Hunterdon BMW Safety Campaign

Hunterdon BMW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mike Yates
7/21/2009 PHONE: 908-236-6302

Hunterdon BMW, NJ CAR Partner with DCF on
“Not Even For a Minute” Campaign
Safety campaign reminds parents, caretakers to never leave a child unattended in a car

Lebanon, N.J. – Hunterdon BMW and various members of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR) are partnering this summer with the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) to promote New Jersey’s “Not Even for a Minute” public awareness campaign, which urges parents and caretakers to never leave children unattended in a vehicle, where temperatures can rise to dangerous levels, especially in warmer summer months.

“Thanks to this partnership with car dealerships all across the state, we can reach more families than ever before. Parents and caregivers must know that an unspeakable tragedy can happen in a manner of minutes,” DCF Commissioner Ricketts said. “The message is simple – no matter how busy you get, you must never leave a child in a vehicle unattended.”

DCF has partnered with the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR) to help spread this lifesaving message to families all across the state. Through this partnership, 90 dealerships – including Hunterdon BMW – have stepped up to participate in this campaign and offered to distribute posters, strip cards, and newly developed car window clings in both English and Spanish. A list of all participating dealerships can be found here: http://www.njcar.org/.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to help DCF reach families with this lifesaving message,” Mike Yates, Sales Mamager, said. “The safety of the families we serve here at Hunterdon BMW are paramount, and we are glad to help in this effort to prevent children from being harmed.”

“New car and truck retailers throughout New Jersey have always been among the first to lend their support when a community needs to promote an important message and none is more important than the safety of our children,” James B. Appleton, President of NJ CAR, said. “Dealers want consumers and their families to enjoy their vehicles and there is no better way than to promote car safety, from proper car-seat installation and wearing seatbelts to the dangers of intense temperatures that an enclosed vehicle can reach during the summer months. NJ CAR is very proud of the dealers participating in this very important program.”

A child left alone in a vehicle, even for a short time, is in danger of abduction, injury, dehydration and even death. Approximately 40 children die each year in the United States, and hundreds more are injured, from hyperthermia after being left unattended in a vehicle, according to a study published Pediatrics, the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. One child died in New Jersey after being left in a vehicle last summer.

That same study noted that the temperature in a call can rise upwards of 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. The temperature inside a car can get dangerously hot, even in moderate weather with the windows slightly down.

“Not Even For a Minute” outlines tips for parents to help keep kids safe around cars, including:
Never leave a child unattended in a car. Not even for a minute.
Always lock your car and secure the keys so that your kids can’t get to them.
Warn your children about playing in and around cars.
Install a trunk release mechanism so that kids can’t get trapped inside the trunk.
Get your kids out of the car first, and then worry about unloading the groceries and items out of the car.

For more information on Hunterdon BMW and how you can access materials available at this location, please contact: Mike Yates.

For more information on the state’s “Not Even for a Minute” campaign, please contact the DCF Office of Communications at 609-292-0422 and visit the DCF Web site at: http://www.nj.gov/dcf/safety/campaigns/car.html.

Darius Griffin speaks out about BMW warranty options

My name is Darius Griffin and I’m the Aftersales Specialist at Hunterdon BMW. I started with the company in 2006 as a parts delivery employee and became the Aftersales Specialist shortly afterwards. I’ve been in sales for over 30 years and feel very comfortable explaining our products to every customer.

After a customer decides on the vehicle of their choice, I handle any and all warranty and accessory products there after. A large part of my responsibilities include extending vehicle warranties for customers. All new and most pre owned vehicles come with a new vehicle warranty and a scheduled maintenance service plan. Only BMW offers customers a 4 year / 50,000 mile warranty for maintenance service coverage and the new vehicle warranty. Customers have the opportunity to extend both warranties up to 6 years / 100,000 miles, and in some cases up to 8 years / 120,000 miles. In today’s economy, bearing in mind the ever increasing cost of vehicle repairs, these service contracts and extended warranties can make a lot of sense.

Most customers are under the belief that the best time to purchase an extended warranty is just before the manufacturers warranty expire (either by time or mileage). This is not true! Most maintenance service plans and warranties are less expensive when purchased at the time of sale and offer the most extensive coverage as well.

When deciding whether an extended warranty is right for you, and in selecting the best plan for your needs, you’ll need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. To what extent is your vehicle already under warranty by mileage and time, and is this coverage in sync with how long you anticipate owning it?

2. What's the reliability record of the model vehicle you're purchasing?

3. What's the nature of its deductible?

4. Is the warranty transferable?

5. Can repairs be performed at any repair shop?

6. What exactly is covered?

7. Is a cash layout required for repairs?

If you need further explanations about the questions above, or if you have any additional questions or comments please do not hesitate sending your questions to me and I will post your answers on the blog.

Below please find the national average for common repairs on your car.
* Found on Edmunds.com.

Look at how the right warranty policy can save you thousands on your next repair:
Vehicle components that can fail without warning
National Average Repair Costs*
Engine - $4,160.00
Transmission - $3,884.00
A/C System - $1,825.00
Power Steering - $2,250.00
Power Window Motor - $1,005.00
Water Pump - $744.00
Main Engine Computer - $1,650.00

Future topics include but are not limited to the following:

Extended Maintenance Protection (Advantage for prolonging your vehicle.)
Tire and wheel Protection (Run Flat Tires)
SafeKey Protection (Lost keys? No Problem. You’ve got SafeKey!)
Excess Wear and Tear Protection (Lease End Protection)
Gap Protection (Don’t get caught without it!)
Diamon – Fusion Protection (Makes glass resistant to small road debris, preventing chips and cracks)
Roadblock Protection (Clear urethane film that protects painted surfaces from damaging road debris)

If there are any additional topics you would like for me to discuss please indicate them in the blog or email me at darius.griffin@hunterdonbmw.com

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Hunterdon BMW is a full service BMW dealership located in Lebanon, NJ. Visit our main website at www.hunterdonbmw.com where you can view our specials, build your own BMW and more.