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United Auto Sales Celebrates Our July Gas Card Giveaway Winners!

At United Auto Sales, we love finding new ways to thank our customers for choosing us, and our July Gas Card Giveaway Sales Event was the perfect way to celebrate two incredible milestones! Throughout the month of July, we celebrated America's 250th birthday alongside United Auto Sales' 81st anniversary by giving every customer who purchased a pre-owned vehicle an automatic entry to win a gas card. It was our way of saying thank you for supporting a locally owned dealership that has proudly served the Mohawk Valley for more than eight decades. After another exciting month of helping drivers find quality used cars, trucks, and SUVs, we're thrilled to announce our winners! Congratulations to Our Winners! 🎉 Anthony Trophia 🎉 Jennifer Storey Congratulations to both of our lucky winners! We hope you enjoy your gas cards and appreciate you choosing United Auto Sales for your recent vehicle purchase. Thank You to Everyone Who Participated We want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who purchased a vehicle during our July sales event. Whether you drove home in your first car, upgraded your family's SUV, or found the perfect truck, we're honored that you trusted United Auto Sales to help you every step of the way. Our customers are the reason we've proudly served the Mohawk Valley for 81 years, and we're grateful for every opportunity to earn your business. The Relationship Doesn't End at the Sale When you purchase from United Auto Sales, you're joining a dealership family that's committed to supporting you long after you drive off the lot. From routine maintenance like oil changes, tire rotations, brake service, battery replacements, inspections, and multi-point vehicle checks, our experienced service team is here to help keep your vehicle running at its best for years to come. Thank You for Celebrating With Us From everyone at United Auto Sales, thank you for making our July Gas Card Giveaway a success and congratulations once again to Anthony and Jennifer! If you're searching for a dependable used car, truck, or SUV in the Mohawk Valley, stop by United Auto Sales and discover why generations of drivers have trusted us since 1945. We proudly serve customers from Utica, New Hartford, Rome, Herkimer, Ilion, Whitesboro, Yorkville, Clinton, Oneida, and communities throughout Central New York.

Steet Ponte Auto Group Team at the 2026 Mohawk Valley Community Choice Awards

Steet Ponte Auto Group & United Auto Sales Honored with Five 2026 Mohawk Valley Community Choice Awards

The Steet Ponte Auto Group and United Auto Sales are incredibly honored and grateful to announce that we have been named winners in every automotive category we were nominated for in the 2026 Mohawk Valley Community Choice Awards! This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the support of our amazing customers, friends, families, and community members who took the time to vote, share our posts, and continue placing their trust in us year after year. 2026 Mohawk Valley Community Choice Award Winners We're proud to have earned the following awards: 🏆 Best Used Car Dealer 🏆 Best New Car Dealer 🏆 Best Repair Shop 🏆 Best Oil Change 🏆 Best Salesperson – Vinny Ward of Steet Ponte Chevy These awards reflect the relationships we've built with generations of families throughout the Mohawk Valley and the commitment our employees bring to work every single day. Thank You for Believing in Us From all of us at United Auto Sales and every dealership within the Steet Ponte Auto Group, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this year's voting. Whether you've purchased your first vehicle from us, trusted our service department to keep your vehicle running its best, recommended us to family and friends, or simply shared one of our Community Choice Award posts, you helped make this possible. These awards belong just as much to our customers as they do to our team. Serving the Mohawk Valley Since 1945 For generations, the Steet Ponte Auto Group has been committed to making vehicle ownership easy, transparent, and enjoyable. Today, our family of dealerships proudly includes: Steet Toyota of Johnstown Steet Toyota of Yorkville Steet Ponte Chevy Steet Ponte Ford Steet Ponte Lincoln Steet Ponte Volkswagen Steet Ponte Nissan Steet Ponte Mazda United Auto Sales Every member of our team shares the same goal: providing exceptional customer service before, during, and long after the sale. Whether you're shopping for a new vehicle, searching for a quality used car, truck, or SUV, scheduling routine maintenance, or visiting one of our award-winning service departments, we're honored to be your trusted automotive partner. Our Community Is the Reason We Do What We Do As a family-owned business, we've always believed that our success is directly tied to the strength of the communities we serve. Supporting local schools, youth sports, charities, first responders, nonprofits, and community events has been a core part of who we are for decades. From our family to yours, thank you for your trust, your loyalty, and your continued support. We truly would not be where we are today without you. We look forward to continuing to serve drivers throughout Utica, Rome, New Hartford, Herkimer, Ilion, Little Falls, Johnstown, Gloversville, Amsterdam, Oneida, and communities across the Mohawk Valley for many years to come. See Why Our Customers Always Say... "It's so easy to do business with the Steet Ponte Auto Group!"

Steet Ponte Auto Group Ski Trip

Steet Ponte Auto Group Hits the Slopes for Our 6th Annual Company Ski & Snowboard Trip!

The Steet Ponte Auto Group team traded in the showroom floors for the ski slopes on Sunday, March 1st, as employees from across all of our dealerships gathered for our 6th Annual Company Ski & Snowboard Trip at beautiful Gore Mountain in North Creek, NY. This annual tradition has become a favorite event for our team, giving everyone the chance to step away from the busy winter sales season and enjoy a day outdoors together. Employees spent the day skiing and snowboarding across the mountain, taking in the incredible views and enjoying some of the best conditions of the season. After a winter filled with epic snowfall, the trails at Gore Mountain were in fantastic shape. Combined with the spring-like weather and sunshine, it made for a perfect day on the mountain. Whether team members were seasoned skiers/snowboarders or just getting comfortable on the slopes, everyone had a great time enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful Adirondack scenery. Midday, the group gathered for lunch at The Tannery Restaurant, where everyone warmed up, shared stories from the slopes, and enjoyed a relaxing break before heading back out for more skiing in the afternoon. Events like our annual ski trip are a great reminder of how special the Steet Ponte Auto Group team truly is. We’re proud to create opportunities for our employees from all eight stores to connect, build friendships, and make memories outside of work. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us this year and helped make the day so much fun. We’re grateful to be able to host this tradition and are already looking forward to hitting the slopes again next year for our 7th Annual Company Ski Trip! 🎿❄️

Steet Ponte Night 1 at the Utica Comets Game

A Night of Hockey, Smiles & Family Fun at Our Second Comets Family Night

As part of our continued sponsorship with the Utica Comets, we’re proud to offer two “Kids Night Out” games each season, special nights dedicated to our employees and their families. After a great first event back in November, we were excited to host our second Family Night on January 25th, when the Comets took on the Syracuse Crunch —and it did not disappoint. These nights are all about creating memorable experiences for our Auto Group families. Employees and their kids enjoyed tickets to the game, the thrill of participating in the High Five Tunnel as players were announced onto the ice, and an exciting ride on the Zamboni. From puck drop to the final buzzer, the arena was filled with smiles, cheers, and plenty of Comets pride. We’re so grateful to be able to provide opportunities like this for our team and their families. Nights like these remind us that our Auto Group is more than just where we work, it’s a community. We’re already looking forward to the next Kids Night Out and continuing to make memories together at the Adirondack Bank Center. 🏒💙

Neighborhood Center and Steet Ponte Auto Group Holiday Gift Drive

Wrapping Up the Steet Ponte Auto Group’s 18th Annual Adopt-A-Family Holiday Gift Drive

The Steet Ponte Auto Group is proud to share the successful conclusion of our 18th Annual Adopt-A-Family Holiday Gift Drive, and once again, our community truly showed up in an incredible way. This year, we collected gifts for families across Oneida and Herkimer Counties through our longtime partner, The Neighborhood Center. This outstanding nonprofit organization operates out of the North Utica Community Center and plays a vital role in supporting families in need, especially during the holiday season, when the demand for assistance is at its highest. Thanks to the generosity of our customers, employees, and community members, we collected a total of 619 gifts, with 470 gifts donated directly to The Neighborhood Center to support local families. On delivery day, our team had the opportunity to tour their Gift Donation area, and the experience was nothing short of humbling. The space was filled with thousands of gifts, thoughtfully organized to ensure families receive what they need. One area contained gifts that were fully sorted, bagged, and ready to be distributed within the next 24 hours. Another section was dedicated to gifts designated for families scheduled to come in the following days. There were also tables filled with gifts available for families who were unable to sign up ahead of time allowing parents to “shop” for their children and ensure no one was left without something special for the holidays. Seeing the care, organization, and compassion behind this operation was truly heartwarming. It was a powerful reminder of the impact that comes from a community working together to support one another. We are beyond grateful to The Neighborhood Center for the incredible work they do, and to everyone who helped make this year’s Adopt-A-Family Gift Drive such a success. Whether you donated a gift, shared our posts, or helped spread the word. Giving back has always been at the heart of the Steet Ponte Auto Group, and we are honored to continue this tradition for the 18th year. Thank you for helping us make the holidays brighter for families throughout Oneida and Herkimer Counties. ❤️

United Auto Sales Launches Our Final Holiday Drive: The 2025 Adopt-A-Family Gift Drive

The Steet Ponte Auto Group is proud to announce the start of our final holiday drive of the season —our beloved Adopt-A-Family Gift Drive! For over 18 years, our dealerships have partnered with local organizations to help provide gifts, essentials, and holiday cheer to children and families in need. This year, we’re thrilled to continue that tradition across all eight Steet Ponte locations. 🎄 Who We’re Supporting This Year Each store in our Auto Group is adopting children and families in their local communities: Steet Toyota of Johnstown This year, Steet Toyota of Johnstown is adopting children through Gloversville Schools and Amsterdam Schools, helping bring holiday joy to students right here in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. All Other Steet Ponte Stores The remaining seven dealerships are adopting families through The Neighborhood Center in Oneida and Herkimer Counties: Steet Ponte Chevy United Auto Sales of Utica Steet Ponte Volkswagen Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln Steet Ponte Mazda Steet Toyota of Yorkville Steet Ponte Nissan Thanks to these incredible partnerships, we’re able to connect directly with families who need a little extra support this holiday season. 🎁 How to Participate Every dealership has the same festive setup and an easy way for you to donate: 1. Find the Christmas Tree in Our Showroom Each store features a decorated tree covered in green gift tags. 2. Choose a Tag Each tag represents a local child and includes: A wish-list item Their age Clothing sizes (if needed) 3. Purchase the Gift Shop for the item listed on the tag—big or small, every gift matters. 4. Return the Gift Unwrapped Bring the unwrapped gift back to the tree, making sure the tag stays attached so it reaches the right child. 5. Optional: Donate Wrapping Supplies We are also collecting: Wrapping paper Gift bags Tape These donations help the receiving families wrap gifts in their own special way. ❤️ Thank You for Making the Holidays Brighter The Steet Ponte Auto Group is endlessly grateful for the generosity our community shows year after year. Whether you pick a tag, donate wrapping supplies, or help spread the word, you’re making the holidays brighter for local children and families who need it most. Our Adopt-A-Family Gift Drive ends on THURSDAY, December 18th! Please return all gifts before that date. Thank you for helping us support our neighborhoods, spread kindness, and share the magic of the holiday season. Happy Holidays from the entire Steet Ponte Auto Group!

Steet Ponte Auto Group Delivering Food Donations to Feed our Vets

United Auto Sales of Utica Gives Thanks for a Successful Thanksgiving Food Drive

United Auto Sales of Utica is excited to join the celebration of our 13th Annual Steet Ponte Auto Group Thanksgiving Food Drive! With all eight stores combined, we proudly collected 4,000 food items for Feed Our Vets of Central New York, Fulton County Veterans, and the Vet to Vet Program. Our customers, staff, and community members showed incredible generosity once again. Whether it was one can, one case, or a share on social media—every act of support helped us reach this amazing total and provide essential food assistance to Veterans and their families. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed. We’re honored to be part of such a caring community and look forward to continuing this tradition of giving for years to come.

United Auto Sales of Utica Halloween 2025!

Steet Ponte Auto Group’s 12th Annual Halloween Costume Contest Was a Spooktacular Success!

We’re 12 years strong with our Annual Halloween Costume Contest, and this year was another blast! Every year, we love seeing how creative, funny, and inventive our employees can be with their costumes — and 2025 did not disappoint. From solo outfits to entire store groups getting into the spirit, the competition was fierce and the results were amazing. For the past several years, our contest categories have been judged by none other than Joe Steet Sr. and Steve Ponte Sr., and this year, our winners are: 🎨 Best DIY: Rain Storm — Suzi Smith, Steet Ponte VW 😂 Funniest: Technician Bananas — Steet Toyota Yorkville 📺 Best Pop Culture: Pirates of the Caribbean — Liz Uebelhoer & Will Marriott, Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln ✨ Most Creative: Moana Family — Josh Perez, Steet Ponte Chevy 👥 Best Group: Crayon Box — Steet Ponte Nissan (entire store dressed up!) 🏆 Joe’s Favorite: 50’s Sock Hop — Cyndi Wilson, United Auto Sales 🌸 Steve’s Favorite: 70’s Hippie — Amy Biggie, Steet Toyota Johnstown From clever DIY costumes to full-group efforts, our employees never fail to impress. The creativity, humor, and teamwork shown in this year’s contest reflect the fun-loving spirit that makes our Steet Ponte Auto Group family so special. A huge congratulations to all of our winners and participants — your efforts helped make this another memorable and festive Halloween across all of our stores. We can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with for next year’s 13th Annual Costume Contest!

United Auto Sales Thanksgiving Food Drive Set Up 2025

United Auto Sales' 13th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive: Supporting Feed Our Vets of Central New York

United Auto Sales and the Steet Ponte Auto Group is proud to announce our 13th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, happening now across all of our dealership locations — Steet Ponte Chevy in Herkimer, United Auto Sales of Utica, Steet Ponte Volkswagen, Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln, Steet Ponte Mazda, Steet Toyota of Yorkville, and Steet Ponte Nissan! This year, we’re honored to partner with Feed Our Vets of Central New York, a wonderful nonprofit food pantry dedicated to providing food assistance to Veterans and their families in need. Their mission to support those who have served our country is one that deeply resonates with our entire team, and we’re excited to help make a difference this holiday season and beyond. Each of our showrooms has a vehicle set up and ready to be filled with nonperishable food donations! The organization has shared a few of their most needed items, including: Hearty soups Canned meats Pasta and sauce Bisquick and syrup Nonperishable fruits and vegetables Your donations will go directly to helping local Veterans and their families — not only during the Thanksgiving season, but well after the holidays end. 🦃 Our Food Drive is happening NOW through Monday, November 24th at 10AM! And as a special thank-you, if you bring in 3 or more nonperishable items to our Service Department, you’ll receive $10 off your service visit! Just show your donation to our Service Department team to redeem your discount. (Offer valid through 11/24.) Join us in giving back to those who’ve given so much. Every can, box, or bag of food helps us get one step closer to filling our vehicles — and filling the shelves at Feed Our Vets of Central New York. From all of us at the Steet Ponte Auto Group family, thank you for helping make this season brighter for our local Veterans and their families.

Coats for Kids Coat Drive 2025 - United Auto Sales

A Record-Breaking 8th Annual Coats for Kids Drive!

The Steet Ponte Auto Group is thrilled to share the incredible success of our 8th Annual Coats for Kids Coat Drive — and this year was truly one for the record books! Thanks to the amazing generosity of our customers, employees, and community members, we collected an astounding 1,425 items of winter outerwear! That includes: 🧥 444 winter coats 🧤 819 hats and gloves 🧣 12 scarves ❄️ 7 snow suits 👢 2 pairs of boots When we first started this initiative eight years ago, our entire group collected around 250 total items between all eight stores. To see that number multiply by seven is nothing short of incredible! This year, we donated to: Utica, Rome, Herkimer, Frankfort, CVA, Mayfield and Gloversville Elementary Schools! From Steet Ponte Chevy in Herkimer, Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln, Steet Ponte Mazda, Steet Ponte VW, Steet Toyota of Yorkville, Steet Ponte Nissan, Steet Toyota of Johnstown, and United Auto Sales of Utica, our entire dealership family is so proud and grateful for everyone who donated or helped us spread the word. We know how cold Central New York winters can be, and these coats, hats, and gloves will make such a difference for local kids — helping them start their school day warm and comfortable, and giving them the chance to play outside at recess or after school with smiles on their faces. To everyone who contributed, thank you for your kindness and community spirit. Your support continues to make this annual effort bigger and more impactful every year, and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together next time! ❤️ From all of us at the Steet Ponte Auto Group — thank you for helping keep local kids warm this winter!

United Auto Sales Coats for Kids coat Drive

United Auto Sales Launches 8th Annual Coats for Kids Drive

To benefit Utica & Rome Elementary Schools The Steet Ponte Auto Group is proud to announce the return of our 8th Annual Coats for Kids Coat Drive! As the colder months approach, we are once again collecting NEW winter outerwear in any children’s size to help keep local kids warm this winter. We invite our community to join us in this mission by donating coats, snow pants, boots, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves. Donations can be dropped off at United Auto Sales located at 4994 Commercial Drive in Yorkville —just look for the specially designated vehicle or drop-off area in our showrooms. How We’re Giving Back This year, each of our stores is partnering with schools in their community to directly support local families in need: Steet Toyota of Johnstown – donating to Mayfield and Gloversville Elementary Schools Steet Ponte Chevy (Herkimer) – donating to Herkimer, CVA, and Frankfort Elementary Schools Yorkville stores (United Auto Sales of Utica, Steet Ponte VW, Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln, Steet Ponte Mazda, Steet Toyota of Yorkville, and Steet Ponte Nissan) – donating to Utica and Rome City Schools How You Can Help If you’d like to participate, simply bring a donation of new children’s winter outerwear to any of our dealerships. Whether it’s a warm coat, sturdy boots, or cozy mittens, every item will help make a difference for a child in our community. Together, with your help, we can ensure that kids across the Mohawk Valley and Fulton County stay warm, safe, and ready to learn this winter.

Steet Ponte Auto Group employees packing backpacks with supplies for the 2nd Annual Steet Ponte Auto Group School Supplies Drive

United Auto Sales Hosts 2nd Annual Backpack & School Supplies Drive

At United Auto Sales, giving back to our community is at the heart of what we do. This August, our dealerships came together for our 2nd Annual Backpack & School Supplies Drive —and we’re thrilled to share the impact it made! With generous donations collected across all eight of our dealerships, we were able to purchase and deliver over 500 backpacks, each filled with essential school supplies, to local elementary students. Our goal was simple: to help students in need start the school year strong and on the right foot—and thanks to our team and community, we did just that. One Friday, a dedicated group of our employees rolled up their sleeves and spent the day packing the backpacks with everything a student might need: Notebooks Folders Pencils Crayons A ruler Glue sticks Erasers Highlighters A pencil pouch Each dealership then proudly donated the backpacks to local schools in their community: United Auto Sales, Steet Ponte VW, Steet Ponte Ford Lincoln, Steet Ponte Mazda, Steet Toyota of Yorkville, and Steet Ponte Nissan: 250 backpacks to the Utica City School District We are incredibly proud of our team and grateful for everyone who contributed to make this initiative possible. Education is one of the most powerful tools for a brighter future, and we’re honored to support local students as they head back into the classroom this school year. Here’s to another successful drive—and to continuing our tradition of giving back to the communities we serve!

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