Monday, November 28, 2011

Ford Super Duty Named Best Resale Value For Third Year In A Row!

The Ford Super Duty has been named the “Best Resale Value” for the third year In a row!

Capable of towing 12,000 pounds or hauling nearly 3,000 pounds of payload, the Ford Super Duty comes with two powerful engine choices, plenty of options, and interior choices that range from basic and easy-to-clean, to limousine-like decadence -- making it what many consider the best full-size heavy duty pickup, and the best full-size pickup overall when it comes to resale value. The F-Series Super Duty has won Kelly Blue Book’s 2012 Best Resale Value Award for full-size pickupsTake your pickBest-in-Class Max Towing & Horsepower/Torque or ever-lasting Built Ford Tough durability – all guarantee a superior customer value for the long haul.

Get the facts: http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/best-resale-value-awards/best-resale-full-size-pickup-truck/

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Ford Makes The List of “10 Cars That Make Us Thankful”

Check out what MSN Autos call the “10 cars that make us thankful.”



After several years of a recession-induced drought, the automotive industry is once again fertile, spilling forth a cornucopia of great cars for buyers to feast on. And that's perfect, because with Thanksgiving near, it's the time of year to feast till you drop. Whether your budget is big or small, the caliber of new offerings is so impressive that it's almost hard to go wrong, no matter what car you choose. But some vehicles stand out for one reason or another, whether for their looks, performance or what they represent. Here are 10 new vehicles we are glad exist. They're not necessarily the absolute best in their respective categories, but life would be a lot worse without them. So we give thanks.
Ford Mustang Boss 302
This all-American badass proves that the modern-day muscle car is very much alive and kicking butt. What a relief, because just a few years ago its future looked bleak. Ford's Boss 302 is the latest addition to the Mustang lineup. Its 5.0-liter 444-horsepower V8 engine sits right between the 412-horsepower engine in the Mustang GT and the supercharged 5.4-liter 550-horsepower V8 of the Shelby GT500. It's $7,000 more than the GT and $8,000 less the Shelby — and worth every penny. With adjustable shock absorbers, beefed-up brakes, racing seats and other go-fast parts, the Boss is as close to a race-ready Mustang as you can get straight from the dealer.

Read more: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/10-cars-that-make-us-thankful#2

Monday, November 14, 2011

Lincoln Teams With Hearst Magazines For “New Century Craftsmanship Idea Series”

The cool part is you can purchase hand-crafted luxury items created by the artists featured when you watch the web videos.

Lincoln and Hearst Magazines are launching a print and online series that focuses on the craftsmanship of luxury. Renowned artisans are featured, including chef Richard Blais, jewelry designer Karen Erickson, and men’s fashion designer Kevin Stewart. Each shares their outlook on how traditional ideas can evolve into something new for today’s luxury consumer.

The New Century Craftsmanship Idea Series was created to engage with readers in ways that inform, enlighten, and bring new focus to notable artisans who understand key elements of luxury and constantly innovate for their craft in unique ways.

As part of the New Century Craftsmanship Idea Series, Lincoln and Hearst will run print ads in issues of select Hearst magazines.

“True craftsmanship starts with personal experiences that inspire creativity in taking ideas to the next level,” said Lincoln’s Wolff. “Driving a Lincoln is an extension of the individual, and we create luxury by giving people personal experiences that transcend just driving an automobile – much like crafting jewelry, food or men’s shirts.”

Read more: http://www.lincolninthenews.com/lincoln-teams-with-hearst-magazines-for-new-century-craftsmanship-idea-series/

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Winter Car Maintenance Tips

Here are some good winter car care tips.

 

1.  As you tackle fall's bounty on your lawn, leave some energy for removing the leaves that find their way into your vehicle.
Leaves, twigs and other organic matter can cause havoc with gutters on your house — and the equivalent on your car. When debris builds up in areas of your car where water is supposed to flow out, you can get leaks or corrosion. The air plenum near the windshield is a classic spot where this can happen. If you have a sunroof, open it up and poke around in there, too. Sunroofs have drains that flow water that sneaks past the seals down to the ground. Leaf gunk in there can make for wet headliners or worse. Less common, but more problematic: Animals may make nests in the engine compartment or airbox. You may need a mechanic and an animal trapper to fully solve this problem.

2. So-called "all-season" tires have been on the market for decades. Coupled with front-wheel-drive and anti-skid systems, they have allowed many folks to avoid mounting a true snow tire for the winter months. But there are two trends in tires you should be aware of:
A) Styling priorities have led to manufacturers fitting wider, low-profile tires on a variety of cars. Wide and low profile, on balance, makes a tire worse in the snow. Pressures to improve tire fuel economy have also worked against the snow utility of all-seasons.
B) Winter tires have improved their behavior from the era of knobby snow tires. New tread patterns and rubber compounds make them quieter on dry roads, yet even more effective on frozen stuff.
If you choose to go with winter tires, note that vendors such as The Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct offer packages with the tires already mounted on a new set of wheels. Switching the entire wheel for the winter is more cost-effective than having two sets of tires mounted on your existing wheels twice a year.

3. Fog, snow and rain will cut down your visibility in winter. Check your wiper blades, which have a lifespan of about a year. If your car doesn’t have the newer "beam blade" style wipers, consider a pair, especially for the winter months. The beam style blades don't have an external spring to freeze up. When snow or other freezing precipitation threaten, pop your wipers up when you park so they're not touching the windshield. This little trick will make it easier to scrape your windshield and reduce the chance that you burn out the wiper motor by having them turn on while the blades are frozen in place.

4. Winter puts more stress on your battery, particularly if you park your car outdoors. Avoid the sinking feeling of hearing nothing when you hit the ignition with a proactive check of your battery and charging system now. Repair shops don't usually charge very much to load-test your battery, and some car-parts stores will do it for free. If you find out your battery's going south, you can replace it at your convenience, instead of being at the mercy of whomever your dead car’s been towed to. Note that some big-box stores such as Costco offer a good price on batteries for those of you willing to change one yourself (not usually all that hard, though batteries are heavy.)

5. To improve aerodynamics and save fuel, today’s cars are equipped with increasingly elaborate underbody panels and low-hanging air dams. These can be vulnerable to damage, and driving over a snowdrift in the winter could turn a small problem into a more expensive one. So before the ground’s too chilly to lie on, take a look under the car, starting from the front, to see if there's anything loose flapping about. Maybe you can just pop it back into place. Maybe a zip tie will take care of it.

 

Read more: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/winter-car-maintenance-tips.html

Friday, November 4, 2011

Ford’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ Technology Helps Teens Focus on Driving

Great news for parents! Would you use this technology for your children?

The safety of teen drivers remains a top priority for Ford, with the automaker’s manager of Safety Planning and Strategy, Andy Sarkisian, recently saying: “We are continually listening to our customers and responding to parents’ desire to make sure their kids are paying attention to the road, not their cell phone.”

The latest Ford effort? Building on its innovative MyKey system, which already has made a name for itself by helping parents eliminate potential driving distractions when teens are behind the wheel, the company will launch an innovative “Do Not Disturb” functionality on the 2012 Ford Explorer. This new feature operates in tandem with MyKey and Ford SYNC to block incoming cell phone calls and texts, allowing young drivers to keep their attention where it belongs—on the road. Phone calls are sent to voicemail, while texts are saved. And the system still allows voice-activated out-going calls, including, if necessary, those from SYNC’s 911 Assist emergency-calling feature.

MyKey also retains parent-friendly functions like the ability to:

  • Limit a vehicle’s top speed
  • Set audible alerts for the driver if the vehicle surpasses a certain speed
  • Mute the audio system unless/until front occupants buckle their safety belts
  • Block adult programming from satellite radio channels
  • Limit the maximum volume of the sound system
  • Prevent deactivation of the vehicle’s traction control system
  • Turn on the low-fuel warning light with 75 miles of driving range remaining, providing an early notification that it’s time to fill up

“Adding Do Not Disturb to MyKey is yet another way Ford is helping parents to encourage their kids to drive safer,” added Sarkisian. “Our dealers tell us that when they have a buyer with kids in the house and they mention the MyKey feature, every single one of them says, ‘How do I turn that on?’ Customers are very happy with the feature.”

Follow the link for a video explaining Ford MyKey

Read more: http://www.fordinthenews.com/ford%E2%80%99s-do-not-disturb-technology-helps-teens-focus-on-driving/

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