Starting with the engine, the vehicle offers some great features. The GLS comes with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 175 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 169 pound-feet of torque at 3750 rpm. It also makes good use of a multi-point fuel injection system and electronic ignition.

The drivetrain is front wheel drive with a 6-speed manual transmission, although options include an all wheel drive with driver-selectable lock and a 6-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC.

The Santa Fe GLS also comes with a 4-wheel ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist. You also get rack and pinion steering with a MacPherson strut on the front utilizing twin-tube gas-filled dampers, and on the rear is a multi-link suspension with gas shock absorbers.

Safety features include:

• Electronic stability control and traction control
• State-of-the-art airbag system
• LATCH child-seat attachment system
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Power window lock-out button
• Front and rear crumple zones
• Energy-absorbing steering column
• And a lot more too

There is plenty of head and shoulder room in the Hyundai Santa Fe as well. Total passenger volume is 108.3 cubic feet in the 2011 GLS.

Fuel efficiency is a lot to brag about, especially if you like to drive. The 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS offers 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway for the FWD trim with manual transmission; it’s slightly better for the automatic at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The all wheel drive version offers 20 and 25, respectively.

The engine block is 3.5-liter V6 with a 5-speed automatic transmission. She kicks out 248 horsepower at 5700 rpm. Fuel economy registers at 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The EPA class is Two Wheel Drive Minivan.

Standard features on the 2011 Honda Odyssey EX-L are:

• Child safety locks on rear doors
• Programmable power door locks with automatic locking
• Power liftgate lock and unlock
• Vehicle anti-theft via alarm and engine immobilizer
• 4-wheel ABS
• HandsFreeLink wireless communication access for Bluetooth-enabled devices
• Intelligent Multi-Information Display with 8-inch LCD screen
• Active noise cancellation
• Hard drive with 2GB for music
• Steering wheel mounted controls for audio, cruise control, instrumentation display, and wireless-enabled devices
• Cruise control
• Tire pressure monitor
• Power glass tilt and slide moonroof
• And much, much more

Options for the 2011 Honda Odyssey EX-L are even more impressive. These include wheel locks, front fog lights, remote ignition, backup sensors, first aid kit, exterior rails, roof rack, cargo organizer, and a towing package.

With safety, comfort, performance, and smooth driving, it doesn’t get any better than this. You definitely get your moneys worth with the newest Honda Odyssey to hit the street. Now all that’s left to do is to take your friends for a ride.

With 4 doors and seating for 5 passengers, the 2011 Acura ZDX with Advance Package is an all wheel drive vehicle that offers comfort, sportiness, and performance. The body style is sport utility. The engine is a 3.7-liter V6. The transmission is a 6-speed automatic with overdrive and includes sequential sports shift, paddle shifters, grade logic control, shift control, and cornering G shift control.

For this type of sportiness, it gets impressive gas mileage with 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

Acura put a lot into manufacturing this vehicle, including its attention to safety. World class safety features include:

• An awesome airbag system including driver, passenger, side body front, and side head front and rear airbags
• Child safety door locks
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Back up camera
• Electronic stability control and traction control
• 4-wheel ABS
• Hill start assist
• And much more

The power is impressive with 300 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 270 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm.

The 2011 Acura ZDX with Advance Package is the perfect family vehicle for families that like to travel with style and still get comfort and performance along the way. With MacPherson struts on the front and independent multi-link on the rear, you’re sure to get an SUV that handles well.

As vehicles continue to advance and computer technology becomes more and more prevalent when it comes to auto repair in Lehigh Valley, franchise dealerships can often be your best choice for service and repair on more recent makes and models. But training and certification are of equal or even greater importance.

Training and Certification Matter Too

To meet manufacture requirements, franchise dealerships must provide certain training to all mechanics and must purchase specific equipment to be used on the brand of cars their dealership sells. Also, mechanics at franchise dealerships tend to work on a smaller variety of car makes, allowing them to potentially become more specialized on your particular vehicle’s model. According to Tom Torbjornsen of AOL Autos, “Dealers also have access to proprietary information, usually one (1) year’s worth of information on new vehicles they sell and service. This means that no one else can access this information, which is often necessary for diagnosis and repair.”

“Customers should check if the repair shop has a blue seal of excellence (offered by Automotive Service Excellence Organization).”

There are a number of industry certifications an independent repair shop can obtain to show they are up to date with training and certain other requirements. As recommended by an article written by Alina Tugend of The New York Times, “Customers should check if the repair shop has a blue seal of excellence (offered by Automotive Service Excellence Organization) — about 400,000 mechanics nationwide do.” Other notable certifying bodies include NAPA Autocare, Triple-A and PPG Certification.

A Practical Tool for Choosing Between Dealership and Independent Repair Shops

You can spend hours or days researching dealerships and garages online, getting quotes and estimates before you make an appointment. One hassle you will find is that you must repeatedly give each service provider the same information about your budget and repair needs. Of course we would like to see everyone bring us his or her vehicle for repair but we recognize that this must be in the best interest or value for you.

Vinart has recently become a member of the site AutoConverse.com which offers vehicle owners a free and easy way to help you make the best choice for your next vehicle repair, while also giving us a chance to earn your business.

“The best part is, by using the site, you do not have to provide your personal contact information such as name, phone, and email…”

AutoConverse.com features a marketplace system similar to Craigslist.org that gives users the ability to connect with dealers and mechanics throughout your local area. By visiting the Allentown/Lehigh Valley market on the site you can register to make a repair request that will send out an email alert to participating dealers and repair shops in the Allentown-Lehigh Valley area giving each of us a chance to consider your request and earn your business. The best part is, by using the site, you do not have to provide your personal contact information such as name, phone, and email, because all correspondence is handled on the site. Only once you choose which dealership or repair shop to take your business will you need to provide this information.

So if you want to shop around while giving us a chance, then make your repair request today. Of course, if we have already earned your business then take a moment to schedule a service appointment today from our website. And thanks for giving us a chance.

The EPA class is a four wheel drive SUV.

Standard features include:

• Valet lockout
• Power liftgate lock/unlock with multi-function remote and interior switch
• Child safety locks on rear doors
• Vehicle anti-lockout
• Vehicle anti-theft via alarm and engine immobilizer
• Super handling all wheel drive
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution
• Hill start control
• 4-wheel anti-lock brakes
• Traction control
• XM NavTraffic Real-Time Traffic Information
• HandsFreeLink wireless communication access for Bluetooth-enabled devices
• Navigation system with voice activation
• Front foglights
• Daytime running lights
• Low beam xenon high intensity discharge headlights with automatic leveling and high beam halogen headlights
• Power glass tilt and slide moonroof

And that’s just the beginning. There are plenty more standard features on top of these. Options include:

• Wheel locks
• Cigarette lighter with ashtray
• Engine block heater
• Running boards and sport running boards
• Chrome side steps
• Woodgrain and leather steering wheel
• Remote ignition
• Rear electronic parking aid
• Roof rack
• Cargo organizer
• Tow hitch receiver

And plenty more options beside these.

The 2011 Acura MDX with Advance Package is a high class luxury vehicle that is fun to drive.

We’re talking about a 2.4-liter I4 engine with 16 valves. The horsepower put out is 198 at 6,300 rpm and torque is 184 pound-feet at 4,250 rpm. The transmission is a 6-speed automatic. For fuel economy, you should expect 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. That’s not bad for the class.

The Yahoo! Green Rating is 68 out of a 100 so environmentalists can feel relatively comfortable driving this vehicle.

Standard features of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited include:

• Vehicle anti-theft by alarm and engine immobilizer
• Valet lockout
• Programmable power door locks
• Child safety locks on rear doors
• Traction control
• Brake assist
• 4-wheel anti-lock brakes
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution
• Wireless communication access for Bluetooth-enabled devices
• HD AM/FM Radio With 360-Watts and 7 Speakers Total; 6-Disc CD Changer; MP3 Player; XM(R) Satellite Radio
• Daytime running lights
• Projector beam halogen headlights
• Front foglights
• Automatic climate control
• Voice activation for Bluetooth-enabled devices
• Steering wheel mounted controls for audio, cruise control, and wireless devices
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Front power glass tilt and slide moonroof

And there are plenty more features as well. For options, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited offers:

• Wheel locks
• Limited Navigation Package
• Bumper applique
• Wind deflector
• Remote start
• Cargo net

And much, much more. This is a great vehicle for the price point.

With an MSRP of $21,490, there’s plenty of vehicle to drive.

The engine block is a 1.3-liter I4 with 8 valves. She puts out 98 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and offers a variable speed automatic transmission. Fuel efficiency is 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.

Standard features of the 2011 Honda Insight EX are:

• Vehicle anti-theft by alarm and engine immobilizer
• Radio anti-theft
• Child safety locks on rear doors
• Power liftgate lock/unlock with multi-function remote
• Regenerative braking system
• 4-wheel anti-lock brakes
• Hill start control
• Brake Assist
• Traction control
• Idle-stop feature
• AM/FM Radio With 160-Watts, Speed Sensitive Volume and 6 Speakers Total; CD Player; MP3/WMA Player
• Radio data system
• Project beam halogen headlights
• Daytime running lights
• Rear spoiler
• Automatic climate control
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Tilt and telescopic steering

And much, much more.

The 2011 Honda Insight EX seats five passengers comfortably. Front passengers have 52.7 inches of shoulder room and the rear passengers have 50.4.

Options for the 2011 Honda Insight EX include:

• Wheel locks
• XM Satellite Radio
• Front foglights
• Leather steering wheel
• Cargo cover
• Electrochromic Interior Rearview Mirror

And tons more on top of that. The 2011 Honda Insight EX offers good value for every drive.

One of the most common items when you get an oil change is a coolant flush. A coolant flush gets rid of your old coolant that has broken down and replaces it with new coolant. This is becoming less and less common, as extended life coolants are more common and only need to be changed every 100,000 miles. These extended life coolants are red in color, whereas the traditional coolant is green in color. Make sure you know what kind of coolant you have in your vehicle by looking at your owner’s manual before you have your coolant flushed.

Shocks and struts are another common repair. When your shocks go bad, your vehicle is going to ride rough. On top of that, though, your tires will wear unevenly. It’s important, then, to make sure that you replace your shocks when they need it. You can test your shocks and struts by pushing down on the front of the vehicle and then releasing it. It should come back up to its original height easily, and not bounce.

Make sure you only trust a qualified mechanic to service your vehicle. Set up an appointment with our Lehigh Valley vehicle service center today.

So how do we tackle this issue? Do we lock down kids out from their cell phones to prohibit them from doing it? Erik Wood, creator of OTTER app, points out in an interview below that by listening to our youth respond with things such as,”I can get around that” or “I can hack that”, it is clear that the lock-down approach is likely to fail. Erik Wood believes that texting while driving is more of a lifestyle issue than anything, so with this hypothesis he set out to create OTTER app, which is like voicemail for phone texts, to help curb texting while driving.

In the interview below, Erik shows how OTTER tackles the problem of “texting and driving” as a lifestyle issue and a driving issue.

“By giving people tools on their phone to help minimize the distractions OTTER app tackles texting and driving as a lifestyle choice, not a driving issue from text-messaging, including driving, we don’t approach it as a texting and driving issue, but rather as a text-messaging culture issue, of which driving is a part.”

Without further ado, please check out the interview below where Erik Wood discussed OTTER app and how it might be smart for you to install it on your cell phone & even your kids’.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Putting technology to work for you so that you can better serve those counting on you… Here at Vinart Dealerships, we think OTTER app is something worth installing.

Has anyone used OTTER app before? We’d love to hear your thoughts and I’m sure the community would as well. Please take a minute to leave a comment with your OTTER app experience.

The engine block is a 1.6-liter I4 with 16 valves. She puts out 110 horsepower at 6,000, but the EPA estimates an impressive 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway for fuel economy. the transmission is a 5-speed manual.

Standard features of the 2011 Hyundai Accent GLS include:

• Child safety locks on rear doors
• Battery saver
• Front cigarette lighter with front ashtray (a welcome feature in this day when automakers have abandoned the comfort of smokers in vehicle manufacturing)
• 60-month roadside assistance warranty for unlimited miles
• Awesome audio system with XM Satellite Radio
• Halogen headlights
• Tire pressure monitor
• Remote fuel and trunk release
• LATCH safety system for children
• State-of-the-art airbag system
• And many more great features as well

For drivers looking for extended options, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll be impressed with these available options:

• iPod cable
• Bluetooth hands-free phone system
• Mud guards
• GLS Premium Equipment Package
• 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive

It’s not every day you get a vehicle with a transmission upgrade option.

The 2011 Hyundai Accent GLS comes equipped with the following standard safety features:

• Driver and passenger airbags, front side airbag, side head curtain airbags, and passenger airbag cutoff switch/sensor
• Side guard door beams
• Trunk anti-trap device
• Child safety locks
• Panic button or alarm (optional)

At the price point for this vehicle, you won’t find a better car.