Peruzzi Toyota Product Blog

Hybrid vehicles have experienced a recent explosion in popularity. At dealerships across the country, hybrids such as the Toyota Prius have waiting lists stretching as long as two months. Meanwhile, it can be difficult to sell bigger cars and SUVs, as the resale market has dried up almost overnight.

Much has been made about the Prius. Small and super efficient, the Prius is in many ways the poster child for the new hybrid revolution, and with good reason. A Prius is a fabulous alternative for many drivers.

However, the Prius is not the best choice for everyone. What if you simply need the extra room that an SUV provides? Whether you run a business or regularly perform carpool duty, you may find that the Prius is simply too small. Fortunately, you do have a hybrid alternative.

The newest Highlander is even larger than its predecessor, at four inches longer and three inches wider. It provides a great deal more room than the RAV4. The vehicle offers a roomy interior with plenty of space for both people and storage. The new design is modular in nature, allowing you to convert seats to organized storage and back quickly and easy.

The Highlander is available in a hybrid version that offers greatly increased fuel efficiency. While not quite as efficient as the smaller Prius, the Highlander nonetheless logs at least 27 mpg on the highway. It is also capable of towing 3,500 pounds, an excellent capacity for a hybrid design.

If you need the storage capacity, seating and towing capabilities of an SUV, but the fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness of a hybrid vehicle, why not consider the Toyota Highlander? Feel free to stop by our convenient local dealership, where we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Today marks the final day in our geocaching series. Geocaching is a worldwide game that can be played by all ages. Hiders place small containers of treasures in various locations and post their coordinates online. Then finders equipped with GPS systems seek the caches. When you find the item, sign the paper log book, take an item and leave an item behind. When you get home, be sure to post your experiences in the cache’s online log.

Travel Bugs and Geocoins
Travel Bugs and Geocoins are fun ways to track your geocaching adventures. Geocoins are collectible coins, while travel bugs are dog tags that can be placed alone or attached to an item you want to track.

Travel Bugs and Geocoins are available through the geocaching.com website. When you activate the item, it will get its own web page. You can then place the item in any cache of your choice. As it is picked up by other cachers, it will be logged on the item’s website. The item’s new location and mileage traveled will be available for you to view.

Many people give their items back stories and specific instructions. For example, there is currently a toy B-52 bomber with a Travel Bug attached making the rounds. Its goal is to have its picture taken with as many creatures of the sky as possible. Most cachers are eager to help these items meet their goals.

Online Logging
Once you have found a cache, the rules of the game dictate that you sign the onsite paper log book. However, you should also post a message in the cache’s online log. Although these messages are sometimes short, courtesy dictates that you leave at least a few lines describing the cache or your experience in accessing it. It is also helpful to let the cache owner know if there are any problems, from a wet cache to a full log book.

Geocaching is an exciting activity for the whole family to enjoy. Extensive driving is frequently necessary to reach cache locations, making the Toyota hybrid an excellent choice for the dedicated cacher.

This week we have been discussing the exciting global phenomenon known as geocaching. You can join in the game for the price of a GPS system, and all ages are encouraged to participate. All you need is a free membership at geocaching.com, which will give you access information for geocaches around the world. The cache owner posts the coordinates of the cache, and you use your GPS to find it. Then you can sign the find log and trade a small item in the cache for one of your own. Sooner or later, however, you might develop the urge to set up your own cache for others to find. Here is what you should know.

Placing Your Cache
Before setting up your cache, make sure that no others exist within a tenth of a mile. This is a geocaching.com requirement that prevents caches from stacking on top of each other, giving seekers a better range.

If your cache is on private property, make sure you have permission from the property owner. Also be sure that you are aware of your local roadway and right-of-way laws. Respect the environment. Do no place your cache where seekers could cause damage to fragile plant or animal life. Choose a location that has a point, whether it is a great view or a personally meaningful location. Make sure that finders can get to the cache safely and legally without attracting too much muggle (non-cacher) attention.

Filling Your Cache
Caches can be filled with almost items you can imagine. Some tiny caches contain no treasures at all, only a simple log book for finders to sign. If you want to include treasures, just remember that food, alcohol, firearms and drugs are not acceptable. Most people use items that cost under $10 each, although some throw in a nicer item for the first finder to discover. Make sure to include a nice notebook and pen or pencil for finders to sign. Use a waterproof container and/or plastic baggies to protect items from rain.

Maintaining Your Cache
Once your cache is posted on geocaching.com, you will have an online log book as well as the paper book that you placed on site. Pay attention to your logs, as finders will generally tell you if your paper log book is full, or if the cache has been damaged in any way. However, you should also visit the cache yourself on a regular basis. Keep it clean and spruced up and replace items as needed.

You may find yourself running caches in several locations. With the price of fuel today, a hybrid vehicle can save you significant money in the gas required to keep your caches looking their best.

This week, we have been discussing the hobby of geocaching, which is quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Geocaching is a game in which people hide small treasures for other people to find. All you need to participate is a GPS system and a desire for adventure. The game can be played by all ages, making it perfect for family outings and vacations. Today, we will discuss difficulty and terrain ratings, and how to decide whether a cache is right for you.

Terrain
Since caching is done by people of all ages, health and mobility, a system was designed to rate the terrain surrounding each cache. The rating system on geocaching.com ranges from one to five stars. One-star terrain is wheelchair and stroller accessible, while five-star terrain may have you hiking through swampland, rappelling down a mountain or donning your scuba equipment to find a submerged cache. The majority of caches seem to be rated 1.5 to 2.5 stars, making them appropriate for reasonably active adults and kids.

Remember that getting to the cache location is only part of the challenge. You will then need to actually locate and open the cache, make an item trade and sign the log book. Depending on the nature of the cache, finding it may require bending, stooping, crawling or climbing. If you have mobility difficulties, you may want to find a caching partner who is willing to do this part of the work.

Difficulty
The cache’s difficulty is also rated from one to five stars. One-star caches generally have straightforward coordinates posted and are relatively easy to find. Five-star caches may require puzzle solving to get the coordinates, may be extremely well hidden and may be part of a larger multi-stage cache.

It is highly recommended that you get your feet wet with caches that are rated low on both terrain and difficulty. This will help you learn to use your GPS and learn to “think like a cacher,” before you move on to more challenging caches.

Since caching involves a great deal of driving, you will find that a hybrid vehicle greatly expands your range. In this era of skyrocketing gas prices, a hybrid will help keep you on the road, finding great geocaches.

Yesterday we introduced you to a fascinating hobby known as geocaching that is taking the world by storm. The premise is simple: people hide small treasures and post their coordinates online. Other people use their GPS systems to find the coordinates and thereby the treasure. They sign the log book to claim the find, take an item and leave an item. Then they post their experiences in an online log.

How Do I Get Started?
To get started, you will need a free account at geocaching.com. This online resource will connect you with caches around the globe – an estimated 600,000, with more being added on a daily basis. The side also provides a gold mine of information for both new and experienced cachers.

How Do I Get to Caches?
In principle, simply by following your GPS to the listed coordinates. However, that would get old quickly, so most cache owners add a bit of a puzzle challenge to the hunt. The given coordinates will get you close, but not precisely to the item. You will need to search the area once you arrive. Just like Portkeys in Harry Potter, geocaches are camouflaged to blend in with the environment.

Some cache owners add an additional element. There are puzzle caches for which you must solve a puzzle in order to find the coordinates. There are multi-stage caches that require you to find clues in several smaller caches in order to reach the final payoff. For those who enjoy extreme caching, some actually require specialized gear ranging from scuba gear for submerged caches to rappelling equipment for those located on cliff faces.

For most caches, you will be able to drive reasonably close to the cache. You can then park and walk a short distance to reach the cache location. For this reason, hybrid vehicles are especially nice for cachers, as you will not be tempted to cross far flung caches off your list in order to avoid high gas prices.

Tomorrow we will discuss cache difficulty and terrain ratings and how to decide if a particular geocache is right for you.

Gas prices are now hovering around a national average of $4.07 per gallon, and the rise has shown no signs of abating. Now more than ever before, legions of consumers are trading in their gas-guzzling SUVs and luxury automobiles for eco-friendly, gas sipping hybrid vehicles. In fact, the demand has been so strong that in most communities there are now waiting lists for purchase.

Once they have gone to the trouble of signing up for a waiting list and have received their new hybrids, most consumers are eager to squeeze out as many miles per gallon as they possibly can. Several online forums are dedicated solely to sharing tips on maximizing fuel economy in hybrids.

Now aftermarket companies are eager to tap those consumers who want their hybrids to perform even better. Companies such as A123 are putting the finishing touches on converters that will transform existing hybrid vehicles into plug-in hybrids. Some companies are even taking it one step further, offering packages that will add plug-in hybrid capacities to conventional cars.

Many industry insiders are skeptical, however. There is a growing concern that these aftermarket kits may be rushed to the market before they have been fully tested. Some fear that the internal structures of the cars will pushed to their breaking point when the new systems are added.

Compounding the concerns is the price consideration. Aftermarket systems are priced in the thousands of dollars. This means that it could take consumers as long as 10 years to recoup the initial investment and actual begin to see a real savings.

The debate will likely rage on until the units actually hit the market and are tested under real world driving conditions. In the meantime, Toyota and other hybrid manufacturers are working to bring plug-in capabilities to their upcoming vehicles. If you would like to learn more about hybrid technologies both current and future, we invite you to visit our convenient local dealership. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

It is no secret that fuel prices have been steadily rising in the past year. Particularly in the past two months, repeated spikes in the cost of oil have caused gas prices to soar, with the national average now hovering around $4.07 per gallon. These costs are affecting not only day to day commuting expenses, but plane fares, food prices and vacation budgets.

Until recently, vacationers and business travelers who wanted to avoid the high cost of flying or the hassles at the airport opted to drive to their destinations. If they did fly, they often rented vehicles at their destinations in order to avoid taking public transportation in unfamiliar cities. Current gas prices, however, have changed the rules.

With consumers currently unwilling or unable to pay for gas, rental car companies are scrambling for business. Lowering prices and offering incentives has helped keep rental agencies solvent, but they are being forced to change how they do business.

Traditionally, renters could select the minimum category of car that they would accept. The agencies, however, only had to concern themselves with the total number of vehicles they had in stock, not the specific types. If the customer arrived and their requested car class was unavailable, the rental agency could simply provide a free upgrade to a nicer car.

Now, consumers are increasingly unwilling to accept the upgrade, since larger vehicles tend to use more gas. Instead, rental agencies are adding hybrid vehicles to their fleets, and consumers are fighting to ensure that they actually receive the promised hybrid.

If you want to rent a hybrid, experts suggest that you call rather than reserving online. Have the reservation agent note that you will not accept another type of vehicle. Although there are no guarantees, particularly now that demand is vastly outstripping the available supply, this can help to ensure that you receive a rental hybrid. With out of control gas prices, this can be a significant savings for your travel budget.

Toyota has recently announced plans to develop lithium batteries beginning in 2009 in anticipation of a plug-in hybrid debut in 2010. This ambitious schedule is being mirrored by other hybrid manufacturers, all in an effort to meet skyrocketing consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles. In order to prepare for the challenge, Toyota and others are looking to federal researchers whose job it is to compile data on the best designs.

For months, engineers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been driving around in after-market Toyota Prius cars. They have been tasked with determining the best way to provide the most power in the smallest package at the most affordable price. Further, they are trying to determine the best way to generate that power.

Some of the test cars look like they might have dropped in from a futuristic movie. For example, one Prius is fitted with both a 9 kilowatt hour lithium ion battery pack and a set of solar panels on the roof. The solar panels are capable of generating 165 watts of electricity.

The net result is a car that averages 100 miles per gallon. The catch? As outfitted, the standard price of that Prius would be around $70,000, far more than the average consumer is prepared to pay.

Nonetheless, the data that the scientists are gathering will be used to help Toyota and other hybrid manufacturers determine how best to face the real-world challenges that may not be immediately apparent in lab testing. For example, the batteries are tested under hot and cold driving conditions, and are tested for emissions.

Hybrid vehicles and other low-fuel technologies are quickly becoming the new standard. While auto manufacturers perform their own extensive in house testing, the contributions of a dedicated team of federal researchers can only be good for the emerging technology.

Hybrid vehicles have experienced an incredible surge in demand in the past few months. With gas prices now well over $4 per gallon in most of the United States, pricey gas-guzzlers and once-chic SUVs are dropping rapidly in value. Instead, it seems that everyone from environmentally conscious celebrities to suburban moms is opting for a hybrid.

This unprecedented sudden spike in demand for hybrids has led to long waiting lists in many areas. Waits of six to eight weeks are not uncommon. Many consumers, impatient with waiting and tired of paying for gas, are instead turning to used hybrids.

This has led to an interesting reverse phenomenon. We are all well aware that new vehicles typically depreciate dramatically soon after they are driven off the lot. By the time they are a couple of years old, cars are generally valued significantly lower than their new equivalents.

Of course, the laws of supply and demand dictate consumer prices. Right now, the demand for hybrid vehicles is so far outstripping the supply that prices for used hybrids are soaring. From online auction houses to small town newspaper ads, used hybrids are actually selling for higher than the sticker price on brand new hybrids. Some hybrids, even in fairly poor condition, are outstripping new vehicle prices by as much as $2500.

What does this mean for you as a Toyota hybrid consumer? Despite the wait, there are numerous advantages to purchasing a new hybrid. You will receive the latest technology, a manufacturer warranty and our personalized service. You can also be assured that there are no hidden problems and that you are getting exactly what you paid for. If you would like to learn more about the Prius or other Toyota hybrids, we invite you to visit our friendly local dealership.

Toyota has long been a world leader in reducing emissions and providing more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies. However, it has only been in recent months, since fuel prices have begun to soar, that hybrid vehicles have moved out of their niche market into mass consumption. The popular Prius recently reached one million units in sales, and Toyota is preparing to meet what is expected to be a long-term increase in demand in several important ways.

The company recently announced plans to produce small and powerful lithium ion batteries beginning in 2009, and use those batteries to power new plug-in hybrid vehicles beginning in 2010. A series of new production plants will also produce nickel metal hydride batteries, the type that power more traditional hybrids.

In addition, Toyota is in the research and development phase on a new fuel cell vehicle. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity with pure water as the only byproduct.

Additionally, Toyota is remodeling and upgrading its factories. New production methods and equipment will be used in an effort to reduce waste, reduce harmful byproducts and provide more efficient production. Toyota is also implementing new programs to recycle wastewater, plant trees to offset carbon emissions and otherwise minimize the company’s carbon footprint.

Toyota estimates that its hybrid vehicles have so far reduced gasoline usage by approximately 2.7 million kilolitres and lowered carbon emissions by approximately 7 million tons. The company recently announced a new hybrid vehicle to be sold in Australia and Thailand, and plans to implement hybrid technologies in upcoming new vehicles as well.

If you would like to learn more about Toyota’s commitment to greener technology, we invite you to stop by our friendly local dealership. We would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.