2012 Ford F-150 Platinum – Executive Luxury at Work

It is almost ninety years since the Ford Motor Company designed and built the world’s first pickup truck and the success of that innovative idea is still reflected today as the company’s F-150 range of full-size pickups is the top selling brand in the USA and Canada. The ultimate in modern technology, the Ford F-150 Platinum is the company’s model aimed at those who want to have a high performance, 4-wheel drive, working vehicle that comes with a classy appearance and plenty of modern conveniences.

 

 

 

2012 Ford F-150 Platinum Powertrains Deliver

This truck ships with a 5.0L V8 FFV engine as standard, giving an impressive average fuel consumption of 16 mpg. Buyers may opt for a 6.2L V8 engine, or Ford’s remarkable EcoBoost engine. The EcoBoost engine is a 3.5L V6 engine with twin turbochargers, but the technology behind it makes it perform at least as well as, and often better than, the V8 versions. It can run on 100% unleaded gas or on a mixture of gas and ethanol to reduce carbon emissions. The performance of the EcoBoost engine is good enough to pull the maximum permissible trailer weight of 11,300 pounds and to carry the maximum payload of 2,400 pounds.  It generates 420 pound-feet of torque and delivers a very hefty 365 horsepower, with peak torque being generated a full 2,000 revs below the peak torque level in the V8 engines.

2012 Ford F-150 Platinum Combines Great Design and Function

While the Platinum wants for nothing in terms of performance as a tough working vehicle, Ford has designed the interior of this pickup to appeal to the executive on the job and the outward appearance is guaranteed to get envious looks.  A solid easy to understand design highlights an interior that is upscale and clean. The Platinum also sports a unique grill and exterior look that is tough and masculine, but still refined and upsacale.

 

 

 

 

2012 Ford F-150 Platinum Offers Superior Techonolgies

The F-150 Platinum comes with a broad selection of devices to give the driver and passengers every convenience. This technology includes a proprietary, connectivity system that provides a range of voice-activated options. Bluetooth-enabled phones can be connected allowing you to make hands-free calls while driving. You can even select and run mobile apps on some smartphones using just your voice. USB drives and MP3 players can be connected to the system, giving you access to music, podcasts and audio books by using simple spoken commands.

The 2012 Ford F-150 Platinum is also supplied with a rear view camera to make backing up simpler and safer by eliminating the blind spots caused by high backed vehicles. The camera’s images are displayed in the rear view mirror. If the optional Navigation System is installed, the camera’s images can be displayed in the navigation screen.

The 2012 Ford F-150 Platinum has an advanced climate control system to cope with any kind of weather. It is fitted with power locks and also has remote keyless entry. The steering wheel is fully adjustable and the mirrors and windows are all electrically operated. For longer journeys the standard cruise control and fully automatic six-speed transmission help to take a lot of the driver workload. For added convenience, audio controls are built into the steering wheel. The front bucket seats are 10-way power adjustable and have individual built-in heating and cooling. A wealth of information on the vehicle’s performance is provided by the built-in, easy-read LCD screen, which is provided in addition to the standard gauges.

For more information, please drop me a line or comment or click here.

 

Popularity: 2% [?]

2012 Ford Flex – Car Buying Tips – Brad Your Car Guy

Introducing the 2012 Ford Flex Model Line-up – and Some Smart Features of Each

The 2012 Ford Flex is the perfect example of a full-size crossover featuring an exterior design with sleek modern contours and lines but with a largely classical touch to it. While the outside of the 4-door vehicle makes it an eye-turner because of its unique form, it is the features and options available for each trim that make it one of the best in its category.

The 2012 Ford Flex SE

The 2012 Ford Flex SE is the basic trim of this Ford model and as such, is priced affordably. Features include a manual front air conditioning system, six-speed automatic OD transmission, separate controls for the rear air conditioning, front fog and driving lights, a Keyfob remote keyless entry system for all doors, 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, driveline traction control with ABS, and a 3.5-Liter 262-Horsepower V6 Engine. The SE trim has a forward wheel drive configuration and has an EPA rating of 17/24 miles per gallon.

The 2012 Ford Flex SEL

The 2012 Ford Flex SEL trim is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration. The SEL trim has an EPA rating of 17/23 miles per gallon for the front-wheel drive version and 16/23 for the all-wheel drive.

Features of the 2012 Ford Flex SEL trim include basic features of the SE trim such as six-speed automatic OD transmission, driveline traction system with ABS, separate controls for the rear air conditioning, front driving lights and fog lights, the Keyfob remote keyless entry system for all doors, as well as a 3.5-Liter 262-Horsepower V6 engine. In addition, the SEL trim also has advanced features such as dual-zone automatic front air conditioning system, adjustable powered pedals, express open and close sliding and tilting glass for the 1st row sunroof, sunshade for the fixed glass 2nd row sunroof, Invision entertainment system, heated front seats for the driver and front passenger, and 18-inch machined aluminum wheels.

The 2012 Ford Flex Limited

The 2012 Ford Flex Limited trim is a more feature-packed version of the 2012 Ford Flex. Like the SEL trim, the Limited trim is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration. The Limited trim has an EPA rating of 17/24 miles per gallon and 16/23 miles per gallon for the four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration respectively.

Features of the 2012 Ford Flex Limited include regular express open and close sliding and tilting 1st row glass sunroof,  sunshade for the both the 2nd row and 3rd row fixed glass sunroofs, dual zone automatic front air conditioning system, six-speed automatic OD transmission, power adjustable pedals, driveline traction control with ABS, a DVD entertainment system, a voice-activated navigation system, heated seats for the driver and front passenger seats, separate controls for the rear air conditioning, front fog lights and driving lights, Keyfob remote keyless entry system for all doors, 19-inch polished aluminum wheels, and a 3.5-Liter 262-Horsepower V6 Engine.

There is also a 2012 Ford Flex Limited all-wheel drive EcoBoost version with a 3.5-Liter 355-Horsepower V6 engine and an EPA rating of 16/22 miles per gallon.

The 2012 Ford Flex Titanium

The 2012 Ford Flex Titanium trim is the Flex trim with the most number of features making it the most expensive. Like the SEL and Limited trim, the Titanium trim is available in front-wheel drive configuration with an EPA rating of 17/24 miles per gallon and an all-wheel drive configuration with an EPA rating of 16/23 miles per gallon.

The 2012 Ford Flex Titanium trim has all the features of the Limited trim except the Titanium sports 20-inch polished aluminum wheels and a rear electronic parking aid with camera and ultrasonic sensors. The chrome finishing and some details in the exterior parts are also slightly different for each other. Like the Limited trim, there is an EcoBoost version of the Titanium available sporting the same 3.5-Liter 355-Horsepower V6 engine with a rating of 16/22 miles per gallon.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Ford Bronco TGIF-B: Thank Goodness it’s a Ford Bronco

The Day the SUV Almost Became Extinct

The death, demise and burial of the SUV screamed the headlines in November of 2008. The start of the free-fall of the worldwide economy was well underway. The price of gasoline was over four dollars a gallon. Some now speculated that petro was headed just south of five dollars to the gallon. The bottom of the wholesale market on SUV’s collapsed. The resale value of SUV’s where in elevator shaft free-fall. Rumors started to fly of people parking their SUV on the side of the road and walking away persisted. The manufactures were going to scrape production of all SUV’s in favor of smaller more fuel efficient vehicles. That was the end of 2008.

October 2010- America’s love affair with the SUV marches on unabated—– (You can’t take the spots off of a Dalmatian)

Yesterday I drove through the parking lot of the largest shopping mall in Dallas, Texas. Almost half, 50% of the vehicles where SUV’s or their kissin cousins the Crossover. he SUV is to the American family what Red White and Blue is to the 4th of July.

The Marketing and Engineering Genius of Ford the Beginning of Americas SUV Love Affair; The Advent of the Ford Bronco August 1965When Ford launched the Bronco in August 1965 it marked the beginning of a new era in the history of off-road vehicles, at least from an American point of view. Until then, four-wheel-drives had either been made by the specialist domestic manufacturers, Jeep and International. or they were imported in small numbers from Toyota or Land Rover. No mainstream motor maker had attempted to build a lightweight four-wheel-drive for the man in the street.

Yet Ford marketing analysts could see that International was doing well with the Scout; bigger and more modern than the basic Jeep, it was clearly fulfilling a demand for a slightly more civilized 4×4. At the same time, American two-car families were searching for something more interesting to run as a second vehicle, and an off-roader seemed to fit perfectly the outdoor lifestyle to which many Americans aspired.

In 1960, about 11.000 lightweight 4x4s were sold in the U.S., which had more than tripled to 35,000 by 1965. Ford itself predicted that demand would double again to 70,000 by 1970, a forecast that proved remarkably accurate.

No company with the marketing genius of Ford could ignore an opportunity like this. After all, it was fresh from the success of the Falcon, a lightweight sedan, and Mustang  the pioneering pony car, both of which had sold nearly half a million in their first year.

No one was suggesting that a four­ wheel-drive Ford could hope to approach those figures, but it did have the potential to share parts with both Mustang and Falcon, thus driving down costs and cutting development time.

In fact, with the size of the 4×4 market as it then was, no other course would have been economically viable, especially as the Bronco would have to be designed, shared parts aside, on a clean sheet of paper and Ford had no suitable commercial vehicle on which it could he based.

But it did have the International Scout, already a proven success, which is why, when the Bronco was finally announced in the summer of 1965 as a 1966 model, it not only looked very similar to the boxy Scout, but every major dimension was within an inch or two of the International.

The exception was the wheelbase, which was a full 8-in shorter than that of the Scout. Both vehicles were noticeably longer than the Jeep, which was shorter and several hundred pounds heavier. So it was obvious from the start that Ford wasn’t trying to beat the Jeep at its own game, merely to chase the growing market that the larger more user-friendly Scout appeared to have generated.

There were some significant differences, however.

A legacy of the parts shared with the Falcon-Mustang family was the sole engine option, a 170-cubic inch six-cylinder.  The first Bronco therefore had a significant power advantage over the four-cylinder Scout.

There were a few changes to the familiar Ford six-cylinder in its new off-road role: a modified single-barrel carburetor and heavy-duty fuel pump  aimed at keeping the motor supplied, whatever angle the Bronco was facing at the time. There was an oil-bath air cleaner, more effective than a dry element on the dusty hack roads, and a larger oil capacity of six quarts. A skid pan was optional to help protect clutch from accidental damage by sharp rocks.

As tor transmission, the basic gearbox was Ford’s existing three-speed column-shift manual, with synchromesh. This was mated to a two-speed transfer case controlled by a floor-mounted lever that could shift between four-wheel-drive low-range, neutral and two-wheel­ drive high.

A new feature of the transfer case was that two ­wheel-drive came direct, without engaging the transfer gears at all. So these would be stationary or on-road mileage, saving on noise, plus wear and tear. The brakes were another result of a rummage through the Ford parts bin, contributing heftier drums all round. At the time, these drums were thought to be over specified. It would he nearly a decade before Ford fitted front discs as standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ford made much of the anti-dive geometry built into the front suspension so that it reduced front end  dive under heavy braking, it made it easier to use the optional snow plow attachment! In the hardtop Bronco, the one that looked most like a station wagon, it was necessary to pay extra for the rear seat.

Maybe it was just as well that the entire chassis was welded out of heavy-gauge steel. But in one way the Bronco’s under-body did mark it out as different from the Scout. The live front axle was located by radial arms extending back to near the transmission cross member, and was able to take the braking and driving forces, while a tubular track bar also located the axle. This meant that the front springs had nothing to do apart from cushioning the body, so Ford was able to fit coils instead of the leaf springs which every other 4×4 possessed. The result was a more comfortable ride, plus the added advantage of a smaller turning circle as the coil spring took up less room.

At first, the Bronco came in three versions: Hardtop. Pickup and Roadster. The latter had no roof of any kind, and for true wind-in-the-hair sensation one could fold down the windshield, while the pickup suffered from a very short bed of limited usefulness. “The roadster was soon dropped. The pickup hung on for many years. The hardtop Bronco, preferably with optional rear seat in place, became the key seller.

Ford had intended its new 4×4 to sell as much to farm and forestry workers as to weekend off-readers; at the 1965  launch,  Ford  general manager Donald Frey made that clear, describing  the Bronco as “neither a car nor a truck, but as a vehicle which combines the best of both worlds. The Bronco can serve as a family sedan, sports roadster, snow plow or farm and civil defense vehicle. It has been designed to go nearly anywhere and do almost anything’.

This was reflected in the options list, which included ft and rear power take-offs, snow plow, a low bar, tow hoof and a winch – even a hand throttle to ease driving over severe off-road conditions. Then there was a mower, a power broom and a post-hole borer. But most buyers wouldn’t have been interested in snow plow or power brooms. The Bronco’s real appeal was to weekend sportsmen, “oil-road enthusiasts and  aspirational  urbanites, for them, Ford offered an option “custom equipment package”, which brought a cigarette lighter, chrome plating for the wheel covers, fenders and light bezels  full-width,  front floor mat, oil pressure gauge, Ammeter, horn ring and dual sun visors. A radio and  baggage rack were among the other options.

So what did the magazines think of it? Fortunately, in those days. they weren’t always so ruthlessly critical. Putnam-Science Month proclaimed The Bronco to have a ‘passenger car ride and sports car handling’, while Car Life loved it .  Producing the headline. ‘Even a Dude Will Holler Eeeeeeaaayyhhoor!! However  Dude  even had to admit that a highway cruising speed of 55mph  limited by low gearing, was on the low side. At 60 mph they felt this the little six was working unnecessarily hard and seemed about to blow its top at  the maximum of 74mph.

In its intended use, however, the Bronco had a happier time. Car- Life drove it up into the California mountains, “through muddy creek beds and a hog or two Slush, frozen mud. stiff sagebrush and broken rock were taken in stride with the Bronco’s range of’ gearing’. But theystill wanted a bigger engine option, plus overdrive, to provide more relaxed highway cruising.

More than one road tester had already noticed that the Bronco’s engine bay was easily wide enough to take Ford’s 289 V8. Moreover  they recommended keeping a spare set of wheels with chunky off road tires in the garage, the standard Goodyear Power Cushions being too road-biased to give adequate traction in muddy conditions.

Car Life considered the Bronco’s ride, stiff to say the least’, but not as harsh as that of other 4×4′s. In fact, it maintained that Ford’s four-wheel-drive had fewer idiosyncrasies for the 4×4 novice to get used to than the Jeep, Scout, Land Cruiser or Land Rover. It liked the gear change and fine visibility, and thought that 14mpg was reasonable after the tank of fuel had coped with a 5,000­ft mountain climb in four-wheel-drive. Despite the short legs, Car Life was won over by the Bronco:  it didn’t pronounce it a fun car, but somehow one knew that’s what it meant.

Power & Speed

Whatever the truth, third parties lost no time making their own improvements to the Bronco. Barris Kustom, of North Hollywood, California, produced the one-off Bronco Sportsman, a roadster painted in Golden Saddle Pearl, with a roll bar, walnut side panels, wide wheels, bucket seats and many other period custom details. It made the rounds on motor shows in 1966.

Later the same year Open Road Campers announced a two-berth camping unit which could be fitted to or removed from a Bronco pickup in a few minutes. It came fully equipped with a double bed, 50-lb ice box, three-burner gas range and electric lights.

But the big news came in September 1966, when Ford unveiled its own Bronco V8. It had been simple enough to produce: the very first journalists to take a look under the Bronco’s bonnet observed that the engine bay was nicely VS-sired. and Ford’s well-proven 4.7-litre unit, also shared with the Falcon and Mustang, was ready and waiting. It turned the Bronco into something that really did buck, with   200hp at 4,400 rpm and 282 ft at 2,400. This was the first lightweight 4×4 to offer a V8 an option Jeep didn’t yet have, and although International soon responded with a VS Scout, it couldn’t match the Ford for power, while Land Rover’s V8 Range Rover was still four years away. According to Four Wheeler magazine, the combination of V8  power with front and rear limited-slip differentials made the Bronco unbeatable on the rough. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, when off-road competition was just beginning to emerge, from short local meetings to the famous Baja 1000. The Bronco V8s acquitting themselves well in both.

The V8 was all very well, but it was little more relaxed than the six on long highway drives, as it still featured the same three-speed manual transmission. With no  sign or a solution from Ford. the specialists moved in. The Rancho overdrive, on offer from 1968  , was able to use the full potential of the torquey 289 to reduce engine revs by a substantial 33 per cent, from 3,9000 rpm at 65mph lo just 2.600, resulting in less noise, less wear and tear and less driver fatigue. One magazine found that economy improved from 13.7 mpg without overdrive to 17.5 mpg with it. That same year, Ford replaced the Bronco’s 289-V8 with a 302 , making the need for an official solution even more urgent.

The alternative was a four-speed conversion. Fairway Ford of Placentia, California, sold an adaptor kit to allow any suitable Ford four speed gearbox to be fitted, with dramatic results. Four Wheeler magazine tested a 1969 Bronco 302 with this conversion and changing up at 4,000rpm found it to he capable of 35mph in first gear, 50 mph  in second, 65 in third, running up to around 85mph in fourth. Moreover, it gave a wider choice of ratios for off-road driving.

 

Whatever the number of gear ratios, the Bronco continued to be the 4×4 to beat in off-road racing, where it came to dominate major events like the Baja 1000 and Ascot as well as many local races. It’s short wheelbase give it more maneuverability than the  Scout and new Chevy Blazer. For weekend competitors, it was probably the best buy.

The Blazer,launched in 1969. represented a real threat the first response from a mainstream manufacturer to Fords 4×4. It looked bigger, tougher and less utilitarian than the boxy Bronco, and by 1971 Chevrolet was struggling to keep up with demand. Motor News compared a Blazer with a Bronco and Jeepster Commando that year. and drove them into the mountains of eastern California.

One look at the specification sheet suggests that the Bronco may have met its match. the Blazer having more space, power and comfort. It had an automatic transmission option, plus power steering and disc brakes, while the interior was more like a car than a van. Back from its mountain trip which had been a combination of dusty tracks, rocky grade and smooth highways, the Motor Trend team awarded the Blazer a narrow victory, with the Bronco a close second. The poor old Jeepster didn’t really stand a chance, in that it was considered underpowered and too much of a compromise between street and trail. Ford engineers went back to the drawing board and began plans for the next generation Bronco.

 

Popularity: 13% [?]

SUV’s – Best All Time – Car Buying Tips – Brad Your Car Guy

The Selection Criteria & True

Starting with this post I will list the most influential SUV’s  of all time. This list will comprise almost every SUV manufacturer or name plate. The more copy per vehicle in this first post does not signify the overall importance in the All Time List. Other makes and models will be listed, often by name only, to demonstrate the growth and expansion of this niche. However most of these will be pretenders rather than contenders for the Top Ten List.

After I complete the all time list I will then break down this list, eliminate the non-contenders then set up and rank them in a Top Ten List. I will rank them One to Ten starting with the number ten of most influential SUV of all time.

Major Reviews

As part of and Included in the Top Len list will be major review of each SUV. To start is an overview of the SUV market in alphabetical order by manufacturer. If you don’t see a particular model listed it is because the parent SUV is listed.  The other SUV’s makes or models in that family are in essence “children”…Example: Ford Bronco is the Parent. The Ford Explorer would be a descendant of the Bronco or the Parent. The descendants or children would continue with the Excursion, the Navigator and so on.

The Birth of the SUV

The first SUV’s had their birth in WWII with the Jeep. These were actually hybrids of the Sport Utility Vehicles to follow.  They were working vehicles rather than SUV’s.  Their application as passenger carriers being somewhat of an afterthought.

The Contenders in Alphabetical Order

Chevrolet Blazer:

Off-road racing began to grown in popularity and four wheel drive was increasingly seen as a new leisure pursuit, part of the great American Outdoors. This encouraged General Motors to wade in with the 1969 Blazer almost four years after Ford introduced the Bronco.

Ford Bronco:

When Ford launched the Bronco in August 1965 it marked the beginning of  a new era in the history of off-road vehicles, at least from an American point of view. Until then, four-wheel-drives had either been made by the specialist domestic manufacturers, Jeep and International,  or they were imported in small numbers from Toyota or Land Rover. No mainstream auto manufacturer, up until the mid 1960’s attempted to build a lightweight four-wheel-drive for the man in the street.

Datsun (Nissan) Patrol:

The Datsun launched a research program into a new 4X4 whose appearance left no doubt as to it’s inspiration. The time was 1950 and occupied Japan was full of Jeeps. Production started in 1951 with great success. It continued to sell well 50’s. 60’s and into the 70’s and became the off-road of choice in Southeast Asia and Africa. Then exports exploded in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Nissan was right around the corner.

 

Dodge Ramcharger:

Like the Blazer and Bronco the Ram-Charger was little more than a pick-up with a hard and longer list of options. By today’s standards they were crude SUV’s. Oh well, you do have to start somewhere.

 

HONDA: This is a classic example of a manufacturer that came to SUV’s late, attracted  to the flourishing marketing in the late 1990’s. It had no history of four wheel drive. In 1997 and 1998 CR-V and the HR-V were Honda’s take on the SUV.

Hummer:

By the late 1970’s the Jeep was no longer capable of satisfying modern military needs. It was now too small, too slow, and not sophisticated enough for the US Army. So a competition was launched to design and supply what the Army officals termed a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle-HMMWV later shortened to Hummvee and still later to Hummer.

Isuzu:

Isuzu is Japans oldest manufacturer, its origin stretching back to 1916; but it was the last of its compatriots to make the transition to 4 wheel drive in 1981 with the introduction of the Trooper.

International Scout

Truck maker International threw their hat in the four drive market with the introduction of the Scout. The Scout was an off road vehicle aimed at the fanatical off road enthusiast, a fast growing market segment.

 

During World War II the US needed a go anywhere reconnaissance vehicle. The result was the Jeep, an icon of the 2oth century and part of the American dream. It also made a fortune for Willys Overland, and inspired a whole fleet of other manufactures to build their own versions after the war, with Land Rover, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Mahindra, among others all producing post-war four wheel vehicles as a result.

MERCEDES BENZ G CLASS: The story of the Mercedes Benz SUV is the story of just models the G-Wagen and the M Class. The G-Wagen was designed and built in Europe, originally as a military vehicle. The M-Class, although designed in Europe was built in a new plant in Alabama for the North American Market. The engineering trick was to take the on-road brilliance to the off-road experience.

 

Range Rover:

Was a milestone change. Here was a SUV that could outperform any other off-roader. The long-travel coil-sprung suspension with load leveling at the rear gave the Range Rover unrivalled ride on-road. This SUV was the impetus for the luxury market in Europe.

Subaru:

Subaru was really never in the SUV market in the image of Land Rover, Jeep or Toyota SUV’s. What Subaru did was pioneer the use of 4 wheel drive in the conventional sedan passenger cars.

 

Suzuki:

Suzuki came late to the world of off-road vehicles exporting its first 4X4 to the West in 1971. The Suzuki Brute sounded big but was really the smallest road-legal-off-roader in the world. The little Brute failed in Africa, although it seemed it would stand a chance in the U.S.A. At this time small was beautiful.

Toyota Landcruiser:

The Toyota abandoned the copycat pickup adoption and was really a passenger version of a tough working vehicle. The Toyota in the late 60’s was starting, just beginning to catch on as quality vehicle, in the mid-range price category. The SUV market gave the Toyota niche a higher ride, better view and perceived safety over the Toyota passenger vehicles.

Volvo:

By right, traditional Volvo owners should be ideal SUV customers. They like roomy, well-built cars that have presence and status. But t is was not until 1997 that Volvo offered a 4 wheel version.

 

Other Contenders and Pretenders:

Daihatsu, Hyundai, Kia, Lada, Lexus, Mahindra, Maserati, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Volkswagen.

The next post(s) will take each SUV listed and examine in detail prior to releasing the Top Ten.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Power Car Buying Tip # 3-Frustration Filter Process

Car Buying: Start the Process Right & True

In my previous two posts I went to great lengths to emphasis the importance of starting your search for a new car, truck, crossover or SUV on the right foot. If you don’t start the car buying process correctly the consequence will cost you money, time and irritation. Maybe as much as a hundred to two hundred month in payments. Or a thousand, two or three on an outright purchase.  Guaranteed. It happens every day.

Why?

Poor research, preparation, and logically discovering your number one problem or two you need and want to solve in your current mode of transportation.  Once solved, in your case you have purchased a better vehicle that eliminates the rock in your shoe syndrome. Your new vehicle [new to you!!] now delivers the one or two features that trip your trigger. You look forward everyday at getting behind the wheel and taking off. The WOW!! factor has returned.

The Tom Brady Car Buying Story

We see the Brady story http://www.bradyourcarguy.com/buying-car-pro-tip-2-leverage-ben-franklin/ or you can download Brady’s one page story by clicking here.

Here is a Quick View of the Transportation Facts for Tom and Bridget

• Tom who was single, since married has enjoyed the sporty Mustang for the last couple of years.
• Tom’s wife, Bridget wants to say good bye to the 2 door Mustang by trading in for a 4 door sporty 2011 Ford vehicle.[She is going to keep her 2007 Honda Civic and Tom will use it to drove to work.]
• This new vehicle is primarily for Bridget. It will be a family car replacing the Mustang.
• The purchase price on Tom’s Mustang GT was $34,747.
• Tom’s current payment is $539 per month. He achieved this payment by putting $5,000 down on the Mustang.
• The payoff is $19,330.
• His trade has 17,400 miles on it, is still under warranty, and is like new.

Setting the Car Buying Table -Information is Money Spent Wisely: Your  New or Used Car Buying Rules of Thumb;

Rule #1. If your income has not increased since your last car purchase, NEVER exceed 30% of the price you paid for your current vehicle for a new vehicle.

A.)  If you exceed 30% and all things are equal. 90% of the time you will not be able to afford the payment.

B.)   This equation is assuming you purchase a new or used car, truck, van or SUV every three years.

C.)   If your purchase cycle is less than three years then figure instead of 30%, 10% per year. If it is longer than five years then use the 10% increase figure.

Examples:

1.) Tom Brady paid $34,747 for his vehicle a little over a year ago. Therefore he would fall in the 10% bracket, or $34K plus $3,500. Or a top price of $37,500. Since it he made the purchase about 15 months ago he could bump that number up to $39,000 max.

2.) Mr. and Mrs. Clark last bought a new vehicle 5 years ago. The purchase price was $22,700. Today five years later, with the same steady income and credit history, they could afford a car up to 50% more than they paid for their current vehicle. The math>$22,700 x .50= $11.350, this equals a vehicle with maximum worth of $34,050.

Buy Now  or Hold?….. The Results

These examples are maximum figures and take into account a 15% cash down payment. If any of the above figures or numbers is exceeded then the probability of a customer making a purchase and a dealership making a sale drop dramatically. My definition of a dramatic drop could be compared to an elevator shaft free fall straight down at over 100 feet per second.

The Brady’s now have established:

• Their budget. What they can afford to pay for a new or used vehicle. $37,500.
• What they need. A four door. They are now a family of three. Two adults and an infant.
• What they want. Something sporty.
• Who the vehicle is for Tom’s wife Bridget, is the buyer and decision maker

Bridget Goes Online

Car Buying Tips

Bridget has gone on line at www.ford.com and has found two vehicles she really likes that will also solve her major transportation problems. Bridget is pumped.

1.) The 2011 Ford Taurus

2.) The Ford Flex.

While on line, Bridget studied both models for several hours. Right now she is torn between the two and knows now is the time to visit the dealership for a first hand, close up look at both vehicles.

The next step for Bridget is to visit the dealership. She goes on line at www.doengeschoice.com and makes an appointment to come to dealership to look at both vehicles.

My next post will describe Bridget’s visit to the dealership; The decisions she was able to make based on her preparation and what she decided to do to solve her transportation challenges.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Buying a Car Power Tip # 2: Leverage Ben Franklin

This is part two of a three part series to help you get your best deal on your next purchase; this a continuation car buying strategy from my last post.

According to Ben Franklin “Data is Expensive; Information is Money”

Everyday, as you know when you go online, the internet offers just a little bit more data. A data dump. There is so much data it is easy to get overwhelmed. Fast. How many times have you gone online looking for one specific item, let’s call it product A, and you end up with product ZZ? A total 360 degrees opposite from where you started!

The end result is that you have invested a lot of time [expensive] and have not found what you were looking for [irritating]. Time is money. What is the value you place or associate with your time?

Your Initial Solution

The solution is to have all of the right information at your fingertips.  This is where my Ben Franklin Appraisal sheet [herein after BFA] can and will save you time, money and irritation. To get your copy click here The Ben Franklin Pain Index BYCG

Perhaps a real life example will help you visualize exactly how the BFA will be instrumental in your next vehicle acquisition. Let me present the Brady story as a visualization. In this story I will use fictional characters and names to tell a story that takes place almost every day in automotive dealerships across the country.

The Mr. and Mrs. Tom Brady Vehicle Purchase Story [Free PDF Download]

Tom and Bridget Brady are newly- weds just a little over a year and half ago. Tom, before he got married was into sports cars big-time. Tom’s last three sports cars were all Ford Mustangs.

His current vehicle is a 2009 Mustang GT. Tom and Bridget went on line and downloaded the BFA from www.bradyourcarguy.com . They read the instructions and filled out the appraisal sheet, so let’s take a look at it. Click here The Ben Franklin Pain Index for Tom Brady.

REAL Pain vs EYE Candy

The end result of using the Ben Franklin Appraisal Sheet is to target or pinpoint your REAL Pain. What is the number one item or feature about your vehicle that needs to be changed or updated? If you wait until you visit the dealership to discover and or solve your #1 issue you may become a victim of EYE-Candy.

EYE-Candy is all of those bright, shinning new and used cars on display once you arrive at a dealership. This is why so many people end up buying a different vehicle than they had picked out on line before they arrive at the dealership. Sometimes they buy the wrong vehicle or fall in love with a car, truck, crossover or SUV that they cannot afford.

Don’t Let this Happen to You

When they fall in love with a vehicle they can’t afford they don’t find out until their salesperson presents or shows the purchase price and or monthly payments. When this happens the customer is in disbelief. Reality hits home. They are embarrassed.

The customer is embarrassed because their emotions got in the way of what they can afford. Next they “nice” themselves out of the dealership and go to another dealership, educated. Educated on what they can or cannot afford or buy.

From experience this customer ends up with a vehicle that still does not meet their needs or wants and buys a vehicle based solely on price. They end up miserable. Don’t let this happen to you! Never buy a vehicle based entirely on price. Buy a vehicle that solves your transportation problem first then work on the price or affordable monthly payments.

The Tom and Bridget Pain Index

Now let’s look at the Tom and Bridget Brady transportation pain index. The one year plus newlyweds are also new parents. Tom loves his Mustang GT but Bridget is getting real tired of fighting to get junior in and out of the back seat. It is a hassle deluxe. They both listed their #1 problem to solve as migrating from a 2 door to a 4 door as well as reduce their car insurance expense.

When we examine the Brady’s BFA we also see that they like the multiple creature comforts that were installed or part of the Mustang GT. Now if they can go from a 2 door to a 4 door and still maintain the creature comforts of the Mustang GT they would be delighted and happy campers.

In my next post I will give you my third and final secret. I will reveal to you how the Brady’s must go about their purchase process to solve their transportation problem; as well as save them time, money, and irritation.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Top Three Car Buying Tips Most People Don’t Know Guaranteed to Get Your Best Deal

The Top Three Secret Tips on How to Find the Car, Crossover, SUV or Truck You Really Want at the Best Price and Best Financing Rates Available

First- Discover Your Customer Pain Index Number

The average consumer buys a new or used car every 30 months and all studies show that the trend will continue for years to come.  Take this tip sheet, apply the advice and shopping for a new or used vehicle will be a fun and exciting event as it should be. Allow me to introduce to you how Ben Franklin would have engaged the acronym SPACED to buy a car.

The Acronym S.P.A.C.E.D is the thermostat for the    Customer Pain Index

SPACED is a way to perform a quick scan of the entire feature likes and dislikes of any vehicle. Each letter in the acronym will provide a prompt to help you evaluate your current transportation, likes, dislikes, needs and wants.

• S=Safety ~What new safety features do you want or need?
• P=Performance ~Are you underpowered and want more horsepower?
• A=Appearance ~Is there a new make or model that melts your butter?
• C=Comfort~More room, bigger, better ride, leather seats, more options?
• E=Economy~Better Fuel economy, lower maintenance and or insurance cost?
• D=Dependability ~Longer or new Warranties, better manufacturing etc

Tip # 1. Free PDF Download-Fill out and Answer the Ben Franklin Appraisal Sheet.

• Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle of the sheet forming two columns. The Left Column and the Right Column.
• The Left Column should read “Everything I Do Not Like about my current Vehicle”.
• The Right Column should read “Everything I Like about My Current Vehicle”.
• Or make it real easy.  Download and print the Ben Franklin Appraisal Sheet I prepared  for you–click here Your Ben Franklin Pain Index Guide on the blue print.

Unless you have an unlimited checking account it is mandatory that you complete these two lists first before you go on line or visit a dealership to look at cars. This exercise alone will save you time, money and irritation. Guaranteed.

First Start with “Everything I Don’t Like”.  Write down and list everything, even the trivial stuff.  This is your list of what is causing you “pain” in the ownership of your current vehicle.  This list are the items, lack of features, performance, comfort, convenience or safety issues that got you in the market, the looking mode for a new or used vehicle.

Tabulate Your Customer Pain Index Number

Next after you compile the list, rank your entire list of things from top to bottom, from worst to least. What item gives you the most pain to the least pain but still is irritating.

Most people list 5 to 8 items that they really don’t like about their current vehicle; and or they want in a new vehicle that does not exist for their current car, truck, crossover, SUV or van.

Let’s assume you have a list of 7 items on your “do not like list”.  Next I want you to rank them from worst to least in pain or aggravation.  So your worst item would occupy #1 on your list. The # 2 item on your list is an item you want to improve on but is not as bad as #1 and so on with #3, # 4 etc to the end of your list.  The one or two items at the top of the list or your Pain Index are two features we want to concentrate on.

The Secret to Lock in Your Best Deal as Well as Will Cure Your Pain

Have you ever heard the term “Wow they, he or she sure has your Number”.  The top item on your “do not like list” is your Number, this is your Pain Index Number.

Almost every vehicle has a least 2000 features, advantages and or benefits. However 90% percent of the REASON you buy any high dollar product, like a home, car, investment, jewelry, furniture etc is decided by only one or two features.

Let me restate that. Out of all of these features in these products, 90% of the reason you will buy any one particular product is due to one or two features you need, you want or will solve your problem or pain. All of the other features are nice, but without the top one or two you will pass on the purchase. Why? Because those one or two items completely erase your pain. Sold!

This is Top Secret Tip #1. Tomorrow I will publish Secret # 2.  For now download the Ben Franklin Appraisal Sheet and fill it out. In my next post I will explain how to leverage the information and details you have listed on the Appraisal Sheet.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Bad or Good All Salespeople are Transparent

Is Persuasion Good or Bad?

Often times I ask consumers “What do you think should be the number one priority of a salesperson?” Before you attempt to answer my question let me suggest that we contemplate and define who a salesperson is.  I personally believe that EVERYONE is a salesperson.

Selling is the Art of Persuasion.

It is the attempt by one human being to get another to buy, adopt or vote for your point of view.  If the sell was a success the consumer, the target, the spouse, the child, the principal, the collector, the lending officer, your boss  or at least a hundred other types , “buys” your product, your position or what you are selling.

Let me explain the Scumbag

When most people think of the word “Salesperson” over 90% immediately associate the monikers car and insurance salespeople. Often with a smirk or shake of the head. The implication is that all salespeople are scumbags.

Are they really?

A scumbag is the guy who illegally parks in handicap zone just because he thinks he can get away with it. Even worse is the guy who obtained a fraudulent Handicap sign and grabs the close up parking space out of pure selfishness. I could probably write a book on all the scumbags I have encountered, so could you. However a scumbag is not worth the time or effort; unless his name and picture was distributed to every grade school in the country in the form of a Top Ten Scumbag List.

Now let me get back to my theory that “Everyone” is selling something and it starts almost from birth.

The Best Salesperson is….

The best salespeople I have encountered are children. If you have children this will resonate with you. My own children up to a least the age on ten never accepted the word “No” the first time. The word NO didn’t appear to even faze them, or enter their mind as the final outcome. After the first NO, the dialogue was one word at a time. I say “No” the kid says “pleasssse” and so it goes until I cave in. Yep that is right I caved in at least 85% of the time.

Children are great salespeople and the bible confirms the idea. Doesn’t the bible teach the concept of “Ask and You shall receive?” Most children remain “natural salespeople” until their parents or other authority figures teach them that this natural talent to sell is really just a case of bad manners. So starts the beginning of the notion that salespeople are somehow ill-mannered, obnoxious bad-people, i.e. the used car salesperson.

The Daily Handicap for a Car Dealer

From here for us in the retail automotive industry every day we start the sales side of our business with a handicap. The handicap is the perception that in order to buy a new or used car you have to deal with the stereotypic “used-car” salesperson. Transparency has leveled the playing field and almost eliminated the stereotypical salesperson. The internet quietly and quickly has sharpened the focus of the consumer. Today good or bad all salespeople become transparent.

How to Spot A Good Salesperson Instantly

Good salespeople have always been transparent internet or not.  The internet has exposed the bad, phony and fraudulent salesperson.  This generation of salespeople will become extinct and starve.

So what is the #1 priority of a salesperson, a good salesperson? The number one priority is to solve your problem. To provide a remedy that takes away your pain. The same way a doctor, dentist, or attorney helps you solve a problem and eliminate your pain.

A good salesperson is a profit center for your business. A good salesperson promotes good will and repeat business.  The customer always appreciates a good  salesperson. A bad salesperson is an expense to your business, suffocates repeat business and destroys your goodwill.

When we have a salesperson position open, we hire attitude and train for skill. This is why we work hard and have been able to maintain a staff of good, problem solving and proud car salespeople.

Popularity: 6% [?]

How the Car Business is Changing

Change: “to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone…”

This is the first in a series of short posts on change in the car business. Some changes are obvious. Some changes are hidden. As a third generation car dealer, I believe that our business is entering a period of the most profound and rapid change we have ever experienced — and that is saying something.  Of course, we’re not alone in this. The entire world is experiencing the same thing. My hope is to help you as a consumer to understand the changes going on in the car business, so that you will be empowered to make the best decisions for your own particular situation.

Transparency

Transparency is explained by Wikipedia as follows. Transparency, as used in the humanities, implies openness, communication, and accountability. It is a metaphorical extension of the meaning used in the physical sciences: a “transparent” object is one that can be seen through.

In the car business, access to information and an increasingly efficient market is driving increased transparency.  As a consumer you have access to more information than ever before. Just “Google” whatever you drive now. A search just a moment ago for “2008 Toyota Camry” resulted in 5,580,000 results (that’s way more than the number of Camry’s sold that year!). As you know the quality of the information you have can make a big difference. Automotive consumers have more choices and increased access to information, which leads to a more efficient market. You wouldn’t pay more than the going rate for a publicly traded stock.  Until relatively recently, consumers and dealers alike didn’t have access to this kind of information that they could count on to be accurate.

I have to say all this is a good thing for our business. The car business needs to change and quickly. We have to develop new ways to do business that meet our customers’ needs.

At Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury we talk about this all the time. We strive to be leaders in increased transparency of a car deal and upfront dealings with our customers. For an example of how this might work check out our “shopping cart” for automotive e-commerce at http://www.aidealer.com/AiDealerProduction/DealershipInventorySearch.aspx?DealershipId=28

The nuts and bolts of a car deal is just math. The real magic in our business comes from helping people.

Popularity: 6% [?]

OK Mozart 26: New York-Chicago-San Francisco-Comes to Bartlesville Oklahoma

Starting Friday June 11, 2010 and for the next nine days you can experience all of the culture and diversity of  New York, Chicago, or San Francisco has to offer, in Bartlesville Oklahoma.

This event has something for everyone and all age groups. The organizers have arranged the entertainment into three different series. Classical, Discovery and the Crossover series.

• The Classical or C Series: The C-Series is the largest series and core of the Festival. It predominantly features OK MOZART’s Resident Orchestra and Chamber Music Ensemble.The C-Series features the best in classical music and incorporates a mix of works by Mozart and the Masters in addition to contemporary classical repertoire.
• The Discovery or D-Series is designed to provide an alternative to pure classical music. It relates to a broader audience and encompasses all aspects of the  performing arts. The D-series includes concerts held in non-traditional settings.
• The Crossover or X -Series is designed to offer a performance that reaches beyond the confines of
  classical music and performing arts. The X-Series programs have little or no relation to classical music and provide the opportunity for progressive, cutting-edge performances for non-classical enthusiasts or a change of pace for audiences that appreciate diversity.

Here are a few other insights to a Festivsal I invite you to visit and enjoy.

Smunty to Open OK Mozart Festival!

Voje fans, get up outta your chairs and shake those derrieres up to Bartlesville this Friday for the OK Mozartkickoff event of the year, featuring your very own favorite band, Smunty Voje. There will be food and drink vendors, …

http://smuntyvoje.com/2010/06/smunty-to-open-ok-mozart-festival/

OK Mozart Welcomes Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey!

OK MozartWelcomes Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey! Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 8:00 PM Community Center Bartlesville , Oklahoma United States. See more here: OK Mozart Welcomes Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey!

http://claremore.localspur.com/2010/06/05/ok-mozart-welcomes-jacob-fred-jazz-odyssey/

JFJO – Ludwig World Premier 6/12 – Stay Gold release tour 6/16

The project premiers with the 50 piece Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra on June 12th, kicking off the 26th annual OK MozartFestival in the gorgeous PAC at the Bartlesville Community Center. Tickets are still available and can be …

Jeff Harshbarger taps his bass instincts and others tap his …

He also needed to prepare for the band’s role in the OK MozartFestival, coming up Saturday in Bartlesville, Okla., where the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and the Bartlesville Symphony will perform “Ludwig,” …

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/04/1990836/jeff-harshbarger-taps-his-bass.html

Since 1995 we have supplied a entire fleet of cars, crossovers, and SUV’s to the Festival for the visiting entertainers use. This fleet includes new Fords, Lincolns, Mercurys and Toyotas. At the end of the Festival and starting on Monday June 21st we will offer this entire fleet at steep discounts to the public.

 

Popularity: 6% [?]

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