What Would You Want to Be Buried In?
Jalopnik has posed an interesting question to it's readers today: What new car would you want to be buried in? This 90-year-old guy loved his 1973 Pontiac Catalina so much he vowed to spend eternity in it. He also loaded it with his guns, for what that's worth. What new car would you want to be buried in? Source: Jalopnik So what's your final pick for an eternal resting place?
Snow Load Alert! How to Protect Your Roof
As everyone prepares for another round of snow and ice this coming week, it's important to be sure that your roof is also ready! The unprecedented snow load on roofs in the Northeast has led to some building damage and collapse. According to reports from several localities, schools, churches, commercial and residential buildings, carports and awnings have been affected. Property owners and residents should be aware of the weight loads these storms may be creating, especially on flat roofs. Take the following precautions to protect life and property: Watch for falling snow and ice from roofs. Don’t put untrained individuals on roofs ...
The 2011 Winter X-Games Started Yesterday!
The Winter X-Games, one of the biggest ski, snowboard and snowmobile events started yesterday on ESPN. Jeep is proud to sponsor this year's Winter X-Games for the 10th consecutive year. Check out the 2011 Jeep Winter X-Games "Commute" Commercial with Gold Medalist Nate Holland below. For more Jeep coverage of the 2011 Winter X-Games, visit Jeep's blog. Do you watch the X-Games?
We’re Hosting the United Way Campaign Finale Tonight!
We're excited to be hosting the United Way's Campaign Finale at our Ford VW Audi store in Bangor tonight. Delicious appetizers will be served by Montes International Catering in Bangor! The top three finalists among all this year's campaign donors will be present to see who wins the top three prizes: 2011 Ford Fiesta SE from Darling's Ford 500 Gallons of Heating Oil from RH Foster A $500 Gift Card from LL Bean The United Way of Eastern Maine is a non-profit that focuses on improving health, education and income in the local community. According to the United Way, this year's annual campaign will help ...
Dodge To Offer Smart Phone Apps Featuring Owner’s Manuals
Dodge is taking advantage of the increase in smartphone users and the trend of on-demand information. The manufacturer has will soon release apps for Apple's iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones that feature product demos, 24-hour Customer Care and roadside assistance, and owner's manual information. Read more about Dodge's smartphone applications at Autoblog
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- Decide which room offers you the safest shelter in an emergency. This should be a room with few windows.
- If you think you may lose electricity, fill up bathtubs and sinks with water ahead of time to make sure you have access to water.
- Create a disaster supply kit, including supplies that will help you ride out any emergency. Include items such as:
- Water (1 gallon daily per person for 3-7 days)
- Food (enough for 3-7 days)
- Blankets and pillows
- Clothing
- First aid kits, medicine and prescription drugs
- Toiletries
- Baby wipes (in case of a power outage)
- Cash
- Pre-charge your cell phone and other electronics in case of power outages.
- Prepare an evacuation plan that includes your pets in case of an emergency. Don’t leave them behind.
- Include pet-friendly items, such as food, bottled water, blankets, leashes, toys, in your emergency kit.
- Make sure your pets are wearing collars and tags with your contact information in case you are separated.
- Get your yard ready by removing any weak or dead trees or limbs on your property.
- Bring in all outdoor furniture, trash cans, or anything that could be thrown around in the wind.
- Have a sump pump ready if you have a basement that is prone to flooding.
- Review your homeowner’s insurance policy prior to the hurricane to ensure you have adequate coverage. If you are in an area that is prone, consider adding flood insurance to your homeowner’s policy.
- If possible, park your vehicle away from trees, in the event of falling limbs.
- Fill the fuel tanks in your vehicles in case of an emergency evacuation.
- Review your automotive insurance policy prior to the hurricane to ensure you have adequate coverage.
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We’ve been having a stretch of hot, humid weather in eastern Maine and from the forecast, it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up any time soon. In addition to trying to stay cool, it looks like there’s some severe summer thunderstorms headed our way over the next few days.
Keep these tips in mind to stay safe during any upcoming severe weather:
Protect Yourself
- Stay inside and away from windows, doors, land line phones, concrete and metal walls or floors and indoor plumbing during a thunderstorm. Avoid using cell phones.
- Stay out of pools and bodies of water during a thunderstorm. If you’re boating or swimming, get to shore immediately.
- Stay away from trees or other tall objects. Never lean against cars or houses. Get into an enclosed building as quickly as possible.
- If your area is under a tornado warning, decide in advance where you will take shelter. The safest places are a storm cellar, safe room, or the centermost part of your basement or home without windows.
Protect Your Family & Pets
- Doghouses are not lightning safe. Always bring your pets indoors, and never leave them tied or chained outdoors during a thunderstorm.
Protect Your Vehicle
- In some storms, heavy rains can cause flash floods or road washouts. Don’t drive through standing water – you don’t know how deep it may be or if the road is washed out underneath.
- If your area is under a tornado warning, stay out of your vehicle and get into a safe shelter. Never try to outdrive a tornado.
- Fill your gas tank before a storm – power outages could shut down gas stations.
Protect Your Property
- Make sure to trim any trees hanging over your home or driveway. Thunderstorms often bring heavy rain, wind or lightning that can knock dead or rotting limbs onto your roof or car.
- During a thunderstorm, always unplug any appliances or electronic equipment before the storm starts to prevent damage.
- If large hail is expected, close your curtains or blinds to prevent glass from coming in if a large piece of hail shatters a window.
- Review your homeowners insurance policy to make sure you have adequate coverage for your home or belongings.
- Put away or tie down items in your yard that could become flying debris if heavy winds pick up.
Although Maine has avoided the deadly heat that the South and Midwest are dealing with, we’re still in the middle of our own wave of high heat and humidity that has yet to break. Everyone knows that the importance of taking care of yourself in this kind of weather, but it’s the most important time to keep your pets in mind as well, since they are as prone to heat stroke as humans are.
Keep these simple safety tips in mind to keep your pets as comfortable as possible.
Keep them hydrated.
Making sure they have fresh, clean, cool water is one of the most important things you can do for your pet in hot weather. Without an adequate water supply, pets can dehydrate quickly.
Never, ever leave an animal alone in a parked vehicle.
Just like children, pets can overhead in a matter of minutes even if the windows are open. Even running in the store for just a minute isn’t a good idea; you never know when lines will be long or you will be otherwise delayed – and fatal heat stroke can happen in just minutes.
Let outdoor pets come inside.
If possible, give them access to air conditioning. If a pet must stay outside, make sure they have a cool, sheltered place in the shade to rest out of the sun, and leave them plenty of fresh, clean water in a container that won’t tip over.
Walk them in the early morning or late evening.
In addition to being out in the high heat, humidity and sunlight, when you get ready to take your pet for a walk, consider the sidewalk temperature. If you wouldn’t comfortably walk on it in bare feet, your pet shouldn’t either. Too hot sidewalks or pavement can cause burned footpads.
Know the signs of overheating.
According to the ASPCA website, excessive panting, difficulty breathing, drooling, mild weakness, stupor, seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting are all signs that your pet is suffering from heat stroke. Contact your vet or an emergency vet immediately if you have any suspicions that your pet has heat stroke.
With these tips, you and your furry friends can stay safe and healthy this summer!
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The new 2012 Volkswagen Passat is here! Come in and see the all-new, made in the US Passat – including the new TDI capable of 795 miles between fill-ups.
Rally, gymkhana, drift, and offroad enthusiasts, listen up. Ford introduced Octane Academy today, a four-day driving boot camp with training from Ken Block, Brian Deegan, Vaugn Gittin Jr, and Tanner Foust.
Want to be a part of it? Check out the Octane Academy website to find out how to submit your tryout video – www.octaneacademy.com
Our rep in the field sent us one last set of photos from the 2011 VW Dealer Meeting featuring the icon of the VW Brand – the new, 2012 VW Beetle 2.0 Turbo!
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We got these sneak peek photos of the new Volkswagen Passat, TDI and Beetle and just had to share them! What do you think?
Comments from the test drives:
“I got my first chance to drive the Passat and experienced the 5 cylinder and also the TDI. The TDI is an exciting product for sure, but I was also quite impressed with the 5 cyl Gas (volume) car. Both models drove VERY well, felt like Volkswagens, were spacious, and were great looking.”
“We were quite hard on the TDI twisting through back roads and (ahem) spirited driving, and the trip computer still weighed us in at 34 MPG. Great car!”
“The space in the Passat is simply incredible. It is hard to describe the rear leg room which is class leading and seems to go hand in hand with the cavernous trunk! The styling is classy and on the mark.”
“The next morning, we were greeted by a Red Beetle! Standing in the sun, there it was. This car looks awesome! The experience is great. Great attention to detail, great cues to heritage, sporting modern and spirited styling. The car is gender neutral, appealing to young and old and just plain fun, fresh, unique product!”
“There is a lot of Volkswagen in America, and these American built Volkswagens will deliver the Volkswagen experience to MANY Americans. I really think you are going to love this product.”
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We received this letter from a satisfied customer who recently purchased her “ugly” car from our Ford dealership.
“Dear Jim, Gary, Otis, Jay and the “behind-the-scene workers”,I wanted to write you this letter to let you know how I truly enjoyed working with all of you during the recent purchase of my ‘ugly’ car.
I know, from experience, that when you step foot on most dealer’s lots, there will be a salesperson that will ‘chase’ you down to hopefully sell you a car. I really dread those moments; most times I just want to look around first to see if there is anything that grabs my attention or just dream about owning that brand new King Ranch!
When I arrived at Darling’s on Saturday, March 19, 2011, I was ‘dreaming’ about a new Expedition, but realistically looking for a 2011 Explorer. I saw it, a beautiful, brand new Explorer sitting in the back of the lot. (I loved the fact that no salesman chased me down.) When I was ready, I went to the showroom and asked for a salesperson. That is when I met Jim for the first time. He explained that the Explorer was sold, I could look at it, but obviously I could not drive it. He explained the options available to me if I wanted an Explorer, took my number and told me he would call me when an Explorer became available for me to test drive. I couldn’t believe it; he didn’t try to pressure me into buying something I didn’t want! As we were leaving, he must have noticed me looking at another car because he came out and answered some questions I had about the car I was looking at (I think it was an Edge). He said there were different models of that car over on the side, so off we went to look at them.
When my son said ‘Mom, check out the inside of this car,’ I immediately replied ‘no, that’s the ugliest car I’ve ever seen!’ We were talking about the Flex. Jim spoke up and said how nice the Flex drives and all the room in it. So, being the adventurous person I am, I said ‘OK, let’s take it for a ride.’ My husband didn’t even want to get in it! But he did, we drove it around the lot, then around town. It honestly is a smooth riding car with lots of room in it! But, we wanted to be sure it was the right car for us. We are forever grateful that you let us take the car home for the weekend to make sure it was the right car for us!
I couldn’t believe it, I was loving the ‘ugly’ car! AND so were my husband and son! Of course, the first comment everyone makes is ‘are you kidding me? What is it?’ But, after showing off the inside, their impression seems to change! Then after riding in it, and realizing that the car isn’t ‘ugly’ while you’re in it, they too love it! So, I am proud to drive my new ‘ugly’ car! (The car doesn’t seem so ugly to me now, and I will always be able to find it in a parking lot!)
Bottom line… Darling’s is the place to buy a vehicle if you want a friendly, and no pressure experience. All of you made me feel that what I wanted and needed was the most important aspects of the deal. Thank you for making this automobile purchase go so smoothly!
Sincerely,
Brenda D.
Dennysville, ME”
Darling’s Agency and Maine Mutual, along with many other insurance companies, are reminding their policyholders to be cautious and safe during this increased snowfall.
Northern New England has received a tremendous amount of snow this winter season. The weight of this accumulation is significant, and with several weeks of winter remaining, there is a strong likelihood that we will continue to see more snowfall. In order to avoid water back-up damage and potential collapse, we highly recommend that you clear your roof of excess ice and snow. We also stress that you check your decks and outbuildings, as the snow load has a significant effect on these structures as well.
Taking preventative action today to protect your property could save you a tremendous amount of inconvenience and frustration. Should you have questions or need further information, please call an agent at Darling’s at (207) 992-1720.
How to Remove Snow Safely
With all the snow this winter, a lot of homeowners and business owners face the need to remove snow from their roofs to prevent ice dams or even collapse. To stay safe while protecting your roof, follow these proven tips:
- Use a snow rake from the ground whenever possible. If you must get on the roof, move cautiously and use a safety harness. If you need a ladder, make sure it’s securely planted.
- Check the location of skylights and roof vents before removing any snow, and always stay clear of electrical wiring.
- To prevent damage to your shingles, always shovel down the roof, never up, and leave 2 to 3 inches of snow cover.
- Clear at least the bottom four feet of the slope to eliminate ice dams. If you do get ice buildup, never use an axe or other sharp object to break it up. And have a professional check for proper roof ventilation and attic insulation.
This safety message is brought to you by Darling’s Agency (www.darlingsagency.com) and MMG Insurance (www.mmgins.com).