant, you’re not stuck on the side of the road for a long period of time like you are when changing a tire. It is not overly safe to change a tire on the side of a busy highway, so using a tire sealant is a good way to get back on the road quicker and out of harm’s way.
There is a great deal of debate out there as to whether halogen lamps are better than the traditional headlights. Toyota of Dothan would like to weigh in on this debate, and give you some facts about halogen lamps, so you can decide if they are worth the money and installation on your brand new or used Toyota.
Whiter Light, Better Vision
There is no question that the white light that shines from Halogen is purer than that of the traditional lamps currently in widespread use. However, there is some debate as to whether the difference allows you to see further. The lights purity seems to make no difference in visibility.
This is something to consider given that Halogens cost about $20 or more per headlight.
From the Other Driver’s Perspective
The whiter light of halogens may appear brighter to approaching cars. We have all been blinded by someone who forgot to turn off their high beams at one point or another, so we can relate first hand to the dangers of being temporarily blinded by the light.
You may have to check with your state, and local laws as some places have banned Halogen headlights.
If you are still considering Halogen lights because they appeal to you stylistically or for practical reasons (Halogen lights tend to last longer than traditional headlights), you can stop into our Toyota dealership for installation.
Toyota of Dothan wants you to be the safest driver you can be. Distracted driving is becoming one the leading causes of car accidents. Here are some tips for driving safer and less distracted.
“There is an App for That”
A lot of smart-phones have features that will allow you to restrict usage will driving. Most smart-phones have apps that can be used hands free for texting or talking. Some Apps, such as ZoomSafer, prohibit usage when it can detect the vehicle in motion. Although most states allow for hands free talk and texting, it is a rule of thumb that you are safest when you commit your focus to driving, and driving alone.
Some More Apps to Think About
Check your phones features, or ask your provider about how to make your phone safer while driving. There are apps, such as Textbuster, which will block all incoming texts until you get out of your car, this way you do not feel that sense of urgency to respond while you are driving.
Many smart phones have features or apps that will read your texts to you while driving. Again the safest way to drive is completely un-distracted. For those people who will feel the urge to text or talk while driving, turning the phone off may be best.
The Consequences
Many states give out severe punishments for people who drive while texting or using there cellphones without a hands free device. Keep this in mind as you may travel, that some states the fines are as high as $500 dollars, and five points on your license, for your first offense!
As always your Friends at Alabama Toyota want to remind you, don’t drive in-text-icated, it can wait.
Toyota of Dothan has the 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE with Excellent Fuel Economy and Great Performance
With increased awareness of how emissions negatively impact the environment, hybrid cars are becoming more popular. If you’re going to go this route, you might as well do it with style. Come to Toyota of Dothan and test drive the fuel efficient and high performing 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid, full of high end standard features.
Performance of the 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE
This hybrid runs on a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that works with an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission and electric motor/battery pack. City driving is especially fuel-efficient because at low speeds the Camry Hybrid will run on the electric motor alone. When just the gas engine is running it will get 156 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. When both work simultaneously, the horsepower increases to 200. The 2013 Camry Hybrid will go from 0-60 in just under seven and a half seconds, which is quite fast for a car in its class. Electric-assist steering makes for improved control and handling.
Standard Features in the 2013 Camry Hybrid XLE
Enjoy plenty of room for passengers and drivers of all sizes. Even with a battery pack on board, the trunk boasts 13.1 cubic feet of space. The XLE has heated mirrors for icy mornings, automatic headlights, a luxurious tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel swathed in leather, full power accessories, eight-way power driver seat and 17-inch alloy wheels. Technology inside includes a trip computer, 6-inch audio display for the six-speaker sound system equipped for CD, satellite radio, HD radio, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a USB/iPod interface.
When shopping for a family vehicle, there are many important factors to consider. We here at Toyota of Dothan think that the 2103 Toyota Highlander SE is the perfect SUV for transporting your children all over town, because of two very important components: safety and space. Come test drive one and you’ll love the standard safety features on board and the amount of room inside for your whole family and their belongings.
Safety in the 2013 Toyota Highlander SE
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2013 Highlander their top rating of “good” in tests of side-impact, frontal-offset, and strength of the roof. The SUV will come to a stop in 118 feet from 60 mph, which is very good for vehicles in this class. Standard safety features to protect your most precious cargo include:
- Side curtain airbags, the length of the vehicle
- Active front head restraints
- Antilock disc brakes
- Passenger front seat side-impact airbags
- Driver-side knee airbags
- Hill-start assist
- Ventilated disc brakes
- Smart Stop technology
Inside the 2103 Toyota Highlander SE
Comfortably seat seven on smooth leather upholstery. Second row-bench seats slide forward and back, as well as recline for added comfort. The second row has a 40/20/40-split, with a center removable seat that can be stored in a compartment under the center console, for easy access to the third row. Fold down the second and third row, and you’ll get an enormous 95.4 cubic feet of space for storage. The SE gets a power lift gate and heated front seats.
The sporty crossover SUV Toyota RAV 4 XLE is fun to look at and drive, and has very practical functions. Come to Toyota of Dothan and experience the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 XLE with easy to utilize storage space, and plenty of features that add comfort to your ride. This is a vehicle perfect for family or a single person or couple who loves to travel.
Comfort Inside the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 XLE
Begin knowing that the RAV 4 has an abundance of interior cabin room for five people of all sizes to stretch their legs and avoid hitting their heads. Passengers will get to customize their ride with dual-zone climate control. Both front and rear seats recline with ease. Drivers get a six-way adjustable seat trimmed in fabric with sport bolsters, and passengers have four selections to position their seat. The tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel has audio controllers built-it to make adjusting the music easy and limit distraction while driving. All interior accents are soft touch and power windows operate without a problem due to the jam protection.
Storage in the 2013 Toyota RAV 4 XLE
Getting your goods in and out is now simpler due to the roof-hinged lift gate that has taken over for the side hinged back door. The spare tire is no longer on the back, but stored underneath and out-of-the-way. With the rear seats up, you have 38.4 cubic feet of space available. Put them down, and you can almost double that with 73.4 cubic feet of space. The floor is low and even with the rear bumper, so that you have an easier time loading and unloading all of your gear.
Toyota Safety System On Vehicles at Toyota of Dothan
From the Toyota 4Runner to the Toyota Corolla, Toyota of Dothan is proud to say that 13 different Toyota vehicles earned a place on the IIHS 2013 Top Safety Pick List. We know how important it is for drivers to feel safe when they’re behind the wheel, and to feel like their families are protected in the event of a dangerous situation on the road or in a car accident. Toyota offers six safety features as part of their Star Safety System that make our vehicles as safe as possible.
Safety Features of the Star Safety System
The Star Safety System includes six different safety features designed to help a driver keep control over their vehicle or obtain control during a potentially dangerous situation. Sensors give the vehicles the ability to detect and respond to common problems in order to improve the safety while you’re on the road.
Braking Safety Features
To help the vehicles stop safely, the Star Safety System offers the following braking safety features:
- ABS – anti lock brakes will help prevent the car tires from locking into place and sliding out of control.
- Electronic Brake-Force Distribution – helps maintain control by reducing brake pressure over the wheels with the least amount of weight.
- Brake Assist – the car will automatically apply more brakes if sensors indicate the car is in need of more braking or if the driver is panic breaking.
Driver Control Features
To help the driver maintain control over the vehicle in adverse situations, the following systems are in place:
- Smart Stop Technology – if both gas and brake pedals are pushed together, Smart Stop Technology will know and reduce power to the engine.
- Traction Control – if sensors detect you are sliding, the power to the engine is reduced until the car has normal traction again.
- Vehicle Stability Control – when the sensors detect a lack of traction and sliding, the vehicle stability control kicks in to make sure the brakes have enough power and reduces power to the engine.
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