The DMV of the New Millenium

By Brittany T.

We all know going to the DMV is a pain. Especially when you have to make time in your busy schedule to wait in those long lines for hours on end amongst a bunch of, let’s just say, “interesting” people waiting for your number to be called. This is not the way any of us want to spend our day. Recently, I bought a used car at Tuttle-Click Mazda in the Irvine Auto Center and was pleased to find out the dealership completed all the DMV paperwork for me so I didn’t have to go near my local DMV office in Santa Ana.

The people at the DMV work hard, but they are in much need of a smoother, less stressful process to improve everyone’s DMV experience. While taking a look through the DMV website, I came across a new Self-Service Terminal (SST) that has already been added into some DMV’s across the country.

The SST allows you to complete your registration renewal or file for Planned Non-Operation (PNO) status without waiting in line. Multiple payment methods are offered and a registration card and sticker or PNO acknowledgement are printed at the terminal after the completion of your transaction.

The DMV's new Self Service Terminals make Orange County car registrations quick and easy!

The DMV also has a new smart phone app for called DMV Now which  is the one-stop mobile directory where you can meet many of your DMV needs right off of your iPhone / iPod Touch or Android device. In addition, the DMV also instituted a “virtual hold” system which means less time on the phone when you call.  They are also making many services, such as address changes and registration renewals, available on their website so that we do not have to clog up their lines for simple requests.

It’s great to see government agencies making good use of advancing technologies!  Finally, the DMV is making some great improvements to get us in and on our way as fast as possible. The SST is available in some local OC DMVs such as Santa Ana, Costa Mesa & Westminster.  The next time you buy a car in Orange County, I would recommend choosing one of these three locations for your DMV trip and give the new Self-Service Terminal a try. It might just improve your day and make going to the DMV a much happier experience.

Next Gen MX-5

By Kristin Keller

The Mx-5 is being retired for a few years while it undergoes an exciting overhaul.  Here are some of the changes that industry rumor mills are circulating:

• The new MX-5 will debut in 2013
• Mazda is intent on returning it to its lightweight roots,  challenging its engineers to shave 275kg from the weight of today’s 1,075kg model
• Mazda will use more high-strength steels and some ingenious structural features such as a twin backbone monocoque body
• The engine will include SkyActiv components for efficiency improvements
• Automotive staples like the glovebox and owner’s manual will be replaced by lighter-weight storage options and a USB stick with vehicle info, respectively
• Neodynium speakers

We can’t take pre-orders just yet, but we do have a wide selection of 2011 and 2012 Mazdas in stock here at Tuttle-Click Mazda in Irvine.  (Last chance to get your MX-5 Miata – click here to view the last of our Orange County inventory)

More room in your zoom

by Kristin Keller

If you missed it, you must check it out.  It’s a video in the latest ZoomZoom magazine.  Three frantic people work to get a huge amount of gear (including a dog house, camping supplies, a drum kit, and more) packed into a Mazda5… in under two minutes.  (Click here for link)  As I watched in amusement, it got me thinking about vehicle storage space.  This video certainly proves you can fit a lot more in your Mazda than you probably think!

Living in Orange County, we are fortunate to be close enough to the beach, mountains, desert and canyons to have a lot of hobbies, like surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and four-wheeling.  Of course, these hobbies come with a lot of equipment to haul.

Trips to the beach were never easier, or more fun!

With constantly fluctuating gas prices, many drivers are realizing that large SUVs may not always be the best option for their Orange County families.  The truth is, most families can get themselves and their gear around Irvine to their soccer games, Disneyland days, beach trips, and camping weekends in a mid-size sedan.   Even avid surfers and mountain bikers can easily hit the Orange County waves and canyons with a Mazda2.

You may not know that accessories are available for your Mazda, like roof racks, bike hitches and cargo boxes.  Call our Irvine Mazda parts department today for more information.

900,000 Miatas… So Far

by Kristin Keller

One million Miatas isn't far off!

Mazda reached a new production milestone recently, producing its 900,000th Miata. This sets a new Guinness World Record, making the Miata the best-selling two-seat roadster.

“Since Mazda launched the original MX-5, it has undergone two complete product redesigns and a series of upgrades,” said Nobuhiro Yamamoto, program manager of the current MX-5 Miata.

That’s not all!  The MX-5 Miata is one of Car and Driver’s 10Best for 2011.  So many reasons to celebrate this sporty classic!

Mazda’s Environmental Influence

By Kristin Keller

(Center) Humphrey Le Grice Manager, Mazda Wildlife Fund, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (Right center) Doreen Mashinini Mazda Marketing Manager, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa

The Mazda Wildlife Fund fittingly celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2010, the International year of Biodiversity.

“We view conservation and environmental education as a top priority,” says Doreen Mashinini, Mazda Marketing Manager at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa

In 1990, Mazda decided to shift its sponsorship dollars from sports teams to conservation efforts in South Africa.  So what has Mazda accomplished in these 20 years?

“Seventeen projects focus on the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems, from rhinos and birds of prey to wetlands, grasslands, toxic chemicals and wildlife trade. Five research projects expand our understanding of sustainable resources, coral reefs, whales and dolphins, vultures, and crocodiles,” the Mazda website explains.

In addition, Mazda has donated their vehicles to remote areas for environmental and educational projects where reliable transportation is essential.

“The breadth and depth of the Fund’s influence is remarkable—and the numerous projects have made a huge contribution to the state of South Africa’s environment,” says Humphrey Le Grice, Manager of the Mazda Wildlife Fund.

Tuttle-Click Mazda is proud to be affiliated with a company that is doing so much good in this world.  For more information, please visit the Mazda Wildlife Fund online.

The value of the automobile in 2011.

by Brian Kadar

We wake up every morning, and generally within five minutes we have our cell phones and blackberries in our hands. We check our facebook status, email, text messages, blogs, twitter accounts, craigslist, ebay, and everything in between. We have become a society wrapped around our technology that follows us in every step we take. We spend most of our lives at work, in social gatherings, or in our modes of transportation.

The automobile world has been grabbed at the neck and thrown into this new world where we simply do not want to go from point a to point b, but we want to stimulate our minds as much as our concentration and the laws will allow.

Mazda has come to realize this ideology and has embraced the force at the horns. Being one of the leaders in automobile technology has allowed Mazda to gain in popularity unlike any brand in recent years. To list some specific examples:   listening to your music wirelessly right off your ipod, complete dynamic stability control when your mind is thinking about who is tagging you in a facebook picture, or headlights that move to light up beyond the next corner.

Your dollar has gone from what once was how you bought things around you, to something that can now “complete” you. Mazda is ahead of the curve with newer technology coming out every day, and as soon as the tests prove it should be installed a Mazda, we will bet the next time you visit  us in Irvine, you will see the technology first hand.

Zoom – Zoom.

Mazda’s New Certified Pre-Owned Program: You And Your Perfect Ride!

Mazda today announced the launch of a NEW Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program designed to maximize the value of a pre-owned Mazda, ease customers’ pre-owned vehicle buying experience and lower customers’ cost of ownership. Under the program, Mazda dealers will follow a rigorous multi-point inspection and reconditioning program to ensure that Certified vehicles are as close to the quality of a new car as possible, and Mazda will offer warranty protection over and above any existing factory warranty.

All 2006-2010 Mazda cars, SUVs and trucks with less than 60,000 miles are eligible for the program, as long as they meet the rigorous standards for quality.

“Mazda’s new Certified Pre-Owned program is designed expressly to make the process easy and affordable for customers shopping for a high-quality pre-owned vehicle,” said Ron Stettner, VP, Sales, for MNAO.  ”As Mazda was recently recognized by ALG for holding one of the highest residual values in the industry, our new CPO program allows us to provide a never-before-offered level of warranty security that goes with the value for money already packaged into every new Mazda.”

CPO vehicles will be identified on dealers’ lots by point-of-sale materials which will outline the warranty details and program benefits.  Every Mazda CPO vehicle will offer either the remaining balance of the factory warranty or an additional 12-month/12,000-mile comprehensive warranty, as well as a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.  As with all new-car Mazda warranties, there is no deductible or co-pay for warrantable repairs.

Additionally, all CPO vehicles receive roadside assistance at no extra cost, for the balance of the powertrain warranty period, which covers flat-tire changing, battery-jump, lock-out and fuel delivery.

What does this mean for you? There are simply more Mazdas available now with both piece of mind and Zoom Zoom!