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Archive for the ‘Used Cars’ Category

5 Reasons You Will Want to Buy a Certified Used Honda

Thursday, August 16th, 2012

1. We perform an exhaustive 150-point mechanical and appearance inspection to ensure that each vehicle meets the Honda Certified Used cars criteria.

2. Our Honda-trained technicians scrutinize all major vehicle systems, including brakes, engine, drivetrain, steering, suspension, tires, wheels, exhaust system and vehicle interior & exterior.

3. Our technicians recondition any component that does not meet our standards.

4. Any component that cannot be reconditioned is replaced with Genuine Honda parts.

5. Up-to-date scheduled maintenance services.

Bonus reason: There are great specials on used Certified Honda vehicles too.

If you are not familiar with the Honda Certified Used Program, head over to the article we wrote about it a few months ago. And don’t forget to check out our inventory of Certified Used Honda cars for sale in Austin.

Tags: certified used honda austin, Honda's Certified Pre-Owned Program, used honda austin
Posted in Honda Efficiency, Honda Models, Honda Vehicles, Honda’s Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Program, Used Cars | Comments Off

What Happens To Your Car When Its Roadworthy Days Are Over

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

While you probably haven’t put much thought into what will happen to your car once it reaches the end of its life, a pleasant surprises is that, from the body to the tires, much of your car can be recycled.

Take a look at this awesome info graphic that breaks down not only what can happen to your car, but what makes up an automobile.

Credit: DriveSteady

If you find yourself in a situation where it might be time to recycle your car, you are obviously in need of a new vehicle. Check out our inventory of new and used cars in Austin, and give us a call at 512-443-4300 so we can get you in your car right away.

Tags: car recycling
Posted in Sustainability, Tips and Tricks, Used Cars | Comments Off

Make a video and sell your car now

Friday, June 15th, 2012

sell your used car in austin with a video | howdy honda blog

Take a video of your car with your camera.

Looking to sell your used car in Austin? Well, if you really want to move it in a hurry, making a video might be one of the quickest way to go. By creating a video about your car, you are providing potential buyers with very much the same experience that car dealers provide. But before you go out and slap something on YouTube, here’s some advice from our guys at the Used Car Department (they make videos for cars all the time):

1. Position your car in a spot where you won’t be bothered with noise when you shoot your video.

2. Go over what you want to say – practice makes perfect!

3. Start at the front left of the vehicle and work around clockwise.

4. Tell the potential buyers the basic information on the vehicle (year, make, model, miles, etc) but don’t go overboard on the car’s attributes.

5. Keep it short! Viewers aren’t going to watch more than 2 minutes of footage.

6. Shoot several different videos and upload the best after reviewing.

7. Stay away from talking about price since that could change.

Once you’ve done all this, throw the video on YouTube and include the video link on your posting (whether you’re doing Craigslist, etc.). Also, post it on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin – you never know when someone you know has a friend who’s looking for a used car. Now, wait for the calls and emails!

One quick YouTube trick: use the same basic information about the car (year, make, model, etc) and your location (Austin,Central Texas) on the title and description of the video. This will make it easier for potential buyers to find your video. And remember to include your contact information.

Good luck!

Tags: used cars for sale austin, used cars in austin
Posted in Tips and Tricks, Used Cars | Comments Off

Refer-A-Friend Program at Howdy Honda

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

So you bought a car at Howdy Honda and showed it off to your family and friends. Now what? Now its time for you to get rewarded and here’s how you can do that:

1. Make a list of your friends and family. Who needs to buy a new or used car?

2. Send that person to Howdy Honda.

3. Remind them to add your name on the survey they will take when they purchase a vehicle.

4. Receive a $100 gift card in the mail a few weeks later.

5. Repeat.

Get rewarded for buying at Howdy Honda and for knowing people that need a Honda or a used car in Austin.

Tags: honda in austin, refer-a-friend program, referral program, used cars in austin
Posted in Howdy Honda News, New Honda Cars, Used Cars | Comments Off

Honda to mass recycle rare earth metals

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Rare Earth Metals in Hybrid Technology | Illustration from: Sufiy

Apparently the clean tech industry has been mourning for a while the impending shortage of the minerals called “rare earth metals” which are used to make things like electric vehicle batteries and solar panels.

I must admit I don’t really know too much about these rare earth metals, so I had to dig a little bit and go back to my 10^th grade Chemistry class to find out. The rare earth metals are 17 chemical elements from the periodic table. Although dispersed throughout the Earth’s crust, they’re not often found in concentrated and extractable deposits; hence the use of the word “rare” and the shortage warning.

Therefore, Honda has joined forces with Japan Metals & Chemicals to start mass-recycling rare earth metals found on the batteries of used Honda hybrid vehicles collected from Honda dealers worldwide. These rare earth metals will be used again on Honda batteries and Honda auto parts.

Since 1999, Honda has sold over 800,000 hybrids worldwide, but this mass-production process at a recycling plant is the first of its kind.

Tags: honda auto parts austin, honda batteries austin tx, honda dealers austin, honda parts austin
Posted in Honda in the News, Honda Technology, Sustainability, Used Cars | Comments Off

The brands we drive

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

I just came accross this pretty cool infographic about the automaker brands that we drive here in the United States. Which brand do you drive? (We secretly hope it’s a Honda!)

Source: AYTM

Tags: car infographic, honda austin, honda infographic
Posted in Honda in the News, Uncategorized, Used Cars | Comments Off

How sixteen 2012 Honda Accords ended up in a dealer’s used car lot

Friday, March 30th, 2012

They were sunny days down in Palm Beach, Florida those first days of March. Spectators and news cameras from all over the world gathered at the PGA National Resort & Spa to watch some of the greatest golf players battle it out at The Honda Classic.

Anyone who’s anyone in the world of golf was there; from Darren Clarke to Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, they made the journey from their home country to play this famous golf tournament.

During the four days of The Honda Classic (March 1^st through the 4^th), brand new 2012 Hondas were used as courtesy cars to transport the likes of Tiger Woods, Kenny G (who performed a benefit concert and was also the host of the event), and a myriad of golfing royalty.

Now, what happened to all of these new Honda cars once the golf tournament was over? Did they drive off into the sunset never to be seen again? Did they get eaten by the famous alligators of Florida? None of the above my dear friend.

Over a dozen of these courtesy cars made the trek all the way down to Austin, Texas. As if they were part of a high school marching band, sixteen 2012 Honda Accords marched (or drove) into the Howdy Honda used car parking lot and found their temporary home.

Now these practically brand new 2012 Honda Accords are waiting for a family to take them home and love them. They have all been Honda Certified and posses under 500 miles, and quite a few of them have less than 100 miles on them. Practically new.

Not everyone in Austin knows that we are also a used Honda dealership, but we are (and a good one!). So if you want to give one of these 2012 Honda Accord your love, give us a call at 512-443-4300, email us at howdy@howdyhonda.com or drop by.

Oh yeah, and check out this infographic that tells the story of these sixteen 2012 Accords and their journey:

Tags: 2012 honda accord austin, Honda Accord Austin, honda accord for sale austin, used honda dealer austin, used honda dealership austin
Posted in Honda Accord, Honda in the News, Honda Models, Honda Vehicles, Honda’s Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Program, Used Cars | Comments Off

What is a transmission flush and why does my car need one?

Monday, March 12th, 2012

: What is a transmission flush and why does my car need one?

The other day I was talking with Jesse, one of Service advisor; Eric, one of our awesome technicians; and a customer that had come in for some maintenance work on his Honda. While we were all talking, the subject of transmission flush came up: what it did and why it was needed. Thankfully, Jesse and Eric are great at explaining mechanical work and were able to give us some insight into this maintenance item.

So let’s start with the easy stuff; what is a transmission flush? A transmission flush is simply the removal of the transmission fluid via a drain plug and then adding new transmission fluid. This process gives the transmission a sort of “cleanse” that helps reduce the strain on the components within the transmission and prolong its life.

Why does your car need a transmission flush? A transmission flush is essential due to the fact that by removing the old transmission fluid, any buildup that has occurred in the transmission will be removed also. The old residue inside of your transmission can potentially contaminate your fluid over time and put unnecessary stress on the transmission, thus increasing your chances of having to replace the transmission all together.

Recap: A simple transmission flush not only will make your transmission run better, but will also prolong the life of the transmission. In other words, you will be saving serious money by maintaining the transmission as transmission repair/replacement averages as one of the highest costs related to automobiles.

If you’re unsure when the right time to do a transmission flush is, check out your vehicle’s owners’ manual, Honda maintenance schedule or contact one of the service advisors at our Honda Service Center. The service advisors and certified technicians here at Howdy Honda know pretty much everything about your Honda (not in a creepy way, of course) and they’ll be able to quickly determine when a transmission flush is due on your car.

Tags: Honda maintenance, honda repair austin, honda service austin, honda transmission flush
Posted in Howdy Honda Service, Service Department, Used Cars, Vehicle Maintenance | Comments Off

5 Features That Will Help You Lower Your Car Insurance

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Buying a vehicle isn’t cheap. Neither are the costs associated with owning a car; things like filling the gas tank and paying insurance can stack up against your monthly budget fast. So we’ve decided to lay out 5 features that can help you lower your car insurance premium and keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket.

1. Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS)

Insurance companies love knowing that you have a lesser risk of losing control of your vehicle thanks to the ABS in your car.

2. What’s in a Car’s Age?

Generally, the older the car, the higher the risk of mechanical failure. Newer cars (five years old or less) tend to pay lower insurance premiums thanks to updated safety features. Now, obviously a brand new luxury car will be more expensive to insure than a 1990 Honda Accord; but in an equal world, the younger the car, the lower the insurance cost.

3. Lots of Airbags

It’s all about safety! Vehicles with additional airbags, like side-curtains airbags, that protect all passengers are like rainbows on a sunny day for insurance companies and you will be the one getting the pot of gold at the end.

4. Crash Test Ratings

Did you know that the performance of a car in a crash test affects the amount it costs to insure it? Interesting, I know. So do your homework before purchasing a car and research its safety rating. (Psst. Did you also know that nine 2012 Honda models are Top Safety Picks? Food for thought)

5. Alarm Systems

Insurance companies not only take into consideration the safety of passengers while driving, but also the actual safety of the vehicle while parked. Systems that reduce the risk of theft make insurance companies very happy and lower the cost on your end.

What have we learned? Safety features are key to lowering insurance costs. However, there are other variables like your driving history that play a role in the total cost of insurance; you can read about some of them here.

Nonetheless, looking for a car with great safety features will help you get that lower payment. Like I said, nine 2012 Honda models are Top Safety Picks (hint, hint). But we have many used cars in Austin that are less than five years old and possess these safety attributes, too. So give us a call if you’re in the market!

Tags: 2012 honda austin, Honda safety, lower insurance premiums, top safe vehicles, used cars austin
Posted in Tips and Tricks, Used Cars | Comments Off

Consumer Reports: Honda Fit & Honda CR-V Among Best Used Cars

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

Consumer Reports Give Positive Reinforcement for Honda Owners and Buyers

Every March automakers get the jitters due to Consumer Reports annual auto issue, which hits the newsstands at some point in April.

Historically, Consumer Reports’ April issue breaks down each vehicle by first impressions and how things are in the early going. This can prove to be a helpful resource for many drivers, but at the same time counter-productive for others. While Consumer Reports gives great in-depth analysis of each-vehicle, their annual report lacks long-term analysis that car buyers would prefer to first impressions. Until now.

In this year’s annual April automotive Consumer Reports issue, the magazine lists several 2007 models that held-up well and those that went bad over a five-year period. CR had their readers record how many problems their vehicle had during its’ first year as well as in its’ fifth year, and averaged how many problems rose for each vehicle, per every 100 vehicles.

When all the smoke settled and the data was all laid out, two 2007 Honda vehicles were left standing; the Honda Fit and Honda CR-V. This may not seem like a big deal, but when a car manufacturer has 40% of the top 5, that’s something to brag about! And Honda didn’t have any vehicles in the bottom 5 either.

Now imagine yourself driving around Austin in a car that barely gives you any problems if you keep it well-maintained. Ahhhh…the worry-free kind of life. We have many of the best used cars in Austin, including Honda Fit & Honda CR-V (but they get picked up quickly). Give us a quick call at 512-443-4300 or shoot us an email at howdy@howdyhonda.com to let us know you’re interested in a used Honda Fit or used Honda CR-V and we’ll quickly help you get in a great used car.

Tags: honda cr-v for sale austin, honda fit for sale austin, used cars in austin, used honda cr-v austin, used honda fit austin
Posted in Awards & Accolades, Honda CR-V, Honda Fit, Honda in the News, Honda Models, Honda’s Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Program, Used Cars | Comments Off

Howdy Honda Blog

Archive for the ‘Used Cars’ Category

5 Reasons You Will Want to Buy a Certified Used Honda

What Happens To Your Car When Its Roadworthy Days Are Over

Make a video and sell your car now

Refer-A-Friend Program at Howdy Honda

Honda to mass recycle rare earth metals

The brands we drive

How sixteen 2012 Honda Accords ended up in a dealer’s used car lot

What is a transmission flush and why does my car need one?

5 Features That Will Help You Lower Your Car Insurance

Consumer Reports: Honda Fit & Honda CR-V Among Best Used Cars

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