Toyota is changing the world! I mean, we already know that a Toyota changed your world – because Toyota vehicles are totally awesome – but the company itself is actively Changing The World. And that’s not a nebulous statement, either. Toyota has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 10 companies that are changing the world. How, you ask? Read on!

Toyota has been listed as number 8 out of 50 companies on the list because of their strategy to reduce carbon emissions and their introduction of the Mirai, the new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, to the mass market. This is huge! Using hydrogen instead of gasoline cuts emissions and makes the Mirai one of the greenest vehicles out there. The hydrogen fuel cell is also way more sustainable and can contribute to a greener future for the world. That’s definitely world-changing, right?

Because of Toyota’s track record with awesome hybrid vehicles, this isn’t the first time the company has made this list. This is actually the second time in three years that Toyota has made this list. Of course, the list has only been around since 2015, but Toyota’s on a solid 2-out-of-3. You can’t shake a stick at that! Especially because according to the Shared Value Initiative, who helps create this list, companies rarely appear more than once… but not every company is Toyota!

Hopefully, Toyota will work even more on sustainability in vehicles. There will always be work to be done in terms of healing our environment, and we can’t just give up cars. We need them too much! Toyota looks at that and says, “okay, sure, but how can we make this better?” That’s how we got the Prius, and that’s how we’ll get whatever comes next after the Mirai. Here’s to a greener future with Toyota!

Check out the article from Toyota here!

Driving while distracted is one of the deadliest things you can do as a driver on the road – and the worst offender is texting while driving. According to the FCC:

• Over 8 people are killed and 1,161 are injured daily in incidents reported as distraction-affected crashes in the United States.

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2015, there were 3,477 people killed and an estimated additional 391,000 people injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.

• At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.

• In 2015, the National Occupant Protection Use Survey reported that handheld cell phone use continued to be highest among 16-24-year-old drivers.

These sobering statistics can be avoided, or at least ameliorated, through some simple steps you can take to impress upon people, especially new drivers, that texting while driving is dangerous for everyone on the road, including the driver.

Tell new drivers that they should not be using mobile devices, like cell phones or music players, while behind the wheel. Taking your eyes off the road for even a split second can kill – and with drivers taking their eyes off the road for an average of five seconds while texting (the equivalent of driving an entire football field) there’s a lot that can happen in even a short amount of time.

Don’t text and drive yourself! If you are trying to lead by example and show a new driver good habits while driving, you should practice what you preach and put the phone down.

There are solutions to staying in touch when behind the wheel that are much less dangerous and leave your hands and eyes open to driving, such as Bluetooth® and voice-activated controls. However, any distractions while driving should be avoided at all costs. If you know that you are easily distracted, do not talk on the phone or text when driving. Make sure that everything, like music, is set up before you start moving so that you will not have to adjust when on the road.

Staying safe on the road is one of the most important things you can do for not only yourself, but for the other drivers on the road with you. Teach others about how they can stay safe and not distracted, and practice those lessons yourself.

FREEDOM! SWEET SWEET FREEDOM! Or so your newly licensed teen thinks! Here’s the thing, I want my teen to be independent just as much as she does, well almost as much as she does, but I also want to make sure she is safe and sound and making good decisions. I know that I have to cut the umbilical at some point, but it’s hard to do when she’s asking for the keys and all you can see is a sweet 4-year-old with red hair and skinned knees walking out to the car. While I don’t want to be a helicopter mom, I do want to lay down some new driver ground rules to try to keep her safe. I’ve listed a few of my rules I enforce and hope they will be helpful to you too.

1. Focus on the Road!

While the advances in technology have been extremely beneficial in many ways, technology also serves as a distraction that can prove to be very dangerous. In fact, distraction is a major factor in teen car crashes. Research done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety showed that 6 out of 10 teen crashes involve driver distraction. That number alone is enough to want to cut up my daughter’s license.

2. Limit the number of passengers in the car

Much like the issue with technology, having large groups of friends in the car with them while they drive provides added distractions. Talk to your teen about why it’s important to limit the number of friends they have in the car with them and how they should handle a situation when multiple people are pressuring them for a ride. Some states have legal restrictions on the number and type of passenger a new driver can have in their vehicle during their first and second years of driving, so look up the laws in your state.

3. Set clear consequences for traffic tickets

When it comes to having a teen, in general, making the lines plain and clear is extremely important. This remains true with driving rules. If your child knows the exact consequence for things like traffic tickets, there will, in theory, be less conflict between you and your child and they will be less likely to want to inflict those consequences upon themselves. Make sure they know how traffic violations affect their driving record and their future driving, outside of the consequences you create.

4. Make buckling up a must

Really stress the importance of buckling up. It can literally be the difference between life and death, so make sure that your teen is buckling up every time they drive.

5. Say “no” to drinking and driving
Talk to your teen about the real dangers of driving under the influence or of getting in the car with someone who’s been drinking. While I certainly don’t condone underage drinking, I want my daughter to get home alive, and not attempt to drive while under the influence for the sake of hiding it from me. For every parent, this issue is a bit touchy and each will handle it differently, but for me, I try to stress a “no questions asked” system. If my daughter needs to get home I will not hound her with questions, I won’t yell, I will just pick her up and get her home safely.

6. Limit driving at night
Driving at night is riskier than daytime driving for all drivers, and even more so for new drivers. A whopping 53% of teen crash fatalities occur between 6PM and 6AM, notes Teens in the Driver Seat, which is one reason many states set nighttime restrictions for new drivers. Low visibility and glare from oncoming headlights make it difficult for any driver to see at night, regardless of their level of experience.

“Measuring Changes in Teenage Driver Crash Characteristics During the Early Months of Driving.” Measuring Changes in Teenage Driver Crash Characteristics During the Early Months of Driving | AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, www.aaafoundation.org/measuring-changes-teenage-driver-crash-characteristics-during-early-months-driving.

It’s a beautiful summer day- the sun is out, the birds are chirping. Everything is peaceful and calm. UNTIL a quick glance at your dashboard in your peripheral vision alerts you to a symbol lighting up. Darkness descends upon your day. The check engine light is on. BUT WHY?! Don’t panic! We’ll walk you through a few things you should do when your dash tells you it’s time for a checkup on your engine.

Why is the darn light coming on in the first place?

It’s perhaps a bit misleading to call this light the check engine light as the light can be activated by a number of issues that don’t necessarily have to do with your engine. In fact, this light is also called the malfunction indicator light (MIL). Basically, the light is activated when a car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD) system detects a problem with the performance of some of the car’s major components. Depending on your car’s year, make, and model the OBD will be looking for different warning signs.

The top 5 reasons a check engine light might activate. You could need to:

1. Fix a loose, damaged, or missing gas cap

2. Replace your oxygen sensor

3. Replace your catalytic converter

4. Replace your massive airflow sensor (MAF)

5. Replace your spark plugs or plug wires

So, how do you figure out what the real problem is? Your best bet is to get your vehicle checked out as soon as possible. While having your MIL light on isn’t usually anything to panic about, it shouldn’t be ignored either. By dealing with the issue immediately, you will likely save yourself from a more expensive trip to the service center.

So what do you need to do? When the MIL is activated, the car’s computer memory stores a “trouble code” specifying the problem. By translating this trouble code,  your mechanic can pinpoint the problem and make the necessary repairs. To do this, an electronic scan tool or diagnostic computer is used to read this code. While you can certainly do this on your own, for the most accurate diagnosis of what is going on with your car, you really should go to a professional. The Technicians at Fiore Toyota will be more than happy to help you out and get your car back in pristine shape.

So when your check engine light comes on, don’t panic. Get it checked out before it becomes something you really need to worry about. By fixing the little things early, you are helping to stop the bigger things from happening.

We all have that one friend that we are a wee bit hesitant to get in the car with because they suffer from a bit of road rage. If you didn’t read that sentence and picture one of your friends immediately, you are lying. For some there is a root cause, such as hanger, causing the road rage, and for others, they simply do not possess patience. Sometimes we have no idea why they are enraged, we just know that once the car is in drive, all bets are off.

In my case, my friend suffers from a healthy combo of hanger and lack of patience. We’ll be driving along, enjoying a lovely ride when out of nowhere, a rogue elderly couple enjoying a beautiful afternoon drive is going 10 in a 35 and our simple conversation about what we’re going to get for lunch can quickly turn into a very colorful string of phrases not appropriate for pleasant conversation.

If you can relate to any of what I have described above, here are a few tips to survive the drive with your road-raging friends.

1. Always have a snack on hand. I typically pick something small and light, quick enough to temper the immediate hanger, but not so much that they no longer want to eat lunch. My go to light snack of choice is a Snicker or other such chocolatey treat. It’s hard to scream at other drivers when I have unceremoniously shoved a snickers bar in your face.

2. Be ready with a Spotify playlist or song that you know the driver finds soothing or enjoyable. There is nothing like car ride karaoke to distract the driver from their rage, but not the road. It’s the perfect balance.

3. Tell your angry friend how pretty they are. This works on men and women. Tell that dude that he is the prettiest man whose face shines with the light of 1000 selfie filters and he’ll be hard pressed to not be at the very least distracted from his road rage. Also, he’ll probably feel so darn good about himself that the rage will be forgotten!

4. If all else fails, hold on to the handle above the front passenger seat (assuming you’re sitting up front and your friend isn’t driving you around like a limo driver) and hope for the best.  

Keep it safe out there, friends. Road rage isn’t something to be taken lightly, so if you or someone you love suffers from road rage, please do everything in your power to keep the situation calm and collected. If your car is stressing you out, stop by Fiore Toyota and we’ll help you find a car that keeps you feeling zen. We’re all just trying to live out there, so try to find your happy place. If you can’t we’ll help you find one.

One of the benefits of buying a car, truck, or SUV from a place like Fiore Toyota is that you can walk into the showroom in the morning and drive away in your new car a few hours later. Unfortunately, many people go to the dealership unprepared without even really knowing that they are unprepared. Inevitably, this delayed the process for them and created extra paperwork for the dealership. Largely in part, this is because most people don’t really know what they need in order to buy a new car. Good news, friends, we have a list of everything you will need.

If you want to take a test drive and let’s be real, you’re going to want to take a test drive, you need to bring your driver’s license. Many dealerships ask to make a copy of your driver’s license before they’ll let you drive their cars. Once back from your life changing test drive, and you totally want to buy that car, chances are you need to provide your driver’s license and a current proof of insurance card before they can complete the paperwork.

Should you need to apply for a car loan at the dealership,  the lender usually requires proof of full insurance coverage before they’ll let you drive the car home. In most states, your existing proof of insurance card will suffice. You then have a few days or weeks after the sale to let the insurance company know that you have purchased a beautiful new car. You don’t have to tell them that it’s beautiful, but you’ll probably want to anyway. As long as you notify them in time, your new vehicle is fully insured! WOO HOO! If in doubt, check with your insurance company.

If you don’t currently have full insurance on a vehicle, all you have to do is make sure your insurance company or agent is available by way of telephone right after you make your purchase. This way you can contact them with the year, make, model, VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), and miles on the car. Once the paperwork is done and you have paid, they can fax proof of insurance to the dealership so you can drive your new vehicle home.

Make sure that you bring an electric bill as proof of residence with you. You may not need this but always helps to be prepared. In addition, you should also have at least your 2 most recent pay stubs for proof of employment particularly if you’re looking to get a loan.

If you currently have a vehicle in relatively decent condition that you’re looking to trade in, remember to bring the “Certificate of Title” or pink slip. This will save both you and the dealership time from having to request a duplicate title from the DMV, which can really slow down the whole process. Please remember to clean out the car. Look under the seats for that cup your 2-year-old threw violently at the window last Thursday. Grab the CDs that were hidden in the glove compartment. Grab the Britney Spears CD you’ve been listening for the past 2 months from the CD player. Also, bring the manuals and extra keys and leave them in the car.

Finally, remember your checkbook. It’s amazing how many people don’t think of this and forget their checkbooks at home. Even if you plan on financing the entire cost of the vehicle, it’s usually a good idea to bring your checkbook in case you run into something you hadn’t thought of. You never know.

Buying a new car is a fun and exciting experience, so remember to enjoy the ride!

Have you ever horribly misjudged a road trip? No? Well, I have. Like, I’m not talking about I ran out of snacks or the drive was kinda long. I violently underestimated how far my car could go on 1 tank of gas and didn’t take the time to plot out where the rest stops with gas stations were. So here I sit, on the side of the road. No cell service and no idea where the nearest gas station is. My only hope was to wait for some kind person to stop and take pity on my stupid self.

My situation was not looking super promising. I was running low on snacks and it was starting to get dark. I had basically given up hope that anyone would drive by when, like a beacon in the night, a police car showed up on the road. They pulled up behind me and asked me if there was a problem. No officer, I just like to chill out in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road in my Camry. Please feel free to go on ahead. Obviously, I didn’t say that, BUT I was feeling sassy so I definitely thought it. He was kind enough to get me some gas so I could carry on my way. I was very lucky this time, but I could have been out there for quite a while if he hadn’t come by.

Other than the obvious concern of running out of gas on the side of the road there are quite a few reasons you should never let your gas go below ¼ of a tank.

You can’t always count on your fuel gauge to give you an exact measurement of how much gas is left in your tank, so keeping the gas level above ¼ tank removes the concern of ending up stranded like I did. Additionally, allowing the level of gas in the tank to run low can damage your car. If you run completely out of gas it could cause damage to your catalytic converter which could be an expensive job if it needs to be replaced or repaired.

The gas in your car also helps to keep the temperature of the electric fuel-pump motor regulated, much like coolant, so when your gas is running low, the pump sucks in air creating heat and resulting in the fuel pump to wear down earlier and potentially fail. That repair could cost a couple hundred dollars — which I’m guessing is significantly more than what you would have had to play to fill your tank.

If saving money is your reason for holding off on buying gas, just know that this effort to save a few dollars could end up costing you hundreds. If you are really concerned, you can stop by Fiore Toyota and find a vehicle with incredible mileage and save yourself some money that way!

So to recap, here are some tips to avoid running out of gas:

• Keep your gas tank no less than ¼ full.

• Fill up before heading out on a long trip or to work…

• Don’t rely on your car to tell you exactly how much gas is in your tank.