Enjoy Haley Reinhart at Oake on the Water

Lexus of Wayzata is an official vehicle partner for the 10th Anniversary
of Cities 97's Oake On The Water! Check it out this Thursday at Lord
Fletcher's where Haley Reinhart will be performing! Click here for more information.

Official Lexus LS F SPORT Photo Released

Lexus has released an official photo of the 2013 Lexus LS F SPORT.

The muscular creases, LED headlights, chrome spindle mesh grille and blacked out bumper all converge in a way that’s just pure awesome — there may be more mystery than fact at this point, but so far I’m impressed.

 

Courtesy of Lexus Enthusiast

We are proud to have so many wonderful customers and employees. Thank you all for the kind words.

"What started out as a quick stop to see what was new in used cars on the lot while I was out for lunch turned into one of the best sales experiences I have ever had. Jon was by far the most knowledgeable salesman I have ever come across as well as on-salesywhich is a huge plus in my book. He invited me to purchase rather than constantly begging me to. I know that when the right car comes along I am going to buy from Jon. I have already sent two of my friends to go see him. Thanks Jon!!!"

"I had such great sales person Jon Reyerson. Jon responded so quick for my interner purchase and help full, kind, full of knowledge of car what I looking for. I had very positive expeirence with Wayzata Lexus. I would buy again from Wayzata Lexus with Jon. Thanks."

"I received friendly, no pressure service from Jon Reyerson at Lexus of Wayzata. He was knowledgable of all cars I asked about including the Lexus CT200h. We took a test drive together and after about 20 minutes I felt like I had gotten to know the car very well. Highly recommended!"

"My wife and I were very impressed with your dealership and especially salesperson Russ Lawrence. He made the transaction go about as fast and smooth as possible. He took the time to explain all the options on the new 350 and went out of his way to sync our phones and door opener as well. The finance officer was very efficient and very personable. We will definitely be recommending Wazata Lexus to our friends."

"I purchased a use RX-350 2 months ago. I am extremely pleased with my vehicle. The purchasing process went so well, everyone was very knowledgable about their role, pleasant and helpful. My salesperson, Mike Gleason, was great! Helpful, prompt, concerned, attentive. I have heard from him multiple times since the purchase just to verify my satisfaction. Great Service, thank you to all at Lexus of Wayzata."

"I live in Kentucky and was a little leery about purchasing a car long distance. The purchase went smoother than purchasing local. When I showed up to pick up the car it was everything and more than expected. I delt with Ignacio Garrigos and could not have been happier."

"What a great place to buy a vehicle ! Pat Bernklau made our purchase painless.Service is also great. Thanks again"

 

See more reviews on Cars.com!

Employee Spotlight - Success in the Human Resource Department

Hennepin County has recently honored Village Automotive Group with a 2012 Wellness by Design Gold Level Award. It is important to thank every employee who participated in our wellness programs and highlight the leaders within our Human Resources Department for their hard work and dedication in helping us receive this recognition.  Village Automotive Group was the only automotive organization to receive this award; amongst some 78 Hennepin County employers who were recognized this year for their workplace wellness programs.

Kyle Harris, HR Director, began with Village Automotive Group in March, 2006.  Kyle was hired by the ownership to build the Human Resources Department and through her knowledge of the industry has been able to provide insight and leadership that has resulted in this success. One of her first large accomplishments has been to implement a workplace wellness program, “Drive To  A Healthier You” that has helped create individual awareness of healthier lifestyles and the impact each of us can have on the overall results of our health programs.   We appreciate the direction Kyle is taking our HR department and have enjoyed her positive worth ethic. She has provided ideas and support that has helped Village Automotive Group hire, train and retain our amazing staff over the 6 years she has been with Village Automotive Group.

Kyle is from Nebraska and graduated from William Woods College where she studied Business Administration and Equestrian Science.  She enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with close friends and family in South Dakota.

In 2011, with the growth of the organization, Kyle hired Heather Moyer from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Heather quickly began working with new hires and has enjoyed planning the training programs our organization hosts throughout the year. Heather is always learning under Kyle's mentorship and commented, "our department is very open about new ideas and opinions, it is very refreshing and a great working environment."

Heather has family in Pennsylvania and has spent sometime this summer with her boyfriend Sean who is running for the Pierce County District Attorney. If she isn't campaigning with Sean or busy at work, she is spending time with friends or traveling to visit family in Pennsylvania. 

The newest member of the Human Resources Department is Magdalena Chudzik. She started her HR internship in April of this year while she attends St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul. Magdalena has been learning about Human Resource policies and procedures to better understand how the department operates and supports others in the organization. One of her favorite ideas, implemented by Kyle and Heather in recent years, is the performance review program. She feels it is a huge success because reviews can really explain to staff how they can improve and grow their role within the organization. 

Magdalena is originally from Boleslawiec, Poland but has been in the U.S. since 2007.  She enjoys walking her dog Odie with her husband Shane and spending time with family.

Kyle, Heather and Magdalena will be very busy planning the Wellness by Design Award Celebration for the organization as a way to say Thank You to the staff for participating in the Wellness Activities they planned through the year.

For more information about our job opportunities visitwww.villageautomotivegroup.com and contact our Human Resources Department today!

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: The Importance of Oil Changes

Having your oil changed on a regular basis is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car in proper running order. Literally speaking, there is no better way to keep your car in tip top performance and have it run for hundreds of thousands of miles than to keep your oil changed whenever it is recommended by the car manufacturer or the oil change shop. Oil changes cost under fifty dollars, even if you choose to have the top of the line oil added into your car, so there is really no reason why you could not afford such a simple and painless procedure. By getting your oil changed on a regular basis, you will not only improve the life of your cars engine, but you will also allow your car to maximize the horsepower it puts on the road; and you can make sure that all of your cylinders are firing and working as properly as when the car was new. 

The benefits of oil changes are not so great as the drawbacks of not getting your oil changed, which are catastrophic. While you do increase the life of your engine and keep your horsepower maximized by getting your oil changed regularly, these are not as significant as the problems that can arise if you do not change your oil when it is recommended to do so. Firstly, not changing your oil often enough can cause significant damage to your engine, as the oil is necessary to keep all of the moving parts lubricated. By not having enough oil or by using oil that has outlived its usefulness (is filled with dirt or has low viscosity), you run the risk of allowing parts to not work as efficiently as they possibly could.

In the long run, such parts grinding together without lubrication in such a stressful environment as an internal combustion engine could eventually lead to such parts fusing together, jamming up or altogether failing. This is catastrophic to your engine, as the engine could simply stop working or actually explode if enough parts refuse to work.

When you go to get your oil changed, you really have one of two different options. You can either choose to spend less money and simply purchase whatever oil you want to put into your car from a store and add it in yourself; or you could have a professional do it. Because of all of the major restrictions on what you can and cannot do with oil nowadays, it makes much more sense to have a professional do the oil change, as they have special ways in which they are able to dispose of it. If you do the change yourself, you will have to save all of the oil which you remove from the car and take it to a place like your local fire station to have professionals dispose of it, instead of you simply taking it to the dump or pouring it down the drain. Since there are so many hassles involved in changing the oil yourself, you may want to simply have professionals do it, even though it is more expensive.

 

Courtesy of Ezilon

Thank you to all of our happy customers for the rave reviews!

"My wife and I were just going to stop in and get some information on why we should buy a Lexus. We met with Jon Stusse, a gentleman who obviously enjoyed his job, and was very knowledgeable about what we were looking for. Needless to say, we are now new owners of a RX350 Lexus."

- Marlin & Ruth

"The entire process was a pleasure; from the initial discussion of what I was looking for to picking up my vehicle. I loved the no pressure approach and felt like they were working with me to find the best possible vehicle and price."

"This is the third time we have purchased a car through Cal at Lexus of Wayzata. It is always such a good result - we will refer this dealership and Cal Ryan to all of our friends and family."

- June & Jim

See more reviews on Cars.com!

We are thrilled to have so many wonderful customers. Thank you for the thorough feedback!

"This is the second car I've purchased from Ignacio and Lexus of Wayzata.

Background:
This time, I/We purchased a 2009 Lexus IS 250 AWD certified pre owned (CPO) with low miles for my wife. I also bought an extension to the CPO warranty up to 5 years / 125 k miles. Just FYI - This is an exclusionary warranty and needs to be purchased at point of sale only. The downside is that it is not transferable, but that is a Lexus issue and not the fault of the dealer.

Assessment of salesperson:
The sales experience was excellent. I would rate Ignacio as a 10/10 on each of the following points – easygoing, knowledgeable, easy to work with, NON rushed, NON pushy, went out of his way to provide information and pricing, EXCELLENT after sales service, help with learning the car’s functionality. In fact, I told my friend about the deal and he bought a GS350 AWD from Ignacio two days after I bought this car.

Assessment of finance manager:
I would rate the dealer’s finance manager (Scott) as 10/10. I know a lot about cars and I really appreciate the fact that although several products were showcased, none were forced onto me and in fact, he was actually trying to get me all I needed, and not necessarily what the dealer wanted to sell. THIS is a good reason why customers come back to this dealership – I did!

Assessment of dealership:
The dealership was extremely clean; the facilities for both sales as well as service customers are excellent. They offer good quality coffee, wireless and plush seating so I could actually get work done during one of my service appointments.

Assessment of pricing/financing:
The pricing was fair and I think I got a good deal. In addition, the car was a lease return and the first owner purchased it from the same dealer. I already had my own financing, so I did not use Lexus Financial Services. Hence, I cannot comment on financing.

Conclusion:
In short, I consider the overall experience as divided into salesperson, price, service, the finance manager and the overall dealership. I am not a person to hand out full scores easily, but in this case, I would make an exception. I would rate everyone and everything 10/10 at Lexus of Wayzata, the salesperson Ignacio, the finance manager Scott and the overall experience."

2013 Lexus ES350 - First Drive

Lexus's ES-series has never been on the forefront of shock and awe, but it's been a steadfast member of the lineup since their very beginning. As an entry level luxury sedan, the ES has a tough job: be luxurious enough to satisfy current luxury car owners that want a smaller luxury sedan, and affordable enough to lure "regular" sedan owners into the luxury sedan market.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

The ES has always done this conservatively and without much fan fare, and, as it's consistently one of the top selling models (trading off with the RX SUV), it's certainly worked.

Too Aggressive?

But has Lexus gone too far with this new design? In a bid to capture younger buyers, and bring brand unity with their newly designed GS models, Lexus has completely replaced the conservative image of old with something much more aggressive. But does it still retain some of the previous versions' conservatism? After spending a day with it among the vineyards and forests near Newberg, Oregon, I came away impressed with the duality of the car.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

While the styling is fresh and new, the powertrain and interior noise are on par with Lexus' ES mission statement. Powering the front wheels is the 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 268 bhp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, through a 6-speed automatic transmission. At engine speeds below 900 rpm, essentially idle, vacuum-operated engine mounts counteract engine vibration and noise to help minimize NVH.

As expected, front and rear fascias are cut from the same aggressive cloth as those of the new GS. This is where Lexus is attempting to box above the ES's traditional weight. Lexus' "spindle grille" is prominent, as is the use of LED daytime running lamps. Large swathes of sheet metal on the sides of the car are broken up with sharp crease lines that firmly keep your eyes on the belt-line of the chassis.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

Refinement, Please

The design language expressed in the interior comes from the LFA and is similar to the GS's. The strong horizontal dash is anchored to the interior by a pillar-like center console and deep recessed infotainment display. Lexus states that this was done to separate the display area from the tactile interface area. It works, but that's thanks to the use of a joystick-like Remote Touch Interface. It employs haptic-feedback to let you know when you're gliding the cursor over selection points on the display.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

Seating and dash surfaces are covered in either synthetic or genuine leather, and, on the dash, are accented by either piano black or maple pieces. An optional 12-speaker Mark Levinson audio system aims to fill the cabin with sound; acoustic glass, sound-damping materials and seals effectively remove the extraneous variety.

The car has leveled-up in the size department, with overall length up 1.0 in. and a 1.7-in. longer wheelbase. Combined with more efficient packaging, the new ES has nearly four more inches of rear seat legroom. All totaled, interior volume is up 4.7 cubic feet.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

 

The Big Surprise

The one aspect that impressed me most, though, wasn't its quietness or appointments. Yes, these aspects, particularly in the interior, have seen improvements compared to previous ES versions, but the most surprising was its drivability. All previous iterations of the ES were not exciting to drive.

The ES won't replace the GS, but it's genuinely a good car to operate. The electronic power steering is numb while going straight down the road, but offers feedback when the front tires experience some cornering force. Torque steer, the arch-nemesis of fwd cars, is minimal, and the transmission shifts quickly in either automatic or manual modes.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

The seats feature decent lateral bolstering, an unexpected treat in this segment, and the thickly-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel is lifted straight from the GS. The Drive Mode dial operates on the throttle map and power steering response. Although it will more than likely always be kept on the normal mode, the fact that Lexus even thought the ES could use a Sport mode is a miraculous thing. Eco mode increases efficiency by dampening throttle input and reducing air conditioning operation.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

While this car won't compete in the sport-sedan segment, it was a surprise to feel how composed this once mundane family hauler was on twisty back roads. Combined with the increased interior volume, Lexus has redesigned the ES with their sights straight on conquest sales and owner satisfaction.

2013 Lexus ES350

 

Courtesy of Road and Track