Memorial Day Sale

Welcome To The Open Road - And The Beginning of Adulthood

By Brandon Gorrell

Everyone remembers their first car—not only the make and the model but how the steering wheel felt in our hands, the scent of the interior, the friends who rode shotgun. First cars make for more than just nostalgic memories, though—they’re often the first “big thing” we’re responsible for. And as with many firsts, our first cars were the tools of our learning experiences, from the minute we laid eyes on them before purchase to the moment we realized we had outgrown them and it was time to move on.

If you’re lucky, you’re looking at the Chevrolet Cruze, a vehicle that embodies everything that’s great about the journey, on the road and in life. And with the Chevrolet College Discount Program* for students and recent graduates, you can get a lending hand as you take your first steps and log your first miles in the real world.

First cars can teach us many things; here are a few that really stuck for me:

Responsibility. When you assume ownership of your first car and begin to do all the fun things that come with having your own method of transportation, you quickly learn that you’re not only responsible for its upkeep and your own safety, but you’re also responsible for the safety of your passengers and the fellow drivers in your immediate proximity. Your first car teaches you to be vigilant and mindful of yourself—and your surroundings—to ensure that the road is a safe place for everyone.

Budgeting. Gas and maintenance certainly aren’t free, and many of us got our first jobs to be able to afford our first cars. There’s really nothing like a healthy amount of financial obligation to motivate you into getting smart about your spending. Paying for your first car is one of your first lessons in money management, helping you on your way to becoming a budgeting pro.

Self-Reliance. Getting safely from point A to point B is easy when you’re riding in the passenger seat, but when you're driving your own vehicle, the job is all up to you. Whether it’s by changing your first spare tire on the side of the rod, learning how to replace your own oil, or figuring out how to read a map on your first long trip, your first car puts you in charge, building in you a self-reliance that’s an integral part of becoming an adult.

Selflessness. When you finally get your first car, you’re finally in the position to give friends a lift, offer a jump-start in the grocery store parking lot, help friends of the family move into a new home and more. In general, your first vehicle gives you the ability to help people out like never before. For this reason, your first car teaches you how to be selfless—it teaches you how to give to others what you can, when they’re in need.

Joy. There’s nothing like the open road to give you a sense of total freedom and joy, and to make you appreciate what a privilege it is to be able to get up, get out and drive anywhere you want to go. Your first car offers you these newfound moments of happiness—unconfined opportunity, a world that knows no bounds—and the ability see anything and do anything, as long as you know how to get there. Your first car is one of your first experiences with the expansive freedom that driving offers, teaching you the joy of the open road.

*Eligible participants for the Chevrolet College Discount include college students (from any two- or four-year school), recent graduates who have graduated no more than two years ago, and current nursing school and graduate students. Excludes Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Chevy Silverado - Lowest Cost of Ownership for Full-Size Pickups

Chevy Silverado Earned The Vincentric Lowest Total Cost Of Ownership Honor For Full-Size Pickups For The Third Year In A Row.

For everyone who owns a Chevy Silverado, you already know that you have the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickup on the road. Vincentric has now recognized Silverado for a third straight year as having the lowest total cost of ownership of any full-size pickup.

Just like a lot goes into making Silverado, a lot goes into calculating the cost of ownership. The Vincentric lowest cost of ownership award takes into consideration the costs of insurance, maintenance, fuel and more. So whether you are buying or selling, you are getting the biggest bang for your buck. On top of that, the 2013 Silverado 1500 also has the Best Pickup Coverage in America with its 2-year/24,000-mile scheduled maintenance, 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a 5-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty – 40,000 more miles than Ford offers – letting you know Chevy is keeping you in the drivers seat for as long as possible. Each of these things means that you save more money over time when you buy a Silverado. And that means a lot.

Now that you’re ready to head to the dealership and pick out your favorite color and style of Silverado, it’s important that you know all of the models that won this title. Every single one of the Silverado models, including the 1500, 2500 and 3500, has the lowest total cost of ownership of any full-size pickup in its class. The Silverado 2500 and 3500 were also given the 2013 Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America Award.

Like driving through the dirt? Want more money to get away and play? Then Silverado was made for you. Click here to view Silverado inventory at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet.

Oscar Meyer Wienermobile visiting Charleston

That big hot dog on wheels, the Oscar Mayer wienermobile, is visiting the South Carolina coast.

The vehicle shaped like a giant hot dog will be visiting supermarkets in Mount Pleasant on today (Thursday), then stop by the Cooper River Bridge kids run Friday.

It will be at the Cooper River Bridge run Saturday before visiting more area supermarkets Sunday.

During the stops there will be family activities and free wiener whistles.

There are six wienermobiles.

Here’s the Weinermobile schedule for the Charleston area.

The Thursday and Sunday dates are at local Bi-Lo stores:

Thursday, April 4, 11 AM – 2 PM, 1440 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Mt. Pleasant and 3 PM – 6 PM, 774 S Shelmore Blvd.

Friday, April 5, 11 AM- 4PM Hampton Park, Charleston

Saturday, April 6, 8 AM- 12:30PM, Marion Square, Charleston

Sunday, April 7, 10 AM – 1 PM, 1909 US Hwy 17 Bypass, Mt. Pleasant and 2 PM – 5 PM, 860 Folly Rd. Charleston

Are We There Yet?

Remember the awe and wonder you felt as a kid? When a simple game of “I spy” could keep you joyously occupied for hours? Road games are a great way to keep children of all ages entertained during long and boring road trips. In addition to preventing road fatigue, they make the experience more pleasant for everyone--especially mom and dad. Here are 10 simple and fun games anyone can enjoy.

One: Bottled Treasure
Fill a two-liter bottle about 3/4 full with rice or birdseed. Add a variety of small household objects like paperclips, buttons, marbles and toy soldiers. Make a list of everything you hid and seal the container. Have your kids shake the bottle and hunt for all the treasures you buried.

Two: A Map Mission
Give your children a map and have them mark it up to chart your journey. As you pass different towns and landmarks, help the kids note them on their maps. Fun for the kids and also educational, this game is a win-win and one that the whole family can get involved in.

Three: Counting Cars
Come up with fun, age-appropriate challenges. For example, be the first to find five green cars or ten semi trucks. Or keep count of how many different types of cars you can spot in an hour. Or how often you see a Toyota pass by. This simple game keeps kids occupied and teaches them how to stay alert.

Four: License Lookout
Before you hit the road, ask everyone how many different state license plates they think they’ll see. Write down their guesses. Keep a running list of the ones spotted along the way and fill time in between plates by talking about the 50 states, what their capitals are and what they’re famous for.

Five: Games Galore
Simple card games can keep children occupied and entertained for a long time. Games like Go Fish, Solitaire, Uno or even just practicing shuffling can be a fun way to pass the time. In addition, most favorite board games come in magnetic versions that are designed for travel and are perfect for road trips.

Six: Media Savvy
Have your kids pick a new book or movie, something they can get into and spend some time with during the long ride. Interactive games are a good means of entertainment and education. For electronic gadgets, make sure batteries are charged and that you have headphones.

Seven: What Do You See?
"I Spy" is a classic car game. Find a fixed object that everyone in the vehicle can see and say, "I spy with my little eye something that is …" Then give a clue as to what the object is.
Everyone takes turns asking “yes" or "no” questions about the mystery object. The asker then guesses what the object is. This repeats until someone gets the right answer. That winner chooses the next object.

Eight: Rest Stop Athletics
Pack some small athletic gear in your car like squishy footballs and Frisbees. If you don't have room, when you’re at a rest stop, create races where everyone has to run from tree to tree in different ways: run to the first tree, hop to the second, jump to the third and run back to start.

Nine: Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of items you think you'll see along the way. Make copies for everyone. As each person sees an item, he or she calls it out. Another person verifies it. The first one to cross off the entire list wins. Once you’ve finished this list, try and make another more challenging list and keep going.

Ten: Alphabet Game
As you pass signs, find each letter of the alphabet in order. You can only get one letter from each sign. When you see the letter, call it out. For example, you'd say, "I see an 'A' on 'Dairy farm this exit'." Keep going all the way through the alphabet until the first person finishes it entirely.

These car games are fun and keep young passengers occupied in safe, healthy and educational ways. Be sure to reward the winners by letting them choose the next DVD, hour of music, place to stop for lunch, etc.

Chevy Tetris!

Have you ever played Tetris? If not, you must have not owned a phone in the early 2000′s! It’s such a simple yet addictive game that it’s long been the go-to free game included on everything from phones to calculators. People play it so much that they even start seeing how things fit together in real life. We here at Herndon Chevrolet want to show you that there is a use for that skill!  What is it you ask? Packing the car.

Check out the video below!

Tire Service: Aren’t All Tires The Same?

If you are tired of the continual hassle of tire repair, then it’s time to go shopping for tires. If you have done this before, you know that there are dozens and dozens to choose from. Thus, choosing the appropriate tires for one’s vehicle is not easy to do. Make your choice by considering your style of driving and what is best for your particular vehicle rather than the most  widely advertised, or the most expensive in the tire service shop.

There are other factors to consider when considering the right tires to purchase for your vehicle. Consider these tips:

• First, consider the price. Although choosing the cheapest is not the wisest choice, choosing the most expensive may not be the best choice either. It is best to consider factors such as braking and road handling abilities before you set your purchase price point. The best are often middle priced, yet they offer a range of desired features, such as long lasting compounds, an advanced tread pattern, and quality performance in a variety of road conditions.


• Second, look at the braking performance. Look very seriously at the braking performance before you make a purchase. The rate at which one’s car is capable of coming to a complete stop from highway speeds will depend to a large degree on the pattern of the tread as well the composition materials. Tires that are made of hard compounds are more likely to lock up when the brakes are strongly applied. On the other hand, ones composed of soft compounds will brake very quickly but will also be prone to wearing down long before they should.


• Third, consider the climate and seasons. What seasons will the tires mostly be driven in? These are factors that people often forget to consider. If one lives in an environment that is colder and prone to ice and heavy snowfall, it will be essential to choose performance tires that are built to work well in the snow. In contrast, if one lives in a warmer or perpetually sunny climate, there are more choices available, with options to choose all weather or all season ones without worrying about their ice and snow capabilities.

So, after all, all tires are not the same. Be careful in your next purchase to get the ones that are best for your driving habits and the conditions that you drive in.  For information on purchasing tires from Rick Hendrick Chevrolet contact our Parts Department.

6 Easy Ways to Get More Out of Your Driving Experience

Road Resolutions You Can Stick To All Year Round
 

New Year’s resolutions were born to be broken. Admit it: It doesn’t take a calendar shift to make solid life changes. It takes a priority shift. A mind renovation, if you will.

Even so, it’s important to set goals and stick to them, no matter what day of the year it is. And where better to start than your second home? (I mean your car, not your office.) Sometimes we treat driving as though it’s just a means to an end, when really it’s an experience. It’s a time to be alone with our thoughts, or a quiet opportunity to bond with our loved ones, or a chance to listen to our favorite satellite music station. All too often, those simple pleasures are eclipsed by little frustrations that are actually in our power to control. It’s easy to miss the joys of the open road if your car’s oil light is blinking incessantly and your CDs are sliding across the seat at every turn. Who wants that?

Drivers and passengers alike can improve the quality of their journeys and their state of mind by making resolutions for the road. Here are six foolproof ways to improve the time you spend on the move this year.

1. Clean out your car on a regular basis. This means recycling old water bottles, putting your flashlight back in the emergency kit where it belongs and returning that Bruce Springsteen album to its rightful jewel case when you’ve finished listening to it. Do you want to break Bruce’s hungry heart? I didn’t think so.

It also means having trunk space ready for your groceries, which equals zero anxiety when someone needs to sit in your back seat. There is no greater shame than the backseat of your car looking like you dumped the contents of your closet on it. Cleaning up a big mess feels overwhelming, but if you clean as you go there won’t be an opportunity for the junk and disorder to accumulate. Making an effort to never leave the car empty-handed goes a long way toward keeping your Pig Pen tendencies in check.

2. Keep your vehicle outfitted with spare tires and other equipment so you’re always ready for an emergency.You’re probably no Boy Scout, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for worst-case scenarios. This will mitigate your stress when you’re in hot water, and it never hurts to be proactive when it comes to safety. When’s the last time you checked the air pressure on your spare tire? How long has it been since you checked the contents of your roadside assistance kit? Take care of that today.

3. Put your phone away when you’re on the move. Did you know that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident? I don’t know about you, but nothing I have to say via text message is that important. The road deserves 100 percent of attention—and so do the drivers sharing it with you. If you need to call or text someone, find a gas station or a rest stop and talk while the car is parked.

4. Check your owner’s manual for suggested maintenance schedules. The suggestions exist for a reason! If there’s something up with your car, you don’t want to find out when it’s too late. Taking preventive measures pays off. Your local GM dealer will be happy to make sure your car is in tip-top shape.

5. Practice keeping your cool when other drivers get aggressive. You can’t control a bad driver or their actions; you can only control the way you react to them. Take a deep breath, count to 10 and change lanes if the culprit is too close for comfort. Throw on a little Sade if you really start to unravel; that always works for me.

6. See the USA—as you’ve never seen it before. Sometimes we become so focused on the clock or on a to-do list that we completely miss out on the journey. But the ride is why we love our wheels in the first place! It’s why we choose the car over a train or a bus. It’s why we take days and even weeks away from the humdrum of everyday life to go road tripping when we could just as easily fly. No matter what was happening when you departed and what you imagine will happen at your destination, remember to soak in the scenery and open yourself up to viewing the world from a whole new perspective.

Construction Land Sales Event!

Windshield and Windshield Wiper Maintenance

Your ability to see clearly is imperative to driving safety Having an unobstructed, clear view out your windshield is always critically important, and never more so than during the winter months. Just a few minutes of basic maintenance before the poor weather starts can help insure the best possible visibility during the shorter days and longer nights of winter. Your windshield should always be kept clean, but especially so in the winter. Dead bugs, sap from parking under trees and even bird droppings all make it hard to see out, and can be hard to remove completely. A clean rag and some vinegar can usually loosen up any residue that has been left on the glass.  If you live where it’s cold in the winter, frost, snow and ice left on the windshield while you drive can make navigation downright dangerous. Always completely scrape and clear snow and ice, from all your vehicle’s glass, before getting underway. Don’t forget to clean the inside surface of your windshield completely and regularly. Film from smoke and other substances builds up inside over time and can significantly reduce visibility. Glass cleaners containing vinegar make the task quick and easy. If there is residue on your windshield that just doesn’t come off, stop by the dealership to see what options we can provide for you. With the glass clean inside and out, don’t forget to remove any leaves or twigs that may be left in the inlets at the base of the windshield. These will restrict airflow into the cabin that is needed for heating and defrosting the inside of the windows. Some older vehicles also have windshield washer jets mounted below the trailing edge of the hood which can be blocked by leaves. If the clean glass has any cracks or divots, these should also be taken care of by a professional auto glass repair facility. Small cracks and divots can now usually be repaired, without replacing the entire windshield, by injecting a polymer into the crack and then polishing the surface after it cures. Many dealerships now offer this service to their customers. Many auto insurance companies will even pay for these small repairs without charging any deductible because it can reduce the risk of future accidents. Check with your insurer to find out about their policies and take advantage of a free repair if it’s available. Over time, exposure to road sand and other debris can cause thousands of tiny pits and scratches in windshield glass. During the winter months, when the sun is lower in the sky, or at night, these pits can cause reflections that dramatically reduce visibility, even if the glass is clean. If your windshield has deteriorated like this, it may be time to replace it entirely. Of course, windshields with large cracks or star fractures should also be replaced immediately. With the glass in good clean condition, it’s important to keep it that way. Windshield wipers are made of rubber and, just like tires, they need to be replaced periodically – usually at least once a year. To keep the windshield clear and streak-free, the rubber blades need to be free of cracks and cuts, and the rubber needs to flex to follow the curved contour of the glass. Oxidation and long-term exposure to the sun will cause wiper blade rubber to harden and crack. Just as with tires, winter temperatures also cause rubber to stiffen. Like winter tires, winter wiper blades are made from different rubber formulations that stay pliable in sub-freezing temperatures, and they often have covers or shrouds over the wiper frames to prevent ice build-up. When you buy wiper blades, make sure you get the right size for your vehicle. If you have a hatchback, station wagon, van or SUV with a rear wiper, don’t forget to replace that blade as well, so you can see out the back. Remember to keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir full throughout the year. It’s especially important to use a de-icing washer fluid during the winter months to prevent the fluid from freezing. These fluids typically contain some ethanol or ethylene glycol to lower the freezing point. Washer fluid is inexpensive, and it’s a good idea to keep a couple of extra gallons on hand so you can top off your washer fluid tank in between visits to your dealer’s service department. It doesn’t take much effort to maximize your visibility, so spend a few minutes to care for your windshield and wipers. If you live in the snowy North, don’t forget to put an ice-scraper in the car. If you stop by today, we’ll help you keep your car ready for anything. Schedule your service appointment today by clicking the button below.

LEE COWAN TEST DRIVES THE NEW CORVETTE STRINGRAY AND TALKS WITH COLLECTOR AND NASCAR OWNER RICK HENDRICK ABOUT THE SPORTS CAR ON “CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD”

Caption: (L-R) Rick Hendrick, Lee Cowan

SAYS HENDRICK: “THE CORVETTE WAS JUST THE ULTIMATE CAR – YOU HAD THE STYLING, THE POWER, ALL THE GIRLS LIKED THEM”

CBS News correspondent Lee Cowan gets a sneak peek at of Chevrolet’s totally redesigned 2014 Corvette Stingray and talks with NASCAR team owner and Corvette collector Rick Hendrick about the prized vehicles this weekend on CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD.

“The Corvette was just the ultimate car,” Hendrick tells Cowan. “I mean, it was – you had the styling, the power, all the girls liked them.”

Timed to the car’s 60^th birthday, Chevrolet has redesigned the vehicle for 2014 and brought back the legendary Stingray name. Hendrick, a top NASCAR team owner, has one of the largest private Corvette collections in the world, with nearly 150 in his stable. He said he met his wife, Linda, while driving a Stingray.

“She rode with me in that first Corvette on our first date and it broke down,” Hendrick recalls. “She wasn’t very impressed.”

The two-seat sports car has survived for six decades, a period which includes General Motors’ bankruptcy. “It would be such a shame for that car to be missing in America’s culture,” Hendrick says. “I just think it’s part of the DNA of Chevrolet.”

Cowan talks with Tadge Juechter, Chevrolet’s chief engineer on the Corvette team, who allowed Cowan to become the first person outside the Chevrolet family to drive one. “I don’t even know how to describe it,” Cowan says.

Hendrick, a Chevy dealer, can’t wait to get his hands on one of the new Corvettes, Cowan reports. “I think this car will probably be one of the most sought-after cars that we’ve seen in a long time,” Hendrick tells Cowan.

History with a Mystery: CHEVROLET BOWTIE

The Chevrolet Emblem may have been inspired by a piece of wallpaper. Or maybe not

The Chevrolet bowtie—introduced by company cofounder William C. Durant in late 1913—is one of the most recognized emblems in the world today. But how it came to be synonymous with the brand is open to wide interpretation.

Inspired by wallpaper in a French hotel?

Durant’s version of how the logo came into existence is well-known. The long-accepted story, confirmed by Durant himself, was that it was inspired by the wallpaper design in a Parisian hotel.

According to The Chevrolet Story of 1961, an official company publication issued in celebration of Chevrolet’s 50th anniversary:

“It originated in Durant’s imagination when, as a world traveler in 1908, he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on wallpaper in a French hotel. He tore off a piece of the wallpaper and kept it to show friends, with the thought that it would make a good nameplate for a car.”

However, conflicting accounts have emerged, each of which is plausible enough to deepen the mystery and suggest it may never be solved. Two of the alternate origins come from within the Durant family itself.

Or was it a dinner-table sketch?

In 1929, Durant’s daughter, Margery, published a book entitled, My Father. In it, she described how Durant sometimes doodled nameplate designs on pieces of paper at the dinner table: “I think it was between the soup and the fried chicken one night that he sketched out the design that is used on the Chevrolet car to this day.”

Was it borrowed from a newspaper ad?

More than half a century later, another bowtie origin story was recounted in a 1986 issue of Chevrolet Pro Management Magazine, based on a 13-year-old interview with Durant’s widow, Catherine. She recalled how she and her husband were on holiday in Hot Springs, Virginia, in 1912. While reading a newspaper in their hotel room, Durant spotted a design and exclaimed, “I think this would be a very good emblem for the Chevrolet.” Unfortunately, at the time, Mrs. Durant didn’t clarify what the motif was or how it was used.

That nugget of information inspired Ken Kaufmann, historian and editor of The Chevrolet Review, to search out its validity. In a November 12, 1911, edition of The Constitution newspaper, published in Atlanta, the Southern Compressed Coal Company placed an ad for “Coalettes,” a refined fuel product for fires. The Coalettes logo, as published in the ad, had a slanted bowtie form, very similar to the shape that would soon become the Chevrolet icon. Did Durant and his wife see the same ad or one that was similar–the following year a few states to the north? The newspaper edition was dated just nine days after the incorporation of the Chevrolet Motor Company.

The Swiss flag theory.

One other explanation attributes the design to a stylized version of the cross of the Swiss flag. Louis Chevrolet was born in Switzerland at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Canton of Neuchâtel, to French parents on Christmas Day 1878.

Whichever origin is true, within a few years, the bowtie would emerge as the definitive Chevrolet logo. An October 2, 1913, edition of The Washington Post seems to be the earliest-known example of the symbol being used to advertise the brand. “Look for this nameplate” the ad proclaims above the emblem. Customers the world over have been doing so ever since.

Today’s bowtie: a gold standard.

Many variations in coloring and detail of the Chevrolet bowtie have come and gone over the decades since its introduction in late 1913, but the essential shape has never changed. In 2004, Chevrolet began to phase in the gold bowtie that today serves as the brand identity for all of its cars and trucks marketed globally.