Four years ago a tradition was started at LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC with an event that we now call the LaFontaine Family Fun Fest.
Local residents and the families of our employees were invited in to the dealership to enjoy a safe and fun alternative to Halloween trick-or-treating.
Each year since, the Fun Fest has been an event that we all look forward to.
Because it has always been such an enjoyable event for kids and adults alike, it made sense to hold a Fun Fest at more of our locations.
LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC is teaming up with Lakeland High School and Milford High School in an effort to help raise funds to support the extracurricular activities and sports programs at each school.
To accomplish this, the schools are participating in the Buick Drive For Your Students program which matches a local school with a local Buick dealership to raise money during a test-drive event.
“This program further demonstrates Buick’s commitment to community and education, as well as the local investment that dealers are making in their home towns,” said Molly Peck, director of Marketing for Buick.
In addition to gaining funds for their schools, students who help host the drive events gain valuable real-world experience in helping dealers plan, coordinate and execute events.
“We’ve been hosting test-drive fundraisers for area schools and organizations the past three years,” said Kelley LaFontaine of the LaFontaine Automotive Group, “we’re thrilled that Buick has joined us in this effort to support and offset the rising costs of after-school programs”.
How the Buick Drive For Your Students Program Works
One of the benefits about LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC being located within a stone’s throw of the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan is the abundance of camouflaged vehicles we see testing on the local roads each day.
Recently while filling up my gas tank at the local BP, I was lucky enough to be joined in the parking lot by this black and white masked SUV.
After doing some research on Google, I’m fairly confident that you’re looking at the 2015 or 2016 Buick Envision.
The Buick Envision still doesn’t have an official release date for North America, but will be making it’s official global debut on August 28th at the Chengdu Auto Show in China.
The Envision, set to fill the gap size-wise between the compact Buick Encore and full-size Buick Enclave, will share the same underpinnings as the Chevrolet Equinox.
With the recent announcement that General Motors will be recalling 1.6 million of its vehicles, we’ve been getting a lot of calls and emails asking questions about the GM ignition switch recall.
I wanted to put this article together to cover the most frequently asked questions about the recall, and let you know what to do if your vehicle is one being recalled.
GM Ignition Switch Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What vehicles are a part of the GM Ignition Switch Recall?
A. The vehicles that are being recalled are:
2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR
2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada Only)
2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice
2007 Pontiac G5
2003-2007 Saturn Ion
2007 Saturn Sky
Please note that not every single one of these vehicles that were produced and sold are being recalled.
We can help you determine if your specific vehicle is a part of this recall. Call us at (877) 997-0012 and we’ll be able to look your vehicle for you.
Q. Are these vehicles safe to drive?
A. There is a risk, under certain conditions, that your ignition switch may move out of the “run” position, resulting in a partial loss of electrical power and turning off the engine.
This risk increases if your key ring is carrying added weight (such as more keys or the key fob) or your vehicle experiences rough road conditions or other jarring or impact related events.
If the ignition switch is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury or fatality.
Cadillac recently told Edmunds.com that not all of its 940 dealers in the U.S. would carry the 2014 Cadillac ELR. In fact, upwards of 400 Cadillac dealers have opted not to carry the luxury brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle.
When posed with the question of whether or not to carry the ELR, Robert Milner, General Sales Manager of LaFontaine Cadillac, was adamant about the desire to not just carry the vehicle, but aggressively market it.
The all-new Cadillac ELR is the perfect fit for our luxury market. The Detroit Market is the largest Cadillac Market in the country. We have seen firsthand how important the environment is to our customers by their overwhelming positive reaction to our new Gold LEED Certified Dealership in Highland, Michigan.
The ELR’s combination of luxury, technology, eco-friendly and fuel efficiency make it a unique offering in the marketplace. We are very optimistic about the demand for such a vehicle in the Detroit Market and we have the resources, infrastructure, personnel and expertise to represent this unique vehicle aggressively.
A Growing Investment
Many Cadillac Dealers decided not to carry the ELR because of the significant investment for infrastructure, equipment and training needed to support the ELR.
Once known for being the car your grandfather drove, Buick has been making bold statements lately with their design, technology, safety and overall luxury (you know, things that people of all ages can appreciate)
We’ve seen it here in the dealership ever since the redesigned Buick LaCrosse hit our showroom in 2010 and since then, Buick has been putting out vehicle after vehicle that is setting a new standard for affordable luxury.
From the Regal and Verano to the Enclave and Encore – Buick now boasts an all-star, luxury lineup.
Obviously we’re a little bit biased having Buick Dealerships in Ann Arbor and Highland (and for full disclosure, I drive a Buick Verano myself).
So don’t take my word for it, take the word of one of the most respected 3rd party names in the automotive retail industry – Kelley Blue Book.
These awards are based on KBB’s analysis of the 5-year ownership costs of all 2014 model-year vehicles available for sale in the United States. The analysis considers every key criterion that figures into the overall cost to obtain and operate a motor vehicle over a five-year period.
Included among the factors are financing costs, insurance costs and state fees plus the anticipated costs of fuel, scheduled maintenance and repairs. Also included are the critical factors of purchase price and projected depreciation.
Now that you know how each of the vehicles were graded, let’s take a look at the vehicles to see why and how they won a KBB.com 5-Year Cost To Own Award.
If the idea of having an anxiety-free 340 mile driving range wasn’t electrifying enough – it’s just been announced that the first 1000 owners of the 2014 Cadillac ELR will also get a free charging station courtesy of General Motors.
The 2014 Cadillac ELR on display at LaFontaine Cadillac in Highland, MI
While the Cadillac ELR is a luxury coupe that blends dramatic design with industry leading extended range technology to deliver a driving experience that is both sporty and environmentally friendly – at the end of the day, you’ll want to charge your ELR at home to make the most out of it’s extended range capabilities.
In an effort to make the ownership experience easy on the first 1,000 Cadillac ELR customers nationwide – General Motors is footing the bill for installation of a 240V Bosch Home Charging Station at your residence.
The most popular question our customers ask us is, “when will GM be offering another lease pull ahead?”. I’m happy to say that the answer to that question is “Right Now!“.
We’re jumping for joy because General Motors just announced their first Lease Pull Ahead program for 2014 and it’s running now until the end of February.
I know what you’re thinking…you want to know if you and your vehicle qualify for this program. Great question, we’ll answer it below!
Do I Qualify For GM Lease Pull Ahead?
Getting out of your current lease early and into a new one will never be easier than it is right now.
If you currently lease an eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac model that matures between now and June 30, 2014, you qualify for Lease Pull Ahead.
History was just made at LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC in Highland, Michigan – the kind of history that’s only been achieved by a select few in any field or industry.
The LaFontaine Family just announced to the team that our Cadillac, Buick & GMC franchises have each won the General Motors Dealer of the Year Award for an unprecedented 4th year in a row!
Ask any sports team that has ever won a championship how difficult it is to win another one the next year. They’ll all tell you it’s not easy and history has proven that point over and over again.
There’s only been a handful of teams ever to win the ultimate prize two or more times in a row and now you can add the team at LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC to that list.
General Motors only bestows their prestigious Dealer of the Year Award to the best dealerships. It’s not an easy award to win, as a dealership has to exceed all expectations in Sales, Service, Parts and most importantly – Customer Satisfaction.
The GM Dealer of the Year and Mark of Excellence Award
Winning this award 4 years in a row is a direct reflection of every single person who works at LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC. Without their hard work and dedication, these awards would never be won.
Even though we’re talking about dealership awards here and not sports championships, the winners must overcome common obstacles when the new year begins.
Once you’re on the top of your profession, the competition lines up to take their best shot at “the champ” in order to claim the title.
Also, there’s always the possibility of a “championship letdown” that can occur when a team starts believing their own hype and forgets to do all the little things that got them to the top in the first place.
And then there’s the simple fact that nothing lasts forever.
However, I will tell you the entire team at LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC has no plans to slow down anytime soon. We’re only half way though the first month of 2014, and the whole team here already has their sights set on winning the GM Dealer of the Year Award again for the 5th straight time.
Pick out your finest threads and prepare for a night of beauty and elegance as Fashion and Cars merge once again on Thursday, January 16th, 2014 during the 5th Annual LaFontaine Charity Bash.
This is your chance to participate in a strolling fashion show and enjoy refreshments and entertainment all while taking in the Fashion and the Automobile Exhibit – a touring exhibit that highlights the many changes wrought on popular culture by the evolution of the car.
