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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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