Helping Hands...

Harte Infiniti salutes the fine work of The Helping Hands of America Foundation, which supports such organizations as Meals On Wheels, The ALS Association's New England Chapter, and The Association of Blind Citizens by helping individuals liquidate their unwanted vehicles and receive a tax deduction for their market value.

Helping Hands of America will pick up your donation and make sure you receive all the necessary paperwork to claim your deduction. For more information, call 888 881 9090, or Harte Infiniti. Pictured here is New England Regional Manager Kathy Reagan and Harte Infiniti Sales Representative Sean Dyer. You can find out more about Helping Hands of America on Facebook, or at helpinghandsofamerica.org

Gold...

Harte Infiniti at sunset, July 6, 2011

Infiniti Parts...Excellent !

Harte Infiniti Parts Manager Ho Ling Yee accepts the Infiniti Award of Excellence on behalf of the parts department. Also pictured are Mr. Greg Harte and Infiniti Northeast Region Dealer Operations Representative Mr. Greg Bath. Congratulations to Ho and his consistently excellent team !!

The 2006 FX45

Still nothing on the road like it !!

Weekend Update

State Police are trying to keep Connecticut's roads and highways safe through the holiday weekend by setting up sobriety checkpoints and by having more officers patrolling the streets.
Police amped up their coverage of the state's roads and highways at midnight July 1. Since then, police have investigated 256 accidents. Thirty-five of those accidents resulted in injuries. There have been no fatalities.
Police have also issued 127 tickets regarding seat belts, 1,649 speeding tickets and have arrested 69 people for drunk driving.

Source: Amanda Falcone / Hartford Courant

The Infiniti Safety Shield

Safety is a key factor in every driver's vehicle selection. The Infiniti Safety Shield breaks down the driving experience into six stages.

The first stage is NORMAL DRIVING. This represents the vast majority of time that a driver spends behind the wheel. The safest drivers are those who are completely at ease in their vehicle, able to see their surroundings, and effortlessly operate every needed control. Good ergonomics will create a condition where the driver's relationship to the vehicle will contribute to safe, comfortable driving. Critical ergonomic elements include seating, wheel and pedal positioning, outward visibility, and controls.

The second stage is RISK APPEARS. Many of the same systems that make normal driving safe and pleasant can play a role if the driver encounters risk. Some additional systems such as Vehicle Dynamic Control, Anti Lock Brakes, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Tire Pressure Monitoring, and Preview Braking will provide assistance if an emergency maneuver is necessary to successfully avoid a crash.

The third stage is CRASH MAY OCCUR. In this stage the vehicle will actually intervene utilizing sophisticated computer controls to attempt to prevent an accident by operating vehicle systems at speeds that exceed the driver's abilities. This would again include the ABS system, along with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and VDC.

The fourth stage is CRASH IS UNAVOIDABLE. If a vehicle reaches the fourth stage, it will rapidly be followed by the fifth, which is CRASH. In many cases the driver cannot distinguish between these two stages, but by seperating them it is possible to distinguish between systems that "prepare for " an impact and systems that "protect in" an impact.  Seat belts with Emergency Locking Retractors (ELR) or Infiniti's Pre-Crash seatbelts are examples of systems designed to respond during stage four. Stage five systems include airbags and Supplemental Restraint Systems, Zone Body Construction, Breakaway Mounts, Energy Absorbing Steering Column and Pedal Assembly, and Active Head Restraints.

The sixth stage is POST CRASH Protection for the battery and other electrical systems will attempt to protect the integrity of electronic communications systems, and  Event Data Recorders will allow technicians to analyze information that will improve future safety.

Safety Never Takes A Holiday...

Harte Infiniti wishes all of our friends a safe and happy holiday weekend. According to Hartford Channel 3,

Connecticut Police have responded to 100 accidents in the state since yesterday. Please be aware of the

dangers of distracted driving, and pay extra attention to the increased volume on the roads. Let's all be able to say on Tuesday that we celebrated the many freedoms which are offered to us as citizens of this great country, wisely.

Mr Finelli

Have a great vacation, John !!

Harte Auto Group Company Picnic T Shirt Design Contest

Design submitted by Harte Infiniti Sales Manager Mike Vicino !

From The Archives...

In 2004, Harte Auto Group Director of Operations Greg Harte envisioned and produced a system of magnetic appliques, providing vehicle information to be used as a product presentation tool. The system, dubbed "Magnafax" was presented by Greg at his Infiniti 20 Group meeting, and within three years was being widely utilized by numerous manufacturers in dealerships around the country. Another example of leadership, inspiration, and innovation from Harte Infiniti !

Transformer !

The amazing 2011 G37 Convertible filmed going through its 17 second conversion process.

Saturday at The Mall...

On Saturday June 18th, Harte Infiniti was pleased to display several vehicles at Westfarms Mall in Farmington CT. Westfarms is a beautiful venue, and as you can see, our vehicles sparkled in this setting. We would like to thank Westfarms Internet & Sponsorship Coordinator Judy Caturano for her assistance with this very successful event.

A Few More For The Trophy Case !

Mr Greg Bath, Dealer Operations Representative for Infiniti North East Region presents The Infiniti Award of Excellence for 2009 plaques to Mr. Greg Harte. The Infiniti Award of Excellence is symbolic of overall excellence in all areas of operation, and is presented to less than 15% of dealers in the country on a yearly basis. Harte Infiniti is a multiple award winner. Congratulations to the entire team. It is only through outstanding effort from every single individual at the dealership that such awards are achieved.

Mirror Image

Showroom Infiniti Sign as reflected ( note reverse lettering ) in the hood of a Black Obsidian 2012 M56X recently treated with Glasscoat by Simoniz. Glasscoat chemically reacts and cross links to the surface of the clearcoat to form a three dimensional network. The end result is an extremely clear, tough, and durable ceramic film that adheres so strongly to the clearcoat, that not even organic solvents can remove it.

In case you missed it ...

Infiniti & Red Bull Racing:

The Infiniti Luxury Automotive Brand Joins the Most Prestigious Racing Series in the World

Geneva, Switzerland - (28 Feb 2011, 00:00 a.m. GMT / 1 March 2011, 01:00 a.m. CET) - Infiniti, the global luxury automotive brand from Japan, announced today a marketing agreement with Formula One World Champions, Red Bull RacingRenault, covering the 2011 and 2012 F1 seasons. Leveraging the co-operative power of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, a unique triumvirate has been created with Red Bull Racing, focused on high-profile marketing and technical activities around Formula One.
As part of the agreement, Infiniti will have a high-profile branding presence on the racing car, drivers clothing and related team uniforms and equipment. In addition to the branding and marketing relationship, Infiniti will work with Renault to forge future technical collaboration with Red Bull Racing. The Red Bull Racing team will continue to utilise the Renault F1 engines in 2011 and 2012 that powered them to their maiden Formula One World Championships last season.
Commenting on this historic announcement for Infiniti, Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President, Infiniti said: "Over the mid-term, Infiniti will be simultaneously expanding its global presence and broadening its product range. Given these twin ambitions, it is clear that Formula One offers us an unrivalled global communications platform, complementing Infiniti's ethos of Inspired Performance. We are excited to have the opportunity to enter Formula One together with a world-class team like Red Bull Racing Renault."
Red Bull Racing's Team Principal Christian Horner, who was instrumental in pulling the agreement together, said: "Red Bull has always taken a different approach, so when the Infiniti executives outlined their innovative plan to us we were very open to working with them. Coming off the back of our 2010 Drivers' and Constructors' World Championships, we feel even more excited to be starting the 2011 season with a new and committed partner like Infiniti."
Bernard Rey, President of Renault Sport F1 further endorsed the new deal: "While Renault is rightfully very proud of our achievements within Formula One, we know the future is about collaboration. To have a talented and committed Alliance partner like Infiniti is very welcome as we set out on the current and future challenges in Formula One. So it is with great pleasure that I would like to welcome Andy Palmer and his entire team in our Formula One adventure, and I look forward to starting the 2011 season together as Alliance partners."

source: nissan-global.com

Free Roadside Assistance App for IPhone from Infiniti !!

Infiniti has teamed-up with Cross Country Automotive Services to launch a free Roadside Assistance app for iPhone, allowing vehicle owners to easily summon help for roadside support.

Available as a free download, Infiniti Roadside Assistance connects Infiniti owners to a roadside assistance agent who will immediately dispatch assistance to the vehicle’s location. Hopefully you won’t ever need this capability, but just in case you do Infiniti’s app will provide you with such information as an estimated time of arrival for the dispatched service, contact information for the service provider and a reference number for the event. Additionally, there’s a priority emergency button for urgent situations. All of the services mentioned are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Infiniti’s says that its Total Ownership Experience is about responding to individual needs and providing “comprehensive programs” like roadside assistance, service loaner cars and trip interruption to make each particular ownership experience easy and more pleasurable.

Infiniti Roadside Assistance (FREE) [iTunes link]

Buckle Up !

Our friends in The Hartford Police Department would like to remind everyone that deciding to wear a seatbelt could be the most important decision that you make today...and it's the law !!

Tire School

The tires above are the two types that are available on a 2009 G37 Coupe. The top one, a P255/45 R19 92W,  is part of the sport package, and is also standard on vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The bottom one is a P245/45 R18, standard equipment on the automatics without the sport package. What do all the letters and numbers mean ? Well, here goes...

Most tire sizes begin with a letter or letters that identify the type of vehicle and/or type of service for which they were designed. When a tire size begins with a "P," it signifies the tire is a "P-metric" size that was designed to be fitted on vehicles that are primarily used as passenger vehicles. This includes cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles and light duty pickup trucks (typically 1/4- and 1/2-ton load capacity). The use of P-metric sizes began in the late 1970s and they are the most frequently used type of tire size today.

Following the letter that identifies the type of vehicle and/or type of service for which the tire was designed, the three-digit numeric portion identifies the tire's "Section Width" (cross section) in millimeters. With a
P225/45 R19 92W for example, the 225 indicates this tire is 225 millimeters across from the widest point of its outer sidewall to the widest point of its inner sidewall when mounted and measured on a specified width wheel. This measurement is also referred to as the tire's section width. Because many people think of measurements in inches, the 225mm can be converted to inches by dividing the section width in millimeters by 25.4 (the number of millimeters per inch).

Typically following the three digits identifying the tire's Section Width in millimeters is a two-digit number that identifies the tire's profile or aspect ratio. In our P225/45 R19 92W for example, the 45 indicates that this tire size's sidewall height (from rim to tread) is 45% of its section width. The measurement is the tire's section height, and also referred to as the tire's series, profile or aspect ratio. The higher the number, the taller the sidewall; the lower the number, the lower the sidewall.

The R in the P225/45R19 92W size identifies that the tire has a Radial construction in which the tire's body plies "radiate" out from the imaginary center of the wheel. Radial tires are by far the most popular type of tire today representing over 98% of all tires sold.

The 19 indicates the tire and wheel diameter designed to be matched together. Tires that have a rim diameter expressed in inches (P225/45R19, as well as 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 28) are called "inch rim" sizes, are the most common type of tire size and are used on most cars, minivans, vans, sport utility vehicles and light duty light trucks.

The 92W at the end of the size represents the tire's service description. A service description identifies the tire's load index and speed rating. Service Descriptions are required on all speed rated (except for Z-speed rated) tires manufactured since 1991.

When Z-speed rated tires were first introduced, they were thought to reflect the highest tire speed rating that would ever be required, in excess of 240 km/h or 149 mph. While Z-speed rated tires are capable of speeds in excess of 149 mph, how far above 149 mph was not identified. That ultimately caused the automotive industry to add W- and Y-speed ratings to identify the tires that meet the needs of new vehicles that have extremely high top-speed capabilities. W rated tires are rated to 168 mph.

And now you know your tires. For more information, check with the experts in the Harte Infiniti Parts Department !!

Source: Tirerack.com

The Trees of Harte Infiniti

Well known to the customers and employees of Harte Infiniti are the large oval shaped trees on the north side of the dealership which split the lot and provide shade to the customer parking area outside of the service department. My informal research places them in the species Pyrus Calleryana of the family Rosaceae. They are more commonly known as the Callery Pear. They are a dicidous tree, native to eastern Asia, named for Joseph-Marie Callery, who imported samples of the tree to Europe in the 1800s. Several cultivars of Callery pear are offered commercially, including 'Aristocrat', 'Autumn Blaze', 'Bradford' (the commonly planted Bradford pear), 'Capital', 'Cleveland Select', 'New Bradford', 'Redspire', and 'Whitehouse'.



The fruits of the Callery pear are small (less than one cm in diameter), and hard (almost woody) until softened by frost, after which they are readily taken by birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. The white, five-petaled flowers are about 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.2 in) in diameter, and are produced abundantly in early spring, before the leaves expand fully.



In summer, the foliage is dark green, very smooth, and very glossy, alternating from ovate to broad-ovate to orbicular, with a cordate to truncate base, acuminate tip, and finely serrated margins. The foliage flutters in the breeze due to the leaf base and the 2" long petiole. In autumn the leaves commonly turn brilliant colors, ranging from yellow and orange to more commonly red, pink, purple, and bronze. Sometimes, several of these fall colors may be present on an individual leaf. At the latitude of Hartford CT, the trees often remain green until mid-November, and in warm autumns, the colors are often a brilliant end to the fall color season



They are extremely resistant to disease and blight, and are more commonly damaged by windstorms than sickness. The only liability of this species is its poor branching habit, which renders the tree a sitting duck for major branch shearing at times of high winds or heavy ice load. This is caused by the numerous weak crotch angles, due to the vertical co-dominant central leaders that repeat up and down the canopy, with narrow angles of separation betwen the vertical branches, having little strength at their points of attachment to each other. Thankfully, ours seem to be just fine !


Source: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/

Big Wheels Keep On Turnin'...

In for service on Saturday, a 2008 FX45 sporting 26" low profile wheels and tires. According to the owner, no structural modifications were required to accommodate these monster rims.