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Blog by Wes Monken and Guest Blogger Amy Brandt(Service Manager) Our Monken Chrysler store is proud to share our newest technology with you! If you see our service department greeting you with an iPad, we aren't playing Candy Crush.  We have signed up for an optional Chrysler product called Wii Advisor. Chrysler has invested millions in this state of the art technology. Monkens saw the benefit for our customers and decided to sign up. If you are able to arrive 10 minutes early for your service appointment, it might take us a few minutes more to check you in, and at the same time the Wii Advisor helps us be more thorough. Once we have greeted you, we will ask for your permission to connect a pod to your vehicle. We will gather all your information such as your name, phone number, street address and email address, as well as, all the information pertaining to your vehicle concerns. The pod communicates with our computer system and together they verify open recalls, manufacturer recommended services, warranty, information and  previous worked preformed.  The Wii Advisor will also allow us to determine if there are any additional maintenance concerns for your vehicle. We will also walk around the vehicle with you to give us a visual of any signs of vehicle damage. We are extremely happy with the Wii Advisor and how technology advances our service department.   We are excited that we have partnered with Chrysler to bring our service to the next level for our customers.

Since our oldest just turn 16, we have been reading articles about teenager insurance.  Here is a blog we thought we should share from insurancequoteauto.info. Car insurance for teens is expensive because teen drivers represent a huge risk for car insurance companies. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. drivers ages 16 to 19, and drivers in that age group are nearly three times as likely as those ages 20 or older to be in a fatal crash, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute. Tips: Get good grades. Good student discounts can range from 10% to 25%, depending on the insurance company and state. Take a professional training course. Insurers may offer discounts of up to 10% for drivers under 21 who complete an approved driving education course. Leave the car at home. Many insurers offer teen drivers a discount if they’re attending school at least 100 miles away from home and leave their car behind. Sign a driving contract. Some companies provide discounts or benefits for teens who sign a driving contract in which they promise to always wear a seatbelt, never text or eat while driving, call for a ride if impaired, pay any traffic or parking tickets, maintain good grades and contribute to the cost of car maintenance, gas and insurance. Discounts vary by state and insurance company. It’s really important for teen drivers to compare prices from different insurance companies and look for discounts. For example, the following companies provide these discounts: Nationwide: Up to 15% discount for drivers ages 16 to 24 with a B average or better Under the company’s Family Plan, relatives living in the same household can all share discounts American Family insurance: Good student discount available; percentages vary Discount for drivers younger than 24 who attend school more than 100 miles away from home and leave their vehicles behind State Farm: Up to 25% discount for good students Up to 15% discount for teen drivers who go at least three years with no tickets or at-fault accidents and complete an approved safety course Geico: Up to 15% discount for good students Additional discounts available for car safety features Teen drivers can also buy their own insurance policies, rather than being covered under their families’ plans. Teens can save by getting auto coverage on their parents’ policy. It costs teens and their families $3,053 less per year, on average, to be covered under a single car insurance policy than it does for teens to buy their own coverage.

The new 2017 Chrysler Minivan will arrive this May. The new name will be the Chrysler Pacifica. The Pacifica will replace the Town & Country and eventually, the Dodge Grand Caravan. The Grand Caravan will be made through 2016 and possibly into the 2017 model as a valued vehicle. This is similar to what Chrysler did with the Avenger when they released the all new 200, they continued making the 200 and the Avenger the valued vehicle. Here is a link to a video that shows some of the new features. The ability to put your foot under the tailgate and sliding doors to open is a great feature. All-New 2017 Chrysler Pacifica

Blog by Ryan Williams Do you have a smart phone?  Almost everyone has a smart phone right!  How many apps do you have on your phone?  There are apps for everything these days that are helpful, and plenty that aren't helpful.  Nissan has introduced an app to make it easier to learn all the features of your new Nissan.  The Nissan Quick Guide App has everything that your owners manual offers you, but it has every vehicle Nissan makes in one easy app.  Sounds impressive right?  Now lets up it a little more, the app also has information on model years back to 2012.  Impressed?  Maybe that isn't very impressive, but it is even better because in each option you choose throughout the lineup the app has a video tutorial.  Video tutorials on nearly every aspect of your Nissan.  Did you forget how to program your Homelink garage door opener?  Reference your vehicle and touch Homelink on the options page and you have a video that shows you how to operate the Homelink opener.  Better yet this app is free at the Google app store or the iphone app store.  Don't waste time flipping through pages or searching endless videos to find your model year.  Get the Nissan Quick Guide App and you will have all the information in the palm of your hand.

While vehicles are more reliable than ever, they still do require maintenance and do break down. Why service with the dealer you purchased your vehicle? Auto manufacturers often offer either hidden warranties or offer some type of goodwill. These are generally reserved for loyal customers. When a dealership is evaluating an out of warranty claim for goodwill, they typically have to go to the manufacturer and answer several questions to justify the goodwill expenditure: How long has the customer owned the vehicle? Does the customer service the vehicle at your dealership regularly? Do they perform recommended maintenances? Are they loyal to the dealership and/or the manufacturer? Have they owned other "brand X" vehicles? Manufacturers and dealerships will go above and beyond for loyal customers.  These goodwill dollars are finite and tracked by the manufacturers to be reserved for the most loyal customers. In our experience, customer loyalty is most often rewarded by the manufacturer. Dealerships have finite dollars and will work hard for those that are regular customers. Another reason you may want your vehicle serviced at a dealership is because dealerships have certified technicians with yearly training that update them on the new makes and models of each brand the dealership carries on the lot. At our Monken Chrysler Nissan location we have 4 Certified Trained Technicians and 3 Master Technicians.  At our Monken Chevrolet Buick GMC location we have 2 Certified Trained Technicians and 2 Master Technicians. A trained technician must have all certification that meet factory guidelines before they are able to work on our vehicles.      A Master Technician has completed all levels of the training and are top notch.

BY BOB SOROKANICH JAN 11, 2016 IT'S CONFIRMED: Jeep Wrangler Pickup Truck Coming in 2017 The next-generation 2017 Wrangler will finally, finally include a pickup truck variant, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirms. Jeep fans have been clamoring for a Wrangler-based pickup truck for what seems like decades now. For all those years, Jeep teased us with pickup truck concepts, like the Gladiator concept and the J-12 concept shown above, but never pulled the trigger on a production model. That all changes for 2017: The next-gen Wrangler will finally, finally offer a pickup variant, right from the factory. That's the word from The Detroit News, as per a conversation with Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne. The CEO also confirmed that both the standard Wrangler and the pickup truck will be built in the Toledo, Ohio facility where the current Wrangler is assembled. Jeep global chief Mike Manley told The Detroit News that the Wrangler pickup will arrive in late 2017. "Sergio and I work very, very closely on the Jeep product portfolio, and both of us have been a fan of a potential Wrangler pickup," he said. "For me, there is a historical place in our lineup for it."

Monken Blogger - Lance Marcum What is a credit score? According to Credit Karma, "A good credit score is crucial for financial success. A credit score is a three digit number calculated from your data-rich credit report and is one factor used by lenders to determine your creditworthiness for a mortgage, loan or credit card. Your score can affect whether or not you are approved as well as what interest rate you are charged. A good credit score is generally considered to be 720 or higher. Lenders, however, can each have different standards for what they consider to be a good credit score, so it‘s important to keep building your score to receive the most favorable interest rates and highest rates of credit approval." 1. What does my credit score need to be to purchase a vehicle? Generally speaking, if someone has a credit score under a certain level, they will need to have someone who is willing to co-sign with them. It's difficult to assign a number as there are many variables that go into a credit score. A co-signer is someone that goes on the loan with the buyer. The person with the higher credit score helps the person with the lower score to get approved at a lower interest rate. Sometimes banks will require more money down from a buyer with a lower score in order to minimize the risk of both the buyer and the loan institution. As you can see from the chart above, 600 and above scores will generally get loans without the assistance of a cosigner. Banks also look at what is called "debt to income". Ideally, they like to see that debt to income is below a certain percentage before approving the loan, regardless of credit score. 2. How do I find out my credit score? If you have a credit card, they generally offer a free credit report when logging in to your account. Sites such as creditkarma.com also offer free credit reports that do not affect your score by showing up as an inquiry. 3. How can I improve my credit score? A number of things will help to improve your credit score. Among them are making payments on time and getting rid of any collections that may be on file. In addition, opening a credit card and paying the bill in full each month helps to establish credit (for example, put all of your gas purchases on the card and paying it off at the end of the month). Discipline is the key to all of this. Spend less than you make and pay bills consistently and your credit score will generally improve.  It is important to remember that a great credit score isn't necessarily an indicator of being in good financial standing, it could just mean that a person has lots of borrowed money that they pay consistently on.