Blizzard!

Happy Blizzard!

Nama's daughter got to experience the snow in her new Outback for the first time yesterday and posted the following:

"Subaru + snow = not getting stuck = happy Mandy!"

Happy Nama knowing she's safe!

Happy Holidays from the Divas to you!

From Amy, Victoria, Virginia, Barbara, Jennifer, Kristen, Angela and Jaime (Your Subie Divas!)

Happy Holidays!

From our home to yours - we wish you all Happy Holidays! Remember "Martha Stewart doesn't live here!" and let some things go- let the kids decorate, clean, and help get ready for company- enjoy their delight at contributing.

Take some time to do something for someone less fortunate than you- even if you can't afford much if we all did a little the world would be a better place. Even if it's just a kind word or a pat on the back. And sometimes "less fortunate" doesn't mean monetarily- it could be a friend who's going through a rough spot - make time to care.

Also take time to appreciate the special people in your life and tell them that they're special!

And most of all be good to yourself- as women we do and do and do. If we don't take care of ourselves there'll come a time when we can't do any more.
Most of all be generous with your hugs!

Hope all of you out there in DivaLand share the joy this season!

Diva Updates

Hi all, sorry for the long delay between updates! We had quite the flurry of Subaru buyers at the end of October which kept all of our Divas very busy. Thanks for reading and look for more updates soon--don't forget to check out our Facebook page, too.

Here's the diva-land highlights:

TWO DIVA BIRTHDAYS

Bic on the 18th and Amy on the 28th.

Bic turned 21 this year and Amy turned 29. Or something like that. (Fuzzy math works for Divas.)

Another 2011 Forester is now Diva-driven by Target 10,000 Winner Kathryn Zurolo

Subie Divas congratulates Kathy Zurolo and her family, of Milford, Connecticut, on being the Target 10,000 winners! Premier Subaru conducted a three month long contest to celebrate the sale of our 10,000th car. The winner would receive a $10,000 purchase credit towards a new or pre-owned car here at Premier Subaru, or a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond.

Over 1,500 entries were received for the contest. Premier Subaru engaged the marketing firm of Two Guys In Jackets to independently review the submitted entry form and audit the drawing. Kathy Zurolo of Milford, Connecticut was selected as the winner and chose the $10,000 vehicle purchase credit.

Ms. Zurolo and her family were at Premier Subaru on October 30, 2010 to pick up her ordered 2011 Subaru Forester.

As always, at Premier Subaru is doing everything we can to help the less fortunate this year. You can help us by bringing food for the CCA Thanksgiving Food drive and by bringing a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots to our showroom collection boxes. You can help us even more by telling a friend to do the same! This Diva is proud of the webpage she built promoting the charities- check it out here:

http://www.premiersubaru.com/season-for-sharing.htm

2011 Forester

And here she is - Abigail and her new 2011 Forester!

2011 Forester

SSSSHHHHHH - don't tell everyone - we have the 2011 Forester here at Premier. And, of course, the first one hitting the roads will be owned by a new Subie Diva! Congratulations Abigail - we're sure you'll get many miles of carefree driving!

Anyone else want to check them out give Barb or Jenn a call at (203) 481-0687.

Follow us on Facebook!

So, now you can find Subie Divas on Facebooks! Check out our fan page and be sure to like it! I even created a little quiz to help you figure out if you're one of us! (The "LIKE" above is referring to the Facebook page.)

Also, we're looking for your car care questions for our next blogs (my muse has left me, or at least no new lights have come on in my car!!!) Comment or email us or call 1-800-411-4551!

So, we've decided to go big and get on Facebook! Check us out. I even created this little quiz to help folks decide if they want to join us here in Subie Divas--check it out!

Fall Car Care--What does this light mean?

The Mystery of the Light on the Dashboard SOLVED!

This week, in our second blog for fall car care month, I present a mystery solved by our Service Director, Dennis Cullen. Thanks Dennis! Do you have questions about taking care of your Subaru or ANY car? Put comment on our post below, get in touch with us on Facebook, or email sales@premiersubaru.com and we'll get an answer for you!

Q: This light came on in my car. What does it mean? What should I do?

A: That's a great question. Before I answer that ,let me start by saying with any light that should come on step one is to refer to the owners manual fora full explanation of the fault.

That light is referred to as the (TPMS) fault indicator. That's an acronym for Tire Pressure Monitoring System . In 2008 the Federal government mandated that this system be installed on all vehicles sold in the U.S. In a nut shell, what it does is just that. It continuously checks to make sure you have the proper air pressure in all your tires. What I normally tell our customers is to check and set your tire pressure every 3rd tank of gas.

As the weather gets cooler, the air pressure in your tires will drop one pound per10 degrees of air temperature decrease. Keep in mind, we may have set your tire pressure in the summer.

As for the tires themselves, it is common to lose a pound of pressure a month. For those two reasons this time of year is when we see an onslaught of phone calls just like yours.

This is what we tell our customers: after first checking your tires for damage, reset your tire pressure in accordance with the label on the drivers inside door panel. The light should go off after driving for a few miles.

If within a week that light should reappear you most likely have a puncture in one of your tires. At this point you would need to come in for a repair.

Although this light showing itself a few times a year seems like a pain, I can only imagine how many lives it has saved in the past 2 years alone.

Happy Driving!

Dennis

My.Subaru - Check it out!

This will be the first in a few posts about Subaru Service for October Car Care month.

Okay, so I've owned my Legacy for over a year and a half. And I've kept up to date on service. But never before did I explore the wonders that are "My.Subaru." I guess being a couple hundred feet from our service department has made me lazy.

Should you not spend 8-10 hours per day a couple hundred feet from the best Subaru service department in the world, you should definitely check out My.Subaru if you like being organized and saving money.

I was on the site today because I'm updating our service center's info on our website and I was looking for value tidbits our customers could use. I found that there are lots of very useful applications and fun stuff on there.

You can download a copy of your manual, check out your service schedule, take a look at warranty info, keep track of what service you've had done on your car, and see if there are any recalls or service bulletins on your vehicle. Also, I thought it was great that you can type in your immobilizer code--seems like a safe place to keep something that you're going to want to be able to find quickly should you need it.

There were also about $70 of coupons for me on there.

As far as the fun factor, there were stories about Subaru owners, a calendar of local events for Subaru owners, and articles on Subaru racing.

It's also a great place to shop for your NEXT Subaru--it has special offers, a link to the Subaru Guaranteed Trade Program, and brochures for all Subaru models.

So, while I'm in the middle of giving our Service Department a facelift on the website (should be complete come October 1, 2010--check it out at http://www.premiersubaru.com/service/index.htm) get registered on and start using My.Subaru (https://www.subaru.com/my-subaru/my-account/index.html)!

Hope everyone's off to a great start for a fabulous Fall!

Baby Driver--why they got a Subaru

Oh, this brings tears to my eyes! I can't imagine that I'll have to let my little girl drive away some day. You can bet she'll be in a Subaru, though! (I've got a ways--she's only 9 months old now. Just starting on the whole walking thing. I'm going to have a hard enough time with that!)

Legacy's one of the "Best Family Cars in 2010" and Thoughts from a New Mommy

Awards continue to rain down on Subaru vehicles this year!

Most recently, the Subaru Legacy is one of the cars Parents Magazine and Edmunds.com picked as the Best Family Cars in 2010. The 2009 Forester was on this list last year, too. As a new mommy (to 5 month old Makenzi), this is no surprise to me.

It's so funny how your view of cars changes when you start carting around your own tiny human. When I started in the automotive industry, I took a liking to fast cars that looked sexy and garnered the attention of men. In fact, I have to admit that my bright red, turbocharged, sport packaged, windows-tinted car played a role in meeting my husband.

Now, with Makenzi on board, priorities have changed. Of course, safety is paramount. I don't just mean in protecting us if the car is in an accident (although my Legacy has plenty of that (click here to view some videos of how the Legacy held up even in 2000 compared to other cars out there--Dateline NBC Offset Crash Test 1999-2000 Midsize Sedans IIHS), I mean what the car does to make sure I don't get in an accident at all. VDC (vehicle dynamic control) is a must in accident avoidance in all types of weather. All wheel drive is also a necessity because in winter you can't afford to be stuck somewhere with an infant in the car.

What you might not realize is how much space someone who is 25" long and weighs just 15 lbs can take up. Between a stroller, a diaper bag, the huge boxes of diapers you buy, the high chair you need to get, the exersaucer you want to bring on a long trip, etc. you're requiring a whole lot of cargo room! Heaven forbid your spouse wants to come along, too. This forces you to think a lot about how space is used in cars.

Oh, and those little humans aren't cheap to have around. So cost is always a factor, not just in the price of the car but in maintainance and fuel economy. The Legacy CVT (an automatic transmission) now gets up tp 31 miles per gallon (yes, it is still all wheel drive!)

So, I have to wholeheartedly agree with the Parents Magazine/Edmunds.com distinction--the new Legacy is safe, has the space where you need it, and is a tremendous value. Those are all important to this parent!

(But I'm thinking that I'm glad the Legacy is as attractive as it is and is still available with a manual transmission, even if those aren't allowed to be requirements anymore!)

All things New York

AAhhh - New York - the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people. I was in a New York state of mind yesterday. The day started with dropping Max off at doggie day care, followed by a dash for the train station in New Haven-they need more parking!

A Mom and her two children shared seating with me- they're from North Carolina and have relatives up here. They were enroute to New York to celebrate ten year old Evan's birthday. In the course of conversation we found out they have a 2010 Outback which they love- small world!

I shared my laminated map of NY to help keep them busy- challenged them to find the Empire State Building and the train station on it. We finally reached the long awaited tunnel and said our good byes.

Next up was a nice long walk to the Javits Center - after a few wrong turns I got on the right track and arrived sweaty and thirsty. Inside I made a beeline for the Subaru display and there they were- the new STis and WRXs. The wing is back on the sedan version and the five door is still available. Choices for everyone! Can't wait to go cruising in one.

Also in the NY theme - looking forward to getting a copy of Barbara Hannah Grufferman's book "The Best of Everything after 50. The Experts Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money, and More." She consulted NY experts when faced with turning 50, wrote the book, and was recently on the Today Show sporting a red dress to show support of women's heart health.

You can check it out at http://www.thebestofeverythingafter50.com/.

And then after the train ride home it was off to band practice where playing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" reminded me that Yankees-Red Sox baseball was on. By the time I was home plopped in front of the TV it was 1-1 in the ninth.

And in case you don't follow baseball - it was a New York night!

What will Subaru think of next?

SUBARU TO INTRODUCE DOG DRIVING LESSONS FOR 2010*
Sales success leads maker to recognize pet’s role in family and emergency driving situations
Cherry Hill, April 1, 2010 – Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that it will introduce a nation-wide program of free clinics to teach pets how to drive vehicles. Inspired by Subaru’s current “Dog Tested, Dog Approved” TV advertisements (http://www.yourtube.com/subaru), the program is designed to instruct family pets on rudimentary vehicle operations such as applying a handbrake and activating emergency warning lights.

“Subaru owners index highly on pet ownership” says Subaru spokesman Kay Nighne. “And as we continue to out-perform the industry in terms of our sales, we thought it would be good to celebrate our partnership with ASPCA and integrate our owner’s cars and pets even more closely.”

The program will begin in the Summer and should it prove successful, a more advanced program will be developed for pets who enjoy all-wheel drive performance and will feature such specialized techniques as left-paw braking.

The two real-life stars of the Subaru Dog Tested ads, Heinz Variety Olive and Golden Retriever mix Zelda will be co-instructors on the ground breaking program. Neither dog was available for comment as both were feeling a little husky.

Spokesman for the program, and driving instructor for Olive and Zelda, April Fuhl said, “People assumed we had used camera trickery to make it seem like the dogs were driving the cars, but thanks to our training program, they actually were. Zelda especially loved learning how to pull donuts in the parking lot using her teeth and her tail. We admit we have had some trouble getting smaller animals to steer and operate the pedals at the same time, but using Lassie and Ned as our inspiration we are confident that we can bring Pet Driving to a new level.”

*Nope, not really, it’s an April Fool. Please don’t allow your pets to drive your car.

Spring!

Hi all - This Diva spent a wonderful weekend in the greenhoue at Van Wilgen's Garden Center - as part of their "Escape to Spring" event. We showed off our cars, greeted many of our customers, and basked in the sunlight. Everyone loved that warm spring feeling after the crazy winter.

Diva Angie arrived with Jeff and their pooch Sasha on Sunday. Sasha worked on her socializing skills and did quite well accepting friendly pats without cowering too much. Jeff also met many of his customers and we agreed that we'll go back next year.

VanWilgens has the hardiest plants and the most helpful staff - they always can help you find what you need. Check them out here http://www.vanwilgens.com/.

Enjoy the spring!

Branford Land Trust

Today, I wanted to just take a moment and let you know that Premier Subaru is proud to continue to be a Business Member of the Branford Land Trust. The mission of the Branford Land Trust is to preserve open space in Branford, and to promote our community's appreciate of Branford's diverse natural features. It is a GREAT organization with some absolutely wonderful members. When in Branford, make sure you check out their website to learn more about them, as well as the open space properties in Branford that they have been so influencial in securing.

Headlines

Subaru Sales up Again!

Subaru is defying all odds again with a 38% increase in sales in February! I'm one happy diva knowing that I represent such a solid, growing brand! The redesigned Outback and Legacy models are certainly favorites among car buyers, just as we suspected they would be. Come check them out at Premier Subaru today!

Click here to read the article.

Number One!

Subaru tied with Honda for number one in Consumer Reports Brand Ranking! http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/toyota-finishes-third-in-consumer-reports-brand-ranking/

And our Forester earned Top pick!

To the Dogs!

Check out Zelda and Olive and their adventures through this link http://www.subaru.com/enthusiasts/index.html

Subaru Outback Named a Top 10 Family Car for 2010 by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com

Can it be possible? YES IT IS! More great news on the 2010 Subaru Outback!

Subaru Outback Named a Top 10 Family Car for 2010 by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com

Going to the dogs!

Check out the poochies lovin' their Subies!

http://www.subaru.com/enthusiasts/index.html

Getting the most from your test drive

Jen helped you research the many choices you have out there. Now that you've narrowed your choices down you'll need to test drive them to find the best fit. That means -horror of horrors- coming into a car dealership!


I'm going to try to make this process a little easier for you -knowing how things happen will take some of the uncertainty out of the picture. Hopefully this info will save you some time and help narrow down your final purchase.

• Call ahead for an appointment. If you've dealt with the dealership internet person don't be surprised when they have a salesperson take you out for a ride. Larger dealerships have a dedicated internet department that only handles internet making it quicker for you to get answers online and salespeople who are familiar with the cars.



• Ask that a car be ready when you arrive and set an appointment. If you do arrive and the salesperson has to go get the car from another lot, jump start it, put gas in it - you might want to consider how you'll be treated after the sale if this is how it starts.



• For everyone's safety there are some procedures that are common in a dealership. One is filling out a "worksheet" jotting down your name, address, phone number and email address.



• At this stage of the game NEVER give out your social security number - they only need to run your credit when you decide to buy the car- and how can you make that decision before driving the car? Besides, more hard inquiries on your credit bureau lower your score.



• We'll also require a copy of your driver's license - our insurance companies need to know you have one!



• Your salesperson should walk you around the car and point out features that make the car special then make sure you're comfortable in the driver's seat. How was the ease of entry into the car? Before driving off make sure you've adjusted first the seat, then the side and rear view mirrors. Does the steering wheel tilt or telescope?


• Things to notice in the driver's seat include - visability - are there blind spots? How far in back of the car can you see? Are you comfortable with the view over the hood?


• Are the controls accessible? Radio controls, heating controls? Is there any control you know that you use a lot that's not easy to reach without taking your eyes off the road? Are they easy to see from your driving position?


• If you use an Ipod is there a connection? Does it interface with the radio? Is there BlueTooth?


• How comfortable is the seat? Do you have plenty of headroom and legroom? What about shoulder room and is there an armrest? How about rear seat room?


• Coffee drinker? Check out the cupholders- will they hold your cup? Does the position of them interfere with any controls?

• Is there adequate storage for the belongings you usually leave in the car?

Now that you're comfortable - ask for a nice long test drive. While you can usually tell right off if a car is not the right one somethings only become apparent on a longer ride. Request highway and back roads.

• How is the acceleration? Does the car seem to strain or can it handle it? Can you safely pass another car on the highway? Does the transmission shift smoothly?
• How does the steering feel? Is the wheel comfortable for you to grasp? When you take the car into an empty parking lot how is the turning radius?
• How do the brakes handle?
• How does the car feel on a bumpy road? On curves? Does it strain going up a hill?
• How do the air conditioning and heat work?

Once you've completed the test drive you've hopefully found the car that will bring you many years of driving pleasure.

Before you know it!

Before you know it the warmer weather will be here - the days have already started getting longer! The Subie Divas are hard at work making deals, taking care of the phones and paperwork, and answering emails.
Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help you!