Braeger Automotive Group

That worked great!

2007-09-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

That event went great!

Thanks to everyone who helped make it a success! Likewise, our 103.7 Hot Days of Summer event went off without a hitch. The winners of the new cars are all very happy to have them.

Here's a video of one of the winners--amazing!

A collection of other videos from the 103.7 days of summer event can be found here, at the Kiss 103.7 website.

In other news, since the last clearance event worked so well a month ago, we're doing it again. Here's the information on this big event:

2007-08-23T10:25:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while since we've updated the blog. It's been a busy few months for us! With our model year end close out in effect, we're getting swamped with used cars as trade-ins.

Which is why for the next three days, we're having a big used car sell-off event. These sort of events always get crazy, so we're looking forward to a lot of work, but also a lot of results.

Huge News for Ford!

2007-06-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

There was some huge news for Ford this week:

Ford beats Toyota in quality rankings

DETROIT - People might have to stop making all those jokes about the quality of Ford’s cars — the ones that say Ford stands for “Found on Road Dead” or “Fixed or Repaired Daily.”

Now, it could be “Fixing Our Reputation Daily.”

Ford Motor Co. supplanted Toyota as leader of the pack in J.D. Power and Associates’ annual initial quality rankings released Wednesday, grabbing more individual awards than any other automaker for the first time since 1998, when it tied for the top spot.
(continued at link above)

That's some great news about the state of American car manufacturing!

Who says Toyotas are so great?

2007-02-21T18:50:00.000-06:00

In its latest challenge to consumer confidence, Toyota has already recalled another 533,000 vehicles in 2007. At this rate, Toyota will once again recall more vehicles in a year than it builds. That would make three years in a row!

In related news, the Chevy Impala has now beaten the Toyota Camry in J.D. Powers and Associates studies in initial quality, for five years straight! And BOTH the Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan scored higher than the Camry this year according to Consumer Reports!

The Braeger Experts

2007-02-01T11:05:00.000-06:00

When the Journal Sentinel needs to find a car expert in Milwaukee, who do they turn to?

That's right, Ben Kallies, service manager of Braeger Chrysler/Jeep.

This Sunday, Ben was quoted extensively in the Wheels section of the Journal Sentinel in an article on Winter Tires. (On the road again! Written off back in the 1980s, snow tires are making a comeback thanks to new technology, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan 27th, 2007)

"Snow tires do make a difference," [Ben] says. "Even for front-wheel drive cars and those with stability control."

What about all-wheel drive? Winter tires, Kallies believes, multiply the all-wheel drive advantages in braking, acceleration and handling.

He has high praise for the new breed of winter tire. "New technology" has made huge strides, he declares.

"They don't even look like snow tires," Kallies says. "They're actually a nice-looking tire. And they're not as noisy as the old snow tires."
...
"Many drivers have them [winter tires] mounted on less expensive steel rims, instead of choosing the costs and time involved in mounting and rebalancing them (on their factory-provided rims) every winter," Kallies says.
...
He also suggests: "See an authorized tire dealer, like us, because of things such as wheel speed sensors, ABS (antilock braking system) and electronic traction control that might be involved." Tire know-how is essential.

That's great advice Ben!

How to be a good customer!

2007-01-09T16:32:00.000-06:00

In the spirit of "Brutal Truth Motors" the Tappert brothers at Car Talk (or Click and Clack if you know them by that name) just published an interview reminding all of us that sometimes it helps to be a good customer too.

Some gems include:

CAR TALK: So, what makes a great customer?

RAY: There are some customers who have been coming to the garage for years, who we love to see. First of all, they're pleasant people. They're non-confrontational; they don't come in ready for a fight, or assuming we're going to rip them off — which is especially important when things go wrong.

We consider some of our customers to be our friends. They have the same qualities that you would want in a friend.

TOM: And they can describe their problem clearly. That's really important. It saves us hassle — and saves the customer money. We're more likely to get it right the first time, which is important to our sense of self-esteem.

RAY: Right. You know, mechanics suffer from an extremely low sense of self-worth.

TOM: And then, of course, there are the customers who come bearing fresh baked goods. Somehow, they never seem to need transmission rebuilds. Isn't that interesting?

As has been said for years, it's easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar!

CAR TALK: And the customers who are less than friendly?

RAY: There are some people who are jerks. They're adversarial, because they treat us as if we're trying to rip them off. They're attitude is accusatory from the get go.

TOM: And, nobody wants to be approached like that.

RAY: We've actually fired customers.

Sure, the customer is always right, but wouldn't it be great if they were always nice too?

Making Milwaukee a Safer Place

2006-11-07T16:08:00.000-06:00

"Our community comes first."

That's not just a hollow motto, but something Braeger actually takes to heart each and every day. When we heard the people with DNA Lifeprinting were looking for a local business to sponsor an event to help parents protect their children in case of an abduction, we jumped right in.

With Braeger's help, DNA Lifeprinting was able to offer hundreds of parents a free digital CD Rom with a picture of their child, and a kit which would collect and store their child's DNA for years. DNA is a better tool than even a fingerprint in identifying missing children and reuniting them with their families, and a digital photograph can be distributed faster and more effectively across the whole country than a standard photograph. In fact, the digital picture can even be forwarded to cel phones, and mailing lists to make sure a missing child's face is everywhere!
We were proud to help, and excited so many families took advantage of this great program!

We'd also like to give an extra special thank-you to our Local Police Department who joined in, and even brought McGruff the Crime Dog, as well as our local Fire Department which was on hand to help out too!


Parents and children alike were excited to protect their safety!	Even McGruff the Crime Dog was on hand to help out!

Did you know?

2006-09-29T10:31:00.000-05:00

Did you know that DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors "spent over $12 billion to provide health care to 2 million Americans in 2005?" (Detroit News, Detroit Free Press). That's a lot of health care. That's a lot of people that are healthy now, thanks to the American auto manufacturers.

And despite what recent commercials from certain imports would have you believe, Japanese manufacturers just don't measure up. All other automakers combined spent only $1.6 billion on health care in the U.S. (Same source)

Oh and Toyota? You're NOT American.

Did you know?

2006-09-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

Did you know:

Toyota had the second-highest number of recalls last year, but it also dominates consumer satisfaction polls by J.D. Power, report Joann Muller and Jonathan Fahey in Forbes (7/3/06). Only Ford, with 11.7 percent of its vehicles recalled in 2005, exceeds Toyota, which recalled 10.1 percent, followed by GM at 6.8 percent, Honda at 4.0 percent and Chrysler at 2.5 percent. During May 2006 alone, Toyota recalled “one million vehicles worldwide.”--http://reveries.com

50% more recalls per car than GM? Over four times as many recalls per car as Chrysler? I have a feeling that this relates directly to yesterday's "Did you know" installment. American manufacturers are spending more to make better cars. That's good news for you, for us, and for America.

Did you know?

2006-09-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the US Automotive sector spends more on Research and Development than any other sector? Just the "big three" alone (DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, and Ford)spend over $21 billion each year.

That beats out pharmaceuticals ($15.9 billion), computer software ($15.1 billion), semiconductors and electronics (12.6 billion), and even aerospace products and parts ($8.2 billion)!

Next time you turn the key in your car's ignition, just imagine how much time, effort and money went into making sure that vehicle is the best it could be!

Source: Wards Automotive Facts and Figures 2005, National Science Foundation

2006-08-18T19:15:00.000-05:00

Once more, above and beyond is the norm for Braeger!

We just received this email from one of our customers, and I think he says it all:

I just wanted to say thanks to a mechanic in your service department. Around 5:10pm on July 25th I was exiting the Lake Park Freeway in Cudahy as my battery died because my alternator had stopped working! I coasted to a stop just on Pennsylvania ave.

Within 5 minutes, a mechanic from your Chevy dealership pulled over and asked what the problem was. I explained that I thought my alternator on my 199 Chevy Malibu had died and my battery just couldn't keep the car going. He turned his car around to face mine and then we hooked up the jumper cables. It took somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes to charge my battery up to the point where I could continue on home.

I just wanted to commend your mechanic for taking the time on a HOT afternoon to help a stranger with car problems. In all the talking we did I never thought to ask his name. I know he lives in Cudahy and at one time worked for Metropolitan Caddilac, I think he said he worked at Braeger for 4 or 5 years. Anyway I just wanted to say Thanks!

P.S. I replaced the alternator myself that night and the Malibu is working great. The Malibu is a great car, of course the Lumina my wife drive is good car too!

Thanks again.
Alan

Just amazing. But then again, it's just one more bit of proof that when we claim to give "the best customer service ever," we mean it.

Western Days 2006!

2006-06-20T18:55:00.000-05:00

Well, Braeger did it again! Once more, the West Allis Western Days parade was in danger of not happening, and Braeger saved the day!

After our support last year for this, the largest non-motorized parade in the United States, Braeger wasn't going to let it end now. So we stepped in and made a tremendous difference. Throughout the year we offered West Allis residents an opportunity to help out too. Any time a West Allis resident bought a car from Braeger, if they chose, we would donate $250 to West Allis Charities, the organizers of the Western Days' events.

The program was successful beyond our wildest dreams! Braeger ultimately donated approximately $20,000 (twenty thousand dollars!) to West Allis Charities, ensuring a successful parade one more year.

We were sure excited, but we weren't the only ones! All along the 2.6 mile parade route people were stacked 5, 6, and sometimes even 7 rows deep to watch! It was incredible. I had the unique privilege of walking in the parade, and tossing candy out to the crowd, so I got to see the effects of the parade up close. Someone once said that you've done a good thing if you bring joy into even one person's life each day. On that evening, Braeger seemed to have helped bring joy, smiles, and laughter, to the lives of thousands.

I hope everyone joins in again this year to make sure the 2007 Western Days Parade is just as amazing a success!

The Best Day Ever!

2006-06-03T14:19:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but not by much! Braeger's annual Foster parent Appreciation Day was fantastic. Every year, as part of Braeger's ongoing effort to make sure that people doing good things get recognized, we host a festival for foster parents in the Milwaukee area. These parents open their hearts and homes to children who need them, so we want to open our doors to them in appreciation. It's our chance to do the singing for this group of unsung heroes.
Over a hundred foster familes visited throughout the day, where they got to enjoy great food, games, and prizes. We had pony rides, a moonwalk-bouncing room, and even a room filled with real live butterflies! Derek Turnbow and Carlos Lee from the Milwaukee Brewers were on hand, as were the famous Miller Park Sausage Racers.
	The weather was absolutely perfect, and it looked like everyone had a fantastic time.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to all the volunteers and staff that helped make this one of the best days ever!

If you're interested in, or considering becoming a foster parent, Lutheran Social Services would love to hear from you, and would be happy to answer any questions, or provide any help you could want. You can contact them at their website www.lsswis.org.

Great American Give-Away Number One!

2006-04-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

We have a winner!

Last Saturday, April 15th, we drew the winner of our Great American Give-Away, and boy, did we have a great time. If we keep having this much fun giving things away, it'll become a habit!	Serving up food and fun at Braeger!
Choosing the winner!	We invited six finalists to join us for some food, and fun before the big drawing, and we got a chance to talk with all of them. At that point, we realized that no matter who won, we'd be happy. All six finalists were happy, fun, and definitely deserved a new car.
Unfortunately for five of them though, only one could win, and that winner was... Juan Valadez!	Juan fills in his finalist entry form
The grand prize!	Juan drove home in a brand new, Cherry Red, Cobalt Sedan. It would be an understatement to say I've never ever seen anyone quite as excited before. We know this Cobalt is getting a great home.

Congratulations Juan!

The other five contestants didn't go home empty handed either. They were given prizes ranging from free oil changes to roadside emergency kits. And of course, everyone left with a smile!

Be sure to enter our Great American Give-Away Number Two! We'll be drawing for another new car grand prize on the 4th of July!

Escape Hybrid a campus star for Earth Day!

2006-04-22T14:42:00.000-05:00

April 22nd marked Earth Day this year, and what a beautiful day it was! To celebrate the occasion, UWM sponsored an entire week of Earth-friendly events and information. Of course when they invited Braeger to participate, we jumped at the opportunity.

In their week-long lineup, April 18th was "Clean Energy" day. To show how auto manufacturers were joining in the effort to help reduce pollution, UWM asked us to put together a display addressing hybrid vehicles. After much research and preparation, when the day arrived we were ready! We took a brand new Escape Hybrid to Spaights Plaza, and almost completely covered it with information describing how hybrid vehicles work, how they reduce emissions, why reduced emissions are important, and the rewards a person can get for doing their part.

The Escape Hybrid drew attention from UWM students throughout the day.

Here's a quick list of some interesting things we learned while putting together this presentation:

The EPA estimates a hybrid vehicle can produce 5.8 or less tons of greenhouse gasses in a year, while a conventional powertrain will produce 8.2 tons, or more!

If you drive 15,000 miles in a year, and if gas costs $2.50 per gallon, you save $804 if you get 35 MPG instead of 20 MPG. If gas costs more (and it does!) your savings go up!

At its debut, the Ford Escape Hybrid was driven for 37 straight hours, covering 576 miles on the streets of Manhattan, all on one 15 gallon tank of gas!

Since Carbon Dioxide is a natural result of any combustion, the only way for a car to produce less carbon Dioxide (a major contributor to global warming) is to burn less gas.

The Ford Escape Hybrid is a "Zero Evaporative Emission" vehicle, which means it actually produces less emissions while driving than conventional vehicles do when standing still!

It's been estimated that if all motor vehicles sold within the Los Angeles basin were "Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles" (like the Escape Hybrid) the area's severe smog problem would disappear within 15 years!

That's some pretty impressive information! For more, you can visit the EPA website (www.fueleconomy.gov) or the state of California's Driveclean (www.driveclean.ca.gov) webiste.

If you're interested in saving money on fuel, and helping the environment, remember to chck to see if your car can use E-85 fuel! Even if your car can't use E-85 fuel, be sure to check out our list of things anyone can do to get better gas mileage.

Happy Earth Day!

"We need more companies like Braeger"

2006-04-07T12:53:00.000-05:00

Wow. Sometimes you read something and it just makes you feel good. Many might remember how Braeger saved the Western Days Parade last year. This year, Braeger has continued its commitment, and TJ Meyers-Jansky, the vice president of West Allis Charities couldn't be happier.

In fact, this glowing quote just appeared in the West Allis Star, the local community paper:

We need more companies like Braeger to pitch in and help us keep our organization and annual fundraising festival operating for years to come.
--TJ Meyers-Jansky

Now, I've always believed Milwaukee needed more businesses like Braeger; it's nice to see that other people agree with me too.

Some more great feedback!

2006-03-23T12:37:00.000-06:00

I just received this from one of our very satisfied customers:

I have had the best experiences with Braeger the past few times I have come in. Great service, great attitude, and wonderful people.

I only go to Braeger!

Thank you very much! We'll keep up the good work!

Braeger Ford--We're the best!

2006-03-08T23:41:00.000-06:00

This week it was announced that Braeger Ford won the most prestigious award available to a dealership from Ford Motor Company--the President's Award.

Out of over 5,000 Ford dealerships nationwide, only a tiny fraction qualify for the President's Award, and fewer still actually win it. According to Ford Division President Steve Lyons, "The President's Award is, beyond a doubt, the most prestigious recognition a Ford dealer can achieve." It's safe to say we're incredibly proud of this significant achievement.

The President's Award is granted based on a dealership's excellence in customer satisfaction, sales, service, and customer care after the sale. Braeger blew away the competition in all four areas. And the judges weren't faceless auditors from out of state, but were our very own customers and the customers in our region. When they had the chance to decide who was best, they picked Braeger. Thank you!

Of course the President's Award is a major achievement for us, but no award can possibly match the day-to-day enjoyment of providing the customers we serve with the very utmost in care and service. Award, or no award, that's a commitment to which we are forever dedicated.

The Great American Give-Away!

2006-03-06T14:06:00.000-06:00

Braeger loves to see happy people. It's what motivates us. And we have never seen someone as happy as the winner of our 2005 $10,000 give-away!

What could we possibly do to top that? If you didn't think we could, you'd be wrong. This year Braeger announces the Great American Car Give-Away! We're not just giving away cash this year, we're giving away cars. Yes, cars. Plural. As in several! Throughout this year Braeger is going to give out brand new cars to a handful of lucky winners.

We're starting with a brand new Ford Fusion, so enter today!

The official rules and disclaimers can be found on our website, here.

Some (belated) holiday cheer!

2006-01-19T09:41:00.000-06:00

Due to a slight camera mishap, it's taken a bit of time to get any record of Braeger's participation in West Allis's Holiday Parade. But we managed to find a picture, so now here we are!

Some of you might remember how Braeger saved the West Allis Western Days Parade earlier this year. Well, so did West Allis! They invited us to participate in their Holiday Parade too.

After getting a float put together, it was time to go out and wave to the crowds. For a chilly day, (alright, it was downright cold!) it was amazing how many people came out to watch the parade. Attendance probably came close to 3-4,000 people, or more! And they all seemed happy to see us. Apparently the Western Days Parade was something very important to the community, since we heard every few feet another person shout out a thanks to us for our donation to it.

As for the Holiday parade itself? It was huge. We were in one of the first dozen floats, and by the time we finished the several mile route, some floats hadn't even started yet!

Of course not everyone in West Allis knew about the parade. On our way back, pulling our enormous "Peace on Earth" float behind us, we all got a laugh when a car pulled alongside and asked: "Hey! Were you guys in a parade or something?"

It was a great time, and I was very excited to have had the opportunity to participate.

Here's another blog's take on the Parade. They were sitting in the vehicle directly in front of us, along with Miss West Allis herself!

We have a winner!

2006-01-10T10:37:00.000-06:00

For the last 12 months, Braeger has been accepting entries for a drawing to win $10,000. Well, on December 24th we held our drawing and we have a winner!

Deborah Grede

collected her $10,000 check from Braeger on Friday, January 6th, and was she ever excited! In fact, days after finding out she won, she described herself as "still shocked!"

Deborah and her family live only two miles from Braeger, but with her winnings, she's decided to get almost as far away as possible. She decided to take her family on a vacation to Disney World! We hope she has a good time--we'll still be here when she gets back.

That's a good thing, because in addition to being one of our neighbors, Deborah said there's "not a doubt in [her] mind" that she'll work with Braeger for all of her future vehicle needs, and "would recommend [Braeger] to all her family and friends."

Deborah found out about, and entered the contest on-line, at www.braeger.com. We've resumed the drawing for this year, so feel free to enter too!

Congratulations Deborah,

and enjoy Disney World!

Braeger, Jeep, Shorewood, and Operation Gratitude: A winning combination!

2005-12-14T15:14:00.000-06:00

One of the things most people love best about holidays is the time spent with family, friends, and loved ones. Since many thousands of Americans will be far from home this holiday season, Operation Gratitude decided to step up its work to make these times as joyful as possible for those brave men and women deployed in America's aremed forces.

For those unfamiliar with Operation Gratitude, it is an organization that

seek[s] to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. OPERATION GRATITUDE care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of requested items or funds for shipping expenses, OPERATION GRATITUDE provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. military in an active, hands-on manner.

Jeep, recognizing the importance of what operation gratitude does, prompted its dealerships to become the first national drop-off locations for Operation Gratitude. Naturally, Braeger took the ball and ran with it. Thankfully, Jan Zehren and the 7th and 8th grade
classes of the Shorewood Intermediate School were there to help out!	Braeger Jeep is an official drop-off point for Operation Gratitude

Providing our largest single donation of the holiday Operation Gratitude drive, students and families from the Shorewood Intermediate School and Lake Bluff Elementary School donated 25 cartons of items!


Everyone's working hard!	Everyone's excited to be helping!

And the troops appreciate it!

One More Award for Braeger!

2005-11-22T14:38:00.000-06:00

We've got one more award to add to the mix! Braeger was just named a Friend of Franklin Public Schools. If you can't see it in the picture above, the trophy reads: "In appreciation of your contributions to educate every student to his/her highest level of personal excellence through learning experiencesthat focus on student needs."

Braeger is especially proud of its commitment to area youth. Soon, todays students will be tomorrows business, political, cultural, and social leaders. If we want them to effectively lead our communities tomorrow, we must prepare them today.

In the last year, Braeger has pledged and donated $250,000 to the Oak Creek and Franklin school districts. It is our belief that this is an investment in the future.

First Look: New 2007 Chevy Tahoes and Suburbans!

2005-11-16T12:32:00.000-06:00

We finally get our first previews of the new GMT 900 platform that will underpin the next generation of Full size Sport Utility Vehicles from General Motors.
This is an important release for GM as the GMT 900 accounts for almost 750,000 sales as the Chevrolets Tahoe and Suburban, the Cadillac Escalade, and the GMC Yukon. They represent about 60% of the market.
	Virtually every part of the vehicle has been refined and improved. There are now a handful of engines ranging from 290 to 400 horsepower. Some
of these engines even include the new Displacement on Demand system to help fuel economy during cruising and idling. The frame is stiffer, fully boxed, features a hydroformed front section, and has 49% better torsional rigidity. The suspension has been improved with coil over shocks in the front and a new rack and pinion steering setup that makes the vehicles more sure-footed both on and off-road
The interior materials are of a higher quality than anything ever used in a GM Truck, feel more upscale, have tighter panel fit, and help to lower Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels.
Not to be overshadowed are the innovative safety systems that will be included with every vehicle. The Stabilitrack stability control system, OnStar in vehicle communications and diagnostic system, Anti Lock Brakes, and a tire pressure monitoring system will all be standard equipment. We hope to be taking delivery of these vehicles soon, please keep in touch with us if you have any questions or to schedule your own first look.

More great feedback!

2005-11-05T12:03:00.000-06:00

I just received some more great feedback, which deserved to be shared. Greg emailed us and said:

It was truly a great experience buyng a new vehicle from Braeger Chevrolet. Everyone was so polite and courteous and [the] no pressure sales goes a long way in selecting my future dealer.

Well, thank you too Greg! We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business, and the opportunity to serve you as you deserve!

Automotive Career Week October 24th-30th!

2005-10-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

According to the 2003 report, The Contribution of the Automotive Industry to the U.S. Economy, prepared by the University of Michigan and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), new vehicle production, sales and other jobs related to the use of autos are responsible for 1 out of every 10 jobs in the U.S.

That's a lot of jobs. Think about it. It's easy for me, since I work in a dealership, to name a dozen or so people whose livelihood is tied to "new vehicle production, sales, [or] other jobs," but if the number is 1 in 10, that means that even if you don't work for a dealership, manufacturer, supplier, or affiliate yourself, the chances are good that you know someone who does. As Charles Wilson (U.S. Secretary of Defense)said in 1953, "What is good for GM is good for America."

Accordingly, several governors have declared next week, October 24th through the 30th, "Automotive Career Week."

Braeger has always been involved in making careers in the automotive industry well known and available. Since we employee approximately 250 people in the Milwaukee area, in positions ranging from Automotive Technician, to Warranty Administrator, to Office Manager, to Data Processor, to Salesperson, to Sales Manager, it just makes sense. Braeger has also been very involved with Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship Program, even to the point of being recognized by Governor Doyle last year for our contributions to the program.

Here are some more exciting facts about the automotive industry and its role as "the engine that drives the economy" from this site:

Employment: America's automobile industry is one of the largest industries in the country. When jobs dependent on the industry are included, the auto industry is responsible for 13.3 million jobs nationwide.

Compensation: The contribution of automotive manufacturing to compensation in the private sector is estimated at $335 billion, or over 6% of U.S. private sector compensation.

Job Creation: For every worker directly employed by an automaker, over 10 spin-off jobs are created. America's automakers are among the largest purchasers of aluminum, copper, iron, lead, plastics, rubber, textiles, vinyl, steel and computer chips.

GDP: Almost 4% of America's total gross domestic product is generated by the sale and production of new light vehicles.

Output: The U.S. automotive industry produces a higher level of output than any other single industry. When measured in constant 2000 dollars, automotive economic output increased by 73% during 1990-2003.

R&D: The auto industry invested $15.2 billion in research and development in 2002, higher than any other manufacturing industry.

Exports: Automotive exports rose from $33.4 billion in 1988 to almost $81 billion in 2003, an increase of 143%.

After all was said and done, I think Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm said it best in her proclamation here:

Whereas, Through this national initiative and many partnerships with manufacturers and educational professionals, dealers are leading the way in providing young people with well-paying and rewarding career opportunities; and now therefore be it,
Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim the week of October 24, 2005, as Automotive Career Week in Michigan.

What can Braeger offer your company?

2005-10-12T10:18:00.000-05:00

R. W. Baird, a worldwide leading investment company, recently hosted a "benefits" fair in their Milwaukee office. Local businesses and companies which offer special discounts and promotions for Baird employees were all invited to spend the morning and afternoon letting the employees of Baird know what those promotions and discounts actually were. Needless to say, Braeger attended. This was a great opportunity for us to promote our ground-breaking Braeger Purchase Program.

For those of you who aren't familiar with it, or know it better as the "dollar-dollar-dollar" program, the Braeger Purchase Program is the best deal in the car business. Seriously. It was originally designed with Braeger Employees, their families, and their friends in mind, but gradually expanded to be a service Braeger offered to businesses in the area in order to develop strong corporate and customer relationships.

So, what's the big deal, you ask? In a nutshell, nearly every aspect of your vehicle's purchase and ownership experience saw huge savings. When you bought a car using the Braeger Purchase Program, you started by paying $100 below factory invoice. In and of itself, this is a darn good deal! But it just gets better.

Once you own the car, a member of the Braeger Purchase Program is entitled to lifetime $1 (yes, one dollar) oil changes, car washes, rental cars, replacement wiper blades, paintless dent repair, windshield chip repair, and replacement tires.

Many local businesses and organizations participate in the Braeger Purchase Program. Large companies like Briggs and Stratton, and Baird participate, as well as several smaller, local businesses.

If you think your company, or organization would be interested in participating, please feel free to contact us. We'd be more than happy to help enroll you!

It's Official!

2005-10-10T20:16:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official! The Chrysler 300 is now officially the most award-winning car in history*!

Out of the 122 (!!) awards Daimler Chrysler vehicles won in 2005, the Chrysler 300 accounted for 42 all on its own! Awards range from the well-known and prestigious "Motor Trend Car of the Year" to the less well known (but equally prestigious) International Carwash Association's recently announced "Most Washable Car of 2005."

(“It’s one thing to perform well in enthusiast magazine and newspaper tests against new vehicles from our competitors, but it’s quite another to lead the pack under the hot water jets, soapy suds and gale-force winds of car wash blowers,” said Jason Vines, Vice President-Chrysler Group Communications.)

Here's just a quick list of a few of the more famous awards the Chrysler 300 has taken home this last year:

2005 North American Car of the Year

2005 AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year

Editors' Most Wanted Vehicle for 2005: Chrysler 300

Edmunds.com's Top 10 Hippest

Five-Star Frontal Crash Test

2005 Car and Driver 10Best "Full-Size Sedan."

SmartMoney Awarded June 2004, "Best Full Size Sedan."

Money Magazine Car of the Year.

Life Magazine "The Sexiest Cars of 2005"

Maxim Magazine Car of the Year

African Americans On Wheels/Urban Wheel Awards Car of the Year

Executive Life Top 10 Cars for CEOs

Automotive Rhythms Urban Elite Car of the Year

Automotive Fleet - Fleet Car of the Year

ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine "2005 International Car of the Year"

Advertising Age 10 Hottest Cars

Detroit Free Press Car of the Year

Detroit News Car of the Year

Kiplinger's Personal Finance, December 2004 "Best New Car"

eCity of Style "Fifth Annual Auto Style Award"

It's safe to say we're all rather impressed by the Chrysler 300 and it's amazing start. If it can win 42 awards in its first year alone, just imagine what the future has to hold!

*Based on automotive awards won within the introductory model year (2005).

Brutal Truth Motors: Free Free Free Free Free!

2005-10-07T08:56:00.000-05:00

Brutal Truth Motors

“And now for something completely different.”

Welcome back to Brutal Truth Motors. If you haven’t been here before, it can be a fun time, just don’t expect me to sugar coat anything. I’ve had a lot of fun sharing the truth behind the myth that your bank can/will get you a better interest rate than we can, and the truth about employee pricing.

Once again though, as always, I’m mad about something. Go figure. I just got out of an advertising meeting where I learned that apparently, we can’t use the word “free” in our advertising.

“Complimentary?” Nope. “Chargeless?” “No charge?” “Costless?” “Cuffo?” “For nothing?” “Freebie?” “Gratis?” No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Who’s ever even heard anyone use the word “cuffo?” But Thesaurus.com says it’s a synonym for “free,” so it’s outta there!

Obviously I’m not a lawyer. Heck, I don’t even play one on TV, but something just seems wrong here. We deal in cars. They are expensive. Sometimes we have to offer some extra things so people feel a little more comfortable making a purchase. For example, we might offer a free vacation to Las Vegas with the purchase of a new or used automobile. Or, we might say: “Free scheduled maintenance for 24 months with the purchase of a used vehicle.”

Those don’t sound outrageous, unreasonable, or deceptive, do they? Yet, those are both completely 100% banned! The powers-that-be that regulate advertising claim that since you have to purchase a car to get the vacation or the free maintenance plan, it’s not actually free. Come on. If, one day, you pay an amount and get just a car, and then pay the same amount the next day and get the car and the trip to Las Vegas, what would you call the vacation? I would call it free!

Is the crappy toaster no longer a free gift when you open a checking account? Is the secret-decoder ring at the bottom of my box of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs not a free prize anymore?

I guess not. And that’s just too bad.

Braeger leads the way!

2005-10-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

You might remember that recently our owner, Todd Reardon had sent a memo to all Braeger employees announcing the efforts by NADA (the National Automobile Dealers Association) to collect money to help automobile dealership employees and their families in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

After everything was said and done, Braeger collected almost seven thousand dollars! According to our sources in NADA, that's right at the top level of dealership contributions. In fact, again, according to our sources with NADA, the median contribution for a dealership ranged between $500 and $1,000. With thousands of car dealerships across the country participating though, that still totals up to a significant amount! Pledges so far have totaled $2.5 Million, with NADA contributing $1 Million on its own. NADA is very proud to point out that every single penny of the money raised is actually going to the people that need it.

Visit NADA's hurricane relief site for information on donating more or receiveing benefits if you need them.

Since people were only recently allowed to revisit their abandoned homes and workplaces in the Louisiana and Mississippi areas, we're sure the money will be appreciated.

To everyone who contributed, from Braeger and across the country:

Thank you!

Ford Rebates and Incentives for October

2005-10-04T16:02:00.000-05:00

And, last, but not least, here are the Ford rebates and incentives for the month of October. Ford tied a lot of its rebates in with its financing, and there are definitely some screaming deals in there too. The up to $5000 in rebates available on 2005 Tauruses, or 2.9% interest for 72 months are an incredible savings.

2006 Models	Rebate	OR	36 Mo. APR	48 Mo. APR	60 Mo. APR	72 Mo. APR
Focus	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Taurus	$500		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ford 500 (Limited)	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Ford 500 (All other models)	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Freestyle	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Mustang	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ford GT	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Crown Victoria	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Freestar	$2000*		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Explorer 4-Door	$2500*		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Escape	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Escape Hybrid	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ranger	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
E-Series (Except RV)	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
E-Series RV	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Expedition	$3500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
F-150 (Excluding Harley Davidson)	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
F1-150 Harley Davidson	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
F-SuperDuty	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
Fusion	$1000*		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
2005 Models	Rebate	OR	36 Mo. APR	48 Mo. APR	60 Mo. APR	72 Mo. APR
Focus	$2500*		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Taurus	$5000*		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	2.9%
Ford 500 Limited	$1500*		0.0%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
Ford 500 (All other models)	$2500*		0.0%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
Freestyle	2500*		0.9%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
Mustang	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ford GT	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Crown Victoria	$4500*		0.0%	0.9%	1.9%	3.9%
Thunderbird	$3000*		0.0%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
Freestar	$6000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	2.9%
4-Door Explorer	$5000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	2.9%
Explorer Sport-Trac	$3000*		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Escape	$2500*		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Escape Hybrid	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ranger	$3500*		0.0%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
E-Series (Excluding RV)	$2500		0.0%	0.9%	1.9%	3.9%
E-Series RV	$3000		0.0%	0.9%	1.9%	3.9%
Expedition	$5000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Excursion )Excluding 6.0L Engine)	$4000*		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Excursion 6.0L Engine	$2500*		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	6.9%
F-150	$4000*		0.0%	1.9%	2.9%	4.9%
* Contact us for details

Chrysler Rebates and Incentives!

2005-10-04T11:57:00.000-05:00

Chrysler just updated its rebates and incentives for October. These are good through the 31st. It looks like they have some good choices. The combination of 0.0% financing AND a $2000 rebate on Grand Cherokees ($1500 on Liberties) is a great value!

2006 Models	Rebate	OR	36 Mo. APR	48 Mo. APR	60 Mo. APR
Sebring Sedan	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Sebring Convertible	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Chrysler 300	*		N/A	N/A	N/A
PT Cruiser Sedan	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
PT Cruiser COnvertible	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Pacifica	$2000		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%
Grand Cherokee	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Commander	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Liberty (Gas Engine)	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Liberty (Diesel)	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Wrangler	$1000		N/A	N/A	N/A
Town and Country	$2000		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%
2005 Models	Rebate	OR	36 Mo. APR	48 Mo. APR	60 Mo. APR
Sebring Sedan	$3000*		0.0%	2.9%	3.9%
Sebring Convertible	$3000		0.0%	2.9%	3.9%
Sebring Coupe	$3500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%
Chrysler 300	*		N/A	N/A	N/A
PT Cruiser Sedan	$1500		0.0%	2.9%	3.9%
PT Cruiser Convertible	$3000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Pacifica	*		N/A	N/A	N/A
Grand Cherokee	$3500*		$2000+0.0%	$2000+0.9%	$2000+2.9%
Liberty (Gas Engine)	$3000		$1500+0.0%	$1500+0.9%	$1500+2.9%
Liberty (Diesel)	$2000		$1500+0.0%	$1500+0.9%	$1500+2.9%
Wrangler Unlimited	$1500		N/A	N/A	N/A
Wrangler (All other models)	$1500		N/A	N/A	N/A
Town and Country	*		N/A	N/A	N/A
Crossfire	$2500		N/A	N/A	N/A
* Contact us for details

Grand Cherokee scoring high!

2005-10-03T16:44:00.000-05:00

I just found this article from Car and Driver which compares six different sport utility vehicles on the ultra-demanding Chicken Point Trail in Sedona, Arizona.

Chicken Point

When I saw how thoroughly well the new 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee did, I knew that I had to post something here. If you skip right to the end of the article you'll see what I mean. Out of nineteen categories rated 1-10, the Grand Cherokee scored a nine or a ten in eleven of them, and an eight, nine, or ten in fifteen of them!

The testers weren't comparing the Jeep to any easy competition either. Car and Driver compared the Jeep Grand Cherokee to such big names as the Volkswagon Toureg, the newly redesigned Nissan Pathfinder, the Toyota 4Runner, and the Mitsubishi Montero. The Jeep left them all, literally and figuratively, in the dust.

Lusty engines are big winners on these pages. The Jeep, propelled vigorously by the largest engine in the group, finished atop the ratings by a clear margin. Zero to 60 in 6.8 seconds puts this 4920-pound SUV at the front of the pack. Nothing else was close.

But the Jeep wasn't just the big winner on the outside. Car and Driver raved about its interior as well:

The Grand Cherokee's front seat and driving position are especially agreeable. You sit more "arms out" than in most trucks, a sharp contrast from the 4Runner and its bus-style angling of the wheel. The dash is also quite high, so your gaze needs to drop only a few degrees as it moves from road ahead to the instruments below. The hood ramps down, opening the view before you. The dash is shrewdly shaped to put the center-mounted radio and HVAC within easy reach. Taken altogether, the Jeep earned top marks for ergonomics.

We might not have a Chicken Point style trail to drive on, but I would still encourage you to stop in and test drive the new Grand Cherokee, take Car and Driver's word for it--you won't be dissappointed.

The big winner!

New rebates and incentives from Chevy

2005-10-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

Every month, I'd like to post the rebate and APR incentives the major manufacturers are offering. Since Ford and Chrysler won't announce their new incentive plans until Tuesday (october 4th), all I have at the moment is Chevrolet, but I'll post that right away!

These rebates and incentives start today (Saturday, October 1) and run through the end of the month of October!

2006 Models	Rebate	OR	12-35 Mo. APR	36-47 Mo. APR	48-59 Mo. APR	60-71 Mo. APR
Aveo	$500		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Cobalt SS	$0		6.75%	6.75%	6.75%	N/A
Cobalt (All other models)	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Malibu	$1000		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
Impala	$1000		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
HHR	$0		1.9%	2.9%	3.9%	5.9%
SSR	$0		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Colorado	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Silverado 1500	$2500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Silverado 2500/3500 Diesel	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Silverado 2500/3500 (Non-diesel)	$2000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
C4500 Kodiak	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Avalanche	$3000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Equinox	$500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Trailblazer	$2500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Trailblazer EXT	$2500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Tahoe	$3500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	N/A
Suburban	$3500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	N/A
Uplander	$1500		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
Express	$1000		2.9%	3.9%	4.9%	5.9%
2005 Models	Rebate	OR	12-35 Mo. APR	36-47 Mo. APR	48-59 Mo. APR	60-71 Mo. APR
Aveo	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Cobalt SS	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Cobalt (All Other Models)	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Malibu	$3250		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.9%
Impala	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Monte Carlo	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
SSR	*		6.75%	6.75%	6.75%	N/A
Corvette	$0		6.75%	6.75%	6.75%	N/A
Colorado	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Silverado 1500	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Silverado 2500/3500 Diesel	*		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Silverado 2500/3500 (Non-diesel)	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
C4500 Kodiak	*		N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Avalanche	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Equinox	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Trailblazer	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Trailblazer EXT	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Tahoe	$6000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.9%
Suburban	$6000		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.9%
Uplander	$3500		0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.9%
Express	*		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
* Contact us for details

Ahead of the curve, protecting our customers

2005-10-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

After reading this article on the Microsoft Network homepage warning people to be wary of buying flood-damaged cars after the hurricanes, I realized just how far ahead of the curve Braeger is when it comes to protecting our customers.

Since 2001, Braeger has printed a CarFax or TitleCheck report on every used vehicle we have owned. If anything shows up on the title that would lead us to believe a customer wouldn't want that car--flood damage, salvage, or the like--we don't even offer it for sale.

So, if you're looking at one of our used cars, feel free to ask the used car manager to see the AutoCheck report on it, and he'll have it. If the car's on our lot for sale, we already know there's nothing to be scared of on the report!

Helping however we can

2005-09-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

One of the most embarassing events in the world is to apply for a loan and be denied because of your credit. Oftentimes a person's credit can suffer through no fault of their own. An unplanned medical expense, being out of work for a prolonged time, a business failure, or risk that didn't pan out can all have disastrous effects on a person's credit. And once your credit is damaged, many of the things most of us take for granted slip out of reach.

Can you imagine having the powertrain of your car fail, and being unable to buy a new one--at least being unable to take out a loan to afford anything safe and reliable? Sadly, that's the situation many members of our community find themselves in. But Braeger is committed to helping.

This last Saturday, September 24th, Mary Bennett and Willy Burazin, spent their day at a free credit counseling seminar, helping and showing people what they could do to help rebuild their credit records. And their efforts are already paying off.


Our finance department specializes in doing the impossible!	Willy Burazin Focuses on getting the deal done.

Thanks to the hard work of the Braeger Sales and Braeger Finance teams, we've already helped nearly a dozen people get new cars. To work with someone and tell them that we managed to secure an approval on a loan they never ever expected to be approved for is just an amazing experience, and it's one we get to share often here at Braeger.

More information on E85

2005-09-28T15:08:00.000-05:00

I just found this website (http://www.e85fuel.com/information/vin.php) which will make it even easier to figure out if your car can use E85 fuel. Since E85 still seems to be less expensive than regular gas, this might be able to help you save some money.

The site will tell you if your car can use E85, just by reading your car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). You can find the VIN in the lower corner of your windshield on the driver's side, or on a sticker on the edge of the driver's door.

For a longer discussion of E85 and its benfits, see the previous blog article here.

My favorite thing to hear!

2005-09-28T08:43:00.000-05:00

I came into work this morning, and saw another of my favorite emails to receive: Compliments from one of our customers.

I want to share what Barbara had to say about her experience here:

It's a little late, but I wanted to say what outstanding service I received earlier this month from Chris Rhode. My Buick Rondezvous was having transmission trouble, and Chris went above and beyond to be sure it was covered under my extended warranty.
It took a little while to get it all done, but Chris was diligent in keeping me informed about the progress. I used to have my car serviced at Rank & Son, but now I will go out of my way to go to Braeger. Thanks!

Keep up the good work Chris!

A new way to contact us!

2005-09-26T16:11:00.000-05:00

In our everlasting quest to it easier for people to contact us, Braeger just entered the era of instant messaging.

As of yesterday, in addition to telephone and email, Braeger can be reached by instant messaging any of the major services. Feel free to message us at any of the following addresses:

AoL Instant Messenger: BraegerAuto
ICQ: 286302740
Yahoo Messenger: BraegerAuto
Microsoft Messenger: BraegerAuto@hotmail.com

I hope this adds a little extra convenience to our services. Members of the Braeger Business Development Center will be on hand from 8:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M.

How you can get better gas mileage, and how we can help

2005-09-23T18:28:00.000-05:00

On the radio, an hour or so ago, a woman warned me to fill up my gas tank now, since it looks like Hurricane Rita will cause a spike in prices over the next few days. Since I don't have a car that is flex fuel capable, I thought it was time to seriously consider how to maximize my gas budget. It turns out that there are a few simple things I'm doing wrong and a few simple things I'm doing right to get the most (ahem) bang for my buck. The federal website, here had some great suggestions.

Based on their calculations, here are the top ten ways to maximize your gas money, in order of biggest savings to least savings.

#1) Drive Sensibly

By far, poor driving habits can have the most devastating effect on gas mileage. Speeding, strong accelerations, jackrabbit starts, and heavy braking can add up to reduce your gas mileage by up to 33%! What that means is if your car was rated at 30 miles/gallon, a 33% decrease would drop you to 20 miles/gallon! More directly, if gas was priced at $3.00 per gallon and you were wasting 33%, you would be paying the equivalent of $4.00 per gallon--that's unthinkable!

#2) Obey the Speed Limit

Since air resistance increases rapidly over 60 mph, your gas mileage decreases just as rapidly. In fact, it is estimated that on average, a car loses approximately 7% fuel efficiency for every 5 mph you drive above 60. To convert into dollars and cents again, the estimates were that if you speed, you're adding an extra $0.10 to $0.50 to $1.00 per gallon to your bill!

#3) Check and Replace Air Filters Regularly

The government estimates an old air filter can hurt your gas mileage by up to 10% (Up to $0.30 per gallon if you prefer). That's something we can help with. Come by and one of our trained technicians will be able to immediately check your filter and make sure it's not costing you money. Of course since the air filter is also an essential component to protecting the lifetime of your engine, keeping a clean air filter will be saving you money in the future too.

#4) Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned

On average, on average, a car that needs engine work will be 4% more efficient when it gets fixed. In some cases the amount is much much much higher. In fact, the federal website points out that something as simple as a defective oxygen sensor can hurt gas mileage by as much as 40%! Would you buy gas at a gas station that sold it for $4.20 per gallon if everyone else was at $3.00? Probably not. So make sure your car is in good running order. If you're concerned about your car's condition, call us. Our state-of-the art diagnostic tools, and skilled technicians will be able to quickly make sure your car is in tip-top shape.

#5) Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

This is one I'm pretty good on. (Unlike #2, avoiding speeding...) Nevertheless, I'm continually surprised, to see how many people are driving around on tires that are so underinflated they're not only inefficient, but dangerous! The federal efficiency website again estimates that driving on underinflated tires can lose you a little over 3% on your fuel efficiency--more if your tires are VERY underinflated. Keep in mind, that as temperatures drop, tire pressures do too. Since we're heading into winter, please check your tire pressure regularly.
There should be a label that looks like this:
on the inside edge of the driver's door of your car. It should tell you what your tires' proper inflation pressures are. If you don't have a tire pressure gauge, or just don't want to hassle, just drive right into our service department, and we'll check the pressure and make sure your tires are properly inflated for free.

#6) Remove Excess Weight

Did you know that every 100lbs you carry in your car, on average, reduces your fuel efficiency by 1-2%? So, if you don't have to have it with you, then leave it at home! Even a 2% increase in efficiency is like saving $0.06 a gallon when gas hits $3.00 per gallon! A lot of people will drive out of their way to save $0.02, or $0.03 on gas, and here's a way to save a lot and not drive anywhere!

#7) Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil

I don't even know what grade oil my car is supposed to use. In fact, I never really gave it a thought. But it turns out that using the wrong grade oil can have a noticeable impact on your fuel efficiency! Using 10W-30 motor oil, for example, in an engine designed to use 5W-30 hurts efficiency between 1-2%. You can quickly find what grade oil your car should use by looking in your owner's manual.

#8) Avoid Excessive Engine Idling

The federal site says it best: "Idling gets 0 miles per gallon."
In today's modern cars, letting a car "warm up" before driving, or waiting with the engine running while parked is just burning up money.

#9) Use Cruise Control

Hearkening back to #1, cruise control helps avoid excessive acceleration, and keeps your car at a constant speed. This helps the engine run more efficiently, and use less gas.

#10) Use Overdrive Gears

A lot of people aren't familiar with what an overdrive gear is: it's just a gear in your car's transmission that lets the engine not have to work as hard at higher speeds. Not only does it save gas (a lot!) but it helps your car operate more smoothly, quietly, and reduces engine wear.

As a bonus feature, check out this great website. (www.milwaukeegasprices.com) It shows the gas stations with the lowest and highest gas prices in the Milwaukee area in the last 48 hours. It's updated all the time, and has seemed to be pretty accurate. Since there looks like over a $0.30 difference in prices between the lowest and highest priced gas stations, this site could also save you a nice pile of money.

A Message From Todd Reardon

2005-09-10T14:58:00.000-05:00

I just received a copy of this letter from our owner, Todd Reardon. Hopefully everyone has seen it, but if you haven't I thought I would post it here too. I wouldn't want anyone to miss it.

To: All Employees

Thousands of dealership employees in the New Orleans area will not be returning to work for several months as a result of the damage sustained from Hurrcane Katrina. They have no income and still need to pay bills and provide for their families. The National Auto Dealers Association and Wisconsin Auto & Truck Dealers Association have asked us to take up a collection for these people.

The Braeger organization will match all monies donated by employees.

If every employee donates $20.00 or more, Braeger will be sending approximately $10,000 to the relief fund. Thank you for your generosity.

Todd Reardon

Please consider contributing. Every little bit helps. Just imagine yourself in these people's shoes. Can you imagine having your job, your car, or home washed away, but still having your car loan and mortgage payment due anyway?

To contribute, just talk to your department's manager.

A simple way a lot of people are overlooking to save on gas.

2005-09-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

Tony Pochowski

While talking to a customer, I started thinking about whether we're approaching saving money on gas from the only possible angle. I mean, everyone is looking for high-gas mileage vehicles. And obviously, that's a way to save on gas money. But, if you could fuel your car with something cheaper, that'd save you money too.

Which led me to remember that there's a fuel source that works on a lot of vehicles that a lot of people are probably overlooking--E85. E85 is a combination of ethanol and gas that contains more ethanol than gas--85% ethanol to 15% gas. (Your typical gasoline contains more gas than ethanol--85% gas to 15% ethanol.)

What does this mean for you? A pretty big savings.

Because ethanol is derived from corn, and not oil, it hasn't been subject to the vast price increases lately, and often costs over a $1.00 per gallon less than regular unleaded gasoline.

Not every car is equipped to use E85 as fuel though, so before filling up, check this list to see if your car is on it. There's a longer list available here, at the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration website.

Of the vehicles Braeger offers, the following are E85 (flex-fuel) capable (from the Wisconsin DoA website):

Daimler Chrysler:
Select 2003-2006 2.7L Chrysler Sebrings

All 1998-2003 3.3L Plymouth/Chrysler Voyagers

All 1998-2003 3.3L Town & Country
Ford Motor Company:
Select 2006 5.4L Ford F150s (3-valve) (Available December 2005)

Select 2006 4.6L Crown Victorias (2-valve) (Excludes taxi and police units)

Select 1995-2006 3.0L Taurus LX, SE and SES

Select 2002-2005 4.0L Explorers

Select 2004-2005 4.0L Explorer Sport Tracs

Select 1999-2003 3.0L Rangers & Ranger Supercabs 4WD & 2WD
General Motors:
Select 2006 3.5L Chevy Impalas

Select 2006 3.5L Monte Carlos

Select 2006-2006 5.3L Vortec-Engine Chevy Avalanches

Select 2002-2006 5.3L Vortec-Engine Chevy Surburbans

Select 2002-2006 5.3:L Vortec-Engine Chevy Tahoes

Select 2002-2006 5.3L V-8 Engine Chevy Silverados

Select 2000-2006 5.3L 2.2L Chevy S-10 (After 12/99)

If you see your vehicle on the list, check your owner's manual to see if your engine is set up to use E85. You can also contact us, and we can let you know if your vehicle is "flex-fuel capable."

The next obvious question is:

Where can I find E85?

Right now only select gas stations offer E85. Here's a list of Milwaukee, WI area gas stations offering the E85, also from the Wisconsin DoA website.

Citgo
145 W Oklahoma Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53207
(414) 483-6398 Citgo
2426 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53211
(414) 347-1764
Citgo
425 E. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53212
(414) 961-2425 Marathon
4137 W. Fond Du Lac Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53216
(414) 447-9082
Marathon
10501 Brown Deer Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53224
(414) 586-0851

If you have any more questions, feel free to call us at:

1-800-508-4135

You can also contact us electronically by email here or by leaving a comment below.

DaimlerChrysler Matching Employee Red Cross Contributions

2005-09-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

I just got word that DaimlerChrysler will match employee and dealership contributions to the Red Cross! As a major multinational corporation, this could be a great help in the Red Cross's efforts in the wake of the hurricane.

Here's the text of the DaimlerChrysler article:

DaimlerChrysler today is announcing a $1 million commitment to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. As a part of that, the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund has approved a disaster relief grant of $500,000, which includes a provision to match gifts from our employees as well as Chrysler Group dealers and their employees.
STEP 1: TO MAKE A DONATION:

Make your check payable to the “American Red Cross” and write “2005 Hurricane Katrina Relief” on the memo line of your check. Send your check directly to:

American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, D.C. 20013

You may also submit a credit card donation directly to the American Red Cross via their Web site at www.redcross.org.

STEP 2: TO APPLY FOR THE MATCH:

Please send a photocopy of your check, or a copy of your online contribution confirmation to the following address to facilitate a matching donation. In addition, please include your dealership name and dealer code.

DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund
Hurricane Katrina Matching Gifts
Post Office Box 218006
CIMS 485-10-94
Auburn Hills, Michigan 48321-9955

DaimlerChrysler and its associates have a long history of helping others in times of crisis. Your sincere interest in aiding victims of Hurricane Katrina reflects that commitment. Thanks in advance for any contribution you may make.

If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!

Speaking of "Atta boys!"

2005-09-07T15:53:00.000-05:00

Speaking of "Atta boys!" there's a huge (humonguous, really) one that needs to go out, and that's to Braeger as a whole.

I don't know how many of you are familiar with how active Braeger is in the community. Even if you think you do know exactly how active we are, I think you'll be surprised. Beyond the widely popularized events like saving Western Days, and hosting the picnic for Lutheran Social Services and the foster families, Braeger is involved almost daily in making the community a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Maybe that's why the owner, Todd Reardon, was named "Citizen of the Year" in 2001 by the Milwaukee Police Association.

This is just a quick list of some of the organizations that Braeger is actively working with or contributing to:
1. West Allis Western Days
2. The CAP (Child Abuse Prevention) Fund
3. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
4. Children's Hospital Foundation
5. American Red Cross
6. United Way
7. Several Veterans Organizations
8. Milwaukee Police Association
9. Milwaukee Police Supervisor Organization
10. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
11. Journey House
12. Aicardi Syndrome Foundation
13. Prevent Blindness America
14. Jason Monreal Scholarship Fund
15. Apprenticeship Programs at Pulaski HS and Greenfield HS
16. Drivers' Education Car Program
17. Scholarships (2) for Oak Creek High School graduates
18. Scholarships (2) for Cudahy High School graduates
19. Sojourner Truth House
20. Milwaukee 6th District Police
21. Wilson Park Youth and Senior Baseball
22. Kathy's House
23. Service Club of Milwaukee
24. Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
25. NABVETS/Wisconsin
26. St. Francis Children's Center
27. Friends of Froedtert Hospital
28. Centro De La Comunidad
29. Greenfield Partners of Parks
30. Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens
31. Friends of Schmidt Audubon Society
32. Sam's Hope

Not bad, is it? I think it deserves an "Atta boy!"

Brutal Truth Motors, Volume 2

2005-09-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

Welcome to week two of Brutal Truth Motors. After a successful grand opening last week, Brutal Truth Motors is officially thriving and ready to de-legitimize more thoughts and beliefs about buying cars! If you missed last week’s introduction, Brutal Truth Motors is a full service truth telling operation about buying cars. Keep in mind though; it’s usually not what you want to hear. Its what really happens, not what consumer reports wants you to think happens.

This week’s episode: No, your bank probably can’t get you a better rate than one of our banks!

I bet you love your bank, I know I love mine. In fact, I use a credit union. Everyone loves credit unions, after all they are “owned by the members” right? They wouldn’t ever try to make a penny off me. I am sure that 600 foot tall state of the art building they have downtown was donated by the good will of its members, not forged by their massive profits….

You might want to think again about your bank. If you don’t think they are out to take you for as much money as they can, then you need to come down and have a chat with me. Everyone trusts “their” bank, so they often forget that the banks sole reason for being is to make money. And how does a bank make money? By charging you as high an interest rate as it possibly can. (At the meantime, offering you as low as possible an interest rate on any savings-type accounts you have with it!)

Well, guess what, we are trying to make money too. BUT, we usually can get you a much better rate then your bank can get you! Why? Simple: We are a more valued customer of our banks than you are of yours. How many car loans will you take out with your bank this month? If it’s anything less than 300, we’ve got you beat. When a bank knows we can direct 300 car loans a month to them, or away from them, they’re awful interested in gaining that business. That’s 3,600 loans a year! At $3,000 average profit on a car loan over its term, that’s over $1 million in profits from us each year! Do you represent a million dollars in profit for your bank? If you don’t, which one of us do you think is more likely to get offered a better rate?

And speaking of loans and financing, there’s something else I just have to get off my chest. Please don’t tell me: “I have perfect credit with an 890 fico score, my bank can get me financed.” This is the nonsense “showing off” type speak we hear all the doggone time at the car dealership. People routinely try to impress us with their credit score thinking it will somehow influence the way we work a car deal. They are dead wrong. We don’t care if you have a 900 credit score, or a 300 credit score—neither does the car you’re buying! No matter your credit score, at the end of the day if our lot has one less car in it, and your driveway has one more, we’re happy as clams.

That’s about it for now. I’ll be back next week, brutally honest as ever, and if you missed last week's episode, click here!

"Atta Boy!"

2005-09-06T18:41:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes in this industry we go around without a pat on the back for the work that we do."

I recently heard this from a wise colleague of mine, and was struck by its simple truth. It's a truth that extends beyond this industry, and I think is becoming all too common in the world around us. I want to change that. I'm going to take every opportunity I can to offer up the pat on the back, the "Atta boy!" that so many of you deserve.

The first is a bit late in coming, but is certainly better late than never. Two months ago, Braeger had a competition where employees were asked to work doubly hard to refer customers to the dealership to buy new cars. While everyone, I'm sure, worked their hardest to bring fresh faces to Braeger, a few people stood head and shoulders above the rest. (As soon as I see them, I'll add their pictures here--I want you to give them an "Atta boy!" when you see them too!)

Bob Mesich, Russ Chapman, Craig Pozarski, and Dan Marquardt combined to send in 26 referral customers who bought cars. That's just incredible. And of this group, Bob Mesich alone accounted for 11! Keeping in mind that Braeger has about 200 employees, if everyone had referred in similar numbers to these four, we would have had over 1000 referral sales--that's about as many sales as the total number of new cars our Ford or Chrysler dealerships sell in an entire year!

Even though these four were honored at the August 12th banquet, and received several prizes, they definitely earned their place here too.

Bob, Russ, Craig, Dan: Atta boy!

If you can think of anyone else who deserves a great big pat on the back, let me know! I've got enough to go around!

More on the Fusion

2005-09-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

I just read this great article from Motortrend magazine about the Ford Fusion.

Besides just giving a breakdown of the specs of the vehicle--height/weight/power/gas mileage--it highlights what look to be some key advantages of the new model. A new Mercedes-Benz style suspension, a six-speed (!) automatic transmission, and hydraulic-mounted engines all look like they should comfortably set the Fusion apart from its competitors.

Keep an eye here if you want to test drive a Fusion, or just take a closer look. I'll be sure to let you know when we start receiving them!

Update: Darnell's take on things!

2005-09-01T15:23:00.000-05:00

Here are Darnell's answers to our five featured employee questions, as promised!
1) What would you like the world (or at least Braeger) to know about you?
Darnell: I love helping people. It always brightens my day to put a smile on a persons face. If you need a smile, call, I will hook you up. Seriously, give me a try. Boom! Done. You’re happy, told you.
2) What makes you proud of Braeger and of working here?
Darnell: The thing that makes me the most proud about working here, is the satisfaction that comes from helping people purchase vehicles. I once had a customer that was so sure that she couldn’t buy a vehicle; when I told her she was able to get the car, she cried. I felt so proud of our company and our finance department. Those customers have since bought two other vehicles, and have referred two people.
3) Why do you think I chose you (or should, or would choose you) as a Braeger Featured Employee?
Darnell: This one is easy. Clearly, because I Rock! Ask anyone; I’ve said it before. You’ll hear me say it again. I ROCK!
4) What are you driving right now?
Darnell: Being the Used Car Manager, I have lots of vehicles to choose from. Most recently: 05 Madza 3, 04 Durango Limited, 01 Eclipse Convertible, 02 Grand Cherokee, 05 Dodge Caravan, 05 Wrangler, and oh yeah, 02 Pontiac GTP, yep, Supercharged.
5) When you're not at Braeger, what do you enjoy doing?
Darnell: Riding my crotch-rocket at speeds fast enough to peel the skin from my face. Spending time with my family. Quiet nights at home. Long walks on the beach. Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain.

So, there you have it folks! Who'll make it in next week?

Featured Employee: Darnell Granberry

2005-08-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

While I'm waiting for Darnell to get back to me on the five featured employee questions, I figured I would get started.

I chose Darnell as this month's featured employee due to his recent promotion from salesman to sales manager. Darnell was recently transferred from his position selling used cars with Braeger Ford to managing the entire used car department at Braeger Chrysler and Jeep. Everyone was excited to see him join the Chrysler/Jeep team, as his positive attitude and team spirit were nothing less than contagious.

He's been part of the Braeger team for 4 years now, and even though he had been with the Ford store exclusively through that time, it's no surprise he's been noticed by all three of our dealerships.

It's rare to see him without a smile on his face, and he'll always do his best to get one on yours too. If you see him, make sure to say "hi" and to congratulate him--he's definitely worth knowing.

I'll add his answers to the questions as soon as I get them from him!

Quick Update

2005-08-31T11:07:00.000-05:00

I just changed the settings so that now anyone can post a comment. The default was to only let people with "Blogger" accounts leave comments. Since most people don't have accounts, it didn't make sense to limit it that way--I want your comments!

So, if you're reading this, comment away!

New feature, what do you think?

2005-08-30T16:31:00.000-05:00

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to add a new regular feature to the Braeger Blog:

The Braeger Featured Employee of the Month!

I'll ask one employee each month a series of five questions, and include a short biography of their time with Braeger. (I'll even include a picture, since at Braeger we're a pretty good looking bunch!) I think we should all get to know each other better, and think this is a great way to start.

Between updates, anyone who wants to email me their answers to these questions, or wants to include their answers in comments here, should feel free to do so. If your answers are good, I'll post them here too!

Here are the questions I'm going to use:
1) What would you like the world (or at least Braeger) to know about you?
2) What makes you proud of Braeger and of working here?
3) Why do you think I chose you (or should, or would choose you) as a Braeger Featured Employee?
4) What are you driving right now?
5) When you're not at Braeger, what do you enjoy doing?

I think that's a great overview. Like I said, tomorrow will be the first installment, featuring Darnell Granberry who was just promoted from used car salesman at our Ford store, to used car manager at the Chrysler and Jeep location. Congratulations!

New Logo! What do you think?

2005-08-26T09:33:00.000-05:00

I just received a copy of a proposed new logo for Braeger in my email box this morning:

Click on the new logo to send me an email about it

I think I really like it! With Braeger's involvement with veterans' affairs, supporting our troops overseas, and our focus on driving the American economy and supporting the men and women who support us every day, I think the logo is very appropriate.

But more importantly, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I think the logo just looks good. It's clear, easy to read, and powerful. It gives you a feeling, and not just a message.

What do you think? Is it a good new face for Braeger, or do you prefer the older Braeger logo:

Click on the old logo to send me an email about it

Brutal Truth Motors

2005-08-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

Brutal Truth Motors

Open for business

I would like to welcome everyone to Brutal Truth Motors. First, let me start by saying this isn’t going to be your usual column about great customer service or the largest selection or all of our great deals. It also won't be a column about daisies or tulips or anything nice like that. It’s going to be about things that bother me, things about the car business that bother me, consumer perceptions that bother me, and anything else that just ticks me off.

The best part about it, is that you, the reader, will be privy to some of the most brutally honest content about the car industry ever available. You probably won't like most of it. But all of it will always be true. For example, here's a small sample of things to come:

Unless you want to finance your new $35,000 dollar pickup truck for ten years your payments will never be $300 dollars, and there is not a thing we can do to get you there.

Yes, a GMC truck is the same as a Chevy, no matter how much more they charge for it.

No, it's not excessive for a car dealership to hope for a 3% profit margin on a new car when furniture stores happily rake in 200%, 300%, or 400% profits!

Yes, if you don't change your oil for two years and your car breaks, it is your fault!

So, I would hope you continue reading. But I understand if you don't. Brutal honesty is honest, yes, but also brutal.

Today's episode: Yes, the employee price is the bottom line; no we cannot “do any better”

On June 1st General Motors made a monumental move in the automobile industry by offering nearly all of their vehicles to the general public at their employee prices. How this works is that most auto manufacturers have a special price on every vehicle that an employee of the company can buy it for. It is highly discounted off the vehicles sticker price, and employees of all auto manufacturers have enjoyed it for some time now.

Well GM ruined it for all us employees. Our price isn’t special anymore, anyone off the street can buy a car for that sweet, low, price that we could. I don’t like it, but you certainly should take advantage of it. Here is what really bothers me though: for the first time ever, cars are thousands of dollars cheaper then they have ever been, and you still want more. “Is that your best price?” I quiver when I hear those words. Do you realize that GM has to send us, the dealership, a check to reimburse us for the hit we take on a vehicle that is sold at an employee price? That’s right, we actually sell the vehicle to you for less than what we paid for the vehicle. GM then sends us a check to cover that amount, plus a small commission so it makes sense for us to continue to sell cars. So the answer to your question is YES, the employee price is my best number; NO I can’t take another thousand dollars off the price.

Don’t worry though, employee pricing will be ending soon, and then you can go back to begging, pleading and demanding for another three thousand dollars off that brand new car. You might get it, you might not, and at least car buying will be fun again right? Stay tuned for next week when I explain just why those three thousand dollars more you want off is just an insane number and why it usually just won’t happen.

Big Gains for the Big Three!

2005-08-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

JD Power reports impressive quality gains for domestic manufacturers_{Steve Erich}

More good news came out this week about the state of the American automobile industry. GM and Ford grabbed 7 of the 18 top spots in the JD Power and Associates initial quality surveys. GM also swept the North/South America plant quality awards. This shows exceptional work by the American manufacturers in a climate of intense competition over initial quality.

In the past 5 years the entire auto industry has shown a remarkable 25% increase in initial quality from 154 problems per 100 vehicles in 2000 to 118 problems per 100 vehicles in 2005. To underscore how much better quality is across the board, every manufacturer and every nameplate this year was better than the industry average 5 years ago.

The results of the long-term vehicle study were also released, with more good news! The Vehicle Dependability Study follows 3-year-old vehicles as opposed to the 90-day window for the Initial Quality Study. The industry as a whole showed impressive gains here as well with a 12% improvement over last year. Ford, Chevy and Chrysler did very well in this survey, with all three nameplates beating the industry average. In fact, both Ford and GM had more vehicles at the top of their respective segments than Toyota! Chevy winners include the Prizm, Malibu, S-10, and Silverado HD. Ford winners include the Thunderbird, Windstar and E-Series Vans.

This will come as welcome news to owners of American vehicles as it is estimated that being better than the industry average can help resale value by as much as $1,000.

For the average consumer, there have never been more choices, quality has never been higher, and manufacturers and dealers are offering better service than ever in order to provide a leg up on the competition. There has never been a better time to look at a newer car, and it has become very hard to make a poor choice based on quality, reliability, and service. This means that you can get back to making your decision about the things that really matter: will it do everything you need it to do, is it in your budget, and most importantly, do you like it?

2006 Models Here!

2005-08-22T12:11:00.000-05:00

After Christmas and my birthday, this is my favorite time of year.

Why?

All the exciting new models we've been waiting for are beginning to arrive in our showrooms. Besides new versions of some old favorites, there are definitely some fresh new faces in the crowd this year.

Chevy HHRs, with their distinctive retro-styling, have already appeared at our Braeger Chevrolet dealership, and they are definitely worth coming in to see, even if you're not in the market right now.

If you click on the image, you'll open a window to the Chevy Website devoted to the HHR, for more pictures and specifications.

On the Ford side of things, the new Fusion is already showing itself around the country as Ford's new entry into NASCAR, see the story here.

Finalizing the phase-out of the venerable, and popular Ford Taurus line, the Fusion looks like a great addition to Ford's lineup, on or off the race track. Click on the picture below to visit Ford's official Fusion site.

And from the Jeep store, we have the most amazing 4x4 to roll out of a Jeep assembly plant in a long long time. The new Jeep Commander is set to re-open the doors to Jeep customers looking for something bigger than the Grand Cherokee. With three rows of seating, and the most advanced stability and four-wheel drive systems available on the planet, the Commander will be at home driving the soccer team to practice, or conquering the untamed wilds of the Yucatan.

If you can, now is the best time of year to come by, chat, pick up a cup of coffee, and see the cars everyone will be talking about for the next year!

Delphi Auto Show--Featuring Braeger Automotive

2005-06-09T20:14:00.000-05:00

Braeger Automotive Group

Not everyone is considering buying a car in February. Which is why Braeger Automotive group is teaming up with Delphi in Oak Creek, WI to host another auto show. Several dealerships will be involved in this event which is open to the public. Braeger will be the only dealer showing Chevrolet, Ford, and Jeep vehicles.

With the GM Employee discount available to everyone this month, this might be a great opportunity to compare different vehicles without having to drive to several different locations.

The Delphi Auto Show is scheduled for Thursday June 23rd, 2005 and will run from dawn to dusk, it will be located at the Delphi complex in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Please call us for any additional details.

What is better than a smile on a child's face?

2005-06-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

Braeger Automotive Group

What is better than a smile on a child's face?

Knowing you helped put it there.

A week ago, Braeger held its second annual Foster Parent Appreciation day, co sponsored with Lutheran Social Services here in Milwaukee. It's inspirational to us to see the foster moms and dads that offer their time and love to children who need it. We're glad we have the opportunity to help say "Thank You" to them.

This year the weather was beautiful for the event, and attendance reflected it. On this sunny day, over 100 families attended and spent time with local and national celebrities, playing games, and having fun. Someone once compared children's laughter to ringing bells, and they were right. Except, I think children's laughter is even more beautiful. It feels great to have been able to bring a bit more into the world.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tells the story

2005-05-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

Last week the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an excellent update on the progress of Braeger's move to Oak Creek. You can find the full text of the article here.

The article reports that a resolution to the zoning questions could come in early to mid June.

"Braeger president and owner Todd Reardon made his latest pitch to Oak Creek aldermen last week during a public hearing on possible restrictions that may be used when new zoning is approved for the area. The Common Council could take action on that issue June 7 or 21. Another public hearing would be held prior to any zoning changes," they said.

However, time is incredibly important, as the siblings who currently own the property, and who have entered into a contract with Braeger, are all over 80 years old. As the Journal Sentinel also points out "The family,...has hired an attorney, who said the city is denying the owners their property rights on land that has been in the family since 1926...'All they want to do is sell their property,' Stern said. 'They want to reap the benefit of the sale of the property in their lifetime."

The alternative to Braeger which is being considered by the Oak Creek Common Council is referred to as an "Urban Village." Specifically, "a mix of high-end residential, office, shops and retail which all draw upon each other," said Doug Seymour, the city's community development director.

The article also implicates another group in the ongoing affair.

"I have a problem with a three- to four-car dealership . . . across from the premier office complex in southern Milwaukee County," Foeckler [the alderman who represents the area] said.

And therein lies a part of the problem, Reardon contends.

The premier office complex to which Foeckler refers is Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., which Reardon refers to as "the 800-pound gorilla on the road.""

We're all hoping that the Aldermen see the direct and tangible benefits to Oak Creek though. Remember, also from this article, that while the current property owners paid $4,589 in taxes in 2003, it is estimated that Braeger would "yield a total local tax payment of $377,400"--almost 100 times as much.

Great changes are coming!

2005-05-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

Braeger Automotive Group

You may have heard rumors and you may have had a feeling that something big was around the corner--now the cat is out of the bag! This week, (April 29, 2005) the Milwaukee Business Journal published an article detailing some of Braeger's big plans for the future. You can find the entire text of the article here.

They report that "Braeger Automotive Group wants to build a $20 million mega dealership as part of a $178 million commercial and residential development that has been proposed for South 27th Street between West Drexel and West Rawson avenues in Oak Creek." Rather than being three separate dealerships spread over a half-mile on 27th street, soon Braeger will house all four lines--Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler, and Jeep--in one "mega-dealership." The plans sound simply amazing too. "The mental picture most people have of auto dealerships is long rows of cars along the edge of a highway displayed under bright lights, but Braeger plans three buildings around a circular drive that would house [the] three dealerships. The buildings will be tailored to complement the look of the Northwestern Mutual campus across the street. The Braeger cars will be stored behind the buildings under a covered park pavilion."

Management at Braeger explained that "this will allow us to serve our customers better than ever before. No matter what someone is looking for, it'll be under one roof. We'll also have five hundred used cars in one location! A lot of the hassle of buying a used car is trying to find the right one. With this many to choose from, the chance of meeting the car of your dreams skyrockets."

Final approval is still pending though. The Milwaukee Business Journal also reports that "Braeger will be the first developer to present a plan after the [May 1st development] moratorium ends. The auto dealer will meet with Oak Creek's Community Development Authority May 4, seeking zoning changes that will allow the dealership to move forward under the Urban Village concept."

"Braeger made us feel like family!"

2005-05-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

Braeger Automotive Group
I just received a wonderful e-mail from one of our customers, and I think it summed up what Braeger is trying to achieve. Richard just bought a Chevrolet truck from us. This is what he had to say:

"Braggin about Braeger
Bought our Chevy truck @ Braeger and the sales experience was terrific from the sale to the delivery! Our salesperson went the extra mile for us and really made us feel more like family than a customer."

I couldn't express how we at Braeger hope you feel any better than that. Our goal every day is to treat you as an honored and welcome guest in our house. Thank you Richard.

Braeger saves the Western Days parade!

2005-04-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

Braeger Automotive Group
There's a difference between being a citizen and being a good citizen, and Braeger is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen.

Every year, for the last 41, West Allis, Wisconsin has been home to one of the largest non-motorized parades in the country--the Western Days parade. Sadly, the streak was about to end at 40. That is, it was about to end until Todd Reardon, our owner, stepped in and donated $30,000 to make sure the streak continued.

As late as March 7th, the fate of the Western Days parade was still up in the air. "[West Allis Charities] was expected to announce today that it can no longer fund the parade without jeopardizing its charitable endeavors," reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel here.

Fortunately, less than one month later, they were able to change their tune. On April 3rd they reported: "Marge Larson, the parade chairman, said Saturday that a timely donation from Braeger Automotive had saved the parade, which is one of the largest non-motorized parades in the nation and features antique carriages, wagons and horse groups." From here.

To make sure that the Western Days parade is secure for many years down the road, Braeger has also offered to donate $250 to the Western Days parade fund each time a customer takes delivery of a new car and asks us to donate to the parade. Sales Manager Kevin Melsha adds that "this is a great way for Braeger to help the people of West Allis protect the future of the parade they care about."

"We're proud and grateful to be a part of this community, and I am glad we had the opportunity to repay some of the kindness the people of West Allis have always shown to us," said Reardon.

And I'm proud to be a member of an organization dedicated to serving the community that serves us.

The best of the best!

2005-03-26T11:55:00.000-06:00

Braeger Automotive Group
Between the three Braeger stores, Chrysler/Jeep, Chevrolet, and Ford, there are over 300 used cars in inventory! That's a lot. We try to always keep a great selection available, so that no matter what our customers are looking for, we have something to offer them.

But, choosing between 300 cars can be a daunting task. So today I took a moment and asked each of our stores' used car managers to highlight the gem on their lot; I asked them to pick out the car they would buy, if they were buying a car right this minute.

It's a testament to the quality of the used cars we have that all three of the used car managers had a hard time picking out just one car. After considerable soul-searching though, we came up with three beauties.

At the Chrysler and Jeep store, Mark Gradian picked a gorgeous 2002 red Dodge Dakota Quad Cab SLT 4x4. It's a local trade in with only one owner, and it looks like it's brand new. Not only did the previous owner take meticulous care of the truck, he invested his own money into it, adding a matching-color hard tonneau cover. As an added touch, it is equipped with the Power Tech 5.9L V8 engine, the most powerful, and most rare, engine available in the Dakotas from that year. With its dual exhaust, upgraded rims and tires, and custom hood, this truck looks and sounds like a million bucks.

At the Chevrolet store, Dan Bauman hand picked the nicest 2000 Saab 9-3 I've ever seen. He said "It's red, pretty, and has every feature you can imagine," and I can't disagree. Before posting this, I took an opportunity to drive that Saab, and I am impressed. I've never felt this pampered in a vehicle before. The ride was smooth, and virtually silent. Beyond the ride and drive though, I was amazed by the utility of this car! Headroom was huge, and I'm 6'4". I have no trouble imagining my wife and I taking a trip and loading all of our luggage in the ample cargo storage room too.

Finally, at the Ford store, Willie Burazin highlighted a 2003 Ford F150 FX4 4x4 Extended Cab. I don't think Willie was exaggerating at all when he labeled this truck the best utility vehicle ever. "You have room for the kids, can haul whatever you want, and can tow whatever you want," he said. Like the other two cars, this truck is set apart from the rest of the inventory by its condition too. Every car we have on the lot looks good--we porter and detail all of them, take care of dings and scratches--but some just shine. This truck is one of the ones that sparkle.

All three of these vehicles are listed in our online inventory at www.braeger.com Please feel free to contact us if you'd like to take a closer look, or feel free to just browse our inventory to see if we have what you want.
Thanks again for your time.

A new car for Easter?

2005-03-24T19:24:00.000-06:00

Braeger Automotive Group
Just a few days are left until Easter Sunday, a time many of us will be gathering with friends and family. Some of us will have shiny new cars to show off.
Ok, showing off to the family isn't the best reason to buy a new car. But to support the spring sales rush, the manufacturers have made sure that there are quite a few other good reasons to look into buying or leasing a new car this time of year. Incentives are huge, and lease programs are better than we've seen all winter. In fact, we've seen rebates as high as $3500 on new 2005 models, and leases as low as $99/month. Please feel free to contact us by phone (1-888-724-1246 for Chevrolet, 1-888-724-1239 for Ford, and 1-888-724-1268 for Chrysler and Jeep) or visit our website (www.braeger.com)for specific information.
Maybe showing off isn't the best reason to buy a new car, but getting a good value, and having the opportunity to impress the family can't be a bad combination, right?

Spring is here! Where are you traveling?

2005-03-23T11:05:00.000-06:00

Braeger Automotive Group
Although the thermometer outside my window disagrees, the calendar tells us that spring is now here. With spring comes travel season. Before everyone hops in the car for the long drive though, please keep safety in mind.
Your car has just been through some of the most demanding months of the year, and the experts recommend checking your vehicle carefully before pushing it through any long trips.
Braeger offers two levels of vehicle inspection to make your trip as safe as possible. The first is a 16 point inspection including:

Checking the tires' pressures

Checking the tires' wear patterns

Checking the tires' remaining tread depth

Checking the engine oil level

Checking the vehicle's coolant level

Checking the vehicle's brake fluid level

Checking the vehicle's transmission fluid level

Checking the vehicle's windshield washer fluid level

Checking the vehicle's serpentine belt

Checking the vehicle's power steering belt

Checking any other belts, if equipped

Checking the vehicle's radiator hoses

Checking the vehicle's heater hoses

Checking the vehicle's power steering hoses

Checking the vehicle's air conditioning hoses

Checking the vehicle's air filter

Checking the vehicle's cooling system for the proper mixture, and for leaks

Checking the vehicle's windshield wipers and blades

Checking all the vehicle's lamps

Checking the vehicle's battery

Braeger also offers a 23 point inspection which, in addition to everything listed previously, includes:

Checking the vehicle's brakes, front and rear

Checking the vehicle's shocks and struts

Checking the vehicle's transfer case

Checking the vehicle's differential

Checking the vehicle's CV joint boots

Checking the vehicle's steering components

Checking the vehicle's U-joints (if applicable)

Checking the vehicle's suspension, front and rear

Checking the vehicle's exhaust system

Please, enjoy your spring and summer, but please enjoy them as safely as possible. To schedule an appointment with one of our service departments, just visit www.braeger.com and click on the button labeled "Service."
Thanks again for your time, and here's to hoping for some spring-like weather soon!

Two more reasons I can be proud of Braeger

2005-03-22T17:56:00.000-06:00

Braeger Automotive Group
Last month Milwaukee hosted its annual auto show. As every year, it was an enormous event. Sales consultants from every dealership in southeastern Wisconsin were invited to spend time at the show demonstrating their knowledge of the cars and trucks currently available.

Scattered throughout the show were "secret shoppers," men and women who would evaluate sales consultants at the show and pick out the elite few who excelled.
While there were many dealerships that didn't have a single sales consultant selected as an exemplary performer, Braeger had not only one, but two consultants honored. Rico Mesko from the Braeger Chrysler and Jeep store, and Mitchell Rea from Braeger Chevrolet were highlighted at the Milwaukee auto show as two of the best of the best. I'm proud to work with an organization dedicated to helping its sales staff be the best they can be. A direct measure of how efficient your car buying experience will be is the professionalism of the sales staff.

Rico Mesko adds: "A customer deserves to know that the vehicle they are buying can suit their wants and needs. If I didn't know what each of our vehicles had to offer, there's no way I could know that I was helping my clients buy the vehicle that was right for them."

Welcome to the Braeger Blog! 21 March, 2005

2005-03-21T16:03:00.000-06:00

Braeger Automotive Group

We at Braeger are very excited to open the electronic doors on this blog. We hope to provide a unique resource in the automotive marketplace, not only to allow us to share news and ideas with you, but to allow you to share your experiences with us.

I look forward to providing information about the vehicles we offer, news from our manufacturers, incentives and special offers, events at Braeger, service advice, and commentary from everyone involved in our business--from the service department technicians to the parts distributors to the sales staff to the customers which are our life's blood.

I also look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to hearing what you remember about your total vehicle experience. Have you had a good experience with us? Tell us, so we may repeat it. Have you had a bad experience elsewhere? Tell us, so we won't make the same mistakes.

Until the next update, I'd like to leave you with two thoughts.
First, thank you for choosing Braeger if you have, and for considering Braeger if you haven't yet.
Second, thank you for joining me in this one more opportunity to help make your total vehicle experience the best it possibly can be.

Citgo 145 W Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207 (414) 483-6398	Citgo 2426 N. Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53211 (414) 347-1764
Citgo 425 E. Capitol Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53212 (414) 961-2425	Marathon 4137 W. Fond Du Lac Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53216 (414) 447-9082
Marathon 10501 Brown Deer Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53224 (414) 586-0851