Grand Re-Opening at Community Tire

Grand Re-opening as ASK Patty.com Certified Repair Center

The recent grand re-opening of Community Tire & Auto's Phoenix location has been highly touted throughout their local market! The store's rework was highly driven by Community Tire's involvement in the AskPatty.com for Tire Dealers and certification as a "Female Friendly Tire Retailer." Community Tire is a 2007 Tire Review Top Shop Award finalist, and was the first North American tire dealer to complete the AskPatty.com training and certification program. Read more about it at TireReview.com. You can also learn about how Community Tire is creating a healthier business environment in anticipation of the upcoming Swine Flu season. Find out more about the H1N1 virus, and how you can stay healthy this fall by watching this video at YouTube.


A Safety Hint from Community Tire -- At Home, Your Car Can Save Your Life....

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr's office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain....It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around.After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

Two for the Road USA Radio Co-Host, Cathy Droz, attends Phoenix Citizens Police Academy.

October, 2009
Two for the Road USA
By: Cathy Droz
Questions by Bill Z.

I sit on the board of directors for Silent Witness, a non- profit organization that raises funds to financially reward those responsible citizens who report crimes leading to arrests. The monies come from private donations and fund raising, not from the city government’s budget. While rewards for information are offered, many are never collected. This is due to the civic responsibility of the citizens who are just looking to help and make a difference.

Originally from New York, I have many retired friends from the New York City Police and Fire Departments. I have always admired the work and sacrifice of these organizations, especially after 9/11, where one of those friends was affected by the loss of several of his colleagues. Since then I have wanted to communicate to the masses what our fire and police departments do to keep our communities safe, and to reinforce a sense of respect for these courageous individuals. I felt the more educated I was with what they do, how they do it, as well as the individuals themselves, the more effectively I could get the word out thru the media and word of mouth.

Being a member of The Board of Silent Witness has exposed me to the police force in many forms. I have been given insight as to why these men and women chose such a dangerous and demanding profession. The common thread I have found is they want to help other people in crisis, comforting the families of the victims and getting the bad guys off the street. As a whole, I have found the force to be compassionate, caring, dedicated and hard working.

So far, the six week Citizens Police Academy (designed to give key members of the community a first-hand look at our police at work) has been informative and eye opening. It has also been educational in learning how many departments are involved in handling everything from traffic tickets to human smuggling.

I am currently entering week four of a six week program, which includes the following topics:
Dynamics of Deadly Force Encounters
Officer involved shooting
Ethics
Gangs
Homeland Defense
S.W.A.T.
Communications 911
Vice
K-9
Crime Lab /CSI
Community based policing
Amber Alert/Missing Persons
Air Support
DUI
Motorists Assist
Firearms Unit/Range/Arrest Tactics and
a full shift ride along in a precinct unit

I leave class each week without knowing any police secrets or how to get out of a traffic ticket, but I do know that the Phoenix PD, as well as other law enforcement departments in Arizona, possesses state of the art equipment and technology to keep us safe. With potential budget cuts being considered, this is not an area we want to cut back on. While Hollywood glamorizes some police departments, such as CSI (CSI Miami), the bottom line is that these men and women risk their lives everyday for our community.

When Two for the Road co-host Bill Z. asked Cathy on the radio about her academy classes, here is what she had to say:

What surprised you the most? The number of educated, attractive, strong, caring, high ranking women that serve in all forms of law enforcement.

Myths? I’ve not seen one donut at headquarters or in a patrol car

Which session so far has been an eye opener? Amber Alert/Missing Persons

If you could turn back time, would you ever consider being a police officer or firefighter? No, I am not that brave. I could work in the office of headquarters or Public Relations but that is it.

What do you hope to accomplish by taking this course? Communicating to others what I have learned, with the hope that they pass it along to their friends and families. To instill respect for the police, helping your neighbors and being observant at all times; “if it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.”

Wildest Goal? We start thanking the police, fire and Sheriff’s officers the way we thank the men in the armed forces in an airport. Yes they are paid to do their job, but you couldn’t pay me enough.

Worst Part of the Course: The photos of violent crimes against other human beings and exploited children.

For more about the Citizen Police Academy go to www.phoenix.gov/police/citaca1.html

What do you get when you cross a twin turbo Benz with EVOMSit?

One very bad piece of machinery with over 700 lb/ft of torque. My son Rod works with Evolution Motor Sports in Tempe Arizona and they've built some incredible Porche's but check out the recent dyno testing on this SL65. http://evomsit.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-do-you-get-when-you-cross-twin.html This is a car I have to take a ride in.

2009 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV

All hail the rebirth of the Maxima. Okay, maybe that's just a bit over the top but with the 2009 iteration Nissan moves the Maxima back into the mainstream of mid-size sports sedans with a car that has pretty decent styling and is a whole lot more fun to drive than its predecessor. Redesigned with a new chassis and a much nicer interior, the Maxima definitely offers a good amount of bang for the buck. The Maxima-S bases at just a bit over $30,000 and the SV which is what my tester was bases at just a bit over $32,000 and with that you get a pretty well equipped vehicle.

Along with a host of safety equipment some niceties that are standard in the SV include leather appointed seats, a driver seat lumbar support and a thigh support extension, 8-way power driver seat and 4-way power passenger seating. You also get the leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, tilt and telescoping wheel and a multi-function trip computer. I like the Nissan Intelligent Key system with push button start and the Bose audio system. The tester also came with the $400.00 Cold Package which ironically includes heated front seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors. Just what I need at 115 degrees in Phoenix in the summer, but it is a nice feature for those that just love their winters. The tester also added Bluetooth and a rear spoiler which brought the final price including destination to $33,900.

The new Maxima features a 290-horsepower V6 engine mated to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT, Continuously Variable Transmission which I’m not usually a big fan of but this wasn’t bad at all. The Maxima is built on Nissan’s new “D” platform which really helps with body rigidity and thankfully minimizes torque steer. The wheelbase is shorter than the previous generation but the new Maxima is wider therefore it sports a much more aggressive stance.

Part of what contributes to that more aggressive stance is a new grille and more muscular fender flares that gives the Maxima a much sportier look that will fill the bill for those Nissan buyers that liked the size of the Altima but wanted a bit more pizzazz.

Driving the Maxima was a lot more fun than I expected with a much tauter yet supple ride. Cornering was actually fun in this car and getting off the line was quick and quiet with less noise from the CVT than in other cars. There’s sufficient room in the back for adult passengers so all in all the Nissan Maxima has returned better than ever so if you’re in the market for a Sports Sedan with a little pop that will get you 19mpg in the city and 26 on the highway without setting you back a whole lot of money, perhaps you should put the 2009 Maxima on your short list. It surprised me and I’m betting it will surprise you too. For more the Maxima click here……

Cars and Coffee Phoenix

When: Saturday – July 18, 2009

Where: Bondurant School of High Performance Driving

Who: Cathy D. -Cathy B. – Bill Z. - .
Two for the Road USA

Thanks to Scott Herberg from distinctive driving tours for putting this together.

Check out http://www.distinctivedrivingtours.com/

My dream car was there…. Cathy D.

2009 Chevy Silverado Hybrid 4WD Crew Cab

The Silverado Hybrid is Chevrolet’s gasoline-electric hybrid half-ton pickup that returns to the lineup for 2009 featuring General Motor’s two-mode hybrid system combining a 6.0-liter V8 gas engine with Active Fuel Management and late intake valve closing technology, with GM’s Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT) and a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride Energy Storage System. This system is said to achieve 40-percent greater city fuel economy and a 25-percent improvement in overall fuel economy. The new hybrid system allows the Silverado Hybrid to drive at up to 30 mph on electricity alone and also allows the engine to operate in its more economical V4 mode for longer periods.

With 367 lb-ft of torque, this combination allows for a towing capacity of 6100lbs which is just a bit less than its gas only twin. The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid shares the same two-mode hybrid transmission, 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack and aluminum-block 6.0-liter pushrod V8 as the Tahoe. This transmission has four fixed gear ratios and two 60-kilowatt electric motors with planetary gear sets into the space of a conventional gearbox.

Inside, the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid you’ll find a special tach with an “economy gauge” that has a green bar which represents a zone drivers can aim for to maximize fuel economy. The tachometer houses an auto stop reading to indicate when the gasoline engine is shut off although believe me, you’ll know when it does. An 8-inch touch screen features a screen to show if the power is coming from the electric motors, the gasoline engine, or both. It will also display real-time fuel economy and when regenerative braking is charging the batteries, as well as if the vehicle is in two- or 4-wheel drive mode. Oh by the way, applying the brakes in hybrids take just a bit of getting used to.

Under very light throttle, the electric motors can move the Silverado up to 30 miles an hour and moderate acceleration will start the gasoline engine. Like other systems, the gasoline engine turns off at stoplights and restarts when you tickle the throttle. Fuel economy estimates for the Silverado Hybrid are estimated at 20 mpg city/20 mpg highway, and while I didn’t spend much highway time in my tester, I got just under 19mpg which isn’t bad especially according to GM, the electric motors will allow the engine to operate in 4-cylinder mode more often. However, I have to admit that I don’t drive to maximize fuel economy..

As far as driving goes, I’m always amazed at how nice pickups are theses days and the Silverado was no exception. This is a very nice truck, comfortable and spacious inside with plenty of rear seat room for passengers. There is a large console with plenty of storage space and it comes with three cupholders for extra thirsty driver and passengers. The ride is smooth and the big trucks handles bumps well so whether you’re on the highway or off road, the Silverado makes the ride easy and comfortable. As far as performance goes, the 1500 hybrid has plenty of punch so no worries there for sure.

All this doesn’t come inexpensively though, as the tester based at $41,176 and with a few goodies and destination charges, the total came to $42,040. Basic warranty is 36 months and 36,000 miles with a 100,000 mile powertrain which is good news.

Bottom line, the Chevy Silverado Hybrid is a very nice truck so if you’re in the market for a full-size crew cab pick up, I’d suggest checking it out. I’m not saying that hybrids aren’t the be all and end all but they’re a good intermediate step so if you haven’t tried one lately, check Chevy’s Silverado Hybrid out, I think you’ll be pleased. For more on the Silverado Hybrid, click here……

2010 Chevy Camaro RS

Just got out of a week in a yellow, 2010 Camaro RS...here's just a taste of what I thought about it.....

It was such a long time coming and there was so much hype that I thought there was a possibility of the reborn Camaro not being able to live up to expectations. Not so. First and foremost it is a killer looking car. Now I will qualify that by saying that like the other pony cars that have be retro-resurrected, there is a certain psychographic that gravitates to this market so when I say this car is beautiful, it’s with that group in mind.

While there’s no doubt that without a GTO, Road Runner, GTX, Firebird or the classic Hemi Cuda just to name a few of the incredible cars of the past, we’ll never experience the golden era of muscle cars that dominated the scene in the ‘60’s into the early ‘70’s, it’s nice the have the trio we have because I doubt very seriously that we’ll see any more go into production. The great thing about the Camaro is that the final production car is very close to the concept car and that speaks volumes about the commitment of Chevrolet to make this car an instant classic.

I say that because according to Al Oppenheiser, Chief Vehicle Engineer, the Camaro was one of the most challenging designs their die makers ever had to deal with. Oppenheiser said that it took 10 or 12 tries to get the stamping right on the rear quarter panels because the creasing is so aggressive. Boy did it ever pay off because it’s that aggressiveness that adds to the appeal of the car and puts it in a class by itself.

The 2010 Camaro has elements from the Zeta-I Holden platform but it has a shorter wheel base and is stiffer overall so it justifies the Zeta-II designation. It is bigger than its granddaddy the ’69, it’s bigger than the Mustang but, the Challenger is actually much bigger with the Camaro sitting some 3-inches lower and actually a bit wider than it’s MoPar counterpart. Combine that with 20-inch wheels like my tester had and you have one bad-ass looking muscle car.

More to come......