The Cog

I don't know where this video has been all my life, but it'll be the best two minutes of your day. Enjoy!

Calling All Honda Lovers | Share Your Story For a Chance to Win

I've never been shy about sharing how much I love my Honda.  It holds its value in a crazy-good kinda way, it tops safety ratings, and its got all the features that makes my family really love it!

How about you? We want to hear about how you love your Honda and we're giving away a month-long test drive to a first place Honda lover!

To enter:

1. Write a 300-500 word essay on why you love your Honda. Do you a have a specific fond memory of the car? Do you have a favorite feature? Have you taken your Honda on amazing road trip or been saved in a harrowing adventure? Share anything you love about your Honda!   This can be your current car or a past vehicle.

2. Please include (attach) a picture of the car.  Extra points if it's an original picture.  Double bonus points if you're in the picture.  If the picture isn't original, please include proper attribution.

3. Write a 3-6 sentence bio on yourself.  Include links to your blog, and any public social channels as applicable. (e.g. links to pages on G+, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube)

4. Include your first and last name and phone numbers or other contact info, so we can tell you if you've won!

5. Email your entry to jennakwood@gmail.com by May 6th.


Rules for winning:

1. All work must be original and not unpublished.

2. You must live in the state of Utah and be able to drive to the Orem dealership to pick up your car.

3.  You must be at least 21 years of age.

4. You must have current car insurance.

5. By submitting your essay, you give Ken Garff Honda of Orem the rights to publish your post and submitted images on our blog, Facebook page, and other social channels.  We give all credit and attribution to you.


Prize: 

Prizes will be announced May 9th.

First Place: 1 month-long test drive in a 2014 Honda vehicle.  We will decide together which vehicle is best based on our inventory, your interests and family size.

Runners up:  2nd, 3rd, and 4th place entries will be awarded a week-long test drive in a 2014 Honda vehicle.  Additional runners up may be decided by the essay committee depending on the number and quality of entries.

Each test drive will be exclusive for that winner.  We will promote you on our blog and social channels during your test-drive.


Questions?  Ask in the comments so that everyone can benefit from the answer!

Perdiddle

www.clarineyecare.com

Remember when Sugar and I got pulled over for her tail lights being out?  Well, we're having a run of funny luck.  I thought I was suddenly driving a bit dim and it was time to haul Sugar over to my friends in the service department at Ken Garff Honda, but you know how life is... and I just hadn't gotten there.  I knew I was pushing my luck, but every day, I thought... tomorrow... I'll get in tomorrow.  Well, let the record show: Don't push your luck.  The universe knows and it's always going to have the last laugh.

It was late one night and I needed to gas up and run a couple of errands.  Off I went into the night, knowing I was a perdiddle time-bomb.  (Remember playing "Perdiddle!" as a kid?  You'd have to touch the roof of the car and be the first to shout Perdiddle!! every time you passed a car with a headlight out... Maybe it was just us...) Anyway, it was late and I was hedging my bets that there wouldn't be any cops out at that time of night.  This is not sound logic.  At all.  Cops come out at night.  They're the definition of nocturnal.  Nevertheless, off I went.  There's a gas station RIGHT by my house and lo-and-behold there were TWO cops there getting gas.  In a panic, I thought I shouldn't stop there.  If I pull in, I thought, they'll see my perdiddleness and I'll get a ticket for sure.  So I decided to get gas elsewhere.  

Genius. 

I worked my way up a few side streets to another gas station, filled up, and headed on my way. I blew right on by another police officer hidden in a parking lot. Pleeeeease, don't see me... Pleeeeeease don't turn on those lights... I told the universe.  He didn't.  Whew.  Then of course, I got cocky.  Foolish girl.  I told myself that I was just fine.  I'd already seen three cops and no one seemed to mind that Sugar had a perma-wink.  I could finish my errands in peace, right?  Ha. 

Off I drove, very careful to abide the speed limit (why thumb your nose at fate more than you need to?), to finish my night's to-do list.  I was humming a happy tune and rounding the last curve when I saw an SUV make a quick U-turn.  Nooooooooooo.  

Yes.  

The lights came on and my luck ran out.  Let me be clear: I do know that driving with only one headlight is both dangerous and illegal.  (Don't try this at home, kids!)  I pulled over and waited for the officer, license and registration in hand.   He was super nice, pointed out which headlight was out, and made me promise to get it fixed... oh, say... TOMORROW.  How about first thing in the morning, eh?  I promised and he gave me back my license without issuing a fix-it ticket.  I'm not sure when I've breathed such a sigh of relief.  I hurried and finished my errands and went home (passing yet ANOTHER cop... we're up to FIVE now... who kindly did not pull me over.)

First thing next morning Sugar and I went to see our friends in the Ken Garff service department.  Jesse had me in and out in about 20 minutes.  Seriously.  I got to eat a cookie and have a diet soda.  Can't argue with that, right?  

Anti-Boring

I was chatting with a friend about upgrading Sugar to a CRV sometime in the near (as soon as I save up a little bit) future.  I sort of can't get that week I spent driving one out of my head.

"Hondas are so boring," he said.  "But I guess they're practical."  

Excuse me?  Says the guy who drives the beige beater?!

It was a little bit like he'd insulted my child... or at least called my pet ugly.   Either way, Hondas are not boring.  Not even a little bit.  

Let's take a look at three of Hondas new beauties.  

Does the new CR-Z look boring?

The Honda CR-Z is the world's first production hybrid vehicle to offer a 6-speed manual transmission. These six speeds reward CR-Z drivers with the perfect gear for every driving occasion — including a high final-drive ratio for excellent fuel efficiency[1]. From the S2000 to the Civic Si, Honda has considerable experience with 6-speed manuals. So it's no surprise that the CR-Z's 6-speed gearbox is as efficient as it is engaging. Adding to the experience is an easy-to-grip shift lever finished in aluminum and black leather (EX).

Nope.  Not boring.

How about the new Crosstour?

The Crosstour EX and EX-L models feature a powerful 192-hp (SAE net) 4-cylinder engine. The DOHC i-VTEC® system enhances the effect of VTEC® on Crosstour's 4-cylinder engine by adding Variable Timing Control™, or VTC™.

Does that sound boring to you?  Me neither.

Or the new eco-friendly FCX Clarity?

 

The FCX Clarity is an electric vehicle. A fuel cell vehicle is powered by an electric motor running on electricity generated by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell stack. The more efficient Honda E-Drive electric motor lets you drive with peace of mind knowing that you are helping to reduce the amount of CO2 being released in our atmosphere. The compact coaxial motor is quieter and can run at higher rpm, for greater efficiency and speed.

I'm not sure where my friend is getting his information, but there's nothing boring about a Honda.  I think I need to talk him into a test drive.  Better call my favorite Ken Garff guy, Wendell Wood, and get him behind the wheel for a test drive!

Things to Do in February

At the start of every month, we here at the Ken Garff Honda of Orem blog will post a round up of exciting things you can do with your family around the Utah Valley!  We are hard at work checking out all of the hundreds of activities, so we can show you what we think are the best ones!  Some may be free, and some may not, but you can guarantee they will all be FUN!

February 1st - 28th - Midway Ice Castles - $5-$10.  We’ve added a lot to the Ice Castle experience since our early days in Midway. This year will be a blend of several new ideas along with some of the initial design that our guests loved in Midway three years ago. We can’t wait and hope you can come!

Feb 6-8, 7:30 pm & Feb 8, 2:00 pm - Cirque Ziva - Golden Dragon Acrobats - $20+ Cirque Zíva, a technically innovative, beautiful new show from the artistic director of the Golden Dragon Acrobats, features a large, athletic cast and spectacular scenic and lighting elements. With superb artistic merit, high production values, and a solid commitment to cultural exchange, Cirque Zíva demonstrates why the Golden Dragon Acrobats have been recognized as the preeminent Chinese acrobatic company touring the United States.

Saturday, February 15th 9:00 AM - Valentine's Stoplight 5k Run.  $25.  Join us for an awesome Stoplight 5K to bring some extra fun to your Valentine’s celebration! For singles and couples alike Wear your colors:

• Green = Single and ready to mingle
• Yellow = It’s complicated, but maybe
• Red = Taken

The Salt of the Earth

http://images.cars.com/

Sugar and I took a little trip to the car wash this weekend. (So did everyone else in Utah Valley!)  After a couple of afternoon tries, only to discover that the lines were horrendous everywhere we went, we finally gave up and made it a midnight rendezvous. (I’m lucky I live next door to a car wash!)  Sugar was pretty filthy from a winter’s worth of driving me just being too busy (lazy) to care for her properly.  Still, as I watched weeks of salt a grime slide right off, I felt a little guilty.  You hear it all the time: “Salt eats car paint!” And I suppose I hoped it was just a car wash marketing racket or an old wives’ tale like your eyes sticking “like that” when you crossed them too much as a kid.   But I’ve done my homework lately and discovered that while it’s a huge factor in road safety (like decreasing the number of auto accidents by about 80% in winter conditions), salt really is sort of a monster to your paint job.  

Here are four easy ways to prevent any permanent damage to your car during these long, salty, winter months:

1. An Ounce of Prevention…

… is worth a pound of cure.  One of the best things you can do to protect your car from rust and other road salt damage is to give it a good wax in the late fall before the snow starts to fall.  Waxing helps prevent the road salt from corroding the paint.  You should also have a sealant applied to the undercarriage of the car.  This part of your car is bombarded with road salt all winter long and things like brake lines are very susceptible to rust damage.  So next Thanksgiving add “wax the car” to your to-do list!  

2. Weekly Washing

Really?  Every week?  Yep. If you are in an area where rock salt is used to keep the roads safe (and we are!), even if it is mixed with sand, you need to wash your car every 7 to 10 days regardless of the weather.  I’m totally guilty of the old, “but it’s just going to snow again tomorrow” excuse!   That’s how I wound up going a few weeks without tidying Sugar up. But  really, I should wash her again directly following any heavy snowstorms.  This routine will remove the salt residue from the car before it can cause any damage.  Make sure you are thoroughly washing the underside of the car or using a car wash that includes this service.  For best results, try and wash your car when the temperature is above 40 degrees (that’s not always very practical around here, so find a good car wash with a drying cycle).  After you wash the car, open all doors, hatches, and trunks and allow them to dry or dry them by hand to keep them from freezing shut.     

3. It’s Not Just About the Paint

Even though that obvious, crusty, white coating is cringe-worthy, make sure to clean out snow and ice that has become compacted into wheel wells and under or against the fenders, too.  These areas are very susceptible to rust damage and leaving snow and ice filled with road salt increases the likelihood of damage.  Wheel wells packed with snow can also impact the way the car handles and make braking, turning, and maneuvering difficult.  I make a regular habit of kicking the daylights of that snow-pack.  I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m strange, but it’s weirdly satisfying.

4. An Inside Job

The outside of the car isn’t the only part that can be affected by road salt.  Every time you step in the car with snowy shoes you are bring salt and dirt with you.  You wouldn’t leave snow and salt all over the carpet in your house, would you? No way.  Make it a habit to vacuum the carpets in your car every time you wash it to prevent long term damage to the carpet and interior of the car. 

Pretty easy, right?  If you want something even easier, let Ken Garff Honda of Orem handle the car washing for you!  Their super sweet Advantage Care plans include car washes, oil changes, and tire rotations!

Honda Bear Goes Coast to Coast!

The Honda Bear has been having a fantastic couple of months!  (Honda Bear, for those of you who haven't heard, is a friendly bear that gets to go on adventures with me, Sarah Kimmel, (aka the Honda Mom, or Tech4Moms).  He sits in my Honda, and travels around with me).  Typically Honda Bear doesn't get out of Utah that much, but lucky for him, I had places to go last month!

First up, Honda Bear drove up to the airport with me when I was heading out of town to go to New York city.  

He looked at me from the car window when I was heading into the airport, and I just couldn't leave him there, he looked like he wanted to go so badly!  So I opened the Odyssey back up and grabbed him to come along for the ride.

In New York City Honda Bear got to...

Hang out in a swanky New York Hotel room...

Visit Rockefeller Center, and look at the Christmas Tree...

Ride the subway...

And visit Times Square!

He had such a fantastic trip!  He was definitely glad to be back home in his Honda Odyssey though a few days later.  

Shortly after the trip to New York (and I'm talking days after), I had to go to Southern California for work.  Since Honda Bear had such a great time in New York, I took him with me there too.

In California Honda Bear got to...

Go to Disneyland....

And of course, the beach!

Honda Bear is happy to be back in Utah now though, and has some fun stuff planned for this month!  Check back to find out what he's been up to in a few weeks!