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2015 Buick LaCrosse Changes The Buick LaCrosse just gets better with every new model year -- it's no wonder this is one of our best-selling sedans here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac! With premium comfort and convenience features and technology that improves drastically with each update, the LaCrosse is quickly gaining ground in its class and reaching a wider range of drivers than ever before. Want to find out what makes the 2015 updates so noteworthy? We'll let you know about all of the 2015 Buick LaCrosse changes and also clue you in as to how you can set up a test drive here at our dealership in Kenosha! more The one that's really got people talking is the OnStar with 4G LTE and a standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. This is a subscription service, so the compatibility is there and you get to decide whether or not you want to make use of it. To help you make that choice, you're getting a free 3 GB/three-month data trial to see if this is a service you'll get a good deal of use out of, and from there it's up to you whether you'd like to subscribe! We think this is a timely and important update, as people are more connected than ever these days. Also standard on all LaCrosee models for 2015 is the rearview camera system, allowing you a clear and easy view of what's behind you when you're backing up. Where this might normally be a paid extra or standard on only the higher trims, it now comes along with every new LaCrosse, including the base model. The IntelliLink system receives some updates, now set to include text messaging alerts as well as Siri Eyes Free, letting you make voice commands without taking your eyes off the road. With these more connected times comes an increased need for driver awareness and safety considerations, so we're glad to see this development. Other improvements include four-way adjustable front-seat headrests and new exterior colors that include White Frost Tricoat, Deep Garnet Metallic, and Dark Chocolate Metallic. Interested in taking the new 2015 Buick LaCrosse for a test drive? Give us a call today if you're in Kenosha or the surrounding areas and we'll gladly set something up!

When to move kids to seat belts General Motors, the company that makes our great cars, trucks, and SUVs here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, has recently helped fund a study by the Safe Kids Worldwide organization that has helped to point out a pretty worrisome trend: that is, nine out of ten parents don't know the height a child should be before they ought to ride in a car without a booster seat. Do you? Today we'll talk about when to move kids to seat belts based on their height -- help spread the word! more The study, based on a national online survey of one thousand parents with children ranging from age 4 to 10, found that by and large, parents are taking their kids out of booster seats before they're tall enough. Maybe the kids get restless and start to ask to be taken out, maybe other parents are already starting to do so, or any number of factors could be contributing to the early shift to seat belts. In any case, it's important to make sure we have the correct information for optimal safety, and certainly any parent would agree. So what is the right height for moving your kids to a seat belt from a booster seat? According to guidelines, we know that seat belts aren't made to fit properly for a person who is less than 57 inches tall and between 80 and 100 pounds. If your child meets one of these standards but not the other, hold off on making the switch to seat belts. Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit that aims to prevent unintentional child injury through a variety of accident and injury prevention measures, and education through studies like this one are a huge part of that effort. GM is proud to support Safe Kids Worldwide, and likewise we are proud to be a GM dealer. If you've got any questions about fitting your child safety seat, or whether it's time to move your child to a seat belt, please don't hesitate to stop in and ask us and one of our helpful associates will help you out!

Buick Envision USA Release If you're anything like us here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, the idea of an all-new vehicle is pretty exciting... and the idea that it's not being produced for us here in the U.S. (yet!) is just a little bit frustrating! Right now the Buick Envision has only been released in China, but what an exciting release it has been. This model has great features and looks like a perfect family vehicle -- we'll tell you more about it in this post as we wait for news about a Buick Envision USA release so we can show it to you in person here at Palmen! more The details we have for the Envision are specific to the model that's been released in China this fall, so in terms of what we'd see for an exact model Stateside we can't quite be sure, but here are some of the highlights of the model as its been released to Chinese drivers: It's a midsize crossover with seating for five passengers, and plenty of great capability including intelligent all-wheel drive that's more responsive and efficient than the AWD drive models you might be familiar with. If nothing else, we can look forward to that sort of technology being offered in our all wheel drive models soon enough, we'd imagine! The Envision is also on the cutting edge of today's technology, including a standard panoramic sunroof, Active Noise Cancellation technology (also standard), and great connectivity features including smartphone integration, steering wheel controls, a high definition touchscreen, and voice activated functions as well. The current Buick crossover lineup includes the smaller Encore and the larger Enclave. Would a midsize Envision be just the right luxury crossover model to round out the Buick lineup? We can only hope so. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new release from Buick!

Kenosha Trick or Treat 2014 It's that time of year when spooks, superheroes, and celebrities all mingle on the sidewalk while dashing from house to house collecting candy from the neighbors -- that's right, Halloween is almost here and we've got the scoop for you on when Kenosha Trick or Treat 2014 will take places, as well as some friendly Halloween safety reminders. more Alright, so first things first: When is trick or treating 2014 in Kenosha? According to the City of Kenosha, trick or treating will take place from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday, October 31, 2014. During that time you can take the kids out trick or treating around your own or your favorite neighborhood. No little goblins? If you'd like to give out candy, just stock up on sweets and turn your porch light on from five to eight on Friday the 31st! Now, if you're planning on taking your kids trick or treating, it's important to keep some basic safety precautions in mind. Here are a few to consider: 1. Costumes should fit well (to avoid tripping and falling), be bright (for better visibility since it'll get dark during the Trick or Treating hours), and warm (self explanatory at this time of year!). 2. Depending on how old your kids are, you should either go with them from house to house or stay on the same street as they are trick or treating on. Older kids will definitely want you to stay in the car, and that's fine as long as you can keep an eye on them. 3. Make sure your trick or treaters have a few rules down: use sidewalk and designated walkways only (no cutting across lawns!), always have at least one person with you, and say "Thank you!" after receiving treats, even if it's the neighborhood dentist giving out apples again. We hope everyone in and around Kenosha has a safe,  happy Halloween this year!

If you’ve been waiting for a great midsize truck to come along, the wait is officially over! The 2015 GMC Canyon is now available here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, and we couldn’t be happier about offering you the chance to check it out in person. We’ve been serving up teasers and information bit by bit throughout the course of this year since the 2015 Canyon was first announced, and now it’s here! If you want to test drive the 2015 GMC Canyon in for sale in Kenosha WI or learn more about it, you’ve come to the right place! more What are some of the highlights of the 2015 GMC Canyon? Here are some of our favorite features: The 2015 GMC Canyon has best-in-class available fuel economy with ratings as good as 18 city miles per gallon and 26 on the highway. With that kind of efficiency, we think you’ll feel more free to get out there and do more, as well as use your 2015 Canyon as a daily drive rather than just a truck for work. The comfortable interior is loaded with features. Standard features on your 2015 GMC Canyon will include a Rear Vision Camera, 4.2” color display with a USB port as well as an auxiliary input jack, and plenty of other features both standard and optional. We love the CornerStep rear bumper, which allows you to swiftly get a leg up and at whatever you’ve got stored in your truck bed. This innovative feature comes on every 2015 GMC Canyon model! Why not start out by browsing through our inventory online, and when you’ve decided on a model that you’d like to take for a test drive, give us a call here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac! We’ll be happy to help you discover more about this game-changing new truck offering from GMC!

Can you trade a car in before it's paid off? Do we have a deal? So, you've got a loan you're paying off on a car you're starting to feel bored with. Do you need to stick it out until your current ride is paid off before you can start checking out new models with any serious hope of making a purchase? Can you trade in a car before it's paid off? Today we'll help you understand how this is possible and help you decide if it's the right choice for you. We may be happy to help you look at new vehicles, but we want you to be happy with your decision so we'll give you both sides of the coin. more First thing's first, to answer the main question here: Yes, you can trade in a car before it's fully paid off. What happens is we here at Palmen or the financial institution of your choice will help you roll your current debt into your new loan (factoring in of course the trade-in value of your vehicle). Why might you want to do this? Maybe you can't get your eyes off that new vehicle and the incentives right now are so good you just can't pass it up. Hey, it happens. Realistically, you can probably achieve a similar monthly payment but it might be over a longer term. If you're down with that, by all means get into some new wheels. Alright, so why not jump on it? Well, the question is really whether you think you can actually wait a little longer until your current vehicle is paid down or off entirely. This gives you the most equity to work with and is certainly what many would call wise in this situation. Depending on how well you treat your vehicle, anyway -- if you're the type to put a lot of wear and tear on it there may be an addition downside to keeping it around longer. Assuming you're a good driver, though, you'll probably end up on top by waiting it out. In the end we want to stress that it's entirely up to you and it's also up to you to get all the facts. Do plenty of research, ask people you trust (yes, even that stickler-for-penny-pinching uncle of yours) and make the choice you know you can live with. If you have any questions about the trade-in process, with or without a loan to pay off, give us a call here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac anytime!

What is Cadillac Shield? With Cadillac, you're covered. When we make a big purchase like a new vehicle, it's so important for us to know that the manufacturer stands behind its product and is there for us in the event that an issue arises. Particularly if you're in the market for something high end like a Cadillac, you want to know you're covered in the event of any number of problems -- After all, Cadillac is a company with a reputable company with a long history of outstanding quality and service, which is no doubt part of what drew you to the brand in the first place. If you're a current or prospective Cadillac owner you may have heard of the Cadillac Shield program but you might not be aware of all that it offers. What is Cadillac Shield? We'll help you learn more! more Cadillac shield is an owner benefits packages that ranges from stellar warranty protection to remote diagnostics. The shield emblem (pictured left) give you a visual representation of each component represented in this suite of useful benefits. The first is warranty protection - that's the handshake icon. Cadillac's coverage is among the best in the industry, offering more years and more miles than even BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer standard. This includes six years or 70,000 miles on new models and a 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that takes care of parts and labor on any part of the vehicle that's experiencing problems due to materials or workmanship issues. Test drive the Cadillac ATS and experience OnStar Then there's the SOS symbol - This one represents the emergency services offered by OnStar. Every Cadillac comes with one year of OnStar service and is offered by subscription thereafter. With this service, a built-in crash sensor will alert an OnStar advisor in the event of a crash to determine what sort of emergency services are needed. There's also Onstar security, navigation & connections by Onstar, premium care maintenance, diagnostics, 24/7 roadside assistance, as well as courtesy transportation. To learn more about, call our sales department today and we'll see about getting you comfortable and confident behind the wheel of a new Cadillac today.

Buick Change Oil Soon Message Whether you're a new Buick owner or you've had one for as long as you can remember, the automaker continues to evolve and improve the ways in which it helps you stay on top of maintenance and help uphold the value and longevity of your vehicle. If you've recently seen the Buick change oil soon message and want to make sure you're not in immediate danger, we'll help you sort out what that means exactly and how you can best keep your Buick in good health. more Time for a change? If you do see the change oil soon message on your dashboard, your first instinct might be to panic, especially if you thought it wasn't going to be a while before you were due. This is not an emergency warning -- it's simply telling you that you will be coming up due soon and to make sure you've scheduled an appointment at a service center for the near future. No need to pull directly into one of those quick-lube stations you've never been to before -- just know that it's probably time to give your favorite local service center a call. We can get your filters changed as well.   According to Buick's FAQ section, in fact, the "Change Oil Soon" warning message is letting you know that within the next 600 miles you should have an oil change. At that time your technician can look over your vehicle for other work that might need to be done. One of the advantages of having a dedicated service center that you trust is that you can rely on them to keep an accurate history of previous maintenance and repairs performed on your vehicle so that you don't need to provide all of that information every time you come in. If you have any questions about maintaining the life of your Buick vehicle, don't hesitate to call or come see us here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac in Kenosha! We'll be happy to help -- and while you're at it, check out our current service coupons!

How Long do GMC trucks last? With all the trucks on the market today, you need to know you've got one that will stand the test of time. Thinking about which truck to get next? We know that pickup drivers tend to be some of the most die-hard loyalists in the auto world, but if you're starting to set your sites on GMC vehicles we certainly can't blame you for it! These tough, capable trucks are some of the most well-recognized and well-loved vehicles on the road today, and we invite you to learn more about what they have to offer. First of all, how long do GMC trucks last? Great questions! We'll start to get to the bottom of that today, and if you have more questions you can feel free to give us a call! more Now, of course you know that the life of any vehicle can't really be given a precise number on how long it's going to endure for you. A truck's longevity depends on a number of factors: how you drive and maintain your vehicle is a huge on, of course, and then there are environmental factors, accident history, wear and tear on various parts, and more. What we do know is that GMC trucks have an excellent reputation for lasting their drivers a long time! Earlier this year, results were released from a study that actually pulled data from as far back as 1981 and onward to discover which vehicles had the most models on the road with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. With proper maintenance, you'll get maximum life from your vehicle.   The results? More than any other brand, GMC models had the greatest showing on the list with four of the top twelve. In addition to the Sierra 1500 and 2500 pickup  models, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL nabbed two of the top spots for themselves. So whether you're in the market for a pickup or an SUV, you should check out the GMC lineup for options that are built to last!

Is the Cadillac CTS good in snow? Are you looking for a sedan that's got stamina as well as style, that can stand up to all sort of conditions while providing you with a smooth, reliable ride? Luxury shoppers will no doubt be looking at the Cadillac CTS, and with good reason. This gorgeous, technologically advanced model has been on the scene long enough to have developed a great reputation among high end car enthusiasts. But is the Cadillac CTS good in the snow? Drivers in the Kenosha area and throughout the Midwest won't want to commit to this car until they've found out how it handles in winter road conditions. more For your consideration, we think the following reasons are all part of what makes the Cadillac CTS a good pick for winter driving if you prefer to buy a car over an SUV or truck: Power and drive options: First of all, the CTS is available with all-wheel drive, which for many is a huge deciding factor in which sedan to opt for when they know they'll be taking on snow and ice. Delivering power to all four wheels gives many drivers and increased sense of control and confidence with improved traction. That said, even if you go for the rear-wheel drive, there are plenty of reasons the CTS is till a good pick. For example... Brembo brakes: One of the biggest challenges of winter driving is the ability to brake quickly and safely when it becomes necessary. The Brembo brakes with available Magnetic Ride Control make it easier to feel secure that you'll be able to stop when you need to. LED lighting: A big aspect of staying safe on snowy winter days is the ability to see -- and be seen. With crisp, smooth LED lights that benefit both your visibility and the ability of others to see you coming, everyone is that much safer on the road. To learn more about the Cadillac CTS models we have in stock or to find out why and how these are as winter road-ready as any sedan you'll encounter, get in touch with us today here at Palmen GM in Kenosha!

How to Maintain the Value of Your Vehicle Whether it is a temporary car or a the type of vehicle that you want to pass along to your kids, it is always important to protect it so that it stays like new for as long as it can. Here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac of Kenosha WI, we want to make sure that you know exactly how to maintain the value of your vehicle at all times. more Because "longevity" isn't just for us Let’s start with the “why”. Well, a car is an investment; The longer you keep it going good, the better return it will give you. It is all about being cost efficient. OR better yet, it is all about the money. And when we talk money, we talk gas. The words "great condition" go a long way. It is important that you pay close attention to the mileage. We know that driving is pretty much the whole point of having a vehicle, but sometimes there are ways of economizing and reducing the amount of times your vehicle hits the road. Think about carpooling and using bikes or the city transportation … It will benefit you, your pocket and the environment. Here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac of Kenosha WI, we’re proud to have a great service center that helps make sure our customers always feel safe on the road. We advise you to make an appointment with us regularly to keep track of damages or repairs or simple “let’s just see’s” for your vehicle. Routine is the key. And although it’s not always possible, try to avoid heavy construction areas because they can be filled with loose nails, heavy bricks and unnecessary issues that neither you or your vehicle probably wants to put up with unless it’s absolutely necessary. Take care of your vehicle and it will last you a lifetime. For any more tips and tricks for used vehicles or brand new cars, trucks, and SUVs, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you and your loved ones stay safe and happy while on the road.

Taking a Car to College Aren’t you excited for what this upcoming year has in store for you? With a new college year coming soon, it is important that you plan ahead on how you are going to travel along day by day. Is it on a bus, with your parents or by yourself in your own car? If freedom is what you want, then check out what we have here for you at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, and learn about taking a car to college. more The more you know ... Well, first you need to know the rules of the game. Or better yet, the parking rules of your campus in order to avoid a ticket. Are you even allowed to bring a car to campus? Certain colleges only let upperclassmen bring automobiles as a matter of security so read up a little. Investigate and start your homework earlier. The more you'll enjoy this new school year. Now that you know whether or not you can bring your car, look for a map of your college and learn about the parking lot and space areas. This won’t be hard, we promise. You can easily obtain this information at the information desk or online, at the college website. This might be the most important of the steps, You have to sign up for a parking permit so that the campus security knows that your vehicle belongs to a student at their campus. Inform yourself on how much they can cost and where those permits will let you park your vehicle. All you need to do now is learn the areas around your campus. Know the routes! This is the best way to make sure that you will make it to class on time –  this and an alarm clock. If what you are looking for is to get a car for your upcoming year, don’t hesitate to give us a call! One of our expert sales representatives will be more than happy to assist you, talk to you about models, financing and even let you test drive some models! The fun doesn’t have to stop just because classes started - it has actually just begun.