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 Inevitably, when someone finds out I am in the auto business, the next question is usually, "So what's the best car out there?" Thirty years ago, you could point to good cars like Hondas and Subarus and bad cars like Yugos and Peugots - and the quality gap was huge. Today, automakers can't afford to make bad cars, and while there are brands at the top and bottom of the quality surveys, the gap has narrowed significantly, and there really isn't a lousy manufacturer in the mix. You really see that now when shopping for used cars for your kids.
My oldest son started driving two years ago and when we bought him his first car (actually a used Ford truck), I started my well-rehearsed, father-to-son presentation about what to do if the truck died while you were driving, and how to jump start it if it wouldn't start, and how to change a flat tire. After a few minutes he looked at me like I was speaking Klingon. Then it dawned on me that I couldn't remember the last time I drove an off-lease car that died while driving, or wouldn't start, or even had a flat tire. And he certainly had never witnessed any of the above in his 16+ years. To him, cars always started, always ran, needed gas once in awhile, and absolutely had to have a stereo with an iPod connector.
My teenage years were spent driving well-used foreign cars built in the 1970s. Import or American, cars from the early 1970s usually began rusting as they left the assembly line. Once they were 8-10 years old, even short road-trips became a game of "roadside-roulette." And if it was Italian or British, it wasn't a question of if we would break down, but simply when. Boys, in order to be cool, had to know how to make battlefield repairs on the fly or you'd never make it to your girlfriend's house, or the party later that night. I still have my green metal tool box with various wrenches, duct tape, fuses, and, of course, the big hammer (in case nothing else worked.) Today, if you lift the hood on your car, it's because your washer fluid reservoir is empty.
Today's cars are remarkable in their ability to run well for a long time without very much attention. Rarely, do we cross our fingers, hoping the car will start on a cold morning. No longer are there good brands and terrible brands. In general, all manufacturers make good cars (although each has had its missteps.) The big problem today is that while we don't have to fix them very often, when we do it's often really expensive. And we at Ellis Brooks Leasing think that is an excellent time to get a new car. . .
Jeff Barron
email me 
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European Delivery - what better way to see Europe than from behind the wheel your own new car? Based on the types of cars we've been delivering lately, many of you are feeling secure enough about things that you're finally replacing your personal cars with nice new ones. One feature that almost all of the European manufacturers offer is the ability to take delivery of a new car in Europe and then tour in it for up to 30 days. They usually include temporary registration and insurance, and then they ship the car home when you are through. Some of them even include two free economy-class tickets, one night's hotel stay, and a tour of the plant prior to the delivery. Others offer less.
If you are at all interested, visit the websites of Audi, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo and read up on their specific programs. Then call us. |
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Volvo - no longer "the box that safety comes in."
I tend to drive a lot of different cars during the year and as such also tend to get jaded. But every once in awhile I am pleasantly surprised. That happened recently when I spent two weeks driving a new Volvo S60 sedan. There was a time that suggesting a Volvo was usually met with a yawn and mental images of tweed-wearing college professors, buttoned-down CPAs, or your friend's grandma. Volvo has been trying hard to shed that image for years by rounding the straight edges of its cars but may have finally accomplished it with the all-new S60 sedan (and XC60 Crossover.) There's hardly a straight line to be found.
Sure, the new Volvo S60 is safe. But what struck me was how sleek and handsome the car was in person, how comfortable and fun it was to drive, and how much sophisticated technology it featured at a reasonable price. I also appreciated that its turbocharged engine ran on regular gas, not premium. One neighbor thought so much of the car that he got one the next week. One feature I fell in love with was the active cruise control that allows you to follow the car in front of you in stop & go traffic without using the brake or gas pedals. It brakes and accelerates all by itself. Letting the car automatically apply the brakes as you approach the stopped car ahead takes a huge leap of faith, but once you learn to trust it, rush-hour drives become much more pleasant. Especially when combined with the Sirius satellite radio and killer audio system.  | Clean, Scandanavian Design
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Volvo also has a competitive fleet purchase program so those of you with executive-level company-car programs should seriously consider adding this to your selector lists.
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New Cop Cars you hope not to see in your rear-view mirror
Even if you're obeying the speed limit, you still get that queasy feeling when you see a black and white Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor suddenly appear in your rear-view mirror. Well, after nearly three decades, Ford has retired that icon of police (and taxicab) duty. Starting next year, be prepared for two new law enforcement sedans to join the recently introduced Dodge Charger. Ford recently unveiled its new 2013 Taurus-based Police Interceptor and Chevrolet just showed off its new Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV). The Ford is a heavily modified version of the front-wheel or all-wheel drive Taurus you can lease from us, but the Chevy is based on a car we can't get in the U.S. The Caprice PPV is rear-wheel drive and based on the same Australian GM platform that brought us the Pontiac G8 sedan and the new Camaro. This version has a longer wheelbase to make room for the partition that separates the good guys from the bad guys. They may not be particularly good looking cars but they are always better seen from the outside rather than the inside.
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Helpful gizmos Bluetooth kits. If you're not a fan of the rechargeable Bluetooth earpieces or visor-mounted kits and want something closer to factory quality, we can help. For about $300, one of our suppliers can install this easy-to-use Parrot Bluetooth kit. It has terrific voice recognition software that works with most smartphones so all you have to say is, "Call Jeff Barron, office" and you'll be connected to me (assuming we are in your address book.) It will also work with the Drive Safe.ly application below to read your emails and texts.
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Feel pressured to reply to texts but don't want to crash? How many times a day do you receive a text (or email) that you feel compelled to read and reply to but can't (or shouldn't) because you are driving? Try downloading Drive Safe.Ly app on your Blackberry, iPhone or other smartphone and the nice lady will read you your texts, emails, Facebook chats and Tweets. It's free. And the great thing is that you can set a custom message to automatically reply to a text or email. For example, I have my Blackberry set to automatically reply to any text with a simple, "I'm driving and will get back to you shortly." And this gets sent only while I am driving in my car. My teenage kids have learned that there is no censor so even naughty words get read aloud. I'm so proud. |
Let's factory-order it . . . |
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Used Car Corner
We have an unbelievably clean 2010 Toyota Camry LE with an economical but sporty 4-cylinder engine and only 7000 miles. Please email or call for more details and pricing.
 | | 2010 Camry - 7000 miles! |
Also be sure and check out our sister company's pre-owned inventory at www.EllisBrooks.com. We can help you buy or lease just about anything they have.
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About Ellis Brooks Leasing, Inc.
Since 1964, we have been providing fleet management and leasing services to businesses in California and the west. Whether you have a fleet of 1 or 100, we can help you select the right vehicles and lease plans to fit your needs.
- High-mileage leases are our specialty (even 100k/year)
- Fuel and Maintenance Card programs
- Fleet pricing
- Local and out-of-state deliveries
- All makes of cars, trucks, vans and SUVs
- Upfitted work trucks and vans
- Pre-owned vehicles
- Professional, personal, no-pressure environment
Call us at (415) 474-1100 and see how easy it is to get started.
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Thank you for reading our newsletter. We don't do much advertising so please pass this along if you know of a company that uses vehicles in their daily operation.If you're an existing client, we really appreciate personal referrals. Jeff Barron
Ellis Brooks Leasing, Inc.
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