Honda Odyssey - The Best Minivan?

USA Today, Cars.com, and Motorweek TV tested six full-size minivans in what is called the Ultimate Minivan Shootout. Each van was scored on the following: First impression, comfort and cargo space, fit of child safety seats, family-oriented features, kids' impression, handling, visibility, ride, acceleration, and braking. The total score breakdown comes from the Experts' score, Family score, and MPG score. Who came out on top? The 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite!

Out of 1,000 points, the Odyssey scored 854.6 points. On its test, it was determined that it had a 25.9 MPG highway, higher than any of the other vans put to the test.

Every vehicle has its pros and cons, but the pros in this case definitely outweighed the cons. The one focus of the debate was the look of the vehicle. Heather Weatherby, a mother of three who was apart of the family score, said, "It doesn't look like such a Mommy car…" Others said the look is too angular. It is all a matter of opinion. The seats of the vehicle were also being argued. They have been said to be the "comfiest" and the expandable second row seats were praised. Floppy seat belts and not having power folding third-row seats were the opposition. The handling of the vehicle was also rated number one.

This car beat out the Chrysler Town & Country Limited (2nd), the Nissan Quest SL (3rd), the Volkswagen Routan SE (4th), Dodge's Grand Caravan Crew (5th), and finally the Toyota Sienna XLE (6th).

The 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite scored the highest in all of the categories (Experts, Family, and MPG). The model tested was an overall success with everyone who judged. If the only major issue with the judges was the look of the car, you know it runs great and is a spectacular deal. It perfect for any family in need of a minivan. Parts from: USAToday.com

See your Sales Consultant to test drive the Odyssey today!

Q & A with Resale Manager Sean Stone from Bianchi Honda

Q. What do you enjoy most about working at Bianchi Honda?

A. I enjoy the integrity and passion that so many employees have here to be the best at their job. It's a great feeling coming to work with people who actually enjoy what they do.

Q. What do your daily responsibilities include?

A. To meet our customers needs and to make sure all of our customers are satisfied. I manage the resale department at Bianchi Honda where we offer some of the nicest used vehicles in the area. I also enjoy motivating employees to continue to be their best.

Q. What do you like to do outside of work?

A. Anyone that knows me would say that I spend every moment outside of Bianchi having fun with my children. I also work with the McDowell High School football team in Millcreek Township.

Q. Can you tell me about your family life?

A. I enjoy spending my free time with my family and making them laugh. This ranges from walking dogs, nature walks, Presque Isle time, camping, going to "Splash Bagoon" (Splash Lagoon) as my son calls it, to wrestling tournaments in the living room and trying to make everyday chores fun and enjoyable

New Detailing Building Finished at Bianchi Honda

The final product of Bianchi Honda's summer construction has finished! The newest addition to our store has provided a fast-paced and comfortable working environment for our Prep Department.

The Prep Department is already hard at work using the new building to its capacity. The primary use of the new building will be to assure that all of our vehicles are as clean as possible and to also polish customers' vehicles in the state of the art AutoButler machines. This valuable service is in high-demand and the new machines will help accommodate our customers in a timely fashion.

What is the AutoButler service? It's designed to protect the paint and enhance the look of your car. This occurs by coating the vehicle surface with a protective barrier that can be cleaned and restored time after time to provide a beautiful, long-lasting finish that will be easy to maintain for years to come. If a customer decides to purchase the protection plan from the Finance Department, they bring it in every six months keeping their car looking brand new. The building makes it much easier to schedule a car for an AutoButler session with two machines located inside.

On an average day, we can take care of 15 to 20 AutoButler applications, check-in multiple trucks of cars, and take care of about 12 deliveries. With the extra space, the team is able to work together to get the job done at a fast and efficient pace. The interior of the building has plenty of open space to get cars ready for the lot and for the customers.

Tom Robinson, our Prep Manager, has been working hard to continue to keep things running as smooth as possible with the transition. His team includes fourteen employees: Frank Buzzanco, Brandon Campbell, Anthony Chimenti, Josh Davis, Kyle Dumbeck, David Gomez-Palmero, Gabe Harrick, Steve Karsh, Bill Niemi, Justin O'Connell, Scott Pohl, Mike Schley, and Chad Washburn. Together, these gentlemen will continue to make the best use of the new building and everyone is excited to see the building up and running!

Best Honda Technician in the Country at Bianchi Honda

Bianchi Honda would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to our Honda Master Technician, Joe Londo. As a result of Joe’s outstanding performance, he has been awarded Honda’s ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Master Automobile Technician of the Year. Number one in the entire nation!  We are all extremely proud of this achievement.
He was presented the award by Bob Bennett, Honda Zone 5 Parts and Service Manager, Randy Bridgewater, Honda Mt. Laurel Training Center Manager, Phil Pinzok, Bianchi Honda Service Manager, and Bruce Wilson, our Honda District Parts and Service Representative.  Joe will also be attending a national presentation in North Carolina at the ASE Annual Meeting this month.

Joe, an Erie native who graduated from Iroquois High School, originally began working as a technician for Toyota in 1991. Shortly after, he started his ASE testing. Seven years later, he became a Toyota Master Technician. By the end of 1998, Joe began his career at Bianchi Honda and became a Honda Master Technician.

During this time, Joe also took the time to mentor students from the Erie County Technical School Automotive Youth Education Services program.  Upon completion of the program, technicians Gerimee Gervais, Kelly McMann, and Jonathan Jewel were all hired as full-time employees.  Joe continues to mentor current AYES interns and has earned the Pennsylvania AYES Mentor of the year – twice!

Joe and his wife Tonya have three beautiful children; Taylor, Camryn, and Trevor. While he is not working on cars, he enjoys motorcycles and playing hockey in the EYHA Adult League while his son plays in the youth league.
Way to go Joe!

Thank You Again Erie For Choosing Us

Thank you Erie residents for choosing us for the second year in a row for Best New Car Dealership and Best Automotive Service Center in the 2011 Erie’s Choice Awards. This is a great honor for us to win these awards. A few of our staff members wanted to give Erie their appreciation for this award:

Luke Fosburg (New Car Sales): “Thank you Erie for voting us as the Erie’s Choice dealership! I am proud to serve the community I live in!”’

Phil Pinzok (Service Manager): “Receiving the 2011 Erie’s Choice Award, Best Auto Service Center, for the 3rd Consecutive Year is truly an honor!  Thanks to our outstanding employees for ensuring customer satisfaction is our #1 priority and especially to our customers for their trust, their business and their votes!”

Ted Rau (New Car Sales): “Thank you for recognizing a true market leader!”

Scott Roudybush (Service Advisor): “I just wanted to thank everyone for voting for Bianchi Honda. It’s always been an honor to work for Mr. Porreco and Bianchi Honda.”

Alex Varzally (New Car Sales): “I’m not surprised that we won again, but I want to thank the community for voting.”

Thanks again Erie! This means so much to us.

Ken Sauer - Employee Spotlight Interview

We recently sat down with one of our veteran sales consultants, Ken Sauer. 

Q. You’ve been a salesman here at Bianchi Honda for almost 7 years now. What do you like about your job?
A. I believe that no one should continue a job they don’t enjoy. I also believe if you’re happy in what you are doing, you’ll like yourself and you’ll have inner peace. Having that along with physical health, will lead to more success than you could possibly imagine. I think most people don’t get rich because they put money ahead of their job. If more people would just focus on their job, the money will automatically follow. This never fails. In other words, if it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning, and if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.

Q. What do your daily responsibilities include?
A. My main responsibility is to sell cars by meeting customer’s needs. We greet customers in a prompt and professional manner wherever we encounter them including the showroom, outside on the lot, in the Service or Parts Department, and online. All customers, regardless of their reason for being at the dealership, will be greeted and directed to the proper department or staff member. We assist customers in finding the right vehicle, demonstrating its features and benefits, and taking the car for a test drive. We answer the questions of our customers and assist them in every aspect of buying an automobile. We escort our customers throughout the sales process according to the sales system in place at Bianchi Honda.

Q. What do you like to do outside of work?
A. I have a list of hobbies that keep me busy after work: Butterfly watching, bonsai trees, astronomy, camping, hot air ballooning, cloud watching, motorcycle riding, throwing boomerangs, bird watching, skydiving, rock climbing, mountain hiking, shark fishing, scuba diving, flying, coin collecting, doll collecting, Tetris, backgammon, body building, swimming, running, knitting, photography, candle making, yo-yo, and poker playing. But my favorite is taking long trail rides on my horse named “Nickel”. Most of these are true...

Q. Your son Logan also works here as a Service Porter, can you tell us a little about him and your relationship?
A. Like father, like son!

Holiday Buckeyes

Finding a special treat to serve at parties during the holidays can be difficult.  Everyone makes the sameFinding a special treat to serve at parties during the holidays can be difficult.  Everyone makes the same stuff every year.  Mix it up this year and be the hit of the party with these easy-to-make delicious Holiday Buckeyes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Cups Peanut Butter
1 Cup Butter, Softened
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
4 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet

2) Press a toothpick into the top of each one and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

3) Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir Frequently.

4) Dip the frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving. Editors Note: Instead of using 1 1/2 Cups of Peanut Butter, substitute the 1/2 cup with Nutella for an extra hint of chocolate

From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/buckeyes-i/detail.aspx  stuff every year.  Mix it up this year and be the hit of the party with these easy-to-make delicious Holiday Buckeyes.

Easy Ways to Save on Gas

Check out our service blog for more information about how to easily save gas in Erie, PA.

http://bianchihonda.com/blog/237/Lou/post/414/Easy-Way-To-Save-Gas-in-Erie-PA

Movies & Popcorn While You Wait

Lets face it, whether your vehicle is getting some major work done, routine maintenance, or an oil change, you are probably going to have to wait while your car is being serviced.

No one likes having to take their car to get work done. It can end up being a very long day. At Bianchi Honda, we understand this, and we don’t want you to be bored while you wait. Bianchi Honda created a comfortable place for you to relax or get work done, but what about the kids? Bianchi Honda’s recently upgraded their Kid’s Zone to have a big-screen TV which plays family-friendly movies!

We offer a total of 24 different movies including Wall-E, The Little Mermaid, Ice Age, Robots, and Cinderella to name just a few. You can request a movie of your choice just by asking our cashier (M-F 9-6 p.m.).

To top it off, Bianchi Honda has popcorn made fresh every morning. We can even make a fresh batch at your request. It’s the perfect snack to accompany your movie choice!

So, pull up a seat, grab some popcorn, and make your wait more enjoyable. Enjoy the show!

Employee Spotlight: Ken Gushie

We recently sat down with one of our newest Business Managers, Ken Gushie.

Q. What brought you into the automotive industry?

A. I have always had an interest in cars and with my finance degree that I obtained from Mercyhurst College, I figured it would be a perfect match. I started in finance in ‘94 and have enjoyed it ever since.

Q. What do your daily responsibilities consist of?
A. Obtaining financial information from customers, calling the credit application into various banks to secure the financing of the vehicle, then going over the state and bank paperwork with clients to ensure they are fully protected throughout the life of their loan and beyond.

Q. What do you like most about the Bianchi Honda environment?
A. Great atmosphere, great people, great products.

Q. Can you tell me about your life outside of work?
A. I am originally from Canada and I came down to the U.S. on a hockey scholarship and played for Mercyhurst College for four years. I love spending time with my wife and children and riding my Harley throughout the summer and I am still actively playing hockey and also enjoy playing golf whenever I have time.

What if Hondas Could Fly?

What comes to your mind when you think of the future? Space-aged clothing? What about flying cars? We saw Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd drive a flying, time-traveling DeLorean in Back to the Future II. It’s cool to think about what is going to happen in the future, but at Honda, it is done on a daily basis.

The Honda Fuzo, currently just a concept, is Honda’s idea of a flying car. This car would have a futuristic vertical take-off (think of how Iron Man or a shuttle takes off) and can travel speeds of 350 miles per hour!

Made by French industrial and automotive designer Jonathan Mahieddine, he created a lightweight and sturdy vehicle all in one. Powerful turbo engines help it gain speed while taking off and driving. It even has retractable wheels that would extend while landing, much like today’s airplanes.

This car would have features much like today’s cars. A GPS would be included not only to guide cars to their destination, but also to communicate with other GPS-enabled vehicles for collision avoidance. Airbags in and out of the vehicle would also be included.

If this is a sneak peak at the future, we can be assured it certainly is going to be an interesting one.

Excerpts from roadandtrack.com.

3 Biggest Mistakes When Buying A New Car

When you’re in the market for a new vehicle, how can you avoid making one of these mistakes? 

1. One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a car is basing their decision on price alone. We all know that price is important, but you also need to love the vehicle and make sure it will last. If you end up buying a car you’re not in love with, you could be back at the dealership weeks later going through the hassle and financial pinch of trading in a brand new vehicle. Also, the quality of the car should be considered so you get a car that lasts.  Buying a car through a reputable dealer ensures continuing satisfaction after the sale.
    
2. Not researching vehicles. Research is a must! You can use websites like http://www.intellichoice.com/ to help compare vehicle specifications to ensure that the potential vehicles are ideal.  It's also a good idea to check on the value of the car you will be trading using Kelley Blue Book.
    
3. Inflexible on colors/options. Let’s face it, color is important. However, being flexible with one or two choices of color can help save money and time when getting a new car. Also, remember that you can upgrade cars with accessories and options to personalize your vehicle even more after the sale. 

Of course, you never made these mistakes.  But maybe you know someone who has.  Spread the word and share this article with your friends.

This Cat Needs Your Help!

Four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.  Many cats and dogs who die as a result of pet overpopulation could have made wonderful pets.

A solution is possible and starts with each of us taking one small step: getting our own pets spayed or neutered. To help stop pet overpopulation further, consider adopting your next pet from an animal shelter.

Bianchi Honda cares about animals, and proudly supports the efforts of the local animal shelters including the A.N.N.A. Shelter and the Humane Society.  As animal lovers, we like to do our part by featuring a "Pet In Need" each month in our newsletter.

This month's PET IN NEED (Pictured at right):

BREED: Domestic Short Hair - Brown/Black Tabby

LOCATION: The Humane Society of Erie

NAME: Tye
     
AGE/GENDER: 3.5 year old neutered male

NOTES: 
TYE is a sassy guy with independent style and sophistication. This boy knows what he wants and likes; he prefers attention on his terms!  His handsome coat is marked with unique white patches such as the cute white smudge on his nose! He is FRONT-DECLAWED and may prefer to be the only cat in the home. He would do best in an indoor home with no small children.  He loves attention and human touch, but keep it up front please! TYE is friendly, and fun-loving, and would love to meet you today!
Visit: http://www.humanesocietyofnwpa.com/adoptable.html or http://www.theannashelter.com/ to view more pets!

'Tis the Season

It’s the season to be giving and Bianchi Honda has done just that. In keeping up with our tradition of giving back to our community, Bianchi Honda contributed $17,857.40 to the United Way for the 2011-2012 campaign, a 15% increase in contributions from last year!

We firmly believe in the United Way’s cause of “Advancing the Common Good.” Life could be better for all if everyone had “Education, Income Stability, and Healthy Lives.”

To show our appreciation to all employees who participated this year, we recently held a prize drawing for our employees. The winners of $10.00 Gas Cards are Heather Cloutier, Matt Curry, and Tom Robinson. Sarah Lybrook, Holly Wurst, and Jon Zimmer all won Honda Hats. Ken Gushie and Ken Sauer won an Oil and Filter Change. Our Flashlight Winners include Aaron Hansen, Zak Stahlsmith, and Chris Strong. The Travel Mug Winners are Ted Bowen, Josh Elliot, and Gerimee Gervais. Finally, Susan Joehnk won our Grand Prize of a Paid Vacation Day.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Each contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. Remember to “Live United”.

Mother Knows Best: Honda Pilot Wins Shoot Out

Both experts and family judges agree. The Honda Pilot beat out six other three-rowed vehicles in USA TODAY’s “SUV Shootout”. Family SUV’s account for one out of every seven new vehicles sold, according to J.D. Power and Associates. With these numbers, it’s no wonder that a face-off was necessary.

Who were the contenders? The Honda Pilot EX-L, the Chevrolet Traverse 1LT, the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring, the Dodge Durango Crew, the Toyota Highlander, the Kia Sorento SX, and the Ford Explorer XLT. All vehicles where judged by an expert panel consisting of James R. Healey of USA TODAY, Kristin Varela, Joe Wiesenfelder, and David Thomas of Cars.com, and Ben Davis of the PBS TV show Motor Week. The SUV’s were also judged by the family of the Kochs (pronounced “Cooks”); Tarek and Heather (both 38), McKenna, 8, and Bryson, 5.  The score’s breakdown is as follows: 65% expert score, 25% family score, and 10% fuel economy.

All of the judges had their own likes and dislikes about all the vehicles including the Pilot.  The primary likes pertaining to the Pilot include spaciousness and the controls. “I loved the large LCD screen...great iPod integration, Bluetooth audio and a DVD player in back for the kids.” said David Thomas. “More than I’d expect of a Honda at this price ($36,170).” added Joe Wiesenfelder. Storage was also well liked in the Pilot.  There were only two features that the judges were impartial to regarding the Pilot. “The ride is firm; there’s noticeable wind noise at high-way speeds,” says Wisenfelder. There was also a small question on the styling of the vehicle with James Healey calling it, “Clunky” and “Squarish”, but in the end the Pilot still came out on top.

Thomas’s final review advised that the Pilot has a high level of quality and comfort teamed with all the great entertainment features.  “I’m not sure how you top it” — and the competition was unable to.  With a final score of 752.1 — the Pilot could not be beat and ruled the shootout.  Stop in and visit with one of our Sales Consultants to schedule a test drive today! Excerpts from USA Today