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Toyotas You Just Don’t See In The USA

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:00:50 +0000

In the good old USA, we’re used to seeing the Toyota Camry, the Corolla, Prius and Tundra on our roadways.

But in other parts of the world, there are other popular Toyota models. Here are just a few.

The Toyota iQ – This small compact car is great for city driving. Toyota started selling the iQ in Japan in 2008 and Europe in 2009. The iQ stands for “intelligence quotient.”

The Toyota Urban Cruiser – This is a vehicle that is similar to the Toyota Matrix in the United States. It competes against small crossover vehicles in Europe and Asia.

The Toyota Hilux – The Toyota Hilux truck name was retired in the United States in the 1970s, but the model still enjoys a following in the rest of the world. The Hilux is a popular compact pickup truck in Asia as well as Europe and South America.

The Toyota Aurion – The Aurion is a mid-sized car that is essentially a Toyota Camry except with different front and rear-end treatments. You can purchase this car in Asia as well as Australia.

Whether you own a Toyota in the USA or overseas, make sure you use Toyota OEM parts. These parts were designed by Toyota and are great for your

How To Avoid Crashing Your Toyota

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:00:04 +0000

No one wants to get into a car accident. Injuries, vehicle damages and insurance claims aren’t fun.

If you want to avoid a car accident, you need to follow these five tips.

#1. Drive The Speed Limit – Driving the speed limit and giving yourself enough space between vehicles will help prevent a lot of accidents. As a rule of thumb use the two-seconds rule. Keep a braking distance of two seconds or more between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

#2. Watch Your Blind Spots – It’s always important to check your blind spots before changing lanes and merging with oncoming traffic. Many accidents occur because someone forgot to check their blind spots.

#3. Avoid Driving Distracted – Avoid playing with cell phones and other items that can distract you. The U.S. Department of Transportation says you should avoid:

Cell Phone Use
Eating Foods and Drinks
Grooming
Reading
Changing with Radio Stations, CDs and iPods

#4. Proper Vehicle Maintenance – Be sure to follow your Toyota’s recommended maintenance schedule. This helps to make sure that you can safely steer and stop your vehicle. When searching for Toyota parts such as Highlander parts, consider getting OEM parts. These parts are made by the manufacturer and are a higher quality.

#5. Try To Avoid Night Driving – This is especially important on the weekends when there may be drunk drivers on the road. Try to keep driving to the daylight hours as much as you can. When you need to drive at night, be extra cautious.

Have you ever been in an accident. What happened? Leave your comments below.

The Top Ways To De-Ice Your Car

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:00:33 +0000

In a lot of parts of this country, it’s starting to get a little frosty and frigid.

When the temperature begins to drop, it’s time to dust off that ice scrapper. Let’s face it … we all dislike scraping ice off of our vehicle’s windows. Worse yet, we hate when our car or truck’s door is frozen shut!

To help you get through this winter, here are the best ways to de-ice your vehicle.

Clearing Windows of Ice

When it comes to clearing your car or truck’s windows, you’ll want to follow these tips:

1. Find a Good Ice Scraper – Purchase a quality ice scrapper made out of solid plastic. Cheaper made ice scrappers can easily crack.

2. Run Car And Use Defrosters – Let your car run for a few minutes and use the defrosters, this will help to loosen the ice.

3. Be Thorough – For safety purposes, scrape all of the ice and snow off of your windshield. You’ll also want to remove any piles of snow from the roof and other areas of your vehicle. This will help improve driving visibility.

Besides following these tips, you’ll want to have plenty of windshield washer fluid as well as some type of water beading spray such as Rain-X. Also make sure that you have a good set of wipers on your vehicle.

De-Icing Doors

If you can’t open your car’s doors, you’ll want to follow these de-icing tips in this helpful video.

For more helpful tips, be sure to read other postings on the Toyota Parts Center Blog. At Toyota Parts Center, we are the #1 spot for all of your genuine Toyota parts needs whether it’s Toyota Camry parts or Tundra parts, we’ve got all the Toyota parts you need.

Toyota Concept Cars We Would Like To See In Production

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:00:06 +0000

Every year, Toyota unveils concept cars at auto shows that never go into mass production.

Some look really cool.

Here are some of our favorite Toyota concept cars that we would love to see go into production!

FT-HS – This is a mid-priced sports car that has a potent hybrid engine. The car’s interior features a cross-car instrument panel. This car is sleek, fun and fast!

FT-CH – This compact car has some nice curves and also sports a hybrid engine. It was introduced during the 2010 North American International Auto Show. It looks like it can be a Transformer.

PM – We probably won’t see these going into production any time soon. They look like something you may see in a futuristic move. “PM” stands for personal mobility vehicle.

These are just a few concept vehicles, we would love to see go into production so we can start carrying Toyota parts and Toyota accessories for them!

What would you like to see go into production? Leave your comments below!

How To Prepare Your Toyota For Winter

admin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:00:32 +0000

Before you know it, it will be December. And in many parts of the country, there will be snow and ice!

Is your car ready for winter?

If it’s not, be sure to follow these five car care tips for winter!

1. Replace Wipers – Visibility is very important during the winter months. Be sure your Toyota’s windshield wipers are in good working order. Also check to make sure that the windshield washer reservoir is filled.

2. Check Your Tires – Make sure that the tire pressure and tire tread is at proper levels. It’s important to have a good set of tires on your Toyota during the winter months. You may want to even consider snow tires.

3. Perform A Maintenance Inspection – Before winter, be sure to check the battery and any belts and hoses. If you have any major repairs, try to get them done before the winter months. Be sure to use quality Toyota parts and Toyota accessories.

4. Check Coolant – You’ll want to make sure that your engine coolant is a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. You can check this by getting an antifreeze tester at any auto parts store.

5. Have A Car Kit – For emergencies, you’ll want to keep a warm blanket, gloves and a hat in your vehicle. You’ll also want to consider these items in your car emergency kit: a shovel, flashlight, jumper cables and a first aid kit. Also be sure to have a great ice scraper in your vehicle.

Following these tips will help get your Toyota ready for the winter months! What types of winter preparations do you make? Leave your comments below!

5 Signs It’s Time For A New Toyota

admin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:00:01 +0000

Toyota cars and trucks are known for their reliability and longevity.

However, like all vehicles, Toyotas eventually wear out and need to be replaced. If you’re experiencing any of the signs below, it means it’s time for a new Toyota.

Sign #1 – The Cost Of Repairs Are Too Much: If you’re consistently paying for repairs, it might be time to retire your Toyota. Here’s the most important sign: If the repair costs start to cost more than the value of the car, it’s probably not worth repairing.

Sign #2 – The Car Fails Emissions Test Every Year: If your car won’t pass the emissions test in your community, it may be a sign that it’s time for a new car. Repairs to pass the emissions test can be expensive. And if your community has an annual emissions test, you’ll probably want to consider getting a new car.

Sign #3 – Important Safety Features No Longer Work: If important safety features no longer work, you’ll definitely want to get them repaired. If the repairs are very expensive, consider getting a new car.

Sign #4 – Check Engine Light Never Turns Off: If your car’s check engine light is constantly on, even after it’s been serviced, it’s probably time for a new car.

Sign #5 – It’s Too Expensive To Fill It Up: If your paycheck is going straight to the gas pump, it’s probably time to trade in your old car for a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Toyota has plenty of great fuel-efficient vehicles, including the popular Toyota Prius.

To help extend the life of your Toyota, be sure that you are using Toyota OEM parts. For instance if you own a 4Runner, you’ll want to use OEM 4Runner parts. This will help keep your Toyota in great shape.

How long have you owned your current Toyota? Leave your comments below.

A Preview of Popular Aftermarket Accessories for Toyota

admin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:00:18 +0000

Customizing your vehicle with aftermarket accessories can add a personal touch to make it feel like your own. There are many accessories that exist for all Toyota models.

Here are a few popular ones that you can add to most models:

Mudguards

Mudguards help protect the paint on your vehicle from mud, dirt, and stones while driving. Most mudguards integrate right in with the body panels of the vehicle.

Cargo Nets

Cargo nets provide extra handy storage in your trunk. They help organize the trunk and prevent things from shifting while driving. Most cargo nets are model-specific so pay attention to this before ordering one.

Floor Mats

Floor mats help protect the interior of your vehicle from dirt, debris, and other things that can ruin it. While most vehicles come with floor mats, you can purchase heavy-duty ones if you wish.

iPod Integration Kits

If your vehicle does not have an auxiliary input for an iPod or other MP3 players, many options exist to help make this possible. Make sure the kit that you buy is compatible with your device.

With the amount of accessories that exist for your Toyota, you will be able to create a vehicle that is unique and yours.

Also remember there are tons of great accessories made by Toyota. Also consider Toyota accessories the next time that you’re shopping for Toyota Camry parts or Toyota Corolla parts.

Toyota Recognizes the iOS Jailbreak Community

admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:18:06 +0000

Toyota recently unveiled and launched a new advertising campaign, this time focusing on the minority of ipod touch/iphone users who have jailbroken their phones. They launched a “theme” through the Cydia jailbroken app store, and became what some say the first legitimate company recognizing that side of the Apple community.

For those not 100% tech savvy, jailbreaking might seem like a pretty shay thing to do. When Apple puts out the devices they are famous for, they lock down the software to block any app installs that aren’t from the Apple App Store. Users and developers around the world have found ways around this, and said “Jailbreaking” allows users to side-load applications as well as change the look and feel of an iOS device. While this has been around for a while, many companies and organizations have looked down on the procedure, especially Apple.

When Toyota wanted to launch this theme, based around their Scion brand, they contacted the advertising company Velti. The company developed the theme, and then proceeded to publish it to the Cydia app store. Velti was having communications with the Cydia marketers since April of Last year, so this project was obviously well thought-out on Toyota’s part.

The interesting part of the whole story, however, is that this week, Toyota pulled the theme from the Cydia Store. Allegedly, Toyota recieved a letter from Apple asking them to remove the theme. Toyota, wanting to keep their relationship with Apple in good standing, bliged. In a statement to the maintainers of techblog Jalopink, Toyota stated “At no point did Apple ask us to end/remove the “jailbreak” component of our campaign. The campaign ended at the end of March as scheduled. Overall it was a very interesting experiment that extended advertising to reach a new, unique audience.” Valti, on the other hand, said in several emails to cydia maintainers that the theme was pulled directly after a volley of emails and phone calls from Apple.

This advertising campaign was aimed to grab attention of those who love to customize. Scions, like jailbroken Apple products, are known for the different features like Toyota Parts and Toyota Accessories that can be added/removed to make the experience more personal for the end user. Don’t forget to run by your local Kansas City Toyota Dealership to get some great deals on Toyota Parts and Toyota Accessories.

Smart Solution for Floor Mats?

admin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:22:45 +0000

Automakers around the world (Including Toyota) are designing an unusual method to reduce the chances of unintended acceleration from something like a floor mat getting tangled up with the accelerator: smart gas pedals.

If the vehicle is moving and both the gas and brake pedal are being pushed at the same time the computer tells the engine to ignore the gas pedal.

Oddly enough, equipping its vehicles with the safety feature could put Toyota ahead of many other automakers. So far, smart gas pedal systems are used mostly by German automakers. This new Toyota Part would be a great addition to anyone wishing to stay safe out on the road with this recent floor-mat scare.

Battery Production Change

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:27:55 +0000

Toyota Motor Corporation’s Japanese customers wait eight months to buy a Prius hybrid car, may avoid longer delays in the future thanks to Panasonic Corporation’s pending takeover of Sanyo Electric..

As demand grows for electric and gasoline-electric hybrid cars, a shortage of the batteries used in the vehicles may force automakers to compete for supply. Toyota, which aims to offer hybrid versions of all its models sometime after 2020, may find it easier to do so after its partner Panasonic makes Sanyo a back-up plan.

Government rebate programs encouraging customers to trade in old vehicles for more fuel-efficient ones (the CARS program) have added to the demand that’s forcing customers to wait for their Prius’s. Toyota registered 77,000 new Prius cars in between May and the end of August, compared with a monthly sales target of 10,000. In the U.S., new sales of the model rose more than 20 percent to about 62,000 in the four months to September. Batteries and other Toyota parts should have sped up production by 2011, putting more and more hybrids on the highway