Ford F-150 - Your Top Choice for a Used Truck

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The Ford F-150 is a powerhouse. It has been America’s truck leader for 30 consecutive years, setting the standard for strength, endurance, and toughness. In fact, there are more Ford F-150 trucks on the road with over 250,000 miles than any other brand.  That alone is proof why Ford F-150 trucks are also one of the best selling used vehicles on the market.

Year after year, Ford has continued to raise the bar, giving truck customers more powerful features and options. The term “Built Ford Tough” is not an exaggeration in terms of the F-150’s power and design.

With 1,000 pounds more payload than the nearest competitor and a class-leading 11,000-pound towing capacity, the Ford F-150’s capability leadership can be measured down to the bolts. While its 300-horsepower, 5.4-liter V-8 engine, fully boxed frame and robust suspension get most of the credit, the bolts hold it all together over the long haul.

The Ford F-150 is one of the only half-ton pickups to have earned NHTSA’s five-star crash rating for both driver and front passenger. This is due to its solid structure and rigorous testing. The structure includes strong hydroformed front frame rails that are built with computer-designed front horns to help manage crash forces. In an impact, these areas of the frame are designed to collapse in an accordion fashion, dissipating energy before it reaches the passenger compartment.

The Ford F-150 features a 4×4 system with integrated wheel ends that automatically disconnect when the truck is shifted into 4×2 and re-connect when it is shifted into four-wheel mode. The system reduces fuel consumption by up to a half gallon per mile in 4×2 driving conditions compared to more traditional systems used by competitive trucks. Combined with fuel-saving engine technologies such as the 5.4-liter 3-valve V-8’s variable cam timing, the F-150 gets comparable real-world fuel economy while still delivering class-leading capability.

The above characteristics and features are what helped the Ford F-150 reclaim its ‘Top-Selling Vehicle’ title, according to Truck Trend. Due to higher fuel costs and a sagging economy, sales for trucks, both new and used, are down compared with those of last year. However, Americans obviously still love their Fords. The Ford F-series continues to be a draw at truck dealerships, due in part to their power and reliability. Consumers who want a good valued truck that they can rely on, the Ford F-150 is not only a safe option, it’s only one.

Photo: xxxtoff

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147

Volkswagen Jetta - It’s Not a Beetle, It’s a ‘Betta Jetta’

Volkswagen gets kudos for revamping some of its most classic car models, most notably the Volkswagen Beetle (aka Bug) and the Volkswagen Jetta. Both are great cars, yet both are so very different.

The fourth-generation Volkswagen Jetta was designed with the sporty driver in mind. It’s classy look, stylish interior, excellent ride quality, good safety records and a variety of engine choices all contribute to its popularity - and even make it one of the most sought after used cars on the market today.

The Volkswagen Beetle, on the other hand, is a revived version of its predecessor, the famous VW Bug. Still keeping its bug-like body, the Beetle keeps consumers wanting more with its new rear-mounted or air-cooled 4-cylinder engine.

Does the Beetle ride as smooth as the Jetta? Not a chance.
The Volkswagen Jetta is in a class all of its own. It comes with four great engine options:

• The base 4-cylinder SOHC 2.0L engine with 115 horsepower
• The high-performance DOHC 4-cylinder 1.8L turbo engine with 150 horsepower
• The 1.9L Turbo Diesel engine with 90 horsepower, which has very impressive fuel economy
• The powerful and smooth DOHC VR6 2.8L engine with 174 horsepower

* All engines except the 2.8 VR6 have a timing belt that must be replaced regularly.

Overall Volkswagens do not have the best reliability (hence the timing belt issue). Service and parts can be expensive. The same goes for the overall price of used Volkswagen cars. While the cars depreciate, they still hold their monetary value for several years.

Bottom line: If it’s a classy-looking compact car you are looking for then a Volkswagen Jetta is a safe choice.  If you want fun, playful and zippy, then you’ll want to take a closer look at the Volkswagen Beetle. Both are light on fuel economy yet easy on the eyes.

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147

My First Ford

How I Survived - and Actually Enjoyed - My First Car Buying Experience
by Jeff Nerstander, One Satisfied Customer

‘Car buying’ was a phrase I was brought up to hate. Growing up, when someone in the family announced they were in the market for a new car, a collective sigh filled the room. So when the time came for me buy my first car, my initial thought was “HELP!”

Fortunately, in this technology age, help wasn’t far away. Aside from some ghastly advice I received from family and friends, I was able to really hone in on one really good rule of thumb: Do your research. With the internet at my disposal, I found researching car buying methods was really a fantastic way to learn about the industry, sales pitches, and financing options.

Money, unfortunately, was my big obstacle. I only had $5,000 to plunk down on a car. Could I even find a decent one for that price?

I live in Gulfport and knew I wanted to stay in the area to look for a car. With gas prices as high as they are, traveling a long distance just wasn’t worth it for a $5,000 car. I surfed the internet, searched the classifieds, and finally decided to contact a dealer. I figured the pros could make this real easy for me. Turns out I was right.

An ad for Darryl ‘Your Car Guy’ at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury caught my eye. I headed over to their lot on Highway 49. I immediately knew I’d leave there with a new car - well, new to me that is. Darryl came right out and took me over to the pre-owned car lot. I told him my budget and he pointed out five cars that were in my price range. I was pretty impressed by the selection, especially given I only had $5,000 to spend. After a spin around the block, I settled on a little Ford Focus - black with tinted windows.

Into the back office we went to figure out a payment plan. Given my situation I knew I would buy the car, but I still chose to finance $3,000 plus tax and license. Fifteen minutes later I was tooling around Gulfport in my new ride.

See, car buying is easy if you just do your research. Oh, and I think Darryl at Russ Mullin had a little something to do with it too!

Sure glad I could help you, Jeff.

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147

GM Gambles on Small Car While Ford Pushes for an EcoBoost

Automotive Heavyweights Go Head-to-Head on A New Generation of Fuel Efficiency

The same day General Motors announced that it will invest more than $500 million in the U.S. to build its next-generation compact car, Ford came out swinging. It too had an announcement. In Detroit, Ford President Mark Fields demonstrated a prototype of the new EcoBoost engine. The crowd was blown away. “This,” Fields said, “will put a smile on your face.”

Ford’s EcoBoost engine promises to get drivers 20 percent better fuel economy with 15 percent less CO2, causing even less damage to the environment. Fields says the EcoBoost system combines turborcharging and direct injection to provide better performance and higher gas mileage. The new engines will debut on the Lincoln MKS sedan next year. Ford plans to make it available on 90-percent of its models by 2013.

General Motors already has similar engines in limited production, but plans to really capitalize on its new 45 mpg small car, the Chevy Cruze. While it won’t go into production until 2010, GM is already touting its benefits saying that it will not only save consumers fuel costs, its production will re-energize Detroit’s sagging auto sector.

Fuel efficiency is the wave of the future. At least that’s how heavyweights Ford and GM see it. Both plan to spend the next five years stoking sales, restoring profits, and putting money back into consumer pockets. Experts say the U.S. can expect to see an exciting fight in the race for supreme fuel-efficiency. Enjoy the ride.

So who will win? My money’s on Ford.

What are your thoughts? Have your say in the comments.

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147

To Lease or Buy

How to Make an Informed Decision About Your Next Car Purchase

Here is a report from one of our satisfied customers …
“You’ve just picked out a brand new car for yourself. You want it - bad. But should you buy or lease it? It’s a dilemma almost every new car shopper faces. Even I, the savviest of car shoppers, have been stuck with this decision. Fortunately, as I’ve learned from financial professionals, there is no right or wrong answer. Your decision should be based on your own needs.

Leases and purchase loans are simply two different methods of automobile financing. When you buy, you pay for the entire cost of the car regardless of how many miles you drive it. You typically make a down payment, pay sales tax and an interest rate. When you lease, you pay for only a portion of the car’s cost. You don’t have to make a down payment and you only pay sales tax on your monthly payment. At lease-end, you may either return the car, or buy it for its depreciated resale value.

All of this was explained to me by Darryl Deschamp and his finance manager over at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport. They spelled out my options in simple terms that were easy to understand. They said that when making a ‘lease or buy’ decision you must look at not only financial comparisons but also at your own personal priorities.

Here are some questions they threw my way:

* Was having a new car every two to three years with no major repair risks more important than long-term cost?

* Or are long term cost savings more important than lower monthly payments?

Bottom line, leasing typically does not build equity, while buying does. The reason that a buyer has equity at the end of his loan is that he purchases the equity by making higher monthly payments.

* Leasing - lower payments, no equity.

* Buying - higher payments, partial equity.

So there you have it. With this information I was able to make an informed decision about how to buy my new truck - which, by the way, was a Ford Ranger. Thank you Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury for making that terrifying decision an easy one.”

How can we help you, today?

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147

New “Air Car” Creates Buzz

Affordable Car Promises an Unprecedented Cut in Fuel Costs

A new car could be the answer to our pump price despair. A company named Zero Pollution Motors says it plans to bring a car powered by air to the U.S. sometime in 2009 or 2010. Yes, I really mean air. If you’re awed by this concept and how it works, read on.

The six pistons in the Air Car’s engine will be pushed by compressed air rather than gasoline combustion, an idea developed by an FI race car engineer. Sounds ingenious, right? Well it gets better.

At $18k, the Air Car promises to get 106 miles-per-gallon utilizing an eight gallon fuel tank and a compressed air tank under the deck. Overall, experts believe this car can achieve approximately 800 miles per tank. Pretty incredible.

Early projections indicate that when the car is driven at speeds in excess of 35 mph, the fuel - gas, ethanol, or biofuel - will kick in. The amount of fuel used will depend upon the speed. Zero Pollution Motors says top speeds will reach approximately 90 mph.

So what does it look like? It’s not big by any means. The Air Car will, however, seat six passengers comfortably. Its four doors are incorporated into its sleek, aero dynamic body, which is made mostly of fiberglass and foam. Instead of the usual speed and RPM gauges in the dashboard, the Air Car will use an in-dash computer with displays for speed and engine revolutions. This dashboard computer will also be used for navigation, media playback, and communication.

While the Air Car sounds promising for U.S. consumers, it’s already generating some buzz overseas. The compressed air car will get a chance to prove itself next year when it competes for the Automotive X Prize. It has also drawn the interest of India’s largest automaker, announcing an agreement to further develop and refine Air Car technology.

When the Air Car hits U.S. showroom floors, I will be eager to see if it really lives up to its specifications. Do you think it will? Add your comments below.

Photo: m-c

* In Mississipi, contact Darryl Your Car Guy at Russ Mullin Ford Lincoln Mercury in Gulfport, MS Phone: (479)-283-7147