5 Things to Do This May in Columbia SC

Now that we are in the middle of May, you may be anticipating the coming of summer, the hot June and July months, and all that the warm weather brings. But, hold on a minute – May is a great month with tons to do as well!

Sure, we at Dick Dyer Toyota are looking forward to summer too but we’re not done with May yet! Check out our picks for some fun things to do during the remaining days in May:

Block Party at Lake Carolina: May 17^th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

This family friendly block party will be hosted in Lake Carolina on Lake Carolina Boulevard. Enjoy food like 2 Fat 2 Fly wings and Marco’s Pizza, music from The Boomers, a bouncy house, face painting, and more.

Forest Acres Festival: May 18^th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Come to the AC Flora Athletic Field for the best free family festival of the year! Events include a free magic show, petting zoo, face painting, pony rides, games, live bands, and community performances. In addition, fresh fare from local restaurants will also be available for purchase. This year marks the 14^th year of the Forest Acres Festival, with thanks to the Rotary Club which hosts the event.

Hansel and Gretel: May 24^th at 6:00 PM and May 25^th at 2:00 PM

Hosted by the USC Dance Conservatory, come to the Drayton Hall Theatre to experience this rendition of the classic ballet. The show will feature student dancers ranging in age from 3 to adult. USC Dance Conservatory director and an instructor choreographed the ballet and wrote the words for this version of Hansel and Gretel.

The Haynes 4th Saturday Bluegrass Series: May 25th beginning at 4:30

Come to The Haynes Auditorium to see The Carolina Rebels and The Hinson Girls perform live. Admission is only $7 and you can enjoy an early jam session and open stage performances before the show.

Get Your Bid On, Silent Auction & Wine Tasting: May 30^th from 6:00 to 10:00 PM

Put on by the Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center, this silent auction features tons of products and services to bid on as well as a variety of wines and appetizers to try from local restaurants. Tickets are priced at $25 a person.

See, May is a pretty exciting month after all! TO find out more about these events and to check out everything else going on during the month, visit http://www.columbiacvb.com/visitors/calendar-of-events/.

Toyota Time Sales Event Columbia SC

It’s that time of year: Toyota Time! From lease offers to finance specials, the Toyota Time Sales Event is your chance to save big on a new car.

And lucky for you, it’s Toyota Time at Dick Dyer Toyota, located in the heart of Columbia, SC. There are sale prices on a wide variety of popular Toyota models, like the RAV4, Camry, Prius, and Tacoma.

Here are some of the great deals to choose from during the Toyota Time Sales Event:

	Lease Offer	Finance Offer
Toyota Prius	$229 per month	0% for 48 months
Toyota Prius c	$199 per month
Toyota Prius v	$279 per month	0% for 48 months
Toyota Corolla	$149 per month	0% for 60 months
Toyota Camry	$199 per month	0% for 60 months
Toyota Camry Hybrid	$249 per month	0% for 48 months
Toyota Avalon	$279 per month
Toyota Venza	$279 per month	0% for 36 months
Toyota RAV4	$249 per month
Toyota Highlander	$279 per month	0% for 60 months
Toyota Sienna	$269 per month	0% for 60 months
Toyota 4Runner	$329 per month
Toyota Sequoia	$469 per month
Toyota Tacoma	$239 per month	0% for 36 months
Toyota Tundra	$299 per month	0% for 60 months

All lease offers are for 36 months with the exception of the 2013 Sequoia and 4Runner which are for 48 months. And remember that all new Toyota purchases come with ToyotaCare, Toyota’s exclusive complimentary maintenance program.

May is the time for a lot of things: graduation, summer, vacations. But it is also time for a new Toyota! Stop by Dick Dyer Toyota to check out their full selection of new Toyotas or visit their website to find about more about these great Toyota Time Sales.

National Military Appreciation Month May 2013

May of 2013 has arrived and while some are looking forward to warm weather and summer vacations, there is a much more important event to focus our attention on: National Military Appreciation Month.

The US armed forces risk their lives every day to uphold our freedoms and quality of life. Military Appreciation Month is a time for everyone to say thank you for all of the sacrifices and hardships that the US military endure.

As the National Military Appreciation Month website states, “This month gives the nation a time and place on which to focus and draw attention to our many expressions of appreciation and recognition of our armed services.”

Dick Dyer Toyota supports the US military not only during the month of May but all year round as a proud supporter of Fort Jackson. In order to show that expression of appreciation and recognition, Dick Dyer Toyota proudly participates in the USAA Buying Program which provides lower prices on new and used cars, without negotiation.

In addition, the Service Department offers 10% off any parts or service to all military members. This discount is valid on any make or model, even if it wasn’t purchased at Dick Dyer Toyota.

Let us all take the month of May as a time to express our gratitude to the armed forces. For more information on Dick Dyer Toyota’s military discounts, please visit their website.

Latest Toyota RAV4 “Wish Granted” Commercial

Toyota’s Super Bowl commercial this year featured actress and beloved public figure Kaley Cuoco as a genie who granted wishes while effortlessly toting around her beret-wearing Chihuahua. Of course one of the wishes that she granted was an all-new Toyota RAV4, with a new, more modern rear liftgate.

Well, the RAV4 genie is back with a new installment of “Wish Granted.” Check it out below to see not only the all-new Toyota RAV4 but also Kaley as the purple-clad genie.

Toyota Avalon Wins 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors Award

There are a lot of automotive awards out there – some that focus on safety, some on affordability. But what about the portions of the car that you have to see, feel, and experience every time you drive? We’re talking about the interior. Of course safety and reliability are important, but buyers also want to know about the aesthetics of the car and the luxurious standard features they can expect.

Enter Ward’s 10 Best Interiors Award. For this award, WardsAuto editors set out to scrutinize and compare the interiors of countless cars, looking for outstanding candidates in the areas of comfort, materials, fit, control layout, ease of use, technology interfaces, safety, value, and overall design.

And is it any surprise that the 2013 Toyota Avalon was among the winners? This full-size sedan was completely revamped for the 2013 model year and features plenty of high-tech features and high quality finishes.

As WardsAuto states, “ The Toyota Avalon takes the traditional full-size sedan interior to a new level with impeccable build quality, advanced connectivity, benchmark materials and a layered instrument-panel design that appears 3-dimensional, with gauges and the center stack seemingly floating in front of the dashboard.”

They even venture to that “the visual effect is exquisite, making the Avalon the most luxurious non-luxury car tested in the competition.” And you know what? We have to agree.

The 2013 Toyota Avalon is everything you can ever want in a full-size sedan. Stop by Dick Dyer Toyota to see the Avalon’s award-winning interior for yourself! We have a feeling you’ll be impressed.

Check Out Our Used Cars under $10,000

At Dick Dyer Toyota we strive to offer the best used cars to our customers. Members of the Columbia, SC area who are looking to save some money and purchase a used vehicle have come to the right place. Now on our lot, we have six popular used cars available for under $10,000!

Families looking for a spacious, comfortable wagon can purchase a red 2003 Ford Focus Wagon for only $5,988. Looking for a fuel efficient sedan for only $5,647? We have a 2003 Toyota Corolla sedan in red on our Columbia, SC lot today! A spacious and Toyota Certified 2008 Pontiac Vibe is also available for the great price of $7,933.

Just in time for warm weather, customers can also purchase a 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible for only $8,988. Stand out on the road in this yellow convertible while you enjoy the spring air. Lastly, the family-friendly 2004 Mazda Tribute is available for only $5,988, while a heavy-duty 1997 Ford F-150 is only $5,988 as well.

Swing by Dick Dyer Toyota and take a look at the best pre-owned vehicles we have to offer for incredible prices! Sales associates will be available to take you for a test drive or show you a little more of our pre-owned selection. More information on Dick Dyer Toyota’s used cars under $10,000 can be found online at www.DickDyerToyota.com/Specials-Preowned/.

The Ins and Outs of Checking Your Oil

What’s most important to you in life? Your family, your career, your pet? For some people, it might even be the amount of money in their bank account.

But for a car, the answer is simple: oil. Oil is the most important part of a car’s life; it is the thing that keeps it going, day after day.

No wonder you always hear about oil changes, oil change specials, oil change coupons, oil change this, oil change that. All of that hype isn’t just a marketing ploy. Oil changes really are that important.

So when do you need an oil change? You could follow your car’s manufacturer service guide, but even that is not 100% accurate because it does not take into account your unique driving experience. Your best bet is to regularly check your oil to monitor when it needs to be changed.

This of course brings up another deep and philosophical question: how do I do that!? Don’t worry – this short video will show you everything you need to know about checking your oil. It’s easier than you think! And remember that when it is time to change your oil, the Dick Dyer Toyota Service Department is here is to help!

2014 Toyota Highlander Revealed at New York Auto Show

Toyota unveiled the 2014 Toyota Highlander today at the New York Auto Show and we at Dick Dyer Toyota are excited about it! The new Highlander has been totally redesigned and even adds a new hybrid engine option. Plus, the exterior has been restyled, resulting in an appealing new look, indicative of a heartier, more powerful SUV.

The new Hybrid powertrain includes a 3.5-liter V6 Hybrid Synergy Drive Engine with an electric motor and an electronically controlled CVT transmission. Plus, the 2014 Highlander has optional Dynamic Torque Control All-Wheel Drive to provide an even more compelling driving experience.

Oh and let’s not forget that the Highlander can now seat up to eight passengers! You need more room – Toyota gives it to you! The list of standard features is excellent as well as the bells and whistles you can add on like rear cross traffic alert, rear entertainment system, and a heated steering wheel.

Watch this video to find out more about the all new 2014 Toyota Highlander and make sure to check back with Dick Dyer Toyota often to see when the 2014 Highlander arrives on the lot!

Meals Per Hour: Toyota’s Partnership to Aid Hurricane Sandy Victims

For some people, it seems like Hurricane Sandy happened forever ago; for others, the devastation is still affecting their daily lives. You might not know that Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic tropical system on record and one of the most destructive storms of all time. In fact, the overall cost of the damages is estimated to be $71 billion.

In order to help the areas in New York devastated by this tragedy, Toyota has partnered with Food Bank for New York City to create Meals Per Hour. Your first thought might be that Toyota is sending a check to help fund soup kitchens and food banks, but in reality they are doing more than that.

Toyota is utilizing its operations and manufacturing expertise to help make soup kitchens more efficient and productive. They are doing so by sending in specialists from the Toyota Production System Support Center to help get more people fed in NY. So many people are in need of food that food banks and similar organizations don’t have the capacity to help everyone who comes to their doors. With Toyota’s help, more people can get the food they so desperately need.

From simple tasks like rearranging tables to more involved tactics like making the line move more quickly, Toyota is doing what it takes to make a difference for New York communities. Working from the philosophy of Kaizen or “good change,” Toyota believes that each small step will result in a large change from the current destruction left by Hurricane Sandy.

Toyota has lent a helping hand and so can you. Find out more about Meals Per Hour and Toyota’s involvement at http://mealsperhour.com/. For information on volunteering at local food banks and making donations, visit Food Bank for New York’s website at http://www.foodbanknyc.org/.

2014 Toyota Tundra at Chicago Auto Show

One of the things that people love about their car is the comfort and convenience that it provides. Until now, you might not think of a pickup truck when the words “comfort and convenience” are mentioned. Well, think again.

The 2014 Toyota Tundra features just that: the comfort of a CrewMax body style with four doors and seating for five, the convenience of blind spot monitoring and rear cross path detection, and the comfort of additional cab space. Plus, it is bolder and more aggressive looking than ever.

See the all-new 2014 Toyota Tundra for yourself, revealed at the Chicago Auto Show in February.

Don’t want to wait until 2014? Get the new 2013 Tundra at Dick Dyer Toyota now!

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