All posts by Admin

Wreck Less! The Checklist

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Posted in Dealer Information, Tips

Distracted driving is a hot topic these days.  The focus is predominantly on texting while driving, but there are a number of things that can be distracting while you’re behind the wheel – including backseat drivers!  There is a distracted driving prevention program called Decide to Drive that now helps you try to prevent distracted driving.  They’ve come up with a wreck less checklist that can be anonymously emailed to those distracted drivers.  It covers almost every distraction we could think of, and what better place to share it than here!

Decide to Drive is sponsored by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and provides plenty of resources that attempt to encourage safe driving.  For more information, visit www.decidetodrive.org.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

No One Likes Getting A Ticket!!

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Posted in Dealer Information

For starters, there’s the fear that comes with being pulled over, even if you’re the goodiest goody-two-shoes out there. Then, there’s the 15 or 20 minutes that’s taken from your busy life while the officer checks your paperwork and writes the ticket.  And if you’re lucky enough to get nabbed near home, there’s also the embarrassment of your bust being seen by friends and neighbors.  And let’s not forget the fine, which can be well into the three-figures, depending on why you were stopped.

Most people they pay the fine and think that’s it… not exactly.  There may be another price to pay.  The bigger question is “how will a moving violation affect your insurance rates?”  And the answer, unfortunately, is “that depends”.

Not surprisingly, the most damaging offense would be a DUI, causing insurance rates to increase an average of 93%.  That is not too unexpected though because those violations suggest a pattern of behavior that reflects poorly on the driver.  Insurance companies base their rates on experience, so violations that cause premiums to jump the most are those that are strong indicators that the driver is likely to have an accident in the future.  Most other violations have a lower, but still substantial and impactful, rate increase.  Here’s a list of possible traffic violations, and the average premium increases they bring:

  • DUI — 93%
  • Reckless Driving — 82%
  • Speeding 31+ mph Over The Limit — 30%
  • Speeding 16 to 30 mph Over The Limit  — 28%
  • Careless Driving — 27%
  • Speeding 1 to 15 mph Over The Limit  — 21%
  • Failure to Stop — 19%
  • Failure to Yield to Pedestrians — 19%
  • Driving in a Carpool Lane — 18%

*Data from a recent study by InsuranceQuotes.com to determine how citations can affect premiums.

Next time you get behind the wheel, think about your actions and how they will impact you.  And remember to drive safe!

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  Stop by today – our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

50 AND FABULOUS!!

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Posted in Dealer Information, News

There are 2 big milestone birthdays being celebrated this year.  The Ford Mustang and the Plymouth Barracuda are both entering The Golden Era!!!  While the Ford Mustang galloped into American culture almost 50 years ago and today seems as though it is just getting warmed up, let us not forget that it wasn’t the first sporty American car based on a compact car platform aimed at younger buyers. Instead, Chrysler beat Ford to the punch by a couple of weeks, so let’s take a moment to celebrate the Plymouth Barracuda’s 50th birthday.

Unleashed on April 1, 1964; Plymouth’s new Valiant Barracuda package was unlike anything else on the market at the time.  Buyers would be able to choose between manual and automatic transmissions, and a generous selection of options allowed buyers to configure their new sporty Plymouth to suit individual tastes. The car’s most distinctive feature, however, was likely its large glass rear window, which flowed into a rear deck lid raised to meet the bottom of the glass.  The Barracuda evolved and changed over the years until its final year on the market – 1974, when just 11,734 units were sold.  Sadly, this was hardly a fitting send-off for the car that helped establish the pony car segment.

There has been talk in recent years of a Barracuda revival (illustration shown above), with rumors of a performance model slotted in below the Challenger in Chrysler’s lineup. With no Plymouth division remaining, this would seem oddly out of place, and with the government’s renewed focus on fuel economy over performance, such a revival seems unlikely. However, on the occasion of the car’s 50th birthday we can imagine what the Plymouth Barracuda would be today; or perhaps its best to remember it as it was, then, and not as it could have been.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  Stop by today – our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

Is There A Gender Preference For Vehicles?

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Posted in Dealer Information, News

“Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” – and yes, there is a gender preference for vehicles.

The catch is that we’re not looking at what women and men prefer in their own vehicle, but actually what they look for in the opposite sex!!

That’s right!  I survey completed by Insure.com has determined that women prefer a man to drive a black pick-up truck.  And not just any truck… an F-150.  They also concluded that men prefer a woman to drive a red BMW.  How specific and particular we all seem to be when it comes to the car we want to see someone of the opposite sex driving.

There are a lot of questions that we get when people are looking for a vehicle – What is the fuel economy like?  What are the safety features?  Does it have the latest technology?  But we never expected to hear “will it be attractive to potential mates?”

Regardless of what your questions are about your next vehicle, Beach Auto Brokers is here it help you!!!

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

BRING IN YOUR W2 & DRIVE TODAY!!!

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Posted in Dealer Information, Holidays Sale Events

Can I really buy a car today without the full down payment using my W2?

At Beach Auto Brokers, the answer is YES!

Bring your W2’s to us and we will assist with preparing your taxes and getting you a refund TODAY. Use all or part of your refund for a down payment and DRIVE HOME TODAY.

For more details call us at 1-757-480-6500.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

Repair or Replace – The Ultimate Vehicle Question

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Posted in Dealer Information, Tips

For many consumers, owning a car is not a luxury but a necessity. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy their car, but time and road miles tend to wreak all sorts of damage and wear on even the best-kept vehicle.  Sooner or later, the decision must be made whether to repair or replace your car.  So how do you decide?  Here are a few helpful tips.

When repairs or maintenance cost more than the car is worth. You’ll know it’s time to get rid of the car and get a new one when the dollars start adding up to the point where it’s going to cost you more I repairs or continual maintenance than the old car is actually worth.  And don’t forget to look at potential future repairs. Plunking down $1,500 or so for a repair job now may help you eke out a few more miles from your old car, but what’s likely to come next? This is the automotive equivalent of a home money pit.  The more the repair estimates or forecasts climb, the closer you may be to deciding to replace.

We always have to think about safety.  New cars today come equipped with a lot of standard safety equipment, things like advanced airbags, side airbags, better handling and brakes, electronic stability control, and even rearview cameras. Optional active safety technology includes blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning systems, forward collision alert, and automatic parking. Since your old car likely doesn’t have these safety features, when it starts to show its age, maybe it’s time to look at a new car as a replacement.

There’s also a lot to be said for getting out of your old car and into a new one just because you’re past being okay with what you have. You may have started a new job and want something more appropriate for business or you’ve yearned for a new car for the past few years and kept nursing the old one along as long as you could. In this case, if the financial picture makes sense and you can snag a good deal, go for the new car.

Our biggest tip – know what your car is worth. Before making the decision to go ahead and pay for repairs on your old car, you should take the time to find out what it’s worth.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.  And while you’re here, we’ll take a look at your current vehicle and tell you what its worth – on the retail market and the trade-in value.

Beach Auto Brokers Is Proud To Be Partnered With The US Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots Program As A Drop Off Site!

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Posted in Dealer Information, News

The Mission of the US Marine Corps Reserve:
To collect new, unwrapped toys, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

Beach Auto Brokers is whole-heartedly supporting the effort this holiday season!!!  We are proudly accepting donations as a drop off site through December 21, 2013.  The holiday season is a great time of year to be involved in the community and lend a helping hand.  In the spirit of the holidays, we are adopting and carrying out the objective of the Toys For Tots program:  to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to improving communities in the future.

Over its lifespan, the US Marine Toys For Tots program has distributed over 469 million toys to over 216 million less fortunate children.

Help us out and stop by with an unwrapped toy today!!

At Beach Auto Brokers, our goal is to help you in finding the right vehicle for you.  Check out our inventory page to see what we currently have in stock.  Don’t see what you’re looking for?  Give us a call – that vehicle may be on its way in.  If not, we’ll find it for you!

Did you know Beach Auto Brokers is a MAPP Dealer?

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Posted in Dealer Information, News

We are proud to be a MAPP Dealer.

People often ask us what this means, so we thought we’d share the details:

  • Dealers are accredited by the Better Business Bureau of Greater Hampton Roads (BBB).
  • Dealers follow the Virginia Independent Automobile Dealers Association (VIADA) code of ethics.
  • Third party contract review upon request.
  • National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) or Kelley Blue Book (KBB) value provided before you sign contracts.
  • 24-hour hold on your vehicle with a fully refundable $100.
  • Deal canceled if the sale is not approved as written by the dealer.
  • Copies of all paperwork including MAPP documents.
  • Test drive with salesperson.
  • On-the-lot inspection.
  • MAPP point of contact for problem resolution.
  • BBB and Military Legal Assistance for unresolved problems.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.

Vehicle Safety – Driving With Children

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Posted in Dealer Information

It seems adults, specifically parents with young children, are just as guilty as everyone and anyone else when it comes to engaging in distracted driving.  Researchers from the University of Michigan surveyed more than 600 parents to find out what distractions they face while driving with their children, whether they use age-appropriate child restraints and if they had ever been in a motor vehicle accident.  They found that almost 90% of drivers reported engaging in at least one technology-based distraction while driving their child in the past month, drivers who reported engaging in distracting behaviors were more likely to report having ever been in a crash, and drivers of children who were not restrained in an age-appropriate restraint had 2.5 times higher odds of reporting a child-related distraction than drivers of children who were restrained properly.

The results were shocking to us, and got us thinking about what could be done to help prevent these hazards and keep all children a little safer.  At Beach Auto Brokers, we came up with a few things for you to take a minute and think about next time you get in a vehicle with your child:

1 – Set an example and wear your own seatbelt.  Inspiration: Parents who reported always wearing a seatbelt were significantly more likely to report their child always uses the age-appropriate restraint.

2 – Ensure you have the correct and age-appropriate restraint for your child.  Inspiration: Many children are not using the right safety seat for their size.  Check your state’s law for specific child-restraint regulations.  The safety guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics include the following details:

  • Infants should ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year old and weigh at least 20 pounds.
  • Toddlers should use a forward-facing safety seat with a full 5-point harness until they exceed the weight and/or height limit of the seat.
  • Young children should use a booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and can wear a properly positioned adult seat belt.

3 – Have you child in the safest place in the car.  In general, kids should ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old, even if they are tall enough to wear an adult seat belt.

4 – Attach toys to your child’s car seat.  Those just-for-the-car items don’t do any good if they are on the floor, and you are putting everyone in danger when you try to reach down and grab them behind you or look back to see where they have landed.

5 – Put your phone down.  Inspiration: Almost 90% of drivers reported engaging in at least one technology-based distraction while driving their child.  That email, text message, or phone call can certainly wait until you get to your destination, especially when you weigh the importance of it against your children.

Beach Auto Brokers has been in business since 1985, Driven by excellence and proudly serving the Hampton Roads community for over 25 years. The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.  No matter which vehicle you decide is the best fit for you, remember to drive safely.

TRAVELING SAFE THIS LABOR DAY

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Posted in Tips

Since Labor Day is right around the corner, we thought we’d give you some traveling tips.

AAA anticipates that 34.1 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more during the holiday, a 4.2% spike from 2012’s 32.7 million.  In addition, AAA, which defines the Labor Day travel period as Aug. 29 through Sept. 2, estimates that 29.2 million Americans, 85% of the total, will drive to and from their destination. The average traveler is expected to cover a round-trip distance of 594 miles, 32 miles less than last year, while spending an average of $804, a more than 7% increase.  That’s a lot of people on the road this holiday – and we want to help you to be completely prepared.

It is a good idea to drive defensively – always be aware of nearby vehicles and anticipate possible movements by other drivers. Also, it is important to know that driving laws are set by each state and rules and speed limits may differ slightly when traveling across state borders, so be aware of those Speed Limit signs.

Exert great caution if you find yourself in a situation with

an angry, “kooky” driver.  If someone is tailgating you, just let them pass. DO NOT purposely slow up, then go fast, then slow up again, to annoy them.  This may cause a dangerous problem.  Let them in, if they need to get in. Otherwise, you may incite an incident of “road rage” – which isn’t safe for you, anyone in your car, or anyone around.  And remember its safer if you stay calm yourself.

Plan your journey and know your next turn.  Although roads are generally well marked, heavy traffic conditions on multiple-lane roads can make advanced movements essential.

In the event of a flat tire or other road emergency, try to ease yourself to the right side of the road. Put your emergency blinkers on to warn other drivers.  Get in and out of your car carefully, and preferably on the passenger side away from traffic.

Wear a seatbelt and ensure children under 8 years have a car or booster seat.

The Beach Auto Brokers full inventory of vehicles is available for you to look at, test drive, and ask questions about.  And our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.  No matter which vehicle you decide is the best fit for you, remember to drive efficiently and safely.