The rise in gas prices is a common concern for most drivers now days.  Many motorists have been forced to carpool or find alternative modes of transportations due to soaring fuel prices. What consumers may be unaware of is that you can save on gas by making a few simple adjustments; here are some tips on increasing fuel economy in your Toyota;

 If you have a high performance engine your car may require premium unleaded high octane fuel, if you have been attempting to save money by purchasing low octane gas which costs less at the pump, keep in mind that it will not do much to enable your car to perform at its optimal fuel economy level.  Select the correct octane rating for the fuel you use to fill your tank.  Many Toyota’s require regular unleaded gas, check your owner’s manual to make sure that you know which type of fuel is recommended by the factory for your Toyota year and model.

Another tip that you may or may not be aware of is that by accelerating slowly whenever you are moving the vehicle from a stopped position, you will conserve more gas than gunning the gas pedal. By taking your foot off the gas and coasting for as long as you can before you start braking, instead of accelerating to stoplights and stop signs, you can save considerable amounts of gas.

Maintain the recommended tune-up schedule for your car. This will help your engine run better and use less fuel.

Make sure your tires are always properly inflated and have adequate tread. Proper inflation levels can be found on the sidewalls of your tires and tread should be more than 1/16th-inch deep.

If you are looking for a more fuel efficient vehicle, visit your local St. Louis Toyota Dealer, Spirit Toyota and start saving money on your fuel costs today.

It can be a frightening situation to say the least when you are driving along and all of a sudden your accelerator sticks.  In real life situations, some drivers have reported that their vehicle has gotten up to speeds of 100 mph and they were too panicked to think through the steps to take in order to slow the vehicle down.  Although each situation is completely different, Toyota has put some general guidelines out to drivers of a Toyota car or truck so that you can prepare yourself in case the unfortunate circumstances occur while you are driving. Here are the recommendations from Toyota in case your gas pedal sticks while driving;

If you need to stop your vehicle immediately, the car can be controlled by stepping on the brake pedal with both feet using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brake pedal as it will deplete the vacuum utilized for the power brake assist.

Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral ‘N’ position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn OFF the engine.  If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine.  Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button. 

If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine.  DO NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.

Try to remain calm and keep your emotions at bay.  Many drivers may panic which will only aggravate an already dangerous situation.

If you have questions about your Toyota, contact your local St. Louis Toyota service center at Spirit Toyota.

1.Fuel efficiency is the number one reason that compels consumers to purchase Hybrids . The Toyota Prius can get 20 to 35 percent better fuel efficiency than most other efficient conventional cars.  Electric motors don’t use any energy when the car is idling which makes them particularly efficient in traffic jams or when  driving through the city with areas that require you to stop and go frequently. The difference in fuel cost is significant, particularly if you do a lot of city driving or when gas prices soar.

2.Hybrid cars are known to produce low emissions, resulting in lower levels of carbon monoxide gases in the air. Not only does that reduce smog and lower the negative effect on the environment, but it also reduces the amount of fossil fuels consumed. Emissions levels for the Toyota Pruis are considerably less than those for conventional cars, translating into a benefit for the environment.

3.Hybrid engines generate much less noise than conventional engines. Some first-time Hybrid buyers may not even realize the car is running because they can’t hear the engine. The reduction in noise provides a more pleasant driving experience not to mention the reduction of noise that is created on busy residential streets

4.The Hybrid does not require charging before you can operate them and they can travel long distances without the concern of running out of power.  If you are traveling across country or have a long commute, you can just stop and gas up just as you would with a conventional vehicle.

5.There are tax benefits for Hybrid buyers from the federal government, providing  an extra incentive to purchase a car that is friendly to the environment and uses less resources.  There may be local area benefits as well, for example, in California, hybrid cars can use the carpool lanes on the freeway even if there’s only a single driver in the car, and the city of Santa Monica lets hybrid car drivers park at meters without paying. Other incentives may include tax credits and exemption from emissions tests.

If you are shopping for a new or certified used Hybrid, see your local St. Louis Toyota Dealer, Spirit Toyota and start doing your part to protect the environment today.

The Toyota Prius is known as the hybrid that gets the best gas mileage of any car in its class.  If you have been trying to decide if the Prius is the best Toyota car for you, here is some great information that may assist you in making the decision.

The Prius was one of the first hybrid vehicles developed. It has been known for its outstanding gas mileage and cutting edge hybrid car technology. There are several reasons that the Prius is making history, and why now is the time to purchase your new hybrid.

First of all calculate how much money you are spending on gas.  The Prius gets an average of 47 MPG combined gas mileage for city/highway driving.  Calculate the percentage of gas mileage you currently get with the car you are presently driving and then subtract the difference from what you will get with the Prius.  For example:  your current average combined gas mileage is 23 MPG so you will be getting 50% improved overall fuel economy by purchasing a Hybrid, subtract 50% or half of your total monthly/yearly gas expense and the difference is your savings.

If you are a person who is very environmentally conscious, driving a Hybrid really makes sense because Hybids put out very low emissions into the air and use less fuel from our limited oil supplies.  You will feel good to know that you have personally made a choice that will reduce your carbon footprint on the earth.

For those who have mistakenly believed that they would have to give up comfort or modern technology, be aware that the Prius is loaded with the newest features and options such as; climate control, audio controls using touch screen navigation, state-of-the-art technology that allows you to check your trip statistics as you drive and back up using the Prius’s rear  automatic park technology as well as the chip technology key system that has a computer chip  that must be located within the car in order to drive it, but does not have to be inserted into a key slot. If you try to accidentally lock your key in your car, there is an automatic alert system.

If you are interested in test driving a new or used Toyota Pruis, visit Spirit Toyota in St. Louis today and drive away in your new Hybrid today.

There is a lot of talk about hybrids and EV’s (electric vehicles) these days, we are all conscious of the effect of gasoline combustion engines on our environment, but many people do not realize that with every gallon of gas that is burned in an automobile that has a combustible engine, 19 pounds of CO2 is released into the air which is directly related to global warming.  The list of pollutants in car exhaust is endless, including: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, polycyclic hydrocarbons and more.

These chemicals can cause many types of illness in the body ranging from breathing disorders occurring in areas where the toxic chemicals are trapped in the air (smog), to cardiovascular disease. Some airborne chemicals stimulate the immune system to activate leukocytes and macrophages that can produce tissue damage, especially to the cells that line human blood vessels. The combined effect  is acceleration of the changes that eventually lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.  One of the most comprehensive health studies ever completed at the University of Southern California verified that children are suffering from acute respiratory symptoms as a result of high smog days.

Considering all of the ill effects on our health, and the drastic effect of car exhaust on global warming, not to mention that our children are suffering, it is difficult to believe that our  government does not step in to mandate production of cars that produce zero emissions in order to eliminate combustion engines altogether, and to create a market where zero emission vehicles are the only cars available.  This would obviously increase demand and drive the price down for new and used Toyota hybrids as well as EV’s.    

What is the alternative?  Eventually we WILL run out of oil making our gas guzzlers obsolete anyhow, and it leaves us wondering where the consumers’ priorities will be when the only viable options are  “should I walk, or ride my bike today?”

If you are ready to hop on the green wagon, stop by your local St. Louis Toyota Dealer, Spirit Toyota and test drive a Prius today!

Crossovers are becoming one of the most popular of all of the car styles today, and the 2010 Toyota Venza ranks 4 out of 28 of the most popular mid-sized SUV’s, based on 29 reviews that were published from results of test driving the Toyota Venza.

The Venza is Toyota’s car-based crossover, (evolved from the Camry) that offers the benefits of an SUV coupled with the comforts of a Sedan. This model does NOT feature the third seat option, so for those who are concerned less about the number of passengers they need to transport,  and more about getting the ultimate cargo space, The Venza is a perfect choice.

 The exterior resembles a modern station wagon with a sleek profile.  The spacious interior scored points while the performance was less of a major selling point for the Venza, although it handles well enough to rank number 4 and to be considered the best mid-sized Toyota crossover for the money.

According to Automobile Magazine,” it won’t tow like an SUV or go off –road like a Jeep, but for everything else, it’s a breath of fresh air.”  The Venza has been described as making other SUV ’s look like “yesterday’s news”.

The fuel economy beats just about every SUV in its class at 19/26 mpg city/highway and in fact, it’s second only to the Toyota Highlander Hybrid with a price tag starting at $6,000 less. The relatively low base price, high fuel economy and excellent safety equipment, makes the Venza an excellent choice for a family automobile.

 The 2010 Venza has no changes since last year’s design, you may do well to purchase a used Toyota Venza.  Consider a certified pre-owned model from 2009 if you are looking for the very best bottom line price along with the extended warranty and  peace of mind that comes with purchasing a new vehicle.

 To test drive a new or used Toyota Venza Crossover, stop in at your local Spirit Toyota Dealership in St. Louis, and drive away in your fabulous new Crossover today.

 Buying a car these days can be a daunting process, and quite confusing as far as the choice of automaker is concerned.  There have always been so many factors to consider about the make and model itself,  but recently, you may also be concerned about the fact that many automobile manufacturers have not been very financially stable recently,  what does it say about the quality of cars being made by a company that may have to cut costs in production?

As you take all of these factors into account, it’s no wonder that many people are hesitant to make a purchasing decision.  Rest assured that with proper research, you can select a sound automobile and make the best buying decision.

 There are several makes of cars available with quality guaranteed at an excellent price point so, let’s look at American cars versus Japanese cars and the pros and cons.  Japanese and American car making industries both produce great fuel efficient automobiles, however, there are factors that may influence you to choose one automaker over the other.

Many consumers choose American cars based on true support of our countries’ products. The three big U.S. automakers are Ford, GM and Chrysler, they all produce some great vehicles in every car style, ranging from sedans, economy cars, SUV’s, crossovers and hybrids, to large trucks.

With many of the American automakers facing bankruptcy, consumers today feel that it is wise to weigh the decision of selecting a Japanese made vehicle over a U.S. manufactured one, even those who historically pledged loyalty to U.S. made cars.   Japanese built cars are known for their style and finesse, they tend to rate higher in all three categories of safety, reliability, and drivability, so even though U.S. made cars have improved in recent years: when you weight all of the odds, the only factor scoring higher points for American made cars and trucks is lower sticker prices.  Considering the fact that Toyota’s statistically break down less often and hold their value much better than American made vehicles, in the long run, the lower price tag does not even compare to Japanese built cars.

If you have done your research and ready to purchase a Toyota, visit your local St. Louis Toyota dealer: Spirit Toyota today.

Purchasing a brand new vehicle form your local St. Louis Toyota Dealer, Spirit Toyota is exciting, but at the same time, you may be anxious about making one of the biggest investments in your life.

As a new car buyer, you are most likely concerned with doing anything you can to ensure that your investment holds the best value possible. We all know that a brand new vehicle starts to depreciate the minute it is driven off of your local Toyota Dealer’s lot, here are some tips on things that you can do to help ensure that your new Toyota holds its value as well as possible;

Obviously, keeping your mileage as low as possible will help your car to hold its value well, but that may not always be possible. If you purchased your Toyota as a business car, you will have the advantage of writing the depreciation off as a tax benefit-particularly if you lease your car, you may want to consider buying an older used vehicle to run errands on the week-ends which can keep the mileage down in your new Toyota. Some people keep their old Toyota’s instead of trading them in for just that purpose.

The second most important factor in making sure that your Toyota depreciates as slowly as possible is to keep accurate records of all scheduled maintenance that has been performed on time.

Maintaining both the exterior and the interior of your new car is also important, there are after-market touch-up kits as well as detailing products available to buff out or repair small scratches to prevent corrosion.

If you have small children, you may want to consider purchasing seat covers to protect them from stains, dirt and grime. Keeping your interior in new condition will really help your car to hold its value well. Consider a professional to detail your Toyota every 6 months, or at least once a year after the effects of winter snow, ice and salt on your car’s interior.

If you are a smoker, refraining from smoking in your car will be another selling point as most non-smokers will not even consider purchasing a used car that smells like smoke and it is almost impossible to get the smell out completely, once it has embedded in the car’s interior fabric

There are many great new accessories available for your vehicle.  Most of them can be purchased as aftermarket products, so if you don’t get the top of the line fully loaded model from the dealership, you can still get most features and options that you want at a later date.  In fact, you may save money by purchasing a vehicle with the standard features and options and then later adding only the custom features that you select for your automobile.

You can purchase anything from leather seats to a portable or installed Blutooth, to a GPS navigation system or even an electric charged portable or built in refrigerator that can plug into a 12 volt power point to keep food and drinks cool when traveling without the mess and hassle of keeping ice in a cooler.  Some types of portable units can even keep food frozen in the car!  The refrigerators resemble a vinyl cooler and can be stored in the hatchback or the trunk of your car or SUV. 

Depending on the year and model of your car, the electronics may vary.  Your car may have an AM crystal set or a 7-inch navigation screen. Even if you own a  car that is fairly new, some of the latest features like the Bluetooth hands free phone connection feature, always seem to be coming out on the next newest model, but fortunately it’s not too late for you to install an aftermarket product in your vehicle.

Other portable gadgets that may spark your interest are portable music devices such as an iPod or Zune. Recent research shows that half of all car owners use some form of digital music player in their vehicle, and more than 95 percent of brand new vehicle buyers own some type of a portable electronic device.

If you are looking for a new vehicle to customize with aftermarket products, see your local St. Louis Toyota Dealer and check out our line-up of new and used Toyota cars today.

 With all of the new technology being developed by automakers to build electric plug-in cars, we may be asking ourselves; how will the energy be created to charge all of these cars when electric plug-ins go mainstream?  Most electricity is currently generated by burning coal which is not a renewable energy source, but there is a great alternative: wind energy.  The U.S. Department of Energy reports that wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world today.  Wind energy is a clean fuel source that has already been used to provide electric power in some communities.

But how is wind power created?  It is the result of the sun heating the atmosphere. Once wind is created it moves, and this movement contains kinetic energy. Wind turbines are rotary engines that work opposite that of a fan, instead of creating wind, they generate electricity from the wind.  The blades then turn the shaft and energy is sent to a generator inside of the engine, kinetic power creates electrical power.

Wind farms that are connected to the grid send power through transmission lines which redirect the power into a sub-station. Electricity is distributed to homes and businesses through the sub-station. Grid-connected wind farms have to use the current electrical infrastructure that is already in place.

Wind power plants receive electricity from many turbines located on wind farms. Electrical output from wind farms is sent to the utility company, then the electricity is sent to transmission lines by the utility company. Consumers receive the electricity via distribution lines that go directly to their businesses or homes and will then use the electicity to power up their electric plug-in vehicles.

Plug-in vehicles may not be mainstream yet, but if you are lookng for a fuel efficient hybrid, see your local Spirit Toyota dealer in St. Louis and test drive a new Prius today.