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By blogsadmin | Posted in Nissan Pathfinder, Safety on Monday, August 21st, 2017 at 4:29 pm What is the Nissan Rear Door Alert? In the summer, temperatures in a parked car can climb quickly, reaching dangerous temperatures. That’s why Nissan recently added a new safety feature that is designed to help remind drivers to check their back seat before exiting or leaving their vehicle. The Nissan Rear Door Alert was designed to ensure that nothing is forgotten in the back seat of a vehicle. Whether you’re packing your new Nissan vehicle up with groceries or driving home from the park with your furry friend, the last thing you want to do is forget to unload the back seat of your vehicle. As temperatures inside your vehicle in the summer and even the fall quickly rise, it can mean a minor inconvenience like melted ice cream, or a potentially dangerous situation for pets. That’s why it’s important for busy drivers to know that Nissan has your back, giving you reminders to check the back seat to ensure that everything – and everyone – is out of the vehicle. How does the Nissan Rear Door Alert Work? When the new Nissan Rear Door Alert feature is enabled, a door sensor is able to tell if a rear door was opened when you first entered and started the vehicle. If the driver then walks away with their smart key without reopening a rear door, the Nissan’s horn will honk to remind them to check their back seat. Nissan’s Rear Door Alert system is the first of its kind to offer an external, audible alert. The feature will be available on the upcoming 2018 Nissan Pathfinder.

We want to make sure our customers know who to contact in case they ever have vehicle problems while on the road.  You may want to print this and put it in your vehicle or make sure you have these numbers in your cell phone. If you have a factory or extended warranty you may contact the following: Chrysler Roadside Assistance - 800-521-2779 Nissan Roadside Assistance - 800-225-2476 Chevrolet Roadside Assistance - 1 800 Chev-usa  (243-8872) Toyota Roadside Assistance - 800-331-4331 Buick Roadside Assistance - 800-521-7300 GMC Roadside Assistance - 888-988-7267 First Extended Roadside Assistance - 800-270-8447 CNA Roadside Assistance - 877-373-9780 AUL Roadside Assistance - 888-810-5150 US Warranty - 800-432-4566 ASC Warranty - 800-442-7116 Local numbers to contact: Don's Body Shop - 618-532-4574 Wes Monken - Owner - 618-918-8065

I asked our salesman, Ryan William, to write 3 features about the New 2017 Jeep Compass. The 2017 Jeep "NEW" Compass is a great redesign by FCA.  Besides the new exterior design, the interior is luxurious and high tech!  As always with the Jeep brand, customers get the best off road capability.  Check out the newest CUV in the Jeep lineup, but first lets examine the details a little closer. 1. The exterior design of the NEW Compass mirrors its big brother, Grand Cherokee.  The front fascia and headlight design are very similar and aggressive.  Several wheel choices throughout the trim levels give the customer options on their favorite look.  Optional panoramic sunroof also gives the NEW Compass a richer feel and appearance. 2. Interior features have been redesigned to become current with high end SUV's on the market.  High end trim and technology to meet the needs of current buyers.  Bluetooth and connectivity are right at your fingertips in the NEW Compass.  Touch screen radio and steering wheel mounted controls make it easy to operate. 3. As always with Jeep you get outstanding off road capability.  The Optional Active Drive 4X4 system makes the NEW Compass capable on or off the road in all weather conditions, and the Select Terrain Management system allows the driver to select the drive condition to maximize the Compass drivability.

Here is an article we read in USA Today that we would like to share with our Monken customers. Matthew Frankel, The Motley Fool 4:04 p.m. ET May 27, 2017 Do you know all the pros and cons of each option? There are several factors to consider when deciding to buy or lease a car, as both options have several benefits and downsides. For example, in addition to the monthly lease or loan payment, you need to consider how much you plan to drive, how often you'd like a new car, and if you plan to customize. Benefits of buying a car There are several advantages to owning a car, as opposed to leasing. Here are just a few of the most important ones: You own the asset -- Assuming that you finance the car, it can take a few years to build up any serious equity (where you owe less than the car's value), but eventually you'll have an asset that can be sold or traded in if needed. No payments once your loan is repaid -- When you buy a car, you'll eventually pay off the loan and own the car free and clear, at which point you'll no longer have a monthly car payment. When you lease, you'll always have a car payment. No mileage restrictions -- If you own your car, you can drive it as much as you'd like without having to worry about paying a penalty. On the other hand, if you lease, you're generally limited to 10,000, 12,000, or 15,000 miles per year before you'll start accumulating penalties. No charges for excessive wear -- When you lease, you'll generally be held responsible for anything that could be considered beyond "normal wear and tear." If you get a dent in a car you own, for example, you can choose to fix it or simply live with the dent and save the money. Customization -- A vehicle you own can be modified or customized as you see fit. Leased vehicles need to be returned in their original state, so any modifications will need to be removed, which is often impossible or very expensive. Benefits of leasing a car On the other hand, leasing has its advantages as well: A new car every two-to-four years -- Simply put, if you enjoy having a new car, leasing could be the way to go. Little or no maintenance worries -- For the most part, leased cars are under factory warranties throughout the term of the lease agreement. In my case, this is the primary motivating factor for leasing -- I don't like uncertainty, especially when it comes to potentially costly repairs. Leasing allows me to avoid this worry. Cheaper monthly payments -- While it depends on the particular make and model, as well as factors such as your down payment, you can generally lease a car for less money per month than it would cost you to buy it. In full disclosure, I lease my car, and the difference between my lease payments and what the payment would have been on a 60-month car loan was about $150 per month. When you lease, you're only paying for the vehicle's expected depreciation and associated charges, not for the residual value of the vehicle.

Warranties are for new cars.  Service contracts are when the factory warranty expires, and a customer purchases an additional warranty for their vehicle. Here are some warranty details we found on CarsDirect. Extended Factory Warranty Tips All new cars and trucks come with a factory warranty.  Moreover, all new vehicles will generally come with a bumper-to-bumper warranty that lasts a minimum of 12 months or 12,000 miles. However, most manufacturers now offer bumper-to-bumper warranties that last for a minimum of three years or 36,000 miles—whichever comes first. Federal laws do make certain requirements that must be met for new car warranties regarding emissions systems and the warranties that cover them. According to federal law, vehicles must provide warranty coverage for the emission system for a period of five years or 50,000 miles. Warranty information for your vehicle will generally be listed in a manual type book similar in appearance to your owner's manual. While all warranty manuals may appear similar in appearance, the warranty information contained inside may vary considerably depending upon the manufacturer. Basic New Car Warranty Information With all new car warranties, most major systems and subsystems of a vehicle are covered for a specific period of time and provide warranty protection against malfunction or defect for most parts on a new car. However, consumable parts, or parts that generally need to be replaced periodically, such as windshield wipers, fluids, belts, and accessories are generally not covered under any manufacturer's new car warranty. So, you should check your owner's manual for specific warranty information for your vehicle. In some cases, tires on your vehicle and car battery may be covered but, you should be aware that some manufacturers may not. Also, different car manufacturers provide various levels of warranty coverage for accessories, like air-conditioning, sunroofs, premium sound systems and other options. Some manufacturers include them for coverage under the terms of the new warranty while some require you pay for replacement parts while the manufacturer pays for labor. Almost all new car warranties cover the drive train, or engine, driveline and transmission. New Car Warranty and Emissions When reviewing your new car warranty, you should pay particular attention to the emissions control section. This is the part that guarantees emissions performance for your vehicle. An important note, because many states have minimum requirements for pollution control and carbon emissions released from your vehicle. If your vehicle fails to meet the standards of your state, you may be prevented from driving on state roads and highways. Also, repairing a damaged or defective emission control system can turn out to be very costly. So, you should always check to see if there is coverage. If you feel the warranty protection is inadequate, you might want to consider purchasing an extended warranty or mechanical breakdown policy to supplement your new car warranty. Maintaining Your New Car Warranty While all new cars and trucks come with a manufacturer's warranty, you are required to perform certain steps in order to make sure your coverage remains in effect. For example, you will need to make sure you follow the manufacturer's directions for having oil changes and routine maintenance performed. If you fail to follow the manufacturer's guidelines for changing your oil or performing routine maintenance, the car manufacturer will many times simply choose to void your warranty. Under the terms of your current warranty contract agreement, the manufacturer has the right to cancel your warranty if you do not reasonably take good care of your vehicle.

Are you a female or a first time buyer that feels uncomfortable going into a car dealership to look at a vehicle?  If so, here are 5 tips to help guide you into feeling more comfortable the next time you need to purchase a vehicle. 1. Research the models and prices online and know what is a competitive offer. 2. Check Car Fax or Autocheck to research a vehicle's history. 3. Ask the dealer for the customer contact information that traded in the vehicle if you are looking for pre-owned. 4. Ask for service history and service work that was performed on the vehicle at the dealership. 5. Check guidebooks such as Kelley Blue Book or NADA for a fair purchase price on your trade in. If you are considering  Monken Automotive as a potential car dealer, we would like to inform you on a few ways we believe you will be more comfortable, including 14 female employees that are available to help you. Walking into a showroom can be intimidating, therefore, we have 4 female employees in our Chrysler Nissan sales area. They are our Receptionist Desk, Office Manager, Internet Sales and General Manager.  In our Chevrolet Buick GMC store, we have 5 female employees. They are our Reception Desk, Title Clerk, Office Manager, Accounting and our Owner.  They are all available and willing to lead you in the right direction. Driving into a service department can be just as intimidating.  We have 5 female employees that work in our service departments and will help you with any questions about servicing your vehicle.  At our Chrysler Nissan store Amy Monken-Brandt started as a service advisor 19 years ago and is now our Service Manager.   Dorothy Cates has been in our service department for 5 years and Mel Jackson for 4 years. At our Chevrolet store, Amy Zalos is our Service Manager and has been with us for a year and we just hired Heather Hoffman. Being able to talk to a female service advisor should encourage you to ask any questions without feeling lost or embarrassed. "We are not tech savvy, but we want to make sure your needs are met.   We can ask the technicians their concern and put it into terminology that you will understand," adds Service Manager, Amy Monken-Brandt. Our waiting areas were created to make you feel as comfortable as possible. We have television, an Apple computer with internet access, vending machines, free popcorn and updated seating... all to make you feel at home. Here is a review from one of our female customers. Sara Presley Burnett reviewed Monken Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Nissan — 5 star October 14 · "As a woman, I was expecting them to think I didn't know what was going on and to try to take advantage of me. What I got was the complete opposite. I couldn't have been more pleased with the way I was treated and respected. I have already recommended them to everyone I've talked to about my new car. Very happy and I will definitely be back for my next one."

Blogger - Lance Marcum Ordering a vehicle starts with our consensus cycle which takes into account our sales history and what we are predicting to sell. From there, the build cycle starts with our "allocations" on Thursday of every week. As far as knowing what works well for us, I look at our sales history and a program called "DART", which lets me know what General Motors recommends that I build.   We always try to keep a nice combination of colors and models available.  Also, we can always build a vehicle specifically for a customer if they would like. Once the order is submitted, it then goes into production. The process from the vehicle being built to on the lot is generally 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the vehicle. The ones being produced in Wentzville, MO are obviously here quicker than the ones that have to be shipped via railway. The vehicles come to our lot via transport trucks. When the vehicles arrive, sales consultants check to make sure there is no damage on the vehicle and then sign for approval. In the event that a vehicle has damage, it is noted and General Motors takes care of the repair. This is rare, but does happen from time to time. Once that is completed,  the keys are tagged with a stock number and the vehicle goes into our service for a delivery inspection. The inspection consists of a full inspection in which we top off fluids. In essence, the dealership is doing their due diligence to confirm that General Motors has built the vehicle up to expectations. Once that is completed, the vehicle goes to our detail department to get cleaned up and then pictures are taken for our website. The goal is that the vehicle goes through this entire process within 2 to 3 days of arrival so it is ready to sell.

What is CVT? CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. Quite simply it is a very efficient transmission design where it gets the most power to the wheels operating the engine at the most efficient RPM. Nissan has lead the way with CVT transmission. Nissan started using them in 2002 and most of their product line has a CVT. Many manufacturers have followed Nissan's lead and today have started using CVT transmissions in the pursuit of reaching the government mandatory mpg increases. The benefit of CVT is the fuel mileage increase, but an additional result is not feeling a "shift." CVT's do not have traditional gears like most automatic transmissions. A CVT has two cones that move in and out to create infinite gear ratios. When I am giving a test drive, I often point out that on a traditional transmission you will see the RPM's of the engine reach around 3,000 RPM (under light driving) prior to shifting down to about 1000 RPM's prior to climbing again. On a CVT the RPM's rise and lower slowly so there is not a traditional "shift" where a gear changes. Many automotive enthusiasts prefer the traditional transmission. I don't understand the desire to feel a transmission shift as my belief is that the goal of any transmission should be to not feel it shift. Why does Nissan use CVT in most of their vehicle? Utilizing and becoming a leader in CVT has allowed Nissan to be a leader in fuel economy. Nissan came out with CVT on the 2002 Murano and within a few years all of their sedans. Today, most of their SUV's and Crossovers utilize this technology. Believe it or not, the model T Ford transmission design had many similarities to a CVT. Here is a video by Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained talking about vehicles with CVT. 5 Things You Should Never Do in a Car With CVT

Guest Blogger - Jan Monken Monken Automotive and the Monken family  have been involved with the Centralia Balloon Fest since its inception over 25 years ago. The Balloon Fest, held every year in August, has become a huge event since the first one that was held at Kaskaskia College.  Balloon Fest later moved to Foundation Park, east of Centralia, where it is still held today.  The Balloon Fest offers entertainment for all ages with the balloon glow and balloon races as the biggest events. Originally, the balloons only glowed Saturday evening, but now following the Friday night balloon race, the pilots will come back into the park and glow around the pond. We have always sponsored a balloon, and as sponsors for the Balloon Fest, we get the opportunity to crew at each event.  Crewing a balloon can be hard work.  We recruit family, friends and employees to be our crew members/chase team.  Our crew members help set up the balloon for the race, chase the ballon, and help with the landing and packing it up.  Glowing is also hard work as the crew members hold on to ropes to help keep the balloon from going  up into the air. Our first grandchildren to crew were Megan and Andrea, Kim( Monken) McMillan's girls. I remember the first time they were old enough to fly with our pilot. The girls had so much fun the first time they rode in a hot air balloon, we could see their happy faces as they flew up over the fields and trees. Then our grandchildren,  Katie Hartmann, Jalyn and Addison Monken became part of the Monken Chase Team.  They loved to get up at 5:00am to meet at the Bell Tower Inn for the pilot meeting. This is when the pilots are informed if the balloons will fly and where they will depart. The girls have all had the opportunity to fly up in a hot air balloon and loved every minute. This year, Megan and her family will be crewing. We are now starting the next generation to crew and fly! In the past, Monken's have also sponsored the pilot dinner.  One year Monken Automotive hosted the Friday evening dinner for all pilots, crew members, and sponsors.  Wearing his cowboy hat, Harold Monken, directed traffic on his horse. Some of the pilots remember that event well. I also remember on one of the windiest evening while we were trying to hold onto the balloon during Balloon Glow, a large gust of wind came up.  We yelled for help and here came the “cowboy,” Harold, to help.  Well, Harold always thought ballooning was a piece of cake, but he found out real quick that it wasn’t as he was flipped on his back side real quick! We have had the pleasure of having the balloonist, Bob Boswell, for many years. Bob was a paratrooper before he began ballooning. He has quit coming to our event, but he still has a balloon repair shop. Our next pilot Ken was a Fed Ex pilot, and flew balloons as a hobby. For the past 4 years our pilot has been Jared Miller. Jared is a nurse anesthetist. We enjoy meeting and getting to know our pilots and their families. Thanks to everyone that puts this event on every year. Happy ballooning to everyone!

In the 1960’s In the 60’s, W. Harold Monken was a partner with David Woolbright at the Standard Gas Station in Centralia. Harold was always the hot rodder spending much time improving his vehicles and racing them at night and weekends. His brother, Wayne Monken, and father, Walter Monken, helped build a small garage/dealership that opened as Car City on November 4th, 1967 on Shattuc Road west of Centralia. In the 1970’s In 1971, a Japanese gentleman from Datsun was canvassing the area to find a dealer partner to represent what is today known as Nissan. Harold was interested and the business later became Car City Nissan. The 70’s were a great time to own a dealership that offered inexpensive vehicles with great gas mileage. They sold the shiny Datsun vehicles as fast as they could get them. In the 1980’s In the 80’s, Harold recognized a dealership trend to become bigger in order to survive. He explored adding Chrysler when Booth Motors closed. In 1987, he flew to Chicago with his attorney, Bill Crain, to close the deal with Chrysler, but had a last minute change of heart. He ultimately sold Car City Nissan to his General Manager Mike Gansauer and Mike’s father in law, Bob Cleary. In 1988, Mike & Bob purchased Meier Chevrolet and moved from Shattuc road. The business was now Car City Chevrolet Nissan. Several prominent business partners, including the Geary Family and the Cooksey Family were investors. In the 1990’s In the early 90’s, Harold opened Car Country for a few years, and then worked for Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown. In 1996, Bruce Geary told Harold that they were ready to exit the auto business. Harold returned to Car City and asked Mike Jansen to be a business partner with him in order to purchase the dealership. However, GM already had three dealerships in Centralia. They were Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC, Car City Chevrolet and Seeburger Oldsmobile Cadillac. GM was strategically cutting dealers with a plan called Project 2000. GM only wanted two dealers in the Centralia market and wouldn’t approve the sale of Chevrolet. It took months to negotiate. Ultimately Chevrolet was sold to Seeburger, and Car City became Monken/Jansen Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Nissan on May 1,1997. Harold’s son, Wes Monken, joined a month later in June 1997 relocating from the Chicago area. Harold and Wes purchased out Mike Jansen in 1998 and dropped the name Jansen to become Monken Dodge Chrysler Plymouth Nissan. Later that year, Monken’s purchased the Jeep franchise from Dobbs/Mahan in Centralia. 2005 - Now In 2005, discussions began about the Monken’s acquiring Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC. The plan was to have Harold’s daughter, Kim Monken McMillan, run the dealership. In February of 2005, Harold was rushed to the emergency room. Our long term attorney, Marvin Miller, met us at the hospital to sign a Power of Attorney over to the family. This is how Kim learned that she was coming to work for the family! The purchase of Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC was finalized in June of 2005. Harold had a significant leak on his mitral valve caused by an infection. He battled through three valve transplants, a stroke and ultimately passed away on July 22, 2006. With great patience and hard work, Wes and Kim found a way to make both stores thrive. In late 2013, Lance Marcum son-in-law to Kim, joins the team. Monken Buick GMC purchases Schmidt Chevrolet in May of 2014 and relocates Buick GMC to the their building across from Walmart to become Monken Chevrolet Buick GMC. In June of 2018, Monken's purchased Tyler Toyota Buick GMC in Mt. Vernon. It is now Monken Toyota Buick GMC.  The dealership has been adding employees and expecting a high level of customer service.  The sales associates are non-commissioned and further solidify our move to transparent market based pricing.  Our inventory is growing daily in the Toyota and GM showrooms. Monken Automotive now has 9 brands in 3 locations with Buick GMC in both the Centralia and Mt. Vernon stores.

1. Kelley Blue Book - KBB is the standard when asking "What is my vehicle worth?"  I find their values to be pretty close when the vehicles are graded fairly with the description KBB provides. For example an " Excellent Condition" vehicle can't even have a paint touch up,  less than 3% of vehicles qualify. 2. Manufacturer websites such as General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Chevrolet (you can stop at those as they make the greatest vehicles in the world, wink wink) 3. Edmunds.com - Edmunds.com is the place to go when you're shopping for a car and you want to buy smarter. You can discover and research fair market pricing for vehicles.   4.  Dealership website. I typically upgrade our Monkenauto/Monken1.com frequently and make a significant investment every two years. My goal is to have as much information as possible to keep you on our website.  I am always looking to improve the Monken website, so please share your wish list with me. We spend a lot of time on descriptions and photos to help you with the details of our Monken vehicles.  Our goal is transparency. The market has been headed in this direction for years.   5. Fueleconomy.gov One of the most common questions we get is, "What can I expect for fuel economy?" You can compare any year, make and model at fueleconomy.gov.

Blog by Kim McMillan I was asked to be involved with the very first Marion County Relay for Life event and continued to served as a team recruitment chair for several years.  My mother, Jan Monken, and I served as co-chairs for the event for 3 years. Our family (like everyone) has been hit hard by cancer. The hardest was the loss of my cousin, Troy Crocker, who died in 1999 at the age of 29, leaving behind two small children. That is when the Monken family vowed to fight hard to help eradicate cancer. The Marion County Relay for Life will be on Friday, June 17, 2016 at Fairview Park in Centralia.   We will have our annual  Monken Mega Nacho booth at the event from 4:00-10:00pm.  At this time, we have 16 members on Team Monken. The Monken Family and Monken Dealerships support the Marion County Relay for Life 100%. We hope to see you there!