Checkered Blog by Checkered Flag is the automotive play place in Hampton Roads Virginia

Why go to Starbucks?

Have you tried Checkered Flag’s coffee?  It’s easy to get your morning (or any time of day) joe for free at our dealerships and choices range from espresso at Checkered Flag BMW to a selection of caffeinated and non-caffeinated java at Checkered Flag Honda – actually, you’ll find coffee at every one of our locations.  We know of at least one Checkered Flag customer who makes a point of coming here for coffee and conversation several times a week – and obviously, those of us who work here like it.  Have you had our coffee? What do you think?

Slaying the Dragon on Route 129

Picture of Mark Bailey (on his 4th Checkered Flag Honda) chasing Alex Snyder chasing a BMW Z4 down the Dragon in April of 2005.  Click any photo for a larger view.  For more Dragon & S2000 photographs, click here.

Every April the Honda S2000 International Club meets on one of the most exciting roads the East Coast of the United States has to offer.   The Dragon is located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee in the Smokey Mountains, and is a part of Route 129.  This portion of the road is 11 miles with 318...not turns, but curves!  There are no driveways, stop signs, or major traffic jams - it is playground for motorcycles and sports cars without the admission fee!  There is still the worry of being on the road with other drivers, so caution is suggested.

The Dragon is major attraction to the area, but many other offerings from the Smokey Mountains make it a beautiful travel destination.  If you enjoy fishing, photography, horseback riding, or just like catching amazing scenery this is an excellent location.  Take a look at http://www.tailofthedragon.com to learn more about the area.

Clouds roll into Fontana Village showing why the Smokey Mountains are called...well, smokey.

View from over a mile high off Cherohala Skyway.  More pictures can be found by clicking here.

This year, the Director of eCommerce for Checkered Flag, Alex Snyder, and one of our Internet Representatives, Chad Whitmore, joined the S2000 Club in a 2007 Porsche Cayman S and 2001 Acura NSX - both are former S2000 Owners.

Alex's comments on the Cayman S:
"This car was made for this road!  The balance and nimble handling the Cayman has makes it ideal for pouncing in and out of those 318 curves.  Compared to my old S2000 it has quite a bit more torque, so I could leave it in second gear (with the occasional shifts into third) and just concentrate on where the car was pointed.  Be sure you turn the traction control off on a road like this!"

More pictures of the Cayman on the Dragon can be found here.

 

When on the Dragon, be sure to wave when passing Killboy and the other camera crews!  You are probably going to want good memories....photos.

Have you driven the new Tundra yet?

Toyota is finally taking the domestic pick-up trucks head on, and if you haven't driven one you're missing out!  Checkered Flag Toyota has plenty in stock right now!  Email us for more info.

Have you met Win?

                If you’ve watched TV, read the newspaper, or visited Checkered Flag recently, you may have noticed a guy wearing a checkered shirt with long green sleeves, a jaunty green and white cap, and a big smile. Actually, the same guy is lying down and giving the thumbs-up sign at the top of the Checkered Blog. He’s Win Flagman, known as “Win” for short, and he is Checkered Flag’s new “spokesperson.”

Checkered Flag developed the cartoon character Win as a very visible way to express the concepts that we believe are of paramount importance in providing excellent service to our customers, whether you are just starting to think about purchasing a vehicle from us or if you are a long-time customer visiting our service department. These concepts are: honesty, being up front, friendliness, and always working with you to make all aspects of your experience at Checkered Flag truly outstanding. 

We named our character “Win,” because Checkered Flag’s theme is “Where winners buy.” We believe the words “winner” and “win” are very positive. In our view, a “winning” environment is one in which the customer benefits – we always seek to make sure that you “win” by receiving superb service, excellent value, and personalized attention to every aspect of your vehicle purchase, service, and ownership experience.

It’s our hope that every time you see Win, you will know that your complete satisfaction is Checkered Flag’s top priority.

 

Welcome to the Checkered Blog

About Us

We are a group of people excited about creating an online environment where Checkered Flag’s customers and staff can share interests, discoveries, knowledge and experiences. Checkered Flag is about cars, of course, and about so much more, too – great people, a super place, and wonderful times.  We warmly invite you to become part of our blog by posting your comments, your questions, your insights, your photos and more.

Checkered Flag Motor Car Company is a uniquely innovative automotive retailer.  Founded in 1964, we’ve introduced numerous makes of cars to Hampton Roads. We brought MINI and Scion to town, and further back, we were the first to offer Jaguar, Toyota,  Honda, and Hyundai in our market. (It’s hard to believe it now, but those were daring steps back in the day!) And back when Checkered Flag started, well before anyone else in the car business was thinking about customer satisfaction, we pioneered client service philosophies and practices that have remained paramount ever since.

Our commitment to the importance of the internet in the automotive experience reflects this constant dedication to innovation. We are jazzed about carrying on in this spirit with the Checkered Blog.

Our Blogging Policy

The Checkered Blog is a moderated blog that provides a safe and friendly environment for all to read and post. Your privacy is very important to us. None of the information you provide will be used for marketing purposes and we will never give it to any outside party. We encourage free and open discussion. We do not accept paid advertising and we do not receive compensation for writing about any of the blog’s topics.  We do wish to note that because of our commitment to providing a safe environment, we will not post inappropriate language or topics. If you have any questions about our blogging policy, please click here to email us.