Team Toyota strikes again!

Amy Purdy's inspiring story of triumph over tragedy is a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. What have you overcome in life? #TeamToyota

Car washing tip: How often should I wash my car?

Every 1-2 weeks. If your car is exposed to corrosive materials like salt, sand and industrial fallout, it should be washed often. Frequently washing your car is essential to the life of your car’s chrome and painted surfaces. Of course, these estimates may vary depending upon whether your car is kept in a garage or outside. Your neighbors or your sprinklers may be the single worst enemy for your car’s paint if your car is parked in the driveway or outside.

Courtesy of: Autowash

Monday Driving Tip - Park in the shade!

Of course, a garage is always the ideal place to park your car. But if one isn’t available, minimize interior damage from UV sunlight and heat by always trying to park your car in the shade. If no shade is available or if you find parking under a tree results in bird droppings, use a car shade to minimize the sun’s impact.

Toyota Awards Scholarships to 20 Asian Pacific Islander Students from Southern California

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. awarded scholarships to 20 Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) students from the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines at its second annual awards dinner and reception at the Toyota Automotive Museum on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.  The scholarships were given in partnership with the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF).

The scholarships provide recipients with $2,500 towards a degree in a STEM field. These 20 selected students trace their heritage to seven different countries in the Asia Pacific Island (API) region, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Cambodia, Korea and Pakistan.  Students were also awarded a proclamation from their respective local governmental officials.

The focus on Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) students originates from their need of resources to access higher education, which serves as a foundation for their future success and contributions to a stronger America.  The students heard about the program through APIASF, “the nation’s largest 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides college scholarships to” APIAs.  They were encouraged to apply to the program by school and college counselors.

With intended majors ranging from biomedical sciences to electrical engineering and school selections from UCLA to Cal Poly Pomona, students were thankful for the scholarships while already expressing desires to give back to their communities.

Scholarship recipient Jose Rabaino from Carson Senior High School said, “With the scholarship, it is very likely I will be able to go to” the college of my choice. “The [Toyota/APIASF] Scholarship will help me achieve my life goals and dreams. For that, I am extremely thankful.”  He plans to study computer science.

TMS Group Vice President and CFO Tracey Doi also attended the event.  Doi is an advocate of Toyota Asian American Society in Alliance (TAASiA), an employee resource group that represents the diverse Asian American cultures and heritages within Toyota and the community.

"Our twenty extraordinary scholars were selected from a pool of over 7,200 applicants,” said Doi.  “Toyota is proud to celebrate their outstanding academic achievements and community service.   Clearly these scholars demonstrate the drive, passion and courage to become our next generation of leaders."

In addition to Doi, Toyota Vice Presidents Karen Ideno, Wei Shi, and Alok Vaish participated in a panel reflecting upon “What I would tell my younger self?" These top executives are well-positioned to provide insight to the young scholars as TAASiA continuously leverages the strength of a growing population within Toyota to foster an environment and corporate culture of diversity and inclusion.

Courtesy of: Toyota Newsroom

Summer Road Trip Tip - Take the scenic route!

Life really is about the journey, so for Pete's sake, have some fun on your trip. If you're particularly confident in your navigator (or navigation system), consider taking the more picturesque side roads instead of broad, mind-numbing interstates that may be packed with big rigs and holiday travelers. Pad your trip with extra time so that you can stop at historical landmarks, soak in the beauty of natural landmarks or enjoy a picnic.

Courtesy of: Edmunds.com

Check out our latest 5-star review on DealerRater. Way to go, Keith!

"My wife and I had been looking to trade in our 2008 Dodge Caliber and upgrade to an SUV. Upon arrival at Day Toyota, we were greeted by Keith Kosinski and he proceeded to provide phenomenal customer service throughout our vehicle courtship, even knowing that we were only looking at the time. Upon test driving multiple vehicles, we settled on a 2013 Toyota Rav 4 XLE and Keith worked with us to ensure that we received an outstanding price. Upon learning of my military service, Keith and the Sales Manager made a great deal even better, which sold us on the vehicle. Throughout the process, from our exploratory phase through driving the vehicle off the lot, Keith and the entire team at Day Toyota provided superior customer service. Given that we now own two Toyotas (Rav 4 and a 2008 Corolla), all our current vehicle maintenance will occur at Day and we will highly recommend the Keith and the dealership to all our friends and family. Thanks again Keith!" -Aaron & Tricia

Find more fantastic reviews here.

Keep Your Toyota a Toyota

You wouldn't use just any housekeeper, would you? See how our team of hyper-caring experts can keep your Toyota exactly the way it was meant to be.

Toyota to Serenade Hispanic Moms for Mother’s Day

Flowers, jewelry, brunch and cards are usually par for the course on Mother’s Day.  Today, Toyota shared a new way for Hispanic families to show their love and affection for moms everywhere, through a social effort dubbed “Serenata para Mamá” (Serenade a Mom).  The initiative, a first-of-its-kind effort, delivers a virtual, personalized e-video serenade and will be hosted on Facebook Toyota Latino, from May 7 - 31.

"Mother’s Day is an emotional day of celebration and we wanted to give people in the Latino community a special way of showing moms their love,” said Monica Peterson, national manager of Toyota Social Media. “Our intention is to provide a unique social experience that will inspire genuine conversations with the Toyota brand and among our guests, while giving moms the admiration they deserve.”

When users visit http://www.singformymom.com on mobile or desktop, they will see a video of the band Mariachi Monumental de America. Members of the band will begin calling out instructions for guests to “pick a song” and “give us a name.” Once the information is provided, the band will exit the frame and the singer will walk on and dedicate the song to the name that was entered. The band then re-enters the frame and begins playing the selected song. The videos can then be shared on Facebook, Twitter or via e-mail.

Mother’s Day Serenade will use the hashtag #paramamá and will be featured across all Toyota digital channels, including Toyota.com, Toyota in Action, Facebook and Twitter Toyota Latino influencer/blogger outreach program, as well as other Toyota USA channels.  This social celebration of Mother’s Day was developed in collaboration with Conill, Toyota’s Hispanic marketing partner.

“We felt the serenade theme combined with social platforms struck the right chord between the world of today and Latino heritage,” said Conill Executive Creative Director Ross Ludwig. “It’s a great way of helping people express their feelings in an authentic way.”

Courtesy of: Toyota Newsroom

Calling all Penguins fans!

Do you have the PensPoints application on your smart phone? If so, make sure to stop by Day Toyota between now and May 30th to test drive any vehicle and earn 200 points that can be used toward team merchandise, tickets and many other great prizes!

You will also get a Limited Edition Toyota/Penguins T-Shirt when you take a test drive!

Go Penguins!