Christmas Perspective

Just a week until Christmas! It is a time to reflect the past 12 months. My greatest observation is that as I get older, the time goes by faster. Christmas is also a time when people seem to smile more and say kind things. I think that most of us are a bit more relaxed and easy going this time of year. Maybe it's the Christmas music playing at the Motorplex? By the way, have any "classic" Christmas songs been recorded the the last 10 years? Just give me Bing and White Christmas and I'm all set. Throw in Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Holiday Inn and Christmas Vacation and I'll be content for a long time.

The economy has really hit families hard this year making Christmas shopping a tall task. My daughter Megan and her husband Matt adopted a family for Christmas. When the mother listed home cleaning supplies as her wish, it really had an impact on how just how hard it is to get by right now. We may complain that being in business is hard in this economy but when you see how many families are truly struggling to get by, the real meaning of Christmas comes through.

My wife and I are truly blessed by a tremendous family. Our 3 girls and our 2 sons-in-law are the greatest reason to be thankful. I know that I'll receive some wonderful gifts this year. I also know that they will have made Christmas happen for 3 less fortunate families. Just knowing that somewhere a little guy or gal is opening a present on Christmas Day, who might not have had a single gift otherwise, is a feeling that will last a lifetime.
I thank my daughters for the gift of compassion. Merry Christmas Everyone!

A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER SALE at the MOTORPLEX

The Christmas Season is here and VanDerZee Motorplex announces our STOREWIDE CLEARANCE SALE! We have gift ideas for the WHOLE FAMILY from clothing and accessories to the "BIG ONES": Personal Watercraft * Motorcycles * ATV's * Scooters * Utility Vehicles * Recreational Vehicles. Every new Kawasaki and Yamaha is ON SALE during our DECEMBER TO REMEMBER SALE!



So many parents and grand parents come to the Motorplex and tell us "We want something that will bring the kids home?" We can tell you that a new Kawasaki Jet Ski or Yamaha Waverunner will do the trick! When our 3 daughters were growing up, Sundays were Jet Ski days at the beach. Sure, we'd have a whole bunch of their friends come too but what great FAMILY FUN. We knew who their friends were, what they were doing and best of all they had a GREAT TIME riding and driving personal watercraft. If you own a 21 foot or bigger runabout, you probably would not consider letting someone else take it for a drive. That is the joy of personal watercraft. They are spontaneous and responsible riding is easy! You can tow water skiers, wake boarders and multiple passenger tubes.

This Christmas choose the gift for everyone in the family, a new KAWASAKI JET SKI or YAMAHA WAVERUNNER. All 4 strokes, all 3 seaters and best of all they are ALL ON SALE. We'll even store your purchase 'til spring at no charge. We've even come up with some unique ways to "wrap" your purchase for Christmas with special photos or other "sneaky" ways to surprise the family. As my daughter Megan always reminds me, "You can't put a price on FAMILY!"

Saving Grace at Thanksgiving

Our family started a tradition years ago when everyone was seated at the Thanksgiving table and ready to begin the turkey day celebration. We go around the table and ask everyone to say what they are personally thankful for. It was awkward at first, but as time has gone by we have gotten some very heartfelt and memorable responses. We truly do live in a country of boundless opportunity. Just one trip to a 3rd world country makes you realize how fortunate we are to live in this country! For all of our faults and what we perceive as huge problems, we truly do have a lot to be thankful for!

New at the Motorplex!!

This was a wonderfully busy summer season that just flew by! The Motorplex continues to evolve with the times. There have been some exciting changes and additions to the Motorplex.

We are completely remodeling our web page www.vanderzeemotorplex.com to offer DIRECT ONLINE PURCHASES of Kawasaki and Yamaha parts and accessories. We'll also offer you much more information on things such as our new and pre-owned inventory, service specials and links to our social pages on Facebook and this blog! We will also offer weekly emails with exclusive money saving offers. If you are not currently on our list, just send an email to:sales@vanderzeemotorplex.com and we'll do the rest!

We have added KYMCO scooters and ATV's. Kymco is a well respected manufacturer of 50cc to 400cc scooters as well as ATV's. Our product offerings now include KAWASAKI motorcycles, atv's, Mule utility vehicles, Teryx recreational vehicles, and, of course Jet Ski watercraft * Yamaha Waverunners * Schwinn Scooters * Kymco Scooters and Pre-Owned cars and trucks *
Take ADVANTAGE of our STORE WIDE MODEL YEAR END FINAL CLEARANCE SALE on every new 2009 and 2010 in stock! Special finance rates as low as 4.0% makes this a great time to buy at our lowest prices of the year!

Our service department offers expert, certified work for your powersports or automotive needs with VALUE PRICING! Bring your vehicle to the Motorplex for oil changes, brakes, exhaust and electronics. We offer ALL MAJOR BRANDS of new tires for your toy or auto! We'll even WASH your vehicle at NO CHARGE with any service work performed!

We offer personal watercraft winterizing, shrink wrap and storage! Motorcycle and scooters need to be winterized in the off season too including the all important battery tender! Enjoy the peace of mind knowing that your machine will be ready when spring arrives!

Christmas shopping time is here and the Motorplex is the place to find that special gift! It may be a snow plow for your atv or some chrome for your bike. Did you know that we carry O'Brien inflatables? We have a great selection of clothing, too: hats * gloves * hooded sweatshirts * rain gear * wet suits * t shirts * leather jackets * leather vests * chaps * boots. We even have Kawasaki cordless tools of all types! There's a lot to see at the Motorplex!

Remember, Saturdays at the Motorplex mean FREE HOT DOGS and COCA COLA from 11:00am to 3:00pm! Bring the whole family for the best dogs in town. Who can turn down FREE FOOD??

Please come to the Motorplex and see all that is new! We're confident that no one will try harder to earn your business! Thanks for the visit. We hope to see you at the Motorplex!

Grand Rapids Ultimate Sports Show

This is a new venue for VanDerZee Motorplex. The Ultimate Sports Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids is going on this Thursday, March 18th through Sunday. We have Kawasaki Mule Utility Vehicles, ATV's, and Teryx Recreational Vehicles. Last month was the very successful Grand Rapids Boat Show where we displayed our Kawasaki Jet Skis and Yamaha Waverunners. The Ultimate Sports Show is geared toward the avid outdoorsman. We didn't know what kind of crowd to expect but when I saw the folks waiting for the show to open flow out of the building I got excited. This is one WILD show packed with people. Granted, the weather is wonderful but my goodness, these folks are out in droves!

This show has shown us just how much folks love their outdoor activities. We truly live in a great area of lakes, trails and hunting. Come see VanDerZee Motorplex at the Ultimate Sports Show, DeVos Hall downtown Grand Rapids. More later today including the "flying" dog leap into the pool!

Saturday at the Grand Rapids Boat Show

It's 10 am and already the show floor is humming with folks ready for summer. It was a wonderful busy Friday night for the Motorplex. It is gratifying when we talk to parents and grand parents who want the kids and grand kids to have a reason to spend time with the whole family. I was told many times last night: "We want something to keep the kids coming over so everyone can have fun on the water!" We can relate to them just how much fun owning a Waverunner or Jet Ski can be.
The Motorplex team has been doing a great job. I'm impressed with their enthusiasm, energy and how the react to all types of clients from the little 3 year old that wants a beach ball to the senior citizens buying a Waverunner or Jet Ski for the grand kids! It's a 10 t0 9 day. Keep the coffee coming and those wonderful windmill cookies. (Carrie brought the Jimmie Johns last night. It just doesn't get any better except Linda the boss lady keeps the tall ones off limits!)
Enjoy the day and come to Devos in Grand Rapids and see us at the BOAT SHOW!!!

Day Two at the Grand Rapids Boat Show

Day two brought bigger crowds and activity. The wakeboard demonstrations attract a lot of folks! Those guys can do amazing tricks and remember, they're only being pulled by a winch! Just think what they could do behind a 260 HP Ultra 260X!!!
I have noticed that boaters sure do like their beer! I think that when people see all of these new boats, they immediately picture themselves at the lake and having fun! Linda tells us that the beer concession is off limits for the whole Motorplex Team! Friday is the first 11 am start so we had better be prepared. It is fun getting home at 11pm dead tired from being so busy. We'll update on Friday.
Come join the fun!!!!!

Grand Rapids Boat Show is UNDERWAY

We are up and running for day 1 at the Grand Rapids Boat Show in Devos Place. First day attendance is up substantially compared to last year. The folks we've spoken to are certainly ready to get on the water. Michigan has the most wonderful abundance of fresh water anywhere. We sometimes take the splendor of Lake Michigan for granted. I can't imagine living in a state where you would have to drive hours to find a lake!
Both Yamaha and Kawasaki have given us the most agressive incentives in many years. They understand that boaters are demanding value, quality and a dedicated dealership. I am so proud of my staff of enthusiasts who know how to present the personal watercraft life style in an honest and straight-forward manner. I've already had a client tell me how much he appreciated our knowledge of personal watercraft and our professional approach.
We look forward to a great week at the Boat Show. Family boating is such a wonderful way to keep everyone outdoors and having fun. Seeing Mom, Dad and the kids all excited about getting a new Waverunner or Jet Ski makes for an enjoyable first day at the show!
Come to the Boat Show and you'll think summer will start next week! I'm certain of it because there are people here in shorts! That is my kind of optimism!! We'll check in tomorrow.

Here Comes the Grand Rapids Boat Show!!

Who cares what that woodchuck thinks, the Grand Rapids Boat Show is coming to DeVos Hall February 17-21! VanDerZee Motorplex will offer our Kawasaki Jet Ski and Yamaha Waverunner line up with exclusive Boat Show incentives! Early Bird Buyers will reap the rewards of special pricing and incentives available only during the Show! Downtown Grand Rapids is a wonderful location for the show. VanDerZee Motorplex gained clients from all over West Michigan during the 2009 show. We are proud that we've earned the reputation of being the area's most knowledgeable personal watercraft dealership. VanDerZee Motorplex truly has a group of professional personal watercraft FANATICS!
We know that attendees at the Grand Rapids Boat Show have done their homework well before they walk in the door. When they come to the VanDerZee Motorplex display they expect us to be ready with great prices, a wide selection of models, and straight forward answers. We help folks select the right package for their family's needs. We know that our clients do not want to spend their leisure time "tinkering" with their recreational products. That is a major reason why we offer Kawasaki and Yamaha with personal watercraft that have stellar reputations for quality, reliability and performance.
So step aside, Mr. Winter. West Michigan has got CABIN FEVER and VanDerZee Motorplex has the CURE! We're inviting everyone to visit VanDerZee Motorplex at the Grand Rapids Boat Show February 17-21 at DeVos Hall, downtown Grand Rapids! We'll have some fun, give away great prizes and help families discover a tremendous activity for the whole family: the joy of owning a Kawasaki Jet Ski or Yamaha Waverunner! Our FANATICS are READY FOR SPRING. See you at the Grand Rapids Boat Show!!!

Toyota Enters the TWILIGHT ZONE of Recalls

Is the Toyota accelerator recall getting bizarre or what? We've got the US Secretary of Transportation telling everyone to STOP DRIVING your Toyota and then he recants his statement and says what I meant was "bring it to the dealer to get fixed". Next is Mr. Green, Henry Waxman telling the media that Toyota is keeping "secrets" about the actual cause.
Enter the Prius, the number one selling hybrid in the world, is now having a concern with the brakes! Let's see, one group of Toyotas will run away with sticking accelerators while the Prius won't stop! What the heck is going on with the bullet proof Toyota Motor Corporation? The national media is entering new ground taking shots at Toyota and their quality issues. What caused Toyota to become just "another" car company? I think that they got caught up with their own success just as General Motors did in the '60s and '70s. Remember the "what's good for GM is good for the Country"? Being number 1 in the world carries a lot of baggage. The mindset becomes one that breeds indifference and a feeling that your company is invincible. Dominating the market means power. It reminds me of the current feeling the country has towards our elected officials. You became oblivious to how you got where you are and who you owe your success to! Your attitude oozes arrogance and your critics had better get out of your way. Toyota now faces something it has never been challenged by in it's history: Quality issues. How they handle this situation will determine if they stay number one in the world or fall from grace with consumers.
It looks like Toyota will attempt to go above and beyond in assisting owners with affected vehicles. I think their biggest challenge in light of all of the media "experts" offer opinions of what is really wrong with acceleration problem, is to instill confidence to the owners that the "fix" is truly the cure. Every Toyota store in the US has officially entered the TWILIGHT ZONE!

Toyota Recall Causes Production Halt of Most Models

Toyota's announcement of the massive recall and assembly plant shut down is the most dramatic action ever taken by an auto manufacturer. It seems that Toyota's attempts for a "field" fix just isn't working. Initial action was to remove the driver's floor mat and then have the accelerator pedal modified by trimming the bottom edge of the pedal. It now seems that the complete "arm" and pedal must be redesigned for a confident fix. The problem is that the supplier plant in Elkart, Indiana will have their hands full producing millions of the redesigned part. No manufacturer ever wants to have an assembly line idled for even an hour let alone days or weeks. The ripple effect of this action will be devastating not only to the assembly worker but right down to the dealerships which will not only have to stop doing business, but will also have to have a solid plan to communicate with a hoard of concerned and angry clients. Toyota wants the fix done properly and seems to be committed to doing it the right way.
Toyota has been the poster boy of the renowned Asian quality. The domestics have scratched their heads for decades trying to emulate the quality of Toyota and Honda. It will be interesting to see how deeply this accelerator problem will tarnish the Toyota's quality reputation. The media will run hard with this one and Toyota will try mightily to control the damage. If they are perceived as "doing the right thing" and going above and beyond to correct the problem, the damage might be temporary. If the public thinks that they dragged their feet and tried to shrug off the matter as a crumpled floor mat, then a long term drop in Toyota sales will be at hand. Does anyone remember the Audi sudden acceleration problem? It hurt their reputation for over 15 years! The world's number one auto maker is going to take a big hit on this one. It will be interesting to find out just what went wrong with the design of a very simple part. Correcting the problem will take many months compounding the daily damage done to Toyota's quality reputation.
It would certainly be interesting to listen in on "war room" at Toyota! I'm sure that they want this nightmare to go away. The US motoring public does not react well to recalls! Time will tell!

Chrysler now using smoke and mirrors

Chrysler just announced 5 new, err, "refreshed" models are being released. Sounds exciting, right? Well, truth be told, these awesome new models consist of some decals, blacked out "athletic" grilles (what the heck is an athletic grille? One designed by an NBA player?) and some names from the past like Renegade and Island Edition. This breaking news will certainly outshine Ford's announcement of all new engines and transmissions coming in 2010-11 with better fuel economy, performance and emissions. Ford is clearly in the driver's seat to become the number one domestic manufacturer as they have begun to INCREASE their market share making Government Motors 1 (GM) and Government Motors 1a (Chrysler) take notice.
While GM and Chrysler flounder by cutting dealerships, managers, and designers like a cork bobbing in Lake Michigan, Ford is offering US driver's a great array of leading edge products. I'm a former GM dealer and it hurts to see this happen. GM has some extraordinary products right now and more on the way. Too bad they don't have a "car guy" running the show! If you want an example of just how bad things are at GM marketing, go to You Tube and watch the Chevy "Volt Dancers" at the LA auto show. One word of caution. Do not view the dance after you have eaten or there will be consequences. It is THAT BAD.
Next on the horizon is the Detroit Auto Show. I understand that the Nation's savior of the auto industry, Queen Nancy our Speaker of the House will be in attendance. Let's all ask HOW she gets to Detroit? She had better arrive driving a Prius from DC to Detroit. Any bets that a US government aircraft will be involved? How soon we forget the browbeating the CEOs of Ford, GM and Chrysler were lambasted for their greedy corporate jets! Stay tuned on this one.

Thank Goodness it is 2010!!

There was so much negative news during 2009 I can only see a better economic forecast for 2010! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined General Motors and Chrysler going bankrupt in the same year. The auto industry disaster even hit South Haven, Michigan hard as our top employer, Noble, closed and left over 300 folks out of work. The auto industry is far from being out of the woods as the perfect storm seems to be hitting domestic manufacturers from all sides. GM has made some moves that this former GM dealer just doesn't understand. Pontiac has so much value in terms of name recognition: GTO, Bonneville, Grand Prix, Grand Am, Firebird, Trans Am, LeMans, and the Judge will bring smiles to the faces of millions of drivers across the USA. Saturn. Remember the "different kind of car company"? You could go to a Saturn dealership and not have to face the "games" and pressure so prevalent in today's auto dealerships. Now the "New" GM has Cadillac, Buick, Chevy and GMC. How did GM justify dropping Pontiac and Saturn while keeping redundant truck divisions. Chevy and GMC have duplicate models nearly across the board. That also means marketing dollars for trucks have to be split between to competing divisions within the same GM! Wonder why Ford is able to tout the F-150 as the best selling truck in the US for over 25 years? It's because you can't add Chevy and GMC sales together! It just doesn't make any sense.
On a much brighter side, VanDerZee Motorplex is already making plans for the 2010 BOAT SHOW SEASON! Ah, yes, SPRING is less than 80 days away even though we are looking out at over 2 feet of snow right now. 2009 showed us that we have to work harder and look further for clients. VanDerZee Motorplex has sold autos, personal watercraft, atvs and utility vehicles to clients in 43 states, including Hawaii! (We just haven't found a client in Alaska yet). We've shipped used motorcycles, atvs and personal watercraft to Canada, the Philippines, and Norway. The Internet has made this such a small world. Our staff knows how important it is to take care of our clients whether they are just down the street from the Motorplex or on the other side of the world!
So 2010 has arrived. I'm still not quite sure what we are supposed to call this year. Is '10, '010, 2010, 2K.10? What decade is this? The 10's? I guess I'm exposing that I'm a child of the '60's. Peace, dude. Now where did my wife hide my tie dyed t-shirt?