Rusty Eck Ford Omaha

Ford is putting a lot of stock into the new Escape hybrid models to bring the company out of a rut and into the forefront of the alternative fuel market. As a result, the Dearborn-based automaker is continually trying to make each new Escape model year even better than the one before. The 2009 models are no different. Here are some of the new and improved features you can expect from the ones coming to our local Ford dealers.

• A new six-speed automatic transmission instead of a four-speed automatic transmission will be standard on V6 models.
• A Duratec 2.5-liter engine gives the 2009 model a boost in horsepower by nearly 20 percent, or a total of 170 horsepower in the engine. This also increases the fuel efficiency by about one mile per gallon.
• Customers can choose the optional 3.0-liter Duratec 30 V6 engine. This gives the 2009 Escape an increase of about 30 horsepower for a total of 230hp. This also results in about a one-mile-per-gallon increase in fuel efficiency.
• Revised front and rear spoilers decrease the amount of “drag” while driving down the highway. This adds to the fuel efficiency, too.
• The 2009 Escape model features Ford’s new Easy-Fuel capless filling system. This means no more forgetting your cap on the roof of your car when you pull away from the gas station.
• SIRIUS Satellite Radio with a six-month complimentary subscription.

Many of these features are also available on a variety of other new Ford vehicles. See one of our local dealers today and get the latest technology and innovations on the market.

Everybody in today’s society is getting busier and busier. You see folks talking on their cell phones while driving, trying to catch up on the latest reports on the way to work and carrying their laptops everywhere they go. Ford drivers aren’t any different. That’s why the automaker is creating Ford vehicles that almost qualify as mobile offices in a pinch.

The Ford F-150 pickup trucks and commercial vans are going to have some very nifty features that make keeping in touch and doing some work easier. A computer mounted inside the dashboard will allow consumers to access the Internet from wherever they are (hopefully, they’ll pull over first if they’re driving). And a small battery-powered inkjet printer will be available for printing out those “need to have” pages in a matter of minutes.

Ford is calling this new optional package the Work Solutions Package. It was unveiled earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show, but the price of the package has not been released yet.

By now, you might be wondering who would use this type of technology. Since 40 percent of the United States commercial vehicle market buys their vehicles from Ford, it’s only logical that the automaker would look for more ways to make doing business easier. The company also reports that it sells 35 percent of its F-150 trucks to commercial customers.

Business owners that have fleets of vehicles will undoubtedly benefit from Ford’s new Work Solutions Package. The package also includes a radio-controlled tracking device so owners can keep track of where their vehicles are at all times. Delivery drivers will also have access to Mapquest and other mapping websites for finding locations faster and more efficiently.

With these and other innovations, it’s easy to see why Ford vehicles continue to be at the pinnacle of the commercial and consumer market.

For the last couple of years, consumer groups have been discussing what it takes for people to change their driving habits. Late last month, Edmunds.com released a study that stated drivers will begin looking for alternatives when the national gas price average exceeds $2.80.

I think that time has come. At least where I live, the average price has been well over $2.80 for at least a year. And it’s dancing dangerously close to that amount in other parts of the country, too. So now the question is: What will happen if prices reach $4.00 per gallon? Edmunds.com came up with a few things that could happen.

• The demand for hybrids would spike by about 502 percent.
• Demand for midsized SUVs will drop by about 35 percent, with interest in large SUVs and large trucks dropping by at least 34 percent and 26 percent respectively.
• Luxury car and luxury SUV demand will drop by about 15 percent.
• Consumers would focus more on a vehicle’s “perceived fuel efficiency” than its “actual fuel efficiency.”

Do you think your habits would change much if gas prices reached $4.00 per gallon in your area? Have you considered buying a hybrid or one of the more efficient Ford vehicles lately? I don’t think I’d be dusting off my mountain bike, but I might start thinking about my driving habits more consciously. I’d probably take fewer road trips and make an effort to combine my errands. But other than that, I don’t think I’ll be walking anywhere soon.

Maybe if it reaches $7.00 per gallon, I’ll be thinking of other alternatives.

One of the biggest myths in the car-selling industry is that most customers know exactly what they want when they visit a dealership.

In a report released by the online and print automotive publication Autotrader.com, more than 60 percent of consumers who are looking for vehicles online choose the “Search All” option rather than just the “New” or “Used” option. This means that they are typically open to which type of vehicles they purchase. They are simply looking for vehicles that meet their requirements. Whether they’re new or used doesn’t really matter.

Another figure released by Joe Lescota, Automotive Marketing Chair of Northwood University, states that 37 percent of used-car buyers originally planned on buying a new car when they went to the dealership. Why the change of heart?

Lescota attributes the fact that many people change their minds when they get to the dealership to the quality of the certified pre-owned vehicles that are available now. According to him, CPO programs bring “new-car confidence to used-car purchases.” As a result, people who would not even have considered buying used cars in the past are noticing the long-term reliability and the firm investment that used cars represent today. Lescota conducts seminars that teach dealers how to leverage this trend to increase their profits in ways they might not have contemplated  before.

If you invest in a Ford, you’re not only joining the trend of more people buying used cars. You’re also getting a quality vehicle that is designed to last for years to come. And if you have any doubts about that, simply look at the extended warranty that comes with your purchase. See what everybody else is noticing about Ford’s Certified Pre-Owned Program by visiting a dealer today!

Despite the efforts of the auto manufacturers to change the public’s mind concerning diesel engines, consumers are still less likely to buy them. On the other hand, the popularity of hybrid models continues to increase.

A research study done by Kelley Blue Book in January found that only six percent of car consumers would consider diesel engines to be a successful alternative to the mainstream engines that are in vehicles now. Other alternatives scored much higher among consumers when it came to the most confidence in other fuel sources. Here’s the breakdown:

• Hydrogen Fuel Cell: 20 percent
• Flexible Fuel Systems: 17 percent
• Hybrids: 40 percent

One of the interesting things that the study found, though, was that the interest in diesel fuel continues to decline among consumers while interest in hybrids continues to grow. Despite the new innovations in diesel engines, people still have the perception that they are loud, noisy and less fuel-efficient than other types of engines.

That’s bad news, because many automakers are turning to diesel engines for their alternative fuel solutions. With the new energy bill and increased consciousness about the environment, companies are clamoring to get the newest and greenest innovations on the market to gain consumer attention and loyalty. The first step in changing negative perceptions about diesel engines is education.

But for now, Ford has one of the leading hybrid models on the car market. The Ford Escape has continually made more advancements toward the greener side of the automobile industry with each new model year. The Mercury Mariner is also one of the leading hybrid Ford vehicles that environmentally-conscious consumers are buying every day. Stop in and see one of our local dealers and get one of these models today!

With talk of a recession and people trying to save money everywhere, letting your car’s fluids go unchecked is an option you just can’t afford. But many people are unaware of the best way to check fluids or even what to look for when they do check. If you own a Ford or another vehicle you’d like to keep for many years, preventative maintenance is essential to keep it running smoothly and prevent damage. Here are some tips for checking your transmission fluid so you’ll know exactly what you’re doing.

• Know what type of transmission fluid your vehicle uses. This might sound odd, but manual transmissions use a different kind than an automatic transmission. Check your owner’s manual to be sure which one your vehicle uses.

• For most vehicles, it’s best to check the transmission fluid while the engine is warm and running. Other vehicles require the engine to be turned off.

• Find the transmission fluid dipstick. Usually, it’s toward the back of the engine nearest the windshield, but every car is different.

• Pull the dipstick out and check the fluid level. There should be markings near the bottom of the dipstick to indicate where the operating level is and whether fluid needs to be added.

• Pull the dipstick out again to make sure your first reading was accurate.

• Wipe the dipstick onto a white piece of paper or paper towel. For most vehicles, it should be reddish and semi-transparent.

• Inspect for possible warning signs that could damage your transmission, including black flakes, black color or a burning smell. Take the vehicle to your nearest certified Ford dealer immediately as these could cause serious problems if not quickly addressed.

If your transmission fluid is low, you could have a leak. Transmission fluid doesn’t “burn” like oil does, so leaking is about the only way you could lose fluid over time.

• Add fluid in small amounts with a funnel. Keep checking the level to make sure you have the ideal level for operation.

Look for more tips this week to help prevent any unnecessary damage to your vehicle.

When you hear the word “fiesta,” you generally think of a party. And with the Ford Motor Company’s Fiesta model, the idea of a party isn’t too far off target.

Ford Europe is going to introduce the new and improved model at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show in March. The event takes place from March 6-16, to be exact. Although designed and developed in Europe, the Fiesta will be available for sale in markets like Asia, South Africa, Australia and the Americas between now and 2010. The Ford Fiesta is also the company’s first major product of global development, meaning that it will basically be available in its current format in a more widespread market.

According to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, the Fiesta strives to “create a world standard for small-car quality, design and comfort in a vehicle that is as exciting to drive as it is to look at.” In addition, Ford hopes that the Fiesta will bring a broader demographic to the small car market, including a younger crowd and buyers in places like Britain, Spain, and China.

But the Ford Fiesta is not new to the public. It has been around since 1976 and has enjoyed great success in the past. Last year, the model sold more than 378,000 units in Europe alone, making it the second-bestselling model after the Focus. The new Fiesta might be quite different from the older ones you remember, but the automaker wants to keep the name to build on its already successful brand recognition. Keep watching for one of these compact yet comfortable cars among the other Ford vehicles at one of our local dealerships.

The Ford Motor Company plans to unveil one of its new crossovers at the Geneva Auto Show. In addition to all of the other Ford vehicles already on the market, this one will likely amaze those who see it for the first time.

But it’s not completely new. Ford used its existing Focus platform as the basis for its new Kuga. The European car design also draws inspiration from the 2006 Iosis X Concept, another model released by Ford and featured at the Paris Auto Show only two years ago.

For the new Kuga, Ford offers an exciting new appearance, a metallic “electric white” color for the exterior. It was the same color used on the Iosis Concept vehicle and it was a hit with that model, too.

The new Kuga will get Ford’s new 2.0-liter Duratorq TDCi turbodiesel engine. With more than 130 horsepower and a six-speed transmission, it’s going to prove to be one of the automaker’s more popular vehicles.

Unfortunately, the Kuga might not ever make it to the North American market. Right now, Ford has slated it to be sold only in Europe as a direct competitor against the Toyota Rav4 and the Honda CR-V. It will be interesting to see how the competition plays out in the upcoming months as Ford continues to put itself back on top of the worldwide auto market.