Be Our Guest: San Francisco

As July comes to a close, we are surrounded by all the summer feels.   Windows down, hair flowing in the occasional breeze and every type of food, drink and music festival you could imagine right at your fingertips.  Summer has become a celebration of everything outdoors.  The need for sunroofs, convertibles and room for friends becomes a necessity as you all pile into your vehicles.  It's this time of year that brings out the campers, wanderers and of course, the illusive house guest. 

Outside of being able to pick up and leave on road trips each weekend, sometimes your city is the location being traveled to! While you prepare for in town visitors and house guests, let us help you line up an itinerary that will make their Instagram photos likable and their pallets pleased.

All summer long, San Francisco is home to some of the elite food and wine events across the continent.  Housing the Napa wineries and some of the top chefs across the world, the bay area has become quite accustomed to the crème de la crème. This week, the city is no exception. 

From Marathon Fitness Expos, Free Ice Cream delivery from Uber, Free harbor tours and even a late night food parties with, Off the Grid Food trucks at Fort Mason or inside the California Academy of Science; there are more things to do than there will be time to do them in. 

San Francisco is home to a few of the greatest site seeing tours around, including a guided night tour of Alcatraz Prison.  Rather than your standard day time drop off, where you are left at the docks to discover the hidden treasures on your own, the night tours walk you through the abandoned prison giving you tid bits of information that one might normally miss during self exploration.  Also the in house art exhibit adds a bit of cool to the hauntingly somber surroundings, making it either the best first date you can take someone to, or a great way to scare off the in laws.  

If the prison scene just isn't for you, take a drive on the Alcatraz and GPS- guided GoCar Tour which lets you explore the city at your own pace and you can hop on and off to explore even further locations you so choose.  What a fun way to get a feel for our city without paying for the parking! 

Looking for a sit down experience for your friends or family? We have you covered! Even U.S. News recommends having lunch/dinner at the San Francisco Ferry Building. Between the live farmers market housed inside the building to the restaurants of fine seafood and liquors, you can enjoy the beautiful ocean views, unparalleled food and award winning wine all while basking in the best people watching locations in the city.   

To read about more things to do this weekend check out the link below!

http://sf.funcheap.com/today/

Invest In The Experience

Monday mornings are generally a blur of coffee cups hidden around my house, keys that never seem to want to be found, and a spray of headlines and social media posts about all the things I "should be doing," all before I even make it into the office.  We spend the majority of our lives working and planning for life experiences and only a mere five percent of our time actually living out those well thought out trips.  I am sure most of you have a box, bin, board or even a file saved on your desktop of every trip, every smile or ideal moment you have dreamed for your life, but what are you doing right now to get you to that moment.  

The days of "waiting for a rainy day" have come and gone.  The one true realization our millennial generation has taken away from our parents is that you can waste an entire lifetime planning, and that the saying "all work and no play makes Jack and Sally a dull Girl and boy."  Is incredibly accurate.  Millennials have the mindset that experiences define us, and that living requires more than planning, it requires doing.

When buying a car, the mindset I have coming into a dealership is, "Can this car get me where I want to go and can it handle all my stuff?"  Outside my own needs, I focus on the experience and feel I get from my sales associate.  Being a female in a generally male driven industry, approaching the car buying experience can be intimidating.  I was just speaking to a girl friend of mine that is in the market for a pre-owned Accord or Altima.  She would send me text messages throughout the day with the stereo-typical comments a few of her potential sales associates would say to her.  Remember that approx. 83% of people will relive an experience, and that the experience has an emotional longevity to it.  It stays with us and are lessons we use every day to guide us through to our next choice. 

Be sure that when you select a sales associate, you get the experience you deserve.  Look for transparency, an educated staff and an associate open to questions and concerns.  You may have done your due-diligence already by researching on the internet, but let your associate close any gaps you may have in all that information you’ve worked so hard to acquire.  Part of the car buying experience is creating a relationship with your associate. 

Remember that whichever vehicle you choose, make sure it suites your lifestyle and can get you from one happy snapshot to the next, with all the stuff you need while getting there. And always ask the questions:

Did I live?

Do I have regrets?

Did I experience everything I wanted to in life?

To get more on Investing in your life experiences follow the below link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-kim/invest-in-life-experience_b_4924744.html

2014 Acura MDX first drive from Consumer Reports

There is a lot to be said about the Acura MDX since it was first introduced.

As Acura's best selling model, owners have shared with us why they chose the MDX.

1) 3 rows of seating. For up to 7 passengers
2) Roomy - space for both passengers and their gear
3) Good acceleration
4) Good fuel economy - now with variable cylinder management - anticipated class leading fuel economy for the 2014 MDX *
5) Easy to navigate and fun to drive
6) Reliable
7) Good value

What would your reasons be to choose an Acura MDX?



For more details on the 2014 Acura MDX click http://www.acuraofpleasanton.com

* Prelimary EPA mileage estimates determined by Acura. Final EPA mileage estimates not available at this time. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Tire Tread Depth - Part worn can be too little

While most owners that come to our dealership, probably won't have to drive in deep snow and ice-covered roads on a daily basis, these two are the most challenging conditions to drive on.



Acura MDX

I
n regards to All-Season, Summer, and Winter type tires, technology have come a long way in the past decade. Tires have gained more traction, reduced road noise, more comfort and durability. However, the basics of traction and handling in snow and ice has not changed.

A tire must have have three fundamental qualities to work in winter conditions. These are an appropriate tread design, pliable tread compound that does not harden in the cold, and sufficient tread depth. With the advances in computer aided designed tread designs and modern rubber chemistry two of the three are usually not up for concern.

Since most Northern California drivers only replace tires when they are worn, which is when the tread depth reach 2/32nd" (or about 1.6mm) It is the tread depth that is often overlooked. Without sufficient tread depth, the tire's traction on snow would be reduced since tires require more depth to compress snow in the grooves to take a "bite"

Ask any of our Service Consultant for tire safety check

At Acura of Pleasanton, your safety is our top priority and we recommend tire replacement based on the expected road conditions. Our Service Consultants may ask questions such as what kind of road conditions that your Acura may see. So even though the tires on your vehicle may appear to have plenty of tread depth, it would not be unusual for us to recommend tire replacement on tires that have 4/32nd" during rainy months and 6/32nd" if driven in snow or icy roads.

Another option some owners who plan to frequent snow or ice covered roads is to purchase a second set of wheels and tires designed for winter use. Be sure to ask our Service Consultant for their recommendation during your visit.

Visit www.acuraofpleasanton.com for our latest Winter service coupons.

ref: Tire Rack Winter Tire article