Our Newest Addition to the Hendrick Honda Family

Hendrick Honda of Charleston is proud to welcome Brian Mullinax to the Hendrick Family. Originally from Mt. Pleasant, SC Brian has had many years of sales experience to include automobiles. He started in the car business back in 1990's at Pete Olmstead Pontiac, GMC Porsche. Then, like so many in the LowCountry Brian began selling Real Estate. He was On Site Sales with Centex Homes and then GTS Development for over 10 Years. Brian and his wife of 5 years Zuhal (from Samsun, Turkey) reside in Mt. Pleasant.

Besides having fun with his Family and Friends Brian enjoys a game or two of Word Scraper on Facebook, playing sports, listening to music and working out. Give Brian a call at 843-276-1444.

2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

"WOW" Just traded, this impecable
like "NEW" (literally) 2005 4Runner SR5 2wd truck.

2009 Honda Ridgeline

Unlike other automakers, Honda puts recreational pickup truck users first with the 2009 Honda Ridgeline. For 2009, Ridgeline gets a gutsier torque curve, bolder styling and a standard trailer hitch highlight, not to mention numerous upgrades and new features. Already an innovative truck, the 2009 Honda Ridgeline is a true standout among pickups.

The 2009 Honda Ridgeline is the non-conformist among pickup trucks. While rivals duke it out over horsepower ratings, the Ridgeline gets everything done with a fuel efficient V6. While rivals remain slab-sided and work-truck plain, the Ridgeline offers innovative styling and convenience features like its “segment-exclusive” In-Bed TrunkTM that provides spacious, hidden, dry and secure storage capable of swallowing luggage, toolboxes and coolers. For 2009, the Ridgeline’s interior receives a major makeover with upgrades such as a new steering wheel, gauges and HVAC controls, as well as a Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, satellite navigation, a 115-volt power outlet and requisite jacks for the iPod and other MP3 players.

The 2009 Honda Ridgeline is classified as a compact-class pickup, but it does everything you’d expect from a midsize truck. It seats five passengers in a four-door crew cab and offers a five-foot-long cargo bed. All-wheel drive is standard equipment. Ridgeline has several design features unusual to pickups including an independent rear suspension and crossover-style unibody construction. Its cargo box is dent-resistant composite “tuff stuff” with a steel-reinforced floor that houses a convenient covered trunk at the rear. Capable of accommodating four-foot-wide sheets of plywood between the wheel wells, the cargo bed gains two cargo tie-down points (eight total).

Standard features on the Ridgeline RT (MSRP $28,200, not including taxes, title, registration and a $670 destination charge) include an integrated trailer hitch, pre-wiring for seven-pin trailer wiring harness, a trip computer with instantaneous and average fuel economy, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, power windows and door locks, a power sliding rear window, cruise control, keyless entry, automatic heated wiper zone, a six-speaker, 100-watt audio system with CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability and a 60/40-split lift-up rear seat with underseat storage. The Ridgeline RTS adds alloy wheels, body-color painted door handles, painted inner grille surfaces, a seven-speaker 160-watt audio system with subwoofer and six-disc in-dash CD player, steering wheel-mounted controls, an auxiliary audio input jack, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, privacy glass and all-weather floor mats. The RTL adds a leather-trimmed interior with heated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, moonroof, a 110-volt power outlet, XM Satellite Radio, HomeLink remote system, carpeted floor mats and a compass in the rearview mirror. A Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition is available (and replaces the rearview mirror interior compass). Vehicles equipped with the navigation system also include Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and a multi-information display.

All 2009 Ridgelines are powered by a 250-hp, 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine. A five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission and a Variable Torque Management four-wheel drive system (VTM-4) are standard. The EPA rates city/highway/combined fuel economy at 15/20/17. A fully independent suspension with MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link suspension design in the rear contribute to a smooth ride and responsive handling. Standard equipment for towing includes an integrated tow hitch, transmission and oil coolers, heavy duty brakes, dual radiator fans and a wiring harness for a seven-pin trailer hookup (pre-wiring only on RT). Ridgeline’s maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds.

The five-foot-long cargo bed provides Ridgeline with a half-ton payload rating of 1,100 pounds. Four cargo area lights illuminate both the bed and the in-bed trunk. A dual-action tailgate opens down for traditional access to the cargo area or to the side for ease-of-access to the lockable in-bed trunk. New accessories for 2009 include a motorcycle bed extender and a bed-mount bicycle attachment, in addition to a wide variety of existing accessories that are designed to accommodate motorcycles and ATVs.

Ridgeline’s all-aluminum, 60-degree, SOHC 3.5-liter VTEC engine produces 250 hp at 5,700 rpm and 247 lb/ft of torque at 4,300 rpm. Honda’s variable valve timing system enhances low rpm torque while extending high rpm horsepower for a broad, confidence-inspiring power band. For 2009, the engine produces three more horsepower and a torque curve that is up to 10 lb/ft broader at rpms as low as 2,500 while maintaining the same EPA-rated fuel economy as 2008.

Honda’s Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) safe handling system with active yaw control monitors lateral (cornering) stability and discreetly integrates traction control, four-wheel drive, antilock braking, throttle control and stability control functions by modulating brake power at each wheel and controlling throttle input. The VSA system is designed to feel smooth and unobtrusive for neutral, predictable and safe handling characteristics.

Ridgeline’s heavy-duty brakes provide forceful stopping power. The system consists of 12.6-inch front and 13.1-inch rear four-wheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and brake assist. Wheels on the Ridgeline RT are 17x7.5-inch steel affairs; the Ridgeline RTS upgrades to alloy. P245/65R17 all-season tires are standard on the Ridgeline RT and RTS. The Ridgeline RTL is equipped with new-for-2009 18x7.5-inch alloy wheels and P245/60R18 all-season tires. A standard tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) provides individual low-pressure warnings.

The 2009 Honda Ridgeline is refreshingly different. Those who value style and innovation will want to give the Ridgeline a close look and put one through its paces. Give Hendrick Honda of Charleston a call today and we’ll make it happen! 1-866-737-6215.

Testimonial

Very pleased customer from Johns Island, SC. Her salesperson Jerry Adams was really, really good. Excellent. To our General Manager Sears Sauls and General Sales Manager Jeff Aysse everything was wonderful. There was no high pressure which she thinks is a tremendous plus. Everything went very smoothly. She has been a Toyota person for years and she could not even compare the two and she is completely amazed with the wonderful experience at Hendrick Honda of Charleston.
Sincerly,

100% Pleased Customer from Johns Island, SC

Great News for Honda Buyers!!

Honda Civic Best '09 Compact

For many years, compact cars, or c-class vehicles, were considered the poor man's midsize sedan and buzzed around cities as second-class citizens. It's amazing what $4-a-gallon gas and ever increasing corporate average fuel economy standards can do. Small cars are starting to get some credit for being more than the utilitarian answer to automotive independence. They're comfortable, convenient, and won't cost an arm and leg - and in today's topsy-turvy financial world, being in the black is the new black. According to the Detroit News, 2009 offers consumers a bevy of good-looking compacts from which to choose. So if you're looking to create your own personal stimulus package to the U.S. economy for less than $20,000, and want to be an all-around stylish daily driver. The Detroit News' top choice is the 2009 Honda Civic. Click here for a picture. Its low-slung body, smooth ride, and comfortable interior provide the complete package for someone who wants to think big and buy small.

Stewart edges Kyle Busch at Daytona

Written by espn.com
Saturday, 14 February 2009 19:29

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Not even a wreck in Daytona 500 practice could ruin Tony Stewart's day. Getting to Victory Lane has a way of making things better.

Just five hours after Stewart stood brooding over his battered Daytona 500 car, he found himself celebrating a second straight season-opening Nationwide Series win at Daytona International Speedway.

"It was very disappointing this morning," Stewart said after holding off Kyle Busch on the last lap to win the Camping World 300. "It was so frustrating I almost couldn't see straight."

The two-time Sprint Cup champion, who left Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the 2008 season to start his own Stewart-Haas Racing operation, had a very good week going until new teammate Ryan Newman's tire blew Saturday morning, collecting his teammate and boss in the final practice before Sunday's Great American Race.

Stewart was set to start fifth in the 500. Now, he and Newman must switch to backup cars and start from the rear of the 43-car field.

The wrecks prompted Stewart to criticize Goodyear for bringing a faulty tire to the superspeedway. "I'm ticked right now. I'm not happy. I'm not cordial. I'm not nice," Stewart said after practice. It was temporary.

Stewart said his mood began to improve as he watched his new team quickly prepare the backup cars. As he got ready for the Nationwide race, his first time driving for car owner and longtime friend Rick Hendrick, he shifted his focus. "When I went back to the bus and put this uniform on and saw Hendrick on it, you switch gears real quick in your mind," Stewart said. "You realized that, hey, you've got a job to do and put what happened this morning behind you and focus on the task at hand."

He certainly did that, passing 23 cars in 11 laps to get back into contention after pitting with 30 laps to go in the 120-lap event. Then he hung onto the lead as Busch, Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer fought for position.

Stewart said it was his decision to pit for tires from third place on Lap 91, giving up lots of track position. It turned out to be the key move of the race.

"I thought I made the worst call of the year," said Stewart, who saw most contenders stay on the track. "It actually ended up saving us at the end, though. We were fortunate we were able to get through the pack like that."

Brad Keselowski led several times and appeared to be one of the drivers to beat, but he banged off the wall on Lap 108. Two laps later, his right rear tire blew, bringing out the last of six caution flags and setting up the dash to the finish. Edwards led at that point, but Stewart, with help from Chevy driver Bowyer, pushed past into the lead after the restart on Lap 114. As the laps wound down, Stewart seemed to be a sitting duck, especially after Busch, who won 10 Nationwide races last year, moved into second place three laps from the end.

On the final trip around the 2.5-mile oval, Busch moved up to Stewart's rear bumper and gave him a nudge. Stewart's car wobbled and drifted high as Busch's Toyota moved nearly alongside. Somehow, Stewart stayed just ahead of Busch. Then Edwards and defending series champion Bowyer went to the outside to pass Busch. "What Kyle did was try to get me in a position where my car got loose, and I had to try to race it up the racetrack to give him the bottom," Stewart said. "And that happened. [But] in doing so, he had to run up the racetrack, too. It wasn't like he just ran us up into the fence. He didn't do that.

"Kyle's the type of guy that if you beat him, in a race like this, if you can win the race, you know you did everything a hundred percent right. Because, if you don't do it a hundred percent right, he's going to find a way around you. I don't know how we came off the corner ahead of him."

Busch tried the same maneuver in the Camping World Truck Series opener Friday night, bumping Todd Bodine heading toward the third turn on the last lap. Like Stewart, though, Bodine was able to fend off the challenge and race on to the win as Busch finished second.

Saturday, Busch wound up fourth. He scrambled out of his car and ran to his team's hauler without talking to the media.

Edwards, who won the Nationwide title two years ago, was surprised to find himself in the runner-up spot at the finish.

"Coming off [Turn] 4 ... Clint was right on my bumper and pushed me right by Kyle," Edwards said. "He gave me like the half inch I needed there. I thought he was going to come out, and I was just going to blow through his right rear bumper.

"I had a little of a run on Tony. He came up and I thought, 'Man, this is going to be smoke and walls and all that.' But it ended up he gave me enough room, and I still ended up second. It was an exciting at least half a lap, at least for me."

Greg Biffle finished fifth, followed by Brian Vickers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and David Ragan, giving Sprint Cup drivers the top eight positions. Nationwide regular Jason Keller was ninth. Jason Leffler, another Nationwide regular, ignited a four-car crash just past the halfway mark in the race, banging into the rear of Steve Wallace and knocking Wallace sideways. Rookies Scott Lagasse Jr. and Justin Allgaier also were involved. Leffler said he was just trying to let Wallace back in line, but NASCAR held him in the pits for five laps for aggressive driving.

Last Updated on Saturday, 14 February 2009 20:25