Is Electric the Future for Cars?

2013 Fiat 500e

Every industry has the same problem.  No one can predict future trends.  Try as much as they might, the market reacts however it wants.  That’s a problem that the auto industry is going through right now.  How can they prepare for a future that is looking more and more to not be dependent on traditional gas?  Recent developments that have been made with electric cars certainly point to this being the most potential industry.  But CEO of Chrysler Sergio Marchionne questioned whether this would be the case.

Speaking at the Society of Automotive Engineers 2013 World Congress in Detroit, Marchionne brought up the subject the new technologies.  His major critique was against the government adding incentives to the market to convince people to embrace electric cars.

“I believe we should continue to explore the potential of electricity, but without being strong-armed by regulators and in combination with benefits of all other available technologies.”

He continued by adding that he thinks the US should be neutral to technology and has the automakers be the ones that test potentials for alternative fuels.

Currently, the US has a $7,500 federal tax credit for buying a plug-in electric or all-electric vehicle.  While it’s a great incentive to those on the fence about getting one, but the tax credit hasn’t seemed to have made an impact yet.

While Marchionne may not be completely on-board with electric quite yet, it hasn’t stopped the automaker from producing their first all-electric car, the Fiat 500e.  It’s being speculated that Marchionne may be raising warning signs about electrics cars due to the loss the company takes with each vehicle sold.  And that’s after all subsidies.

New technology is difficult to accept especially when it’s taking over for something that’s been ingrained for so long in a products existence.  Only time will tell if electric is the way of the future or if there is something else just wanting to be discovered.

Is your service light on?  Need a check-up before a family vacation?  Stop by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge in the Queens area.  Our service department features top-quality customer service and will work with you to make sure you’re satisfied with the service provided.  Like us on Facebook and follow the dealership on Twitter for more tech news and future parts and service specials.

Mack Avenue Plant Makes Final Engine; Readies for Pentastar

It’s the end of an era at the Mack Avenue Engine Plant in Detroit.  They reached a mile stone with the production of a 4.7 liter V-8 engine.  Normally it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, making another quality engine for Ram trucks and other Chrysler vehicles.  This one, however, happens to be the last one they’ll ever make as production is ceasing.

C-Mack47signedenginesignv1The Mack Avenue Plant has put together more than 3 million powerplants.  They are now planning to move on to the next engine type.  Back in November of last year, Chrysler invested $198 million dollars into the plant, as well as added around 250 new jobs, so that the Mack Planet can start production of the Pentastar V-6 engines.

The final engine made was signed by the employees and will now be displayed in the lobby of the plant.  It’s a bittersweet moment as the workers begin to transition over to the next phase in production.

“Producing more than 3 million engines is a testament to each and every person that has worked at Mack Avenue Engine Plant 1 during the past 15 years,” said UAW Local 51 President Lorenzo Poole.

Plant Manager Bob Hollingsworth continued, “The Mack Avenue team should feel incredibly proud of what we have accomplished.  I applaud all the men and women who have helped build the 4.7 for all these years.  We are going to celebrate because we have a lot of work ahead of us, producing the award-winning Pentastar engine.”

If you are in the Queens area and are looking for top quality service, bring your vehicle into Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  Contact us and schedule a time for us to take a look at your car.  You can also shop online at the Mopar E-Store for a special treat.  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more news and service specials.

Mopar Readies Six New Jeep Concepts for Easter Jeep Safari

jeep-teases-new-mopar-concepts-medium_2Mopar and Jeep are joining forces to create not just one new concept, but six. All of them will be ready for display at the Easter Jeep Safari.

Chrysler teased two of the Jeeps today. The first is the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk II concept and the second is the Wrangler Slim. Both of these vehicles will be getting ‘Moparized’ to improve their off-road performance. The exact details of those modifications are, as of yet, unknown.

The remaining four Jeeps are going to remain under wraps until the Safari.

The Easter Jeep Safari is celebrating it’s 47th show and will be happening in Moab, Utah later this month on the 23rd through the 31st. The event is meant to cater to Jeep and 4×4 enthusiasts who are looking to see the best all terrain vehicles get put to the test. It’s one of the best places to show off a new Jeep that Mopar has put together to display their off-road capabilities.

Planning a spring getaway or just need to figure out why the ‘check engine light’ is on, stop on into the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge. We offer top quality customer service and want to make sure you work only with the best. If you’re looking to do some additional work on your vehicle, you can shop online through our website at the Mopar E-Store. For more Mopar news and special monthly offers, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Mopar Lists Top Ten Most Purchased Accessories

13-ram1500-pv-large-redesigned-exterior-interiorThe parts arm of Chrysler, Mopar, offers thousands of different wants to modify and improve your vehicle. The accessory market is a big one totaling and incredible $70 billion dollars worldwide. That’s a lot of customization going on! What is it that people are buying? Chrysler has put together a list of the top purchased parts as well as which vehicles are the most accessorized.

Starting with the vehicles, the first one to top the list seems like the most obvious choice. The heavy-duty Ram 1500. I’ve known enough truck lovers to know that the basics are never good enough. The number one part makes even more sense because of this. The perfect add-on for a truck, side steps and running boards.

Second vehicle is the Jeep Wrangler. Once again, the list for the top vehicles and top accessory match up perfectly. Right underneath side steps in the top ten is Jeep Wrangler Tops.

Here’s the breakdown of the rest of the list:

Vehicles

  1. Ram 1500

  2. Jeep Wrangler

  3. Dodge Challenger

  4. Jeep Grand Cherokee

  5. Dodge Charger

 

Accessories:

  1. Side Steps & Running Boards
  2. Jeep Wrangler Tops
  3. Floor Mats
  4. Trailer Hitches
  5. Bedliners & Tonneau Covers
  6. Suspension Upgrades
  7. Wheel Locks
  8. Splash Guards
  9. Electronic Vehicle Tracking System
  10. Remote Start

The most interesting one is the number 9. An electronic vehicle tracking system is for when your vehicle is stolen in aiding the cops find it.

Make your own statement with customizing your vehicle. Shop the Mopar E-Store online with our website Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge. Make sure you take advantage of our monthly parts and service specials while you’re on our site. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the special offers we have at the website.

March Service & Parts Specials

Here’s some of the parts and service specials we are currently running for the whole month of March. For the entire list, please visit our parts and service specials page on our website:
Wiper Blade

Buy a Wiper Blade and get the other for Free!

(Only applies to WB Blades, OEM not included.)

oilUp to 7 Qts oil and new filter for $69.95 Parts & Labor!

Restrictions may apply.  Inquire at the dealership for more details on each offer.

Beat the Gas Price Increase With These Helpful Tips!

ID-100109424Bad news for drivers out there; gas prices are on the rise.  Hopefully it won’t be long before they go down again, but it’s best to prepare just in case.  To that end, we’re here to help you with some tips on what you can do to keep your costs down.  You don’t have the power to make the numbers with dollar signs next to them go down, but you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your vehicle.

PRNewswire has put together a good list, courtesy of the Car Care Council, of what you should be doing to help ease the pain you feel when reaching for your wallet at the pump.

  • Reduce your gas mileage by 4 percent by keeping your car tuned.
  • By keeping your tired inflated to the right amount can improve the gas mileage by 3.3 percent
  • Make sure to replace dirty or clogged air filters and improve the gas mileage by 10 percent

Other means you can take to improve your gas mileage is by observing these tips while you’re driving:

  • Take a look at the speed limit.  When you’re above 50 mph, your gas mileage goes down fast.  For every 5 mph over 50 you go, that’s an additional 25 cents per gallon for gas.
  • Don’t idle your car.  You only need a minute or two to heat up your car.
  • Don’t do any quick starts or stops.  In the city this can lower the gas mileage by 33 percent and 5 percent when you’re in the city.
  • Bunch trips together.  It’s better to make a lengthier trip than multiple shorter ones.
  • Check to make sure you don’t have extra weight in your car.  Empty out unnecessary things from your trunk and back seat.  The added weight can be causing you to need more gas than you normally would.

Follow these pieces of advice and you may find yourself more capable of weathering higher gas price periods.

If you’re in the Queens area and are in need of a tune-up, stop by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  We offer monthly parts and service specials for you to take advantage of.  Make sure you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more tips and monthly offers.

Image courtesy of markuso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chrysler Proves Their All-Wheel Drive is the Best

2013-chrysler-300--glacier-edition(4)-600-001When you brag about the capabilities of your vehicle, there comes the time to stand up or shut up. Chrysler has been telling folks for a long time about the quality of their all-wheel drive for some time. They’re tired of just telling people, though, and are ready to prove that they aren’t pulling any legs.

So how do you prove such a thing? By taking your cars to the one of the snowiest cities in the country. That city is located in the upper peninsula of Michigan and is named Houghton. Chrysler brought with them the 2013 Dodge Charger and the new Chrysler 300 Glacier edition to run the gauntlet.

Drivers made sure that both vehicles were put to the test. What they found was that the vehicles handled beautifully under the severe road conditions. Even at high speeds, the cars were able to slalom on an snow covered road. Here’s the video they put out to show how well the cars handled themselves:

With the recent snow that New Yorks has been getting, you want to make sure that you get a vehicle capable of tackling all mother nature can throw at you. Contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge and let us know that you’re looking for the best in all-wheel-drive. We’ll work with you to help you get what you’re looking for. We love to say yes. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter as well for more news and monthly parts and service specials.

Mopar Gets Their Hands on the 2013 Dodge Dart

bg_dartmopar1Mopar has gotten their hands on the new 2013 Dodge Dart and is giving it their usual love.

At the Chicago Auto Show, Mopar will be unveiling just what they’ve done to the Dodge Dart to give it a little something extra. That extra includes enhancements to the performance of the machine including a lowered sport suspension, revised steering calibration, sport-tuned exhaust, ground-effects kit, and a premium brake kit with slotted rotors.

On the inside, the part maker is giving the driver’s seat customer leather. Also, in an industry-first, a wireless charger for smartphones.

“Our new Mopar ’13 Dart will turn hears and stand out from the crowd,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar. “For this special, limited-edition vehicle, we specifically kept the driver in mind as we added select Mopar parts and accessories.”

Availability for this new Dart will be extremely limited, with numbers being at only 500 models. Production begins in spring at the plant in Belvidere, Illinois.

You can shop for Mopar’s quality parts online at the Mopar E-Store online at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge. You can also see our monthly parts and services specials available only at our dealership. Make sure you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more Mopar news and monthly specials.

Fan Names Street After Mopar

ID-10022958What if you were given the chance to name your own street, what would you go with?  For one person in Florida it was the chance to show his car love.

Jeff Crane was contacted by his local Sheriff’s Office in Nassau County and made aware that the rural route numbers were being changed.  Since the end of his driveway was more than 300 feet from his home, it was his choice for the name of the street.  His first thought went to naming it after himself.  Sadly, Crane Drive was already taken.  With choice number one off the table, he went to his next favorite thing.

Jeff informed the office that he wanted to have it named Mopar Drive.  The response from the lady on the other side of the phone was simply a question if he liked NASCAR.  Jeff just answered back, “I don’t like NASCAR, but I love Mopar.”

The majority of vehicles that Jeff has driven in his life are a part of the Chrysler family.  At the moment, he’s got himself a 2005 Jeep Liberty CRD, a rare find.  His wife also has a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

Interesting way of showing love and support for a company you love.  If you’re looking to show Mopar some love, you can go online to our website and shop on the Mopar E-Store.  Make sure you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to see monthly parts and service specials available only at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

Mopar Wants to See Your Car

PhotoTabAre you proud of your vehicle?  Have you put any modifications into it that you find yourself unable not to tell friends and family about?  Time to share that joy and pride you feel with the rest of the world.  Mopar wants to see what you’ve made.

Mopar has launched an initiative to get car lovers to open up about their creations.  They’ve created a new Facebook tab dedicated for the show-offs.  Now gear-heads the world over have a place to share with the Mopar Nation.  All you have to do is submit the photo and that’s it.  From there, a photo will be chosen at random to be shown off.

Follow the link here to get started.

Seems like a perfect time to pay a visit to the Mopar E-Store, available on Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s website.  Give your ride a boost and see if you can get your vehicle featured on Mopar Nation.  Make sure you also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to see our monthly parts and service specials, only at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.