Khamis’ Place: A Park Place Client Shares His Volvo Cars Overseas Delivery Experience

“Telling my friends and family that I flew to Sweden to pick up a car always makes them scratch their heads – for them it seems mind-boggling! You may be thinking the same thing too if you are looking to get a new car. I was frequently asked “How long did it take to get it? How do you ship it from Europe to the USA? How much extra did it cost? How did you know it was the car you wanted?” For those of you with those same questions, I’d like to tell our story.

Choosing a car

We had the added bonus of already owning a Volvo XC 90 that we purchased in 2016 for the family. When we started looking for a smaller car for just me; there was really no other car out there that had the features and comfort that I wanted in a crossover vehicle. I would encourage you to check out Audi, Ford, BMW, and Mercedes; but I’m certain that once you see the Volvo XC 60 you’ll realize it’s leaps and bounds advanced in comfort, tech features and value.

I saved Park Place for last with my wife because I knew their customer service would make the decision an easy one for my wife. Once I had a good idea of the customization and features I wanted in a car on the Volvo website, I brought those options to Park Place so I could experience the decisions I made.

Booking the trip

From our perspective, there was only one downside to taking the Overseas Delivery Experience (OSD) – the wait. The upsides far outweighed it:

Fully customized car
Discounted pricing
Waived destination fee
Free trip to Sweden for two

So we placed our order in June for our trip in September!

The trip:

My wife kindly offered to let me take my dad with me so she could stay and watch the kids. My dad and I were both upgraded to economy plus by Volvo which made the flight a comfortable one. Upon arrival, we were picked up by a professional service in a brand new XC 60. She took us to a very modern hotel in Gothenburg (picked by Volvo).

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, we were picked up this time by a really nice V90 who took us to the Volvo factory welcome center to meet the car. The car was indoors and I was given a thorough overview by a knowledgeable product manager. We then were treated to a fine Swedish meatballs lunch at the center followed by a fascinating factory tour. During the factory tour, you get to see how the Volvos are made from metal to assembled car; my inner 4 year old was giddy with excitement to see powertrains added to bodies – MINUTE by MINUTE! So that’s 60 cars per hour!

We decided to spend the next couple of days exploring various sites around Gothenburg. My drone followed the car around while we visited some parks and other sites in the city. We used the drone activity as an excuse to explore the area – we went downtown, some islands, a castle, the harbor, a beach over some beautiful bridges and even an IKEA. It was a lot of fun scouting out exciting places, setting up the drone and capturing the Bursting Blue color of the XC 60 contrasting against the bright green landscape. Dad and I got better and better with every shot.

Getting the Car

When you drop off the car at the FDC, they give you an estimated date and, of course, your VIN number. So I was able to track it’s shipment from Sweden to US; which took about 6 weeks. Then from the US (Georgia) to Park Place was another 3 weeks which was taken up mostly by customs.

The highlight of the experience was spending all the time with just my dad. Him being a grandfather and me being a father of 2 toddlers means that we only end up seeing each other once or twice a year amongst all the family. But the trip gave an easy excuse to spend time with just the two of us; exploring Europe, playing with the drone, seeing how cars are made, trying Swedish cuisine and…of course driving a sporty XC 60 around the countryside!”

Share your story by using #YourParkPlace and visit us at YourParkplace.com.

Visit or Contact Park Place Volvo Cars Dallas for details on your next Volvo or Overseas Delivery Experience.

December 19, 2017December 19, 2017

Head-Turning Good Looks: A Sneak Peek at the Jaguar E-PACE

Starting at base MSRP of $38,600, the Jaguar E-PACE is the first compact SUV from Jaguar that will most certainly command attention with its striking good looks, agility, and dynamic driving. After the impressive success of the F-PACE, Jaguar’s first ever SUV, their leap into the most competitive auto segment is, simply put, a no-brainer.

On December 12th, an exclusive group of Park Place members attended a ‘sneak peek’ with the Jaguar E-PACE– and let’s just say, the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace did not disappoint:

Preview the highly responsive and smooth E-PACE and stay tuned for its official entrance in 2018:

December 15, 2017January 5, 2018

3 Things To Know Before Your Next Park Place Oil Change

Receiving an oil change at a manufacturer certified service center has key advantages to maintaining your high-performance vehicle. While cost and service time are increased, we provide first-class quality, expertise, and additional services that clearly distinguish our premier level service experiences from a typical “oil change” job at a quick lube establishment.

At our Park Place Dealerships locations, we employ certified technicians who perform the routine services, such as your oil change, to ensure the entire process is completed to meet both manufacturer and Park Place standards of quality.

Here are three things our highly trained team of service experts want you to know before booking your next oil change:

1.An “Oil Change” service can take about 30-60 minutes depending on the manufacturer before any additional services or a courtesy car wash or additional services.

Park Place Motorcars Service Directors estimate that an oil change service that includes our complimentary services, including car washes and multi-point inspections, for our clients, can take 60-90 minutes to complete.

At Park Place Porsche, the service can take up to 90 minutes pre-car wash. Porsche’s have a large oil capacity- up to 10 quarts on some engines. The old oil must be completely drained from the vehicle. To do this, our technicians must heat the engine up to operating temperature to thin out the oil and allow it to then drain for a minimum of 20 minutes. The next 20 minutes are spent filling the engine with oil to capacity. To do this the engine is brought up to operating temperature and filled with new room temperature oil. Our technicians check the oil levels with a computer- a process that takes three minutes and is repeated until the engine registers full.

2. You receive more than an “oil change” when choosing to service with the manufacturer certified dealership.

The term oil change has been used frequently in conjunction with quick lube establishments promising quick service and low cost. The dealership provides more value to the client’s experience by including car washes, loan cars, resetting computers, multi-point inspections, trained technicians, warranty repairs, a beautiful facility, and a client lounge for those who wish to wait for their service to be completed. Therefore, a Park Place dealership experience cannot be compared with a quick service only facility with the factors of time or money.

*Example of Mercedes_Benz Visual Multi-Point Inspection Check List*

3. An Oil Change is the easiest way to maintain (and save) your luxury vehicle’s high-performance capabilities.

Skimping out on routine oil changes (either by delaying your appointment or using components not recommended by your manufacturer) can be detrimental to the life of your vehicle. If you want to increase the longevity of your luxury auto, then making sure you’re on top of your oil changes should be priority number one. The oil is the life-blood and key ingredient in the engine which provides lubrication, cooling, and removal of particles and sludge. With a squeaky clean and lubricated engine, you will also benefit from improved gas mileage. Park Place’s client lounges, loan cars, and Pick Up & Delivery programs help ease the hassle that can be associated with necessary maintenance. If you have questions regarding these offerings, contact your service advisor or coordinator and they’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have so that we can ensure your Park Place oil change experience is first class.

For a once a year service, the cost and time related to an “oil change” experience at Park Place is more than worth it. If it’s your dream to own a luxury vehicle, then protecting your investment is too important to our team to simply offer quick drain and fill service.

Have any questions or would like to start your next service booking? Click here.

December 7, 2017December 7, 2017

Park Place Lexus Witnesses Warm Smiles as PISD Teachers are Gifted Over $100,000 in Grants

On November 9, 2017, The Plano ISD Education Foundation and Park Place Lexus gifted 102 teachers with grants totaling more than $100,000 resulting in a truly heartwarming start to their holiday season.

“The Education Foundation spends all year raising money. We’ll raise about $900,000 this year for grant programs in the district, and this is a part of that,” said Chris Bragg, former President of the Education Foundation.

With each proposal, judges evaluated the number of students impacted, the uniqueness of the project, what value it would bring to the classroom or how the proposal would fill in gaps in current student learning. Over the years, Park Place Lexus Plano has been a willing supporter of the Plano education community, with one of the highlight events being the yearly Grant Patrol.

“Children are the future of this world,” says Anam Ali, Community and Events Strategist at Park Place Dealerships and a yearly participant in the Grant Patrol, “To see how passionate some of these teachers are and seeing the growth opportunities for these children definitely pulls the right strings.”

December 1, 2017

Why Luxury Featuring the 2017 Lexus RX 350 F Sport

Toyota Motor Corporation has mastered the art of offering the masses the bare minimum of exactly what they want to purchase and then finding a way to offer an “all that and more” in their amped-up, luxurious Lexus lineups. In this installment of our “Why Luxury” series, we compare two popular members of the mid-size SUV segment, the 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and the 2017 Lexus RX F Sport.

If you did not know already, Lexus is a child brand of the Toyota Motor Corporation and it’s certainly no wonder. One of the most reliable and highly rated luxury brands in the market shares commonalities with arguably the best all-rounder economy brand in build, reliability, safety, and maintenance. In 2017, Lexus and Toyota individually earned top marks with KBB in resale value; Toyota as a brand, and the 2017 Lexus GS by make. Simply put, Toyota Motor Corporation has mastered the art of offering the masses the bare minimum of exactly what they want to purchase and then finding a way to offer an “all that and more” in their amped-up Lexus lineups.

A client’s roadmap to upgrading their daily driver (say a Toyota) to a statement luxury auto (a Lexus) has never been so straightforward and thus begs the question “why should I upgrade?” In today’s “Why Luxury” we will be comparing stats of two dominating bodies in the mid-size SUV segment the top of the line 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the 2017 Lexus RX F to provide some insight into why the luxury option is a solid investment.

A few notes on mid-size SUVs:

Since 2015, the midsize SUV segment continues to attract buyers of all ages who desire to indulge in a more space and cargo capacity, without entering the realms of “too much.” The midsize SUV is a medium sized SUV, providing less cargo space and seating than a full-size SUV similar to a Range Rover. Consistently low gas prices (think below $3.00 a gallon on average) have also added enticement for prospective buyers to choose the larger vehicle.

It’s a consistently dominating body style in both affordable and luxury segments since 2016, with global sales projected to increase by 5.65% (or over 23 million units) in 2020 per a 2016 Market Trend Analysis. In the month of October 2017, the RX saw a 4% gain in U.S. Sales– helping make October the sixth straight “best-ever month” for Lexus utility vehicles, according to Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Jeff Bracken.

Baseline Specs:

The 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited Platinum SUV is the top of the line, fully-loaded model with an MSRP of $49,534 and an average price paid of around $46,000 according to Edmunds. Admittedly, that high price tag for a Toyota brand car raises some eyebrows, but it does have some advantages surrounding one specific detail: space.

All models have an extra third row (total seven seats available), a longer roof, and roughly 140 more cubic feet of space than its in-house competitor which comes standard. The interior of this supped up Highlander offers Toyota’s finest leather, woods, and aluminum to make the time spent inside the vehicle a bit more aesthetically pleasing than other variances of the SUV.

The 2017Lexus RX 350 F Sport comes in at an MSRP of around $54,423, with the average price paid of $50,403- less than $1,000 more than the MSRP of the Highlander. A third row is a non-existent option in this model and it dotes a bit less interior room at 108 cubic feet. This difference, though, is nominal if you aren’t toting teams of children or mounds of grocery sacks on a regular basis.

If that extra cargo room and the extra seats are a deal breaker, the 2018 Lexus RXL, which includes a third row of seats, has been confirmed to debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

Under the hood, you’ll see that the Highlander and Lexus RX F share similar specs including a 3.5 liter V6 engine similar fuel economy. The Highlander provides a combined fuel economy of about 28 mpg, but has a lower fuel capacity by a couple gallons. The RX shares an almost similar fuel economy of 22 mpg, but a larger tank capacity by two gallons.

The Luxury Difference:

Lexus provides clients with a better warranty than that of its Toyota counterpart- a four year, 50,000-mile basic warranty and a six-year, 70,000 drivetrain warranty. Additionally, Lexus includes a 4-year/ unlimited mile, roadside assistance versus the Highlander’s 2 years of roadside assistance.

The RX F Sport sends 295 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque for a more powerful driving experience. The F-Sport series also provides clients with a revised suspension, cross-hatched spindle grille, and darker trim bits to add a touch more horsepower to this mid-size luxury SUV.

The aesthetics of your Lexus can be more personalized, with 10 interior and 10 exterior colors available versus the Highlander Hybrid’s four and eight respectively. When choosing to venture into the world of Lexus Luxury, you can certainly be confident that your vehicle will reflect your striking and unique style with meticulous detail that begins on the factory line; the Lexus final product takes longer to produce per task on the assembly line due to master precision, build quality, and higher-end interior choices that are difficult to match at the economy class segment.

Although you can purchase an ultra-reliable vehicle with some amenities, the dealership experience at Lexus aims to be that of a luxury hotel with first class client lounges complete with Wifi, group and individual workstations, a calm, quiet environment, and exceptional client service so that even the on-the-go professional can have their Lexus serviced with peace of mind.

The Verdict:

The 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Lexus RX 350 F Series, are both fantastic options for anyone vying for the SUV market- as proved through their various high ranking achievements among other competitors. But, when both economy and luxury price tags hover in the realm of $45,000- $50,000, choosing Lexus style, comfort, performance, and dealership experience, all while retaining the value and fuel efficiency already offered promised by Toyota Motor Corporation, makes the most sense.

Check out our Intro to Luxury and Why Luxury: Featuring Mercedes-Benz for our other installments of this series.

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017

Mercedes-Benz Cast as High Performance Side-kick for “Justice League”

Mercedes-Benz will officially join alongside the league of the high-performance superheroes as their super-car of choice. Set to hit theaters globally on November 17, 2017, Cyborg, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Batman race to save the planet form a possible catastrophic alien assault, and the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo and its trusty side-kick Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet play an epic role in the newest superhero feature flick of the fall.

The AMG Vision Gran Turismo’s extreme proportions, sensual contours, and impressive technology first premiered in 2013 at the opening of the new Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Center in Sunnyvale, California in November 2013. The car is highlighted with gullwing doors is the first of the “Vision Gran Turismo” series of vehicles and is the concept car that completely embodies the design philosophy of “sensual purity.” While it has yet to be committed to production, the unique design provides a sneak peek into the future of Mercedes-Benz.

A completely redesigned interior and precisely engineered technical specifications seamlessly compliment the unmistakable exterior, making this concept car (and its E Class sidekick) perfectly cast to help save the world. Does Wonder Woman, or any other members of the Justice League need a new vehicle to get around? Not necessarily, but the Mercedes Benz E-Class Cabriolet and the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo are just too tempting to turn down.

https://youtu.be/9qF4pcq7RCU

November 7, 2017

Debuting the Volvo XC40- The Newest Compact SUV

A small SUV that is big on innovation, space, and luxurious design. The Volvo XC40 is the new type of Volvo that’s designed around you. Make your life more enjoyable and less complicated, and relive the live reveal of the newest compact SUV from the Volvo Studio in Milan. The XC40 is now available for order at Park Place Volvo Cars- reserve Your XC40 with one of our Park Place Volvo experts.

For the first time in its history, Volvo Cars has three new, globally available SUV’s in what’s been dubbed the fastest growing segment of the automotive market. The Volvo XC40 is the first model of a new modular vehicle architecture, which will serve as a basis for upcoming cars in the 40 Series- including fully electric vehicles, and will be the first Volvo model to be available with Volvo Cars’ new 3-cylinder engine.

According to Hakan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive, the Volvo XC40 “represent a fresh, creative, and distinctive new member of the Volvo line-up.” The newest small premium SUV offers Volvo’s award-winning safety features, connectivity, and infotainment technologies in the new 90 and 60 Series cars. The XC40’s full repertoire of technology highlight the transformational effect in-house developed technologies have had on brand and profitability.

Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off-Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and a 360 degree Camera all work in harmony to help the driver manueuver effortlessly on the road and into tight parking spaces.

Although smaller in size, the XC40 offers a new approach to storage with an ingenious interior design. The drivers will have more functional storage spaces in the doors, under the seats, a special space for phones including inductive charging, a fold out hook for small bags, and a removable waste bin in the tunnel console.

For more information on the newest Volvo addition to the small premium SUV segment, visit here.

The XC40 is now available for order at Park Place Volvo Cars. Reserve Your XC40 Today.

October 30, 2017November 16, 2017

Engines 101: The Combustion Cycle

In the second installment of our Engines 101 series, a deep-dive into the technical side of automobiles, we’ll cover the big bang that moves nearly every vehicle down the road. We discussed several types of internal combustion engine configurations available in Park Place cars in our last Engines 101 article, and this time we’ll cover the Combustion Cycle that makes each of them work.

The internal combustion engine involves several major systems that work together to transfer potential energy from gasoline, to kinetic energy to move a vehicle. These systems include the fuel injection system, cylinders and pistons, intake and exhaust valves, and the ignition system. Let’s walk through the 4-step combustion process and discuss how each system works together to produce power.

The combustion cycle begins as the piston moves downward in its cylinder. This creates a vacuum, which draws in air and fuel from the fuel injection system as the intake valve opens.

Intake Stroke Photo Source: Wikipedia – Four-stroke engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_engine

When the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder, the crankshaft begins pushing it upwards again. At this point, the intake valve closes, and the piston begins compressing the air/fuel mixture.

Compression Stroke
Photo Source: Wikipedia – Four-stroke engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_engine

As the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the ignition system creates a spark to ignite the compressed fuel. As the fuel burns, the gasses expand against the piston, pushing it downward and turning the crankshaft.

Combustion Stroke
Photo Source: Wikipedia – Four-stroke engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_engine

When the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder again, the expansion of the burning fuel is complete, and the exhaust valve opens to allow the gases to escape. The piston moves back up, pushing the remaining exhaust out, and clearing the cylinder to repeat the cycle with a new intake stroke.

Exhaust Stroke
Photo Source: Wikipedia – Four-stroke engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_engine

These 4 steps in the combustion process are the origin of the term “4-stroke engine” which is used in nearly all gasoline-powered modern vehicles. You will find that a similar process powers diesel engines, differing simply in their fuel type and source of ignition.

This combustion cycle repeats thousands of times a minute, in each of the engine’s cylinders, to provide the horsepower that we all enjoy. We hope this information helps you better understand and enjoy the mechanical masterpiece that your vehicle is.

To shop for your next luxury vehicle from Park Place, click here to search our vast inventory of new and used luxury cars in DFW.

October 30, 2017

Jaguar Charges Up I-PACE with all Electric Race Series

The Jaguar I-PACE, set to hit the road late 2018, represents the manufacturer’s evolution to include battery-powered vehicles in their lineup…but the innovation didn’t stop with just an every day, electric car. As the first premium manufacturer to enter FIA Formula E Championship in 2016, Jaguar expertly merges (and charges up) their I-PACE concept ingenuity with FIA Formula E power to reveal the world’s first production battery electric vehicle race series.

The Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy racecars are another step to Jaguar Land Rover’s electrified future- taking their zero emissions commitment to the world of motorsport. Supporting a 100% electric future, Jaguar has announced the new support series for the FIA Formula E Championship starting in late 2018, featuring their new all-electric racecars in a series of 10 races across the globe in cities such as Hong Kong, Paris, giving future FIA Formula E Championship stars the chance to participate in this first of its kind series.

Gerd Mäuser, Chairman, Jaguar Racing, said: “Jaguar returned to racing in 2016 with the mission ‘Race to Innovate’. With the launch of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, we have strengthened our commitment to battery electric vehicles, international motorsport, and FIA Formula E Championship. As a British team, we are proud to announce today the launch of the world’s first production battery electric vehicle championship.”

Technical specs, race calendar, and costs for the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY will be released in late 2018.

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