Here is how some of the fine folks at Checkered Flag are spending the holiday.

Ramel Felton, parts associate, Checkered Flag Honda: I also work at Waterside in downtown Norfolk, so I will be working there on the 4th from 7pm to 3am. There is a lot going on there. And then on Saturday, I come in for work here. It is not too much of a holiday for me (laughs).

Freddie Edmond, rental agent, Checkered Flag Toyota/Scion Rent-A-Car: I am going to have a cookout/barbeque with everyone (smiles)! And then for the rest of the weekend I will be working here.

Kourtney Pulliam, receptionist, Checkered Flag MINI: We go over to see my grandma and we have a cookout there with all of my aunts, uncles and cousins. And after that I think we will go to Mt. Trashmore for the fireworks.

RT Ives Jr., assistant service manager, Checkered Flag Hyundai: I have the whole day planned out and I can tell you my entire schedule! Starting at 10:50, I am gonna take my daughter to see the Hulk. Then we are going shopping at Lynnhaven Mall for some shoes. After that we are picking up her boyfriend...a party here, and a party there. And then finally, I am going on a date with my wife to watch Sex and The City.

FYI: Operation hours are little different for today. Sales departments are open from 9am-6pm. Service departments are closed for the day, but it goes back to normal tomorrow. Have a great holiday. Be safe and see you on Monday!

Did you see The Virginian Pilot today? Well, if not grab a copy. For weeks now, we here at the Checkered Blog have had fuel efficiency on our minds, especially with our Unsung Heroes series. It seems that the Pilot does too, and guess what...in article today they featured members of the Checkered Flag Honda sales team! Check out the pictures below. Cheers to Checkered Flag Honda new car sales manager Paul Sudo and salesman John Hall! You guys look great. Visit these famous faces at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 East Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111.

The Scion xB is possibly one of the most attention grabbing vehicles on the road. You cannot miss its distinctive shape. What you may not automatically associate with it, is fuel efficiency. We will get into that in just a bit.

I stopped by Checkered Flag Toyota/Scion the other day to get a closer look at this very hip car. Sales associate Ryan Allen (who is always a big help in answering all my Toyota/Scion questions) showed me the xB (starting at $16,370). He even took me around for a short drive around the boulevard in one. First thing that caught my attention about the xB was of course its boxy form. But I was also impressed its generous amount of interior space. Ryan who stands around 6-feet tall sat cozy in both driver and back passenger seats. With the 60/40 split rear seats that fold flat, there is plenty of cargo space. The xB is also equipped with a standard Pioneer AM/FM/CD audio system and has iPod compatibility or auxiliary port. Conveniently, the xB also has steering wheel mounted audio controls.

During our drive, I was surprised by how smooth and quiet the xB rides. Under its hood the xB has a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine. It is the same engine found in the Scion tC and the Toyota Camry. The Scion Drive Monitor is also a great feature. Sitting at the top of the dash, the monitor displays your driving time, range, fuel consumption, outside temperature, and even average speed. All of which are very important when it comes to fuel efficiency. So how does the xB measure up with miles per gallon? Quite good. It gets 28 miles on the highway, and 22 city. With its 14 gallon tank, you have your hands on around 400 highway miles.

The xB has a bevy of safety features including: driver and front passenger airbags; front and rear side curtain airbags; direct tire pressure monitor system; Vehicle Stability Control (VSC); Anti-lock Brakes (ABS); First Aid Kit; and more.

Scion also offers plenty of accessory options ranging from a navigation system to DVD headrest monitors. The very long list of options can be found here. Also check out Optimize (Scion accessories and apparel program). There you will find an enormous selection of accessories to customize the xB.

Like always, I suggest seeing the xB in person. Visit Ryan and the sales team at Checkered Flag Toyota/Scion, 5193 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or call (757)-490-1111 for more information.

What is hard on the outside, but soft on this inside? The smart car. There has been a lot of excitement about this very unique car lately. I have to admit every time I see one driving by, I have to take a second look. The smart fortwo has caused a frenzy with drivers because of its small vehicle design and of course, its stellar fuel efficiency, but some of you may still have questions about its safety. At just 8.8  feet long and weighing in at about 1,800 lbs, can the smart Fortwo withstand an impact with much larger cars?

There is a nifty display at smart center Virginia Beach that shows exactly what the Fortwo is made of. They call it the tridion safety shell, and it is based on the idea of a nut. Yes, a nut. Just like how a nut is protected by its hard outer shell, Fortwo occupants are protected by the hard tridion steel cage. The tridion safety shell is made of longitudinal and transverse structural members that absorb energy in the event of a collision, and help protect passengers from injury. Like we mentioned in an earlier blog, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released their crash test results a few months ago and gave the Fortwo a top rating of ?good? for front and side crash protection. To read more about the results visit here. 

The tridion frame alone weighs 900 lbs, and I found out yesterday that it took 6 very strong men to carry the display inside (pictures are posted below, thank you to the folks at smart center Virginia Beach for sharing them with us.) Great work guys! Admire their hard work by visiting smart center Virginia Beach, 5193 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or for more information call (757) 490-1111.

I listen to a local radio station during my drive to work, and for the past few weeks now, they have had a contest where listeners can call in to play for FREE gas cards that are worth as much as $500. Needless to say, tons of callers from all over Hampton Roads phone in throughout the day yearning for these gas cards. Just the other day, a woman won a gas card worth $463! Who would not want to be her right now? I am sure all of us would love to get our hands on these gas cards. But for those of us who are not as lucky, we are still undoubtedly thinking about how to save at the gas pumps. So with that in thought, let us continue our fuel efficiency series with the Unsung Hero for today, the Volkswagen Eos.

With the gorgeous smoke-free weather we have today, I thought it was only appropriate to go outside to see the Eos. Jim Hanrahan, a sales consultant at Checkered Flag Volkswagen, was very kind to spend a few minutes showing me the Eos. If you are wondering about the peculiar name, Jim explains that Eos (pronounced E-Oh-ss and not the letters E-O-S) was the Greek goddess of the dawn who rode a horse-drawn chariot every morning to mark a new day. The name fits because the Eos is a four-seater hardtop convertible, and Jim says it is the only hardtop convertible with a sunroof. VW calls it the CSC (coupe-sunroof-convertible). Jim demonstrated the different Eos roof configurations. With the push of a button, the roof retracts in about 25 seconds. The whole roof-retracting process is definitely something to see. I was also particularly impressed by the size of the sunroof. It spans almost the entire width of the roof. The versatility of the Eos is a big plus. Most people associate convertibles with summer and warm weather, but the Eos hardtop makes it a vehicle for all seasons. 

While the hardtop is the obvious highlight of the Eos, it does have more to offer including great fuel efficiency. On its 15 gallon tank, the Eos gets can get 30 highway miles, and 21 city. That gives you about 450 highway miles per tank. There are two engine choices on the Eos: a 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (the same engine on the Passat and Audi A3), or a 250-hp 3.2L V6.

The Eos is available in four trims: Turbo (starting at $28,990), Komfort, Lux, and VR6. Each trim offers a ton of great features, I listed a few that caught my attention. For the full list visit here. The base Turbo includes eight-speaker AM/FM stereo with in-dash CD player and Aux input; V-Tex leatherette comfort seats with Microtech; and 8-way adjustable front seats with lumbar support. Step up with the Komfort and it adds: Dual-zone Climatronic Climate Control; 12-way power driver seat with easy entry function, front heatable seats; multi-function trip computer; and center console with footwell ambient lighting. The Lux trim includes: leather comfort seats; automatic headlights; rain sensing windshield wipers; and a multifunction leather wrapped steering wheel. The VR6 has all the goodies found on the Lux plus: HomeLink; leather sport seats; Triptronic control paddles on steering wheel; and a Chrome front grille.

Overall, the Eos is an attractive vehicle that gets attention. Jim mentioned that he drove an Eos out to dinner with his wife, and people were so curious about the car, because it was something they had not ever seen before. Enjoy the weather outside (while the smoke is on vacation) by seeing the Eos at Checkered Flag Volkswagen, 3025 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or call (757) 490-1111.

Not only is the Tiguan an Unsung Hero of Gas Mileage, an affordable Sport "Ute", but it is now famous because Christine Robertson (eMarketing Coordinator) has made it so - check it out:

Every Sunday afternoon, I begin to gear myself up for Monday morning and the new work week. My routine usually involves making a trip to a gas station for a fill up. Yesterday, I found myself wandering the streets of Virginia Beach looking for the cheapest gas I could find. Admit it, you do it too. Websites like Gasbuddy.com were designed for us fuel bargain shoppers who seek out the stations offering the lowest prices. But searching for these coveted gas stations can get pretty time-consuming and may even defeat the purpose if you end up driving more (i.e. using more fuel) to get there. Getting the most mileage possible per tank is all the rage these days, but it does require a bit of thinking. There are a lot of gas saving advice out there, and it may be hard to separate the rubbish from what really works. Rest assure, the tips I bring to you today come from reliable sources.

I poked my head around at the Checkered Flag Toyota service department, and Teeia Young, the assistant service manager, gave me some good advice (which of course I am sharing with you). Teeia says one of the easiest and guaranteed ways to increase your fuel economy (and ease the hit on your pocketbook) is to regularly maintain your vehicle. Regular maintenance can mean improvement of a few miles per gallon and that adds up. The EPA agrees. They estimate that drivers can save up to $690 (based on a 16-gallon fuel tank refilled once a week) by having routine maintenance.

Teeia says she has noticed an increase in customers voicing their concerns about fuel efficiency, and here are a few suggested maintenance tips:

Keep your engine in tune: A properly tuned engine will lower fuel costs. Regular maintenance checks will catch dirty or worn down spark plugs and wires. Having a service technician regularly inspect your ignition system can prevent poor performance and reduced fuel efficiency. Also, according the U.S. Department of Energy, fixing a car that is out of tune can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent.

Keep up with recommended oil changes: Getting your oil changed on a regular basis not only improves fuel economy, but it increases the life of your engine too. Dirty oil makes the engine work harder, and a harder working burns more fuel. Replacing the fuel filter is also suggested. A clogged fuel filter means less gas is flowing to the engine, which then causes you to step harder on the gas pedal.

Check and replace air filters: Air filters are just as important. Dirty air filters prevent an engine from breathing properly. When the engine has trouble breathing, it has to work harder, which means its needs more fuel. Air filters also help protect the inside of the engine from impurities, so it is a good idea to replace them regularly.

Along with those tips, Teeia also suggests to maintain correct tire pressure and to use cruise control whenever possible. The Checkered Blog would like to recognize Teeia Young, Karen Freytag, Connie Evans-Zgrodek, Bonnie La Rowe, Aaren Rainey (all pictured here) and the entire Toyota service team for keeping our vehicles in tip-top shape! Hats off to the service teams at all Checkered Flag locations! For more tips or services visit Teeia and the service department team at, Checkered Flag Toyota, 5301 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or to schedule an appointment at any of the Checkered Flag service center locations call (757) 490-1111.

This friendly mom and her very energetic 2 ½ year old toddler, Lorenzo, were playing in the kids zone at Checkered Flag Honda today, while her 2005 Accord was being serviced. Bringing in her car for maintenance was just one of the many things Alma has on her to-do-list before traveling to Puerto Rico to visit family. While Lorenzo kept busy with all the fun toys, Alma spent a few minutes chatting with the Checkered Blog.

CF: Where do you live in Hampton Roads?
Alma: Portsmouth. We come to Checkered Flag because the space is cozy, and this kids zone area is good for my son. There are toys and it is closed off, so he can scream as loud as he wants without bothering anyone (smiles).

CF: Aside from keeping up with Lorenzo, what else do you like to do?
Alma: I do a lot of reading, and a spend a lot of time at church. I love to go shopping! (Laughs) Unfortunately, I can not always do that.

CF: Where is your favorite place to eat?
Alma: Atlas Oyster in Pensacola, Florida. That was the best food I have ever had in my life. Around here...oh, Volcano Sushi. Their Bento Box is such a great deal. Anyone who has been there will know what I am talking about.

CF: What is in your MP3 player or CD player right now?
Alma: (Laughs) Oh, gosh. I have a 6-Disc changer. Hmm, I have Hill Song, Israel and New Breed...Joyce Meyer is number 4, and then Reliant K and Sarah Groves are 5 and 6.

CF: What is the latest movie you have seen?
Alma: Prince Caspian and I loved it. I loved Narnia too.

CF: What pets do you have?
Alma: No pets. My son keeps me busy enough and taking care of a pet would be like having another kid (laughs). Maybe, we will get a goldfish because that is low maintenance.

CF: What is the one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
Alma: I was once in a band called Bachata Mambo. Bachata is a genre of music from the Dominican Republic. I sang.

CF: What is one invention you could not live without?
Alma: I am not going to say the microwave (laughs). But actually, it is probably the microwave. It is just so convenient. And can you imagine, without it Hot Pockets would take like 25 minutes in the oven!

CF: What is the best thing about being a Checkered Flag customer?
Alma: Customer service. From as soon as you walk in someone always greets you. The people at the counter are very nice, and they are flexible in working with you. Also there was one time, and I will not ever forget this...it was raining hard outside, and a Checkered Flag employee walked me and my son out to our car with an umbrella. The service is just really wonderful. You do not get that anywhere else.