2014: The Year of the Cherokee

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The Jeep Cherokee is a classic and is one of the most celebrated SUVs in history which is why its return after a 13 year hiatus is a really big deal.

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding this vehicle and for a good reason. The photos that were leaked onto the internet recently created excitement amongst Jeep supporters so the manufacturer retaliated by putting out the official photography of their newest gem.

There are a number of exterior and mechanical features that are sure to keep the Jeep name fresh and relevant as it always has been.

You can see by looking at the photo that the body-style has been completely revamped. The sharp, intimidating front end of the Cherokee is aiming a provoking scowl at anything in its path and it’s ready for any challenge you can throw at it.

The new Cherokee will also offer both front-wheel and all-wheel drive as well as a choice between a 184 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and the new 271 horsepower 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 power plant.

The brand new nine-speed automatic transmission is present in all models (Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk) and sets the standard for its competitors. The Cherokee will offer up to a whopping 31 miles per gallon on the highway! It rightfully earned Jeep’s Trail Rated badge and offers Selec-Terrain and Active Drive Lock which is the most highly touted of all Jeep’s all-wheel drive systems.

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee will available at Carbone Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM in the near future so keep a close eye out because they’ll be moving off the lot fast! For info on any Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM product please call us at 315-736-3371, we’re looking forward to speaking with you!!

Heart Run 2013

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Taking a stand against heart disease is an incredible feeling, but there’s something particularly special about doing it with friends and family. America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk is an event that provides more than meets the eye. It’s not just an opportunity to better yourself but it’s also an opportunity to extend the lives of your loved ones.

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of all Americans. Heart disease has taken the lives of more American women than all of forms of cancer combined, showing that this is a huge issue and why the Heart Run is such a great cause.

On a lighter note, Team Carbone had such an incredible time at this year’s event as we always do. We started out with a team breakfast to gain energy for our big day and then we hit the road. Seeing the massive amount of locals that came out to support this event was truly encouraging because it shows how aware the people of our area truly are.

I couldn’t think of a better way to finish off the day than to be with our team for food and refreshments at Tony’s Pizza in Washington Mills.

Our entire team sat together following the walk and shared laughs with one another. The children played games, the adults congregated and everyone was smiling as it was clear that another successful Heart Run had taken place. The funny thing is, there are so many different groups that enter into this event but at the end of the day we are all a part of the same team and we are all fighting the same battle.

If you couldn’t make it this year, please join us in 2014 and I GARUNTEE you will not be disappointed.

Super Bowl Car Ads

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For 364 days American businesses prepare advertising campaigns at the edge of their seats just waiting for an opportunity on Super Bowl Sunday. The average price of a 30-second spot on this year’s telecast on CBS was $3.8 million and the network made about $220 million total by airing these commercials.
One thing you’ve got to understand as a viewer is that advertisers typically narrow their target market down to a segment and try to attract consumers to their product. For example, car ads are typically aimed towards men with the exception of a few models that are more popular with women (Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, etc.).
The Super Bowl is watched all around the country by millions and millions of viewers from different demographics and this allows car companies (amongst others) to be a bit more versatile when delivering their message. We saw Dodge’s salute to the American farmer, we saw Jeep’s 2-minute ad about their partnership with the USO, and we saw an onslaught of Hyundai ads. Hyundai experienced immediate success in their advertising as the Santa Fe’s search engine activity increased by 1,004% which is a tremendous accomplishment in this technological age.
The moral of the story is: there’s a lot of money at stake! Like anything else in a capitalist economy, the price of these ads is determined by supply and demand. The supply of advertisements is determined by the demand from customers to see them, while the extremely high cost of supplying air time to businesses is determined by the demand of these companies to be heard. You may think that $3.8 million for 30 seconds is an unfair price, but in reality it shows just how valuable your eyes and ears are as customers to these businesses.

2013 Carbone Indoor Super Sale

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2013 Carbone Pre-Owned Indoor Super Sale Cars Trucks SUVs

Whether you’re in Troy, Bennington, Utica, or New Hartford, Carbone offers you some of finest deals on pre-owned vehicles around. Just head over to the Carbone Indoor Super Sales. For 16 years, the Carbone Auto Group has provided you with a warm, comfortable indoor shopping experience and they’ve made it worth your while every single time. Great cars and great service are two things we can guarantee our customers because that’s our standard and that’s what you deserve. You’ve spent too many winters standing out in the cold waiting for someone, anyone to assist you and give you the deal you want. Those days are over folks because with our wide – open, heated and comfortable showrooms you can sit back, relax, have a cup of coffee and take your pick from our wide selection of automobiles.

Although this year marks our first sale in Troy, we plan on holding this event for many years to come. Automotive News voted Carbone Subaru of Troy the #76 dealership in the nation to work for because we are constantly challenging our team improve on customer service more and more each day. Without question they’ve responded to this challenge. That very same hard working staff can be found at the Carbone Indoor Super Sale in Troy and they are ready to provide you with all of the information and attention you need.

From American cars to imports, from big trucks to the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market, we have it all! We are looking to get rid of our current inventory fast so we can refill the sales floor with a new batch of pre-owned beauties. This means rock-bottom prices and fast, painless deals that we are sure you’ll be satisfied with. Visit the Indoor Super Sale homepage to take a look at our inventory at Sangertown Mall in New Hartford, and visit the Troy Indoor Super Sale page to see our inventory at the Troy sale on 800 Hoosick Road in Troy, New York.

Opportunity is knocking at your door, and all you have to do to answer is take advantage or these deep discounts. Don’t forget to travel safely for the remainder of the winter, and have a great New Year!

2012 Holiday Gift Giving

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2012 Carbone Auto Group Toy Drive

The holiday season is a time of great joy. We spend time with those we love and wish we could see more often. And we get to reminisce about the fine memories we have of Christmases past. Some of us are fortunate enough to be able to exchange gifts with our family and friends, but the reality is that not everyone shares this blessing.

Carbone’s Toy Drive started seven years ago, and has continued to grow with our organization. This year, the Carbone Auto Group, along with many others, provided more gifts for the less fortunate than ever before. The holiday season has provided us all with an opportunity to put smiles on the faces of young children. Organizations such as The House of Good Shepard, Evelyn’s House, The Johnson Park Center, and so many others involved in this cause truly epitomize what the holidays are all about.

Due to the efforts of everyone involved in our Toy Drive, 120 children will be provided with gifts to make this holiday one that they will never forget.

With all of the tragedy and sorrow that has surrounded our lives in the last month or so, it was both staggering and encouraging to see the amount of people that stepped up to the plate for this cause. We are so proud of the great number of employees that donated this year during a time when it would have been easy to make excuses not to. In the midst of shopping for their own family and friends, they decided to use some of their hard earned money on a child they have never met – all they knew was that they were in need. People can surprise you in such a positive way that it forces you to act as they do, the true sign of a leader.

We mustn’t forget that this time of year isn’t about material objects or 24-hour Black Friday sales. It’s about recognizing the great things we have and our great willingness to help others in any way that we can. For this year and all years following we should think of the people we have lost and appreciate those we still have.

Have a fun and safe holiday!

Chevy Continues to Tease Corvette Enthusiasts…

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Chevy Continues to Tease Corvette Enthusiasts…

Chevy really knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat! We all have been reading stories about the new body-style, seen concepts, and heard rumors but there still hasn’t been an official unveiling by the manufacturer.

Well Chevy decided to give us another little taste to keep us on our toes when they made the new Corvette logo public at the Road Atlanta Racetrack. As you can see from the picture above, the crossed flags and Chevy bowtie design are positioned at more of an angle with more depth and color than the previous logo.

The new badge is very symbolic of the steps taken to improve the vehicle itself, as Chevy has claimed they have really paid more attention to detail while building the C7 (7th Generation Corvette).

There are very few parts that will be carried over from the 2013 model, which include the cabin air filter, and rear latch for the removable roof panel. We do know for certain there will be a V8 engine that will provide the Corvette with more power and fuel efficiency than ever before.

The Chief Engineer of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, Tadge Juechter said, “With the new Corvette, we set out to build a world-challenging sports car with design, refinement, efficiency, and driver engagement that is second to none.”

Along with the Corvette, GM has really followed through with their statements recently with such newly added models as the Buick Verano (“Verano expands our lineup, continues Buick’s momentum, and gives us a great opportunity to attract a new generation of customers with a product that delivers on their expectations for design, performance and technology,”).

You can expect to see a completely new Chevy Corvette when the 2014 model finally drops which has created an enormous buzz around the country. The 2014 Chevy Corvette will be debuted at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January 2013 and tickets will be sold to a limited number of Corvette enthusiasts with the earnings going towards the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Take Your Green Getaway in a 2013 Ford Escape

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The 2013 Ford Escape at Carbone Cars

It’s a green driver’s dream! With your option of two EcoBoost engines, efficiency is a non-issue. Fuel economy? You’ll have a hard time finding an SUV that is comparable with the Escape’s 33 highway miles per gallon provided by the 1.6L EcoBoost engine. The seat cushions and heat restraint foam are derived from soy beans. The carpets are made of post-consumer and post-industrial fibers derived from recycled plastic bottles. The Active Grille Shutters and unique shape increase fuel economy, helping push the limits of expectation from crossover vehicles across the market. Needless to say, Ford has done a tremendous job of revolutionizing the “green vehicle”.

Seating up to five passengers, the Ford Escape is big enough for a family, but compact enough for an easy driving experience. It’s 81.8” in width, 66.3” in height, and 178.1” in length. You have your choice of wheel size from 17”-19”, including a sharp looking 18” Chrome Alloy wheel to complete that sleek aerodynamic look that Ford has provided. As previously mentioned, you have a choice of 2 EcoBoost engines: a 1.6L EcoBoost I-4 in the Escape SE/SEL (FWD: 23 mpg in city/ 33 mpg on highway, 4WD: 22 mpg in city/ 30 on high way) a 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 in the Escape SE/SEL/Titanium (FWD: 22 City / 30 high way), and a 2.5L Duratec I-4 in the Escape S (22 City / 31 high way).

The spacious interior provides a comfortable and relaxing feel on those long road trips for holidays and vacations. No longer will you have to worry about fitting the kids and all of your traveling items into your vehicle.

Your possible accessories include but are certainly not limited to: Chrome wheel locks, soft-sided cargo cooler bag, large cargo organizer, key-less entry, and dual or single portable DVD rear entertainment system.

Once again Ford Motor Company has out done themselves by providing a fuel-efficient, environment-friendly, and durable domestic product. The days of purchasing an imported vehicle simply for its fuel economy are over. With all of the technological advancements in the automotive industry, it is now an even playing field across the globe.

MSRP: S Model – $22,295 ; SE Model – $24,895 ; SEL Model – $27,695 ; Titanium – $30,195

Available: Now

Where: Don’s Ford Superstore (www.carboneford.com , 315-797-1520);
Carbone Ford of Bennington (www.carbonefordvt.com , 802-442-2888)

The All New 2013 Cadillac XTS

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XTS
With all new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) technology, the 2013 Cadillac XTS is taking luxury to next level. 3-D GPS, Doppler-radar weather, Pandora Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and much, much more.

It’s a tech-savvy driver’s dream! Incredible smart phone and tablet control, voice recognition, tri-zone climate control (meaning that even those passengers in the backseat are able to set their own temperature), and enough interior space to comfortably navigate through the countless features that this vehicle provides. The 14-speaker Bose surround sound system will make you feel as though you’re in the front row of a show at Madison Square Garden.

It has ambient interior lighting making the XTS one of the smoothest visual night driving experiences you will ever have. To top it all off, it provides 40 inches of leg room for your rear passengers, making those long trips on the road a breeze for everyone in the car.

The all-new sculpted side mirrors cut back dramatically on the amount wind resistance, making for a much quieter ride at all speeds. The Ultraview Sunroof provides approximately 48 inches of viewing ability that would impress any passenger.

Mechanically, this vehicle will be tough to beat. The adaptive forward lighting makes driving in dark areas a piece of cake as sensors pick up on which direction you are turning and adjusts accordingly. Equipped with a 3.6L V6 engine and 304 Horsepower, the XTS has plenty of power and acceleration to get the job done, and is topped off with world-renown Brembo brakes. The 10 air bag system pushes the limits of car safety and challenges other auto makers to step it up.

MSRP: $44,075 – $61,805

Competition: Audi A6, Mercedes E350

Available right now at Carbone GM.

Friday Auto News Roundup: Dog Days of Summer Edition

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It’s going to be a hot one today, and stormy this weekend. Hopefully you’ll be inside, with some A/C, with something to do. If you’re getting getting and early start on the weekend (or maybe a late start on the day), here is some uplifting auto news for your persual.

1. Ford is adding some 225 jobs to its Van Dyke Transmission plant in Michigan. The jobs are the result of a $220 million investment plan. This piece in the Detroit Free Press outlines the great positive effects the plant opening will have.

*“It was a ghost town,” Robb Miller, plant chairman for UAW Local 2280, said of the idled portion of the plant. “We’ve been watching it over the last 18 months go from ugly to gorgeous.”

Now, workers like Terry Pendergrass, 35, of Sterling Heights, are making a new transmission that will replace one Ford bought from Japanese supplier Aisin.*

During 2012 alone, Ford has added 5,355 jobs in Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. That’s great news for a legendary domestic automaker.

2. The sales figures for July are in, and they’re looking pretty good. Two of the fastest-selling cars were made by Nissan and Hyundai: the Altima and Elantra. Those are two older, time-tested models that have gained and retained a fair share of car buyers’s attention. Some newer vehicles that are tearing up the auto sales charts are made by Dodge, the Dart and Scion FR-S. Overall, new car sales were up 9% last month. Not too bad for the dog days of summer.

3. We all know automobile have safety ratings like crash test scores and the like. Pretty soon some other safety systems of automobiles will have their own safety scores – namely, automatic braking systems, lane departure warnings, adaptive headlights, and other computerized mechanisms that keep drivers safe without their even knowing it.

That’s great news for consumers. Even if those features are limited to high-end luxury vehicles, we all know that such marquee features trickle down to more affordable vehicles as the technology gets cheaper and demand increases. With independent rating systems in place, car buyers will be more informed about which features are actually effective, thereby saving lives.

Top Five Car Chases of All-Time

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I was browsing Twitter today (you should follow us on Twitter, by the way!) and I saw Ford UK post a link to the awesome video above. I don’t usually think of the Ford Focus as a super high-performance vehicle; it’s no slouch, but seriously – that driver has some awesome moves. I watched the video at least three times, and that got me thinking about some other awesome car chases and stunts. And of course I had to blog about it, so here were the top five I came up with, off the top of my head.

Gone In Sixty Seconds

A 1973 Mustang Mach 1 so sweet it will rot your teeth and a set of haircuts straight out of the “Sabotage” video (RIP MCA!) make the set piece chase from the original Gone In Sixty Seconds one of the most memorable, to me. I remember watching this movie on TV with my dad before I even knew who Angelina Jolie was. Add the fact that there’s no CGI —just pure stunt driving — and that really makes this car chase special.

The French Connection

Just because it’s a classic doesn’t mean you should count it out. I know everyone and their brother loves this chase. And it’s not just because of the awesome driving. No, the general atmosphere of the film, the way it almost all builds to this tense, noir-ish scene, really makes it an all-time great. Not just in the pantheon of car chases, but in all of cinema.

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry


I know, I know. Another 1970s car chase? With a helicopter!? What can I say – the 1970s really represented a sweet spot in American automotive life. Think about it: it was the decade of fuel rationing and oil crises, but American cars were still the most powerful, fastest ones around. As a country, we’ve always loved driving, and the 70s brought a plethora of great vehicles to drive. And, by the 70s, American film making was reaching a high point, with big budget action movies being raised to the level of art. It was a perfect situation for the car chase to become one of the great tropes of American film.

Bullitt

Of course, perhaps the greatest classic American car chase scene happened in the 60s with Bullitt. Steve McQueen whips around a 68 Mustang Fastback like its a toy car, and the screeching of tires on asphalt thunder like a symphony. Again, with no CGI, these classic chase scenes had to be carefully rehearsed and then perfectly executed. You can really tell, too, from the high standard of precision in the scene.

Death Proof (NSFW language)

I was actually going to list Drive because it’s more recent, but embedding was disabled on the video I wanted to post. Oh well! This crazy stunt-chase scene from Death Proof is probably even better. I remember seeing this movie in the theaters being totally blown away. I know it’s Tarrantino’s aesthetic to do homage and throwback, but he really delivers big time with this scene. It’s just pure madness. This duel between a deranged Kurt Russell in a 1971 Chevy Nova and Zoe Bell driving a 69 Dodge Charger brings the best of both worlds — a classic car confrontation and modern cinematic techniques.