Fuel Efficient Autos

Buying a certified used Ford auto is a great way to get a bargain on a quality vehicle. These used cars typically go through a rigorous process to ensure they are a higher quality than a regular used car. But it still helps to do you homework when buying one to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. Here are some things to do before driving one off the lot.

Consider getting a second opinion. Although the certified Ford mechanics have gone over every inch of the car, it doesn’t hurt to get an independent mechanic to take a peek. You can get a mechanic to test it out for less than $100.

Get a background check. Getting a vehicle history report from CarFax offers more peace of mind for your vehicle. As a certified used Ford auto, the vehicle should be accident-free. Doing your own research just makes you feel better about your purchase.

Ask for the checklist. Mechanics go through a rigorous checklist before slapping the “certified” label on a used Ford auto. Ask for a copy of the checklist so if something happens down the road, you’ll know if it was something that was checked or not.

Know the warranty. Certified vehicles almost always come with an extended warranty. Know what the warranty for your used Ford auto says before making your final decision.

Certified Ford cars are a great way to get a like-new car at a less expensive price. But taking a few precautions is ideal for added peace of mind.

Two Ford hybrid cars are getting some upgrades in order to improve their performance and keep them as efficient as possible. The 2009 Mercury Mariner and the Escape Ford hybrid cars (or compact SUVs, actually) are getting “upgraded engines, electronic controls and brakes.”

With the Ford Escape hybrid, the upgrades are going to increase its fuel economy by about one mile per gallon in the city. Its highway fuel economy, however, will stay the same at an impressive 34 mpg. The new engine includes increased horsepower with smoother acceleration to save fuel.

In addition to an upgraded engine, these two Ford hybrid cars are getting new computers that help them to transition when switching “from electric-only power to a combination of electric and gasoline.” This new feature is also going to help increase the gas mileage.

The third innovation for these Ford hybrid cars is the new brake sensors. The vehicles’ regenerative braking system stores energy from the brakes in the battery so they feel more like traditional brakes, giving the driver a better sense of control when stopping.

Prices for these upgraded 2009 Ford hybrid cars start at about $29,000 for the Escape. That’s just up a little from the 2008 prices of about $27,500. For the Mariner, the base price is just less than $30,000, up from about $28,000 in 2008. Check out these upgraded Ford cars and see how the automaker continues to increase the quality of its vehicles.

In a recent 2008 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition, two Wisconsin students impressed the judges with their victory. They led their “fully repaired 2008 Ford Focus to victory” in the 59th annual competition that gives the best technologically savvy students the chance to resolve automotive challenges that engineers face today. To encourage students to compete in this popular competition, the Ford Motor Company and AAA team up and provide $7 million in scholarships to several prize winners in the running.

Paul Bretl and Chris Cheek are the two winning students for this year. The two graduates of Wisconsin’s Grafton High School crossed the finish line just less than 74 minutes. To complete their creation, they “logged hundreds of hours” in recent months under the supervision of their instructor, Carl Hader. In addition to the scholarships, the two lucky winners also earned the chance to “job shadow” Ford’s Roush Fenway Racking No. 6 team for one week in North Carolina. They also served as “honorary members of the pit crew at the July 12 Spring Cup Series race” at the famous Chicagoland Speedway.

John Morse, the manager of the 2008 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition, had this to say about the winners: “Paul and Chris demonstrated they are the preeminent high school auto technicians in the country.” He also said that the 100 finalists “proved their expertise” and their ideas and enthusiasm are good signs for new Ford cars and the future of the auto industry.

Students from all 50 states competed in this 2008 Ford event which was held at the automaker’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.

Can you imagine being one of the first people to take the new Ford hybrid cars for a test drive? That’s exactly what the Ford Motor Company is letting many of its employees do with some of the hybrids and latest Ford cars to roll off the assembly line.

The new effort was designed to instill a renewed sense of confidence in Ford hybrid cars. It began earlier this month and ended yesterday, but not before some 4,000 regular employees and retirees were given the opportunity to enjoy the latest technology on a top-secret test track somewhere in the farthest reaches of Dearborn, Michigan.

But Ford hybrid cars weren’t the only new products they enjoyed. Some drivers were lucky enough to test drive the newest Mustang model and the new Fusion that won’t even hit dealer lots until next year. Heck, the public hasn’t even seen photos of some of the cars that they drove!

One major reason for giving employees and retirees this opportunity is to raise spirits and morale. Michigan’s economy isn’t exactly the best in the nation right now. People all around are losing their jobs and their homes every day. This was just one thing the Ford Motor Company could think of to help workers raise their spirits and look on the brighter side of their jobs.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’d feel pretty darn good taking a new Mustang out on a private test track for a couple hours.

One of the best things that the Ford Motor Company has done to increase confidence in its products once again was to offer a CPO program for its used Ford auto products. The new program took effect in 2005 and has done some wonderful things in terms of consumer perception of used Ford auto products and the company as a whole. Here are some of the finer points to look for with the CPO programs for used Ford cars.

A 169-point inspection from qualified mechanics – This inspection includes every area of the used Ford auto so you can be sure it’s of the highest quality when you drive it off the lot.

24-hour Roadside Assistance – Just because the automaker offers 24-hour roadside assistance doesn’t mean they expect their product to break down. It’s just another great feature so you can have peace of mind when you’re behind the wheel.

Comprehensive Warranty – Every Ford used auto purchased from the CPO program offers a six-year/100,000 mile warranty that covers the engine, transmission and much, much more.

Expense Reimbursement – Your roadside assistance plan offers a variety of expense reimbursements if your car should happen to break down while on vacation or away from home. Some of those reimbursements include lodging, meals and rental cars.

You get this and so much more when you purchase a CPO used Ford auto. Visit a dealer today and see the huge inventory of quality used cars that the company stands behind.

With the recent fuel crisis throughout the country, you can expect the 2008 Ford lineup to include thousands more compact and fuel-efficient vehicles. The Dearborn-based automaker has shifted its focus from the large trucks and SUVs to small cars to meet consumer demand and help create a better environment.

At Ford’s Louisville plant in Kentucky and Wayne plant in Michigan, the automaker expects to turn out about 300,000 small cars once they convert the machinery. According to officials, that will happen in 2010. “That’s the scale we need to get to,” said Joe Hinrichs, the company’s top manufacturing executive. Anything below that number won’t create a worthwhile profit for Ford.

Hinirchs also stated that the automaker could probably sell more than 300,000 2008 Ford Focus cars this year if it had that capacity to produce that many. This is one of the smallest and most efficient Ford cars on the market today and customers have already purchased more than 168,000 this year alone.

Recently, however, Ford announced that it could bring a number of smaller, more efficient models typically sold in the European market. Some of these 2008 Ford models include the Fiesta and others that are popular overseas.

Everybody knows that the Ford Motor Company has its work cut out for the next few years. Ford officials will be the first to admit that. But if history has any relevance, the 2008 Ford lineup will undoubtedly impress and the automaker is still going to be a force to be reckoned with in the auto industry. It always has been and it always will.

Some of the most loyal customers in the United States are those that own Ford hybrid cars, according to a recent study.

Nearly half of today’s car owners that buy a hybrid car return to the same make of car when it comes time for their next purchase. Only 37 percent of non-hybrid car owners come back to the same make of car when they purchase a new one. Eighteen percent come back to the same brand or company that made the car, compared with only 12 percent of non-hybrid car owners. That means the people who buy Ford hybrid cars keep coming back for more.

According to Scott Waldron, the president of Experian Automotive (the company that conducted the study), these results show that hybrid auto makers have an unmistakable advantage when it comes to “attracting and maintaining customers.” And since the overall loyalty toward car companies has been declining over the last several years, it’s an impressive achievement as well. Just one percentage point can equal thousands of sales.

The only group of buyers that was more loyal than owners of Ford hybrid cars was pickup truck owners. More than 30 percent of them always choose another pickup truck while only 25 percent of hybrid owners always bought another hybrid.

Still, the Experian Automotive said that hybrids are the “fastest-growing segment on the market” with an increase of 130 percent in sales from 2005 through June of 2008. Why not be a part of this loyal group? Visit a dealer today and see the hybrid Ford cars that are available for you. Once you see what the hybrid is all about, you may never go back!

It’s not on the North American market yet, but the Australian 2008 Ford Falcon recently received a five-star crash rating, one of the best safety awards a car can get.

With the five-star rating, the 2008 Ford Falcon is on the same level as many elite-brand luxury vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz and others. The rating also puts the 2008 Falcon ahead of many of its local rivals.

In order to get the coveted five-star rating, the 2008 Ford Falcon went through a variety of tests, including impact collisions on the front and around the sides. Researchers took note of the available safety features, such as airbags, seat belts and electronic stability control.

The 2008 Ford Falcon isn’t alone, though. Other popular Ford cars in the North American market have also received the five-star rating. The 2009 Ford Flex also received this rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. It also earned a four-star rollover rating for all-wheel drive and front-wheel driver versions. The Ford Taurus and the Taurus X have also received similar high ratings for its development of safety features.

These and other awards just go to show that even 2008 Ford cars are “Built Ford Tough.” Isn’t it time you took one for a test drive today?

Wouldn’t it be cool if Ford hybrid cars made an appearance at this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise? The popular event has always been a showcase of the best classic automobiles and muscle cars that American car companies have offered. But some are expecting some new Ford hybrid cars to be a part of the Dream Cruise this weekend.

Actually, if you’re attending the Cruise this year and you want to see some Ford hybrid cars and other “green” vehicles, the NextCruise is where you’ll want to be. This event takes place during the same weekend as the Woodward Cruise, but it will be held on the west side of Woodward in Pleasant Ridge, a suburb of Detroit.

The new Ford hybrid cars and others will be showcased for people who are simply curious about the new advancements in auto technology and those looking to buy one of these Ford cars. The organizers of the NextCruise aren’t trying to “show up” the Dream Cruise, but they feel this event creates a well-rounded exhibition that shows the past, present and future of the auto industry in Detroit and in North America.

If you’re in the southeastern Michigan area this weekend, why not check out both events? They’ll give you a new appreciation for the auto industry – where it’s been, where it is and where it’s going.

When you think of a used Ford auto, you might think of a rusted old clunker. After all, that’s the reputation that Ford has had in recent years. But if you attend the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise this Saturday near Detroit, you’ll see the best in used Ford auto products ever made.

The event that started out small and almost unnoticed nearly 15 years ago has now become one of the biggest events in the Detroit metropolitan area. In fact, the Woodward Dream Cruise drew more than one million spectators last year to watch more than 40,000 classic cars, many of them were used Ford auto products that have stood the test of time. As one of the most popular events in the city, one article described it like this: “This auto crazed town salutes its past once a year with enough polished relics of its glory days to melt a glacier as it celebrates the era when Detroit iron ruled Woodward and the world.”

The actual event takes place on Saturday, but there are many more sanctioned and unsanctioned events in which owners of Ford cars and other enthusiasts can participate. And with the nice people in and around Detroit (no, that wasn’t sarcasm), everybody is bound to have a great time regardless of their reason for attending.