A Mustang Aficionado “Must See”: Images from the 2013 Spring Cruise

It wasn’t the thunder of hooves, but the roar of engines you heard on the after noon of Sunday, May 19th at Hoffman Ford’s “Mustang Corral” as around 50 drivers on the Late Model Mustang Club of Connecticut’s Spring Cruise vroomed into our parking lot!

After a scenic ride up from Meriden, CT it was time for a casual lunch in the Hoffman Ford showroom and some very serious ogling at rebuilt engines, tricked out bodywork, and even just-for-fun “bling” these Mustang aficionados had on display!

See them On the Road

 

The Great Garage Makeover: Phase I

garage makeovers

Who says the garage has to be “masculine”?         From House beautiful.

With spring finally arriving in Connecticut, it’s time to think about…the garage! It’s usually home to much more than just the family car. And let’s face it, it’s not always well organized.

You may be surprised at the extra space you can create in your garage with the right planning. Maybe you’ll use it to work on your car, store your lawn equipment, create a workbench… or even park the car! Or maybe, if you’re really lucky, you will even turn your newly-found extra garage space into a veritable garage man cave. Whatever your ambitions, here are some tips for where to start.

Organize the Garage: Clear the Clutter

Figuring out the best garage storage systems will help you create a more functional garage space. But first, you need a clean palette. Most of us have items in the garage that we really don’t use – outgrown bikes, dried up paint, old motor oil.

Anything you haven’t used in the last 12 months should go. If you find that too brutal, then extend it to 24 months! But the idea is, if you’re not using it, lose it. Bring useful items to Good Will, the Salvation Army, or another local charity. Have a garage sale if you feel so inspired. But clear out as many unused items as possible. Make three areas: keepers, stuff to toss, and stuff to give away. No swapping, either – once something isn’t in the keeper area, stay committed!

Spiff Up your Garage Space: Walls & Floors

Flow Wall garage storage system

Flow Wall from Home Depot covers
24 square feet of wall for under $200.

Before you run to buying garage storage containers at Home Depot or Lowe’s, take some time to really consider your space. This is really important, because you need a plan for the final product to work best.

Sweep out the garage, or get out the shop vac. Evaluate whether you should give the garage walls a fresh coat of paint. If it looks to you like even fresh paint won’t do the trick, you might want to invest in a garage wall organizing system. There are many DIY garage organizing systems you can use to install grooved panels right over your existing walls.

carpet tiles for garage

FLOR’s “Working Class”
carpet tiles for garages

Take a good look at the garage floor, too. You might want to consider having the garage floor epoxied or painted, or there are lots of great new garage flooring options out there.

modular garage floor tiles Swisstrax

Swisstrax makes modular
garage floor tiles
Jay Leno uses.

Check out FLOR’s garage carpet tiles for instance. And you definitely should check out the cool interlocking floor tiles Jay Leno has in his garage, which start at just $4 a square foot at Swisstrax.

Like to daydream? Go to the Swisstrax website and start designing your tiled garage floor.

Make a Garage Organizing Plan

Take stock of your keepers. Group your things by seasons and interests: lawn care, sporting goods, holiday decorations, whatever you’re storing. Now you’re ready for some garage storage solutions. Here’s where things get interesting.

garage organizing CT

Using a taller set of shelves
maximizes your vertical
space. I got these at Lowe’s -
inexpensive ($30)
and simple!

When considering what to store where, don’t forget about vertical space. I recently reorganized my garage and realized I had all low cabinets and shelves for storage. I ran out and got some taller shelving units from Lowe’s in Bloomfield, CT. In one short weekend, I was able to make a huge difference in my garage storage area just by adding a few more vertical feet of storage space.

You’ll want to keep as many things off the garage floor as possible, and try to keep seasonal things like lawn equipment or snow blowers as close to where they’ll be used as possible. Of course, in Connecticut we’re hoping we can safely move those snow blowers to the back of the garage by now!

It’s a great idea to map out your garage space before shopping for garage storage solutions and bins. I love when you see those great “makeover pictures” where the garage is totally cluttered before, and then basically empty afterward. But don’t you wonder….where’d all the stuff go? Why don’t those people have a lawn mower or trash bins in their garage, like the rest of the world?

gladiator garage organizers CT blueprint estimator

Plan out your space at www.gladiatorgarageworks.com

So in addition to mapping out the physical space of your newly cleaned garage space, think about all the tools you’ll need to put back into it before buying storage organizers. Measure your mower and snow blower, for instance, and add their measurements to your mapped out space. That way, when you’re ready to buy storage hooks, storage bins, shelving units, or garage storage wall systems, you’ll really know exactly what you need.

Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll give you our take on the best garage storage systems on the market in Connecticut – from DIY items to professional storage solutions.

Where are All Those Sandy Cars Going?

used cars Hurricane Sandy

A photo from www.theatlantic.com of damaged cars stored on runways and taxiways at Calverton Executive Airpark in Calverton, New York.

With hundreds of thousands of cars in the Northeast suffering corrosive damage from salt water after Hurricane Sandy, it’s a big job disposing of them properly. The New York Times had an interesting and personally poignant story this weekend written by a victim of Hurricane Sandy. He actually went with his flooded yet still treasured 2002 Volkswagen Cabriolet after it was hauled off by the insurance company to see what would happen to it.

Parting with an older vehicle you love is never easy. The author, reporter Michael Winerip, says of his beloved convertible, “I can’t say that it made me feel young, but I did feel better about being old.” Any owner of a convertible can probably relate! You can see a video of his Cabrio’s journey to the crusher here.

With an estimated 250,000 cars damaged (8,000 of them in CT) by Hurricane Sandy’s flooding them with corrosive saline and sand – in their interiors and engines – one would hope that these cars would mostly be salvaged for their remaining usable parts. In many cases, as much as 75% of damaged cars can be salvaged: wheels and fenders, rubber and steel can be salvaged and recycled. But some cars damaged by Hurricane Sandy are undoubtedly being sold by unscrupulous people. Laws vary from state to state, making regulation of the sale of these damaged cars inconsistent.

So if you’re in the market to buy a used car, buyer beware! The New York Times has quoted Frank Scafidi of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which investigates insurance fraud and vehicle theft, as saying, “People masquerade those things as perfectly good vehicles without any hint that they had been flooded or exposed to water…There is a market for these vehicles, even though we might never want to see them on the road again.”

previously owned convertible Connecticut

Maybe this should be Mr. Winerip’s replacement for the car he lost in Hurricane Sandy?

To be safe, this is just not the time to buy a used car via the internet, sight unseen – unless you know you’re dealing with a reputable car dealership. Hoffman’s H Lot Live is a trustworthy resource for buying a used car in Connecticut, so we invite you to check out our online inventory, schedule a test drive and investigate financing options. At the moment, Hoffman Auto’s H Lot has a great value on a previously owned convertible with a squeaky clean history – maybe Mr. Winerip needs to pay us a visit to replace his dear old cabrio!

Regardless of where you buy a previously owned vehicle, you should always order a CarFax vehicle history report, which will help you discover whether the car was ever registered or titled in the area affected by Hurricane Sandy. A certified mechanic should also inspect the car. Buying a car without seeing it also prevents you from observing signs of possible flooding damage, which could include:

  • Mold or mildew inside, and a musty or over-perfumed scent
  • Mud or rust in the trunk or under the seats
  • New carpeting that doesn’t match the upholstery
  • Brittle wires under the dash, malfunctioning gauges or dashboard lights

Of course, if the car is being sold way below Blue Book market pricing, you should also be wary.

 

 

Where to Pick Apples in Connecticut

by Motorin’ Momma

Apple Picking in CT Drazen Orchards

Apple picking at Drazen Orchards in Cheshire, one of Motorin’ Momma’s favorite destinations.

Looking for a beautiful autumn drive to a fun destination? This is a great time to visit a Pick Your Own apple orchard in Connecticut. If you’re looking for a great family activity this weekend, pack a picnic, plan a little road trip and enjoy the apple bounty you’ll bring home. It’s always a good idea to call ahead and see what’s available before heading out. Here are some apple orchards to visit in our area.

Choose your Area:

Hartford County   New London County  New Haven County  Middlesex County

Hartford County Apple Picking: 

4-H Center At Auer Farm
158 Auer Farm Road
Bloomfield, CT  06002
860-242-7144
www.auerfarm.org 

Belltown Hill Orchards, LLC
483 Matson Hill Road
South Glastonbury, CT  06073
860-633-2789
www.belltownhillorchards.com

Berruti’s Harvest House
1098 Main Street
South Glastonbury, CT  06073
860-657-8158 

Bushy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill
29 Bushy Hill Road
Granby, CT  06035-2903
860-653-4022
www.bushyhill.com  

Dondero Orchards, LLC
529 Country Club Road
South Glastonbury, CT  06073
860-659-0294
www.donderoorchards.com

Easy Pickin’s Orchard
46 Bailey Road
Enfield, CT  06082
860-763-3276
www.easypickinsorchard.com

Karabin Farms
894 Andrews Street
Southington, CT  06489
860-620-0194
www.karabinfarms.com 

Lost Acres Orchard & Farm Store
130 Lost Acres Road
North Granby, CT  06060
860-653-6600
www.lostacres.com

Peter Draghi Farm
379 Scantic Road
East Windsor, CT  06088
860-282-9063

Rogers Orchard
Long Bottom Road
Southington, CT  06489
860-229-4240
www.rogersorchards.com

Rose’s Berry Farm
295 Matson Hill Road
South Glastonbury, CT  06073
860-633-7467
www.rosesberryfarm.com

Scott’s Orchard & Nursery       
1838 New London Turnpike
Glastonbury, CT  06033
860-633-8681
www.scottsorchardandnursery.com

New London County Apple Picking:

Holmberg Orchards and Winery
1990 Rte. 12
Gales Ferry, CT  06335
860-464-7305
www.holmbergorchards.com

Maple Lane Farms
57 N.W. Corner Road
Preston, CT  06365
860-887-8855
www.maplelane.com 

Scott’s Yankee Farmer
436 Boston Post Road (Rte. 1)
East Lyme, CT  06333
860-739-5209
www.scottsyankeefarmer.net

West Green Farm, LLC
119 West Town Street
Lebanon, CT  06249
860642-6745
www.westgreenfarm.com

Whittle’s Willow Spring Farm
1030 Noank Ledyard Road
Mystic, CT  06355
860-536-1418

Middlesex County Apple Picking:

Gotta’s Farm
661 Glastonbury Turnpike
Portland, CT  06480
860-342-1844

Lyman Orchards
Jct. Rtes. 147 & 157
Middlefield, CT  06455
PYO Hotline 860-349-6015
www.lymanorchards.com

Scott’s CT Valley Orchard  
274 Kelsey Hill Road
Deep River, CT 06417

New Haven County Apple Picking:

Bishop’s Orchards
1355 Boston Post Road, US Rte. 1, I-95 Exit 57
Guilford, CT  06437
203-458-PICK (7425)
www.bishopsorchards.com  

Blue Hills Orchard, Inc.
141 Blue Hills Road
Wallingford, CT  06492
203-269-3189
www.bluehillsorchard.com

Drazen Orchards
251 Wallingford Road
Cheshire, CT  06410
203-272-7985
www.drazenorchards.com

Hickory Hill Orchards
363 South Meriden Road
Cheshire, CT  06410
203-272-0181
www.hickoryhillorchards.com 

High Hill Orchard Company
170 Fleming Road
Meriden, CT  06450
203-294-0276

Hindinger Farm
835 Dunbar Hill Road
Hamden, CT  06514
203-288-0700
www.hindingersfarm.com

Norton Bros. Fruit Farm, LLC
466 Academy Road
Cheshire, CT  06410
203-272-8418
www.nortonbrothersfruitfarm.com

Rolling Acres Orchard
232 North Street
Milford, CT  06461
203-878-7815

Rose Orchards
33 Branford Road
North Branford, CT  06471
203-488-7996

Hoffman Proudly Sponsors Fidelco Dog Walk

We hope you’ll join us:

September 23rd, 2012 from 10am – 4pm

Simsbury Performing Arts Center
22 Iron Horse Boulevard
Simsbury, CT

Bring your dog! Walk with a Purpose!

Join us for a fun day that raises money for a very worthwhile local cause in Central Connecticut. It will be a full day of fun, food, and activities. Music, vendors and food along with those adorable Fidelco puppies, incredible Fidelco guide dogs, and police K-9 demonstrations. Don’t miss it!

Click here for more information and to register online.

Enter to win a giveaway from Hoffman Auto Group celebrating dogs everywhere in honor of Fidelco’s proud guide dogs!