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There were many announcements and vehicles unveiled in Detroit last week at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).  Many of them were by brands like Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, and Mazda, which are brands that we carry at our dealerships of Maryland and Delaware as part of the Preston Automotive Group. The biggest bang at this year’s Auto Show was made by the Ford Motor Company within the first 2 hours of the first day.  They unveiled three performance vehicles that hadn’t been seen before.  Those included the Ford F-150 Raptor, Shelby Mustang GT350R, and the Ford GT supercar.  It rocked the automotive world for the remainder of the week’s show.  The first two of these three vehicles are speculated to be available for purchase sometime this year (2015).  Whereas, the Ford supercar will only be starting production in 2016 as stated by Bill Ford and Mark Fields in a back-and-forth style banter on the stage in Detroit. The next big story came from Nissan USA.  They brought in their top dog, CEO Carlos Ghosn, to introduce their potential new top dog vehicle – the 2016 Nissan Titan.  He highlighted two main ideas; One being the fact that Nissan was creating a brand new class of full-size pickups, and the other being that it was All-American from conception to construction.  We learned this new Nissan Titan will be powered by a Cummins 5.0L Diesel Engine and it will tow nearly as much as the F-150 at over 12,000lbs. The third biggest announcement we learned from came from Hyundai USA.  They released pictures of their concept truck/SUV hybrid that they are calling the Santa Cruz. You can view all the pictures on the Hyundai USA Facebook page via this link. It first reminded us of the Santa Fe in terms of its front fascia, and overall made us think back to the Subaru Baja from several years ago. As of now it is merely a concept, meaning it’s not slated for production. Yet. It is a slick looking truck and made big headlines in Detroit this year, so we look forward to following the development of this new venture in the months to come! The final thing we learned came from Mazda USA. Now, technically this has been known since November 2014, but at the NAIAS Mazda rolled out its first generation Subcompact Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV), the Mazda CX-3.  Mazda’s North America CEO, Jim O’Sullivan, notes that “When there’s not a lot of manufacturers offering B-SUV’s, it’s a competitive advantage for us.” Mazda is looking for the 2016 CX-3 to be a better seller than the much anticipated 2016 Miata MX-5.

It’s been a big week in automotive news with the North American International Auto Show going on in Detroit, MI, since January 12, 2015. Ford Motor Company revealed several new vehicles from their new Ford Performance Division.  Nissan revealed a new light-duty truck with a Diesel engine in the 2016 Titan XD.  So, there were all these unveilings plus tons more from auto brands like Acura, Infiniti, Volvo, Bentley, and more. Car enthusiasts of all kinds love the new reveals, and video game companies took notice; Companies like Polyphony Digital and Turn 10 Studios who make the most popular racing games in the world such as Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, respectively.  These developers are getting the best of the best performance vehicles to be in their games and on the covers.  And with Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport 6 both slated to come out at the end of 2015, they are actively gathering top notch supercars to be in their games.  That brings us to this past week. Just this week at the North American International Auto Show, Ford unveiled 3 new performance vehicles.  A Ford F-150 Raptor, Shelby Mustang GT350R, and best of all the Ford GT supercar.  All of these vehicles have production/release dates within the next year or two but you’ll be able to “drive” them much sooner than that.  What I mean by that is they are all going to be a part of the new Forza Motorsport 6 for Xbox One.  So, this way you won’t have to take out a second mortgage to drive the latest Ford supercar.  And as announced at the auto show, it will be the first Ford ever to grace the cover of Forza.  It will join Ferrari, Audi, Nissan, and more as cover models for the successful franchise.  The last game (Forza Motorsport 5) came out around the end of November last year so gamers are expecting a similar time frame for this game's release. Another development is the Nissan 2020 Vision Concept supercar that surfaced this week.  It looks very futuristic with its wrap around windshield, low profile, and sleek points and curves.  In fact, it is said that this concept will be reflected in future GTR’s.  This concept is not expected to be drivable in the real world; however, that doesn’t mean it can’t be drivable in a virtual world.  And that is exactly what will happen.  The Nissan 2020 Vision Gran Turismo Concept supercar will be a part of the new Gran Turismo 7 exclusively for PS4.  It is an awesome looking car, and, quite frankly, we all probably wish it was actually being built in real life. It will be pretty neat to see which other cars make it into the various racing games.  Gamer or not, it is cool to see these supercars on the screen especially with the graphics capabilities today’s technology allows.

The Ford Performance Division was the talk of the auto world this Monday morning when they revealed three new high performance vehicles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.  These reveals were somewhat expected, but still wowed the audience and the world. Ford Performance Division Reveals 3 New Vehicles at NAIAS via Livestream Press Conference First, they revealed the F-150 Raptor, which is based on the 2015 F-150 body style and may be available later this year.  Joe Hinrichs, Ford President of the Americas, said in Ford’s press conference this morning that “Raptor is the ultimate, high-performance, off-road pickup.”  With a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 Engine and a 10-speed Transmission, this full size pickup will be able to seriously tear up some dirt, sand, snow, or whatever kind of terrain you can think of! Their next reveal was the Mustang GT350R.  Ford Group’s Vice President of Global Production Development and Chief Technical Officer, Raj Nair, introduced this American sports car and called it “the most track-capable, street-legal Mustang ever.”  There is much speculation that the GT350R will be available for purchase later this year!  However, compared to other Ford vehicles, their production will be limited. Ford Performance Division’s final release was perhaps the most anticipated of all: the GT.  The Ford GT is unlike any other Ford, and actually reminds me of something much more European such as a Lambourgini or Maserati.  With its jackknife doors, mid-engine placement, carbon fiber body panels and sleek overall look, this supercar is set to hit production in 2016.  This Ford GT will put out over 600 horsepower stemming from its 3.5L Twin-Turbo EcoBoost V6 Engine and 7-speed Tranny. This is certainly the talk of the day in the automotive industry and will surely last for several days if not weeks.  Much more can be found on the Ford website and by searching or using hashtags #FordNAIAS, #FordPerformance, and simply #Ford2015.  Be sure to check out the video link of the press conference above, and stay tuned to our blog for more information on the Ford Performance Division and automotive news in general!

The entire Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware is bracing itself for brutal temperature drops tonight.  We’re here to give you some tips and things to think about with the sub-zero temperatures looming. First of all you’re going to want to avoid unnecessary exposure to the freezing cold.  Be aware of both the actual temperature and the wind chill factor when preparing to go outside.  Remember that most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat – and preferably one that covers your ears.  Covering your hands with gloves is also recommended; however, mittens are better.  Also, dressing in layers will insulate you better if you’ll be outside for an extended period of time. Now, to homeowners, these sub-zero temperatures could create havoc if you are not prepared.  Freezing pipes are one of the most troublesome things for homeowners when the temperatures drop.  To protect your home’s pipes from freezing and bursting you can do several things.  For one, let the cold water drip from your faucets that are served by exposed pipes or pipes in exterior walls.  By letting the water run even at a trickle, it helps prevent freezing because the water that is flowing must – if only slightly – be above freezing.  And you’ll want to be sure you know how to shut off water valves in the event of a burst pipe. Another thing to remember is to close your crawlspace vents.  This will ensure a minimal amount of the cold, outside air to get into your home.  And usually pipes run through crawl spaces so by keeping them shut off to the frigid air, you take another precaution to help prevent freezing pipes. Outside the house, be sure to disconnect water hoses and make sure those faucets are not dripping.  You could even seal up the area around the nozzle with a cap to prevent cold air from traveling inside the house through the pipe. As for pets or livestock, you should obviously keep them indoors.  Pets such as cats and dogs should be kept in the house.  Whereas livestock such as chickens, cattle, and horses should just be kept under some sort of shelter whether it be a coupe for the chickens or stables for the horse and cattle. All of these tips should be taken into consideration tonight and throughout the winter.  However, tonight into tomorrow you should take extreme caution because a Wind Chill Advisory is in effect from 9 PM to 9 AM for almost every zip-code on the Eastern Shore.  The real temperature for Preston is expected to be 9°, and with the wind chill it will feel like -6° overnight on January 7, 2015.  Be safe and take the necessary precautions tonight.

The Preston Automotive Group had a huge month of December in 2014 with many of our dealers having their best month of the year.  Preston Hyundai had the best December in their history.  Preston Mazda made December the best month of their calendar year.  And of course Preston and Denton Ford reached our highest ever ranking at #5 in the Country for December Sales and #72 in the Nation for Year to Date Sales.  With all those cars going out the door, you know we have a ton of trade-ins that came onto our lot.  Over 400 vehicles in fact!  Such a large Pre-Owned inventory means that we need some kind of sale to get rid of it all.  So, the Preston Automotive Group would like to announce the Surplus Sell-Off Sale! So, we took a look at a list from CarGuru.  They ranked the most searched-for used vehicles of the entire year of 2014.  We cross referenced that with our larger than life inventory and here’s what we came up with! The car they ranked number one was the Jeep Wrangler.  A more than capable and proven off-road vehicle, the Jeep Wrangler was the most popular pre-owned vehicle of 2014.  We have nearly 20 of these Wranglers at our various Preston Automotive Group locations throughout the Eastern Shore.  We have all different model years and trim levels too. Next on the list was the Ford F-150.  Out of all our locations, we have over 50 Pre-Owned F-150’s at excellent prices!  From the basic XL models to the Harley Davidson Customized Edition, we have many different pre-owned F-150’s.  During our Surplus Sell-Off we are going to get rid of these best-selling, American trucks at unbelievable prices, so don’t miss it! Third on CarGuru’s list was the Chevrolet Silverado.  We don’t have quite as many of these, but the 11 that we do have are top notch.  Most of these Silverado’s are at the Preston Autoplex, although we still have some at Boulevard Georgetown and Millsboro Automart.  Click the link to check them out! Another Chevy vehicle comes in as the fourth most popular used car in 2014: Chevy Camaro.  These cars just scream FAST!  We have two great looking Camaro’s at the Preston Autoplex located in Hurlock, Maryland, at the intersection of routes 318 and 331. Next up is the Toyota Camry as we do not have any Dodge Chargers at the moment.  The Camry is one of the safest, most-reliable sedans in the world and we have five of them spread out between our various locations; including an amazing Internet Special that is discounted more than $7,000 from MSRP located at our Boulevard Georgetown location! Next on the list is the Ford Mustang – a speedster we sell a TON of!  We have Mustangs as new as model year 2013 and we even have a GT500.  They are American Classics and you could get a pre-owned ‘Stang at FIVE of our locations: Georgetown, Lewes, Millsboro, Pittsville and Preston.  And all of our locations are participating in the Surplus Sell-Off Sales event during the month of January and beyond The Honda is a brand known for long-lasting vehicles and fuel efficiency, so next up on our list is the Honda Accord.  At the moment we have nine used Honda Accords at our various Preston locations.  They are great economy cars, which is why they made our list of most popular used cars of 2014! The last car to make the list is the always reliable Nissan Altima.  We have a Surplus of Altima’s at many of our Preston Automotive Group locations.  From Georgetown, Delaware, to Preston, Maryland, we have the Pre-Owned Nissan Altima for you! So, check out any of the links above or go straight to our website to view every single car we have at www.prestonmotor.com.

With 2014 in the books, Car and Driver added up all the sales and put together a list of the Bestselling Cars of the past year.  These aren’t necessarily the vehicles that cost the most money; we are strictly looking at volume – total units sold.  Car and Drivers list was 21 vehicles long, and 9 out of those 21 vehicles are sold by member dealers of the Preston Automotive Group!  We are so proud to sell nearly half of the cars on this list so let’s start it out with #1. Claiming the top spot was the Ford F-Series, which should come as no surprise to anybody considering the F-150 has been the bestselling truck in America for 37 years.  Now, the F-Series encompasses more than just the F-150; it represents the F-150, 250, 350, 450 and 550.  The F-Series sold over 679,000 units in 2014 – that is 200,000 more units than its closest competitor.  If the big aluminum risk pays off, then we should see an even stronger hold on the top spot in 2015. We’ll skip down to the 7 th spot where the Nissan Altima comes in.  It is the first of two Nissan’s to make the Bestsellers List.  Of course the Altima has been towards the top for a while because of its efficiency and cost effectiveness, and Nissan recorded just over 303,000 units sold in the past year.   Next, a group of Ford’s took up spots in the middle of the list: #10 Fusion, #11 Escape and #15 Focus. Ford showed off the Fusion’s wild side with a redesign in 2013 and people loved it; they sold 283,694 Fusions in 2014. The Ford Escape came in next with 280,609 units sold.  And skipping a few spots down to #15 we have the Ford Focus, which sold 204,751 units last year.  The current Focus is one compact that requires no apologies and is getting a refreshed look for next year, so we should see it back on our list in 2015. Next up are a pair of Hyundai’s.  The Sonata missed catching the Elantra by a mere 4,151 units.  So, that put the Elantra at #16 with 203,163 units sold and had the Sonata at #17 with 199,012 units sold.  Both are great on fuel economy and look great.  Perfect for commuters, first time drivers, and anybody else who wants a great, economical car. We have two SUV’s to close out the top 21 Bestsellers List: one Ford and one Nissan. The Ford Explorer slipped down to #19 by only about 1500 units, but it’s the SUV that many would argue kicked off the SUV trend back in the 1990s.  This past year they sold 191,530.  The very last SUV to make the list at #21 is the Nissan Rogue.  It was just redesigned for 2014, undoubtedly contributing to its success, and sold ultimately capped off our list by selling 184,320 units. We are proud to offer 9 of the top 21 Bestselling Cars of 2014 at our dealerships around all of Delmarva.  We are sad to see 2014 go, but from all of us here at Preston Automotive Group we want to wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!  See you next year!

Ford’s Blueprint for Sustainability advances to the next level in 2015 with the F-150 lineup.  Among all the gas-powered trucks sold in America, the 2015 F-150 gets the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings.  There are a few reasons for this. First of all, Ford is enlisting the help of an EcoBoost Engine.  They have had an EcoBoost F-150 since 2011, and the 2015 F-150 has a small yet powerful 2.7-liter EcoBoost Engine.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this new truck will achieve 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.  That is anywhere from 5% to 29% better than current F-150 models, depending on the engine and drivetrain configuration. The improved performance is enabled by saving weight through the use of high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloys to make up the body of the truck.  With this revolutionary change, the 2015 F-150 has dropped 700lbs. A combination of the EcoBoost Engine and the dropped weight have made the 2015 Ford F-150 the most fuel efficient gas-powered pickup in America. 2.7-liter Ecoboost Engine in the 2015 Ford F-150 3.5-liter Ecoboost Engine in the 2015 Ford F-150 This new full-size pickup truck has four available engine choices: the aforementioned 2.7-liter EcoBoost, a new standard 3.5-liter V6, a more powerful 5.0-liter V8 and a Premium 3.5-liter EcoBoost.  Depending upon the engine and drivetrain combinations, the new F-150 tows as much as 1,100 more pounds and hauls as much as 530 more pounds than the 2014 F-150, all the while weighing less and being the most fuel efficient in America. “We set out to create the future of tough with the new F-150,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “We are delivering with the toughest, smartest and most capable F-150 ever – and now the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-size gas-powered pickup in America.” Very First 2015 F-150 to hit the Eastern Shore at Preston Ford! The very first 2015 F-150 has just hit the ground at Preston Ford in Preston, Maryland, located on the Eastern Shore.  It is a 2015 F-150 Lariat with the FX4 package.  Preston Ford is extremely excited to have one of the very first 2015 F-150’s on the Eastern Shore.

What is the most searched for vehicle on Cars.com?  Well, to find out they put together a list and it may or may not necessarily surprise you which ones made the top of that list.  Ford is the top selling American Car Brand in America, so it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that a Ford vehicle made the top of the Most Searched list. The Ford F-150 was by far the most sought after truck on Cars.com.  As you can see in the diagram below, the F-150 topped searches in 30 out of 50 states!  The F-150, which is represented by the pink color, has taken over the entire Midwest and most of the rest of the country.  It’s no wonder that the Ford F-150 has been the best-selling truck in America for the last 37 years.  The 2015 F-150s are not out at dealers yet, but they will be particularly special because of the new aluminum body they’re receiving.  This has been making news headlines for the better part of a year because it is such a revolutionary idea.  It will make the 2015 Ford Truck weigh in at a whopping 700 pounds lighter than its 2014 version; yet, will still be able to tow even more than before on some models.  The best-selling truck in America was by far the most searched for vehicle on Cars.com. Second on that list was another Ford; one that was being redesigned in its 50 th year of existence.  If you haven’t guessed by know, the car we’re referring to is the Ford Mustang.  This historically significant sports car came up as the 2 nd most searched for vehicle on Cars.com.  So, by state, the Mustang (dark purple) was searched most in 10 out of 50.  If you combine the F-150 and Mustang, you see that Ford dominated the search results – owning 40 out of 50 states!  This year’s Mustang was made with an independent rear suspension and sports a new, fastback look.  We’ve sold several 2015 Mustangs at Preston Ford since they’ve been out in late October, and we still have several more on the ground with Convertible Mustangs on the way! Some of the runners up include the Honda Accord, which was the most searched car in Maryland, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Chevy Silverado.  Gone are the days of people coming into dealerships for information on new cars.  With the Internet at our fingertips anywhere we go, most people go through extensive research in order to narrow their car search down.  And like we said, Ford has dominated the searches on Cars.com.

The 2015 ‘Stangs have been providing us with some excitement for a couple months, but Ford says, It’s time to turn up the heat! That’s right, the 2015 Mustang Convertible is set to hit dealerships across the country later this week.  With five different Ford Dealers being a part of our Preston Automotive Group, this is something that we are extremely excited about! The Ford drop-top Mustangs are sleek, sexy, and fast!  Now they’re not very practical for most winter climates, especially here in Maryland, but you’re going to want to have one of these when the summer sun rolls around here on the Eastern Shore.  Just think about having the rag-top down, the sun beating on you and the wind whipping through your hair.  These topless ‘Stangs are going to all be equipped with a manual transmission too.  If you would happen to want one with an automatic transmission, it can be done but will set you back about an extra $1000.  When they hit showrooms around the country later this week or next, they’ll be marked up a minimum $5500 over their hardtop counterparts. Preston Ford is expecting at least two of these hot 2015 Rag-Top Mustangs within a week or two.  However, Preston Ford is not our only Maryland or Delaware Ford Dealer that is expected to receive some of these drop-tops. Both Boulevard Locations, in Georgetown and Lewes, DE, are expecting some ‘Stangs too.  An interesting fact that maybe people don’t realize is that we can get you a Ford (or any vehicle for that matter) from any one of our five dealerships no matter what dealer is most convenient for you.  We have dedicated runners that transport cars from dealer to dealer every single day.  So, if you live closest to Pittsville Ford in Maryland but want a 2015 Mustang Convertible from Preston Ford, we can make that happen for you with no problem at all!  So, come out to your nearest Preston Automotive Group Dealer for a new Ford. Meanwhile, amidst the hype of the Drop-Top Mustangs, its fastback counterparts are being nominated for a huge award by AutoGuide.  They were just recently put up for AutoGuide.com 2015 Car of the Year!  While we are excited about this as well, it doesn’t come as a shock.  This was to be expected that the redesigned 2015 Mustangs would be raking in award after award.  This is just a nomination, but it proves just how great this American Classic will be this year.

Ford Motor Company is rumored to be revealing some major performance announcements at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.  Most of the following rumors are not confirmed but are believed to be true by several automotive news websites such as Road and Track, Yahoo Auto, and others as well.  If these developments are in fact revealed at the January Auto Show in Detroit, MI, then Ford will more than likely steal the spotlight away from all the other competition. The Shelby GT350R with the flat-crank engine has created a ton of buzz so far this fall, but that seems to only be the tip of the iceberg.  It’s is assumed that Ford will be bringing this beast of a car to the Auto Show next month in Detroit.  Here are some other rumors swirling around Ford for this upcoming showcase. First off, it is believed that Ford will be debuting an all-new Performance Sub Brand.  There is much that leans toward this development including bringing the next-generation F-150 Raptor to the show as well as revealing a replacement for the Ford GT.  A new GT would be the big headliner in Detroit, and if it turns out to be true, it would create the need for a new Performance Sub Brand.  The two performance vehicles hinted at above would fit nicely under a performance umbrella that would act as Ford’s M or AMG.  There are several names being considered for the Performance Sub Brand including 999, which was rumored in months prior.  The 999 would of course be a tribute to the early 20 th century race car created by Henry Ford. Other cars in the Ford line-up rumored to make a splash at the Detroit Auto Show are the Focus RS & ST as well as the Fiesta ST.  Most automotive news websites believe that Ford is making a Focus RS model to bring to the US.  Currently it is only available in European countries at the moment.  But this deceptively fast hatchback may be powered by the same engine in the new 2015 Mustangs and arrive stateside in 2015. The Focus and Fiesta ST models are rumored to be mentioned at the show too.  There's not too much hype for these two, but Ford is supposed to reveal some minor details concerning possible facelifts and updates of these vehicles. The Detroit Auto Show is always fun to keep an eye on because of all the exciting news that seems to come out of these showcases.  Seemingly Ford plans to dominate the news feed of the show this year, so be sure to be on the lookout January 15-25, 2015.

Car and Driver has just released their list of the 10 Best Cars of the 2015 Class.  There are about 150 new cars released every year, so to be in the Top 10 is a huge honor.  Here at Preston Automotive we are proud to say that we sell three of the top 10 in this list. First one we’ll highlight is the 2015 Ford Mustang.  There has certainly been a ton of buzz about the Mustangs because they just recently made their way to dealers across the country. Here at Preston Ford in Hurlock, Maryland, we have a handful of these American Roadsters and will certainly be getting more in over the next few months.  One of the biggest reasons for all the hype is the updated suspensions, front and rear.  Previous models of this car were said to have an awfully bouncy rear end.  Even the smallest of bumps in the road made for an uncomfortable ride.  So, Ford seems to have taken that feedback to heart and put an independent rear suspension on the new 2015 ‘Stangs.  Once they did that, they found the front suspension could not work in harmony with the upgraded rear – so they changed the front too. The next two cars that made Car and Driver’s Top 10 list are actually Mazda’s!  First is the Mazda3.  Mazda has recently been churning out great cars, and 2015 will seemingly be no different.  The 2015 Mazda3 is sleek, stylish, and fun to drive.  The Mazda3 is a part of the compact sedan or hatchback category and we have tons here at Preston Mazda in Hurlock, Maryland.  The Mazda3 will achieve about 30MPG city and over 40MPG highway!  Plus you can seat 5 people with all of their gear as well.  It’s a fun little sporty car that should be at the top of anyone’s list. Finally, the 2015 Mazda6 at Preston Mazda is the third car to make the top ten list.  The 2015 Mazda6 has a distinct sporty design, outstanding fuel economy, and tons of options.  One of the optional items available in the 2015 Mazda6 Grand Touring is i-Eloop.  This is an energy capture system and stands for Intelligent Energy Loop.  What this new technology does is stores energy captured during deceleration and uses it for things such as lighting, AC, etc.  With this available technology package the Mazda6 Grand Touring has topped out at over 40mpg highway! We are incredibly proud to have these 2015 models available for our customers.  So make sure you check us out on the web at www.prestonmotor.com.  No matter where you live we are able to ship a car to you.  See the complete list below for the 10 Best Cars of 2015! 1. BMW M235i 2. Cadilac CTS 3. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 4. Ford Mustang GT 5. Honda Accord 6. Mazda Mazda3 7. Mazda Mazda6 8. Porsche Boxter/Cayman 9. Tesla Model S 60 10. Volkswagen Golf/GTI

Veterans served our country with selfless fortitude.  Whether it was in the First World War, Second World War, Korean War, Vietnam War, or any other war in our history, the Veterans of our Armed Services have been the ones keeping us safe; so today we salute them. Did you know that Veterans Day was first called Armistice Day back in 1919?  Armistice of course means an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting; in other words, a truce.  The first celebration of Armistice Day, November 11, 1919, marked the one year anniversary of the end of WWI, and was put in place to applaud those who risked their lives in that war.  However, it wasn’t made a federal holiday until 1938.  And in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower amended the holiday to include all veterans. Did you know that Veterans Day wasn’t always on the 11 th of November?  It started out as the 11 th, as previously stated, and is currently the 11 th but wasn’t always like that.  For a period of ten years, from 1968-78, Veterans Day was changed to the 4 th Monday in October.  The petty reason for that was to give Federal Officers a three day weekend.  Today, all Federal Offices and most schools are off in observance of Veterans Day. Did you know that Veterans Day in the US is shared with many other country’s celebrations.  There were 19 countries that fought with the Allies in WWI and most – if not all – have celebrations on November 11 th to honor their Veterans.  For instance, this year, the UK is celebrating 100 years since the start of WWI with a big ceremony and moment of silence in London. Finally, did you know that many places give out Military Discounts to Active Duty Members and Veterans on Veterans Day?  This year restaurants such as Denny’s, Olive Garden, and others are giving out free or discounted meals to Veterans with Military ID’s.  Specifically here at the Preston Autoplex we have a $500 Military Discount that we run every day on every car on the lot.  It is just our small way of saying thank you to the men and women that serve, and have served, our great country.  Happy Veterans Day!