Introducing the 2013 Lexus LS

It's the all-new 2013 Lexus LS. Click here to take a look!

Enjoy Haley Reinhart at Oake on the Water

Lexus of Maplewood is an official vehicle partner for the 10th Anniversary of Cities 97’s Oake On The Water! Check it out this Thursday at Lord Fletcher's where Haley Reinhart will be performing! Click here for more information.

Official Lexus LS F SPORT Photo Released

Lexus has released an official photo of the 2013 Lexus LS F SPORT.

The muscular creases, LED headlights, chrome spindle mesh grille and blacked out bumper all converge in a way that’s just pure awesome — there may be more mystery than fact at this point, but so far I’m impressed.

 

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

Employee Spotlight - Success in the Human Resource Department

Hennepin County has recently honored Village Automotive Group with a 2012 Wellness by Design Gold Level Award. It is important to thank every employee who participated in our wellness programs and highlight the leaders within our Human Resources Department for their hard work and dedication in helping us receive this recognition.  Village Automotive Group was the only automotive organization to receive this award; amongst some 78 Hennepin County employers who were recognized this year for their workplace wellness programs.

Kyle Harris, HR Director, began with Village Automotive Group in March, 2006.  Kyle was hired by the ownership to build the Human Resources Department and through her knowledge of the industry has been able to provide insight and leadership that has resulted in this success. One of her first large accomplishments has been to implement a workplace wellness program, “Drive To  A Healthier You” that has helped create individual awareness of healthier lifestyles and the impact each of us can have on the overall results of our health programs.   We appreciate the direction Kyle is taking our HR department and have enjoyed her positive worth ethic. She has provided ideas and support that has helped Village Automotive Group hire, train and retain our amazing staff over the 6 years she has been with Village Automotive Group.

Kyle is from Nebraska and graduated from William Woods College where she studied Business Administration and Equestrian Science.  She enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with close friends and family in South Dakota.

In 2011, with the growth of the organization, Kyle hired Heather Moyer from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Heather quickly began working with new hires and has enjoyed planning the training programs our organization hosts throughout the year. Heather is always learning under Kyle's mentorship and commented, "our department is very open about new ideas and opinions, it is very refreshing and a great working environment."

Heather has family in Pennsylvania and has spent sometime this summer with her boyfriend Sean who is running for the Pierce County District Attorney. If she isn't campaigning with Sean or busy at work, she is spending time with friends or traveling to visit family in Pennsylvania. 

The newest member of the Human Resources Department is Magdalena Chudzik. She started her HR internship in April of this year while she attends St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul. Magdalena has been learning about Human Resource policies and procedures to better understand how the department operates and supports others in the organization. One of her favorite ideas, implemented by Kyle and Heather in recent years, is the performance review program. She feels it is a huge success because reviews can really explain to staff how they can improve and grow their role within the organization. 

Magdalena is originally from Boleslawiec, Poland but has been in the U.S. since 2007.  She enjoys walking her dog Odie with her husband Shane and spending time with family.

Kyle, Heather and Magdalena will be very busy planning the Wellness by Design Award Celebration for the organization as a way to say Thank You to the staff for participating in the Wellness Activities they planned through the year.

For more information about our job opportunities visitwww.villageautomotivegroup.com and contact our Human Resources Department today!

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Checking Lights and Direction Indicators

Lights are easier to check on a dull day or when daylight is fading.

SIDELIGHTS Two white at the front; two red at the back. Should be bright and of equal intensity. Look closely at the rear lights to see if there is a dim glow from the brake lights, turn indicators or high-intensity fog lights — this may mean a poor earth to the car body on the nearest sidelight. If the front sidelights are small bulbs set in the headlight reflector these may be dim — these little bulbs tend to overheat and go black inside. Not a MOT fail point as such if they are both equally dim, but it's best to replace them.

HEADLIGHTS Put the headlights on dipped beam. Both should shine with equal brightness — failure to do so means a bad electrical supply or earth at that bulb. The reflection from the lights on a wall or garage door should show the two beams pointing slightly down to the left and level.
There are adjusting screws or knobs behind each headlight, but unless a beam is so far out of line as to cause a hazard, it is probably best to leave adjustment to the MOT tester, who will usually use a beam-setter to set them spot on. Switch to main beam and make the same check —

REAR FOG LIGHT(S) Switch on the high-intensity red rear light(s) — your headlights need to be on dipped beam. If fitted, fog lights must work, so must the interior 'tell-tale' light on the instrument panel.

DIRECTION INDICATORS Turn the ignition on and operate the indicators. Check that there is a flashing 'tell tale' light on the instrument panel. Check that front and rear indicators are flashing.
The flash rate should be between 30 and 90 per minute. If it's just under 30 it may speed up once the engine is running, though not if the flasher unit is an electronic rather than a mechanical unit. Side repeater indicators on the wings must be working if fitted.

HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS With the indicators off, switch on the hazard flashers, checking for the warning light and/or tick inside. Walk round the car to ensure that all four hazards are flashing, and that no other lights are glowing dimly. Switch off hazard flashers.

BRAKE LIGHTS Get a helper to operate the foot brake while you check the brake lights. Again, both brake lights must be equally bright, with nothing else glowing. Switch off the ignition.

LIGHTING REPAIRS If a light isn't working, chances are the bulb is blown. Bulbs are standard items, so replacement is easy. Indicators and rear red hazard lamp bulbs are 21 watt; brake light and rear tail light are usually a 21 and a 5 watt combined into one bulb. This only fits one way round to ensure the brake light is the more powerful. If it doesn't slip in easily, don't force it! Ensure that the offset pins match the slots in the bulb holder.
Front sidelights are either small bulbs set in the headlamp reflector, or larger bulbs (around 5 watts) under separate covers. Headlight bulbs come in various fittings and types, so take the old bulb along when buying a replacement. Access to the bulbs is gained by either unclipping the bulb-holder from the back of the light housing (usually after removing a cover) or by use of a number 2 Pozidriv (cross-head) screwdriver to unscrew the coloured lens from the outside.

If you have a vehicle handbook, it may show the correct procedure for removing and fitting bulbs. Other reasons for a bulb not lighting may be broken or badly corroded wiring. If one lamp lights up another, check for broken or corroded wires or a damaged lamp-holder and replace them. Many rear light units are mounted on a printed circuit board. If the circuit strips corrode, a new unit will probably be needed.
Front sidelights are either small bulbs set in the headlamp reflector, or larger bulbs (around 5 watts) under separate covers. Headlight bulbs come in various fittings and types, so take the old bulb along when buying a replacement. Access to the bulbs is gained by either unclipping the bulb-holder from the back of the light housing (usually after removing a cover) or by use of a number 2 Pozidriv (cross-head) screwdriver to unscrew the coloured lens from the outside.
If you have a vehicle handbook, it may show the correct procedure for removing and fitting bulbs. Other reasons for a bulb not lighting may be broken or badly corroded wiring. If one lamp lights up another, check for broken or corroded wires or a damaged lamp-holder and replace them. Many rear light units are mounted on a printed circuit board. If the circuit strips corrode, a new unit will probably be needed.

LENSES & REFLECTORS Headlamp reflectors must be bright and not obviously misted, tarnished or corroded. The headlamp lens should not have any hole or a crack that could let in water. All plastic lenses covering the other lights should be the correct colour and not excessively faded.

 

Courtesy of 2Pass

We are thrilled to hear from another happy customer! Kudos to Jill.

"Jill was excellent to work with. She reviewed the maintenance needing to be completed and offered future services. She was considerate and showed good customer service skills. Represented the dealership very well."

2013 Lexus ES350 - First Drive

Lexus's ES-series has never been on the forefront of shock and awe, but it's been a steadfast member of the lineup since their very beginning. As an entry level luxury sedan, the ES has a tough job: be luxurious enough to satisfy current luxury car owners that want a smaller luxury sedan, and affordable enough to lure "regular" sedan owners into the luxury sedan market.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

The ES has always done this conservatively and without much fan fare, and, as it's consistently one of the top selling models (trading off with the RX SUV), it's certainly worked.

Too Aggressive?

But has Lexus gone too far with this new design? In a bid to capture younger buyers, and bring brand unity with their newly designed GS models, Lexus has completely replaced the conservative image of old with something much more aggressive. But does it still retain some of the previous versions' conservatism? After spending a day with it among the vineyards and forests near Newberg, Oregon, I came away impressed with the duality of the car.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

While the styling is fresh and new, the powertrain and interior noise are on par with Lexus' ES mission statement. Powering the front wheels is the 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 268 bhp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, through a 6-speed automatic transmission. At engine speeds below 900 rpm, essentially idle, vacuum-operated engine mounts counteract engine vibration and noise to help minimize NVH.

As expected, front and rear fascias are cut from the same aggressive cloth as those of the new GS. This is where Lexus is attempting to box above the ES's traditional weight. Lexus' "spindle grille" is prominent, as is the use of LED daytime running lamps. Large swathes of sheet metal on the sides of the car are broken up with sharp crease lines that firmly keep your eyes on the belt-line of the chassis.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

Refinement, Please

The design language expressed in the interior comes from the LFA and is similar to the GS's. The strong horizontal dash is anchored to the interior by a pillar-like center console and deep recessed infotainment display. Lexus states that this was done to separate the display area from the tactile interface area. It works, but that's thanks to the use of a joystick-like Remote Touch Interface. It employs haptic-feedback to let you know when you're gliding the cursor over selection points on the display.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

Seating and dash surfaces are covered in either synthetic or genuine leather, and, on the dash, are accented by either piano black or maple pieces. An optional 12-speaker Mark Levinson audio system aims to fill the cabin with sound; acoustic glass, sound-damping materials and seals effectively remove the extraneous variety.

The car has leveled-up in the size department, with overall length up 1.0 in. and a 1.7-in. longer wheelbase. Combined with more efficient packaging, the new ES has nearly four more inches of rear seat legroom. All totaled, interior volume is up 4.7 cubic feet.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

 

The Big Surprise

The one aspect that impressed me most, though, wasn't its quietness or appointments. Yes, these aspects, particularly in the interior, have seen improvements compared to previous ES versions, but the most surprising was its drivability. All previous iterations of the ES were not exciting to drive.

The ES won't replace the GS, but it's genuinely a good car to operate. The electronic power steering is numb while going straight down the road, but offers feedback when the front tires experience some cornering force. Torque steer, the arch-nemesis of fwd cars, is minimal, and the transmission shifts quickly in either automatic or manual modes.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

The seats feature decent lateral bolstering, an unexpected treat in this segment, and the thickly-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel is lifted straight from the GS. The Drive Mode dial operates on the throttle map and power steering response. Although it will more than likely always be kept on the normal mode, the fact that Lexus even thought the ES could use a Sport mode is a miraculous thing. Eco mode increases efficiency by dampening throttle input and reducing air conditioning operation.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

While this car won't compete in the sport-sedan segment, it was a surprise to feel how composed this once mundane family hauler was on twisty back roads. Combined with the increased interior volume, Lexus has redesigned the ES with their sights straight on conquest sales and owner satisfaction.

2013 Lexus ES350

Courtesy of Road and Track