I Love Graff Okemos: September 2015

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

GM Plans to Expand Car Connectivity and Autonomous Driving

OKEMOS, Mich. –– General Motors recently disclosed plans to expand car connectivity and autonomous driving technology across its myriad automotive brands, and expects $350 million in revenue from its progress by 2018.

Having made strides in connectivity by implementing 4G LTE data connection into its vehicles, GM wants to continue to adapt and alter connectivity features and services for its vehicles. Connectivity and apps will help GM understand how drivers use its vehicles, including how they respond to features like automatic braking and hands-free highway driving, and help it continually improve its vehicle technology.

After releasing news that Chevrolet will partner with AutoShare to provide car sharing to university students in Toronto, GM has disclosed plans to expand car sharing as many customers lean towards more ecofriendly and economic modes of transportation.

GM plans to expand autonomous driving from its SuperCruise technology, which equips GM vehicles with driverless capability. But the automaker is quick to note that its higher-end performance and sports vehicles will remain intact to preserve their special character that drivers admire.

The automaker will also begin providing services through smartphone apps that add convenience to its vehicles. For instance, drivers could transfer personal driving preferences from one car to another, including across nameplates and brands, to notify car how to function.

If there’s one automaker who has taken a strategic and thoughtful approach to how they develop and implement technology into their future fleets, it’s GM. You can see the beginnings of these technological innovations and their careful progression throughout the years in the used Chevy vehicles at our Williamston area car dealer.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you –– simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

2016 Chevrolet Silverado HD New Technology

2016 Chevrolet Silverado HD Technology Updates

OKEMOS, Mich. – The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado is a tough truck with a tough job, but Chevy wants to keep your task of driving the pickup easy and convenient and that’s exactly what drivers will get with new technology in the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado HD.

With Digital Steering Assist, you have the power to haul and trailer with less effort than ever before thanks to electronic controls that improve road holding and stability on the highway and crowned roads. Whether or not your truck is loaded, Digital Steering Assist enables your Silverado to respond quicker to the condition of a road. Unfortunately, this technology isn’t available on Work Trucks.

Along with Digital Steering Assist, the new Silverado is debuting a Gooseneck/5^th Wheel Trailering Prep Package for the model that allows you to tow large trailers from the factory, and is accompanied by a spray-in bedliner. The trailering prep package equips your pickup with a frame-mounted hitch platform and tray that accommodates a gooseneck ball hitch or fifth wheel hitch mounting brackets, and a cargo bed-mounted trailer harness. You can also find a Gooseneck Completion Kit that features a 2-5/16-inch ball hitch and tow chain tie-downs at Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos in the near future.

Chevy’s infotainment system MyLink will also see improvements for the 2016 Silverado, namely by providing you with more connectivity options. A major MyLink update includes a new HD radio with a 7-inch-diagonal touchscreen that comes with improvements like a faster processor, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. The 8-inch screen provides CarPlay capability as well, but Android Auto capability won’t be implemented until later in the year.

Along with a list of new technology for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado HD, the pickup achieved maximum trailering ratings that meet SAE J2807 –– Performance Requirements for Determining Tow-Vehicle Gross Combination Weight Rating and Trailer Weight Rating –– standards thanks to the optional powertrain combination of a Duramax 6.6L turbo-diesel and Allison 1000 six-speed transmission.

This brief glimpse into a few the new upgrades the 2016 Silverado showcases are enough to remind us of how Chevy is always moving forward. Despite its constant innovativeness, you can still see vast amounts of ingenuity in the used trucks by Chevy at our Okemos area used car dealer.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you –– simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Transition into Fall With These Car Care Tips

OKEMOS, Mich. – With the recent end of summer and the beginning of fall, the seasonal change marks the perfect time to get your vehicle a routine maintenance checkup at Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos. Make sure your vehicle is ready to handle cooler temperatures and other harsh elements that come with the last few months of the year, and transition into fall with these car care tips.

Check the Fluids.

You should routinely check your vehicle’s fluid levels to make sure they’re at the correct levels. as it cools down throughout autumn you’ll want to pay even closer attention and check for any leaks. Fall is the perfect time to have our ASE Certified technicians take a look at your fluids to make sure they’re topped off and ready for the upcoming winter.

Keep Your Vehicle Clean.

Just because it’s getting colder out doesn’t mean you should stop washing your car. Fall is a beautiful season; don’t you want your vehicle to look just as beautiful? Get your car washed once or twice throughout the season to help it keep a healthy outer appearance.

Test the Battery.

Fall is the perfect time to make sure your battery is up-to-date before winter hits. Check for any corrosion on the terminals, a sign that your battery is getting old. Come in for a free battery test at our service center and we’ll let you know if you’re good to go or if you need a replacement.

Get a Brake Inspection.

You should have your brakes inspected every 18,000 miles, and seeing as fall is the season that precedes slick, icy roads, it makes sense to have our brake technicians inspect, repair, or replace your brakes in the fall. If you hear or feel signs that your brakes are at the end, bring your vehicle to us and we’ll take care of everything.

Get a Cooling System Inspection.

Your cooling system isn’t just for preventing your vehicle from overheating in the summer. It also keeps your engine and other components from freezing, and helps keep you warm when it gets cold. The last thing you want is a car or truck that won’t start because you have a coolant leak, or vents that don’t produce heat on a cold morning. Our technicians can perform a thorough inspection of all components of your cooling system.

Don’t miss out on scenic fall drives through Michigan because your vehicle isn’t in the condition it should be. Transition into fall with these car care tips and bring your car or truck to our Okemos area used car dealer. We’ll handle all of the necessary auto service and car repair your vehicle requires to get it through the year to next fall.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you –– simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

Friday, September 18, 2015

2016 Chevy SS Updates

OKEMOS, Mich. – If you’re a Chevrolet SS fan, your admiration for the vehicle is probably rooted in an appreciation for performance and design elements that effortlessly coalesce into a powerful and stylish sedan. Updates to the 2016 Chevy SS thoroughly exhibit that meticulous fusion of engineering and creativity the vehicle has always been lauded for.

Recent changes to the 2016 model align with the “character of the sedan” in a truer fashion than ever before while “further enhancing the car’s overall performance,” said Todd Christenson, Chevrolet Performance Car marketing manager. The new SS showcases a multiple exterior upgrades that bolster its prominence as a rear-drive sports sedan, and some of the most notable 2016 Chevy SS design updates include:

A revamped front fascia with new, vertical ducts at the ends that guide airflow over the front wheel openings to improve aerodynamics
LED signature lighting on the front fascia
Functional hood vents
19-inch cast-aluminum wheels

Despite a number of laudable design upgrades, Chevy will maintain the SS’s current fusion of performance, comfort, and spaciousness. The sedan is equipped with a 6.2L V8 engine, and yields an SAE-certified 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. You can drive off with a six-speed manual transmission or a paddle-shift six-speed automatic transmission.

There is one significant performance enhancement that should score some brownie points with drivers. A new, dual-mode exhaust system takes the V8’s sonorous bellow down a few decibels when you’re driving at low speeds, but lets the engine roar when you open the throttle.

If you’re searching for an adventure in style and performance, you can trust the updated 2016 Chevy SS is a sports sedan that will grant your wish. Stop by our Chevy dealer near Dewitt, MI, to check out our SS inventory.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Why You Shouldn’t Speed Up to Hit a Deer

OKEMOS, Mich. – In 2014, State Farm ranked Michigan 10th in the nation for vehicle-deer collisions, which totaled 45,690, according to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts.

With a 1-in-97 chance of hitting a deer in this state, you need know how to properly react to a deer jumping in front of your vehicle. Despite what you may have been told, there is a significant reason for why you shouldn’t speed up to hit a deer.

Many assume speeding up to hit a deer will mitigate the danger of the situation and reduce potential for serious vehicle damage. The idea is that by moving faster your car will be more likely to cut through the deer or essentially plow it out of your path.

However, this is utterly untrue; hitting a deer at a high speed delivers a greater force of impact. The deer absorbs that force and returns it to your vehicle. This is the main reason why you shouldn’t speed up to hit a deer.

When you can’t avoid hitting a deer, you should apply the brakes, firmly grasp the steering wheel with both hands, and continue forward until you come to a stop. Hitting a deer at a slower speed will reduce your potential for injury and vehicle damage.

Speeding up to hit a deer can also cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Moving at a high speed and barreling into a 250-pound deer is an easy way to find yourself in a ditch rather than between the lines of a road.

Speaking of losing control, another approach drivers take to avoiding a vehicle-deer collision is swerving, but this action could endanger you even more than speeding up to hit a deer. Swerving could take you into oncoming traffic or a tree, neither of which is a better target than a deer. Fight your reflexes to swerve and just hit the deer.

The peak time for deer activity is between October and December, and you can avoid a vehicle-deer collision altogether by following a few cautionary steps when you’re on the road this fall:

Pay attention when driving at night. Deer are nocturnal animals so their most active hours are when the sun goes down.

Use your high beams at night to spot deer up ahead before it’s too late. Extra light could give you the few extra seconds you need to slow down or stop.

Watch out for deer that are crossing roads. If woods border the road you’re driving on, or if you see a deer crossing sign, it’s likely that a deer could appear at any moment.

If you see a deer cross the road ahead of you, don’t assume you’re in the clear. Deer like to travel in groups, which means there could be more following the one you saw.

If you’re faced with the tough decision to hit a deer, remember this handy mnemonic: Don’t veer for deer. Apply the brakes and follow through. Afterwards, notify the local authorities and wait for them to show up. Stay in your vehicle and don’t approach the deer because it could still be alive, and your presence could startle it, causing you and other drivers more danger.

While we hope you don’t experience the mess of a vehicle-deer collision this fall, remember that our Williamston area auto service experts are here to help you get the car repair you need after an accident.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Chevrolet and AutoShare Partner to Provide Affordable Transportation

OKEMOS, Mich. – Chevrolet and AutoShare are partnering to provide affordable transportation to college students at Ryerson University, the University of Toronto, and York University, all based in Toronto. Chevy will add 16 of its vehicles to AutoShare’s car sharing fleet for students at three prestigious universities to use.

College comes with a slew of expenses that make affordability elusive for students. But as Chevrolet and AutoShare partner to provide affordable transportation these students could save between 35 and 45% on transportation costs, helping them put money towards tuition, food, or rent. The registration fees will be waived for students to use the Chevy vehicles, and AutoShare will only charge students $6 an hour to operate the Chevy models in its fleet.

“We are thrilled to be working with AutoShare to provide university students in Toronto with this unique opportunity to find new roads, both on and off campus,” said John Roth, GM Canada’s VP of sales, service, and marketing. “This partnership provides around-the-clock access to a range of fun-to-drive and stylish Chevrolets.”

Many automotive companies are in the midst of developing autonomous vehicle technology and other modes of non-automotive transportation in an attempt to provide more affordable and eco-friendly transportation. But Chevy understands drivers like driving, and they may have found a different transportation niche to expand their dominance in.

If things go well in Canada, perhaps Chevy will partner with an America car sharing firm and put fleets on American college campuses. Chevy understands how important for college students to have the finances necessary to afford things like oil changes or other auto service, both of which are available at our Dewitt area Chevy dealership. A system like car sharing is a feasible option for students to get where they need to while saving money and still getting the driving experience they cherish.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you –– simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

GM’s Warren Technical Center Investment Sparks Further Development

GM’s Warren Tech Center Investment Sparks Further Development

OKEMOS, Mich. – General Motors' recent $1 billion investment into the Warren Technical Center has inevitably sparked a series of future developments in the area.

Thanks to GM’s overhaul of the 326-acre tech center – a renovation due for completion by 2018 – Warren, a city of 135,000 residents, will likely be host to litany of new potential developments, including:

200 premium lofts neighboring city hall
a Prestige Cadillac dealership
a five-star hotel across the street from the tech center
a specialty grocery store like Whole Foods Inc. or Trader Joe’s
a Menards home improvement store

Additionally, GM will invest $35 million into the 10-story previous headquarters of Campbell Ewald, an advertising agency now based in Downtown Detroit. The redevelopment of the building is expected to bring 800 jobs.

As the GM Warren Technical Center investment sparks further development, city officials predict $300 million will be spent around the Downtown Development Authority district, which derives stability from nearby tech center.

The tech center consists of a vehicle engineering center, design center, and research and development operations. The facility employs 15,000 to 20,000 workers, and GM’s $1 billion investment will bring 2,600 new jobs.

It appears GM’s investment could catalyze the development of a number of amenities that would be a boon to tech center employees who want to live in the area. But the developments would also bring new light to the city in general, and provide a more walkable, cultural center for residents.

It excites us to see GM invest so much into communities that were central to developing the foundations of the automotive industry. From Warren to Flint, and even Lansing, GM’s investments in these communities encourage us to continue helping our community in the best ways we can as a Lansing area Chevrolet dealer. Stop by our used car dealer for your next used car or truck, or to let us handle your next oil change or car repair.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Flint Engine Operations Manufactures Millionth 1.4L Engine, Transitions to Ecotec Engine

OKEMOS, Mich. – Recently, General Motors’ Flint Engine Operations manufactured its millionth 1.4L engine, but will transition production to an all-new Ecotec small gas engine for the Chevrolet Volt and Cruze by year’s end.

Production of the 1.4L engine began in 2001 for the current Volt, Cruze, and Sonic. Flint Engine opened in 2002 to bolster production, and will receive $200 million in upgrades to manufacture the replacement Ecotec engine.

By 2017, GM expects to produce 2.5 million Ecotec engines a year in eight engine plants, including Flint Engine, across six countries. For now the Volt and Cruze are the only vehicles GM has announced to receive the Flint-built engine.

In 2013, Flint Engine employees formed a launch team that spent months collaborating with GM engineers and employees in Michigan, Mexico, and Japan to develop the Ecotec engine. It was the first instance hourly and salaried GM employees collaborated as a team for the powertrain pre-production process.

While the launch team developed the new Ecotec engine, construction crews installed new equipment and prepared Flint Engine for the impending production shift set for fall 2015. As 1.4L engine production comes to final halt at the beginning of September 2015, the plant will finish installing and testing the necessary equipment for production of the new engine.

GM will ship the first batch of engines to its Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant for the Chevrolet Cruze by year’s end. Volt production will begin later in 2016.

Although Flint Engine Operations manufactured its millionth 1.4L engine and will transition to the Ecotec engine, the plant will continue to produce the 3.6L engine while production shifts. The plant manufactures the 3.6L engine for the Chevrolet Colorado and Traverse, GMC Canyon and Acadia, and Buick Enclave.

As a Williamston area Chevrolet dealer housing a large inventory of new and used Chevy's for sale, we're excited to see this transition come to fruition. We're confident the new Ecotec engine will carry the Volt and Cruze, and subsequently chosen vehicles, to new heights,