Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of our fans!

Wishing all of our fans a Merry Christmas!

Winter Travel Checklist

Planning on doing some holiday travel this weekend? While your Ford can get you there safely, it's still important to prepare for an emergency. Here are a few things you'll want to stash in your trunk before you leave for the holidays:

Blanket, just in case. You might also consider taking along some newspaper for extra insulation in extreme conditions.

Chains, if you plan to travel to ski areas or other places where chains are required. If snowy weather looms in the week before your trip, consider packing your chains just in case. Even major highways require chains during some winter conditions.

Defroster. Make sure this is operating correctly before you go.

Heater. Yeah, that better be working. Enough said.

Sand or other substance to use for traction under wheel in icy conditions.

Shovel. Useful in the snow.

Snacks. Pack a few non-perishable or long-life snacks and a bottle of water for your trip. An energy bar can be a beautiful thing when you’re snowed in and the truck stop vending machines are empty.

Warm clothes, including gloves with a good tread to help you hold tools in inclement weather. If you plan to bring along tire chains, throw in a pair of work gloves. Regular gloves often tear.

Windshield scraper. You need to have one of these if you’re planning to park overnight, or even park for a dinner break in the cold. (Heck, if it’s cold enough, you might need one for a brief gas and bathroom break.) A small broom to sweep off snow will also help. The snow make look festive atop your car, but it can be darn distracting when it starts falling on your windshield while you’re driving on the highway.

Courtesy of SharpMan.com (http://www.sharpman.com/checklist_for_a_winter_road_trip.htm)

Should You Lease Or Buy A Car?

When it comes to buying or leasing a car the options can be confusing. To help you make an informed decision we have provided the information below. We hope you find it informative and useful.

When you buy the new or used car you pay for the entire cost of the vehicle. When you lease the new or used car, you pay for only a portion of the vehicle’s cost, which is the part you use during the time you are driving it.

Buying

Who Owns It

Whether you pay for the car with cash, or finance it and make monthly payments, either way it’s yours. Of course, if you’re financing it, you’ll have to meet the obligations the lender requires, like a certain down payment amount and timely monthly payments. If you don’t, they have the right to repossess it.

Up-front Costs

If you’re financing it, the bank will probably request a down payment. You can also trade-in another vehicle and use any equity towards your down payment. The amount of the down payment is usually based on the lender’s requirements and your credit score.

Future Value

Your vehicle will be worth whatever you can sell it for in the future and that depends on how well you maintain it. (Be smart and protect your investment with regular scheduled maintenance by a factory-authorized facility!)

End of Payments

Once you’ve paid off what you owe on your contract, that’s it. Your vehicle is 100% yours. The lending institution will send you a Lien Release as proof that the vehicle is completely paid off and all yours.

Leasing

Who Owns It

You do not own the car when you lease. You’re paying for the use of the vehicle, but the finance institution that you leased it through actually owns it. This is usually why you pay less per month in a lease than if you were to buy the car. .

Up-front Costs

Leases often do not require any type of a down payment. All you usually have to pay is the first month’s payment, a security deposit, the acquisition fee and other fees and taxes. But, as with a purchase, if you want to lower your monthly payments you can always pay more upfront.

Future Value

In most leases you don’t end up owning it so you don’t end up selling it. That’s the financial institution’s job. Although you may have mileage limits and wear and tear guidelines that, if you exceed them, could cost you extra money when you turn your vehicle back in.

End of Payments

Most people return the vehicle at the end of the lease term. But some like to purchase it during their lease or at the end. Others like to trade it in before their lease is over. Just ask us about these different options before signing any paperwork and we’ll make sure you have your lease set up the way you want it.

Best Cars to Lease

The best cars to lease are those with the best book value after the term of the lease. Since they depreciate less, you pay less. Review the lease ratings to see which cars retain their value.

Ford Explorer History

Ford's most widely-known SUV has a history and a reason behind its success.

All of this helped make the Ford Explorer not only the sales champ of its class but also
one of America's most popular vehicles. Though not always the best SUV for design,
performance or other qualities, Explorer regularly finished among the top-10 sellers
through 2000 -- and was often in the top five. Needless to say, the Explorer became
as vital to Ford Motor Company's bottom line as the full-size F-Series pickup truck line
(America's top-selling vehicle of any kind since 1980).

But nothing lasts forever, and the Explorer has lately lost much of its sales luster in a
market where truck-type SUVs are increasingly seen as anti-social against the backdrop
of global warming, record gas prices, concerns about future energy supplies, and other
troubling global realities. The sharp drop in Explorer sales is one reason Ford Motor
Company continues to post huge losses in the North American market -- a record $12.8
billion in calendar 2006 alone -- and is now fighting for its very survival.

Read more: bit.ly/TseYMl