Does it Make Sense to Buy a Vehicle at Tax Time?

Does it Make Sense to Buy a Vehicle at Tax Time?

Thirty-four percent of vehicle owners expecting tax refunds say they’ll spend part of it on vehicles. Will you?

The survey, conducted last year by Harris Interactive for eBay Motors, polled 2,200 Americans. Forty-nine

percent said they’d spend their refund on vehicle maintenance, and 21 percent said they’d spend it on buying a new or pre-owned vehicle.

Why is buying at tax time so attractive? For starters, the average tax refund is $3, 000 and makes a great down payment or pre-owned vehicle purchase. Plus dealerships, like Borcherding Buick GMC, often offer special tax-season sales.

Spending your refund on a great vehicle may be a better investment than that summer vacation in the long run. After all, it can take you on many vacations for years to come. What do you plan to do?

By,

Kim Borcherding

5 Safety Maintenance Musts for Spring

5 Safety Maintenance Musts for Spring

Let’s face it: When we think of spring cleaning, we don’t always include our cars. Even though they work harder for us than anything we own, puttering along dependably on most days, we don’t spend nearly enough time taking care of them.

Unfortunately, that neglect can backfire. In fact, the National Highway Traffic and Safety

Administration estimates that 2,600 deaths occur every year from neglected vehicle maintenance.

And that doesn’t include the less dangerous maintenance slips that can shorten the life of your car, causing a transmission or engine failure that forces you to buy another vehicle, costing you thousands in lost and new payments.

Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your car humming happily without breaking your bank account. All your car needs is a little love, and these top 5 spring maintenance musts:

1.     Batteries, Plugs & Wires: Cold weather in Ohio stresses these car parts and the last thing you need is to lose battery power in the middle of the highway. Make sure all these parts are running smoothly, so you can speed off into the spring sunset without a care in the world.

2.     Fluid Levels: From transmission fluid to refrigerant, make sure your car is getting plenty of fluids. One small problem with engine oil or transmission fluid can ruin a vehicle that was previously in perfect condition. And you don’t want to wait until the first 80 degree day to realize your refrigerant is low and you have no AC.

3.     Brakes: Snow and ice can take a serious toll on brakes. Make sure you give your brake system a full inspection. Even one worn brake pad can make or “break” brake safety.

4.     Check your tire tread. Don’t wait for the first heavy summer rain to discover your tread has been worn by an icy winter.

5.     Windshield Wipers: Get your wipers inspected. Cold temperatures can wipe out blades to the point where they’re no longer effective.

Don’t forget to contact Borcherding’s service department for our spring maintenance specials! (866) 666-7657.

2013 Encore Receives IIHS, NHTSA Safety Accolades

2013 Encore Receives IIHS, NHTSA Safety Accolades

All five models in luxury brand’s showroom now share IIHS Top Safety Pick designation

DETROIT – The 2013 Encore luxury small crossover brings a smaller footprint and high efficiency to the Buick showroom, but the brand’s newest model maintains the commitment to safety, joining all other current Buicks as an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2013 Top Safety Pick. The Encore with all-wheel drive also received a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
With every model sharing the IIHS designation, Buick is one of just a few brands with a full line of 2013 Top Safety Picks. The Verano, Regal, LaCrosse and Enclave all have a NHTSA 5-star overall rating.
The IIHS tests vehicles to determine occupant protection in front, side, and rollover crashes, and specifically tests seats and head restraints for neck protection in rear impact crashes. To earn a 2013 Top Safety Pick designation, a vehicle must be rated “good” in all four tests.
NHTSA tests for its 5-star safety ratings program include front, side and rollover testing, along with a side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.
The Encore has 10 standard air bags, a standard Rear Vision Camera and the security of OnStar – a combination unmatched by any competitor. In a rollover crash, sensors in the vehicle deploy standard head curtain air bags prior to impact and leave them inflated for an extended period.
Encore’s advanced body structure is comprised of more than 60 percent high-strength steel that provides a protective safety cage around occupants. Other safety measures include standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, panic brake override, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, and a collapsible pedal system that reduces the risk of leg injury.
Available active safety features for the 2013 Encore include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, a pair of technologies that use a single forward-looking camera to read traffic patterns and lane markers on the road ahead. Visual warnings and audible tones alert the driver to unsignalled lane changes or a slowed vehicle.

“Safety is a top priority in Buick’s product renaissance, as evidenced by receiving these latest safety accolades for Encore,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “Our customers can have confidence in the safety performance of every Buick for sale today.”

Buick News

Buick Delivers Best May Retail Sales Since 2005

Buick Delivers Best May Retail Sales Since 2005

Consumers choose more premium features as brand marks 13 straight months of retail sales gains

DETROIT – With an expanded lineup featuring three sedans and two crossovers, Buick posted its best May retail sales in eight years. Led by the 2013 Enclave luxury crossover, Buick retail sales were up 9.9 percent from May 2012, marking 13 consecutive months of year-over-year retail sales gains.  Buick total sales were down 3.1 percent.
Calendar year-to-date retail sales are up 16.9 percent, while total sales are up 16 percent.
Enclave had its best May ever with retail sales of 4,912, up 18.6 percent year-over-year. The redesigned three-row crossover has delivered year-over-year retail sales gains each month since it was introduced last year and is up 27.4 percent year to date.
The all-new Encore luxury small crossover also continues to sell well with 1,974 vehicles delivered in May.
Buick customers are selecting more premium features and colors in the brand’s newest crossover models.
The top two models (1SL and 1SN) for both the Enclave and Encore represent the largest percentage of sales for each vehicle – more than 90 percent for Enclave and more than 50 percent for Encore – with the feature-rich 1SN packaged model spending the least time on dealer lots.
Buick crossover customers are also opting for premium tricoat paints, with the Enclave’s White Diamond and Encore’s White Pearl representing the highest percentage of sales for each model.
“Enclave has be our best-selling model since its introduction in 2007, so it’s no surprise the redesigned model is leading our growth this year,” said Brian Sweeney, vice president of Buick Sales and Service.  “More importantly, we’re seeing demand for the premium trim level models within our crossover line-up, which is indicative of the customer that’s considering Buick today.”
Enclave was recently named a 2013 Total Quality award-winner in the Near Luxury Utility category by Strategic Vision, which examines 155 specific aspects of Total Quality to measure the most meaningful experiences for customers across all automakers.

The Verano luxury sedan also marked its best month of the year in May with retail sales up 9.4 percent over May 2012.

Buick News

2014 Buick Lineup Offers Active Safety Suite

DETROIT – Every 2014 Buick model – Verano, Regal, LaCrosse, Encore and Enclave – will be offered with a suite of available active safety systems that watch the front, side and rear of the vehicle to help prevent crashes.
Buick will be the only brand in the industry to offer Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Warning, and a Rear Vision Camera on every vehicle.
Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning are a pair of technologies that use a single forward-looking camera to read traffic and lane markers on the road ahead. Visual warnings and audible tones alert the driver to unsignaled lane changes or a slowed vehicle.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Warning use radar to watch spots the driver may not see – and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.
When the vehicle is in reverse and the Rear Vision Camera is active, Rear Cross Traffic Alert will flash a red icon and directional arrow if another vehicle is approaching from either side, which is especially useful backing out of a tight driveway or parking space in a busy lot.
Side Blind Zone Alert detects other vehicles in a Buick’s blind spot and alerts the driver with a yellow icon on the glass of either side view mirror. If a turn signal is engaged while a vehicle is detected in the next lane, the icon flashes to discourage merging.
“Striking design, uncompromised comfort and purposeful safety technology – those are the core attributes of every Buick,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick Marketing. “Our 2014 lineup will tell an active safety story exclusive to the Buick brand and, more importantly, one that helps protect our drivers and passengers better than ever before.”
Passive safety is equally important to Buick. Although 2014 models have not been rated, every 2013 Buick model available today has been designated as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Current Buick models make extensive use of high strength steel and, with the Verano compact luxury sedan and Encore luxury small crossover, offer as many as 10 standard air bags.

The Enclave luxury crossover comes standard with the industry’s first front center air bag, which helps protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes. It deploys from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the driver and front passenger, offering protection that no other airbag can offer.

Buick News

GM global sales up 4% in first half of 2013, ahead of Volkswagen shared by Borcherding

General Motors reported a 4% increase in global vehicle sales for the first half of the year, placing it ahead of Volkswagen.

Toyota, which was the world’s biggest automaker last year, has not reported its first-half sales.
GM gained a tenth of a percentage point in global market share to 11.5%, as sales hits 4.85 million. That outpaced Volkswagen’s 4.7 million vehicles, up 5.5%.
GM posted an 8% sales increase in North America to 1.64 million vehicles, as market share rose from 17% a year ago to 17.2%. In GM’s International Operations unit, which includes China market, sales rose 7% to 1.92 million vehicles, with market share rising from 9.3% to 9.4%. But sales fell 6.5% in Europe.
Separately, Goldman Sachs raised its rating on GM’s stock Tuesday to “Conviction Buy,” up from “Buy.” The firm’s analysts said GM’s stock could hit $45 within the next 12 months, “driven by a global product story.”
GM shares slipped 32 cents to close at $36.18.

GM Media

Star quarterback returns to Buick to promote safety features

DETROIT – Football star Peyton Manning returns to TV screens across the country during this weekend’s NCAA® Men’s Basketball Final Four®. The spot, called “Blindsided,” is Manning’s second contribution to the “Experience Buick” campaign. It focuses on safety features of the 2013 Verano compact luxury sedan.

“We’re talking about the new Verano but using important football lingo. Last year we were calling audibles and this year it’s a spot called ‘Blindsided,’” said Manning. “No one wants to be blindsided, especially a quarterback. Usually you have one guy protecting the blindside but these features are so good, it’s really like having 11 guys blocking your blindside.”

The 2013 Verano has a standard Rear Vision Camera and an available safety package that includes Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. These two technologies share a set of radar sensors hidden in the corners of the rear bumper that can help drivers avoid crashes when changing lanes or backing.

Rear Cross Traffic Alert senses cross traffic up to 65 feet away that may not be visible to the driver when backing out of a parking space or driveway. The driver is alerted with a red directional arrow displayed on the Rear Vision Camera screen along with three directional beeps.

“Peyton Manning is approachable, and that’s synonymous with what Buick is – an approachable, down-to-earth luxury brand,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick Marketing. “And while he’s certainly elevated and premium in terms of his position in the NFL, he’s easy to relate to and likeable.”

Source: GM Media