We are so very excited and proud to announce that a great customer, friend and business partner of Keeler Motor Car, Anthony Carona, was appointed as the Director of Executive Services for the Business Council of New York State, Inc. Congratulations Anthony! Official press release after the jump.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Counterfeit air bags called 'extreme safety risk'
This
is one of the many reasons why car owners should have their vehicles
serviced and their body work done at
an authorized dealership with factory trained professionals. Keeler
Motor Car Company follows all manufacturer's guidelines when repairing
your Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, MINI, smart and Sprinter
vehicles.
[Source: MSN Money]
Counterfeit air bags called 'extreme safety risk'
Most at risk are motorists who have had their airbags replaced over the past three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials said.
Only 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet — about 250,000 cars on the road — are makes and models for which counterfeit airbags are known to be available, NHTSA said. Auto industry officials briefed by the agency said they were told that tens of thousands of car owners may be driving vehicles with counterfeit airbags.
In government tests last month of 11 counterfeit bags, 10 didn't inflate or failed to inflate properly. In one test, a counterfeit bag shot flames and shards of metal shrapnel at a crash dummy instead of inflating, said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, who showed a video of the test at a news conference.
"It is an extreme safety risk," he said.
NHTSA is asking car owners to check a government website, www.Safercar.gov, for information on how to contact auto manufacturer call centers to learn if their vehicle model is among those for which counterfeit airbags are known to have been made.
No deaths or injuries have been tied to the counterfeit bags, NHTSA said. But it's unclear whether police accident investigators would be able to identify a counterfeit bag from a genuine one, industry officials said.
About 1.5 million airbags are deployed each year in police-reported tow-away crashes, Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said.
"Airbags save several thousands of lives annually. But they can't save lives if they have not been repaired properly," he said.
NHTSA has compiled a list of dozens of vehicle makes and models for which counterfeit airbags may be available, but the agency cautioned that the full scope of the problem isn't clear yet and the list is expected to "evolve over time."
If a car model is on the list and has had its airbags replaced during the past three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership, NHTSA is asking owners to take the vehicle into a dealership or repair shop to be inspected at their own expense to determine whether the replaced airbags are counterfeit.
Fees for checking out airbags — a complex and technical process — could run between $100 to $200, said Bailey Wood, a spokesman for the National Automobile Dealers Association, said. The cost of replacing a driver's side center column airbag is $750 to $1,000, he said. Other airbags may be more, he said. Some types of cars have as many as eight airbags.
The problem isn't the result of a manufacturing defect by automakers and isn't a recall, NHTSA and industry officials said.
"The bad actor here is the counterfeiters," Wood said. "Because of that, the cost to have an airbag evaluated and possibly replaced is going to be borne by the consumer."
The counterfeit bags typically look like airbags made by automakers and usually include a manufacturer's logo. Government investigators believe many of the bags come from China, an industry official said.
The bags are marketed to auto repair and body shops as the real deal, industry officials said. Auto dealerships that operate their own body shops are usually required by their franchise agreements to buy their parts, including airbags, directly from automakers and therefore are unlikely to have installed counterfeit bags, industry officials said.
But only 37 percent of auto dealers have their own body shops, according to the automobile dealers association. Many consumers whose vehicles have been damaged are referred by their insurance companies to auto body shops that aren't affiliated with an automaker.
Consumers who bought replacement airbags online or who have purchased a used car that may have its airbags replaced in the past three years were also asked to check NHTSA's list.
Counterfeiting of a wide variety of auto parts has long been a well-known problem, industry officials said. But recent incidents have escalated concern by government officials. In August, federal agents confiscated nearly 1,600 counterfeit airbags and arrested a North Carolina auto mechanic, according to a report by the Charlotte Observer. The mechanic was tied by federal officials to another counterfeit airbag case last year in Tennessee, the report said.
Dai Zhensong, a Chinese citizen, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Chattanooga, Tenn., last February to 37 months in prison for trafficking in counterfeit airbags, according to a statement made at the time by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Zhensong was a part owner and manager of the international department of Guangzhou Auto Parts, which made a variety of auto parts, many of which were counterfeit, the statement said. In 2010, he traveled from China to Chattanooga to sell additional counterfeit airbags and other auto parts.
The counterfeit airbags were manufactured by purchasing genuine auto airbags that were torn down and used to make molds to produce the counterfeit bags. Trademark emblems were purchased through Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW and other dealerships located in China and affixed to the counterfeit airbags. The airbags were advertised on the Guangzhou Auto Parts website and sold for approximately $50 to $70 each, far below the value of an authentic airbag, the statement said.
About 2,500 counterfeit airbags have been seized by law enforcement authorities so far this year, John Morton, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told reporters. Investigations are under way in several locations around the country, and further arrests and seizures are expected, he said.
___
[Source: MSN Money]
Counterfeit air bags called 'extreme safety risk'
October 10, 2012 2:55 PM ET
WASHINGTON
(AP) - Thousands of motorists may be driving cars and trucks installed
with dangerous counterfeit bags and they should have them replaced at
their own expense, the Obama administration warned Wednesday.Most at risk are motorists who have had their airbags replaced over the past three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials said.
Only 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet — about 250,000 cars on the road — are makes and models for which counterfeit airbags are known to be available, NHTSA said. Auto industry officials briefed by the agency said they were told that tens of thousands of car owners may be driving vehicles with counterfeit airbags.
In government tests last month of 11 counterfeit bags, 10 didn't inflate or failed to inflate properly. In one test, a counterfeit bag shot flames and shards of metal shrapnel at a crash dummy instead of inflating, said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, who showed a video of the test at a news conference.
"It is an extreme safety risk," he said.
NHTSA is asking car owners to check a government website, www.Safercar.gov, for information on how to contact auto manufacturer call centers to learn if their vehicle model is among those for which counterfeit airbags are known to have been made.
No deaths or injuries have been tied to the counterfeit bags, NHTSA said. But it's unclear whether police accident investigators would be able to identify a counterfeit bag from a genuine one, industry officials said.
About 1.5 million airbags are deployed each year in police-reported tow-away crashes, Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said.
"Airbags save several thousands of lives annually. But they can't save lives if they have not been repaired properly," he said.
NHTSA has compiled a list of dozens of vehicle makes and models for which counterfeit airbags may be available, but the agency cautioned that the full scope of the problem isn't clear yet and the list is expected to "evolve over time."
If a car model is on the list and has had its airbags replaced during the past three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership, NHTSA is asking owners to take the vehicle into a dealership or repair shop to be inspected at their own expense to determine whether the replaced airbags are counterfeit.
Fees for checking out airbags — a complex and technical process — could run between $100 to $200, said Bailey Wood, a spokesman for the National Automobile Dealers Association, said. The cost of replacing a driver's side center column airbag is $750 to $1,000, he said. Other airbags may be more, he said. Some types of cars have as many as eight airbags.
The problem isn't the result of a manufacturing defect by automakers and isn't a recall, NHTSA and industry officials said.
"The bad actor here is the counterfeiters," Wood said. "Because of that, the cost to have an airbag evaluated and possibly replaced is going to be borne by the consumer."
The counterfeit bags typically look like airbags made by automakers and usually include a manufacturer's logo. Government investigators believe many of the bags come from China, an industry official said.
The bags are marketed to auto repair and body shops as the real deal, industry officials said. Auto dealerships that operate their own body shops are usually required by their franchise agreements to buy their parts, including airbags, directly from automakers and therefore are unlikely to have installed counterfeit bags, industry officials said.
But only 37 percent of auto dealers have their own body shops, according to the automobile dealers association. Many consumers whose vehicles have been damaged are referred by their insurance companies to auto body shops that aren't affiliated with an automaker.
Consumers who bought replacement airbags online or who have purchased a used car that may have its airbags replaced in the past three years were also asked to check NHTSA's list.
Counterfeiting of a wide variety of auto parts has long been a well-known problem, industry officials said. But recent incidents have escalated concern by government officials. In August, federal agents confiscated nearly 1,600 counterfeit airbags and arrested a North Carolina auto mechanic, according to a report by the Charlotte Observer. The mechanic was tied by federal officials to another counterfeit airbag case last year in Tennessee, the report said.
Dai Zhensong, a Chinese citizen, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Chattanooga, Tenn., last February to 37 months in prison for trafficking in counterfeit airbags, according to a statement made at the time by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Zhensong was a part owner and manager of the international department of Guangzhou Auto Parts, which made a variety of auto parts, many of which were counterfeit, the statement said. In 2010, he traveled from China to Chattanooga to sell additional counterfeit airbags and other auto parts.
The counterfeit airbags were manufactured by purchasing genuine auto airbags that were torn down and used to make molds to produce the counterfeit bags. Trademark emblems were purchased through Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW and other dealerships located in China and affixed to the counterfeit airbags. The airbags were advertised on the Guangzhou Auto Parts website and sold for approximately $50 to $70 each, far below the value of an authentic airbag, the statement said.
About 2,500 counterfeit airbags have been seized by law enforcement authorities so far this year, John Morton, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told reporters. Investigations are under way in several locations around the country, and further arrests and seizures are expected, he said.
___
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Keeler Motor Car proudly sponsoring the September 29th Aids Council AIDSWalk
Keeler Motor Car Company is proud to announce it's sponsorship of the Social-Lite Walkers & Team Captain, Anthony Carona, for the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York's AIDSWalk scheduled for September 29, 2012 in Washington Park in Albany, New York.
The Capital Region's AIDSWalk unites more than 2000 people to raise money for local AIDS service organizations - including the AIDS Council. AIDSWalk is an important community event as it reminds our friends, neighbors, family, children and community leaders that AIDS is still here, there is still no cure and together we can help fight AIDS and one day stop it in its tracks!
Anyone who wishes to donate to the Social-Lite Walkers can do so easily, securely and directly online through the AIDS Council. Just click here!
Are you interested in joining the Social-Lite Walkers and participate in the AIDSWalk? Click here to register and join in what promises to be a very FUN walk!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Keeler Motor Car Company is proud to present the newest member of our family - Sprinter
We are pleased to announce that Keeler Motor Car is now a Sprinter Dealer. Sprinter is the commercial vehicle line of
Mercedes-Benz. We expect to have inventory to test drive late next
week. For information on the Sprinter line click here or you
can contact Rich Fortune, our Sprinter Manager, at 800-474-4197 ext. 122.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Keeler Motor Car Company and Northeastern Fine Jewelry partner to offer the all-new 2012 Travers Stakes Crown Jewel Experience
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Keeler Motor Car Company and Northeastern Fine Jewelry partner to
offer the all-new 2012 Travers Stakes Crown Jewel Experience
Keeler Motor Car Company and Northeastern Fine Jewelry will offer racing fans the chance to experience the
Travers Stakes in style with the all-new 2012
Travers Stakes Crown Jewel Experience.
The
luxury prize package includes: Clubhouse box
seating and luncheon for two on Travers Day, August 25; two-night
accommodations at The Saratoga Hilton on August 24 and 25; a prepaid two-year
lease of a Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe from Keeler Motor Car Company; an 18 karat
pendant from the Simon G Embrace collection with a retail value of $2,200 from
Northeastern Fine Jewelry; and a $100 gift card to Saratoga Springs restaurant
Maestro’s at the Van Dam.
Fans can enter to win by liking the Keeler
Motor Car Company Facebook page at www.facebook.com/keelermotorcar or the NEFJ
Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NEFJewelry. Participants can then register for the
contest on either of the Facebook pages through August 20. The winner will be
notified in the days leading up to the Grade 1, $1 million Travers on Saturday,
August 25. No
purchase is necessary; must be 18 years or older to enter.
Keeler Motor Car and Northeastern
Fine Jewelry will be on track at Saratoga Race Course on Friday, August 3
through Sunday, August 5. Keeler Motor Car will be located outside the
clubhouse gates and will feature the following cars on display; 2013 SLS AMG, 2013 CLS 550 and a 2013 C250 Coupe.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Keeler Motor Car Company in Latham, NY to host weekend Summer Fun & Safety Celebration Events
KeelerMotor Car Company in Latham, New York will be hosting events this Friday, July
27th and Saturday July, 28th to promote Summer Fun &
Safety in the Capital Region.
This
Friday, July 27th, Keeler Motor Car will be hosting College Day at
Saratoga Race Course. All college students who show their college IDs will be
eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship after each race plus many other prizes.
On
Saturday, July 28th from 12pm to 4pm, join Keeler Motor Car on their
campus at 1111 Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham for giveaways every 15 minutes,
including Great Escape passes, movie passes, golf passes, restaurant gift certificates
and much more. Plus enjoy a free BBQ from L.T.’s Grill. The National Center forMissing and Exploited Children will also be on the Keeler campus. Parents are
encouraged to bring their children to receive child I.D. safety kits and to
also I.D. their children. Members of the Verdoy Fire Department will also be in
attendance with one of their fire trucks for the children to enjoy.
For one day
only on Saturday, July 28th, Keeler Motor Car will also have great
savings on every vehicle in stock. Lease a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC Sedan
for $229 a month, or a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 for $269 a month. Select
Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-owned vehicles are available at 0.99% APR financing
up to 36 months. The 2012 MINI Cooper Hardtop will be available for $199 a
month and the 2013 smart fortwo pure coupe at $99 a month. Select MINI models
will also have 0.9% APR financing available up to 60 months. Purchase a 2009
BMW 328i xDrive Sedan for $25,000 or a 2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i for $34,500.
KeelerMotor Car Company’s outstanding family of cars, their customer service and
unmatched reputation in the Capital Region brings clients back time and time
again. They have also been voted 4 years in a row by Times Union readers as
Best Dealer in the Capital Region. Join Keeler Motor Car at one of their events
this weekend and see for yourself why people say “My Dealer is Keeler.”
Friday, June 29, 2012
2012 Honda Civic voted Top Ten Best Green Car by Kelley Blue Book
According to Kelley Blue Book, this year’s Honda Civic ranked as one of the top
ten best green cars of 2012. This is great news for all consumers,
especially given the rise in the cost of fuel. Even though the new sedan
is extremely fuel efficient, this was not enough to win the ranking.
Other qualities such as comfort, general features and of course,
consumer value helped to rank the auto amongst the top ten.
According to
Art St. Cyr, vice president of corporate planning for American Honda,
“The 2012 Honda Civic sedan is the complete package for any consumer,
and one that also provides a host of fuel-efficient powertrain options.
We’re delighted that Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com editors acknowledged the
most versatile offering in the class.”
When the
editors of Kelley Blue Book were asked about their Honda choice, they
said, “The Civic has long been the vanilla ice cream of compact sedans;
it’s easy to fall back on due to its remarkable reliability and
exceptional value. But for 2012, the Civic has evolved into more of a
Neapolitan option as it presents a choice of three different engine
types: gasoline, natural gas and hybrid gas/electric. Considering all of
them achieve nearly 40 highway mpg or better, the Civic is an excellent
choice no matter what flavor you pick.”
Click here to take a look at Keeler Honda Civic inventory. Or you can always stop in and take a test drive! Keeler Honda is located at 1111 Troy-Schenectady Rd. in Latham, NY.
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