Dealership Reviews

I'll be great at Sprinkler dancing

2010-03-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

What can I say? The entire routine is rhythmic and therapeutic in nature. Take the left hand and place it behind your head with elbow up and pointing out. Take your right hand and stretch it out as far as you can. Now, simply swing your left elbow forward and back as you rotate around the dance floor.

What can be better than seeing ME do that in all it's glory? Oh, remember how I mentioned the therapeutic value above? Well, that is really just a quick word that you will have to be in therapy for a while after actually seeing this in person. In fact, the society of mental professionals is campaigning for me to be selected to perform on TV so they will have a surge in business after it airs. Apparently they already have the toll-free hotline setup 1-800-stop dancing.

I'm rooting for the away team

2010-03-08T08:07:00.001-08:00

It is so awesome and exhilarating to travel to new and interesting places. Being away makes one appreciate home so much more!

Stop lying to yourself!

2009-04-12T17:11:00.001-07:00

I am not always open emotionally, but I do have one simple rule.

Be honest with yourself and then you can be happy in life and have a healthy and strong relationship with others.

Honesty
The first experience in any relationship is honesty. Many people are honest with those in their life, yet they are not honest...

What I mean by this is that many people are not honest with themselves, and therefore are incapable of being honest with those around them. It may be some small items, like fears or problems that have long been "forgotten", but every bit of information that we are not open with our self about is something that will prevent any and every relationship from being healthy.

My philosophy is pretty simple. My life is an open book. If I tell you anything about myself, you are free to tell others. Frankly, there is nothing I can tell you that I have not told others, so talk away. Not that any of it is that interesting or anything, but I am open about it. Don't get me wrong, there are many things about my past that I am not proud of. I have made many mistakes and have surely hurt too many people through my life, but everything that I have been through in my life has made me the person I am today.

So, be honest with yourself and only then can you be honest in a relationship.

I Invest capital to help the environment become more powerful than politics

2009-04-07T05:23:00.001-07:00

I want to be all powerful, relying on no-one!

Well, at least for the electricity to power my home and business...

Is President Obama really spending your child's income? What will they get for their unrequested and unstoppable debit?

The planet has been around for billions of years, while that may not seem like a large number in these overspending days of President Obama with trillions upon trillions of our kids income being dumped into untraceable and underproductive companies and schemes, a billion is a long time.

During the existence of the planet, there has been drastic climate change and life has evolved as God has planned from the beginning. Why is it that we humans think we can hurt, or heal the planet so dramatically? Is it our Egos as humans? God has a plan and regardless of what we do, the planet will continue to evolve for eons more.

That being said, I don't want to hurt the planet and I do want to reduce MY carbon footprint as much as I can while maintaining a level of comfort and enjoyment of the electronic lifestyle I live today.

I try not to follow trends too closely. Sure, I have the Compact Florescent bulbs in my home, heck I even have a lot of the newer and more efficient LED bulbs in lamps today but my desire is to go way beyond that.

Living in Cleveland, Ohio I am stuck with the reality that there is not much light from the sun for a good portion of the year. Making it a little more complex is the fact that my house is buried under tons of gigantic trees the entire summer. It is great because I pretty much never use my AC, but it makes it difficult to optimize the potential for solar on my home.

I would love to be "off the grid", a term commonly used today to describe a home or business that does not take power from the National electric grid but rather generates it's own electricity. This saves both money and the planet, so it is a good thing today.

Being off the grid can be accomplished several ways today, I can install a powerful diesel or natural gas generator to create the power I need, but those both require me to purchase expensive fuel and to operate a loud engine all the time. I also have the option of solar, which I stated above is not really practical for my home so that leaves me with wind.

I have been working on a design for a wind generator for my house. The city will not allow me (nor would I want) to install a large turbine in my yard, so I have to be creative. One company produces a wind turbine that looks more like cylindrical wind art than it does a utilitarian device.

Made primarily for the marine industry, these are small and lightweight and they offer fewer moving parts so maintenance is minimized. The great news is that they are highly effective at catching the air and converting the motion into energy. My plan calls for 2-3 of these mounted on my roof to power my system.

The plans are just that, plans today. I am working on laying out everything I will need, and how it can all be installed with minimal interference to the clutter that is my home today. I am hoping that with the proper investment and attention to detail, I can begin purchasing the materials before the end of this year and have everything installed before summer 10!

I want to reduce carbon emissions, but just as much I want to save money and reduce my monthly expense of living life. Installing creative resources like this will help me achieve my goal and will improve the viability of these products for others in the future...

When I grow up I want people to smile.

2009-04-06T09:12:00.001-07:00

Fun guy with attitude and innovation!

Do you remember when looking at a picture of yourself captivated your attention and made you smile? I am amazed every time I watch someone pick up a print of their action on the slopes or on the water and they smile as if in disbelief of their abilities and the action that is evidenced forever in the photograph.

My goal as a photographer is to capture those moments every time I am on an assignment, and deliver the thrill of personal accomplishment in a large format print of the best athletes ever! To give everyone unlimited access to my sailing photos, I have developed http://www.OPTIsailing.com, a site that gives everyone free access to every Optimist picture I take of them on the water and around the best Opti regattas in North America and beyond.

I hope you can smile as you look at pictures of yourself at a recent event.

Stuck in an elevator with Myself

2009-04-02T04:52:00.001-07:00

Myself
Many times when people are confined in a small space they begin to panic. I don't mean freak-out panic but they do begin to panic and the stress gradually begins to build. And this is just when they are in any confined space.

Add the pressure of being trapped in an elevator and the stress increases dramatically. Think about this for just a minute; an elevator is a metal box (itself weighing thousands of pounds) hanging hundreds of feet above a thick cement slab and it is hanging by a tiny steel cable.

Have you seen how frequently they inspect the cables on elevators? I mean every time you are at an airport, they have one of those flat electronic walkways closed for maintenance but you almost never see an elevator closed for routine maintenance. What is that all about? Is it really more difficult to keep something safe when it is flat on the ground, just moving across the same surface everyone else is walking on compared to an elevator that is lifting you at high speeds through the air?

So, put the unsafe cable with the thick cement "crash" pad and the small confined space all together and you have a formula for a highly stressful situation when the elevator gets trapped between floors for any period of time. People can hyperventilate, they can scream, they can wet themselves and ever pass out or have a stress induced stroke.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I want to be alone so that you wouldn't see me going through the process of a stress attack, I am simply suggesting that it could happen to someone out there.

You believe me, right?

News as it happens is the only way to live today

2009-03-31T13:17:00.001-07:00

Remember the days when you walked out of the office and everything was done for the day? When you could not be reached outside the office and time spent sailing was time that you had to yourself?

Well, that is not acceptable any more. The result is that we all need our news as it is happening, not the next day. History is for school books, not the daily news!

Today life travels at the speed of reality. If something is newsworthy, it is important right now. Not tomorrow morning, not at 11 tonight but right now. If I can wait to learn of it I don't really need to know.

Back in the days of old, when our parents were allowed to enjoy life and be away from work, and the speed of the world when they were not sitting at their desk; the newspaper was acceptable. It gave people the ability to get caught up on what had happened, and what people were thinking.

Remember the days when you would call someone and leave a message with their secretary? It was ok when they would call you back a week later, or if you got a written response from them in the mail three weeks down the road.

Today, if someone puts a voicemail in your box, they expect a call back within a few minutes. Any delay is unacceptable, regardless of where you are or what you are doing at the moment!

It is the lifestyle we are living that makes real-time news a necessity rather than something that is just "cool" to have.

I could eat nothing but Tuscan Cuisine for a year, or forever!

2009-03-30T09:01:00.001-07:00

Of all the places I have traveled in my life, I could spend the rest of my days basking in the warm and inviting Tuscan culture.

Toscana - Tuscany by allegra_

Have you ever seen a skinny Italian?

I am not implying that every Italian person is fat, or by any means out of shape but you have to admit that there are not a whole lot of Italian people running around the streets with their ribs showing through their skin...

The reason for this is pretty simple. Italians view dinner as a celebration. Yes, dinner every night is a party not to be missed.

In the time I have spent in Italy, I have had the opportunity to spend many nights enjoying the variety of food and the process of enjoying the entire process of eating dinner. What an awesome experience!

First of all, dinner in Italy is a time to spend with family and friends. Dinner starts around 7 and rarely ends before 10. That entire time is spent eating (and for many drinking wine) something. Because you are with family and friends, dinner is spent talking about the day, the family issues and business. Because family is large, there are a lot of people to talk, and so there is a lot of food to make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their story of the day.

I have never left a meal in Italy feeling hungry, for that matter I have never left dinner in Italy feeling anything less than completely full! The food, from beginning to end is plentiful and awesome. When you feel you are all done, they bring something else to "just try", then they fill your plate with the "sample". Where else in the world can you be so well taken care of?

If I had to choose one cuisine to eat for a year, I would insist on spending that year in a small village in the Tuscan hills, enjoying the company and the food they serve!

College students, start your engines and get the economy going with one million dollars!

2009-03-29T16:28:00.001-07:00

There are lots of ways to help society with a million dollars.

While the US Government thinks giving trillions to "help the economy", I feel spending money we do not have to help a group of companies that have proven their inability to be successful is the WRONG approach.

What I would do with a million dollars is to help young college students to begin working on the development of new business concepts that will begin to drive the new economy. The younger generation has a lot of ideas, and energy that will spur new development and create jobs and rapid growth of companies that will employ many people.

So, to keep it simple, I would find bright college students and give them some funding to begin the development of new businesses that will appeal to their generation and feed growth of the entire economy for years to come!

Is your beauty under covers?

2009-03-25T05:14:00.001-07:00

Beauty is a gift from God. Don't hide it from the world!

Looking down the hall of the office building I notice a nice, shapely young woman and because I am afflicted with maleness I continue to watch her walk towards me. Not in a creepy way mind you, but I watch as she gracefully walks down the hallway towards me.

As she gets closer, I notice that she is wearing a stunning business dress-suit. The jacket is long and cut to her curves, and I had to look twice as she grew near to see that her skirt was just a hair longer than her jacket. Her legs were as long as the hallway and as perfect as the warm sunshine outside. Covered with silk, they glistened as she walked by the window.

As the sun hit her legs, I briefly noticed the 3 inch heels her feet were cradled by. They absolutely completed the image.

A few moments later, the elevator came and it was my time to go. This memory will stick with me throughout the day.

Making out in In the basement at my 5th birthday party.

2009-03-24T05:27:00.001-07:00

Cathy, you made my 5th birthday one for the record books.

Well, I surely do not want to toot my own horn; at 5, I liked the ladies and was goin for gold!

I honestly don't remember all that much about it , I was 5 after all; but I do remember that we were hiding behind the wooden rocking chair (didn't provide too much privacy) and Cathy Covey wanted to make sure it was a birthday I would never forget! I am pretty sure that my mom didn't plan any birthday parties for me after that, I guess she was pretty concerned at what might happen at age 6.

Well, I forgot, but many years later my mother reminded me while we were going through old photo albums. Wow, how did I let that one slip my mind?

Anyhow, the kiss must have set my expectations high because it would be some time before number two would come along.

My bucket list starts with: Sail the South Pacific

2009-03-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

Sail the South Pacific
I have spent my life sailing at all levels on the Great Lakes and near shore. As a lifelong sailor, I have always had a desire to sail in new waters. This has taken me all over the Caribbean, to California and Hawaii. The one place I would love to spend months (more likely years) on a boat would be in the South Pacific, exploring the islands and cultures that live there.

Own a Villa in Tuscany
A couple of years ago, I went to Italy and toured the countryside. The southern region is beautiful and relaxing, but of everywhere I traveled, Tuscany is one area I did not want to leave. The people are so warm and welcoming and the region is absolutely beautiful! Of all the places I have been in my lifetime, This is one area I could spend considerable time!

Change the US Tax code
Taxes in the USA are complicated. As working Americans, we spend way too much of our income paying taxes to the government. Federal, State and Local governments all get in on the game and take as much of our money as they can. They think they can make better decisions on how to spend out money than we can.

Then top it all off, we pay even more taxes when we buy anything! Try to calculate your sales tax into how much money you pay the government every year and you will cry...

The only way to see more money in our pockets is to make more money. The only way to do this is to work harder and be more productive than others so you get a raise or a performance bonus. The problem with this, is that the government is going to place a penalty on you if you make more money. That is right, they will charge you even more if you are a hard worker!

I would like to help the government (in all forms) to come up with a simple and basic tax code for everyone. I think if there were a single tax rate that everyone was required to pay, we would see less fraud and everyone would have more money. I think if we all paid 15% of our income as the only tax, and required all governments to use that money to structure their expenses and run the government with this budget, we would see more efeciencies and better run government all around.

Ski the Austrian Apls
I have always wanted to spend a winter in Austria skiing the world's most perfect terrain. There is so much that God has given us to explore in the Alps and the Austrian lifestyle in the mountains, is perfect for a winter of enjoying God's creations. In the spring, I want to run through the hills with my family, singing songs!

Create real change in the Automotive business
For years people have distrusted the automotive sales process. It creates anxiety, fear and worse. As the result, most Americans do not like to buy a car.

This is not the case for everyone though. There are many people that have found a person that has gone the distance to take care of their customers and deliver an experience that far exceeds what must of us think we will get when we go into a dealership. I want everyone to have that experience!

Imagine a world where you know your car salesperson will take care of you, and deliver value while you purchase and over the years as you drive your car. It would be AWESOME! That is exactly what I am trying to do with http://www.carfolks.com. This site gives people the ability to talk about their experience with the sales person they purchased their car from. Have a good experience, let the world know about it so they can go and buy from that guy! Have a poor experience, tell everyone on carfolks.com so they can avoid the same problems you had. It is a self policing tool that helps great salespeople make more sales and stay in the business and forces those that do not take care of customers to find another line of work because no-one will buy from them.

I would love to see rapid adoption of hte tool by dealerships and their Manufacturers, which would demonstrate a real desire to change and to have a direct focus on taking care of the customer at all levels.

Trust me, you will be the envy of your neighborhood!

2009-03-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

"Can I hep' ya?"

If you are looking for the latest in transportation, I have THE vehicle for you. Gone are the days of traffic jams and speeding tickets, you need the new flying car!

No, wheels are a thing of the past, you take off, fly around the globe and land in the matter of minutes, regardless of where you are heading. This is the vehicle that will get you where you are going in no-time flat.

Fuel consumption? Don't worry about that, you will save time and frustration in driving and so the money you spend in fuel will be well worth it. Fuel will be cheaper down the road anyhow. Trust me...

Climb up, strap yourself in and take er for a flight. You will love it.

By the way, have you read my profile and the comments customers have given me on http://www.carfolks.com? I am sure you will agree that I put my effort into making sure that you love working with me today, and forever!

Where can I park my Honkin Suburban in these tiny lots?

2009-03-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

I drive a Chevy Suburban because it is the only vehicle that fits my family life! Do you think GM can put some effort into developing new powertrain options for me?

Driving in most locations in the US is a necessity today, not a luxury.

As Americans, we live in a huge country with limited transportation options and a wonderful highway system. As the result, we live miles from work, activities and friends. We have to drive do do anything in our lives.

With a family of 6, we are constantly on the go. Sailing regattas, we have to tow boats and drive across the country; to skin in the winter, we have to load everyone and the gear and drive to Ellicottville, NY from Cleveland and that is just 2 of the many sports and activities our children are involved in. The thought is a compact car is ridiculous in my life.

I think GM made a huge mistake last year when fuel prices were high and everyone stopped buying trucks. Rick Wagoner stated that GM was going to stop or severely limit production of their trucks and made a huge statement that the next xx (I don't remember the exact number) vehicles they would introduce were all cars.

Knowing that the majority of the loyal GM customers buy and drive trucks, and that it is the mainstream of their continued success, Mr. Wagoner should have come out and stated that trucks are vital to their success and growth and that GM is committed to the continuation of these vehicles and is now going to invest heavily into advanced technologies to make these vehicles more efficient and would introduce several fuel options in each of their trucks over the next couple of years.

Driving a large vehicle is not an option for many of us, it is a requirement. Regardless of the cost of fuel, we have to drive trucks. I love my Chevy Suburban and would hate to give it up. Finding options in this category that would make the vehicle more economical to drive, offering a hybrid or a fuel cell option or something else would abcolutely be of interest to me, and I am sure many other General Motors truck owners. Where is the love from corporate?

Cars are my life. My company http://www.carfolks.com is dedicated to providing a spotlight for dealerships across the country that prove their abilities to take care of customers, and deliver value for the money they spend with high levels of customer service and ongoing follow-up. At the same time, the site clearly displays the dealerships in local communities that do not have a focus on customers, giving consumers the ability to avoid dealers that don't get the simple fact that customers are important and making it easy for them to find local organizations that have proven their ability to deliver high quality of care to every customer. As the site is in a pre-launch status, we are pleased at the hundreds of salespeople from across the country that have already pro-actively created profiles on the site! Look for rapid growth as we announce some exciting news with leading manufacturers focused on taking care of customers!

The end of Summer

2009-03-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

Driving down the road one evening, after dropping her off following a fabulous dinner, movie and then stroll down the moonlit beach; I had a feeling that nothing in the world could ever be any better than my life at that moment. You see, we had been together the entire summer and nothing could separate us. We would talk on the phone (briefly) from work, meet up on the way home for a cup of coffee and to plan our evening together and obviously would spend the entire evening exploring the opportunities our lives held.

The following morning I got up and glided through my morning routine thinking of what new and exciting adventure would await us in the evening hours. That day, the call was met with voicemail. Must be a busy day with meetings and the like. Coffee came and went, alone. The evening came and went and I was alone.

So went the next day, week month and so on. No contact, no explanation, nothing. I never wold learn what happened and what I may have done (or not done) to put an end to our summer romance so abruptly. It was as if the autumn had come and the summer was over that quickly.

Today I spend my days taking photographs to capture the beauty in life for eternity. You can view some of those at http://www.daveheinphotography.com.

'The Little Red Book of Selling' will make you LOL

2009-03-18T05:06:00.001-07:00

I mainly read business and growth oriented books. As the result, I have to find humor among other things in the writings of awesome business authors. What are you reading today?

Life is funny, if you look at it from the right perspective. Everything we do, everyone we encounter, each thought we have effects our attitude, our response to situations and our ability to laugh at ourselves.

The Little Red Book of Selling talks about real life situations and how to change your perspective on life and how to make that perspective work to your advantage. Read it and laugh your way to the next sale!

I'll spend my golden years in Park City, UT

2009-03-17T10:14:00.001-07:00

Dave Loves to ski, and play in the alpine environment when he is not sailing!

Park City is a vast alpine worderland designed with every lifestyle in mind. From winter sports of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and just the simplicity of lazy horserides in the snow to the summer activities of mountain biking, jogging, hiking and more.

Located just 20 short minutes from downtown Salt Lake City and it's international airport, Park City is one location you can enjoy every day of the year without being far from civilization.

The athlete in me?

2009-03-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

Worldwide superstar amazes crowds as he tops the competition on the water daily, and at his age!

Dave Hein, world renound for his photographic work in the alpine and marine environments is the worlds superstar when it comes to capturing the excitement, emotion and thrill of sports for everyone to enjoy. And doing all of this at more than twice the age of the average athlete appearing in his photographs. "Shooting sailing is one of the most difficult assignments a photographer can have." states Hein; "having to shoot moving yachts from a boat that is constantly moving itself with the motion of the sea limits the people that can even consider shooting the sport professionally."

Dave Hein spends considerable time on the water, shooting at least one major regatta per month, with nearly every weekend at an event in the summer season. His career as a photographer started in his teen years, shooting school projects and as photo editor of his high school yearbook.

Today Dave's images hang in the homes and offices of sailors and enthusiasts worldwide. As he continues his upwards rise in notoriety, his travel to events grows. He can be seen worldwide shooting sailing and some of his shots can be seen online at http://www.optisailing.com.

Seat me next to the quiet starer, please

2009-03-15T05:39:00.001-07:00

While it has been a long time since I have been on a bus ride, I do take a lot of flights every month...

When a person sitting next to you on a long trip talks the entire time it is always nice to meet someone new and learn about them, however when I travel, I typically reserve that time to get work done as I am confined and away from calls and interruptions.

In defense of my vice: cigar

2009-03-14T05:12:00.001-07:00

Once in a while, I enjoy sitting outside on a warm afternoon with a great maduro.

Rolling single leaf cigars_Cuba 168 by hoyasmeg

Sitting in a small open air cafe in Miami. The air around me is damp, warm and well it has a sweet and distinct essence.

I look to the other site of the sidewalk to see an old man smoking a cigar with his coffee after lunch. He was sitting there, enjoying himself and relaxing in the spring afternoon.

Noticing the air around me getting stronger, I got up and walked down the street to and saw a store selling stogies and decided to walk in. Entering the door, I was immediately aroused at the blended scent of many different memories of my life. I walked into the humidor and began looking at the hundreds of different styles. Color, size, blends, strengths. So much to learn, so many different options.

Enjoying an occasional cigar reminds me of days gone by. It is a brief escape from the stress and pressures of business today and a reminder of the relaxing days to come as a reward for hard work through the tough times.

'Everything About You' will help you through a break-up

2009-03-13T05:59:00.001-07:00

You know what? It also helps with the process of loosing a job. I guess a job is a lot like a girlfriend anyhow, always demanding more of your time and attention until they are gone.

Wow, it is so much more appealing to spend life driving your car down to the local marina and sail your days away with the strong winds filling your sails.

Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe

The first step in dealing with grief is denial. Like young children banging their spoon and fork on the high chair tray, this song helps.

Click Click Boom by Saliva

Then anger then sets in and everyone knows that it is much better to express anger in a popular song then with text messages.

America by Simon & Gafrunkel

As you come to accept the fact, it begins the process of searching for yourself and the beginning is in front of you.

My song about Ellicottville, NY.

2009-03-12T12:35:00.001-07:00

We ski at Holimont. What a great way to pass the dark days of Winter.

When the skies are gray and the air is chilled people fret and loose their will.
Many folks jump up and exclaim "its time for the frozen rain!"

They get in their cars and head out on the road
To Ellicottville we are bound and nothing will slow us down
Drive, drive drive
some down from the great white North
many from the land of hot wings
still others from the town of burning rivers
All to enjoy the too few days of frozen precipitation known as snow in the hills of Western New York.

Optimist Regatta in Martin County, Florida

2008-12-12T07:48:00.001-08:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to shoot an exciting Optimist regatta hosted by the US Sailing Center in Martin County, Florida. I have posted photos at http://www.optisailing.com.

Posted via web from davehein's posterous

2008-09-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

Serpentini Chevrolet dealership Review and Rating

2008-09-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

7/25/2008 6:13:54 PM

I have bought alot of vechiles in my life,But NEVER have I had such a great experince as I had with Mike ,He is the best salesperson I have ever dealt with. He took such great care and time with my grandson and I ,I felt like we were the only people there.He is honset and to the point. I felt comforable and safe knowing he was in our coner and welling to go the extra mile to meet all our needs and make us the happest with our puchase. I would recomend him to evreyone I know and tell them his on your side to make the best deal there is for you. I belive he was as happy and excited for my grandson as he was. What a great salesperson you have there. Belive me we will be back to Mike again. Thanks Mike Mary Clark
--Mary Clark from Ohio
Submitted on carFolks.com

Serpentini Chevrolet Customer Review

2008-09-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

7/25/2008 5:07:51 PM

Bought a Trailblazer from Doug and got great service and satisfaction. He is a terrific guy to do business with.

--submitted by Scott
on carFolks.com

Service Department Rating from Ohio

2008-09-11T06:26:00.001-07:00

7/23/2008 10:25:42 AM

Service was Awesome!!

-- Review submitted by Cory
On carFolks.com

Dealer review from Westlake, Ohio

2008-09-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

7/18/2008 9:12:56 AM

Doug was very professional and knowledgeable. It was a pleasure to do business with him and I will send all my friends to Doug knowing they will get great service from him.
-Serpentini Chevrolet of Strongsville
Posted on carfolks.com

Serpentini Chevrolet Customer REview

2008-09-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

7/10/2008 11:24:36 PM

I went to Serpintini with an idea of what I wanted and Michael found the perfect car for me! I wanted a white, sporty, and gas efficient vehicle for the payment that fit my budget. He made the whole car shopping experience fun and exciting. He is a wonderful salesman and I highy recommend him.