Making the Most of Your Tires

Purchasing new tires can be a difficult task, and with the winter weather approaching we want you to be as safe as possible. Our service department here at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC is ready to walk you through your next tire purchase, and provide you with the knowledge you need to make an informed buying decision. After listening to what our customers were most concerned about, and researching with Consumer Reports we have created some tips to help guide you through process.

Types of tires, and their benefits:

• All-Season Tires – As the name suggests, this type of tire will be adequate for most weather conditions. They provide good traction in dry, wet, and snowy environments. Like a Jack of All Trades, they do not master any specific environment. All-Season Tires are good for mild winter conditions, or after the streets have been cleared.


• Winter Tires – An exceptional choice for snow, sleet, or freezing rain. Winter tires have a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall indicating they meet challenging snow traction criteria according to Consumer Reports. This type of tire will wear down quickly, and do not grip well on dry pavement. Consider this product only if you live in a severe winter climate.


• Summer Tires – Perfect for the dry summer climate, but not the best choice during the winter months. They can lose traction below 45-degrees F, which will cause slipping and sliding.

Many tire manufacturers’ have completed production of their winter tires already. Once these tires have been sold, it will be difficult to find more until next year. Treat yourself to a new set of winter tires this Christmas before they are all gone.


Your #1 Source of Quality Tires & Information in Troy, Missouri,
-Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC

The 2011 GMC Acadia: One of the most Capable Vehicles you will ever Encounter

I’m not a betting man. In college, I would only bet on a game of pool or a pick-up basketball game because they were bets I thought I had a very good shot at winning. As an adult I lost my share of money in the stock market during the crash of 2000. I’ve become far more conservative at managing retirement funds since then and didn’t get hurt in the crash of 2008. I credit 2 investing books for that turn around in performance. They are “Rule #1” by Phil Town and “The Only 3 Questions That Count” by Ken Fisher. Anyone saving for retirement or college will benefit from reading both of them.

For the most part, I’m only willing to bet on a sure thing. My point being… if I asked you to make a wish list of every capability you would like your next vehicle to have, I would be willing to bet money that everyone of them would be available on the 2011 GMC Acadia. The Acadia is one of the most capable vehicles I have ever seen.

In my mind, Acadia is the ultimate crossover. You immediately wonder how they fit so much interior space into a smaller, more compact size. It’s easy to park and get into the garage but provides 8 passengers with all the room in the world. Stadium seating, plus noticeable shoulder room in the second and third rows give passengers a sense of autonomy usually reserved for the front seat. Not everyone thinks they need room for 8 with family sizes getting smaller these days but, if you carpool kids to school or even give your neighbors a ride to church, that room comes in very handy. What I like most is that Acadia’s best-in-class fuel economy means you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to save on gas. Its second and third-row seats can fold down to create up to 116.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the first row, helping you to accommodate changing combinations of passengers and cargo with ease.

I also love Acadia’s remote start feature. With the simple press of a button, you can start Acadia from nearly 200 feet away. Once started, its climate control system adjusts to colder or hotter outside temperatures, automatically. In colder weather, the rear window defogger and heated mirrors are also activated. For effortless loading and unloading, the available power liftgate gives you push-button remote access to the rear cargo area. My wife loves the heated and cooled front seats.

Acadia has a 3.6L V-6 engine that delivers performance you’ll notice immediately during acceleration or merging onto a busy highway. Its direct-injection technology gives Acadia better highway fuel economy than any other eight-passenger SUV. The transmission makes the most out of Acadia’s V-6 engine power. An available electronically controlled on-demand AWD system helps Acadia offer outstanding ride and handling. At 16 city/23 hwy EPA-estimated mpg, it also offers outstanding fuel economy.

Acadia has a StabiliTrak electronic stability control system that feeds data into an onboard computer, then adjusts engine speed and brake pressure to any individual wheel to improve safety, stability and control in most driving conditions. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System keeps track of tire pressure and alerts you to low pressure through the Driver Information Center, indicating exactly which tire is low.

In a crash, OnStar can call for help, send your GPS location to emergency services and can even stay on the line until help arrives. With the help of OnStar, Acadia can automatically send you a monthly e-mail summary of hundreds of checks of your engine, transmission and antilock brakes, along with important maintenance tips.

The available DVD-based Touch-Screen Navigation System will help lead you to your destination. A USB port is included on all Acadia Denali and SLT models. Simply plug in your iPod® or MP3 player to see your play lists on the audio display. Those 2 investing books I mentioned are available on audio book. I do a lot of driving and use my time behind the wheel to try to learn as much as I can. A variety of audio, video and gaming options designed to entertain rear-seat passengers while traveling includes a DVD player with remote control, overhead display and two sets of wireless infrared headphones, plus audio and video input jacks that are compatible with most popular gaming systems.

Thanks to available Bluetooth connectivity, you can sync up your Bluetooth mobile device with Acadia for in-vehicle, hands-free calling. Steering-wheel mounted controls help you start a call and control volume, then dial by voice and listen to your call through the audio system. Now you can stay in touch without ever taking your hands from the wheel.

When it’s time to check out the Acadia’s impressive list of capabilities, talk to a team with an impressive list of capabilities of their own, the folks at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Missouri. When I need Professional Grade advice about any automobile issue, I talk to the folks at Marquitz. Everyone from the sales associates to the service writers and parts counter guys treat customers with an extra measure of courtesy and respect.

They price every new Buick, Cadillac and GMC vehicle as competitively as possible and no one will work any harder to get to a payment that works for you and get you financed. Stop by and see all the unbelievable capabilities of the 2011 GMC Acadia at Marquitz today. It’s the most capable vehicle you will ever have the pleasure to love and drive.

2011 Cadillac DTS: A Twenty First Century Version of the Classic Cadillac!

It wasn’t that long ago when I believed my 1998 Cadillac Sedan De Ville was probably the only car I would want to own for the rest of my days. I’m pretty large so I appreciated the full-sized comfort; I drove a lot for business and couldn’t imagine riding 500 miles a day in anything else and, there was the pride and mystique of owning a Cadillac. I greatly mourned its loss when they stopped production. I sat in a 2011 Cadillac DTS for the first time a few days ago and realized this new vehicle has everything my De Ville had to offer along with a long list of advancements they hadn’t even dreamed of in ’98.

If you’re like me and sold on the advantages of a full sized luxury vehicle, Cadillac DTD and STS are the only real choices. Other Vehicles call themselves full-sized but when you get inside you feel like you’re stuffing a phone booth like they did in the ‘60s. There is just no substitute for full-sized luxury.

My old De Ville had cruise control but the new Adaptive Cruise Control uses radar to help you maintain your specified following distance automatically and effortlessly. With Adaptive Remote Start you can activate the engine, climate control, defroster and optional heated or cooled front seats from 200 feet away for the utmost convenience. You’ll never have to sit on a cold seat again.

I’m a lot taller than my wife so it’s tough to get into the car after she’s driven it. With available Memory Seating, you touch one button and the vehicle automatically adjust the driver’s seat, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel (when equipped), outside mirrors, and audio and climate settings for your preferences. Believe me, it’s a great feeling when your car remembers you and sets everything up the way you like it. Available Ultrasonic Front and Rear Park Assist issues audible alerts to help you see what’s out of sight ahead of or behind you so, you can park with ease and confidence. It doesn’t take long to get used to the heated and cooled leather front seats or the memory seating. The dual-zone automatic climate control has individual climate settings for the driver and right-front passenger so you can keep the temperature in your zone exactly where you like it and the passenger can do the same.

The Tire Pressure Monitor has a sensor in each tire and constantly monitors air pressure. Should there be a drop in pressure, you will receive an alert via the Driver Information Center. With OnStar Automatic Crash Response built-in sensors in your vehicle can automatically send an alert to OnStar in the event of a crash. An OnStar Advisor is immediately connected to your vehicle to see if you’re okay. Even if you don’t respond, the Advisor can use GPS technology to locate you and request that emergency help be sent right away. It’s also good to know the STS is carefully designed to provide a host of features to help keep you from getting into a collision in the first place. By comparing driver steering input with vehicle response, the Electronic Stability Control System helps you maintain control by quickly applying abs brakes to any wheel that begins to slip, and adjusts the power to help correct the steering. It’s called StabiliTrak and it’s a General Motors exclusive.

The available Magnetic Ride Control suspension system uses advanced sensors that read the road up to 1,000 times a second, then automatically applies the necessary dampening forces to improve handling and ride quality. Speed-sensitive, Magnasteer variable-assist rack-and-pinion power steering gives you a firm control and I think anyone will notice the difference. You just feel more in control when driving the new Cadillac DTS.

Touch-screen DVD-based navigation with voice recognition will help you find your destination and focus better on driving at the same time. XM NavTraffic is an optional, satellite-delivered traffic information service that displays real-time traffic data when equipped with available navigation system. Of course there’s Bluetooth® Wireless Technology for your phone and a killer sound system.

I know this is beginning to sound a bit like a science fiction movie with radar in a car that remembers what you like, lets you know if you have a low tire, monitors conditions and adjusts for better control, tells you how to get where you’re going and calls for help in case of an accident, but it’s all true. The 2011 Cadillac DTS is just light-years ahead of anything I’ve ever driven.

When you decide to drive the Cadillac DTS there’s a place that will make you feel just a cozy as the warm leather seats in the Cadillac DTS. It’s Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Missouri. The folks at Marquitz are Cadillac experts so they can show you every single amazing thing this vehicle can do for you. They will also take the time to make you feel like you’re dealing with a friend and neighbor. The Marquitz team wants you to enjoy the best vehicle purchase and ownership experience possible so everyone from the sales associates to the service writers will treat you with courtesy and respect. It’s the Marquitz way of doing business and I think you’ll agree that the treatment at Marquitz is just as luxurious as the Cadillac vehicles they sell and expertly service.

They won’t try to take advantage of you on price either, just because you’ll be looking at a luxury car. Marquitz prices Cadillac luxury as competitively as anyone I’ve seen. They’ll work harder than anyone to get you more for your trade and get to a payment that works for you. So, if you are looking for one of the best vehicles money can buy at a price that is exceptionally competitive, there’s only one choice… It’s Marquitz.

The 2011 Buick Enclave: Roomy with a View

One great thing about growing up in Troy, Missouri was that I never felt fenced in. Our house was average size; a 3 bedroom ranch half way up the hill on Cap-au-Gris. My father and some neighbors built it with a GI loan after WW2. The house was pretty modest by today’s standards, but I always felt like I had enough room. The location had a lot to do with that because it backed to a 10 acre field my grandfather owned and the field backed to the city park. The backyard and the field behind it were lit up like high noon every summer evening with the lights from the baseball diamond in the city park so, all the kids in the neighborhood played there until parents insisted they come in and go to bed. There was a window in my bedroom that overlooked the yard and field so, even after my parents made me go to bed, I could always look out over my domain.

When I look at the state of the world today, I don’t believe there could have been a better place on the planet to spend my childhood. I never felt fenced-in as a child and maybe that’s why I have always purchased houses that are next to parks as an adult. I really love having the room.

Not being cramped in any way is a wonderful feeling and it’s the kind of feeling you get when you sit in 2011 Buick Enclave. The dictionary definition of the word enclave is “a piece of territory”. That’s a pretty good description of what you feel like you command when you’re behind the wheel. It’s like having your own expansive retreat where everything is designed to surround you with comfort, luxury and safety. Three rows of first-class seating in a QuietTuned interior, an ingenious navigation and entertainment system, an active approach to safety and intelligent all-wheel drive are just a few of the qualities that make it the new class of world class.

Discovering new places on your own is great; sharing them with seven of your closest friends is even better. And with SmartSlide, getting to the third row is simple thanks to second-row seats that easily slide forward using only one hand. Fold down the second and third-row seats to create a level load floor, freeing up 115 cubic feet. On top of plenty of leg room, there’s lots of wide-open space up above with an available power sunroof and companion 3-foot by 4-foot skylight. You can start Enclave and activate climate controls (based on previous settings) from nearly 200 feet away with a handy optional remote starter system.

The 6-speed automatic transmission is half of a high-tech powertrain and the other is a 288-hp 3.6L V-6 engine with direct fuel injection and Variable Valve Timing. Together, they maximize performance and efficiency, producing better highway fuel economy than any other eight-passenger crossover. In challenging situations, handling becomes utterly priceless. That’s where Enclave’s available All-Wheel Drive comes in. When conditions demand more traction, the intelligent AWD system doesn’t ask you to push buttons. It’s activated automatically when you need it most.

Buick pioneered the Quiet Tuning process to reduce, block and absorb noise and vibration. Leaving outside noises outside, so you’re left with quiet solitude. Nothing stands between your ears and the Bose 10-speaker 5.1 surround sound system. Plug your iPod® into the available USB Port and your tunes travel everywhere you do.
Rear-seat passengers aren’t left out; they will enjoy the optional overhead DVD Entertainment System with an 8-inch screen and two pairs of wireless headphones. Steering wheel mounted buttons for cruise control, speaker volume and Bluetooth® are at your fingertips plus the driver and front-passenger seats may be heated and cooled. To help guide you, the available voice and touch-screen activated DVD Navigation System charts over 6 million miles of North American roads.

XM NavTraffic incorporates real-time road conditions right into your NAV screen, directing you around trouble spots and toward the most efficient route. And with OnStar Automatic Crash Response can get you help fast even if you can’t ask for it. In the event of a crash, built-in sensors can automatically send an alert to OnStar. There’s just an undeniable sense of security that you feel when driving or riding in the Buick Enclave.

A sense of safety, security and well being isn’t something that’s often associated with a visit to a car dealership but, that’s exactly what you get when you arrive at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Missouri. The Marquitz team has the highest possible standards of customer service and strives to exceed those standards every day. Each and every Marquitz associate is dedicated to making sure you have the finest purchase and ownership experience possible. That begins with taking the time to find out what your needs are, and striving to match you with the vehicle that fulfills all of them.

Everyone from sales associate to service adviser will treat you like a friend and neighbor each and every time. Marquitz prices Buick vehicles more aggressively that any dealer I’ve seen so, when you get down to the numbers, no one will work harder to get you more for your trade-in and get to a payment that works for you. Stop by and see the new class of world-class in the 2011 Buick Enclave at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Mo.

The 2011 Buick Regal: it won’t be long before my wife makes me buy her one.

My wife Patricia truly loves her 2002 Buick Regal. She doesn’t like city driving much though. We have a far commute from our home to St. Louis each day for work. She’s got a lead foot. She’s always talking about the fact that some jerk tried to cut her off but she stepped on the gas and her Regal left him standing. She has the 3.8 Liter V-6 which is great on gas and really scoots when you need it to. I like it because of its legendary reliability. She drives through some neighborhoods that aren’t the best on the way to work but, I always feel safe with her in the Regal. It’s never let us down.

I haven’t heard her say anything negative about her Regal… I think it’s the best car she’s ever driven but, the first time she saw the all-new 2011 Regal on TV she said, “That’s my next car… you can bet on it.” Patricia has an eye for European style, (she taught art at Southern Illinois University and has taken students on many educational tours of Europe) and maybe that’s why she is so drawn to the all-new 2011 Regal. It is truly a work of art on wheels.

Regal has the refined aerodynamics you’d expect of a performance car. It’s the five-passenger sport sedan with the look of a coupe. The wide track and long wheelbase give Regal a planted road stance. Regal CXL’s 2.4 liter 182-hp ECOTEC engine is a technological marvel that produces the power of a V-6 from only four cylinders. Dual overhead cams, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection deliver the optimal balance of low-end torque and high-end horsepower. This ingenious engineering produces enhanced performance while offering the impressive fuel efficiency of 20 City/30 Hwy MPG. The electronically controlled 6-speed automatic transmission features driver shift control for a “hands-on” experience without having to use a clutch.

When you encounter a tight curve, Regal stays exactly where you place it, carving a precise line through the turn’s arc. The Interactive Drive Control System offers two selectable modes that adjust suspension, steering, throttle, transmission and stability systems in real time to personalize your driving experience. It continuously adjusts handling, while four-channel anti-lock braking, traction control and StabiliTrak stability control speak to each other to optimize Regal’s response to every inch of the road.

Regal is all about making the most of your drive. It has an available voice-activated navigation system with multi-function controller that helps keep you clearly focused on the road. You tell the NAV system where you want to go, it tells you how to get there. You’ll find a hard drive packing 40GB of navigational power and music storing capacity for thousands of your favorite tunes. Like your home DVR, you can even pause and replay live radio. There’s also a USB port to connect your iPod.® and again, to keep your eyes on the road, hands-free calling is yours with Bluetooth® connectivity.

You’ll hear the term world-class used a lot when referring to the all-new 2011 Buick Regal. You could pay tens of thousands more and not get a better car. Well, now you’re going to hear me use it in reference to the place to drive one. You don’t have to go to Paris, France to get world-class service. It’s just around the corner at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Missouri.

How can I be bold enough to call Marquitz world class?

In business, the term world-class refers to having the highest possible standards of customer service and striving to exceed those standards every day. That’s the kind of team you will find at Marquitz. Each and every Marquitz associate is dedicated to making sure you have the finest purchase and ownership experience possible. That begins with taking the time to find out what your needs are, and striving to match you with the vehicle that fulfills all of them.

Everyone on the Marquitz team from sales associate to service adviser will treat you like a friend and neighbor each and every time. They understand that it will take courtesy and respect to make you a return customer… and its return customers that ultimately keep anyone in business. When you get down to the numbers, no one will work harder to get you more for your trade-in and get down to a payment that works for you. Kind of ironic that it takes a “down home” approach to be “world-class” wouldn’t you say?

Stop by and see the all-new 2011 Buick Regal at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Mo. After all, “Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick?”

The 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan: Two-Lane Blacktop Here I Come!

During the first few months after I received my driver’s license at age 16, I attempted to drive every two-lane blacktop road in Lincoln, Warren, Pike and St. Charles Counties. I was determined to know the shortest distance between any two points in the region. It didn’t matter what a young man was driving back then, when he was alone on two-lane blacktop he was driving a sports car (at least in his mind).
One of the most challenging roads I found was Highway P between Highway 61 at Flint Hill and the North end of Main Street near Highway 79 in O’Fallon. It was my shortcut to the swimming pool in O’Fallon since Troy didn’t have one back then. This road twisted like a snake and it would soon bite me.

The August sun was hot, but the roads were still wet after a quick thunderstorm, and I was defiantly driving too fast for the conditions. On a hard left-hand downhill corner my tires broke loose and I shot into the woods like a rocket. I could have very easily lost it all that day, but I was extremely fortunate. When I came to rest directly in front of a tree my car didn’t have a scratch and neither did I. Learning my lesson that day, I’ve been very careful not to overdrive road conditions ever since.

After college and possibly to compensate for my less than perfect technique behind the wheel, I started restoring vintage sports cars that turned on a dime and held the road like glue. For me it’s always been about the ride. I’ve driven many German, Italian, English and American sports cars but I haven’t driven any that hugged the road or handled any better than the 2011 Cadillac CTS sports sedan. At first glance, it’s a very stylish and technologically advanced luxury sedan however, underneath that innocent appearance is the soul of a sports car.

The CTS Sport Sedan blends driving dynamics, performance and technology in a way that satisfies both enthusiasts and luxury-seekers. I drove the fuel-efficient, direct-injected 3.0L V6 and it still had plenty of zip when it came to getting on the highway or passing. What really sold me was the unbelievable ride. Performance handling is assured by a track-tuned suspension, independent at all wheels, with revolutionary driver-selectable dual-mode Magnetic Ride Control shock damping. Brembo® disc brakes with 6-pistons in front and 4-pistons in the rear bring the Cadillac CTS massive stopping power.

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush and the ultimate blend of power and fuel economy, I would recommend the optional 304hp, 3.6L direct injection V-6. If nothing short of the world’s best will do, the
high-powered, tight-handling, track-tuned, CTS-V is the world’s fastest production sedan, with a 0–60 time of 3.9 seconds and powered by a 556hp supercharged 6.2L V8. The 6-speed transmission, available in manual or automatic, emphasizes performance, and Nürburgring®-tuned suspension enhancements integrate with ABS brakes and StabiliTrak electronic stability control to improve vehicle balance.

The CTS-V cockpit is as much about control as it is about driver engagement. There’s luxury and refinement enough to satisfy pleasure-seekers, but the real function of this cabin is guiding a very powerful machine. LED-traced gauges that flash as redline is approached, full dash instrumentation and a TREMEC® 6-speed manual shifter put the driver in control of this performance command center. Motorcycle inspired gauges with a Driver Information Center display vehicle running data.

Features include available glide-up touch screen navigation, Bluetooth® phone connectivity, Bose® 5.1 surround sound system and a hard drive for music storage. Standard for one year, the OnStar Directions & Connections Plan offers available Destination Download and eNav. French-stitched leather seating surfaces, Sapele wood trim, keyless start, ambient lighting and a heated steering wheel are available.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that surrounds you with complete luxury in town and feels like it is unmistakably glued to the two-lane blacktop as soon as you pass the city limit sign then, you owe it to yourself to test drive the 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan.

To acquire this world-class standout at the most competitive price possible, you have to talk to the team at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy, Missouri. They’re Cadillac experts and they will work harder than any other dealer to get you the most for your trade and put you in the new CTS at a payment that works for you. They’ll take the time to make sure your needs are the ones being met. There’s really only one option if you’re looking for a great deal that comes with courtesy and respect… It’s Marquitz.

Stop by Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC in Troy and let them introduce you to the best vehicle you will ever drive or own, the 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC In observance of the holiday our dealership will be closing at 1:00 pm on the 24th and closed on Christmas to spend time with our families. Do not be discouraged, we will reopen bright and early Monday morning.

A Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

- Marquitz Buick Cadillac GMC

P.S. - Be safe and take your time while driving.