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When the engineers and designers behind the Chrysler Pacifica set out to build a different kind of family mover, safety was at the top of their list. Getting you and your most precious cargo from point A to point B in security is the most important job your vehicle will do for you today, and the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica takes that job very seriously. You don’t have to take our word for it. It was recently announced that for the third year running, the Chrysler Pacifica has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway safety — an award the Pacifica has won every year since it was introduced in 2017. Started in 1959 and funded by the major automobile insurance companies, the IIHS is a non-profit that crash tests over 200 different vehicle models per year, impartially judging foreign and domestic cars, trucks, vans and SUVs on their ability to withstand front, rear and side impact collisions and roll-overs while protecting the occupants inside from injury. Being named a Top Safety Pick, is rare in the auto industry, and means a vehicle met or exceeded the tough standards of the IIHS for safety, strength and occupant protection during a collision. It’s easy to see why the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica is a three-time Top Safety Pick. Designed by parents, for parents, the body structure of the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica is 72 percent high-strength steel. That’s the highest level of high-strength steel of any minivan in the industry, even though the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica is 250 pounds lighter than the model it replaced. Backing up that robust body structure since the Pacifica was introduced in 2017 are more than 100 standard and available safety and accident-avoidance features. Chrysler is never one to rest on their laurels, though, so all new for 2019 is the Advanced SafetyTec Group, which uses a fusion of camera and radar sensors to keep and electronic eye out of you and yours on the road, enabling 10 advanced safety features like Forward Collision Warning-Plus, Lane Departure Warning, and ParkSense front and rear parking assistance with automatic braking. Want to know more about the ways the award-winning 2019 Chrysler Pacifica can help keep you and your family safer on the road? Then stop in today at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat in Springdale, and let one of our friendly sales professionals walk you through the standard and available safety features that can help you stay out of trouble or walk away unscathed if things go wrong. With our incredible selection, we’re sure to have the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica that’s right for you. Come see us today, or check out our big selection online right now.

The influential automotive publication WardsAuto has already shown their love for the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 this year, naming the 2019 Ram to their 10 Best Interiors of 2018 list back in April, and their 10 Best User Experiences of 2018 list in September. Now they’ve announced that the 2019 Ram 1500’s 3.6-liter V6 with the eTorque mild hybrid system has been included on their 10 Best Engines of 2019 list! It’s a rare triple-crown honor WardsAuto for the 2019 Ram 1500, which has been steadily racking up awards since the model went on sale earlier this year. Founded over 100 years ago, Wards is one of the world’s most trusted sources when it comes to reviews of new vehicles. Since its debut, Wards has reviewed and rated over 2,000 new vehicles, with their editors completing 150 comprehensive auto evaluations every year, judging each vehicle on factors including comfort, styling, engineering, fuel economy, horsepower and torque and more, as well as judging them against other vehicles in their class. Only the best of the best wind up on Ward’s annual 10 Best Lists, which makes the clean sweep by the 2019 Ram for its interior, engine and overall build quality, a rare honor. The 2019 Ram 1500’s revolutionary eTorque system — available on both the 3.6-liter V6 honored by Wards, and the legendary 5.7-liter Hemi — works by replacing the standard alternator with a small, water cooled generator that sits atop the motor. In addition to charging the truck’s standard 12-volt battery, the generator also sends excess energy captures while coasting or braking to a suitcase-sized, 48-volt battery pack in the rear wall of the cab. When the eTorque system senses a need for low end grunt when towing or taking off from a standing start, the generator instantly switches to become a powerful electric motor, delivering torque directly to the crankshaft via the same eight-rib, high-strength belt that turns the generator during normal operation. In the 3.6-liter V6, eTorque instantly adds up to 90 lb.-ft of torque on demand, with no input required from the driver. With the 5.7-liter V8, the system is good for up to 120 lb.-ft. of torque. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with eTorque is rated at a robust 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque, with two wheel drive Rams delivering EPA-estimated fuel economy of 25 miles per gallon on the highway. “The Pentastar V-6 engine with eTorque shows how electrifying components of conventional engines can create magic under the hood,” said Drew Winter, senior content director at WardsAuto. “The all-new 48-volt mild-hybrid eTorque system provides a dollop of electrical propulsion during launch and while shifting gears, creating seamless, buttery smooth power to the wheels and improved fuel economy.” Winter said that judges evaluated a four-wheel-drive 2019 Ram 1500 with the eTorque V6, and noted fuel economy of between 21 and 22 mpg in over 800 miles of testing, which Winter called “outstanding,” adding that the system works imperceptibly to up torque and fuel economy. “The versatility of our workhorse Pentastar V-6 engine family is unquestioned, with more than 9 million produced,” said Ram’s head of powertrain development Bob Lee. “This latest Wards milestone represents the sixth time the 3.6-liter engine has been recognized with three different iterations. Receiving the Wards 10 Best recognition validates our mission to provide customers optimal ownership value without sacrificing performance.” It’s the ninth time engines produced for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat vehicles have been named to Wards 10 Best Engines list. Ready to see what all the critical and award-winning fuss is about? Are you ready to buy a 2019 Ram 1500 in Springdale? If so, stop in soon at McLarty Daniel CDJRF of Springdale, where our great selection, honest deals and impeccable service after the sale will make you a customer for life! Come see us today, or check out our selection of 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles online!

Jeep recently debuted the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and one look at it got us stoked to have them on the lot here at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Springdale! It’s the first real-deal Jeep pickup in over 20 years, and that would definitely be something to celebrate even if it didn’t look like a million bucks on four tires. It’s going to be several long months before the Gladiator roars into our dealership, just in time to make Summer 2019 better than ever!While it’s hard to pin down our favorite features of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, we’re gonna give it a shot below. Read on for our ten favorite features of the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup, which Jeep promises will be the most capable mid-size pickup ever built. And if you want to be one of the first in northwest Arkansas to get your hands on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, stop in today at McLarty Daniel CDJRF in Springdale, talk to our friendly sales department and get pre-approved for financing. With our friendly hometown deals and unbeatable service after the sale, we can and will make you a customer for life! 1) INCREDIBLE STYLING: Though the 2020 Gladiator has a five-foot pickup bed out back, the fact that it’s largely based on the rugged, all-business styling of the Jeep Wrangler JL is hard to miss. Though the 2020 Gladiator is 19.4 inches longer than the Wrangler — making it the longest vehicle Jeep makes — the result is a truck that looks both old school and modern, purpose-built for adventure, square-jawed and tough from bumper to bumper. 2) BEST IN CLASS TOWING: While other midsized trucks may brag about their capability, there can only be one top dog. Woof-woof, goes the 2020 Gladiator, with up to 7,650 pounds of maximum towing when properly equipped. 3) BEST IN CLASS 4×4 PAYLOAD: Though 4×4 drivetrains are a heck of a lot of fun off-road, 4×4 trucks usually come with a tradeoff in payload capacity, given their mushier, crawl friendly springs and running gear. Not the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, though. Bombproof Jeep engineering means up to 1,600 pounds of hauling, on or off-road. 4) LOSE THE DOORS!: Sharing the basic design architecture of the Jeep Wrangler JL not only makes Gladiator look great, it gives it quite a few superpowers that are unique in the automotive world. One of them is the ability to quickly and easily remove the lightweight aluminum doors just by spinning out eight bolts with the supplied tool kit, for fair-weather, open-air fun. 5) BLOW THE ROOF OFF!: Same drill from number 4 seen above: take out a handful of bolts with the supplied toolkit, and the lightweight composite top comes off for easy storage. That makes the 2020 Jeep Gladiator the first true, factory-built topless pickup since the 1991 Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible. 6) LAY DOWN THE WINDSHIELD!: We said the 2020 Jeep Gladiator had some superpowers, didn’t we? Take out four more bolts, and the windsheld lays down onto the hood, cushioned by rubber bumpers. Thanks to the fixed windshield header shared by Gladiator and the Wrangler JL, the integrity of the built-in safety cage remains intact even with the windshield down, as does the rearview mirror. 7) AVAILABLE PREMIUM SOFT TOP: If you prefer the looks, simplicity and/or ease of use of a folding cloth convertible top, the 2020 Gladiator can be equipped with the premium Sunrider ragtop, which can either be folded partway or fully in seconds flat, and put back up just as easily. In Arkansas, where the weather can change by the minute, it’s a great compromise bet. 8) A REAL STEEL BED: The 2020 Jeep Gladiator isn’t just playing at being a truck. It really IS a truck, with rugged body-on-frame construction. Out back is a five-foot cargo box made of cold rolled steel for added durability, with innovative features like modular tie downs, available spray-on bedliner, a three-function tailgate, task lighting and more. 9) UNSTOPPABLE RUBICON DRIVETRAIN: Rugged styling isn’t all the Gladiator shares with Wrangler. The 2020 Gladiator can be equipped with the unstoppable Rubicon package, with 33-inch all terrain tires, wide-track Dana 44 axles, larger fender flares, ball-peen hammer tough Rock-Trac 4×4 system, front and rear electronic swaybar disconnect, and more. 10) LEGENDARY JEEP CAPABILITY: Jeep is known the world over for unmatched off-road capability, and the 2020 Jeep Gladiator carries on that great family tradition by being the most capable mid-sized truck on the planet. Advanced electrical sealing and a high-set air box mean you can ford water up to 30 inches deep with confidence, which the exclusive available off-road camera in the grille on Gladiator Rubicon gives you a front-mounted view of obstacles. Protective rock rails along the base of the cab and bed keep delicate sheet metal from getting dinged no matter what the trail throws at you, while a full complement of underbody skid plates protect vital components. We’ve only scratched the surface of all the great things to say about the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator, the first new Jeep truck in 17 years! Want to buy a 2020 Jeep Gladiator in Northwest Arkansas? Of COURSE you do! Get the ball rolling by stopping in at McLarty Daniel CDJRF in Springdale, where we can make sure you’re one of the first to get the keys to this incredible new truck from Jeep! Come see us! CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR FINANCE CENTER

Here at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Springdale, we love telling customers about all the features, great styling, cutting-edge safety and surprising performance of the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica and 2019 Ram 1500. Though one is a family friendly people mover and the other a clawhammer-tough pickup, the 2019 Ram and 2019 Pacifica share more than just a common parent company. They share a brand-wide commitment to making better cars, trucks, vans and SUVs than anybody else — vehicles that can stand the test of time and make drivers' lives easier, not harder. We're not the only ones who love the 2019 Ram 1500 and the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica! The influential product rating magazine Consumer Guide finds a lot to love in them too. They've showed it again this year, with the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica picking up its third-straight win for Consumer Guide's Best Buy Awards in both the “Minivan” and “Family Vehicle” categories. The all-new 2019 Ram 1500, meanwhile, muscled its way to an incredible 11th straight win in Consumer Guide's Large Pickup Truck Best Buy Award! “As the winner of the Best Buy crown for the third year in a row, the Pacifica offers class-leading horsepower and fuel economy, excellent road manners and ride quality, and an unmatched array of family-friendly features … all wrapped up in a stylish package,” said Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive. “With an excellent redesign for 2019, the Ram 1500 builds on the previous model's considerable strength and offers an unbeatable ride and handling combination along with a high level of refinement, classy interiors and unique features.” Founded in 1967 and based in Morton Grove, Illinois, Consumer Guide publishes objective reviews of new cars and trucks, publishing over 1,500 honest evaluations of vehicles since the publication started, with the goal of making vehicle shopping easier for customers seeking a more confident car-buying experience. Consumer Guide is based in Morton Grove, Illinois. It is published by Publications International, Ltd. According to Consumer Guide Automotive, a vehicle is judged to be a Best Buy based not only on styling, engineering, interior comfort and other factors, but also by being a good value when compared to other vehicles in the class. For more information on the Consumer Guide Automotive 2019 Best Buys, visit consumerguide.com. It's easy to see why Consumer Guide found the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica to be a winner in their Best Buy Awards three years running. The most beautiful and feature-packed minivan on the market, the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica blows away boring and boxy small van styling with a shape that's sleek and modern, delivering class-leading gasoline and hybrid power, plus over 100 available security and safety features. The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the first gas/electric hybrid in the minivan segment, with fuel economy of over 80 miles per gallon the a range of 30 miles when operating on electric power alone. The same goes for the 2019 Ram 1500, which debuted with a top-to-bottom redesign for the 2019 model year, with significant improvements in styling, engineering, power and comfort, plus an incredible 12,750 pounds of maximum towing when properly equipped, and a similarly impressive 2,300 pounds of towing capacity. Inside, the all-new Uconnect 4C touchscreen in the center dash is the largest productivity screen in a full-size truck, featuring tablet-like features, apps, navigation, cell-phone integration and more. Consumer Guide loves the 2019 Ram 1500 and the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. Are you ready to fall in love with one of these incredible vehicles, too? Are you ready to buy a 2019 Ram 1500 in Springdale, Arkansas, or the beautiful 2019 Chrysler Pacifica? Then stop in today at McLarty Daniel CDJRF in Springdale, where our friendly hometown deals and impeccable service after the sale will make you a customer for life! Come see us soon!

Old Man Winter is creeping up on us again, with chilly nights and cool days. In addition to getting your jacket out of the closet and sending your coat off to the dry cleaner’s, wintertime means it’s time once more to fight the neverending battle between the cold and your car. Over the years, we’ve run across a few wintertime car hacks that actually work, and we’ve put them together here for you below. Try a few of them and see if your mileage on these is the same as ours. And if you need a new or used vehicle to see you through the winter, stop in today at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Springdale, where our selection is great, our deals are unbeatable, and our service after the sale will make you a customer for life.1. TREAT YOUR WINDSHIELD AND EXTERIOR MIRRORS WITH SHAVING CREAM: When it’s damp and cold out, as it often is in Arkansas in the wintertime, nothing can be more frustrating than having your windshield and mirrors fog up just when you need them most. But you can help out your heater with the same trick your dad used to keep his shaving mirror fog free: Coat them with a thin layer of cheap shaving cream, then wipe them clean with a soft, dry cloth. Containing some of the same ingredients as much more expensive defogging compounds, shaving cream wipes away clean and streak-free, and will keep your windows and mirrors from going foggy for up to a month. 2. WRAP YOUR CAR’S SIDE MIRRORS IN PLASTIC BAGS: A lot of us don’t own a heated garage, and in the wintertime, that can mean frost or ice on your windows and mirrors. We’ve got a few tips to help out with the windows, so read on for those, but when it comes to the mirrors, a great trick is: when you know there’s frost or ice forecast, put two plastic shopping bags over your mirrors and secure them with a rubber band. When you’re ready to drive, take the bags off and you’re ready to go, with clear, ice-free mirrors. 3. IF WINTER PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST, SHIELD YOUR WINDSHIELD: We get a fair amount of snow and ice in the winter here in Northwest Arkansas, and nothing is worse on a cold, snowy morning than coming out of the house knowing that you’re going to have to use a scraper or scoop to uncover your windshield before you can drive away. That can be remedied, however, with an ounce of prevention, in the form of an old rug or two over the windshield whenever winter weather is forecast. When the snow or ice flies, just go out the next morning and flip the rugs off, for a clear windshield without the scraping and shoveling. 4. KEEP AN EXTRA KEY HANDY: Nobody likes sitting in a freezing car, waiting for it to warm up or defrost the windshield on a chilly morning, but you may be wisely reluctant to leave your very expensive vehicle running in the driveway to warm up while you stay toasty inside the house. Criminals are wily suckers, and thefts of cars left to warm up on cold days are on the rise.Remedy that problem by keeping your extra car key handy. That way, on a chilly morning, you can go out, start your car, turn the defroster on blast, and then lock your running car with the extra key before retreating into the house to wait for it to get toasty. 5. PARK YOUR CAR FACING EAST: A lot of people have no choice on where they park their car, but if you do, try to make sure to park with the grille facing east. This isn’t some kind of weird ritual, just common sense: when the sun comes up, it’ll hit your windshield first, and even that little bit of warmth will give you a leg up when trying to scrape away frost, frozen slush or ice. 6. MAKE YOUR OWN DE-ICING FLUID: Trying to de-ice your windshield on a cold morning is a chore that nobody looks forward to, but here’s a hack that can take most of the work out of it. Make a bottle of de-icing fluid with just two very cheap ingredients: a cup of water and a cup of clear isopropyl alcohol or high-proof vodka. Pour both ingredients into a spray bottle and keep the bottle in your warm house. When it’s time to go scrape, just shake the bottle well and spray the windshield down with the mixture. Then it’s just a matter of watching while Jack Frost releases his deathly grip on your windshield. From there, you can scrape away the semi-frozen slush with much less elbow grease. Yeah, winter is here, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it! With these tips, you can own winter and make your winter driving adventures easier, safer and more enjoyable. And if you need a new or used car with a really great heater — or even heated seats! Yay! — stop in today at McLarty Daniel CDJRF of Springdale, where our deals are unbeatable and our service will make you a customer for life! Come see us.

The holidays are here, and for a lot of us, that means holiday travel with family. While just the thought of traveling on crowded highways with kids in the back can bring on a bout of anxiety, it doesn’t have to be that way when you’re driving the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica! Loaded with innovative features and high-tech safety, the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica is the minivan designed by parents, for parents — which means it’s also designed to take the worry and hassle out of going over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house. Read on for seven great ways the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica can make your Turkey Day travel more of a joyous time with family and less of a worrisome chore. And if you’re looking treat somebody on your list who has been very, very good (including yourself) come see us at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Springdale. We’ve got an outstanding selection of cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans, including the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. So stop in today for a test drive, or check out our big selection online right now! 1) Room for up to eight in comfort: Family time is precious, and time with the extended family is extra precious. Headed to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Feel free to bring along grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, or a passel of cousins! The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica can seat up to eight adults in comfort and safety, with 243 possible seating configurations. 2) Stow n’ Go Seating: Thinking of buying cousin Jane that new kayak she’s been dying for? Go ahead and treat her, even if you’ve got miles to go! With the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica’s exclusive Stow N’ Go seating, the rear seats easily drop into clever pockets in the floor, leaving a flat rear cargo area while still allowing some passenger seats to stay in the locked and upright position. 3) Uconnect Theater: The trick to travelling long distances with kids is keeping them entertained. That’s a cinch in the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica, thanks to the available Uconnect Theater system. The best family entertainment system in its class, Uconnect Theater feature dual 10-inch high-def touchscreens with a Blu-ray player, HDMI inputs to hook up a gaming system, wireless headphones, Bluetooth remotes and downloadable games and apps. 4) Full-Speed Collision Warning With Active Braking: Nobody likes to think about an accident on the highway during the holidays, but with kids in the back, even good drivers can and do lose their concentration on the road. On highways congested with holiday travel, that moment of inattention can mean disaster. Luckily, the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica has your back with Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking. The system constantly monitors the vehicle ahead, sounding an alert if the driver in front of you stops short, and can even apply the brakes automatically to help you avoid a collision. 5) Premium Audio by Harman Kardon: Holiday travel and holiday music go together like turkey and cranberry sauce, and from “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” to “Let it Snow,” you’ll enjoy concert quality sound from the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica’s available premium audio system by Harman Kardon. Featuring 20 high-end speakers custom tuned to the acoustics of the Pacifica’s interior, it’ll have you feeling the spirit of the season in no time. 6) Stow N’ Vac: From Christmas tree needles to spilled reindeer chow to wayward glitter, holiday travel can be messy! Save yourself some hassle with the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica’s available Stow N’ Vac. A powerful, onboard vacuum cleaner with internals designed by Rigid — the same company that supplies industrial-grade vacuums and other power tools to retailers like Home Depot — Stow N’ Vac features a retractable hose that can reach every part of the Pacifica’s interior, with powerful suction and easy, mess-free emptying of the canister-type collection bin. 7) Up to 82 miles per gallon from the Pacifica Hybrid!: The holidays always stretch the budget, and every dollar you don’t have to put in the tank is a buck you have to spend on gifts, food and merriment. So save yourself some holiday fun money with the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, the industry’s first gas/electric hybrid minivan! With fuel economy of up to 82 miles per gallon and a range of 488 miles on a single tank of gas, it’s a smart money move, and can even go 32 miles on battery power alone. Save even more by applying for a $7,500 federal tax credit!

It’s good to be king, and for decades now, the Jeep Wrangler has been the undisputed king when it comes to off-road performance, thanks to a combination of bombproof engineering, take-no-prisoners reliability and easy customization. It’s time to add another feather to the Wrangler’s crowded cap, though. That’s because, for the ninth straight year, Jeep Wrangler has won the 4×4/SUV of the Year Award at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Show in Las Vegas. It marks the latest in a heck of a streak for Jeep Wrangler at SEMA, with Wrangler earning the 4×4 of the Year honor every year since the SEMA awards were launched. Debuted in 2010, the SEMA Awards honor engineering and design excellence in over a dozen categories. The awards are voted on by SEMA attendees, with the Jeep Wrangler a favorite due to the ease of customization and the depth of aftermarket and performance parts available for the Wrangler online. Held annually since 1965, the SEMA show attracts over 60,000 attendees per year, with over 1.5 million square feet of exhibition space at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with aftermarket parts companies, world-class fabrication shops, and nearly every automaker represented. Vehicle makers, including FCA, debut and exhibit dozens of one-off, modified and custom cars at the SEMA show. “The Jeep Wrangler continues to lead the way in the customization world following the Mopar brand’s introduction late last year of more than 200 Jeep Performance Parts and accessories,” said Steve Beahm, Head of Parts & Service for Jeep’s parent company, FCA. “When it comes to personalization, Jeep Wrangler is a star of our portfolio and it just keeps getting hotter.” Kudos are also in order for the 2019 Ram 1500, which was recognized as one of three finalists for the SEMA’s “Truck of the Year,” and the 2019 Dodge Challenger, which was a finalist for the 2018 “Car of the Year.” The Mopar Brand booth at this year’s SEMA show, which ran from October 30-November 2, covered over 15,000 square feet, and featured customized and highly modified takes on Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles, including four Jeep vehicles reimagined with the help of the Jeep Performance Parts catalogue. The Mopar booth also featured two 2019 Ram 1500 pickups modified with items for the Mopar Performance catalogue: a trail-themed 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel and a high-performance 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn nicknamed “Low Down.” The booth also features several modified 2019 Dodge Challengers, including NHRA racer Leah Pritchett’s Dodge Challenger drag car, which won the 2018 National Hot Rod Association Factory Stock Showdown World Championship.

Just when you thought the high horsepower Hemi Chargers and Challengers of the 1960s had roared their last, the great American muscle car is back and better than ever, with old fashioned engineering and high-tech superchargers making today’s Dodge and Jeep products better and more powerful than they were even in the Good Ol’ Days. With the Challenger and Charger Hellcats and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawks now the undisputed kings of modern horsepower, it’s hard to believe there was a time when people believed developing and putting the brand’s cutting edge, supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi in production cars would be a money loser for Dodge and Jeep’s parent company Fiat-Chrysler. Since the first supercharged Dodge Charger was introduced in 2014, however, the brand has consistently proven the naysayers wrong on the subject of Hellcats, Demons and Trackhawks, with the public snapping up the ultimate performance models as fast as they can be produced. With the American thirst for uncompromising horsepower apparently limitless, FCA recently crossed the $3 billion dollar mark in gross sales of their supercharged Hemi cars and SUVs. With other high-performance supercharged Hemi V8 vehicles apparently in the works, including rumors of a Ram 1500 Hellcat pickup truck by 2020, and the introduction of the new 2019 Widebody Hellcat Challengers — which feature Challenger Demon-style fender flares to allow the cars to run much wider tires for more grip — $4 billion in gross receipts for supercharged Hemi models could come quicker than you think. Since the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 was introduced in the 2015 model year, FCA has built over 30,000 vehicles powered by the engine, which is topped with a low-profile, high-volume twin-screw supercharger. That total is shared between the Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk models, but doesn’t include vehicles already sold for the 2019 model year. In addition to the high-horsepower Hemi engine, the vehicles include high-performance go-fast goodies like large-diameter racing disc brakes, beefed up drivetrain components, and a special “launch” mode that optimises the engine, transmission and pther vehicle systems for the dragstrip. The highest horsepower supercharged model FCA has produced so far was the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, with 840 horsepower on tap, produced in a limited-edition run of only 3,300 examples. The stratospheric amount of horsepower and torque produced by the 6.2-liter Demon engine, along with engineering tricks like an intercooler that re-routes the air conditioning to chill the air coming into the engine, allowed the 2018 Challenger Demon to go from zero to 60 in 2.3 seconds and run the quarter mile in a lighting-fast 9.65 seconds at over 140 miles per hour. On takeoff, the Demon could actually pull the front tires into the air — the only production car ever built with that ability. The other supercharged Hemi cars built since 2015 produce 707 horsepower. For the 2019 model year, the Dodge Hellcat SRT Charger has a starting price of $65,345, while the Dodge SRT Hellcat Challenger starts at $58,650. The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk, meanwhile, has a starting price of $86,650. It’s another way that Dodge and Jeep are pushing American automobile design and engineering boldly into the new century. If you’re looking to buy a 2019 Challenger, Charger or Jeep Grand Cherokee in Northwest Arkansas, stop in today at McLarty Daniel CDJRF of Springdale, where our great selection, on-site service center, and attention to your needs after the sale will make you a customer for life! Come see us for a test drive soon, or browse our entire lineup online right now!

As the nights grow long and cool in October, it’s a perfect time for sitting around the campfire or a warm house, contemplating the plentiful mysteries of this state we call home. Arkansas has more than her share of spooky head scratchers, and with Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to share some of our favorites. Seen below are four Arkansas Mysteries that may well never be solved, from the disappearance of a well-known attorney to the sighting of an “airship” on a mountain near Hot Springs, long before the advent of powered flight. We here at McLarty Daniel CDJRF of Springdale love swapping tales like these in October. If you’re in need of a great new or used car to help you get out there and find your own spooky adventures, come see us for a test drive, or check out our big selection online right now! THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MAUD CRAWFORD: Maud Crawford seemed to have her life well and truly together, right up to the moment when she disappeared off the face of the earth. A prominent attorney in the small town of Camden in Ouachita County, Crawford had graduated at the top of her class at the University of Arkansas law school, becoming one of the pioneering female lawyers when women were still rare in the profession. A local community leader and socialite, Crawford had also served on the Camden City Council. Then, on the evening of March 2, 1957, Crawford simply disappeared from her large home on Camden’s quiet Clifton Street, leaving behind her car, car keys, and her purse containing $149 in cash. Though an extensive search was conducted, she was never seen again. Investigators in the case noted that at the time of her disappearance, Crawford’s former law partner and Camden resident Arkansas U.S. Senator John L. McClellan was chairing hearings on the influence of the Mafia over organized labor, with suggesting that Crawford was kidnapped as part of an effort to intimidate or influence McClellan. No confirmation of that theory has ever emerged, however. Neither has any trace of Maud Crawford, who was declared dead by the courts in 1969. THE HOT SPRINGS AIRSHIP OF 1897: UFO sightings in Arkansas have been plentiful over the years, but the presence of all manner of low-flying aircraft have provided a handy explanation for most tales of flying saucers spotted by eyewitnesses in the 20th Century. That explanation doesn’t fit, however with the Hot Springs Airship of 1897, which was spotted six years before the Wright Brothers first took to the air.  On May 7, 1897, a deputy sheriff and local constable were investigating reports of cattle rustling near the small town of Jessieville, just outside Hot Springs, when they reportedly saw a bright light in the sky that soon disappeared behind a mountain. The two men went to investigate and claimed they came upon what they described as a cigar-shaped craft approximately sixty feet long that had landed by a stream near Blue Mountain. As they approached, they saw a man, who later identified himself as the pilot of the craft, using a long, flexible hose to suck water into the ship. Described as tall and rail thin with a long black beard, the pilot reportedly said he and two companions were touring the country in the flying machine. He invited the lawmen aboard for a ride, which they cordially declined. When they happened back by the location later in the evening, both the craft and the man they’d seen had disappeared. It was just one of dozens of sightings of cigar-shaped flying craft across the country in 1897 and 1898, including sightings in Texarkana, Mississippi, and the famous Aurora Airship Crash of April 17, 1897, in which residents of the tiny town of Aurora, Texas claimed an airship very similar to the one reported near Hot Springs hit a windmill and crashed, with residents of the town saying they buried the alien bodies recovered from the craft in the local cemetery. THE TEXARKANA MOONLIGHT KILLER: Today, Texarkana is a bustling way station on busy I-30. Back in the winter and spring of 1946, however, it was a town in the grip of terror, whipped into a frenzy of fear by the Phantom Killer, a stealthy, masked gunman who struck by night and evaded all attempts to catch him. The Phantom’s first victims were a pair of teenagers, Jimmy Hollis and Mary Larey, who were shot in a car on the secluded “lover’s lane” on February 22, 1946. Though badly wounded by several shots from a handgun, Larey and Hollis both managed to survive. The next couple, Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore, were not so lucky. Exactly four weeks after the assault on Hollis and Larey, Griffin and Moore were shot in their car near where the first attack had occurred. Over the course of the three month rampage, five people would be killed and three wounded, despite the best efforts of Arkansas State Police investigators and members of the Texas Rangers, who joined forces in the hunt for the cross-border killer. The last murder attributed to the Phantom was that of farmer Virgil Starks, who was shot inside his home on May 3, 1946, with Starks’ wife, Katie, being severely wounded. Though the murders caused panic in the town, with sales of firearms skyrocketing and roving, armed posses staging decoys on lover’s lane and laying ambushes for the killer, the perpetrator was never caught, and apparently never killed again in the area after the Starks murder.  A movie based on the case, “The Town That Dreaded Sundown,” was released in 1976. Whew! That’s a lot of mysteries! We’ve only really scratched the surface of these cases here, so if you’d like to dig a little deeper, there’s plenty more information to be had online. One thing that’s not a mystery, though, is where to go for the best deals on cars, trucks, vans and SUVs, and the best service after the sale: McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Springdale! With a sales lot, body shop and fully staffed service center under one roof, we’re one-stop shopping for all your automotive needs. Stop in today for a test drive, or check out our big selection of new and used vehicles online right now!  Happy Halloween!

October means all things spooky are back while we count down until Halloween, and that includes heading to your local spookhouse for a few hours of thrills and chills.  Today’s modern spook houses have gone light years beyond bowls full of peeled grapes and cheesy jumpscares, with operators going all out in terms of makeup, props, lighting, animatronics and construction in a quest to scare the pants off even the heartiest souls. Seen below are some of the haunted houses in Northwest Arkansas we want to hit between now and October 31. And if you need a great new or used car, truck, van or SUV to haul your bones to the local spook house, stop in today at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat in Springdale. With a great selection, friendly deals, and a full service collision center and service center under one roof, we’re one-stop shopping for all your automotive needs. THE ASYLUM HAUNTED HOUSE 210 N. Main Street, Cave Springs When a haunted house starts the online description of their facility with “if you soil yourself, we will celebrate,” it’s a good bet that you’d better come ready to be seriously scared. Expanded and redesigned for 2019, the Asylum Haunted House in Cave Springs has won several awards for their bone-chilling presentation, design and props since they opened in the 2007 Haloween season, including being voted the number two haunt in the state (was that on purpose, given the “soil yourself” comment?) by Scare Factor Magazine. Because of extreme scares, the haunt is not recommended for children. Admission is $15 per person, and they’re open every weekend until Halloween. For more information on tickets and schedule, shamble out of your grave and head to their website at: theasylumhauntedhouse.net CARPENTER’S MORTUARY SPOOK HOUSE 136 E Main St,, Gentry It doesn’t get a lot spookier at Halloween time than a haunt situated in a real former mortuary and chapel which the owners purport to be haunted 365 days a year by real ghosts, so there should be plenty of scares on hand at Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House in Gentry. With movie-grade props, actors, costumes and scares, Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House also features a film-grade plot: the story of a Great Depression-era huckster who began taking in orphans from the state to make ends meet before committing unspeakable crimes on Halloween night! Standard pulp fare, but it’s an immersive experience that works, especially given the already spooky locale of the former mortuary and “funeral chapel.” Because of extreme scares, it’s recommended only for those 13 and up. Tickets to Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House are just unlucky $13 bucks, and you can even save $3 at the gate by showing you’ve liked, shared or commented on their Facebook page. For more information, creep on over to their website at: mortuarystudios.com NIGHTMARES HAUNTED HOUSE AND PHANTOM 13 BUS RIDE 13080 US-71, Bentonville Now in its 30th year, Nightmares Haunted House and Phantom 13 Bus Ride started out in 1987 as a family hayride put on by hardcore Halloween fan Chris Michaels and his his wife Linda. Several iterations, a lot of learning about makeup and props, a dedicated haunt location building and a partnership with the Bentonville Breakfast Lions Club later, and Nightmares Haunted House is one of the top-rated Halloween haunts in the region, with a staff of over 300 volunteers and all profits being doled out to worthy organizations by the Lions Club throughout the year. Since 2004, Nightmares has been a unique, two-fold experience that incorporates both the large, excellent haunt full of costumed actors and big scares, but also the Phantom 13 Bus Ride, a literal ride on a nightmare-themed bus that ferrys you to and from the haunt. Put it all together and you’ve got a truly terrifying experience that’s unique in the world of haunted attractions. General Admission tickets for the Nightmares Haunted House and Phantom 13 Bus Ride are $20 dollars, with both the haunt and the bus ride included in the price. For more information, slither to their website at:  nightmareshauntedhouse.net

It’s rare to catch Cruz Perez when he isn’t smiling. A salesperson at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for the past three years, Perez lives with his family and young son about an hour away in Berryville. The commute is worth it, he said, to work at a place where he feels like he’s making a difference for Northwest Arkansas. Now 31, Perez worked at a local poultry plant before coming to McLarty Daniel CDJRF. Working there, he couldn’t help but think there had to be something better, both for him and his son, who is almost three years old. That “something better” turned out to be selling cars at McLarty Daniel CDJRF. “I enjoy what I do,” he said. “Now that I’ve been here long enough, I have repeat customers who come back to me for different reasons: their kid has graduated high school, or they’ve got a car that’s breaking down. Maybe they added another family member, like a new baby, and they need a new vehicle. I stay for the new customers and the old customers who need my help.” Perez said it’s a big responsibility to sell someone a car, which can be a major investment for working families. When selling a vehicle, he said, he’s able to give families added peace of mind, knowing that with a a new and used dealership, a full body shop, and a fully-staffed service and repair center at McLarty Daniel CDJRF, the customers who buy from him will be able to come back to the dealership for help, no matter what life brings their way, from car accidents to oil changes to major warranty repairs. “Sales, financing, collision: at this dealership, we have everything under one roof,” he said. “Maybe you want to get your oil changed. Maybe you want to buy some new wheels. We can do that. We have a parts department, we have a collision center. If you’re having a bad day with an auto accident, you can get it towed here to be fixed and then get a rental car. Maybe you can look at another car. We make it easier. We can do it all.” Having grown up speaking both English and Spanish is definitely an asset in Springdale, where the Hispanic population has boomed in the past few decades. Spanish-speaking customers are no different than any other customer, he said, but sometimes dealing with both the anxiety of car buying and the language barrier can be intimidating.  “They’re not looking for anything different or special,” he said. “Sometimes they just need to get over that language barrier — somebody to take care of them in their own language. I can do that.” Perez said that when it comes to being in sales, he tells people that he approaches it kind of the way Walmart associates handle their jobs. They’re there for the customer if they need assistance and ready to offer help, but they don’t hover over every person who walks in. “When somebody pulls up, I don’t smother them,” he said. “I handshake everybody. I have a son, and I know if somebody takes care of my son, that’s the world to me. So I take care of even the customers’ little ones, giving them a handshake. You ask them what they need: How many seat belts? How much space? Everything. They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. That’s my process.” After figuring out which car is right for the customer’s needs and their budget, Perez said, he makes sure to keep taking care of them after the sale. “You may sell somebody one car, but you give them your cell number and you take care of them every time they need something — from small questions to what an oil change costs to ‘hey, my engine light is on.’” he said. “The most important thing is taking care of people…. That first purchase is so important. You do that right, and you’ll see them again: oil changes, questions, when they’re ready to trade in someday. We’re making customers for life.” A homebody who said his first priority during his time off is spending time with his family and his son, Perez said that he likes working at McLarty Daniel CDJRF because every member of the dealership staff treats every customer with the respect they would give to a member of their own family. That, and the changes he’s able to make in the lives of those who come in, seeking his help. “I had one lady who had just gotten divorced,” he said. “The loans were in her husband’s name, so she was left without a car. She came in and I helped her, and right before she drove off in her new car, she gave me a great big hug. Everything fell into place for her, right when she needed it. It felt great. I was only a small part of fixing what she was going through, but it was a big deal for her.” It’s all part of why Perez has a heartfelt belief that the dealership’s first priority is taking care of the customers. “That’s the main thing,” he said. “I have confidence in this place. I see the outreach into the community. I see us letting people know that we’re here not only to sell you a car, but to help take care of Springdale.”

Though he’s still a fairly young man, Steven Castleman has been in the body shop business for a long, long time. The collision center manager at McLarty Daniel CDJRF of Springdale since 2013, Castleman started working summers in a body shop when he was only 14 years old, before he could even legally drive. “My brother-in-law, his dad owned a body shop here in Springdale,” he said. “I started there as a teenager, after school and in the summertime. Mowing the grass, taping off cars, dumping the trash, mixing paint and stuff like that.” Though it was hot, sweaty, dirty work, he stuck with it, and now he can’t imagine doing anything else. The collision center at McLarty Daniel CDJRF is a full service body shop, able to do anything from fixing minor scratches to full frame replacements and everything in between. The body shop works on all makes and models, has relationships with all insurance companies and dozens of local insurance agents and adjusters, and is on the direct repair program for multiple insurance providers. Though Castleman often meets customers at a low point, after their car has been damaged, the variety of the work makes the job something different every day. Click here to shop our selection of new cars, trucks, SUVs and vans “When we deal with a customer, it’s at a bad time,” he said. “We’ve just got to try and show them that it’s going to be okay. We can always fix their car. We don’t always get to see the same customers over and over, so we’ve got to make a good first impression the first time…. With me, I’ve been in the industry a long time here in Springdale, so I know all the adjusters and the agents. I get a lot of work because of that. They’ll have an upset customer or a tricky customer, and they’ll send them to me because they know they’re going to get taken care of. They know they’re not going to have to worry about it. That means a lot to me. I’ve worked a long time in this market area just to try to keep a good name and a good reputation, not only for myself but the team I have with me.” Castleman said his carefully-selected team of 20 employees is another part of what makes coming to work enjoyable for him. One thing he tells them often is that the customer is the ultimate boss, and they should help each other any time they see an opportunity. Even though he’s the collision center manager, Castleman’s belief in sharing the workload means he can often be found out on the collision center floor doing even the most menial tasks, from taping off cars to buffing out paint. He usually pitches in when and where he can, he said. It’s a quality he encourages in his team. “It’s taken a long time to build up my team,” he said. “I’ve got a good bunch of employees, from the estimators to painters to the body men. They’re guys who have been in the business a long time, so I help them with their job and they teach me stuff every day. I enjoy that. I think that’s more rewarding to me: getting to come here and actually enjoy what you do with the people you work with. The time that we spend together, that’s important to me.” Having been in the body shop business for over two decades now, Castleman said he’s seen plenty of changes over the years, especially as automakers have gone to lightweight alloys, high strength steels and composite materials in body panels and suspension components. That requires his team to be constantly training. With the McLarty Daniel family of dealerships in Northwest Arkansas having expanded to include more brands, his team is currently working to broaden their portfolio of certifications with I-CAR (the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair), an international, not-for-profit organization that certifies collision centers. “We have to try to keep up with the technology not only with the manufacturer recommendations, but also our gold standard, which is I-CAR,” he said. “I-CAR sets the standard for collision repair. Obviously, it piggybacks off what the manufacturer recommends, but that’s kind of the go-to. We go off of what they say. We’re also in the process of being certified through I-CAR now that we’ve got some new brands since McLarty Daniel bought this dealership. We picked up Ford, Nissan and some other brands, so we have to get certifications in those car lines too so we can be manufacturer recommended.” When a customer buys a new car, they have the manufacturer’s assurance that every bolt, nut and part has been installed correctly and double checked. After a collision repair, however — a process that can mean taking a vehicle apart down to the frame — all the responsibility for the customer’s safety rests squarely on the shoulders of Castleman and his team. It’s a level of trust that Castleman respects, and which makes him hold himself and every member of his team to a higher standard. “It’s a lot to take in, but we check everything,” he said. “We test drive. We do everything we can on the front end. Obviously, in collision, there can be multiple things from the accident that you just can’t see, so we always try to let the customer know: if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us. We try to do the best we can on the front side, but you know your car better than we do. We always try to take care of that and make sure they understand that we’re not just ‘one and done.’ If you need anything from this point forward, we’re here to help.” Castleman said that there are plenty of benefits to having a collision center, service center and car dealership under one roof at McLarty Daniel CDJRF. If a customer buys a car and later has an accident, they can bring it back to the same dealership where they purchased their car, and work with the people they already trust. If he needs parts or technical expertise during a repair, he can walk fifty feet to the service center or parts counter and ask his colleagues for assistance. “If I need something from them, it’s nice to have them here,” he said. “Having a good relationship with the service department and the sales department is key to what I do.” In the end, it’s the friendships and trust he’s forged with the collision center team that keeps Castleman excited about coming to work. There’s a kind of art, he said, in seeing his team tackle a vehicle that might seem damaged beyond repair and later return it to the customer looking and driving as good as new. For him, that never gets old. Though he could clearly take his know-how and considerable expertise anywhere, he plans on staying with McLarty Daniel long term. “For me, this is my home,” he said. “Springdale and Northwest Arkansas, this is it for me. It’s the people. It’s the employees. It’s all my technicians. It’s home. I enjoy coming to work because of that. It’s kind of weird to say that, but when you work with people for so long, and you know you can trust them and they can trust you, it just makes your job a little bit easier.” Click here to visit our service center, or click here to fill out an application for financing