Rusty Eck Ford Omaha

If you’ve seen the Ford Flex, you’ve probably noticed that the top is fairly plain. It’s a perfect place to express yourself! That’s what Ford officials were thinking when they introduced the “Cool Lid” project with artist Tristan Eaton at the New York International Auto Show earlier this month.

The project includes a one-of-a-kind painting on the rooftop of the Ford Flex. To showcase this feature, Ford displayed a painted rooftop propped up on its side next to a plain rooftop to give visitors an idea of the difference. It also showed how cool and expressive the painted tops were compared to the plain, boring ones.

Tristan Eaton, the creator of the painted rooftops, is a 29-year-old artist who founded ThunderDog Studios, a creative agency and toy brand in the New York area. Before designing the eye-catching rooftops for the Ford Flex, he created several artistic pieces for city streets, galleries and several other venues that were proud to display his talents. Two other vehicle customizers, Chip Foose and Funkmaster Flex, have also created unique rooftops for the Ford Flex models.

These Ford vehicles will be available at dealers across the nation in summer 2008. It’s a crossover model that combines the efficiency and compactness of a smaller vehicle with the usability and flexibility of a larger SUV-type vehicle. Unfortunately, the unique rooftops won’t be available with the models sold at the dealerships. If you want to have a uniquely-painted rooftop, you’ll have to commission an artist to do it or try to do it yourself.

If you’ve ever visited New York City or seen a shot of it on television, you have probably noticed a sea of yellow taxis. That’s because there are more than 12,000 of these yellow vehicles on the NYC roads. And each of those 12,000 taxis is guzzling up the gas and creating a great deal of pollution throughout the city and the entire state.

That’s exactly why the Ford Motor Company wants to put some of its concept taxi vehicles on NYC streets. These smaller cars not only take up les room than the current taxis but also boast roomier interiros for carrying more passengers and baggage.

In addition to the space-saving capabilities, these yellow Ford vehicles use 30 percent less fuel because of the more efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. Compared to what the current fleet expels, that means 90 percent less exhaust fumes going into the air.  And getting 19 mpg through the city is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Taxi drivers also get a bonus with these efficient vehicles. An in-dash computer gives drivers access to the latest and most accurate traffic, weather and navigation information. If there’s a traffic jam or an accident, the computer alerts drivers to the location so they can avoid it and take a different route. This works out better for everybody involved. Passengers won’t need to pay a higher rate for remaining longer in traffic, and drivers can pick up more fares during the course of a day.

That’s not even mentioning the potential for cleaner air.

If you have a quality Ford, you might not know that you can add many aftermarket accessories to it. By doing so, you can get a lot more enjoyment out of your vehicle for years to come. If your used vehicle doesn’t come with a factory-installed GPS, you can get one installed. In fact, many car owners prefer an aftermarket GPS for several reasons, including:

• An aftermarket GPS is typically less expensive than a factory-installed unit. Manufacturers often increase the price because it seems like such a small expense compared to the overall price of the vehicle.

• Aftermarket units have more feature options.  You can find ones that offer live traffic reports, weather reports, satellite radio, MP3 player integration and several other features.

• You can transfer add-ons to other vehicles. This comes in handy if you often rent vehicles or if you want to lend your GPS unit to somebody.

• Mapping updates are generally less expensive for aftermarket units than they are for factory-installed units.

• Aftermarket units are typically more intuitive because they reflect the latest technology.

Of course, there are some drawbacks to an aftermarket unit, but luckily the disadvantages are fewer than the advantages.  These factors might make you think twice about getting a GPS unit installed after you purchase the vehicle:

• Finding a place to mount the unit might be difficult because it can’t interfere with the airbag deployment.

• An aftermarket unit is easier to steal. You can hide it when you get out of your car, but the mounting bracket shows that you have a GPS unit somewhere in your vehicle.

Have you ever thought about adding spoilers to your Ford? Chances are that you’ve seen these contraptions on other cars traveling down the road. And you’ve definitely seen these if you’ve ever watched a NASCAR race. But you might not know exactly what they do (besides make a car look uber cool).

Spoilers typically help make cars go faster. They do this in a couple of ways. First, they break through the air resistance that vehicles encounter at higher speeds. With dissipated resistance, your car can break through the air with less effort. This also increases the vehicle’s fuel efficiency because it takes less effort to move. You probably never noticed, but there are also spoilers underneath the front bumpers of some vehicles to break through the air resistance.

Spoilers also give the driver more control over the car. By adding weight to the back of the car, they keep the rear wheels on the ground at higher speeds. This gives the car better traction and performance when making fast turns.

You can find specialty shops that will install spoilers on your Ford. Many sports cars already come with these devices, too. But now that you know exactly what they do and what they are for, you can decide if you want to install an aftermarket spoiler or not.

If you’re like me, you’ve heard about a number of used car auctions occurring in your area. Their promoters claimn that they have super deals on repossessions, confiscated cars and vehicles that the dealers simply don’t want anymore. But if you’ve never been to a used car auction, you might not know what to expect. Here are some common questions about auto auctions and answers to make the process less intimidating in case you decide to visit one someday.

How can I find auction listings in my area?
Before you go to an auction, it might be helpful to know where it is. Your local newspaper will likely list the auctions held in your area over the next couple of weeks. You can also look in the Yellow Pages under “Public Auto Auctions” or similar headings to find more information.

Who is allowed at auto auctions?
The majority of auctions are only open to car dealers. If you know a dealer, sometimes he or she can bring you as a guest, but the dealer still needs to be the one to pay for any purchases. Some auctions, however, are open to the public. When you find the listing, it should say if it’s a public or private auction.

Can I finance a vehicle I purchase at an auction?
Yes and no. You can’t make a bid on a vehicle and then try to finance it with the auction company. You can, however, get a pre-approved loan amount through a bank or financing company before the auction. This way, you have an idea of the amount you can bid for a car that you want.

What if I make a bid that I can’t pay?
For whatever reason, bidders sometimes make bids that are over their spending limits. When this happens, the next highest bidder receives the merchandise. The overzealous bidder, on the other hand, must pay a penalty fee.

Are there any hidden fees?
Yes. When you purchase a vehicle at a public auction, you typically need to pay the auction company a fee of about five to ten percent before driving away the vehicle. Be mindful of this when bidding.

If the process of an auto auction still seems like too much trouble, come to our local dealer and get a great Ford vehicle. You can’t beat the price, and the best part is that you know exactly what you’re getting before you purchase it.

Ford is set to bring some visibility-enhancing features to a rearview-mirror near you. Starting in the 2009 model year, the American automaker’s standard rearview mirror will be replaced by a Blind-Spot mirror which features a convex spotter aimed directly at the vehicle’s blind-spot. Ford says the Blind-Spot mirror meets the demands of customers wishing for better visibility when changing lanes or parking.
It doesn’t end there though as a new Cross-Traffic Alert system and Blind Spot Monitoring will be available as well. Using a radar sensor mounted in each rear quarter-panel, it can alert drivers if a nearby vehicle is hiding out in their blind-spot. Visual and audible alerts tell the driver that it’s best to wait for a lane change if another ‘hidden’ vehicle is detected.

The same sensor is used for the Cross-Traffic alert system when reversing out of a parking space. Able to see 65 feet out either side of the vehicle’s rear, this feature is especially useful when backing out of tight quarters in a longer machine, like a minivan or wagon.

Of course, the Blind-Spot mirror with convex spotter would make it easier to simply back into a parking space to begin with.

“Ford is delivering innovative features aiding in a better drive experience for the customer,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group’s VP of Global Product Development. “The Blind Spot Mirror and Cross Traffic Alert with Blind Spot Monitoring System are enhancing the customer ownership experience and bringing more value to their purchase.”