Ram Trucks recently announced a new trim for the 2011 Ram Truck lineup – The Ram Outdoorsman.  Hunters, fishermen, campers and boaters will especially appreciate the new Ram Outdoorsman because all the features were specifically designed for them.  Currently 62% of full-size pickup truck owners hunt, fish or camp.

The Ram Outdoorsman includes:

• Standard trailer-towing upgrades
• Lighting enhancements
• All-terrain tires
• Interior and exterior convenience
• Underbody protection

“We asked Ram Truck customers – boaters, campers, fishing enthusiasts and hunters – what features would they like to see in a truck,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO of the Ram Truck Brand.  “They answered ‘more capability, more room for my gear, and ready to hit the trail.  And make it affordable.’”

The Ram Outdoorsman seems to have done just that.  With models starting just over $28,000, the Outdoorsman trim is available in:

• Regular Cab – 1500, 2500 HD, 3500 HD
• Quad Cab
• Crew Cab
• Mega Cab
• 4-Wheel Drive and 2-Wheel Drive
• Short- and Long-wheelbase

The Ram Outdoorsman will join the 2011 Ram Truck lineup, replacing the TRX4 trim level.

An additional product available for the Ram Outdoorsman is the Mopar RamBox Holster.  The RamBox, available for around $200, is a factory-designed fishing rod and gun rack designed to fit within the Ram’s two exterior storage bins.  It gently secures two rifles or shotguns, or hold up to six fishing rods.

Both the Ram Outdoorsman and the RamBox Holster will be available at your Performance and Baxter Ram dealers this fall.

Two new performance packages will be available on the 2011 Toyota Tacoma.  Each package consists of performance-enhancing equipment and cosmetic upgrades.  The new performance packages will supplement the Tacoma’s Off-Road package which already includes:

• An electronic locking rear differential
• Tuned stabilizer bars
• Springs and shock absorbers 
• Larger off-road tires.

The TX performance package, available for $1699, adds 16-inch black Toyota Racing Development wheels and larger trail tires.  Other additions included in the TX package are side steps, stainless steel exhaust and a graphics package.

Instead of cosmetic upgrades, TX Pro package, also $1699, adds a TRD-tuned performance exhaust system.  This gives an increase in horsepower, but a much deeper exhaust note.

Both the TX and TX Pro save money over buying the parts separately and include a three-year/ 36,000 mile warranty.

The new Toyota Tacoma will be available at your Performance Toyota Dealers this September.

Kids are out of school, ball games, swimming, family vacation and the temperatures outside go up… HOT!!! It seems like this time of year just flies by and it’s back to school again. We use our vehicles quit a lot during this time and depend on it on a daily basis to have as much fun as possible.

A lot of people don’t realize that the summer temperatures, which can reach the triple digits, have a lot of the same effects that the winter season does on your vehicle. Under hood temperatures can climb to several hundred degrees while driving in city traffic and out on the highway. With the high temperatures in mind here are a few tips to help prevent any unexpected break downs and have a fun filled summer.

1.  If your battery is 5 years old, have it replaced. Battery life is 5 yrs after that you’re going on borrowed time. Extreme heat will cause battery failure on an already weak battery at the worst possible times, without any warning.

2.  Have your engine coolant checked, we call it anti-freeze which it is but if the mixture isn’t correct you will have a lower boiling point and cause an overheating condition in your engine. If the coolant isn’t correct have the system drained and flushed by a certified technician.

3.  Make sure your windshield wiper blades clean the windshield well, because we can have summer storms that produce alto of rain and the heat in between the storms can deteriorate the rubber blades and not clean properly.

4.  Check or have the engine drive belt checked, a broken belt can also cause an overheating condition of the engine. If your vehicle has a separate air conditioner belt and this one was to break, everyone would be HOT!!

5.  Make sure the engine oil is fresh. Oil breaks down under heat and loses its lubricating properties, so if the oil is not fresh the engine can run hotter than normal.

6.  If you’re not a do it yourself-er make sure to have a certified technician perform these inspections for you.  You can schedule an appointment at any of the Performance Auto Group’s 10 convenient locations in Omaha or Lincoln at PerformanceService.net.

By following these simple tips you and your family can have a trouble free enjoyable summer!

Every parent dreads the day their teenager gets behind the wheel for the first time, and with three out of four teen deaths stemming from car crashes, we understand your fears.  All drivers can make poor decisions behind the wheel, but teens are most at risk for bad judgment on the road.  While you might always worry about your child driving, remember, not all teens are bad drivers.  With the proper tools, education and experience, your teen can learn to be a safe, defensive driver.

First, the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety recommends enrolling your teen in a driver’s education class.  Not only does it lead to fewer crashes, but most insurance providers will offer lower rates for those who complete driver’s ed.  In addition, there are other defensive driving courses offered for teens and the parents of teen drivers.  Go to www.SafeNebraska.org to check out classes offered by the National Safety Council in Omaha.

The National Safety Council says, “Parents should not rely solely on driver education to provide teens the significant knowledge and experience that they need to become safe drivers.”  While classes will definitely help your new driver, they need your support too.  Be sure to provide lots of supervised driving time with your teen.  The more experience they can get with you by their side, the better the skills they will develop. 

While Nebraska law prohibits use of cell phones and limits the number of passengers teens can have in the car, you should also help eliminate distractions.  KidsHealth recommends you set firm rules regarding cell phone use, radio volume and passengers allowed in the car.  Also, stress the importance of seat belts and the dangers of alcohol use.  Both are serious issues; two out of three teens killed in crashes weren’t buckled up and 25 percent of crashes killing young drivers involve alcohol.  Establish penalties for breaking any rules and be sure to have open communication with your new driver at all times regarding these issues.

In addition to education and experience, new technologies can help teach new drivers to be responsible.  Ford has developed the MyKey™ system, aimed at helping your drivers build road safety experience.  MyKey lets owners program a key that limits the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume.  MyKey also encourages drivers to use their seat belt, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and notifies the driver when the car reaches speeds of 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour. 

Susan Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering says, “Ford not only offers industry-leading crash protection and crash avoidance systems, we also are committed to developing new technologies such as MyKey that encourage safer driving behavior.” 

The MyKey technology is currently available on Ford Focus, Taurus and Escape models, and will eventually be available on all Ford vehicles.  Visit Baxter Ford at the new location on 185^th and Dodge to learn more about Ford’s MyKey technology.

Child safety is always a parents number one concern, so its no wonder so many parents are always concerned about their child’s safety while in the car, and for good reason, automobile accidents are the number-one killer of children under 14. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that as many as 80 percent of all car seats are improperly installed and used. Read the rest of this entry »

Nitrogen tire inflation is a new trend that has hit the automotive industry with great excitement. Many people believe that it is just a gimmick, however, studies have proved that nitrogen inflation does improve gas mileage, tire life, as well as many other benefits.

What is nitrogen tire inflation – Nitrogen tire inflation is the process of putting the correct amount of nitrogen gas into the tires of your vehicle. This is a simple and quick process.

Is it safe – Nitrogen is a very safe gas, it is non-flammable that is often used to put out fires.

Benefits of Nitrogen

Better MPG – Nitrogen inflation has many benefits, first and most importantly it increases gas mileage by almost 5%. This is due to the fact that Nitrogen is an improved method of inflation, therefore your tires stay filled longer and keep gas mileage up.

Improved Tire Life – Oxygen is in fact very hard on tires, it causes oxidation of the rubber which increases the aging of your tires. Because Nitrogen is a clean gas that is moisture free, it slows down the aging of your tires and therefore increases the maximum age of the tires.

Nitrogen Tire Inflation can be performed by your local service center for a very low cost. Contact your local service adviser for more details or set up an appointment today and save some money on gas and tires by getting nitrogen inflation.

HPP will be building the First Serialized Superbird with Performance Auto / Baxter Dodge in Omaha Nebraska! It will be touring a few shows mid summer

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For every used vehicle at Performance Automotive we promise to provide you with as much confidence in your used vehicle by providing you with:

• A 125-point inspection that will ensure that as much of the car has been looked over as possible by a trained and experienced mechanic.
• Free car fax report which tells you if the vehicle has been in any major accidents, how many owners the vehicle has had, the service record of the vehicle, the last reported odometer, as well as any other recorded information about the vehicle.
• We also promise to guarantee to buy back your used vehicle if you are not satisfied within the first three days.
• Also we provide a 60-day, 3,000 mile warranty that ensures you with a peace of mind when buying a used vehicle.

Just a few of the many reasons to buy a used vehicle from Performance Auto, with 11 convenient locations across, Omaha, Lincoln Nebraska and Kansas City Kansas we are proud to provide you with quality new and used cars.

In Nebraska, summer is always an anticipated time of the year, it means nice weather to drive and roll those windows down, however, summer time does mean new types of maintenance for vehicles that often go overlooked. Here are a few tips from Performance Automotive that will help keep your vehicle running and looking like new. Read the rest of this entry »

Toyota’s goal is to have a balance between safety, and technology that all revolves around the drivers for each and every one of their cars. Toyota works to improve vehicles that have low emissions, reduce traffic accidents, all while considering the comfort and increase the pleasure of driving in a Toyota vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »