Cedar Park Neighbors Monthly Newsletter recognized Central City Toyota for their involvement with helping four adopted families of the Windermere Court Fire. Below is the monthly newsletter that is sent out. The article is at the top of Page 7. 

Click here to read more!

At Linwood Park, which recently opened in May of 2010 at the corner of Linwood Road and Athens Avenue, there will be a dedication for a new statue, donated by Max Paul of Ardmore Toyota. The date and time is to be announced.

The life-size statue, near the Linwood Road side of the park, is by sculptor Max Turner. It's called (for good reason), “Two Kids on a Bench," and depicts a boy and girl reading together.

Tire rotation is the essential practice of swapping your car’s front and back tires. This ensures they maintain regular treadwear and maximum traction, saving you money and keeping you safe. Because every make and model has different weight distribution, check your owner’s manual for recommended tire rotation intervals (it’s usually around every 6,000 miles). Tire rotation should always be performed by your expert dealer mechanic, who’ll do it in the pattern best suited to your car and tire type. He’ll make your tires live longer as they keep a tight grip on the road, delivering the best gas mileage possible. Ask your dealer about making tire rotation a part of your service contract.

The all-new 2011 Scion tC just received a Five Star Overall Rating for crash tests! Check out this article to read more about the Scion tC!

Great news! Toyota was recently recognized for its commitment to environmental excellence by the EPA! See below for an excerpt from the press release:

 “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Toyota Motor Engineering Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), with its 2011 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency and management. TEMA received the award at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. today. . . ."

To read the full press release, CLICK HERE.

REDMOND, Wash., and TOYOTA CITY, Japan — April 6, 2011 Microsoft Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) today announced they have forged a strategic partnership and plan to build a global platform for TMC’s next-generation telematics services using the Windows Azure platform. Telematics is the fusing of telecommunications and information technologies in vehicles; it can encompass GPS systems, energy management and other multimedia technologies.  READ MORE.

Click here to read the press conference excerpts.

When you go for that tune-up, your dealer mechanic will probably recommend that you buy synthetic motor oil. It’s significantly more expensive than regular oil, so you might think he’s trying to run up your bill. But he’s actually trying to save you money.  Synthetic oil comes from a laboratory, not the ground, so it’s free of the impurities that make the natural stuff break down under tough driving conditions.  It lasts longer, it contains additives that keep your engine running at peak performance, and it’s simply the best lubricant out there.  That’s why manufacturers build their cars around it. Today’s engines are precision-engineered, with little tolerance for the sludge and mineral build-up that natural oil brings. So listen to your mechanic. Spend a little extra now and you won’t have to see him again for a long time.

This weekend Toyota launched “Hope for Japan,” a website where visitors can contribute to the American Red Cross relief efforts and share a personal message of hope. We encourage you to visit the site and show your support at www.toyota.com/supportforjapan.

Below is a short update on some of the additional steps Toyota is taking in North America and Japan to help support the relief efforts.

Fundraising – More than $5 Million So Far

Toyota-Dedicated Red Cross Fundraising Websites Have Raised Nearly $1.5 Million in North America  – As of March 25th, special fundraising websites set up with the Red Cross have raised nearly $1.5 million from Toyota’s employees, dealers, suppliers, business partners and friends across North America. 

Dollar-for-Dollar Match– Toyota’s North American affiliates are matching donations made by Toyota employees to the American Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross, dollar-for-dollar.  (The employee match is not included in the figure above.)

Donation in Japan– In addition, Toyota in Japan has donated 300 million yen (about $3.75 million) to support the relief efforts.

Other Major Fundraising – Walk-a-thons last weekend in San Antonio, TX and Lexington, KY brought out hundreds of Toyota team members and other local citizens, raising nearly $60,000 for the relief efforts in Japan.

Relief Efforts in Japan

Relief Convoys in Japan Continue – Toyota companies in Japan began sending truckloads of medical and emergency supplies – including food, drinking water, blankets, portable toilets and disposable diapers – to victims in affected regions on March 12, the day after the earthquake and tsunami. As of March 30th, more than 60 trucks have made deliveries and six tankers have been sent to provide water.

Emergency Housing – Toyota is moving to provide nearly 500 apartments in Aichi Prefecture for people evacuated from affected areas.

Vehicles for Relief Efforts – Toyota is providing about 100 cars for local government authorities to use in four of the areas hardest hit by the disaster.

Distribution of Emergency Supplies – Toyota dealerships in affected areas of Japan are using their sites as temporary distribution centers for drinking water, food, cold-weather gear and towels to victims of the disaster.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our friends, our colleagues and the people of Japan.  We’ll be sure to provide updates as they become available.

On March 27th, Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda visited the region of Japan most affected by the earthquake/tsunami, then issued a statement of support, followed by a commitment by the company to donate 50 vehicles to support relief efforts in the area.

To All Those Affected by the Tohoku Earthquake

I offer my prayers to all those who lost their lives in the March 11th Tohoku earthquake and its ensuing aftermath, as well as my sympathy to the survivors and their families.

Not only is the struck region one of our production bases, those directly hit and vastly affected include our dealers, suppliers and numerous other partners.

I went to Miyagi Prefecture on March 27th.  Seeing the devastation with my own eyes brought home to me the depth of destruction and the atmosphere of sadness caused by the disaster.  Seeing the situation for myself made me more determined to continue to provide useful support.

I visited government offices in Ohira Village and in Taiwa Town, which have supported our business activities in their locales.  I also went to Sendai Port, to our dealerships and to our factories that produce vehicles and parts.

Although time was limited, through visiting the affected area and seeing people there trying step-by-step to get over the agony of their losses, I became strongly determined to return smiles to the faces of the people in the Tohoku region by reviving manufacturing there as soon as possible.

We believe that returning as quickly as possible to daily life can play an important part in bringing the hope of a better tomorrow at our plants, our team members once again working together, supporting each other and creating a positive atmosphere and, at our dealerships, warm and friendly staff once again welcoming customers.

We at Toyota will continue doing all we can to be of assistance to the people affected.

Akio Toyoda, President
Toyota Motor Corporation

As long as people have been driving, they’ve debated the merits of leather vs. cloth interiors. Besides budget, the choice comes down to how you’ll use the car.

Of course you can’t beat the look, feel, and smell of leather; but it does add to the price, and you might not want the maintenance required to keep it looking brand-new. A leather interior is sure to dazzle passengers, however, and it’s a major plus to resale value. 

Cloth, on the other hand, is known for comfort. Unlike leather, it doesn’t stick, burn, or get too cold. Though every new cloth interior is resistant to stains and odors, cleaning can be tough.

As with almost everything else, the leather/cloth debate is a matter of taste and your pocketbook. Be honest about both, and enjoy the ride.