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Like most people, I
enjoy meaningful,
productive activity. I like
being busy if there’s a
point to it. I’ve always
believed it’s better for
people as well as cars
to wear out than to rust
out. But whatever the
future holds, 2007 for
me will always be ‘The
Year of Living Busily’.
It’s been a momentous
12 months in terms of
many long-term
objectives being met, of
key targets achieved
and milestones
reached, and all this
has come on top of the
normal frenetic
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day-today activity of a
large and popular
Toyota dealership.
This has included
multiple new product
launches, some of them
like the new Corolla
very important in terms
of protecting Toyota’s
long-term strategic
market position, and of
course a grand haul of
business awards
acknowledging the hard
work and dedication of
every member of the
Frankston Toyota team.
Next year promises to
be very busy too and as
it develops I will
probably be wondering
why I thought ’07 was
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Increasingly our focus is
on the environment and
global warming, so look
out for some exciting
Toyota initiatives in that
important area. Of
course, none of this
would have either
meaning or relevance
without our customers.
So whether you’ve
bought a new vehicle
from us during the year
or just a new set of
wiper blades, thank you
very much for your
business. You’re a
valued customer and
we will always do our
utmost to justify your
faith in us and in our
great Toyota product
range. I hope 2007 has |
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been a fulfilling year for
you, too, and that
Christmas is everything
you wish it to be. Take
extra care on the roads
during the holiday
season and I look
forward to welcoming
you to Wells Road in the
New Year.
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The problem of engine
oil sludging or gelling
is sometimes compared to human
cardiovascular disease
- it’s like hardening of
the arteries in a car’s
motor. If you leave
lubricating oil in a
modern twin-cam
engine much beyond
its ‘use-by’ date of six
months, it is likely to
gell, blocking oil
galleries (passageways)
in the cylinder block or
head and starving
moving parts of critical
lubrication. Once the
oil galleries are
clogged, the damage
is done and engine
failure is just a case of
when, not if. Not even
sticking to proper oil
change intervals can
help. Like
arteriosclerosis,
sludging is
usually caused by poor
maintenance – but it
wasn’t always so.
Advances in motor oil
chemistry in the 1990s
allowed many vehicle
builders in the US,
including Toyota, to
extend recommended
oil change intervals.
Extended intervals worked well for several
years. Many cars ran
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between changes without
symptoms of gelling. One
early effect of this was
that owners of car rental
fleets realized that major
savings were available to
them as they could
sell-on stock vehicles
with minimal service
histories – and minimal
service cost. Over half of
the impending US
sludging epidemic
occurred in former fleet
cars sold to unsuspecting
bargain hunters. Lease
return cars formed
another sizeable low or
zero maintenance group.
Around 1996, problems began to appear. Tighter
US emissions standards
and fuel efficiency
pressures changed
engine design. In order
to satisfy stricter federal
emissions specifications,
engine operating
temperatures were
raised and exhaust gas
recirculation was
increased. Leaner
mixtures raised
combustion
temperatures, the perfect
climate for oil
contaminant creation.
Above 120o C, non-
synthetic oils begin to
oxidize and break down.
Deposits of varnish build
up in oil galleries,
causing hot spots which
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spread the problem to
the cooling system.
Those well-intentioned
US government
measures aimed at
better fuel economy led
to engines designed for
lower viscosity motor
oils, which have shorter
service lives.
What to look for
Australian-manufactured
engines have never
exhibited anything like
the problems
experienced in the USA,
but even they are not
immune to poor
maintenance.
Signs and symptoms of
oil gelling include:
• white exhaust smoke
on cold startup, during
idling and acceleration
• frequent oxygen sensor,
catalytic converter, PCV
valve, and EGR valve
replacement
• build up of deposits on
underside of oil filler cap
• high oil consumption,
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• new oil changes
quickly to the
red-brown colour of
oxidised, wornout oil
• metal particles visible
in used oil filter.
What to do
• Oil life should be
measured in hours
in use, not distance
traveled. Change your
oil at least as often as
the ‘severe service’
interval indicated
in your owner’s
manual, especially if
you spend much time
in city traffic.
• Replace the PCV
valve every 50,000 km
• Never drive with an
overheated engine. If
your engine does
overheat, change the
lubricant and service
the cooling system
immediately.
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Did you know that
Toyota has a model
to suit virtually every
motoring need?
Whether you are 18 or 80, a city or a country
driver, a lawyer or a
tradie, there’s a Toyota
to suit you.
Over the next months
we’ll be giving you a
rundown on the whole
Toyota range –
obviously there are so
many we can’t do it all
in a single issue of
Inside Frankston
Toyota. This month
we’re continuing our
classes with the
powerful Toyota Aurion.
Optional extras are a
scarce commodity in
all-new Aurion! With its
six-speed Aisin gearbox,
six airbags, non-
switchable stability
control, traction control,
ABS, brake assist and
EBD standard across
the full range, it’s
already better equipped
than many cars. But
wait, there’s more and
it’s not steak knives …
Air conditioning,
powered driver’s seat,
reach and rake steering
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adjustment, multi-function
steering wheel, cruise
control, full power
windows and mirrors,
remote central locking,
MP3/WMA CD audio
capability and a lockable
centre access hatch from
the rear seat to the boot
are standard across the
full range. There are
model-specific packages
- Prodigy offers
dual-zone auto airconditioning, premium
Optitron instruments, 16-
inch alloy wheels, front
foglamps, leather interior,
six-CD in-dash multi-
changer, multi-function
trip computer and rear
reversing sensors.
Sportivo SX6 gets a
sports suspension
and Michelin-shod
17-inch alloys, sports
headlamps, sports grille
treatment, rear spoiler
and aero kit, sports front
seats and a three-spoke
leather wheel.
ZR6 makes its bid with
full leather trim, two front
and four rear sensors,
smart entry and keyless
start and metallic/mica
paint.
And the spec list for top-
of-therange Presara
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reads like the ultimate
tech-head’s Christmas
wish list, with 17-inch
alloys and Michelin tyres,
spare alloy wheel,
Bluetooth controls
on the steering wheel,
electro chromatic interior
rear-view mirror,
rain-sensing wipers,
reversing camera,
satellite navigation, auto-
levelling HID headlamps
with washers and
adaptive lights.
That standard six-speed
automatic and stability
control give Aurion an
immediate advantage
over its main rivals at
Ford and Holden, which
only have either one or
the other as a full
model-range,
standard-fit. It’s a great
example of what a
smooth engine with linear
power delivery coupled
toa competent stability
control program
can do for a large front-
wheel-drive car.
Fuel economy from the
200kW dual VVT-i
3.5-litre V6 is 9.9 litres
per 100km, better than
Commodore (10.9),
Falcon (10.2) or
Mitsubishi 380 (10.8).
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IT’S ALL IN THE DETAIL
Price: AT-X $34,990;
Prodigy $39,500;
Presara $49,990;
Sportiva SX6 $38,500;
Sportivo ZR6 $42,500
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 DOHC
dual VVT-i; 200kW@6200rpm,
336Nm@4700rpm.
Transmission: 6-speed
automatic with manual
mode; front-wheel drive
Performance: 0-100km/h 7.4sec; top speed 228km/h
Fuel: tank 70-litre; 9.9L/100km
combined cycle
Steering: power-assisted
rack and pinion 3.2 turns
lock-to-lock
Brakes: 4-wheel, single
caliper, ventilated front,
solid rear; VSC, ABS,
TC, BA, EBD
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Every Australian has had cause to
bless the name Willis Havilland
Carrier, even if they’ve never heard
of him. The good Willis was the
inventor of the air conditioning
system, a stroke of genius which
should have been rewarded with
sainthood at least.
But air conditioning can be just as
much a curse as a blessing. One
type of building air conditioner is
responsible for those outbreaks of
Legionnaire’s Disease. And recent
research from the USA indicates
that automotive air conditioning is
the premier cause of many
aggravated allergic reactions,
runny noses, sore throats and
asthma-like symptoms.The cause
can be found among your car’s
insulation material and within the
deep recesses of its air
conditioning system - colonies of
bacteria breeding
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and assaulting your senses with
airborne particles. The bacteria,
along with mould and fungi, flourish
in the build-up of condensation
produced by your car’s air
conditioning system. The first clue
that you have a problem
is usually an unpleasant odour
when you first turn on the air
conditioning system, and it needs
to be fixed
– quickly, thoroughly and by an
expert. Frankston Toyota applies
approved disinfectant treatments
to the heater matrix and ventilation
ducting to penetrate the build-up
of dirt inside and to remove any
germs, mildew or unpleasant
smells. Treatment usually takes no
longer than 30 minutes and needs
to be done annually. So stay cool
and healthy
– just call our Service Department
on (03) 9783 8400.
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In our October issue we wanted to know what you thought about
our car sales process and asked ‘Which description suits
Frankston Toyota best?’
67% said we were helpful and courteous
11% said we were knowledgeable about our vehicles
11% said we were fair and honest
11% said we were too pushy
What’s most important in a Car to you?
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