When you’re driving, do you feel your car pulling to the left or the right? Does your steering wheel vibrate?  Have you noticed that it has become more difficult to keep your vehicle driving in a straight line? Or that your steering wheel is not centered when you are driving down a straight road? A simple wheel alignment for your vehicle may solve all these problems and more.

How to Double-Check For an Alignment

To see if you need a wheel alignment, first check each tire and look for uneven wear patterns. You can do this by taking a coin to each tire and inserting it in the tread at the outside, center, and inside of the tire.

If the tread is deeper on the edges than in the center, the tire is over inflated.

If the tread is deeper in the center than the edges, the tire is under inflated.

If the tread is deeper on one side than the other, have your wheel alignment checked soon.

If you run your hand back and forth across the tread (be careful not to cut yourself on any debris) and the tread is smooth in one direction, but jagged in the other you have what is called a “saw-tooth” wear pattern caused by a toe-in problem. If your tires have a “saw-tooth” wear pattern, have the alignment checked as soon as possible as this can cause unsafe tire wear.

Aligning Your Tires

There are two types of wheel alignments, a two-wheel alignment and a four-wheel alignment. The four-wheel alignment is the best type of alignment to get for a vehicle. Having all four wheels aligned increases safety when driving down the road.

Having proper wheel alignment insures that your vehicle handles properly and returns the wheels on your vehicle to their correct angle. When your wheels are properly aligned you will not have to fight with your steering wheel when driving to make the car drive straight, or make the steering wheel stop vibrating. Maintaining proper wheel alignment can also increase gas mileage and decrease tire wear.

By making small adjustments and keeping up with regular maintenance items, like keeping your wheels aligned, can help you avoid a major breakdown in the future, and prolong the life of your vehicle.

If it has been longer than a year since your last alignment, and you are experiencing symptoms described here, or are unsure if you need an alignment, bring your vehicle into the Toyota of Tampa Bay Service Department. One of our highly trained Service Technicians can take a look at your vehicle, realign your vehicle’s wheels, and get you back on the road safely.

Dear Valued Toyota Customer,

We wanted to take a moment and update you on the progress we’ve made completing open recalls for the gas pedal and floor mat entrapment that was so widely publicized in early February. Since early February we have literally performed thousands of recalls on affected vehicles. While Toyota originally anticipated late summer of 2010 before all of the models would have parts available, we are happy to announce that Toyota advised us that by June of 2010,  Toyota expects all models involved in the 90L recall, will have parts available for completion. As confusing as some of the parts releases have been, below is a chart that will help you quickly and easily determine whether or not your model was involved.

The following is the most current information available, please note that the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) determines whether or not the vehicle is involved in the recall:

AOA recall – Accelerator pedal steel reinforcement shim, all models below have parts available

2009-2010 RAV 4 models

2009-2010 Corolla models

2009-2010 Matrix models

2005-2010 Avalon models

2007-2010 Camry models

2010 Highlander – (Hybrid models not included)

2007-2010 Tundra models

2007-2010 Sequoia models

90L recall – Possible Floor Mat entrapment recall

2009-2010 Corolla – Parts release in June

2009-2010 Matrix – Parts release in June

2009-2010 Venza – Parts available

2008-2010 Highlander – Parts available

2005-2010 Avalon – Parts available

2007-2010 Camry (Gas and Hybrid) Parts available

2005-2010 Tacoma – Parts release in June

2007-2010 Tundra – Parts available

2004-2009 Prius – Parts available

For any other recall information on any other model or condition, please call any of our service staff with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and we will gladly look up your vehicle and give you the latest information available. For more information on any Toyota recall please go to Toyota.com/recall for the latest information.

If you have been waiting to bring your vehicle in because of the volume of cars being recalled and our shop being too busy, you should know we are finished with over 50 % of our recall volume in just 3 months. Our service hours have been extended to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday and as always, we’re open 7 days a week. 

It has always been our policy to provide the very best in service. We believe you are driving one of the highest quality vehicles on the road today. We will work on any Toyota regardless of where your vehicle was purchased. We also work on other makes and models as well. Our customers have ranked among the very best in the country, the state and the Tampa market. Thank you for your continued support and business.

Our direct service line is 813-375-3050. Our direct e mail is service@toyotaoftampabay.com.

On Monday May 31st, Toyota of Tampa Bay partnered with Vehicles for Veterans Auto, State Farm Auto Insurance and The Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program to give away a refurbished 2003 Toyota Corolla to a reactivated veteran in need.

Toyota of Tampa Bay presented Cassandre P., an Active Duty U.S. Air Force Reservist, with the keys to her new car on Memorial Day. She was recommended to receive the car by Operation Homefront Florida a new expansion to the Vehicles for Veterans program for 2010.

“On the weekend of our nation’s remembrance of veterans who have fallen, it will be rewarding to award a vehicle through our Vehicle for Veterans program to an active duty member of our military in collaboration with our two agencies and two auto partners who have made this possible,” said Susan Jacobs, who runs the Wheels of Success organization.

This is the second vehicle that Toyota of Tampa Bay has restored and donated to a needy veteran. In November of 2009 Toyota of Tampa Bay kicked off the Vehicles for Veterans Program with Wheels of Success and State Farm Auto Insurance. Kayana S., a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Iraq, was presented with a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu.

Wheels of Success is located in Tampa Florida and was founded in 2003 to help families obtain or continue work by delivering reliable transportation solutions. They help to provide a variety of transportation solutions including vehicle replacement, car repair, licensing, car payment and down payment assistance to low and moderate income working families.

To learn more about Wheels of Success or to make a donation visit http://www.wheelsofsuccess.org/.

Hot off the market, this brand of hybrid car is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Prius stands for prize in most people’s book when they think about hybrid cars. And that’s not just because a Toyota Prius looks pretty. In terms of hybrid cars, the Toyota Prius has tons to offer car consumers. And it’s not as if potential hybrid car buyers don’t know that. News of the Toyota Prius is everywhere in the media.

Why? Well first of all, the Toyota Prius is a great kind of hybrid car. The model I speak of is Toyota’s petrol and electric hybrid model. It’s sharp, stunning, and is a best seller among hybrid cars. In the United States, the Toyota Prius got an award that was very comparable to the car of the year award given in Europe.

But the Toyota Prius hybrid car isn’t selling off the lots because it is the fastest car around. Some Toyota Prius’s have some pretty high profile owners. Among them are Leonardo Dicaprio, Harrison Ford, and Susan Sarandon. With these people driving this particular hybrid car, off course it’s selling like a hotcake. And the stars are doing a world of good for the sales of hybrid cars in general.

But while the success of the Toyota Prius is good for Toyota, it isn’t so good for its competitors who have yet to manufacture a hybrid car. Now Nissan, GM and other popular car manufacturers are trying to quickly get their act together and come up with their version of the hybrid car.

Some of these other manufacturers just did not believe that people would put their faith in the hybrid car as a solution to the constant fluctuation of oil prices. But the number of sales for the Toyota Prius hybrid car has certainly caused a change of tune for competing car manufacturers.

But as far as Toyota goes, claims have been made that in the near future, all Toyota engines will come with hybrid options. And Toyota also believes that it’s only a matter of time before all cars are hybrid cars or at least have hybrid engine options.

Soon it may expand its manufacturing plants to locations in places like California. Surely, there are plenty of movie stars there who can be persuaded to buy this hybrid car.

The Toyota Prius is certainly making a name for hybrid cars, and hopefully the buck won’t stop with the Prius. Toyota probably has some other models of hybrids cars that are fast making there way to having top sales as well.

Source: [Green Living Home Guide]

Toyota’s Prius has been a runaway success for the company. First introduced as an ‘01 model in 2000 in the United States market, the hybrid has continually gained in sales, gotten larger to accommodate American tastes, and has become more powerful and more fuel efficient.

According to a recent report from Motor Trend magazine, a new variant of the Prius will take boost passenger space and cargo capacity even further. Toyota is reportedly working on an “Alpha” minivan, which will share its platform with the current third-generation Prius.

The Alpha is said to ride on a wheelbase that is one inch longer than the current Prius hybrid’s 106.3 inches and overall length will be roughly a foot longer at around 187.6 inches. The Alpha will also have an extra row of seating bringing total passenger capacity to seven (up from five in the current Prius hatchback).

Although the Alpha will be larger and heavier than standard Prius, some of the added weight is expected to be offset by the use of a lithium-ion (li-ion) battery pack instead of the heavier nickel-metal hybrid battery pack currently used. According to Motor Trend, a li-ion pack would be roughly a third the weight of the existing battery pack.

Still, the Alpha is likely to get worse mileage than its more lithium propelled counterpart. The Prius hatchback is rated at a combined 50 mpg, so a heftier people mover based on the same platform would probably score somewhere around 45 mpg by our estimates.

However, that would still put it ahead of small family haulers like the Mazda 5 and Kia Rondo, which are rated at 24 mpg and 22 mpg, combined respectively.

Source: [Daily Tech]

The best exercise motivation is seeing and feeling the results. Simply getting active will help the average person look and feel better, but in order to continue losing weight in the long haul you need to challenge your body with the most effective workouts. Some ways to avoid hitting a plateau in your walking program include picking up the pace, going a new distance, and integrating strength moves to build muscle, maximize your metabolism, and burn more fat. Here are the six crucial routines every walker needs to guarantee lasting weight loss.

1. Interval walks

This type of routine involves alternating fast and moderate to easy bouts of walking, so you might walk for 2 minutes at a very brisk pace and then recover at a slower pace for 1 minute. (If you graphed your speed, it would look like a series of peaks and valleys). This type of pattern helps rev fat loss—you’ll turn up your calorie burn by as much as 100 percent during your workout and afterward. It’s best to vary the length of these workouts as well as the intervals themselves to keep your body challenged.

Walk off more weight with this workout from fitness guru Chris Freytag.

2. Toning walks

Using an exercise band while walking will help firm your upper body and boost your calorie burn. Building muscle is the best way to stoke your metabolism long-term. When Prevention tested exercise bands in a head-to-head competition with dumbbells and other popular strengthening workouts, we found that the bands delivered faster firming. Our band-users slimmed down and toned common trouble spots such as the belly, thighs, and butt by 30 percent more than women who did other types of strength training. Try carrying a light to medium resistance band while you walk and stretching the band overhead and in front of your body for 45- to 60-second intervals.

3. Long walks

Endurance training (about an hour at a moderate intensity) has been shown to keep your calorie burn revved for up to 7½ hours post-exercise. Long walks will help maximize results because there is a dose response to exercise; that is, the more you do, the greater the benefits you’ll receive. These will likely be the slowest walks you do in the program.

Like scenic walks? Is your city one of the 25 best walking cities?

4. Recovery walks

Active recovery is important in any fitness program. During a recovery walk, you should walk as if you’re in a bit of a hurry, so that you’re slightly breathless, for about 20 minutes. While they don’t blast fat like intervals, these tried-and-true calorie-burners have an important place when you’re trying to walk off pounds. They’re the perfect workout in between vigorous interval days to keep up your calorie burn without risking an injury.

5. Speed walks

During these shorter workouts, you’ll maintain a high intensity for the entire session, striding as if you’re late for an important appointment, so you’re only able to speak in very brief phrases. This type of training has been shown to specifically attack belly fat better than longer, lower- intensity exercise.

Avoid sprains and injuries with these yoga stretches designed for walkers.

6. Strength training

Adding strength training to cardio workouts improves results: It boosts metabolism, increases weight loss, and can even help you eat less. In addition to the toning walks that target your upper body, you should aim to do lower body, core, and total body strength routines 2 to 3 days a week after your regular walks.

Source: [MSN Health & Fitness]