Nissan Leaf Turns 2!

Happy 2nd birthday to the 100% electric Nissan Leaf! You've got a very promising future ahead of you! Check out this video to find out what Nissan did to celebrate!

2013 Nissan Altima Selected as a Top Vehicle for Commuters by AAA Auto Buying Experts

Earlier today, AAA announced the 2013 Nissan Altima has been honored as one of the 11 vehicles selected to the AAA "Top Vehicles for Commuters" list. Adding to its already impressive list of awards received this year, the Altima was one of five sedans chosen based on fuel efficiency, comfort and performance.

According to AAA, the redesigned Altima "Continues to be a top choice for commuting. It is comfortable for all passengers, performs well and offers several unique safety features."

Each year, AAA Auto Buying experts test drive and evaluate hundreds of vehicles to reveal the year's top vehicles. Compact vehicles, sedans, crossovers and minivans were all considered for this year's honor.

Al Castignetti, vice president, Nissan Division, said: "In the 20 years since its introduction to the market, we have sought to make the Nissan Altima one of the elite sedans of its class. This honor from AAA solidifies Altima's place as one of the top selling midsize sedans in the United States and a leading contender in the category."

Among the 2013 Altima's many attributes are a best-in-segment fuel economy of 38 mpg highway* (2.5-liter engine), new premium exterior styling with a strong presence and excellent aerodynamics, an upscale interior with premium materials, and an outstanding balance of ride comfort, stability and a fun-to-drive demeanor.

Building on Nissan's "Innovation that Excites" philosophy, the fifth-generation Altima also offers standard Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System and Streaming Audio via Bluetooth®. Also available are NissanConnectSM and NissanConnectSM Navigation with a suite of Bluetooth® phone connectivity features including hands-free text message integration, Pandora® playback, real-time Google® POI search and more; along with Easy Fill Tire Alert and next-generation Safety Shield Technologies; including Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Moving Object Detection (MOD) systems.

Dynamic performance is provided by a choice of a redesigned 182-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine or a proven 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, with both engines matched with standard Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission). Altima's next-generation CVT reflects Nissan's more than 20 years of engineering and development leadership with its smooth, fuel-efficient design. Altima's redesigned 4-wheel independent suspension features segment-first Active Understeer Control for refined feel and responsive handling.

The premium interior design looks and feels a class above, with new NASA-inspired "zero-gravity" front seats, available leather appointments, and a new standard Advanced Drive-Assist™ Display in the center of the instrument cluster that integrates key information – including available navigation, text messaging notification and audio data – right in front of the driver.

A Monday Maintenance Tip From Sheehy Nissan Mechanicsville!

The Cold Weather Seems To Be Leaving, But Here's a Good Skill To Have In Any Weather!

You’re walking out of your apartment and notice a good looking gal with the hood of her car open, looking at the engine with desperation. You go over and ask what’s wrong. The car battery is dead, and she’s late for class. She asks you if you can give her jump. You look down at the ground, kick some rocks, and offer to call AAA instead.

You have no clue how to jump start a car.

Every man should know how to jump start a dead car battery. You never know when you’ll need this knowledge to aid a stranded damsel in distress or help yourself. While jumping a dead battery is super simple, you’d be surprised by the number of men who have no idea how to do it. Even if a man has learned how to jump start a car before, it can be easy to forget what cables go where. Positive on negative? Ground the positive cable on the car with the good battery? Red cable is negative?

To help you avoid looking like a putz when asked to jump start a car and to help prevent you from shocking the hell out of yourself when you do it, here’s the rundown on how to jump start a dead car battery.

 

How to Tell if Your Battery Is Dead

Before you try jump starting a car, you need to determine that the battery is the reason the car isn’t starting up. If you turn the ignition and hear the engine cranking, a dead battery isn’t your problem and jump starting it won’t do a darn thing. However, if you turn the key and the car does absolutely nothing, then there’s a good chance you have a dead battery on your hands and jumping it may be your ticket to getting back on the road.

How to Jump Start a Car with Cables

Note: You should always carry jumper cables in your car with you. You never know when you’re going to need them.

Don’t be this guy

1. Make sure both cars are turned off.

2. Connect one end of the red (positive) jumper cable to the positive terminal on the stalled battery.

3. Then connect the other red (positive) cable clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery.

4. Connect one end of the black (negative) jumper cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.

5. Then connect the other black (negative) cable to a clean, unpainted metal surface under the disabled car’s hood. Somewhere on the engine block is a good place. Unless you want to see flying sparks and a possible explosion, do not connect the negative cable to the negative terminal of the dead battery, .

6. Start the car that’s doing the jumping, and allow it to run for about 2 to 3 minutes before starting the dead car.
7. Remove cables in reverse order.
8. Keep the jumped car running for at least 30 minutes to give the battery sufficient time to recharge itself.

And you’re done. Give yourself a pat on the back for a manly job well done.

Unfortunately, jumper cables will not bring inanimate objects to life. Including hot model women you build in your lab.

Remember:

The hardest part of the job is simply remembering where to put each cable. Many a man has broken out in a sweat wondering if he is about to make a wrong move and toast himself to a crisp. Here’s the good news: It’s probably impossible to electrocute yourself from jump starting a car. The battery might give you a big shock, but the voltage is too low to penetrate your skin and put you down for the count.

But no one wants to be on the receiving end of a zap, no matter how mild. So come up with a mnemonic device to help you remember which color goes where. I personally think: red=blood=life=positive/black=death=negative.

How to Jump Start a Car Without Cables

If you have a standard transmission car, you can jump start that bad boy without using cables. Here’s how you do it:

1. Find a stretch of clear downhill road.

2. Fully depress the clutch and put the car in first gear.

3. Turn the ignition to on.

4. Take your foot off the brake and start rolling down the hill, leaving the clutch fully depressed.

5. Coast down the hill until you reach 5 or 7 miles per hour.

6. Release the clutch quickly. You should feel the engine turn and start. If it doesn’t start the first time, depress the clutch and release it again.

7. If you don’t have a hill, get some of your buddies to give you a push and follow the steps above.

2-for-1 Oil Changes at Sheehy!

Time is running out to take advantage of our offer for 2-for-1 oil changes! Don't put it off any longer because this offer ends at the end of the month, so grab a friend and cut the cost of your oil change in half today!

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Nissan Shifts Priority to Leaf EV Sales

The company says all "zero emission vehicle planning and strategy" will now fall under Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga's responsibility. EV division corporate vice president Hideaki Watanabe will leave Nissan to become senior vice president at supplier Calsonic Kansei Corp.

Nissan is hoping Leaf demand will surge this year now that it has started US production in Tennessee. Through February, sales were up 13 percent from a year earlier but totaled just 1,303 units. For all of 2012, Leaf sales in the US were less than half the 20,000 units Nissan had earmarked. In fact, Nissan's Francois Bancon, in a recent interview with Reuters, says Leaf demand "isn't where we thought it would be," and that the company was "in a very uncertain phase, and everyone's a bit lost." Nissan in January reduced the price of the 2013 Leaf by $6,400 to a base of $28,800.

Throwback Thursday: Vintage Nissan 200SX Ad!

Throwback Thursday: Check out this vintage Nissan advertisement we found for the 200SX Turbo from nearly 30 years ago! Amazing how much cars have changed!

Wallpaper Wednesday

It's Wallpaper Wednesday! Check out this awesome wallpaper we found for the Nissan GT-R Nismo. Set this bad boy as your new desktop background!

Nissan Offers "Loyalty Discount" to Leaf Owners

Own a Leaf? Nissan would like to keep buyers of its all-electric car it in the proverbial family by offering a $1,000 loyalty discount towards other Nissan vehicles, even those dirty, nasty gas-powered ones.

In fact, Nissan is making the loyalty case offer available to anyone who lives in the household of a 2011 or 2012 Leaf owner (we're wondering how folks will stretch the definition of "household" to work that system). Nissan must be aware that some families like to hedge their bets and complement their EV with a gas-powered car; will $1,000 be enough to make it more likely they will choose a Nissan?

The loyalty program will be offered through the end of next year, and Nissan will be contacting Leaf owners starting next month as a reminder that there is a loyalty discount.

In January, Nissan cut the price of its 2013 Leaf by $6,400 to a base of $28,800. Through February, Nissan's US vehicle sales were down three percent, compared to last year, down to 180,555 units. Leaf sales, though, were up 13 percent in 2013 compared to the same time in 2012.

Ryan Lochte's In-Office Workout

Sometimes it can be difficult to find time to grab a quick workout. See how Nissan is solving that problem Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte's in-office workout routine!

2-for-1 Oil Changes!

A well-oiled engine is crucial to maintaining and extending the life of your vehicle. If you come in now, Sheehy is offering two oil changes for the price of ONE! Bring a friend or family member in with their cars and take advantage of this special offer before it's over! http://on.fb.me/XoJd4P

2013 Nissan Frontier gets more mileage at less cost!

With the competition dwindling (or dying) among compact trucks, Nissan is looking to make some minor changes to the 2013 Frontier to snag a few extra sales for its aging pickup. Pricing and fuel economy are probably two of the most important vehicle stats among new-car buyers, and the 2013 Nissan Frontier has made vast improvements in both areas over the 2012 model.

 

First things first: The MSRP of both the King Cab and Crew Cab models have dropped by $1,270 with new starting prices of $17,990 and $22,030 (*not including the $845 destination charge), respectively. The biggest price drop is seen on the SV Crew Cab 4x2, which dropped $1,450 to its new price of $23,990. The important thing here is that the 2013 Frontier King Cab is now priced just a few hun

dred dollars more than a regular cab version of the Toyota Tacoma. Nissan is also offering a new SV Value Truck Package that includes all the equipment of the previous SV Premium Utility Package (spray-on bedliner, Utili-Track in-bed cargo system with four adjustable cleats and Bluetooth) and adds in a rearview monitor and dual-zone air conditioning.

 

Another key change made for 2013 was to the Frontier's fuel economy. Except for the base-model truck (King Cab, inline-four, manual transmission, two-wheel drive), all other configurations have seen increases in city and/or highway fuel economy to the tune of one or two miles per gallon; the biggest improvement was to the V6 models with the automatic transmission, which saw an improvement of one mpg city and two mpg highway. Nissan accomplished this with better aerodynamics and updated internal engine components to reduce friction. Aero changes include a seal between the cab and bed, a tailgate spoiler and a new front chin spoiler. 

Via AutoBlog

Auto Tip: Lighten Your Load!

Automotive tip: lighten the load on your car's keychain! The weight, combined with bouncing while you drive, can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure. Drive with only your key in the ignition to prolong the life of your ignition switch! Do you have any life-saving automotive tips?