It's Maintenance Tip Monday From Galaxy Toyota, Fans - Don't Neglect This Important Detail!

Clean brake dust off regularly

Brake dust contains all sorts of nasty stuff. If you leave it too long, the combination of road grime, moisture and heat from your brakes will bake it on to your wheels. Brake dust normally clings to wheels with static electricity so a damp sponge and clean cold water is the best way to get it off.

2013 Stagecoach Country Music Festival Sets the Stage for 2014 Toyota 4Runner Reveal

Toyota will stage the world debut of the redesigned 2014 4Runner mid-size SUV on Saturday, April 27 at 1:15 p.m. PDT at the 2013 Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, Calif., near Palm Springs.  The event marks the automaker’s first-ever public reveal at a major music festival.

The Toyota 4Runner, now in its fifth generation, has been in the Toyota SUV lineup for nearly three decades and continues to be one of the few fully capable SUVs available in its segment.  The 4Runner combines rugged body-on-frame construction with suspension technology that yields ride comfort more often associated with car-based platforms.  4Runner is available in a variety of configurations and in three models: a well-equipped SR5, top-of-the-line Limited, plus a Trail grade for amazing off-road capability.

Returning for its seventh year as presenting sponsor of Stagecoach, California’s premier country music festival, Toyota will kick off the three-day event with vintage circus-themed fan experiences followed by the unveiling of the 2014 4Runner.  The reveal takes place on a unique Toyota stage and will be hosted by SiriusXM™ radio personality, Buzz Brainard with a very special performance by chart-topping country recording artist, Dierks Bentley.

As part of the reveal celebration, Toyota invites fans to enter a sweepstakes from April 22-29 for a chance to win one of six guitars autographed by Dierks Bentley. Information and official rules can be found on the Toyota USA Facebook page.

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom

2013 Toyota RAV4 among most searched-for cars in the country

If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s probably likely the 2013 Toyota RAV4 is somewhere on that list.

The 2013 Toyota RAV4 has been the most-searched car of the year, reports Cars.com in a line-up of their most-read reviews. The car has topped the list for three months straight, with writer Matt Schmitz reporting that the RAV4’s reign at the top has “no other vehicle even coming close to smoking it out.”

Seven out of the ten vehicles on the list are either crossover or sport utility vehicles, suggesting that automakers’ push for more efficient engines in their larger capacity models could pay off this year.

Meanwhile, all of the sedans on the list have seen major overhauls this year, making them ripe for the picking at the dealership.

Courtesy of the New York Daily News

2014 Toyota Corolla to bow before LA

We've sort of been wondering when Toyota would finally debut the next-generation Corolla sedan, especially since the current car is getting very, very long in the tooth. We got a glimpse of the new compact's design at this year's Detroit Auto Show in the form of the Furia concept seen here, but we figured we'd see the production car by now.

According to Edmunds, Toyota will be unveiling the new Corolla sometime soon, and it won't wait until the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Officials from the Japanese automaker did not state a specific location or date for the new car's unveiling, but said that the 2014 Corolla is expected to be on sale before the LA expo later this year and that it will be revealed "somewhere in the US."

Toyota did not divulge any details about the new Corolla, and we're willing to bet that the aggressive lines of the Furia concept will be dulled down quite a bit for the production model. Still, news that the new car is coming sooner rather than later is indeed a good thing.

Courtesy of Autoblog.com

New, Sportier 2014 Scion tC Debuts at New York International Auto Show

Scion revealed the new 2014 tC sports coupe at the New York International Auto Show, showing off a sporty new look, upgraded interior and an enhanced driving experience for the brand’s top-selling vehicle.

“The sustained success of the tC, which accounts for 40 percent of all Scions ever sold, challenged designers to enhance the 2014 sports coupe in ways that keep it exciting to today’s drivers without losing its core appeal,” said Doug Murtha, Scion vice president.  “The outstanding result is a 2014 tC with a sportier style and driving experience that will thrill buyers and hold its unique spot in the marketplace.”

Aggressive Look with New Exterior Design and 18-Inch Wheels
The 2014 Scion tC is defined by more assertive styling, starting from the front with distinctive new headlamps and an all-new hood that extends lower toward a more open, muscular grille with an embedded tC logo. The new upper- and lower-grille treatments are bordered by LED accent lighting.

Beneath the rear bumper, a new black-out valance features an FR-S style, lower-center trim piece and lower perimeter reflectors; new advanced LED tail lamps complete the picture. New 18-inch alloy wheels with 225/45R18 tires carry the aggressive character through to the car’s profile. Standard on the tC, the wheels feature a premium dark gray finish, contrasted by eye-catching machined-spoke surfaces.

The tC will be available in seven exterior paint colors, including two new additions, Absolutely Red and Blue Streak Metallic.

Upgraded Materials and Scion Standard Display Audio Enhance Interior
The 2014 Scion tC’s cabin adds new technology, additional convenience features and upgraded materials. The tC will be the first model in the family to come with the all-new Scion Standard Display Audio, featuring a 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen. The system will be incorporated into all 2014 Scion models, making Scion the industry’s first non-luxury brand to feature a touchscreen audio system as standard equipment across its entire lineup. The new audio system comes equipped with features that Scion drivers will enjoy, including Bluetooth^® compatibility, HD Radio™ Technology and steering wheel-mounted controls.

The new base audio system will be joined by an available, all-new Scion BeSpoke Premium Audio system featuring Aha™.  This upgraded system includes full navigation, as well as the ability to connect compatible smart phones through Aha to access 30,000 free audio stations, including Scion’s own signature station featuring a lineup of its 17 music channels.  In addition to audiobook stations, sports, news and entertainment, the Aha service utilizes location–based services like Yelp and TripAdvisor, and integrates most of the popular social media applications, all at a great value for consumers.

Added convenience features for the 2014 tC include auto-off headlamps and an auto-up and down driver's window. The interior is upgraded with premium materials and lighter color fabric on the seats and the headliner.

Sportier Automatic Transmission and Enhanced Dynamic Handling
Getting there will be more than half the fun in the 2014 tC. Its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine delivers 179 horsepower at 6,000 RPM, and it is available either with a six-speed manual transmission or an updated six-speed automatic that can change gears nearly twice as fast as the previous model for both upshifts and downshifts. The automatic transmission now features Dynamic Rev Management technology, adopted from the FR-S, which quickly blips the engine to match its revs to gear ratios on downshifts, limiting driveline shock and adding to the visceral experience of driving the car.

Handling is enhanced by making modifications to stabilizer bar hardware, optimizing the shock absorbers, and by increasing the body rigidity with additional spot welds. Driving enthusiasts will also appreciate the retuned electronic power steering that provides a more engaging response. Together, these changes help the new tC to deliver a sportier, fun-to-drive experience behind the wheel. The 2014 Scion tC will arrive in dealerships in June.

Limited-Production Scion 10 Series Models Celebrate Scion’s 10^th Anniversary
In 2003, the first Scion xA and xB vehicles heralded the launch of the Scion brand, which was designed to bring new buyers into the Toyota family and appeal to emerging, younger drivers. The brand has accomplished both, and today it is recognized as having among the youngest median age drivers in the industry. Since its introduction, 75 percent of Scion owners have been new to the Toyota family.

“The Scion 10 Series celebrates 10 years of the brand’s passionate approach, iconic products and success inviting a new, younger buyer to the Toyota family,” Murtha said. “Scion heads into its second decade revved up by a strong product line that continues to stand out on the road.”

To celebrate Scion’s 10^th anniversary, Scion will launch a limited-production version of each vehicle in its lineup called Scion 10 Series. Every Scion 10 Series car will be painted a premium color: Silver Ignition. The anniversary message continues when the driver enters the car to see the Scion name illuminated on the dash before fading to reveal the number 10. The unique models will number a total of 10,000 vehicles, which will begin arriving in dealerships in June.

Other stand-out features include silver seat belts, a solar-powered illuminated shift knob and an LED Scion locator badge that lights up when the car is unlocked. Each vehicle also carries a sequentially numbered interior badge. The xB, iQ, and xD will feature unique alloy wheels in a graphite finish.

The Scion 10 Series FR-S also comes equipped with HID headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lamps, dual automatic climate controls and a smart key with push-button start ignition.

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom 

Maintenance Monday: Cleaning Your Car's Interior

When cleaning your car's interior, fire up the air compressor and blow dirt from the nooks and crannies of your car's floor onto the middle of the carpet, where you can easily vacuum it up. Stiff brushes also loosen dirt from the carpets and upholstery. If you've got leather seats, use a conditioner with aloe.

Courtesy of Popular Mechanics