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Friendly Honda's automotive expertise is a product of our sustained interest in industry trends and characteristics. We are privileged to share the latest news, promotions and events with you and hope the information will enhance your shopping experience. As you know, there are many new cars from which to choose, and we believe an informed customer is the best customer.

Hudson Valley Renegade Sponsorship



This summer, Friendly Honda sponsored a promotion at Dutchess Stadium, the home field of the Hudson Valley Renegades.  During each Renegades home game, fans had the opportunity to acquire Friendly Honda numbered stress balls from the Renegades Fan Services Booth.  In the 5th or 6th inning of each home game, a Honda vehicle from Friendly Honda was driven around the warning track with the sunroof open.

At that time, fans who had picked up stress balls from the Fan Services Booth attempted to throw their ball into the vehicle's sunroof. Once the vehicle had circled the entire crowd, Renegades staff members determined which balls made it into the car, and those fans were invited back at the end of the season for the Friendly Honda Ball toss finals.
 
During the finals, the contestants were given another ball to toss in the sunroof.  The fans who got the ball in were given a set of keys and one set unlocked the car.  One lucky fan won a one-year lease for a 2012 Civic!
 
This year we are happy to congratulate Paul R. from Pearl River, NY as the Friendly Honda Renegades "Pitch and Win" winner!
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Friendly Honda Earns President's Award for Third Year in A Row

April 20, 2011 - American Honda Motor Co., has announced that Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY is a recipient of the President's Award for 2010. This is Honda's highest dealership honor, and for the 3rd year in a row, Friendly Honda has earned this prestigious award.

More than 1,000 Honda Automobile dealerships participated in the President's Award program, with 118 earning top honors for 2010. The program objectives are revised annually to address current market environment and encourage dealerships to continually strive to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction.

"We are thrilled to win the President's Award again. It represents the culmination of our collective efforts at Friendly Honda to provide the best purchase and ownership experience possible. It is a testament to the quality and excellence of our staff," said Friendly Honda Owner Eric Kahn.

The annual award is presented to top-ranking Honda dealerships across the country, based on their achievement of excellence in all areas of operation- customer service and satisfaction, sales, training, and facility.

"Since its inception in 1995, the President's Award has been recognizing top dealers who are unwavering in their pursuit of excellence and customer care. The team members of Friendly Honda have proven their dedication to their customers by achieving the rigorous standards established for this award," said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Automobile Sales for Honda.
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Friendly Honda Welcomes New Member to Sales Management Team

April 18, 2011 - Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY recently welcomed Kevin Luccketti to their sales management team. Kevin is a 25-year veteran of the automotive industry with an excellent reputation in the Hudson Valley. He started as a salesperson and worked his way up to General Manager with a Chrysler Dealership, before joining Friendly Honda. With his knowledge of the business and his positive attitude he will not only benefit Friendly Honda as a whole, but be an asset to their valued customers as well.
 
Kevin has so far shown that he fits in very well with the Friendly culture- he is a friendly guy and is not only comfortable with Friendly Honda's consultative/non-confrontational approach to retailing cars, but excels in creating a hassle-free environment for everyone who walks through our doors. 
 
 A Middletown/Orange county resident for the majority of his life, Kevin and his wife of 25 years, have 2 daughters. Outside of helping customers find the perfect vehicle to fit their needs, Kevin takes an avid interest in politics, and enjoys exercising and fine wines.

If Kevin, or any of the Friendly Honda Sales Management team, can assist you with buying a new or used vehicle, call 866-415-7725
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2011 Honda Odyssey Wins Ward's "10 Best Interiors" Award

April 13, 2011 - Three economy cars, three luxury brands, a sport sedan, an upscale off-road SUV and a family sedan round out this year's Ward's 10 Best Interiors list as well as one incredibly impressive minivan: the Honda Odyssey. Minivans don't often get a great deal of respect, but the Sales Professionals at Friendly Honda- Poughkeepsie, NY- know that the Honda Odyssey Touring Elite deserves all the accolades they can cram into its generous cargo compartment and 10 cupholders. To put it like Drew Winter, the Editor-in-Chief of Ward's AutoWorld, "Auto makers are so focused on the smallest details that it's hard to find a bad interior these days. Still, some are better than others."

The Odyssey is more than just a minivan it is a vehicle suited to create a calming calming effect during any road trip- long or short- with multiple children of any age. The award-winning vehicle sports premium features including amenities such as 2-tier storage bins in the front doors, a "cool box" refrigerator below the center stack and a third row that is comfortable for adults and easily accessible.

Throughout February and March, the editors at Ward's AutoWorld drove 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interiors in determining the 2011 winners. This prestigious award affirms highlights Honda's commitment to style, craftsmanship and quality.

To experience the award-winning luxury of the Honda Odyssey contact Friendly Honda to schedule a test drive at (866) 415-7725
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Friendly Honda Sales Consultant Recognized by Honda for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction

April 11, 2011 - Sales Consultant Rick Studler, from Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie, was recently honored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., for exceeding rigorous customer satisfaction standards and demonstrating an exceptional degree of personal knowledge. This award represents the nation's highest form of recognition for this group of professionals.

Studler is one of 33 Honda Sales Consultants in the United States to receive this honor. The prestigious designation is awarded as part of the Honda Council of Sales Leadership program, which recognizes and promotes high standards of customer engagement among Sales Consultants in dealerships across the country.

Studler qualified for the coveted 2010 Council of Sales Leadership designation by earning outstanding customer satisfaction scores and demonstrating superior knowledge of all Honda vehicles. By excelling in these categories, Studler was judged to be among the very best at building owner loyalty and customer relationships.

This is the twenty-first year Studler has earned membership in the Council of Sales Leadership during his twenty-three years serving Honda customers.

In recognition of his achievement, Studler received special recognition and a unique plaque at a Council of Sales Leadership awards banquet.
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Friendly Honda Eagerly Awaits the 2012 Civic Launch

Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY is eagerly awaiting the 2012 Honda Civic launch later this month! Featuring the widest array of engine choices available in its class, the 2012 Civic is designed to even better meet the diverse needs of the compact-vehicle buyer.

Built on the tradition of Honda fuel efficiency, the economical Civic HF model will be the most fuel-efficient gasoline-only powered Civic in the lineup when it launches this spring. Equipped with a 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine, the Civic HF is targeted to earn EPA-estimated fuel economy1 of 41 mpg on the highway. The 2012 Civic Hybrid, which will be outfitted for the first time with a lithium-ion battery and a larger 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, is expected to achieve an EPA-estimated city/highway combined fuel economy1 of 45 mpg, an improvement of 4 mpg compared to the current Civic Hybrid. Both the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models will be equipped with aerodynamic components for improved efficiency and Honda ECO Assist™ technology, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback to promote more efficient individual driving styles.

"The Civic is the only model in the industry that can deliver on all fronts ? fuel economy, sporty performance, smart packaging, alternative fuel and long-term value," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda Motor Co.,Inc. "For the ninth-generation Civic, we are emphasizing improved fuel economy across the board, from the hybrid sedan to the sporty Si model."

In addition to the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models, the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic GX Natural Gas models are also estimated to achieve improved fuel economy compared to the current models. The Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy2 of 39 mpg on the highway, an improvement of 3 mpg when compared to the current model. The Civic Natural Gas vehicle is anticipated to earn a 7 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the current model. The Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic Natural Gas models will all be equipped with the Honda ECO Assist technology.

Along with improved fuel economy, the new Civic lineup also delivers more performance, particularly with the Civic Si. The Civic Si sedan and coupe models will be equipped with a larger, more powerful 2.4-liter engine as well as a new 6-speed manual transmission. The new engine is anticipated to deliver 200 horsepower with 170 ft-lb of torque. Even with the larger engine and a 22 percent increase in torque, Civic Si is targeted to achieve an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy1 of 31 mpg; an increase of 2 mpg when compared to the current model.

The 2012 Civic lineup includes a sedan and a coupe with conventional gasoline models, a new "HF" high fuel economy version, two sporty "Si" performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant.
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Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie NY Announces American Honda March Sales up 18.9%

Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY, is pleased to announce that American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted March sales of 133,650, an increase of 18.9 percent based on the daily selling rate*, the company announced today. March marks the sixth straight month of double-digit sales increases for American Honda. Year-to-date sales of 307,978 represent an increase of 18.5 percent based on the daily selling rate*.

Sales of fuel-efficient Honda vehicles led the division to March sales of 121,039, an increase of 20.7 percent compared to March 2010. March sales of Honda cars increased by 29.1 percent to 74,168, led by the Honda Accord, up 11.2 percent to 33,616; the Honda Civic, up 33.8 percent to 31,213; and the Honda Fit, up 43.4 percent on record March sales of 6,955. Honda hybrids also posted strong sales, with the Insight up 62.2 percent on record March sales of 2,782. The CR-V, the best-selling SUV in America, posted record sales for the second straight month, up 42.7 percent to 21,998.

"While we are extremely pleased with this month's sales performance, our foremost thoughts are with the Japanese people during this difficult time," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. "We know there will be challenges in the coming months as we continue to deal with supply chain issues resulting from the devastating earthquake in Japan, and we continue to appreciate everyone's patience and understanding."

Friendly Honda is located at 1143 Dutchess Turnpike in Poughkeepsie, NY, and sells a large selection of new Hondas and preowned vehicles as well as providing quality service.
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Friendly Honda Announces Record 2010 Sales; Largest Auto Dealer in Hudson Valley Again

Poughkeepsie, New York, Feb. 18, 2011 - Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie today announced record sales for 2010, despite a still recovering economy, and finished as the 4th highest volume Honda dealership in Honda's New England Region of 91 dealerships from the Hudson Valley to Maine, Friendly Honda owner Eric Kahn announced today.

"We feel very fortunate to remain the largest auto dealership of all brands in the Hudson Valley and the highest volume Honda dealer between the New York metro area and Boston," Kahn said. "Honda continues to provide great products with exceptional value and we continue to strive to give our customers unparalleled service and a truly unique dealership experience."

"I'm also really excited about our used car growth.  Friendly Honda has become a true destination center in the Hudson Valley for Certified Pre-Owned Hondas and used cars of all makes," he said.

According to Kahn, in 2010 Friendly Honda was ranked 69th in the nation in new Honda sales and 39th in the nation in certified pre-owned Hondas out of 1,034 Honda dealerships.

As a result of 2010 sales, Friendly Honda remains the largest dealership of all automobile manufacturers in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties, he said.

"Once again, I have to thank our terrific staff as well as our loyal customers for making this a record year in an economy that is still struggling a bit," Kahn said.   "We believe that our customer friendly experience and commitment to provide exceptional value and service has really paid off."

"Although 2010 was a record breaking year," Kahn says. "We are optimistic that 2011 will be another year of growth for Friendly Honda fueled by an improving economy, redesigned Honda products and increasing customer referrals.

Kahn, a resident of Armonk, NY is also the owner of the Capital Luxury Car Company (Capital Volvo, Jaguar Albany and Land Rover Albany) in Colonie, New York.

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Friendly Honda is the largest new and used car dealership in the Hudson Valley ? comprising Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties. Friendly Honda offers used vehicles of all makes in addition to the full line of Honda vehicles, including the Accord, Civic, Crosstour, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, Element, Ridgeline, Insight, and CR-V.

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30 Year Sales Pro Retires from Friendly Honda

Poughkeepsie, New York, May 6, 2010 - After 30 years of selling America's most popular car, Dick Pernot is retiring from Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie but he'll continue to contribute his time and efforts to the community.

Pernot, of Red Hook has been a fixture at Friendly Honda with an outgoing personality and an enviable client list develop over his long tenure at the dealership.According to Eric Kahn, its owner, Friendly Honda a "We didn't just hold our own in a challenging economy, we sold more Hondas than any time in the dealership's history.

We are now the largest auto dealership of any make in the Hudson Valley, and the highest volume Honda dealer between the New York metro area and Boston," Kahn said.

According to Kahn, Friendly Honda is now ranked the 66th highest volume dealership out of 1,032 Honda dealerships nationally and 3rd in the New England Region out of 91 dealerships, which includes Honda dealerships from Newburgh to Maine (number 1 and 2 are in the metro Boston area).   As a result of 2009 sales, Friendly Honda is the largest dealership of all automobile manufacturers in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties, he said.

"I have to thank my exceptional and hard-working staff as well as our loyal customers for making this a record year despite a struggling economy," Kahn said. "Friendly Honda's commitment to providing a unique car buying and ownership experience -- in which we strive to deliver unparalleled value and customer satisfaction ? has served us well, and we will continue to focus on delivering this unique experience to our customers.."

"Although 2009 was a record breaking year, and we are the clear volume leader, we are not going to rest on our laurels," Kahn said.  If there's a secret to our success, it's the people that work at Friendly Honda and their commitment to offer exceptional value and customer service."

Kahn, a resident of Armonk, NY is also the owner of Capital Volvo of Albany in Colonie, New York, and founder and Managing Director of E.S. Kahn & Associates, LLC, which performs mergers and acquisitions and strategic advisory services to the auto retail industry.

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Friendly Honda is the largest new and used car dealership in the Hudson Valley ? comprising Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties.  Friendly Honda offers used vehicles of all makes, alternative-fuel vehicles ? including the Civic Hybrid and the Insight Hybrid ? in addition to the full line of Honda vehicles, including the Accord, Civic, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, Element, Ridgeline, S2000, and CR-V.

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Friendly Honda Earns Honda's Top Dealership Award

Poughkeepsie, NY,  March 24, 2010 - American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has announced Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie  as a recipient of its highest dealership honor - the President's Award for 2009.

The award is presented to top-ranking Honda dealerships across the country, based on their achievement of excellence in all areas of operation - customer service and satisfaction, sales, training, and facility operation. This is the second consecutive year Friendly Honda has earned this prestigious award.  It was the only dealership in the Hudson Valley (including Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster Counties) to win the award.

The annual Honda President's Award program has been in existence since 1995, with more than 1,000 Honda automobile dealerships participating in the President's Award program during 2009. The program award objectives are established annually to address the changing economic environment and to encourage dealerships to continually strive to achieve even higher levels of customer satisfaction.

"Earning the Honda President's Award takes a team of dedicated professionals unwavering in their pursuit of excellence and customer care," said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales for American Honda.

"This year, 118 Honda dealerships are being recognized for their outstanding achievement, including Friendly Honda. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments, and invite you to experience for yourself the advantage of doing business with an award-winning Honda dealership."

"We are thrilled to win Honda's Presidents Award for the second year in a row.  The team at Friendly Honda makes a tremendous effort to provide an extraordinary car buying and ownership experience, so it's gratifying to be recognized for this effort by Honda."

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Friendly Honda is the largest new and used car dealership in the Hudson Valley - comprising Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties.  Friendly Honda offers used vehicles of all makes, alternative-fuel vehicles - including the Civic Hybrid and the Insight Hybrid - in addition to the full line of Honda vehicles, including the Accord, Civic, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, Element, Ridgeline, S2000, and CR-V.   For more information on these and all of Honda's award-winning vehicles, visit www.friendlyhonda.net.


Kahn is also the owner of Capital Volvo of Albany and recently purchased Jaguar Albany and Land Rover Albany.

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Friendly Honda Announces Record 2009 Sales; Now Largest Dealer in Hudson Valley

Poughkeepsie, New York, January 19, 2010 - Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie today announced record sales for 2009, despite a dismal economy that hammered the auto industry, and advanced to the #3 position of Honda dealers in Honda's New York/New England Region, Friendly Honda owner Eric Kahn announced today.

"We didn't just hold our own in a bad economy, we prospered throughout the year, and achieved record sales numbers. We are now the largest auto dealership of all auto makers in the Hudson Valley, and the top Honda dealer from New York City to Boston," Kahn said.

According to Kahn, Friendly Honda is now ranked the 66th Honda dealership out of over 1,100 Honda dealers nationally. Friendly Honda is first in its district and 3rd in the New York/New England Region. As a result of 2009 sales, Friendly Honda is the largest dealership of all automobile manufactures in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties, he said.

"I have to thank my exceptional and hard-working staff as well as our loyal customers for making this a record year despite a struggling economy," Kahn said. "Friendly Honda's commitment to providing a unique car buying and ownership experience -- in which we strive to deliver unparalleled value and customer satisfaction ? has served as well, and we will continue to focus on the consumer."

"Although 2009 was a record breaking year, and we are the clear volume leader, we are not going to rest on our laurels," Kahn says. "For 2010, we are going to continue to aggressively market and provide the best customer service possible. If there's a secret to our success, it's our commitment to customer service, and we are going to stick with that game plan."

Kahn, a resident of Armok, NY is also the owner of Capital Volvo of Albany in Colonie, New York, and founder and Managing Director of E.S. Kahn & Associates, LLC, which performs mergers and acquisitions and strategic advisory services to the auto retail industry.

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Friendly Honda is the largest new and used car dealership in the Hudson Valley ? comprising Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties. Friendly Honda offers used vehicles of all makes, alternative-fuel vehicles ? including the Civic Hybrid andthe Insight Hybrid ? in addition to the full line of Honda vehicles, including the Accord, Civic, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, Element, Ridgeline, S2000, and CR-V.

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Friendly Advice from Eric Kahn, Owner of Friendly Honda

Look For Long-Term Value When Purchasing or Leasing a New Car

Since I'm in the auto retail business, friends and family often ask me to help them with buying cars.   The questions I typically hear are, "What car should I buy, what should I look for when buying a car, how do I make a good decision."

My response is that, similar to trying on clothes, you need to try on/test-drive a car to make sure you feel comfortable in it.   Additionally, I emphasize the need to avoid getting overly focused on comparing manufacturer suggested retail prices ("the sticker" prices) or selling prices and, instead, consider all the costs of owning a car including long-term costs.  

Quite often, a vehicle with a high resale value and a strong finance/lease program behind it will have a lower monthly payment than another vehicle which has a lower "Sticker" or selling price.  Fuel efficiency, reliability, and cost to maintain are all important items to consider as well.  By evaluating these features and considering resale value, you are able to get a better measure of a vehicle's total long-term cost and overall "value".   Interestingly, it can be more costly over the long run to purchase or lease a less expensive vehicle that consumes more gas, requires more maintenance and has mediocre resale value than a more expensive vehicle that has good gas mileage, excellent reliability, and strong resale value.   

Today there are a variety of free on-line sites, such as Edmunds.com and KBB.com (Kelley Blue Book) that provide an abundance of information and user friendly tools to consider many of the items mentioned above and to help you determine the actual long-term cost of ownership of a vehicle.

These considerations of value were factors in my decision to acquire a Honda dealership less than two years ago, Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie, New York.  In these challenging economic times I am pleased with the performance of the dealership.   I am also the owner of Capital Volvo of Albany, which I acquired a couple of years earlier.   Both manufacturers offer products that provide good value to consumers over a long period of time.  It is very satisfying to have loyal customers who feel good about their car purchase and ownership experience.   Which leads me to one last point: try to do business with a dealership that you have heard good things about and which has a solid reputation!

Eric Kahn is the owner of Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie, New York, www. friendlyhonda.net and Capital Volvo of Albany, NewYork, www.capvolvo.com.

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News and Events

Hudson Valley Renegade Sponsorship
This summer, Friendly Honda sponsored a promotion at Dutchess Stadium, the home field of the Hudson ...
Friendly Honda Earns President's Award for Third Year in A Row
April 20, 2011 - American Honda Motor Co., has announced that Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY ...
Friendly Honda Welcomes New Member to Sales Management Team
April 18, 2011 - Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY recently welcomed Kevin Luccketti to their sales ...
2011 Honda Odyssey Wins Ward's "10 Best Interiors" Award
April 13, 2011 - Three economy cars, three luxury brands, a sport sedan, an upscale off-road SUV and ...
Friendly Honda Sales Consultant Recognized by Honda for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction
April 11, 2011 - Sales Consultant Rick Studler, from Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie, was recently ...
Friendly Honda Eagerly Awaits the 2012 Civic Launch
Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY is eagerly awaiting the 2012 Honda Civic launch later this month! ...
Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie NY Announces American Honda March Sales up 18.9%
Friendly Honda of Poughkeepsie, NY, is pleased to announce that American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted ...
Friendly Honda Announces Record 2010 Sales; Largest Auto Dealer in Hudson Valley Again
Poughkeepsie, New York, Feb. 18, 2011 - Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie today announced record sales ...
30 Year Sales Pro Retires from Friendly Honda
Poughkeepsie, New York, May 6, 2010 - After 30 years of selling America's most popular car, Dick Pernot ...
Friendly Honda Earns Honda's Top Dealership Award
Poughkeepsie, NY,  March 24, 2010 - American Honda Motor Co., Inc., has announced Friendly Honda of ...
Friendly Honda Announces Record 2009 Sales; Now Largest Dealer in Hudson Valley
Poughkeepsie, New York, January 19, 2010 - Friendly Honda in Poughkeepsie today announced record sales ...
Friendly Advice from Eric Kahn, Owner of Friendly Honda
Look For Long-Term Value When Purchasing or Leasing a New Car Since I'm in the auto retail business, ...