"It's a true American story.  I love it."

That's among the many wonderful comments we've heard since We All Win: How the company launched on a whim succeeded was published several weeks ago.  The book tells the story of Checkered Flag and a reviewer on Amazon wrote this about it: "It's the kind of book you start on a whim but then can't put down until you've finished, and then find yourself wanting more." 

We All Win is now available at Prince Books in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, as well as online here on CheckeredFlag.com (click the book icon to the left), on Amazon, and at all Checkered Flag locations.  Funds raised through the book's sale benefit United Way of South Hampton Roads. Happy reading!

Just a few weeks ago, someone in my family was in a car accident. Thankfully, no one was injured in the collision, but the aftermath has been...well, stressful.

My relative's current predicament motivated me to learn more about the auto repair process, so I headed over to Checkered Flag's Body Shop. Bill Evans, Shop Manager (pictured here with members of the Body Shop team, Rich Sproul and Lisa Pfeiffer), offered great insight into the industry and gave me a personal tour around the shop. He says, "This is the last place people want to be, simply because cars are huge investments. So it's our responsibility to be empathetic to our customers and to make the process as painless as possible by providing great service."

The Body Shop opened in 1985 and has since then prided itself in delivering a high level of quality automotive repair. Bill says his staff is composed of experienced "automotive health experts" who are trained to help customers during each step of the repair process. They offer guidance in working with insurance companies (Checkered Flag deals with all vehicle insurance providers) and assist in arranging for rental cars.

Technicians are factory trained A.S.E. and I-Car certified. They take on all types of repair damage, minor or significant. Laser Unibody & Frame straightening equipment and two high-tech downdraft painting and baking booths are used to ensure that vehicles are returned to pre-accident conditions. They're able to accommodate a high volume of vehicles (the most was 63 cars in one week). 

Typically the number one question on customers' minds is how long the repairs will take. Different variables (insurance companies, repair severity, type of vehicle,  parts availability) affect the time needed to complete repairs. It's difficult to pinpoint, but according to Bill, on average for every $1,000 worth of damage, it takes about a week of repair work. Again, this varies for every case. The Body Shop team will work with you to keep you updated during the repair process.

Bill says, "We hold ourselves to high standards here and want to deliver top quality to our customers. It's important to make sure they're satisfied and everything is repaired properly."

We here at the Checkered Blog would like to send a big thanks to all Body Shop team members. Pictured here are Tony Bosques, Lisa Fisher, and paint manager Kenny Jackson. If you're interested in finding out more about auto repair, visit the Checkered Flag Body Shop page or call (757) 490-111. Have a great weekend everyone and drive safely!

Just yesterday Honda announced details on the newly redesigned 2009 Fit. And today I heard from a dependable source at Checkered Flag Honda that the popular subcompact (over 2,000,000 sold globally in the last six years) will be making its showroom debut sometime next month. As soon as I receive more news on the Fit, I'll be sure to pass it along, but til then here's a preview.

The 2009 model comes as the second generation for the Fit. It's larger than the previous model, about 2.2 inches longer and 0.8 inches wider. Described as a "smart-sized" car, the Fit comfortably seats five passengers, and leaves plenty of room for all their gear. It's versatile in offering multiple seating and cargo configurations, especially with its improved 2nd-row Magic seat with one motion dive-down functionality.

It's equipped with a 1.5-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine that produces 117 hp. Five speed manual or five speed automatic transmission is available. And although, the Fit has grown a bit, it still manages spectacular fuel efficiency. It has a EPA fuel economy of 35 miles on the highway and 28 city.

Two trim levels are offered: base Fit and Fit Sport. Standard features on the Fit are: AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers; MPR/WMA playback capability; Radio Data System (RDS); auxiliary audio input jack; power windows, mirrors, and door locks.

Step up to the Fit Sport and alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights, security system with keyless entry and cruise control are added. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition featuring a 6.5-inch screen is an option on the Fit Sport.

The Fit comes enhanced with several safety upgrades including Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure technology and Vehicle Stability Assist (on Sport models). Other standard safety features include: active head restraints; Anti-lock braking; and electronic brake distribution; and a protective system of airbags (front dual-stage, dual-threshold; front-side with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System; and side curtain).

MSRP for the Fit starts at $14,550 plus a destination and handling charge. The Fit Sport with its additional premium features starts at $16,060. For more information call (757) 490-1111 and ask to speak with the Checkered Flag Honda Sales team.

We All Win: How the company launched on a whim succeeded, the newly-published book about Checkered Flag, has drawn advance praise from national industry leaders, including from James D. Power, III, the founder of J.D. Power and Associates.  He says We All Win "tells a story that stands out among all dealerships across the country."  Funds raised through the sale of We All Win will benefit United Way of South Hampton Roads. You can purchase the book here on CheckeredFlag.com by clicking on the book icon on the left side of this home page or by visiting any of Checkered Flag's parts departments.

We All Win was written by award-winning former journalist Audrey Knoth, who is now a Norfolk business executive. Recently, the Checkered Blog caught up with Audrey for an interview.  We will be featuring portions of our conversation with her in coming weeks, starting today.

Checkered Blog: Whose idea was it to write a book about Checkered Flag?

Audrey: The idea was mine.  In early 2007, I helped Checkered Flag with several business projects, and as I learned more about the company, I became very intrigued by its history.  Checkered Flag was founded in 1964 by Ed Snyder, who continues to run the company today along with his son Steve Snyder.  That kind of longevity of local ownership and operations is in itself remarkable.  But as I dug into it, I found the story was even more interesting and important than just that.

Checkered Blog: In what way?

Audrey: I learned that prior to founding Checkered Flag, Ed Snyder had managed a department store called Snyder's that his grandfather had started in downtown Norfolk at the turn of the last century.  So when Ed Snyder got into the car business in the mid-1960s, he brought customer-service and marketing practices from the department store into auto retailing, and the things he did were very unusual at the time.  When you hear Ed Snyder and Steve Snyder talk about customer service being Checkered Flag's top priority, they are really talking about a philosophy that has been paramount to the Snyders for more than 100 years.

Checkered Blog: Why are funds raised from the sale of We All Win being used to benefit United Way?

Audrey:  United Way is very important to Checkered Flag and it was for Snyder's department store, too.  What has made it so important is that not only does United Way support such a variety of local organizations, it involves individual employees in the giving process.  Through the generations, the Snyders have believed that giving feels good, that the process is as beneficial to the person who is giving as it is to the recipient, and United Way encourages this.

Checkered Blog: Something that's very noticeable about We All Win is how visually appealing and colorful it is.

Audrey: Yes, the book is more than just a narrative.  We have included lots of great vintage photographs and a cartoonist even created five original cartoon strips and the book's cover.  So we hope that people really enjoy both reading the book and just leafing through it.

Checkered Blog: And all of us at the Checkered Blog hope that everyone will consider purchasing We All Win to help raise funds for United Way of South Hampton Roads.  Please click on the book icon on the left of this home page ro order in online or stop into any Checkered Flag parts department to pick it up in person.

When a 12-year old boy walked out of a Polish village in 1882 in search of a better life, it was literally the first step toward the founding of Checkered Flag.

The story of how Checkered Flag came to be, the obstacles it faced, and the customer-service philosophies that propelled it to success are told in the new book We All Win: How the company launched on a whim succeeded, written by Audrey Knoth.  We All Win has received advance praise from leading auto industry executives, who call it "a remarkable book about a remarkable business enterprise."  We All Win is now available for sale here on CheckeredFlag.com (click here) and, starting on Friday, August 8th, in all Checkered Flag parts departments.  Funds raised through its sale will benefit United Way of South Hampton Roads.

The book recounts how the near-penniless Louis Snyder arrived in America in the late 19th century and how, from a small dry goods company, he built a major Norfolk, Virginia department store operated by successive generations of the Snyder family.  His grandson Ed Snyder took over management of Snyder's department store in the early 1960s.  In 1964, Ed invested in a small British sports car dealership and, at his wife Jean's suggestion, named it Checkered Flag.

We All Win explains how Checkered Flag prevailed over challenges, failures, and risks to grow from one humble showroom to the auto retailer it is today, with 11 new-car franchises and a used-vehicle superstore in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, and selling more than 12,000 vehicles annually.  Ed Snyder continues as president 44 years after its founding; son Steve Snyder is senior vice president.

The author, Audrey Knoth, is a former broadcast and newspaper journalist who's now a Norfolk business executive.  She says she had the idea to write the book after helping Checkered Flag with several projects in early 2007.

"I became intrigued by Checkered Flag's history, which had never been researched and told," she says.  "The more I learned about Checkered Flag, the more I realized its story is a compelling one that has meaning for people both inside and outside of the car business."

Audrey spent over a year researching and writing We All Win, conducting extensive interviews, consulting with auto industry and academic experts, and poring through historical and newspaper archives.  Vintage photos, illustrations, and original cartoons accompany the book's absorbing narrative.

"I found that the principles that originated more than a hundred years ago remain at the foundation of Checkered Flag today," Audrey says.  "Among them: if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers; nothing is more important than customer service; failure should teach you rather than frighten you; and taking risks is absolutely essential to succeeding."

All of us with the Checkered Blog are excited about the book and we hope you will consider purchasing it.  It's a great read and with the funds raised benefiting United Way, you could say We All Win!

Some of my fondest childhood memories took place in a minivan. My family would spend hours in our minivan traveling to different places. Of course back then gas cost less, so it was easy to load up the minivan for weekend road trips. Times have since changed, but when I realized that today's Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency was the Honda Odyssey, a bit of nostalgia set in.

The Odyssey has come a long way from the minivans I grew up with. It's a stylish and comfortable 8-passenger hauler that provides modern day conveniences. Car and Driver chose the Odyssey as its pick for Best Van in their "5Best" Trucks list.

Vernon Belford, a sales and leasing consultant at Checkered Flag Honda, ventured outside in this 90 degree weather wearing a very nice (and I'm sure also very hot) suit to show me the Odyssey.   Four trim levels are available: base LX (starting at $25,860), EX, EX-L, and the top of the line Touring. All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 5-speed automatic transmission. Vernon says the Odyssey isn't the typical van because it rides more like a car.

The EX-L and Touring engines include Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). This is the same fuel saving system that's found on another Honda Unsung Hero we've featured before, the Pilot. Just to refresh your memory, the VCM manages fuel consumption by allowing the V6 engine to automatically deactivate and reactivate cylinders depending on what it needs. It lets the vehicle run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders, which means better fuel economy. The Odyssey gets 23 highway miles, and 16 city. On its 21 gallon tank, you can get over 480 highway miles.

Seating for 8 is the obvious highlight on the Odyssey. Vernon demonstrated the different ways you can utilize the 2nd row "magic seat." It allows for either 3 passenger bench seating, or can be removed for extra cargo/storage space. The Odyssey has a whopping 15 beverage holders! Standard features include: dual-zone air conditioning (tri-zone automatic climate control on EX, EX-L and Touring); tilt and telescope steering wheel; power windows and door locks; and keyless entry.

A number of available options would come in handy for a family that's always on the go. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and 8-inch screen, and the Honda DVD Entertainment System are a few that standout. Check out the full list here.

As one would expect in a family-geared vehicle, the Odyssey comes with loads of safety features. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA); anti-lock brakes with brake assist; Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure; active front seat head restraints; and daytime running lights all come standard. Also, dual-threshold driver's and front passenger's SRS airbags; front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Protection Detection System (OPDS); and three-row side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor are included to protect every Odyssey occupant.

See the very family-friendly Odyssey at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 East Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.

Some of the wittiest commercials I've seen have been for the Honda Pilot. If you haven't seen them, I suggest a visit to the Honda website. You'll get a good chuckle or two. The one titled "Ballooning" had me rolling the first time I saw it. So...you're probably wondering, the Pilot is a mid-size SUV, and those three letters typically don't associate with great mpg. Well it comes as a welcome surprise (to me too), but the Pilot does meet the criteria as an Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency.

The 2009 model is the second edition of the Pilot (it debuted summer of '02). Carl Dyson, a sales representative at Checkered Flag Honda, says the newer version brings more features, more power, and better fuel economy. Out of all the Unsung Heroes we've featured so far, the Pilot sticks out as one of the larger vehicles on the list. Carl says that although gas prices have caused many drivers to sway away from larger SUV's, smaller vehicles don't fit all lifestyles. That's where the  Pilot comes in as a great alternative.

Four trim styles are offered: base LX (starting at $27,595), EX, EX-L, and top-of-the-line Touring. The Pilot comes equipped with a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine producing 250 horsepower. All models are available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system is a key feature on the Pilot and it's designed to help improve fuel efficiency, without giving up the abilities of a powerful engine. Carl explains that the VCM manages fuel consumption and allows the V6 engine to automatically deactivate and reactivate cylinders depending on what it needs. With VCM the Pilot is able to run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders. You can get the V6 power when accelerating or climbing, but you also have the efficiency of a smaller engine for everyday cruising. The 2WD is rated at 17/23 mpg city/highway, and 16/22 for the 4WD. The Pilot's 20 gallon tank can get around 460 highway miles.

The Pilot offers 3 rows of seating for 8 passengers, which makes it perfect for families. It's outfitted with a ton of family-friendly features too such as: 60/40 split flat-folding seats for optimized cargo space; beverage holders in all 3 rows (12 total!); 12-volt power outlets (in the front, 2nd-row, and cargo areas); flip up rear glass hatch; and standard integrated tow hitch. An AM/FM/CD Audio System with 7 speakers and subwoofer is also standard. If you need more to keep the family entertained and happy, the Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System is an option on the Pilot EX-L and Pilot Touring.

Standard safety equipment includes: Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body Structure; Dual-Stage, Dual Threshold Front Airbags (SRS); Front Side Airbags with Passenger-Side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); Three-Row Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor; Tire Pressure Monitoring System and more. Also a rearview mirror with rearview camera display is a highlight on the EX-L. For extra child passenger protection, the Pilot boasts four Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) positions. That's more than any other SUV in the segment.

To check out the Pilot in person, visit the Checkered Flag Honda sales team at  6541 East Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.

Here is how some of the fine folks at Checkered Flag are spending the holiday.

Ramel Felton, parts associate, Checkered Flag Honda: I also work at Waterside in downtown Norfolk, so I will be working there on the 4th from 7pm to 3am. There is a lot going on there. And then on Saturday, I come in for work here. It is not too much of a holiday for me (laughs).

Freddie Edmond, rental agent, Checkered Flag Toyota/Scion Rent-A-Car: I am going to have a cookout/barbeque with everyone (smiles)! And then for the rest of the weekend I will be working here.

Kourtney Pulliam, receptionist, Checkered Flag MINI: We go over to see my grandma and we have a cookout there with all of my aunts, uncles and cousins. And after that I think we will go to Mt. Trashmore for the fireworks.

RT Ives Jr., assistant service manager, Checkered Flag Hyundai: I have the whole day planned out and I can tell you my entire schedule! Starting at 10:50, I am gonna take my daughter to see the Hulk. Then we are going shopping at Lynnhaven Mall for some shoes. After that we are picking up her boyfriend...a party here, and a party there. And then finally, I am going on a date with my wife to watch Sex and The City.

FYI: Operation hours are little different for today. Sales departments are open from 9am-6pm. Service departments are closed for the day, but it goes back to normal tomorrow. Have a great holiday. Be safe and see you on Monday!