Bourne's Auto Center

We heard a rumor that people like low miles

2010-02-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Have we gone a bit overboard with it? I read online that the best buys are "new-used," cars that may have had an owner, but are super low mileage and effectively brand new. Well, have we got something for those of you that want the lowest number possible on the odometer.

In the family sedan arena, we have a 2007 Honda Accord with just 5,500 miles on it! It's an LX model, power options and automatic transmission and pretty much the nicest Honda you can get without paying through the nose at a new car store.

For those of you who demand a luxury SUV, we also have this 2009 Volvo XC90 fully loaded with factory navigation and third row seating and just 5,600 miles on it.

Of course, there's always an economy car fan in the crowd, so how about a 2009 Hyundai Elantra with under 1,500 miles??? You should get more than 30 miles to the gallon from this compact sedan, and it's got power options, a CD player and AC, which is more than you can say for most economy cars.

Of course, these aren't our only new inventory, so head on over to Bournes.com and see what we've got! Don't be bashful about calling us at 508-230-5885 anytime you want to know more about our inventory, if you want to schedule a service appointment, or if you want to leave a deposit to reserve any one of our fine pre-owned vehicles.

Bike of the Day(and new inventory)

2010-02-16T13:29:00.001-08:00

We keep on going strong, with a January for the ages, posting a month that would make any dealer green with envy. February is moving right along, buoyed by our excellent choice of Infinitis and Accords and Lexus RX350s. We've been stocking a few vehicles that aren't our usual style, like a 2004 Lexus LS430, a nice BMW X3, and the first 2008 Jeep Liberty that I've seen come through here

Ah, there's the newest conversation piece that we've brought into the showroom, a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Classic with four valves per cylinder, liquid cooling, fuel injection, electric start and gleaming chrome all over. This bike is in great shape, the seat shows little wear, and now's the time to buy, because come springtime, everything that's nice for outdoors gets more expensive.

Hang in there, the snow will be gone soon enough, and in the mean time you can always come down to Bourne's for our bright smiles and sunny disposition

We haven't gone anywhere(dozens upon dozens of new cars)

2010-01-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

The holidays were crazy, huh? Since 2010 began we've been buying and selling there just hasn't been time to blog. The snow didn't slow us down, the freezing rain didn't stop us, and we've got a whole lot more on the way!

We've got a couple of Lexus RX SUVS, a Toyota Prius, a beautiful full size Cadillac DTS with navigation, a couple of new body-style Infiniti G35s, and a whole bunch of Saabs and Volvos and a little bit of everything else. You know where to find us, and if, by some strange quirk of nitpickery, we don't have something you want, send us a request and let us know what you want.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention our newest showroom car, a BMW M3.

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Yep, that's 333 horsepower of refined German performance, with the 6-Speed manual transmission(rather than the ridiculous SMG model), harman/kardon speakers, dual power heated seats, power moon roof, and Bourne's own 3 month, 3,000 mile Warranty! I had to wait for the crowds to disperse before I could take pictures of this car, because every customer wanted to take a look. This is a truly special vehicle, and you can't find a better deal anywhere in the country on a 2003 M3 Coupe!

Let it snow!

2009-12-20T06:03:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure Bourne's is closed today, and most of the inventory is inside, so definitely call if you want to swing by

New Inventory(And Dog of the Day

2009-12-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

We've got a few new pieces of inventory in this past week, a couple of Volvo XC90s, a few Accords, a 2009 Grand Cherokee, and a trio of Volvo S80s, including one with only 9,000 miles on the odometer! We've also got a couple of great deals for bargain hunters in a 2003 Saturn Vue and 2005 Cadillac CTS. There's also a 2008 Mazda3 that might not have all the options, but it's in great shape and an incredible deal.

That's all well and good, but you and I both know you're here for the Dog of the Day.

This is Bowser, and he's a five month-old English Bulldog who rode home in a beautiful 2007 Mercedes E350 4Matic. He likes long walks in the woods and wouldn't sit still while I tried to take his picture, so it's tough to see how two of his legs are white and the others brown. This dog was the most popular guy in the showroom while he was in, but we're here to sell cars so I hurried him on out.

It's not what it looks like. I was trying to capture a picture and this is the only pose I could get at that point. look at how stout he is!

Another Orange Car!

2009-12-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why, but there's something about an orange car that makes me want to blog about it. There must be something about the people who buy these cars, because all of the orange cars I've seen come through here are always in great shape, from the speedy Corvette to the stylish Audi and now this super efficient Cavalier, rated for well over 30 miles per gallon, according to the users over at fueleconomy.gov.

We've also got a couple of third row Volvo XC90s, two of which have DVD systems, some S60s, and an absurdly affordable 2008 Hyundai Sonata for under ten grand. I won't pretend to fully understand how cars depreciate, but it seems nuts that you can get a good, dependable family sedan that gets 30 mpg(again, according to fueleconomy.gov) with power options for just $9,490. Why does anyone ever buy a new car when the used ones are such deals?

Rain, Rain, Stick Around

2009-11-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

It's rained for about a week now, and it seems like we've been busy the whole time, with over 20 customers taking advantage of our excellent deals this weekend alone! One of them managed to get his hands on the 2006 Acura RL before I even had a chance to take pictures of it or feature it as Car of the Day, so it looks like the Rav-4 will be today's featured vehicle in its place.

This is a 2007 4x4 Toyota Rav-4 with all the cargo space you need, power locks windows and mirrors rated by the EPA at an impressive 26 mpg highway. A friend of mine owns a black 2007 Rav-4 and he's piled over 100,000 without any problems, driving back and forth to Maine every week for work. This car may not be quite so experienced, and it's certainly much cleaner and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal. Go ahead and search, and you'll always end up back at Bourne's.

There are a few 2008 Saab 9-3s that just came in, as well as a great deal on a 2007 Ford Explorer with factory-installed navigation.

Some post-Thanksgiving cars to chew on

2009-11-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

It's not often we get BMW 545is in here and when we do, they always draw a lot of interest. Right now we have not one, but two different four door 5 Series BMWs with 325 hp V8s. We've sold a few of them in my time here at Bourne's and I've been told by at least one buyer that they'll keep up with an M3 on the highway, and at a substantially smaller cost.

While the 545i has abundant power and handling to match, you can't forget about the style and comfort of a BMW 5-series. This has got to be one of my favorite cars to drive, even in the relatively less powerful and more efficient 525i(which we just so happen to also have in stock), due to crisp handling, a comfortable ride and of course the elegant style that is unmatched outside of Germany. Both have the innovative iDrive system, leather interior, moon roof, power everything, Dynamic Stability Control and more, but the 2005 comes with a factory installed navigation system, while the buyer of the less expensive 2004 model will need to invest in a portable GPS.

Either way, the 545i offers one of the most exhilarating driving experiences available!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder, we're all going to be gorging ourselves catatonic on turkey and mashed potatoes and all that tomorrow, so we won't be open for sales or service, but Bournes.com will still be there and(mostly) up to date. Enjoy yourselves and don't get too crazy on Black Friday!

Not much new inventory today

2009-11-20T13:57:00.001-08:00

The only car I added today was a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire with 72k. It's your classic commuter car, rated for 30 mpg(although the users over at fueleconomy.com report up to 37 mpg), automatic transmission, power locks windows and mirrors, a CD player, ABS and not a whole lot else. Hey, it's only $4,690, so it's a perfect car for a new driver or a car to drive in the winter while you garage your Mustang or Porsche or whatever it is that you can't stand to get salty on the roads.

Happy weekend and remember to come down on Saturday and see Dave Pair, Dave Olson and Gerard Flaherty, our trio of talented salesmen!

P.S. Jay suggested I get some lights to try and get rid of some of the shadows in the pics, but I'm not convinced it helped. Would white lights make more sense? Are these not intense enough? I want to make sure the pictures come out well so everyone can get a good feel for the car, but man, it's not easy.

SPOT THE SCION!!

2009-11-19T14:29:00.000-08:00

The Bourne's Scion is a fixture in Easton, but you'll find it all over the place. I've driven it as far as upstate New York, and I'm sure it's gone farther than that. It's pushing 100,000 miles now, but it still runs like a top and gives us a great mix of gas mileage, interior room and a whole bunch of exterior advertising space.

It's not without its controversy, however, as many customers refuse to drive it as a loaner. I guess I understand how it might be tough to hop in a car that is affectionally referred to as "The Toaster," "The Lunchbox" and "That Little Clown Car." One of our service clients was brave enough to take the Scion to South Boston, and that's where this picture was taken:

Anytime you see the Scion, snap a picture with your cell phone and email it to us(brian@bournes.com or sales@bournes.com works just fine), or text it to one of the Bourne's crew if you've got the digits. I'd post mine, but I know I'd be inundated with requests for candid photos and I have a real hard time saying no.

Dog of the Day

2009-11-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

This 14 year old collie/lab mix stopped by the dealership today in a 2008 Volvo XC90 to get a flat tire fixed. He's named Maestro! That's gotta be one of the coolest dog names of all time, although there was a little firecracker named Pepper that used to come in from time to time.

We love (friendly) dogs here at Bourne's, so feel free to bring Fido on down when you shop around!

Winter is on its way!

2009-11-19T08:49:00.000-08:00

Two winters ago we were attacked by an abominable snowman

Is it getting cold or what? I find myself using the heated seats in my Saab every time I hop in, and there's frost on our 200+ car lot at 9:05 every morning when I stroll into Bourne's. Customers are asking me to bring cars inside so they don't have to stand in the cold and I actually started wearing a jacket.

Winter is coming, and when you come to Bourne's we do have a wide variety of vehicles with All Wheel Drive, heated seats, heated steering wheels even, and remote starters are available for every car on the lot. We're in New England so winter gets cold, we get snow and the roads can get really slick, so you want to make sure you have a vehicle that's ready for whatever Father Winter throws your way.

One of the most common concerns about winter driving that I hear from customers is that they absolutely need All Wheel Drive in order to make it through. While an AWD vehicle is a great choice for getting up hills on a snowy day, they absolutely will not prevent a crash. A car accident is rarely caused by a car that can't get up to speed, but rather by a vehicle that can't stop to avoid running off the road, an obstacle or another car.

This is where Electronic Stability Control comes into play. Many of the vehicles here at Bourne's come equipped with this novel and excellent safety feature that works by detecting a vehicle that is skidding out of control and cuts power to the engine while simultaneously sending braking power to individual wheels to get you out of the skid and out of harm's way. This is available on many Chrysler SUVs as well as most luxury vehicles. Ask your salesman if you're not sure and he'll be happy to identify the important safety features of our inventory.

Anti-lock Braking Systems are an oft-overlooked safety feature that is much more widely available and more affordable than finding a car with ESC. ABS detects a skid upon braking and pulsates the pedal to help bring you out of the skid, much like your Driver's Ed instructor likely taught you to pulse the brake pedal rather than holding it in snowy weather. An ABS-equipped vehicle will give even a panicked driver the benefit of skilled braking.

Of course, there's no substitute for safe driving: reduced speed under snowy or rainy conditions, extra following distance between you and the car ahead of you, and just flat out staying home when there's a foot of snow on the road. Where the heck do you need to be so badly, anyway?

Related:

The Autocheck Advantage

Price or Miles?

Sweet Spolier

2009-11-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

I can assure you that this car goes really fast

A whole lotta cars

2009-11-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

215 cars at last count! It wasn't much more than a month ago that we were showing only 125 cars on the website, with probably 20 of those awaiting delivery. It's been crazy around here as we've nearly doubled our inventory with a wide variety of vehicles, including a whole bunch of accords, some Altimas in both recent body styles(including a Hybrid!), a pretty near-new 2009 Jeep Liberty, a Honda CR-V(one of the vehicles most requested by customers), some Maximas, a Chevy Malibu Maxx LT that is the only station wagon I've ever seen with factory DVD, a Honda Ridgeline and a whole bunch more.

We've been so busy that we've had to add a lot attendant to our staff to help manage a lot that got crowded quite quickly, so if you see a tall guy with blonde hair moving cars, say hello to Irvin, the newest member of the Bourne's Team.

And now for the Car of the Day....

This is one of the more unique vehicles we've had through here in a while. Traded in on that very nice orange Corvette I posted about in September, this Mercedes is an IMMACULATE Slate Blue Designo edition with a removable hardtop, a 322 hp V8, two tone leather seats, maple charcoal trim, and under 40,000 miles! This really is a special car in exceptional condition. If you love cars, and you take good care of them, you will be impressed by this truly beautiful Mercedes

2010 MotorTrend Car of the Year is....

2009-11-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Ford Fusion!!! It is no wonder we can't keep this affordable, reliable and sleek looking vehicle on the shelf! We did just get one in, that is priced to move. Due to the demand and the safety of this vehicle keep checking back as I am sure we will have more of these coming in the next couple of weeks!

OK I finally got the picture

2009-11-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

I was going to do it last night, but the camera decided it wanted to quit focusing. I managed to replace it with a sweet upgraded model today, and here's the first picture I've taken for the site:

Isn't the new body style awesome? The Murano always had an aggressive look to it, and this new one builds on it with a bit of class, I'd say.

Anyway, we got a Hummer H2, a loaded up Eddie Bauer Expedition and a convertible Saab 9-3 as well.

Enjoy the weekend, and swing by between 9 am and 4 pm on Saturday or between 11 am and 3 pm on Sunday to check out the inventory!

Mention the blog and the salesmen will be honor-bound to make sure you get a full tank of gas when you take your car home.

Yeah, I know

2009-11-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

I know I promised that I'd have pictures of the 2009 Murano up today, but I got so caught up with the new Volvo S80s and XC90s we just got in, that I didn't have time. I promise you it's a nice car.

Speaking of nice cars........

I always show the front of the cars, but what about the tailgate? This car is sharp from any angle

This XC90 is positively LOADED. Pretty much all of the XC90s we get here at Bourne's come with heated leather seats, a moon roof, all wheel drive and all the fancy safety features that you expect out of a Volvo. About half of the ones we get have the 3rd row seating, Navigation systems and DVD players are pretty rare and running boards just about never show up. This one has it all, including a ski attachment for the roof rack!

As I went through the car I kept looking for flaws(because I'm a pessimist), and I finally found a couple little imperfections in the rear bumper, but it didn't dampen my enthusiasm for this vehicle. This is, overall, the most impressive XC90 I've seen come through 135 Belmont st, and I can't wait to find a good home for it.

Even more new inventory

2009-11-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

Things have been fast and furious around here lately, so much so that we've had to open up our second lot in Brockton to hold all of our inventory. Located at 1029 Pearl St(at the intersection of Pearl and W Chestnut), this lot currently holds about 20 cars, mostly vehicles in the $10,000 range. If you've been to Bourne's in the past week, then you know how we've received a whole bunch of new inventory and the lot has been a mess. Calvin Bourne, the patriarch of the dealership, stepped in and helped Dennis and I bring another dozen cars over today, so Brockton is pretty well stocked.

We got another CTS(bringing our total up to 10 of Cadillac's sport-luxury sedan), another STS, a sweet black Pontiac G6 GTP hardtop convertible and a few others, including a really nice 2006 Ford Escape with leather interior and a roof rack that makes it look like it's ready for a safari.

Don't you want to hop in and drive off into the wilderness with this thing?

Oh yeah, there's a 2009 Murano on the lot now, and I'll get some pictures up tomorrow when it's light out. Yeah, I know, you're holding your breath for it

Boatloads of new Inventory

2009-10-30T14:27:00.001-07:00

We've got so many cars lately I haven't had time to update. We have Lexus IS250s, a couple of great deals on Dodge Avengers, a funny little Mazda5 that's the smallest(and most efficient) minivan I've ever seen, the seldom seen Suzuki Forenza, a 300+ horsepower Monte Carlo, a trio of PT Cruisers, a duo of Infiniti M35s, a 2009(!) Toyota Camry and much much more.

I wanted to tell you about the sweet Mazda3 we just got, but I accidentally sold it before I got the chance. There are more possibilities at Bourne's today than there has been in a long time, so give us a call, take a look at bournes.com or send me a carrier pigeon if you need to know more. Oh yeah, I guess you can leave me a comment or send an email to sales@bournes.com too.

I somehow forgot to mention the 2006 Roush Mustang, but there it is.

Service Deparment Grows! Adds Loaner Vehicles!

2009-10-23T10:20:00.001-07:00

Our state of the art service center has just added 2 additional lifts, to bring our total to 12 lifts and over 10,000 square feet! We have also partnered with Enterprise Rent a Car to provide all service customers with a loaner vehicle, even if you didn't purchase your car here! To schedule your service appointment and complimentary loaner vehicle, contact Michael Clark at 508-230-5885 or mclark@bournes.com.

The Autocheck Advantage

2009-10-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

Buying a car without a vehicle history report is for chumps, plain and simple. If you've ever shopped here then you know that we're straightforward about every aspect of our business, and we've been offering vehicle history reports for longer than I've been here(just had my 3 year anniversary in September, but no cake or jewelry apparently). We like to show that our cars have clean titles, are free of frame damage, flood damage and other catastrophic issues. For the longest time we used Carfax and while they definitely have the most recognizable brand in vehicle history reports, we caught wind of an alternative.

Autocheck came to us about a year ago and showed us their reports, and after hearing them out we decided to make the switch. Autocheck reports up to twice the accidents that Carfax does, and it's not because Carfax is hiding anything, but rather because they don't draw from the auto auction records in addition to the various registries and police reports that both do. You cannot head to a used car lot anywhere in America that doesn't feature auction cars, and so knowing what the buying agents know is really only possible with Autocheck.

I found a link to a news report that supports Autocheck in a big way. Now, I don't like hidden camera shows because I think they manipulate the situation, but they have valid points about the advantages of Autocheck.

Towards the end, the gentleman who bought the red Infiniti seems dissatisfied that he sold his car at a loss, and it's never good to lose money on a vehicle, but it seems rather disingenuous that he sells the car and then calls the local news when the dealership doesn't even have a chance to do the right thing.

Occasionally we will sell a car that has a prior accident, but only if it's been fully inspected and repaired to our exacting standards. Vehicles with frame damage will never find a home on our lot.

Born to be Mild

2009-10-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

We remarket repossessions for a couple of different local banks, and today we got a Vespa in! A Vespa! I didn't know people actually bought these, but I've got to admit it was pretty fun to drive.

Am I the worst dressed man in America or what?

Coincidence?

2009-10-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

I featured a sweet orange Corvette on the blog recently, and the color really struck me(and everyone else). A sports car like that absolutely must be a sharp color, because otherwise what's the point? An Audi A6, on the other hand, looks classy, crisp and clean in black, silver, blue, white, whatever color you want. When you paint it orange, it takes a nice car and elevates it into something really special.

I wish we had this car

2009-10-10T10:19:00.001-07:00

thatwillbuffout.com has roughly ten million hilarious car pictures.

A boatload of New Inventory

2009-10-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

This picture would've been better, but someone parked an old Mercedes in front of the line)
We just got TWENTY(20) new cars in one day. I've been running around like a maniac trying to make sure all the keys are properly labeled and that the cars are in good enough condition for the lot. All in all, it's an immaculate lot with half a dozen Murano SL crossovers equipped with leather and a roof, and a couple more basic AWD models. One car that really stuck out for me was this Nissan Altima, a really clean, sharp-looking car with virtually no flaws(I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll find one, you nit-picker)

There are also a couple of Volvo S80s, some Saab 9-3 Convertibles, and a silver Infiniti FX35, which is probably my favorite luxury crossover to cruise around Easton.

Busy day today! Come down Saturday and see the new inventory!

Upgraded stereo

2009-10-06T10:59:00.001-07:00

I know I just kind of throw links up to thereifixedit.com, but it's pretty much the best site for hilarious car pictures.

Change to the front page, now with credit app!

2009-10-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

OK it's not some Earth-shattering update, but since I only recently learned how to make any changes at all, I'm pretty excited that I was able to improve Bournes.com. In the top line of links, we had "DIRECTIONS" before, but we already have a map on the right, so why do we need it twice? I left a link in to our old written directions in case the unthinkable happens and Google goes down, or if you just like paragraph directions instead.

Check out my MSPaint skills with the awesome yellow arrows pointing at the new link.

Before I did this, I would have to direct customers to find a car, open the detail page, and then locate the apply for credit button. This way it will be a whole lot easier for us to get you approved, and into the car you want.

(Yeah, Gerard had the idea to make the change AND the idea to blog about it. He's definitely an idea man, but I'm all action)

Price or Miles?

2009-09-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to do a little more on this blog to help you with your car buying experience, regardless of whether or not you come to Bourne's. Today I want to talk about the relative merits of buying a newer car with higher miles versus an older car with lower miles.

There are two Ford Explorers on our lot, one is a 2007 model with 74,000 miles and it's priced at $12,990, and the other is 2006 with 47,000 miles for $15,590. Seems like a no brainer, right? Well, I thought so, and when I talked to one of our salesmen, Gerard, and he said he thought it was clear which truck was the better deal.

I said the 2006. He said the 2007.

There's a bit of a debate going on here at Bourne's right now regarding whether you should buy price or miles. I have always sided with an older, lower miles vehicle over a newer, high miles car, and I have always had good cars with very few problems. Jason Bourne, patriarch of the Auto Center, has always bought high miles, newer cars for himself and his family, and he has always had good cars with very few problems.

The argument for a new car with higher miles revolves around a couple of key issues: corrosion/elemental exposure and type of miles driven. Everyone agrees that driving a mile on the highway produces less wear and tear on a car than driving in the city, due to a more consistent speed, fewer bumps, little to no shifting and hopefully no braking at all. City drivers are more likely to be involved in small bumper to bumper action, stop and go driving that stresses pretty much every system of the car, and definitely more cosmetic issues due to careless pedestrians and the close proximity of parked cars to one another.

Since newer cars are not as prone to rust as my beloved 1985 Chevy Celebrity was, I am less concerned about the corrosion issues, especially for cars less than five years old. However, there is no doubt that a new car with high miles is more likely to have mostly highway miles on it, which can make it a very good value, especially with the long lasting drivetrains in cars today.

However, if you are the type of person who keeps a car for a long time and doesn't drive much, then it may make sense for you to get a low miles car and keep it low miles. My favorite cars are the ones that are at least a decade old and with low miles, because they were usually driven by older drivers who are less prone to abusive driving.

What it really comes down to is the best car for you is one that fits your budget, has the options that you need and works for you in your daily life. All of our cars are inspected by our ASE certified technicians, so whether you take the years or the miles, you can't go wrong.

Do you find this annoying?

2009-09-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I was reading through the e-mails this morning, and at least 3-4 times a week we get a question that looks like this: "Hello, I am interested in the 06 Honda Accord. I would like to know if the $10,890 is the actual price of the car or reflects a $2000-$3000 trade-in or cash down. If so, what is the actual price the customer has to pay for the car?"

My typical response to this questions is as follows: Bourne's Auto Center DOES NOT use these deceptive advertising tactics. The price you see is the price you pay! No games, no gimmicks, no "let me talk to my manager", and no "what is it going to take to get you in this vehicle today!!"

Bourne's Auto Center agrees with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley that this is an inappropriate way market your vehicles. She stated, "A car may be one of the first and most-expensive purchases a consumer will make in his or her lifetime. Clarity and fairness in auto advertising are crucial." Many times our prices are so competitive that customers think that we have these practices!

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion (New Inventory)

2009-09-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

(Except maybe that Black on Black E500 in the background)

It's no secret that the Chevrolet Corvette is the sweetest ride outside of Europe, and while this might not be the super high performance Zo6, it still packs 400 horsepower and 400 ft/lbs of torque. I took this car to the gas station to put a little premium fuel in it, and it just begged to be driven, but alas I could not go faster than the posted 35 mph limit between the lot and pump. The seats were surprisingly comfortable, and it certainly rode better than my expectations of such a high performance vehicle(though it didn't exactly ride like an STS, which we just so happen to have in stock).

The title of this blog refers to the color of the car, Atomic Orange Metallic. On a Cobalt or a Malibu, I think it would look silly, but on a sharp car like the Corvette, I think that offbeat color really accents the slightly exaggerated wheel wells and sleek lines of this true sports car. A lot of people will only buy black or silver cars, because black looks great all shined up(though it's difficult to keep clean), and silver is unassuming and always looks good, even when dirty. However, if you're going to buy a car like a Corvette, you can't play it safe and get a boring color, you've got to get yellow or red, or orange, something that stands out and is worthy of the performance under the hood.

We also got a few more Altimas, a Murano SL with leather seats and a moon roof, and a 2008 Hummer H3 that is an absolute blast to drive.

EVR Coming to Bourne's!!!

2009-09-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce Electronic Vehicle Registration will be provided at Bourne's Auto Center. Electronic Vehicle Registration(EVR) was designed by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to allow large to midsize dealers and insurance agents to provide new and transfer registrations at the DEALERSHIP! This program will allow us, in conjuction with the Registry, to streamline all registration processes! Our scheduled install date is October 1st, we hope to be live and distributing plates in the first couple of weeks of October.

What is this?

2009-09-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

I think it's a Honda Civic, maybe an '03 or so. Anyway, this next one is a bit more Bourne's style, anyway

We see so many Volvos with more than 200k on them, that I'm not too surprised to see that.

Gearless transmission?(New Inventory)

2009-09-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

I've been working here at Bourne's for nearly three years now, and so I've seen a wide variety of cars with various strange and interesting technologies. BMW's ridiculous SMG transmission, the super efficient hybrids, adjustable suspensions, and the CVT that replaces regualr old gearboxes for the 2007 and up Nissan Altima and various other Nissan models.

I'm not exactly sure how it works, to be honest, but it doesn't have shift points like a traditional automatic transmission and as a result it gets slightly better fuel economy, and even better performance because there's no lag in between gears. When you drive one, you won't hear the engine rev up and down, but rather a steady drone that smoothly increases as the vehicle accelerates, and you have good control over acceleration because there's no downshifting. It's a neat technology that's becoming more and more widespread, and just another reason why the Altima is probably the best value among Japanese sedans.

We've also got an Infiniti G35x and FX35, two of the most exciting vehicles in their respective classes, and a great deal on a Ford Fusion for those of you looking for a comfortable and efficient sedan in the $200-a month range.

Radio knobs beat buttons every day (New Inventory)

2009-09-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

That's not to say that I don't love pretty much every Saab 9-3, but the 2007 had some pretty cool upgrades that make it a great value if you don't want to shell out the extra money for the 2008 redesign. The new interior is trimmed with some neat-looking silver accents, they firmed up the suspension, quieted the cabin down a bit and installed a radio that was substantially more usable, mostly because you can scroll through the stations with a knob rather than by pressing a button.

OK, that last bit might seem like I'm nitpicking, but I absolutely can't stand radios that don't use a knob to scroll through stations, and I have always loved the 9-3(I own a '99), but the radio has been a major sticking point for me. Look at the comparison!

vs.

That little knob on the upper right hand side makes all the difference

In addition to a few of these Saabs that seem to get all the details right, we've also got a couple of BMW 5-series sedans, a 2008 Toyota Avalon and another model that went over to the knobbed radio route, the 2007 Volvo S80.

The British are coming!

2009-09-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

Well, Briton, at least. I was going over some of the new inventory we had coming in, and when I checked out the VIN(Vehicle Identification Number) on a Honda CR-V, I noticed the first letter of the VIN was an S. "S?" I thought, quizzically tilting my head to one side. "But the first letter of a VIN code indicates country of origin, and S indicates a car was assembled in England!"

That's right, apparently Honda built some CR-V's in Swindon, England for the North American market. It's not uncommon for a manufacturer to build cars outside of their comfort zone to cut down on shipping or for more favorable tax and labor conditions. Check out the VIN on your car, 1 is USA, 2 is Canada, 3 is Mexico, 4 and 5 are both USA, though usually by a foreign manufacturer, J is Japan, Y is Sweden, W is Germany, K is Korea and S is England. So, check out your supposedly domestic car, your ostensibly Japanese vehicle, admire your Mexican-German sedan, and you'll probably be surprised at what you find.

(If you own a Land Rover Discovery and want a stupid little laugh, check out the first five letters of the VIN)

Bourne's Auto Assists DUI Investigation

2009-09-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Many of our customers may not know that one of the services we provide is 24 hour recovery with the Easton Police. The Enterprise News reported today about one of the recoveries we did for the Police on Early Friday Morning. It was this gentleman's fifth offense for DUI. It certainly makes us feel good to help the Easton PD get this driver off the road. Good work by our Driver Rob.

Click Here to See the Article

Partnership announced with DealerRater.Com

2009-09-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Bourne's has just signed a partnership with DealerRater.com to become one of their "Certified Dealers." DealerRater allows consumers to share information about their dealership experiences, good and bad. We feel strongly that this forum will allow us to better service our customer by resolving any outstanding issues or misunderstandings that may exist. This partnership will go live within the next few weeks. We will keep you posted on the go live date and hope you will share the Bourne's Auto Center experience.

When was the last time we had a Murano?

2009-09-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

Like the once-extinct coelacanth returning to the waters off the coast of South Africa, the Nissan Murano has made its triumphant return to Bourne's Auto Center. According to my extensive research, the last time we stocked even one of Nissan's hit crossover utility vehicles was in early May, which means that our Summer hours have come and gone, we've sold over 300 cars, and our dress code has gone from long pants to shorts and now back to long pants again. We've got three of 'em, silver, white, and black, each one All Wheel Drive.

If you look in the background of that picture, you can see the two Altimas we just got in as well.

Our new Tow Truck

2009-09-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

We actually have a very nice tow truck, which you can see here.

New Photo Studio

2009-09-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

If you've been on Bournes.com(and who hasn't?) and checked the pictures of our inventory then you know that sometimes I struggle with a too-bright sun which creates too many shadows, a blurry picture here and there(which happens when you take about 1,000 pictures a month while dodging cars and customers on the lot) and the occasional person in the background. Today, I took my very first set of photos in the new picture studio we just set up. Sure, it's just some tile and brighter lights off in a corner that used to have a bunch of broken down go karts and ATVs, but it ought to give us some uniformity, and hopefully a better look at our cars for our customers before they make the trip down to Easton.

As for how that first set came out, I have mixed feelings. I like that there's a good clean background(we have a large Bourne's logo for the wall coming in this week) and the outside pictures are good, but I think the flash isn't quite bright enough for interior shots in this new lighting system, but rumor has it there's an upgraded camera in my future, so that may be resolved without an elaborate system of flood lights.

Gerard Flaherty checks out the new area while Dave Olson does his morning calisthenics.

Race Day Drawing Near!!!

2009-09-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

Bourne's Auto Center is Proud to be a sponsor of the 9th Annual Seaside Lemans. This brings European racing action to the Mashpee Commons in Mashpee, MA. Our fast and furious drivers are Russell Burnham, Jason Bourne and Tommy Duggan. We took down second place in the Brockton Fair Demolition Derby so we are certainly gunning for a first place finish! This is a great event that benefits the Cape Cod Foundation. This years beneficiaries include The Genesis Fund, The Cape Cod Times Needy Fund, and Children's Cove. So if you are in the area, stop by and route on our drivers.

New Inventory

2009-09-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

I remember a time when Bourne's was pretty much a Swedish car dealer, stocking nearly 100 Saabs and Volvos and not a whole lot else. We always had customers coming in looking for Japanese sedans, but we couldn't deliver because we weren't looking in the right places. Now, our buying agents scour a couple different websites that offer lease vehicles before they hit the auctions so we're competing with WAY fewer dealers and thus getting better prices. Check out this Mazda3 that we never would've been able to get before:

Now, it says "SOLD" on the windshield but it's available, just not quite cleaned up yet, so if you make the trip to Easton, give me a call first and I'll have my crack team of recon specialists give it a little spit and polish.

That's not the only new inventory we've got in, we've also got a couple of 2008 Dodge Avengers, a 2008 Nissan Altima, a super efficient 2008 Hyundai Elantra and a Volvo XC90 with third row seating. Bournes.com has all these and more listed, so if you want to see our entire inventory, head on over and check it out.

Labor Day Weekend Hours

2009-09-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the Labor Day Holiday, Bourne's Auto Center will be closed on Sunday September 6th and Monday September 7th. This marks the end of our summer sales hours. Effective Sunday September 13th we will be open Sundays for sales 11:00-3:00. Our Sales Team as informed me that after Labor Day, we are closed only two days for the rest of the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas! I also wanted to wish all of our customers, parents and students, good luck as the new school year begins.

If you ever wondered what Labor Day was all about....

http://www.dol.gov/OPA/ABOUTDOL/LABORDAY.HTM