Electric Vehicles Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF Coming to Peoria!

The automobile industry is taking us into an exciting new era with some of its upcoming vehicles. The Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt are two different approaches to implementing electric powered engines into cars. These are two hot vehicles that are generating a lot of buzz, and we at Uftring are proud that we will be able to offer our customers a choice of electric vehicles at the end of this year through our Uftring Nissan and Chevrolet dealerships in Peoria. There are many benefits to electric powered cars, including zero emissions, a much lower cost of travel than using gasoline, and reduction of dependency on foreign oil among others.  Both the Nissan LEAF and the Chevy Volt can be powered up by plugging them in to an outlet at your home.

The Nissan LEAF runs purely on electrical power. It doesn't even have exhaust pipes because there are no emissions! Customers can actually pre-order the Nissan LEAF through the LEAF's website for $99, though that doesn't guarantee you a vehicle. The Nissan LEAF can travel up to 100 miles on a charge - perfect for traveling around Peoria, Pekin, Chillicothe, Bloomington Normal, or Galesburg.  This car is exciting because it's real, not just a concept, and they will be in our Peoria dealerships this fall and winter! Uftring Nissan, in Peoria on Allen Road, will see the Nissan LEAF arrive in stock sometime this December.  That means you could be driving an electric vehicle in Illinois before the end of the year.

The Chevrolet Volt is another take on the electric car, though it isn't purely electric like the Nissan LEAF. The Chevy Volt does not have a gas engine, but it does have a gas generator that will power up to produce more electricity for the battery when its charge is depleted. The Chevrolet Volt can travel up to 40 miles on an electric charge, and about 300 miles overall with the gas generator. The Chevy Volt should be in Peoria sometime in November.

You can read in more detail about these electric cars in Peoria at the Chevrolet Volt page on JimMcComb.com and the Nissan LEAF info page on the Uftring Nissan website. We're extremely excited for their potential and that we can offer our customers a variety of vehicles to suit their tastes, preferences, and lifestyles. Visit us online if you need any Nissan service or Nissan parts to your vehicle in Peoria, or if you need any Chevy parts or Chevy service for your vehicle in the Peoria area. We hope to see you soon! Visit for updates on the latest vehicles and happenings at the Uftring Auto Group, and don't forget to become fans of the Jim McComb Facebook page and the Uftring Nissan Facebook page to stay on top of the most recent news.

Hot New Jeep and Saab Models

Things have been heating up this summer at Uftring Auto Group stores. Two of our dealerships, Uftring Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Pekin and Uftring Chevy Saab in Washington, are receiving some high profile vehicles in their showrooms. The Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Saab 9-5 are impressive new vehicles. Both have been redesigned this year, and they look nothing less than stellar. We are more than happy to have them in our stores!

At the Uftring Pekin Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership, the brand new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled in on Thursday evening, driven from Chicago by Mr. Gary Uftring himself. This vehicle is receiving a lot of praise from the press for its redesign. It looks a lot more mature and modern than the previous Grand Cherokee, has more room inside, is armed to the teeth with technology, has award winning safety features, and comes with a great standard setup and a lot of upgrade options. It's equally at home crossing the road in the city or the stream in the forest. We'll have a full assortment of these vehicles in stock at Uftring Pekin in the near future, and we'll keep you informed about when we'll have them on the lot. In the meantime, you can check out the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee in our showroom, and read about it online at our website!

Over in Washington, Uftring Chevy Saab will soon be the proud recipient of a 2011 Saab 9-5. This is the first car to be released since Saab's ownership under Spyker Cars. One look at the Saab 9-5 will tell you that the new owners mean business. Spyker is driving Saab into a new era that looks extremely promising, with more redesigns, revivals, and new models due in the next few years. The new Saab 9-5 is the first taste of what's in store. It's clearly inspired by Saab's jet heritage, with sleek angles and a fierce stance that looks like its about to takeoff. Piloting one of these cars would be no less thrilling. It has a V6 engine that comes in at just under 300 horsepower. It's also very safe with 8 airbags and large 18-inch wheels for greater traction. Most of the inside features glow Saab green, and it looks very cool. It's so cool you'll probably wish it was night all of the time. More detailed information is available on our Saab 9-5 Info Page. We are excited to show you this car!

Hopefully you can make it out to the showrooms to see these vehicles in person! We'd love to have you come in and tell you all about the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the 2011 Saab 9-5. In the meantime, feel free to browse our Jeep and Saab inventory.  Look for pictures of the showroom vehicles to be put up in the near future. You should fan our Uftring Chevy Saab and Uftring Chrysler Dodge Jeep pages on Facebook. It will allow you to keep up on the latest happenings at our dealerships, plus hear about special deals on inventory and service. And it boosts our self confidence. See? Everyone wins.

The Future of Jim McComb

Jim McComb Chevrolet has two new General Managers, Jeff Loucks and Kevin Lundquist! Jeff and Kevin have dedicated a high level of service to Jim McComb for many years, and it's fitting that they were both recognized for their talents, abilities, and hard work. We interviewed both men to find out where they've come from and what they're planning for the future.

Jeff has been at Jim McComb for nearly 18 years. His favorite thing about working? Helping the customers with their driving experience and fulfilling their wishes and desires. He began as a service technician and team leader, but it was less than a year before he was promoted to Assistant Service Manager. A little over a decade later and he became the Service Manager. Jeff is a firm believer in the concept that employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction, and so he strives to create an enjoyable and positive work environment. He is most excited about elevating employees and seeing where they are able to go with the opportunities they are given. Customers should be excited about choices, opportunities, and a new vision of customer service, while at the same time maintaining the high level of customer service that has come to be expected at Jim McComb Chevrolet. Jeff gets a kick out of seeing people walk out of the store with a smile.

Kevin started his career at Jim McComb Chevrolet washing cars in high school. He then worked his way through the sales and finance departments, holding a managerial position in each area, until he was promoted to sales director. Kevin loves the great atmosphere at the store and the attention to customer service. Getting to know the customer is one of the advantages of the environment. Providing the same high level of customer service is one of his aims, and he also wants to bring a fresh perspective to the position. Kevin is most excited to use his experience in different fields to build great teamwork. Customers should be excited to receive the same high level of customer service they've come to expect.

Both men agreed that the Uftring Auto Group has a great business environment. Though it's a large organization, they have relationships with and feel connected to employees at the other stores. It is an environment where employees have an opportunity to grow due to the compassion and materials, tangible and intangible, they are provided with. The two men believe that Gary Uftring has a vision of business today and tomorrow, and equips his employees with the necessary tools to achieve that vision. That is what has allowed Uftring as a group to achieve the success it has.

We're excited for the future at Jim McComb Chevrolet! It's in the hands of some intelligent, kind, and capable men.

 Jeff Loucks

Kevin Lundquist

Make sure to check out the Jim McComb Facebook page, become a fan, and leave us some comments about your experience at Jim McComb Chevrolet. Share what you would like to see from us in the future!

All Stars at Uftring

The talent at Uftring Chevrolet and Jim McComb Chevrolet is threatening to burst at the seams. Each store has one representative salesperson participating in the Malibu All Star Walkaround Challenge. This challenge is a video contest to see who can perform the best walkaround on the 2010 Chevy Malibu. The winner of the contest will win an all expense paid trip to the 2010 MLB All Star Game. Needless to say, this is the big leagues and a lot is at stake. Let's check out the videos!

We'll be gentlemanly and begin with Kathy Underwood from Jim McComb Chevrolet in Peoria:



Next up is Lee "Big City" Kerr from Uftring Chevy Saab in Washington:




Good luck to both contestants!

Jim McComb Chevrolet Awards Malibu, Then Hawaii

Lightning struck for Anthony Linthicum on the eighth green at Weaver Ridge Country Club on Thursday, as he notched the first hole-in-one of his career. Linthicum was participating in a golf scramble for The Christian Center to raise money for the organization. It seems the Almighty was smiling on him, as Uftring Auto Group member Jim McComb Chevrolet was the sponsor of the eighth hole. His shot netted him a 2010 Chevy Malibu. Well, almost.

Linthicum was ineligible to win the 2010 Chevy Malibu from Jim McComb due to being listed as a “professional” with the United States Golf Association. As a consolation prize, Linthicum was awarded a trip to Hawaii including $1500 in expense money, five days of golf and a hotel. Upon hearing the news he was “speechless.” His wife had just mentioned to him a couple of weeks before that she would like to take a trip to Hawaii.

According to Linthicum, he had no special feeling about his shot before or even after he swung the club. “It was kinda hazy, you couldn’t see well,” said Linthicum. He didn’t even know the ball went in to the hole until Nate Mooningham, a witness down on the green and a driver for the Uftring Auto Group, raised his arms in elation.

Mooningham said the shot hit the edge of the green and rolled right in to the pin. He jumped out of his chair when he noticed the ball was heading for the hole, then walked over and confirmed the feat by raising his arms in the air. He wanted everyone to know what had been accomplished and that he didn’t interfere with the ball.

Linthicum started playing golf when he was eight years old. A Peoria native, he grew up by Madison Park Golf Course in West Peoria. As a child he would wait until it was nearly dark at dusk and then sneak on the course to play. He was given one golf club every year on his birthday; it took him until he was a teenager to acquire a full set.

Linthicum was simply trying to hit the center of the green with his shot. He was shocked when he arrived at the green and confirmed he hit a hole-in-one. The eighth green is reported to be a difficult hole, made even more challenging by the tough pin placement that day.

It didn’t phase Linthicum, a frequent Uftring customer. He has purchased four vehicles from the Uftring Auto Group in his lifetime, spread across Uftring Auto Mall and Uftring Nissan.

Further proof that Jim McComb Chevrolet’s sweet deals don’t stop at the lot, or even the continental United States. We at Uftring Auto Group wish the Linthicum’s the best on their trip to Hawaii!

The Peoria Journal Star also ran a story. Check it out!