The Toyota Division’s strong April sales performance (160,493 units for 13.1 percent increase compared to April 2011) was helped in large part by the release of its latest hybrid products that created high levels of consumer demand.

Every year, cars are being traded or sold used. To maintain the reputation of Toyota cars and maintain its quality, Toyota has implemented a program wherein used cars must be certified before they can be resold. So if you are planning to buy a used Toyota car, make sure that the car is certified as this guarantees you that the car is still in good condition. Here are the top four reasons why you should get a Toyota-Certified car.

 1)  All certified Toyota used cars went through rigorous quality tests – A good Toyota car dealer sells vehicles that have been enrolled in the Toyota-Certified Used Vehicles Program. A Toyota Vehicle enrolled in the program is certified and should have passed a 160 point quality assurance inspection conducted by licensed technicians.

 2)  12 month/12,000 mile comprehensive warranty -  Who would have thought you could get an extensive warranty for a used car! By buying from a reputable Team Toyota car dealer, you can get a 12 Month/12,000 Mile Comprehensive Warranty that covers repairs. On top of that, they offer warranty on some car parts so, should they stop working, you can have these components under warranty replaced for free.

3)  7 year/100,000 mile Powertrain warranty -  All Toyota dealerships should offer a 7 year/100,000 mile Powertrain warranty for Toyota-Certified used cars. The warranty should cover repairs on the engine, components of the transmission, and other internally lubricated parts. The coverage will begin from the date of purchase and will last for 7 years or 100,000 miles – whichever may come first.

 In addition to that, this warranty also comes with a Travel Protection service which reimburses lodging expenses when your Toyota breaks down about 150 miles from your home. If you’d rather go home still, you can take advantage of the Substitute Transportation reimbursement that comes with this warranty, too.

4)  1 year roadside assistance -  With a Certified Used Toyota car, you do not have to worry about flat tires, jump starts, fuel deliveries, towing or lockout services. A used Toyota Certified car comes with a Roadside Assistance that is good for 24 hours  within a course of a year.

 Aside from these four, you can also upgrade your warranty to enjoy more benefits by enrolling into any of the three certified VSA platinum plans: 7 years/12,000 miles, 8 years/100,000 miles , and 8 years/125,000 miles.

 Take note though that not all car dealers offer Toyota-Certified cars. To get the best deals and get the best value of your money, find a car dealer that offers Toyota-Certified cars,  like Team Toyota of Baton Rouge, especially if you are looking to buy a used Toyota. By doing so, you can avoid performance problems in the future or, if you do experience performance problems, you may receive free service. Purchasing a certified car may also reduce your insurance premium, thus helping you save money in the long run.

There are plenty of used car dealerships that are competing against each other. In most cases, buyers are lost in confusion since there are many choices to make. For one, should they buy a brand new or a used car? Then, there’s the confusion about which model or brand to buy. Finally, which dealerships can provide the best deals? These are just some of the hard but necessary questions to ask in buying used cars.

Used car dealerships though have plenty of offers that you can take advantage of. In most cases, however, the more options you have, the harder it is to make a decision. Here are some of the frequently asked questions that buyers ask before they purchase a vehicle.

What are the first things to ask the dealer?

Knowing the odometer will help you understand the value of the car. You should also ask where the car came from and what papers are available to make the transaction legal. Ask questions about who the previous owner was and why it was sold. It will also help if you can bring an expert mechanic with you so you can have someone to check the car.

What kind of oil is used in the car?

Dealers have diverse cars in their arsenal. These diverse cars operate in different levels as well. It is important to research about the car first before you purchase it. At the same time, knowing the oil changes record will tell you how well-maintained the car is.

Are test drives allowed?

When buying used cars, it is important to test drive it first. We make sure we fit the clothes we like before we pay for it so much more for a far more expensive investment. It is also important to ask how long the test drive is. Remember that reputable car dealers will not deny their clients’ right for test drive.

Is independent testing or inspection allowed?

There are plenty of dealers who sell cars out of hobby. What they do is that they buy the parts, refurbish the damages, and sell it at a higher price. If the seller thinks twice about independent inspection, then the buyer should consider that as a warning sign.

What is the condition of the car?

There are only three appealing answers to this question – excellent, good, and fair. Always know that dealers are trying to sell their cars. Buyers should always inspect further unless if doing business with a trusted dealership.

Where or who was the vehicle brought from?

Always ask the right questions. Asking about the origin of the vehicle is important since it will reveal relevant information about the car. If the seller is the original owner of the car, chances are the car is in good shape. Buyers should also check the maintenance record of the vehicle and the dealers should provide it freely.

Used cars still posses the high quality that brand new cars offer. It is up to the buyer to be wise enough to purchase the right car.

If you are in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and are looking for a car dealer, check out www.Team-Toyota.com. Team Toyota offers an extensive selection of brand new and used cars.

Toyota and Discovery Education announced today the winners of the Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge and Toyota Teen Driver Educators’ Challenge, the nation’s premier teen safe driving challenges.  Winners will receive a variety of cash and prizes, such as $20,000, a Toyota Driving Expectations event and virtual driving simulators.  These Challenges are part of Toyota and Discovery Education’s joint program, Toyota Teen Driver, which provides educators, parents and students with comprehensive lesson plans, take-home resources, an interactive game and more to help avoid distractions while driving and stay safe behind the wheel.

We all know Toyota is one of the best-selling brands in the world; sometimes it looks like every third car is a Camry. Given that they’re so popular with so many people, what can you do to make your Toyota stand out from the crowd? Start with Genuine Toyota Accessories, that’s what.

What are your choices, you ask? Let’s say you’ve gotten that Camry: you can get a cargo mat and cargo net for the trunk to keep everything tidy back there, and either carpet or all-weather floor mats for the interior to keep things tidy in there as well. You can get your Camry with a first aid kit and an emergency assistance kit, with a glass breakage sensor and with Toyota’s Vehicle Intrusion Protection Plus system; this system gives you three different alarms, remote arming and disarming, as well as the ability to disable the starter, among many other safety features. For the outside of that Camry, how about Toyota’s paint protection film, some mud guards, and maybe a rear spoiler?

But I’m a truck nut—what are my options? You can get your Tacoma with the same safety features you’d get on the Camry, plus a host of other accessories to help you get the most (and the most fun) out of your new truck. Start with the TRD 16” alloy wheels, the wheel installation kit, and that TRD supercharger kit. Add the TRD performance exhaust and the high-performance brake kit and you’re ready to hit the road running. To keep things tidy (yeah, right), add the front skid plate, the hood protector, and yes, the paint protection film. But a truck isn’t just about looks, right? So how about a ball mount and trailer ball or the towing receiver hitch? And for your cargo bed, you can have a bed mat, bed net, bed step, cargo divider, and/or cargo net. With Genuine Toyota Accessories, there’s just too much good stuff.

How do I get that good stuff, you wonder? In South Louisiana, head straight to Team Toyota in Baton Rouge. Friendly, knowledgeable sales staff are waiting to put you in the Toyota of your dreams, with all the accessories you’ll need to make it truly yours.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will debut the all new RAV4 EV at the 26^thInternational Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles. Toyota’s news conference will be held on Monday, May 7 at noon in the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Credentialed media can receive complimentary EVS26 registration by visiting www.evs26.org.

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Most of us know the old saying that a new car loses 30% of its value as soon as you drive it off the lot. Many of us just love that brand-new car smell and that odometer with just a few miles on it, so we take the risk. But there are plenty of options for those who feel that a used car is a better investment. If you’ve ever been in the market for a car, then you already know that Toyota is a best-selling brand, but did you know that Toyota sells exceptional used cars and trucks under their Certified Used Vehicle program?

What are the benefits of going with a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle? For starters, certified customers are eligible for the same financing plans available to new car buyers. But there’s more to it than that. Your Toyota Certified Used Vehicle will have had a 160-point quality assurance inspection backed by a 12-month/12,000-mile comprehensive warranty, and a 7-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. You’ll get the CarFax vehicle history report, and you’ll even get a year of roadside assistance because sometimes things happen despite the best planning. What’s more, Toyota has won Kelley Blue Book’s 2012 Best Resale Value award.

So you’ve seen the benefits of a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle—now where do you get one? Well, in the Baton Rouge area, your best bet is Team Toyota. Why? For one thing, at their website you can input information about your own car and find out ahead of time what kind of trade-in value you can expect. Once that’s settled, Team Toyota has a full inventory of Certified Used Vehicles, and you can check them out online so you already know what to ask about when you get there.

When you do come in, you’ll be greeted by Team Toyota’s friendly, experienced sales staff, ready to take you on your test drive and help you out with finance options as well. If you’re in the South Louisiana area and you’re looking for a used vehicle, you’ll never go wrong with a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle and you can’t do better than making your purchase at Team Toyota in Baton Rouge.

If you’ve heard about or looked at cars during the past 20 years, chances are the Toyota Camry has come up on your radar. The Camry has consistently been one of the best-rated cars in the U.S. for performance, affordability, resale value and especially for safety. If you’re in the Baton Rouge area and you’ve been in the market for a car, new or used, and you haven’t at least considered a Camry, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

What can I expect from a Camry, you may wonder? You can customize all Toyota models to suit your specific needs, but the standard Toyota Camry contains plenty to impress. For starters, all 2012 Camrys come with 10 airbags standard, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, and the BLU Logic Hands Free System. The driver and front passenger seats also come with Toyota’s Whiplash-Injury-Lessening (WIL) seats, and all seats have three-point seat belts. The 2012 Camry is an IIHS Top Safety Pick, as were the 2007 through 2011 models.

But the Camry isn’t only about safety. Standard exterior features include a rear window defroster; folding, color-keyed, power outside mirrors; and projector beam headlamps, while the interior includes a six-speaker AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability and a standard USB port with iPod controls; and those WIL seats adjust six ways (driver’s seat) or four ways (front passenger seat).

So now that you know how much even a standard Toyota Camry has to offer you, where do you get one? To find your best quality Camry in Baton Rouge, Team Toyota is the place to be. They’ve got a full inventory of both new and Certified Pre-Owned Camrys, Avalons, 4Runners, and many others. Team Toyota has service and parts specials including a free car wash with any other service as well as full vehicle detailing for under $100; the ToyotaCare complimentary maintenance plan, and up to $8,500 off MSRP on new models.

You can build your own Camry in Baton Rouge at Team Toyota’s website, or come in and choose from their impressive inventory. Knowledgeable, friendly staff are waiting to meet your individual needs, help you with financing, and send you home in the car that’s perfect for you.