A quick guide to car platforms

While we're sure you're familiar with the features that your car has - after all, you did buy it - you probably haven't ever considered the platform it's on. The platform kind of falls to the wayside because you're focusing more on things like engine size and placement, performance abilities, technology (both safety and entertainment), convenience features, and cargo space. However, your car platform plays an important role in your N Charlotte Toyota's overall performance and we're here with a quick guide to explain why. 

What is a car platform? 

A car platform is similar to a house foundation. In essence, it's the structure that your car rests upon and it determines elements like your body aesthetics, chassis design, and other engineering elements. It also usually defines elements like: 

• The type of engine the car will have as well as the engine placement and powertrain elements 
• The type of suspension used both in the front and rear of the car 
• The front and rear axles, as well as the wheelbase, or distance between the two axles 
• The power steering system and other steering parts 

So it obviously plays a pretty critical role in your car's design and performance. 

Why are car platforms shared? 

Also, did you know that car platforms can be shared both among models and across different makes? Take the N Charlotte Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ - they share the same car platform even though they're completely different makes and models. This is more common than you think, too. Designing a new car is pretty costly and also takes a lot of time and effort. Automakers have to research and design the car and then assemble and test it to ensure it's road-worthy. By sharing car platforms, they can cut out steps and save both time and money. This also benefits you as a purchaser and driver - here are a few reasons why: 

• Costs go down. If an automaker doesn't have to go through ALL the steps of designing a new car, it saves them time and money. In turn, they can sell the cars for less so you save money, too. 
• Testing is increased. All vehicles undergo stringent testing before they hit the road, but if several automakers are testing the same car platform, there's even less room for error. This gives you more peace of mind when you hit the road. 
• Your familiarity goes up. Sometimes it can be jarring to jump from one car to another and it can have a negative impact on your drive time. If your new N Charlotte Toyota has the same platform as the last one, then it makes the transition smoother. 

Obviously, there are pretty big perks when it comes to sharing car platforms, both for you and the automaker. 

Ready to shop N Charlotte Toyotas? We're at your service. Call us today at (704) 875-9199 or stop by. Toyota of N Charlotte is located just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville at 13429 Statesville Road. 

Sports car maintenance: What you need to know about this type of car care

 Are you thinking about signing the dotted line on a sports car like the N Charlotte Toyota Supra? If so, congrats - owning one of these high-performance vehicles is incredibly rewarding and exciting. You'll have speed, agility, and incredible handling on your side every single time you get behind the wheel (and you'll look pretty awesome, too). However, sports car maintenance isn't the same as maintenance for a typical sedan, truck, or SUV. Toyota of N Charlotte is here to explain why. 

The three main reasons sports car maintenance is different

There are three main reasons that sports car maintenance differs from typical vehicle care - here's the breakdown from our Charlotte auto service specialists. 

Reason #1: Sports cars are built for performance. 

Remember, sports cars aren't designed with a 9-5 commute in mind. These high-performance vehicles are designed to be fast, agile, and at the top of their game in terms of performance. They're ready to hit the track at a moment's notice. However, this type of performance means your car is working flat-out pretty much all the time and operating at peak capacity. This can mean extra strain on your car parts and more wear and tear, which means you may need to schedule car maintenance more frequently and replace parts more often. 

Reason #2: The parts are unique. 

Oftentimes common cars - we're talking sedans, SUVs, trucks, and hatchbacks - will share parts. This means they're cheaper to produce for the manufacturer and in turn, cheaper for you to buy and replace. However, sports cars are unique machines with specific performance abilities which means that their parts are pretty unique, too. This means they're not often shared with other models and are more expensive to produce, so they're more expensive for you to purchase. 

Reason #3: You want to stay on top of upkeep. 

Let's be real - you didn't buy the car so you can keep it in the garage and not let anyone see it. If you're going to sign the dotted line on a sports car, you want to show it off and make the most of its performance capabilities! You also want to keep it in the best shape possible because 1) it's a big investment and 2) you want to keep the resale value high in case you want to trade up later in life. You'll also probably want to detail it more often to keep it looking like-new, which means either more car maintenance appointments for detailing OR more shopping for car detailing supplies (you can get everything you need at our Charlotte parts store, by the way). 

Schedule car care for your sports car at Toyota of N Charlotte 

Are you ready to become the proud owner of one of these exciting vehicles? Shop the N Charlotte Toyota Supra in person today OR schedule sports car maintenance for your existing ride. You can reach us seven days a week at (704) 875-9199 or at 13429 Statesville Road, just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville. 

Meet the Million Mile Tundra

  

We all know that if you take good care of your vehicle, it'll last a long time. Watching a Toyota climb upwards of 200-300k miles is nothing out of the ordinary for our service techs, especially if the owner is bringing it in for routine Charlotte car maintenance. Even seeing vehicles hit the 500k marker isn't too crazy. Toyotas are designed to last for decades; that's why they're renowned globally for their longevity and reliability. 

What is the Million Mile Tundra?

However, one Toyota in particular recently caught our attention for its extreme longevity - the Million Mile Tundra. This iconic Toyota truck is a 2007 model that was owned by Victor Sheppard; he definitely put his truck to work and used it for towing, hauling, and transporting heavy loads on a cross-country basis. He finally retired it five years ago when the odometer crossed into the million-mile mark, but the truck is now an official celebrity and is on a tour of our Toyota facilities. We're unpacking it piece by piece to give you an idea of how it's running after over a million miles! 

• First, let's talk about the engine. The engine in this particular Toyota Tundra is a 4.7L V8 2UX-FE engine (one of the first V8 engines to be produced right here in America). To see if a million miles had a negative effect on the engine's capabilities, Toyota put the engine on a dynanometer. They then pushed it through everything from idling to pushing the redline at 5,700 rpm... and the engine sailed through it with flying colors. 
• The engine block was in great shape; there wasn't much carbon buildup inside the valve stems and the engine itself was in excellent condition. Additionally, you could still see all the cross-hatching on the cylinder walls and there were no wear marks on the crankshaft journals. One bearing had a small blemish, but that was it as far as to wear and tear. Believe it or not, the engine scores 99/100 on a quality test. 
• The Toyota Tundra's bed was in great shape, too. The tailgate worked perfectly without any hesitation or catching. The truck bed was in perfect shape besides dents in the wheel wells that were due to towing and hauling heavy loads (i.e., the driver) rather than an engineering defect. (Sheppard said he often carried heavy pallets in the back that didn't quite fit within the wheel wells.) 
• The truck's frame had zero rust on it, despite many, many miles driven in both snow and rain, and the frame and leaf springs were in great condition. This was especially surprising after all the heavy weight that was hauled in the truck. 
• The interior of the truck was also in good condition. Sheppard took great care of it and even parts that you'd think would wear out (like the door latches, window buttons, center console, glove box latch, etc.) were still in working condition. 

Put a million miles on your car with the help of Toyota of N Charlotte!

Whether you want to maintain your current N Charlotte Toyota truck or feel like you might want to try to put a million miles of your own on a new Toyota, call us! Toyota of N Charlotte is open seven days a week at (704) 875-9199. 

Toyota of N Charlotte shares more tips for driving at night

 Do you often find yourself behind the wheel at night? Even if you've only driven in the dark a handful of times, you know how incredibly different it is from driving in the daytime. Additionally, you probably also know how much you need to adjust your normal driving habits to adapt to the darkness. Here at Toyota of N Charlotte, we've already broached the topic of driving at night a time or two, but we're back with additional tips to help you safely tackle these driving conditions. 

Six more tips for driving at night safely 

Tip #1: Wear the right glasses. If you wear glasses, you know that when driving at night they can take light and reflect it, distorting your vision. That's why it's important to wear the RIGHT glasses if you're getting behind the wheel in the dark. You should ensure that your glasses have an anti-reflective coating on them or opt for special lenses that clip over them to give you the best nighttime vision possible. 

Tip #2: Know how to use your rearview mirror. Did you know that your rearview mirror can help prevent you from being blinded by the car behind you? If the driver behind you has their brights on (or has ultra-bright LED lights), looking in the rearview mirror can be painful. In this situation you should take the tab on the bottom of the mirror and flip it; this simple step adjusts the mirror so the light is out of your eyes. 

Tip #3: Don't look into oncoming lights. If a car is passing you on the other side of the road with its brights on, do your best to avoid looking at them, even if you have to shield your face with your hand. Looking at bright lights while driving at night can leave you momentarily blind after you pass them, putting you and your passengers at risk. 

Tip #4: Be retina-aware. You already know that animals are more active and thus, more likely to be on the road at night... but did you know there's an easier way to spot them when driving in the dark? Light will reflect off of the retinas of their eyes, causing a tiny green light. If you see said light, you know there's an animal ahead and you should slow your vehicle so you can react accordingly. 

Tip #5: Check your headlight alignment. Are your car headlights evenly aligned and pointing the same way? Believe it or not, they might not be and this can have negative impacts when you're driving at night. To check them, pull up close to a wall and park facing it. Turn your headlights on so you can see where the beams point. If they're uneven, then adjust the bulbs until they're aligned properly. 

Tip #6: Dim your interior lights. It's a good idea to dim both your interior lights and your instrument panel before driving at night. Bright lights can distract you from the road and actually impede your field of vision. 

Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help you tackle driving at night

Have questions? Want more tips on driving at night? You've come to the right place - visit Toyota of N Charlotte at 13429 Statesville Road, just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville. You can also call us at (704) 875-9199!