Copperstate 1000

It isn't often Bill and I are asked to MC a ballgame, beauty pagent or even a swim meet, but the Men's Art Council  of  Phoenix Art Museum asked us to announce the 21st Annual Bell Lexus Copperstate 1000 on April 10th. 

We think it went well, introducting 100 unbelievable vehicles with their drivers and passengers. I had a difficult time pronouncing Iso Rivolta Grifo.. as the audience turned to me  trying to get me to pronounce it properly via gestures and shaking of heads is disbelief.

I had done so well, up to that point, even with the 1948 Cisitalia 202 SMM Novolari Spider rolling off my tongue.  No matter what, it was fun and we met some wonderful people and saw some of the most beautiful privately owned vehicles in Arizona as well as owners who came as far as New Hampshire.

Thanks to Kelly Whitton, Keith McLain and Phil Bradstock.  Also without Nolan Rome, I would not have known what page I was on and Bill would not have had time to say "Enjoy the Ride".

WHAT WOMEN WANT

Finding a Repair Facility

By: Cathy Droz

Have you ever thought about what you should look for when choosing a repair facility to work on your car? 

Weather you are a man or a woman and own a vehicle; you will at some time need a repair facility.  Weather it's for a major repair or just to pick up the phone and ask that professional a question, you want to deal with someone you trust.

The First thing I suggest you do is find a repair center before you need one.  Someday you might be in an emergency situation and not know where to go and find yourself in a desperate predicament.

Figure out where you want the facility to be convenient to… your work, school or your home?  The reason for that is, if you need a lift to any of these places, after dropping off your car, you will want to know if they provide that transportation.  Not all facilities can provide that…make that one of your questions.

Take the time to ask around for recommendations from friends, family and co workers.
Find out who has a technician that they know and trust, then go talk with those that were recommended to you. It makes sense to interview the people who own or manage the facility.  You wouldn't bring your dog or your child to a doctor without checking them out and interviewing them, would you?  After all, these people will be working on your pricey car and helping to keep you and your passengers safe.

Look around the facility, is it clean, are the people courteous, are there all kinds of awards displayed? Ask for a look at the service bays and find out how involved the business is in the community.

Check their credentials and certainly check consumer protection agencies in your area.  Ask about warranties they offer on their parts and labor and if they honor any warranty that already exists on your vehicle.  Ask what their hourly rates are and are there any discounts given to your place of business, school or other affiliations.

For me, I can tell a lot by the bathroom.  Don't hesitate to check out the cleanliness and the amenities that might cater to females especially, the bathroom tells all.

Remember to do your research; you will be glad you did.  Being prepared will help avoid any stress when you do need work done.  You may also want to see if they have been both pet and female approved.  Its details like those that can help make your decision.

After so many years in the car business, I've learned how to spot an exceptional facility and one that just spends a lot on advertising. 

Limit your interviews to three and don't be afraid to ask questions.  I consider the owners of my favorite repair facility friends and there's always a fresh pot of coffee brewing when I arrive. Find out what you want from  repair facility.

 

Journalism Teacher Takes Siernna to the Test

SINGING TO SHOW LOW IN A SIENNA

2011 Toyota Sienna SE 3.5L

By Melanie Droz

Taking the 2011 Toyota Sienna to Show Low for the weekend proved to be a great idea. Bringing along 7 students for a Student Council convention was even better.

With the ability to fit 8 passengers and 1 driver, the Sienna was roomy enough for all of us to fit in one vehicle. It was also practical enough in terms of cost by providing 18 city mpg and 24 highway mpg. Taking just one car only cost each passenger $8. for gas. However, the 7 excited teenagers cost me a headache that lasted most of the trip between their singing, laughing, cell phones and texting alert signals.   They never stopped talking.
               
Speaking of cost, the 2011 Toyota Sienna starts with a MSRP of $30,550.  However, we drove the SE 3.5 L model that lists for $33,518. The price tag seemed well worth it considering the safety of the van and the precious cargo.  The Star Safety System comes standard with the Sienna and includes enhanced VSC with TRAC, ABS with EBD and brake assist.

Although I wanted to stop several times and have some of them walk to the hotel at some point during the trip, the child-protector sliding door locks in the Sienna prevented me from doing that while driving. However, the dual power sliding side doors made it much easier to pile the kids in and out of the minivan every time I had to drop them or pick them up at the convention.    The student council students are great kids but even the best of teens x 7 is a lot.

The power rear door was also a convenience when I went antique shopping while the kids were at the convention. I was able to easily open and close the rear door to put some great buys in the cargo area. Because I bought so much, we were forced to use the roof rail in order to keep all of their bags on the way back. We were lucky to have it.  We must have looked like the Brady Bunch bus on the way back to Phoenix.

The comfort of the 2011 Toyota Sienna SE was the most appealing feature of the minivan for me.  Although the kids laughed at the first sight of traveling in a minivan, they fell in love with the 4-way passenger captain chair, the 2nd row removable captain chairs with stowable center pass seat, the tri-zone air conditioning, the rear window sunshades and the XM radio. I was also a fan of the 8-way power driver captain chair, multi-info display, backup camera, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls and the push button controls.  

Despite the stress I felt from traveling with so many loud teenagers, all of the amenities of the Sienna made the trip worth it.   Toyota has made this minivan practical and economical.  I don't know what the stigma is with minivans, I want one at some point in my driving career and the Sienna has it all.

For more go to www.toyota.com

 

Discover the Region

Discover the Region

Grandparents on the Go

Cerreta’s Candy Company

By Cathy Droz & Cathy Burford

March 24, 2011

The goal of ‘Grandparents on the Go’ is to find that unique place in the region where the grandkids can learn something new, make new friends, and have fun while embracing their community.  Cerreta’s Candy Company was just that place.

Imagine having 3,000 to 6,000 pounds of chocolate to process every day – would you know where to begin?  Luckily for all of us, the Cerreta family does.  That’s right – the Cerreta family, of Cerreta Candy Company fame in downtown Glendale, AZ has been creating the finest local candies and chocolates for over 21 years.  However, the family’s history in the candy business began over 40 years ago, with Jim Cerreta, Sr.

Their factory, located at 5345 W Glendale Ave, Glendale, AZ offers visitors not just the finest confections around, but allows visitors to learn all about the candy-making process.  They offer factory tours at 10am and 1pm every weekday.  Don’t worry if you can’t stop by for the tours, they have self-guided tours available during their business hours.  These tours give you a glimpse into the complex art of candy creation.  Even your youngest grandchildren will be fascinated by the sights and smells in that building!  They choose a few children for a hands-on candy project during the tour, and for an additional fee you can even attend ‘Chocolate Pizza Camp’- yummy!

You will find a fantastical array of goodies in their store; everything from chocolate-covered pretzels to French Mints ( #1 seller), pecan caramels, chocolates with every type of filling imaginable, novelties, and even taffy.  For your special occasions they can create virtually anything you have in mind.  And for those who have everything, you can purchase a 500 pound chocolate Santa, a 250 pound Valentine heart, or a 23 pound Easter Bunny.  The sky is the limit at Cerreta’s.

If you go:

Cerreta Candy Company

5345 W. Glendale Ave.

Glendale, AZ 85301

www.Cerreta.com

623.930.9000

M-F 8am-6pm  Closed Sundays

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon

This isn’t your daddy’s station wagon

Two for the Road USA - by Bill Zervakos

Let me start out by saying that I simply don’t have enough superlatives for this car. I was impressed with the V6 Sport Wagon I drove last year but this car is in a dimension all its own. The numbers are mind numbing; 556 supercharged horses under the hood and a thundering 551 lb-ft of torque rocket the V-Wagon from 0-60 in a blistering 4 seconds. Yep, you read it right; a nearly 4400 pound station wagon out runs the likes of the Mustang Shelby GT500KR and it’s just a tick slower than the Saleen Dark Horse Extreme Mustang, and the Z06 Corvette. In other words, it’s a monster, but a monster that offers a lot of utility. I was surprised when I saw the test car came with the Tremec TR6060 6-spd. Manual transmission, I mean station wagons and six speed manual transmissions seem a bit oxymoronic to me, but then again, the V Sport Wagon is far from a typical station wagon.

The engine features an intercooled Eaton Twin Vortices Series™ (TVS™) supercharger.  This unique supercharger design employs twin four-lobe rotors, twisted 160 degrees. Typical superchargers feature three lobes twisted 60 degrees. The fourth lobe and added twist, when combined with unique air inlet and outlet ports, create smoother, more efficient airflow into the engine. In addition to improved overall efficiency, this supercharger has superior noise and vibration characteristics compared to more ordinary designs.

The kind of power the 6.2 liter Supercharged engine puts out is managed by torque being channeled through the six-speed transmissions to a high-performance rear axle that features a limited-slip rear differential within a cast iron housing for greater thermal management, and asymmetrical half-shafts to smoothly manage the supercharged engine’s incredible torque. The unique design includes alternately sized half-shafts that also help dynamically balance the oscillation of torque from side to side, effectively eliminating “power hop.”

I know that’s a lot of technical jargon but in truth, it just hints at the technology in this vehicle. But let’s talk about the styling for a moment. The CTS-V Sport Wagon is beautifully sleek and sexy in an understated way. The Sport Wagon incorporates a unique grille that doubles front-end airflow to help enable its high-performance capabilities. It is also visually identified by an aggressive front fascia and raised center section of the aluminum hood that provides clearance for the supercharger. It rides on 19-inch forged aluminum wheels available in painted or polished finishes.

The interior of the CTS-V Sport Wagon is shared with the sedan, including streamlined instrumentation, LED lighting and hand-cut-and-sewn accents. It comes with performance seats featuring perforated microfiber inserts designed to hold the driver and front passenger in place during cornering. The Recaro performance driving seats in the test car are optional and believe me; they provide excellent support for lively driving

Complementing the performance seating is a thick steering wheel and a gauge package designed for easy, reference during performance driving. Large instruments have bold readouts, including a very interesting LED-lit “tracer” function in the tachometer that flashes as the engine nears the red line. The gauge layout includes a boost gauge and a lateral acceleration display. Obsidian Black accents grace the center stack, console, steering wheel and door panels. The production steering wheel and shifter are available in Alcantara, providing the luxurious character of suede. These accents are elegant to the touch and aid the driver during high-performance driving. Like every CTS, the V-Series includes a hand-stitched instrument panel, door trim and center console.

Leading-edge infotainment features extend to the V-Series. Standard features include an advanced navigation system with a deployable screen, Bose 5.1 digital surround audio, factory-installed Bluetooth phone integration and a 40-gigabyte hard drive that allows the customer to store a large library of music files. The system uploads files via a USB port or the in-dash DVD/CD drive and allows stored tracks to be searched and selected through the radio controls.

But driving the CTS-V Sport Wagon is where it’s at. I’ve had the pleasure of driving a lot of performance cars from Corvettes to Vipers and about everything in between and I’m here to tell you, the V-Sport Wagon can run with the best of them and on top of all that, it offers comfort and room. With the power the V-Sport Wagon puts out, handling can be dicey if not managed properly and the Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes along with the Michelin PS2 tires are up to the task, and the beauty of it is, you get extraordinary road-holding performance while maintaining the poise and comfort of a luxury car when in “regular” driving mode. 

The technical enabler of this dual-mode driving character is Cadillac’s landmark Magnetic Ride Control. It is the world’s fastest-reacting suspension technology. It uses shocks controlled by magneto-rheological technology, rather than mechanical valves, to greatly accelerate response time and precision. What all that means in lay terms is that electronic sensors at all four wheels literally “read the road” every millisecond, making constant adjustments to damping to create virtually instantaneous and extremely precise control of body motions. It’s amazing technology that allows for varying degrees of damping control to optimize the ride and handling for different driving conditions with selectable driving modes possible.

Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing says, “The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a natural extension of both the V-Series and the CTS lineup, offering an uncompromising performance car to enthusiasts who want the extra room of a wagon,” “The V-Series Sport Wagon is another hallmark of the dramatic presence and power of Cadillac vehicles.” I couldn’t agree more, I mean had this car been around when I had my boys at home, there’s no doubt it would have been in my garage.

Roger Cahill wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Roger Cahill requested to add you as a connection on LinkedIn: Cathy, I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. - Roger Cahill   Accept View invitation from Roger Cahill   DID YOU KNOW you can showcase your professional knowledge on LinkedIn to receive job/consulting offers and enhance your professional reputation? Posting replies to questions on LinkedIn Answers puts you in front of the world's professional community.   © 2011, LinkedIn Corporation Monday, February 28, 2011 Tesla Roadster Sport Its’ Electric By:  Two for the Road USA Bill:  The folks at Tesla call the Roadster Sport “the game-changer” that offers supercar performance with zero emissions, world-class acceleration, handling and a very edgy design that places the Roadster amongst the world’s most coveted sports cars. After having the opportunity to spend just a bit of time behind the wheel of one, I’m inclined to agree. The electric motor and single-speed transmission generate nearly 295 lb-ft of instant torque and 288 horsepower at zero rpm. This car will set you back in your seat and keep you there. It is an amazing experience. Cathy:  First let me tell you about how it looks.  The one we tested was red as seen on our website. It was the perfect fit for my 5’2 height and somewhat proportioned weight. The best part is that it doesn’t look like a car in Toy Story 3 and doesn’t feel like a toy car once settled in the cockpit.  The Tesla only weights 2,200 pounds.  Unlike other green cars that look a little awkward, the Tesla gives you a sense of speed and sport yet elegant and safe. Bill:  The Tesla Roadster explodes from 0-60 in a mind numbing 3.7 seconds with zero emissions, doesn’t use a drop of gasoline and has a range near 250 miles on a charge. That number puts the Tesla Roadster in the same performance category as the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and the Porsche Carrera GT and even the exotic Pagani Zonda C12S, all cars that cost much more than the Roadster Sport which starts around $129,000. The only thing missing from the Tesla is the roar of a screaming engine however; you do get the jet-like whine of the electric motor which is actually pretty cool. This car has a huge fun quotient. Cathy:  I disagree with Bill, there was plenty of screaming when I pulled out of my driveway and hit the gas pedal down my street.  Once I got to the open road the screaming was even louder, like me on a roller coaster.  Bill likes a certain kind of roar and I like the inner Zen that this car produced. Bill:  The Tesla is hand-built with carbon fiber with a monocoque chassis built with resin-bonded and riveted extruded aluminum that adds rigidity and strength to the lightweight Roadster. Inside the cabin there’s no more waiting for the engine to warm up because the moment you start the Tesla, temperatures adjust to your settings to keep you comfortable. Cathy:  When speaking to our fellow Press Association member Ron Will, who was a designer of the corvettes in the good ole days explained what Behavioral Design was.  It has to do with the way a thing performs its function.  Is it easy to operate?  Is there good feedback? Does it fell like an extension of your own senses?  These are the considerations he said that designers consider when they address the behavioral aspects of a product.  If the product doesn’t work well, people will catch on and not want to own it.  Well the Tesla passes the Behavioral Design test for me… Bill:  What I found most fascinating about the Tesla was the performance and handling it provides with zero emissions. If you’re looking for the absolute best of all possible worlds in a performance Roadster, I don’t know how you can miss with the Tesla. Cathy and Bill:  There is a whole lot more to Tesla then we can talk about here but we will say, if you’re looking for an exhilarating Roadster for special events or as a daily driver, you need to check out the Tesla Roadster Sport. They’ve sold some 1500 world wide and they’re not building many of them so if you’re interested, you may want to check one out sooner rather than later.  Tesla plans on coming out with a sedan and a SUV.  We can hardly wait. reservations@teslamotors.com 1.888.51. 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We do auto, safety and travel reviews on the radio and videos for televison websites. Having a sense of humor is a requirement to be part of Two for the Road USA. View my complete profile Picture Window theme. Powered by Blogger.