I Love Graff Okemos

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

300 Workers Hired to Build Chevy Bolt

OKEMOS, Mich.– General Motors plans to invest $245 million into its Orion Township, Michigan, assembly plant and will have 300 workers hired to build the Chevy Bolt there.

Rather than creating jobs elsewhere, GM and Chevrolet are sticking to their Michigan roots and investing in a community located in the state that birthed the automotive industry.

“Orion Assembly is a breeding ground for manufacturing innovation,” said Cathy Clegg, vice president of GM North America manufacturing and labor relations, in a statement. “It serves as a model to engage the entire workforce at all levels to achieve success.”

As of now 1,580 hourly and 180 salaried workers assemble the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano at the Orion Township plant, but consumer interest for compact cars has waned due to their affinity for larger vehicles.

Loss of interest in compact sedans has resulted in GM cutting down production and being forced to lay off 100 workers at Orion throughout the remainder of 2015, which is why bringing Chevy Bolt manufacturing to this plant will be such a boon to the local community. The Bolt goes on sale in 2017, so GM will have 300 workers hired to build the Chevy Bolt sometime by then, after proper manufacturing equipment is installed with the $245 million investment.

The Bolt is touted for its expected range of 200 miles on one full charge and will be priced at around $30,000. Thanks to GM’s first all-electric vehicle, soon Orion Township will recover lost jobs and tack on 200 more.

Nothing makes us happier than hearing about job creation in our state, especially when GM and Chevrolet produce those jobs. There’s a reason why keep New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Okemos Dealership instead of any other brand!

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, June 17, 2015

Chevy Repurposes Used Volt Batteries

OKEMOS, Mich.– You don’t become the best automaker around by sticking to old habits. That’s why Chevy invested so much into developing an energy efficient vehicle like the Volt. Now they’re taking that efficiency in a new direction as Chevy repurposes used Volt batteries for areas unrelated to driving.

Along with a 74-killowatt ground-mount solar array and two 2kW wind turbines, five Chevy Volt batteries currently produce 100Mwh annually for the GM Enterprise Data Center at its Milford Proving Ground, which is GM’s newest IT building. That amount of energy is equal to the usage of 12 households.

Surprised that five used Chevy Volt batteries could help power an entire new IT building? Here’s how it works: The Volt pulls its power from a band of energy in the battery pack, leaving remnants of useful battery juice, which is used to help power this facility.

Taking action on energy conservation like this has lead Chevy’s new IT building to achieve the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a coveted award given to the most innovative and environmentally friendly companies.

Don’t assume Chevy Volt batteries are only good for powering facilities, though. Chevy repurposes used Volt batteries in other creative ways, like turning them into bat houses and nesting boxes for endangered duck species.

Other automakers do their time with energy conservation and environmental awareness, but none of them seem to be on par with Chevy. By now you shouldn’t need us to prove this, but if you need some verification come see how the New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Okemos Dealership represent this automaker’s innovative nature!

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, June 16, 2015

Practical Father’s Day Gifts for Car Guys

OKEMOS, Mich.– Is your dad a car guy, but you have no clue what to get him for Father’s Day? Fortunately for you, the solution to your problem is contained within that question! Get Dad one of these practical Father’s Day gifts for car guys, and rest assured that he'll feel appreciated:

Routine Maintenance

Usually dads stay on top of things, but sometimes they get busy. It’s not a bad idea to save Dad some time and take his car in for an oil change or any other routine maintenance it may be in need of. Luckily, you can get it all done at Graff Okemos!

New Car Mats

Winter takes a beating on the exterior of your vehicle, but it definitely finds ways to infiltrate the interior as well. Just think, every time Dad got in his car this winter he tracked in wet, salty sludge. Now his mats are caput! Get him some new ones.

Portable Jump Starter

Jumper cables come in handy when your car batter fizzles out, as long as other drivers are around for you to get a jump from. But what if Dad is on the road and hasn’t seen a car for miles? Suddenly, his Chevy breaks down and he needs a jump. Good thing you got him that portable jump starter!

French Fries Holder

Laugh all you want, but this is legit. When Dad stops in at his favorite fast food restaurant and is in a rush, he’s going to need a convenient place to set his fries while he drives. Hence the French fries holder.

Classic Front Lawn Car Wash

Despite all of these practical (possibly goofy) gifts, nothing will EVER replace the classic front lawn car wash. This Sunday, pull Dad’s car onto the front lawn, unfurl the hose and get washin’. This is the most sentimental and FREE way to show Dad you still care about him, and his car.

If you still haven’t gotten Dad a gift yet, don’t waste any more time– Father’s Day is Sunday! Be sensible, go with one of these practical Father’s Day gifts for car guys like your motor-head dad. But maybe you want to do something fun with him this weekend, too. In that case, take him to check out some of the New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Okemos Chevy Dealership this weekend!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

2017 Chevy Bolt Sighting

OKEMOS, Mich.– Nothing gives us more of a jolt than when someone spots a new Chevy prototype, as with a recent 2017 Chevy Bolt sighting Autoblog made during the vehicle’s first test-drive.

The big news behind the 2017 Bolt is that one electric charge is expected to keep the innovative hatchback running for up to 200 miles. It’s uncertain what technology or machinery under the Bolt’s hood could allow for such incredible performance, but after watching this video we've concluded it has to be something good:

Unfortunately, as with all prototypes, the 2017 Chevy Bolt sighting mostly revealed the white and black swirls of camouflage hiding its true image. However, the contours and general shape of the EV are still very apparent. Based on the photos, things are looking good for the Bolt, which will be manufactured at a General Motors factory in Lake Orion, Mich.

Chevy plans to widen its EV consumer segment with the introduction of the 2017 Bolt, which is projected to cost $30,000 after potential tax incentives. For an EV with a range of 200 miles, the price seems well worth it. Chevy is always coming out with game-changers like the 2017 Bolt, and the New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Okemos Chevy Dealership speak to that!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Chevy Cruze Hits 3.5 Million Sales

OKEMOS, Mich.– You know things are going well for Chevrolet when the Chevy Cruze hits 3.5 million sales. The monumental number of sales speaks to the automaker’s ability to charm customers with reliable vehicles like the top-seller Cruze. Sold in 115 countries, the Cruze is a global favorite these days with its top markets being China, the United States, Brazil and Canada. Specifically in the United States, the Cruze has been a major boom to Chevrolet.

In 2014, Cruze sales in the United States increased from 2013 by 10 percent to 273,060, and the Cruze proved to be the second-best seller in the country to customers under 25. However, the largest positive impact felt from Cruze sales was the 35 percent increase in new Chevrolet customers. It also turns out 56 percent of customers who trade in their Cruze end up purchasing another Chevrolet, and 23 percent trade in for a new Cruze.

When the Chevy Cruze hits 3.5 millions sales, it makes sense that Chevrolet would want to continue their path of success with future generations of the vehicle. This groundbreaking news on sales comes just in time to welcome the 2016 Cruze on June 24.

The 2016 Cruze is expected to set an even higher benchmark than its predecessor, and will include a slew of improved features. For one, the 2016 Cruze will be larger but lighter than the current model, and will house 25 new technologies– including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay– making it one heck of an intricate modern vehicle sure to keep sales on the up for Chevy. At the end of the day, it’s clear why the Cruze did so well in 2014 alongside a strong lineup of reliable New Chevy Vehicles and Used Chevy Vehicles like those found at our Chevy Dealership.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

5 Ways to Keep Your Parked Car Cool this Summer

OKEMOS, Mich. – To keep cool while driving on a hot day is pretty straightforward: blast the air conditioning, keep the windows down or hitch a ride in a convertible. But what about when your car is parked? Here are 5 ways to keep your parked car cool this summer:

Invest in a sunshade (window visor). While this isn’t the most fashionable option, it’s probably the most effective way to keep the heat away in the summer. Sunshades reflect the sun’s rays so they don’t bake your vehicle’s seats all day. You could equate this method to parking in the shade, which is our next tip.
Park in the shade if you can. Maybe you don’t want a reflective sheet spanning your windshield for everyone to see. If your super fashion conscious and refuse to purchase a sunshade, you can always simply park in the shade. Just be aware that you may be asking for a slew of other problems with this method (must we remind you that birds perch in trees?).
Crack your windows just a tad. Obviously you don’t want to leave your windows halfway down while you grocery shop or sit in an office for 8 hours. But if you crack your windows to the point where an arm still can’t fit through the opening, it’s a great way to get airflow in your vehicle. This will prevent your vehicle’s interior from turning into an oven, and keep that stale smell at bay.
Go all-out and tint your windows. Again, some of you fashion savvy drivers may not find this option very appealing, but tinting your windows is another effective way to block the sun’s heat. Of course, there are laws to be followed when it comes to tinting, so make sure you check them out before you blackout your vehicle.
If you have leather seats, get seat covers. There’s nothing worse than sitting down on hot leather seats, not to mention it can cause serious burns if it’s hot enough. Leather heats up more than fabric, and after getting broiled by the sun all day it’s not going to be pretty when you sit down. An easy solution is to cover your leather seats with fabric seat covers, which make the heat much more bearable.

These 5 ways to keep your parked car cool this summer are the most effective solutions we’ve found. They could rescue you from the agony of getting into a hot car and suffering the entire ride home, and grant you peace of mind to focus on the good aspects of summer’s heat!

Maybe your vehicle has burned you one too many times over the years, and this summer you’re ready to move on. If that’s the case, feel free to peruse our inventory of New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Chevy Dealership! We promise all of our cars will be cool before you test-drive any of them.

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!

Monday, June 1, 2015

2016 Camaro to Create Jobs in Lansing

OKEMOS, Mich.– Chevrolet recently announced it has big plans for the 2016 Camaro to create jobs in Lansing! For the first time in 23 years, the Camaro is coming home to be manufactured in the U.S. and in the state where the auto industry first put down roots! If you ask us, there’s no better place for Chevy to manufacture America’s top-selling performance car.

Chevrolet’s goal is for the 2016 Camaro to create jobs in Lansing, and to do so they plan to invest $175 million into the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant! The investment will fund new tooling and equipment needed to manufacture the 2016 Camaro, which will be utilized by hundreds of new workers! Right off the bat, Chevy expects to start an additional 500 workers by late summer!

Upgrades to the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant will include the installation of two robotic framers that enhance dimensional control during manufacturing, and three new paint systems for specific 2016 Camaro colors– Summit White, Bright Yellow and Red Hot.

It’s great to see Chevrolet bringing the 2016 Camaro and jobs to our local Lansing and surrounding communities right near Graff Okemos! With the new Camaro being manufactured in our own backyard, we expect to have a fleet hot off the press that we can add to our current inventory of New Chevy Cars and New Chevy Trucks at our Dealership!