East Peoria Man Wins A Nissan Juke

He just got lucky. But he was smart about it and played his luck in the right way.

The prize (2011 Nissan Juke) lies in wait

Randal was a big winner last Friday. How big of a winner? He won a brand new 2011 Nissan Juke from Uftring Nissan in Peoria. Yeah, big winner of a sexy, sporty, small and agile crossover. His planning and execution played a part in his victory, and good old lady luck took care of the rest.

A striking sports crossover with signature Nissan tail lights

You see, Randal put some thought into his victory. He saved up all of his entries through the month of March and then unleashed them all last Friday. His wasn't the first name drawn. No matter, as that individual wasn't present. Time to draw again. Whose name was called? Yep, it was Randal.

Randal and his wife, proud owners of a 2011 Nissan Juke

"Do you want the car, or the cash?" asked the lady running the drawing. "I want the car," Randal replied. "Are you sure?" she responded. "Yes," he said. Randal had a choice of eight envelopes to pick from. He chose the number 3 envelope. Again he was asked if he wanted the car or cash. There was only one thing on his mind - the Juke. She opened the envelope and asked him one more time: car or cash? Our man Randal is a bastion of consistency. It was the Juke for him, he would not break down and take the cash.

The Juke is fun even when it isn't moving

"What color do you want it in?" she asked. Randal responded that he didn't want to choose until he had won the car. "Well," she said, "you won!" Guess he'd have to choose the color after all. Not a bad start to the weekend.

Lettie Schmitt shows Randal around the Juke

Fast forward to today (Thursday) at Uftring Nissan. After nearly a week of patience, Randal is finally able to pick up his prize. Lettie Shmitt, one of our all star sales consultants, assisted Randal with the finer details of his new Nissan Juke. She helped him through all of the paperwork, then showed him around the exterior and interior of the gorgeous gun metallic gray sport cross he had come to claim.

Lettie explain the features of the Juke

 XM Radio, navigation, sport mode, eco mode, iPod integration, push button start - Lettie moved through all of this and more smoothly and with great attention to detail. Randal was pleased with his prize. His wife and daughter were quite happy as well. The Juke even has harnesses with which to secure child seats - perfect for his grandchildren.

Winning!

We'd like to thank Randal for choosing the new 2011 Nissan Juke instead of a pile of cash! It's much more fun to drive. If you're interested in or looking for a Juke, we'd love to provide one for you. Please view our 2011 Nissan Juke inventory on our website. We have a list of people waiting to get their hands on a Juke, so act swiftly if you'd like to see yourself in this gorgeous sport cross anytime soon!

Jim McComb & Neil Norton No More, Long Live Uftring Weston

On Wednesday, March 23, Uftring Auto Group officially acquired Neil Norton Cadillac. The dealership has been merged with Jim McComb Chevrolet and the two are now known as Uftring Weston Chevrolet Cadillac. We are all very excited about the addition of the Cadillac brand to the Uftring Auto Group lineup and the value it will bring to you, our customer.

Cadillac has some truly amazing and extraordinary cars on its roster that only serve to enhance and flesh out the offerings of the Auto Group as a whole. In addition, it's a great compliment to the Chevrolet brand and you should be served well with the ability to shop the two iconic American brands on one lot. It's our first American luxury brand, joining our import luxury offerings from Jaguar, Land Rover, Range Rover, and Saab.

Our founder and president, Gary Uftring, is proud to offer the Cadillac brand to Uftring customers. This fulfills a personal dream of his to have the ability for Uftring Auto Group customers to purchase a new Cadillac from an Uftring dealership. This is a joint venture between Gary Uftring and the CEO of the Uftring Auto Group, Mark Weston.

2011 Cadillac SRX - best selling luxury crossover

This week through Thursday, March 31st, we're holding a huge sale at the former Neil Norton Cadillac and Jim McComb Chevrolet locations. We have to reduce our inventory in order to fit it all at the former Jim McComb lots. At the close of this week and the beginning of April, all of the Cadillac inventory will be moved to the two former Jim McComb Chevrolet locations at the corner of War Memorial and University in Peoria. You can continue to visit this location for all of your sales, service, parts and body shop needs.

In the meantime, the former Neil Norton location will undergo an extensive renovation to the building and lot. Upon completion this fall, it will be the brand new location of Uftring Weston. Expect an exceptional and beautiful world class facility fit for the 21st century. You can expect the same great service, value, and integrity you've come to expect from Jim McComb, only now with a gorgeous new building that will streamline and enhance your experience.

Look for more news on this blog and our Facebook and Twitter accounts soon!

Electric Cars In Peoria...Wait, That's A Van!

Waiting for an electric car to arrive in Peoria? While the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt won't be here for quite some time, there is another answer, especially if you need a vehicle for your business. If you're absolutely craving electricity now, you can satisfy your longing with the Ford Transit Connect Electric van.

The Ford Transit Connect Electric runs on an electric drivetrain

That's right, an electric van has beat the electric cars to the punch in central Illinois. Uftring Auto Group has entered into a partnership with Azure Dynamics to offer the Ford Transit Connect Electric van to customers in the Peoria area. The electric vehicles will be available for sale through the Uftring Automall in East Peoria. We'll be the exclusive dealer of the Ford Transit Connect Electric in downstate Illinois!

The modified Ford Transit Connect Electric runs completely on electricity, eliminating the need for gas. It utilizes Azure Dynamics Force Drive battery electric drivetrain. The high voltage lithium-ion battery can be charged from a 120V or 240V AC input, the same type of outlet that large household appliances such as refrigerators use.

The Ford Transit Connect was the 2010 Truck of the Year

This is the same great van that was awarded the 2010 North American Truck of the Year award, but with a bit more inspiration from Ben Franklin. The Transit Connect has been praised in the media and from automobile enthusiasts for its versatility and huge cargo capacity. It's great for storing and delivering anything from wedding cakes to plumbing materials.

Want to become more eco-friendly with your business? Here's an easy way to do so. If you're interested in acquiring or learning more about a Ford Transit Connect Electric van, please contact Jeff Peters, Fleet and Commercial Sales Manager for the Uftring Auto Group. Call Jeff at the Uftring Automall at 888-526-0326 or email him at jeffpetersATuftringDOTcom.

See the Uftring Auto Group Ford Transit Connect Inventory

Ted Lange: Classic Celebrity of the Week

We know you’ve been waiting for it and it’s finally up! The Uftring Auto Group Classic Celebrity of the Week is the instantly recognizable Ted Lange, better known as Isaac the Bartender on The Love Boat, which ran from 1977 to 1986 on ABC. The Love Boat was set on the Pacific Princess, a cruise ship, where the crew and cast of celebrity guest stars engage in adventures and romance while they visited exotic destinations.  The show became a regular stop for b-list celebrities and the occasional bonafide star.  The Love Boat continues to run in syndication all over the world.

Ted Lange - Isaac the Bartender from The Love Boat

Which brings us back to Ted Lange. Although he will forever be known as Isaac Washington, Lange has compiled a substantial resume’ of acting and directing credits, including extensive work in the theater. His dedication to stagecraft has been recognized with the NAACP’s Renaissance Man Theatre Award, among others.  Three cheers for Ted Lange!

Mid-Illinois Corvette Club - Charity, Food, And Community

Gary Uftring is extremely passionate about Corvettes. This passion is displayed in a few ways - his collection of classic Corvettes, the motorsports program at Uftring Chevy Saab, his charitable donations including giving away a 1974 Corvette Convertible to raise money for Peoria Promise, and also through his sponsorship of the Mid-Illinois Corvette Club, to name a few. I had the opportunity to attend the Mid-Illinois Corvette Club's monthly meeting and observe. A few things came to the fore.

Gary Uftring addresses the Corvette Club

The first thing that struck me was this group loves to get together and eat. This is a philosophy that cannot be argued with. They have numerous "meet and eat" events planned through the coming months and year. It's absolutely fantastic how they love to be in the company of one another. Even if you aren't a Corvette enthusiast, everyone can enjoy having a good time and good food with friends and fellow enthusiasts. The MICC is a prime example of this.

While the Corvette Club knows how to have fun, it is not the only thing they do well. Charity and good will is another aspect that this group exemplifies. Giving back to the community is very important for them and they carry it out in a number of ways. Over the winter they collect and donate shoes and boots to a school where underprivileged children have a great need of such items. These kids were so appreciative of their gifts that many thank you notes were written.

Thank You Letters to the Corvette Club for donating boots

The MICC also works with St. Jude Children's Hospital throughout the year. They hold a Memorial Day weekend St. Jude Runner's Charity Car Show at Uftring Chevy Saab. In addition they support a family that receives services and care from St. Jude. It was clear that this relationship has been very beneficial and of great significance for the club.

From my brief encounter with the club and its members, I gathered that the Mid-Illinois Corvette Club is all about community and relationships. Oh, and driving fun and beautiful cars around and attending some fantastic Corvette events in scenic places. This certainly doesn't hurt prospective memberships.

Members inspect a 2011 Callaway Corvette

If you have an interest in Corvettes and live in or around Peoria or Central Illinois in general, you should check out the Mid-Illinois Corvette Club. They have monthly meetings every second Monday at Uftring Chevy Saab in Washington and a filled calendar of events to attend throughout the year. If you're interested in Corvettes then don't miss Uftring Chevy Saab, the only ZR1 and Callaway Corvette dealer in the region.