I got in a car accident, ugh. Now what?

We've all been there. Some of us have been there a few more times than others, albeit no fault of our own, of course. And it always happens at the worst possible time, you're late for work, its Christmas Eve, or maybe you just turned 16...ouch! Perhaps, it was no traffic accident at all, maybe you missed the turn in your garage and ended up scraping your bumper along the garage wall, yep I did that before, and my parents were anything but proud. But it happens to everyone, and luckily you are okay. Now what?


Your car is busted or worse, immobile. Let's assume you are not a novice, if it was a traffic accident, you have called the police, filed a report and alerted your insurance company. Now here's something you may not know, you have the right to choose who repairs your car. The best advice about getting your car fixed is to remember that the money may be coming from the insurance company but you should control the repair process.

Start by researching auto body shops in your town, find one that has a solid reputation, with trained and experienced technicians who stand by their work.

While you're at it, why not demand the best? Look for an auto body shop that will come to you and give you an estimate at no charge. Rice Collision Center in Greensboro, NC does that. Rice Collision has a mobile estimator service that will come to your location and write you a estimate on-the-spot.

Wouldn't it also be nice if there was a rental car office on site so when you drop your car off, you drive home in a rental car? How about that for convenience? Your life is busy and car repairs are a hassle, Rice Collision wants to make it easy on you. Rice Collision will work with your insurance company to get your claim handled properly.

Rice Collision repairs all makes and models, imports and domestics.

Special Offer: One free day car rental with any repair scheduled online.
Visit us online at www.RiceCollision.com and get that thing fixed already!

Greensboro Symphony Rice Toyota Chamber Series

At Rice Toyota we value our community and enjoy supporting the local arts. The Greensboro Symphony Rice Toyota Chamber Series is just one of the ways we say "Thank You Greensboro for over 50 years of patronage." Below is an article from the Classical Voice of North Carolina on the Chamber Series and the uber-talented Dmitry Sitkovetsky. I have also included a link to the Greensboro Symphony online. Attending the Greensboro Symphony is an experience that will enrich your heart, soul and mind.

Greensboro Symphony Rice Toyota Chamber Series:
Sitkovetsky and Friends

Greenboro Symphony

by Tim Lindeman

January 30, 2009, Greensboro, NC: Greensboro Symphony Orchestra Music Director Dmitry Sitkovetsky introduced Friday Night’s Chamber concert by explaining that the performers were all part of his “music family.” One could have gone a step further, noting that the featured soprano, Susan Roberts, was also Sitkovetsky’s wife.

Sitkovetsky was joined by pianist Konstantin Lifschitz for a sterling performance of Mozart’s Sonata in G Major, K. 301. The two musicians are in the final stages of recording a 4-CD set of Mozart’s mature works for violin and piano, so it should have been no surprise that this performance was flawless.

The two movements that make up the work were written while the 22-year-old Mozart was touring in Paris and Mannheim. Both movements are primarily bright and cheery, with a few dark clouds in the minor section of the second movement. The duo’s performance was sparkling and elegant, like a diamond. The melodic material is shared more or less equally between the two instruments, and each performer matched the other’s subtle nuances.

Susan Roberts and Lifschitz performed Mussorgsky’s Nursery Songs. Mussorgsky is a curious composer, self-taught, and lying outside of the European canon somewhat. The musical setting of the texts (also written by the composer) is devoted to capturing the essence and meaning of the words. Thus, one should not expect lyric lines, or music that flows in stanza form, but rather a dramatic foray into what a child loves and fears.

Roberts captured the theatrical nature of the music perfectly, with an animated style that helped the listener understand the texts, which were sung in Russian. She displayed an amazing number of colors and timbres, occasionally approaching speech, but all in the service of the poetry. Lifschitz certainly had his hands full. This is not pianistic music, but orchestral, with short bursts of virtuosic material and sudden silences.

If the Mozart sonata represents clarity, balance and poise, the final piece on the program, César Franck’s Sonata in A for violin and piano, provided a perfect foil. This four-movement work contains both intimate beauty and frenzied passion. It is one of the composer’s most loved works, representing man’s journey through life, and this performance was one of the most heart-felt I have heard.

The first movement, depicting youth, was taken at a really slow tempo. This languid approach allowed for wonderful rhythmic flexibility, which both pianist and violinist explored with great expressiveness. The slow tempo of the opening movement also threw into relief the fire and drive of the second movement "Allegro," which represents young adulthood. The "Recitativo Fantasia," reflecting old age, was an introspective musing between the piano and violin. The final "Allegretto poco mosso" provides a look back on a life well lived. The music contains both tranquil and impassioned moments, concluding with ecstatic joy.

One runs out of superlatives to describe the musicianship of Sikovetsky and Lifschitz. The violinist’s ability to provide an astounding array of timbres certainly is at the core of his musical personality, from laser-like intensity to warm and richly romantic sound, all beautifully in tune. He radiates confidence. And Lifschitz seems to have no technical weakness, taking on fiendish arpeggios and elegant scales equally and providing the color of an entire orchestra.

These chamber recitals of the GSO have become a venue for some of the best music Greensboro (one might even argue the entire southeast) has to offer. And Friday night’s concert proved the point.

Prepare Your Car for Cold Weather

In preparation for the recent snowfall, I brought my plants inside, stocked up on canned goods and water (just in case), and cut up some firewood. The one thing I didn't give much thought to was my car. In hindsight, I should have known better, and consider myself lucky that I didn't get stuck out in the cold and unprepared. Here are a few tips to keep your car running smoothly during these cold winter months.

Brakes
The brakes must be faultless and equalized so there is no pulling to one side, which may cause skidding.

Cooling System
If it hasn't been done in a while, have your cooling system flushed out with a good chemical cleaner and put in fresh anti-freeze. Check containers, belts, hoses, the pressure caps and thermostat.

Battery and Electrical System
Cold weather is hard on batteries. If your battery is several years old, have it checked. Be sure connections are clean and tight.

Engine
A diagnostic check-up of the engine can be a good pre-winter investment. If you're due for a tune-up, have it done before winter sets in. Faulty wiring, worn spark plugs, a sticking choke or emission control devices that need attention, can all lead to hard starting.

Exhaust System
Check the muffler and tail pipe system for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous during cold weather driving when the windows are closed.

Fuel System
Make sure there is plenty of gas in your tank at all times. A full tank minimizes condensation, which may cause gas line freezing. Add gasoline antifreeze occasionally.

Heaters, Defrosters and Wipers
Have them checked to make sure they are operational. Install winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. Ensure your windshield can give you clear vision of the road and traffic around you.

Oil and Filter
Dirty oil can give you trouble in the winter, so change the oil and filter. Check the other filters, including the fuel, air and transmission filters.

Tires
Check your tire pressure regularly - for every 5º C of temperature drop, tire pressure goes down by one pound.¹


To schedule your winter tune up call Rice Service center 336-288-6225 or email us at service@ricetoyota.com. We service all makes and models, imports and domestics.
Rice Service Center Complimentary Winter Check Up

Matrix, Corolla and Safety

Matrix, Corolla and Safety

We’re pleased to note that in recent crash tests of small cars, our Matrix earned the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety’s highest rating in side and frontal crashes. Matrix was one of just two vehicles tested that earned the top rating in side crashes.

This side-crash testing is important, according to an IIHS spokesperson, because more than 8,000 people were killed in 2007 as a result of side-impact crashes. Such accidents happen when vehicles collide front-to-door, impacting at 90 degrees, as they might do in an intersection.More than 14,500 people died in frontal crashes, according to the IIHS.

Our Corolla and Scion xB earned the IIHS’s "Top Safety Pick" rating in this year’s small-car testing. Both were given top marks in front, side and rear impacts, and both are available with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), which the IIHS calls, "the most important safety feature a car can have." It also notes that ESC is one of today’s automotive features that is least familiar to drivers.

When our ESC systems detect the presence of a skid, they manage braking on individual wheels, and also throttle application, to help minimize the loss of traction in turns.


It’s a bit of electronic wizardry that is available on a number of our vehicles.


- Jon F. Thompson, Editor, Open Road
www.blog.toyota.com