As we get closer to Memorial Day weekend, there’s closer focus on gas prices for the heavily-traveled holiday period. For the moment at least, fuel flows about 25 cents cheaper per gallon than this time in 2011, according to AAA. That’s also about the current price gap between regular and premium, give or take.
Some drivers are doubling-down their savings. They’ve stopped running higher-grade gas in favor of the lower-octane option.
We hope that you find this information helpful. If you have any questions about which fuel is recommended or required by your Ford vehicle, just give us a call at 800-883-1487. Waldorf Ford is located on Route 301 North in Waldorf MD, just 15 minutes south of Washington DC
So, what do we mean by “Ford hit trifecta with the 2013 Fusion”? The 2013 Fusion has great looks, its fuel efficient and its affordable, with fuel efficiency being the winner.
The exterior has an all new look. Sleek and sporty, with lines influenced by European designs. Many of the comments about the design compare the new look to that of an Aston Martin. The interior is also all new. You have more room and the quality of the materials used has been upgraded. Ford also won big with the amount of technology they have incorporated in the Fusion. MyFord touch controls have been made larger and have been made easier to use. They have added Active Park Assistance which will automatically parallel park the Fusion with the driver controlling the brake and throttle. Other additions are Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and lane monitoring systems that help keep you out of harm’s way and finally a driver monitoring system which if it senses you are tired, it will light up a “coffee” icon on the instrument panel. Pretty cool, huh?
When it comes down to what powers the new Fusion, here is where you will see some other big changes. You will be able to choose from a 2.0L 4 cylinder, a 1.6L Ecoboost, a 2.0L Ecoboost, a hybrid and the plug-in hybrid. In fact, Fusion is the first sedan available with a choice of gasoline, hybrid and plug-in hybrid power. Additionally, Fusion will be available with an automatic start-stop system, which shuts off the engine when the vehicle is not in motion to conserve fuel, and then restarts automatically when the gas pedal is pushed.
This is what one reviewer had to say, “The 2012 Fusion will be the first mid-size Ford sedan in recent memory to incorporate a global design/platform with a range of fuel efficient conventional and alternative power choices matched by state-of-the-art driver assist and infotainment systems. All of it goes into a package intended to raise the bar in the medium-priced mid-sized sedan segment with breakout style and dynamics.”
If you want more information on the 2013 Ford Fusion, check us out online at waldorfford.com, or stop by and see us. Waldorf Ford is located on Route 301 North in Waldorf, just 15 minutes South of Washington DC.
I don’t know where you live, but here in Southern Maryland the amount of pollen in the air is unbelievable. To make things worse we haven’t had any real rain in weeks. So everything is covered in a thick yellow/green layer of pollen and dirt. It’s driving me batty! The answer…wash my car of course
If you don’t want to go to the car wash, here are some tips from the good folks over at ConsumerReports.
When should I wash the car?
Don’t… wait for a layer of crud to accumulate before washing. Dead bugs, bird droppings, and chemicals from the atmosphere all leach acids that can strip away wax and eventually eat into your car’s paint. If left too long, they can cause damage that requires sanding and repainting the area to correct.
Do… wash off dead bugs, bird droppings, and tree-sap mist as soon as possible. Other than this, a weekly car wash will keep the finish in its best shape. In addition, if you live in an area that suffers from acid rain, rinse your vehicle off after a period of rainy weather. Otherwise, acidic chemicals in the rainwater will be left on the surface after the droplets have evaporated, leaving a mark that can permanently mar the paint.
What kind of products should I use?
Don’t… use household cleaning agents like hand soap, dishwashing detergent, or glass cleaner on the paint. These aren’t formulated for use on a car’s paint and may strip off the protective wax.
Do… use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint. Apply the suds with a large, soft natural sponge or a lamb’s-wool mitt. See our car wax buying advice for tips on all types of waxes.
Grease, rubber, and road-tar deposits picked up from the road often accumulate around the wheel wells and along the lower edge of the body. These can be stubborn to remove and may require a stronger product, such as a bug-and-tar remover. Use a soft, nonabrasive cloth to remove these deposits, as they can quickly blacken your sponge.
Use a separate sponge to clean the wheels and tires, which may be coated with sand, brake dust, and other debris that could mar the car’s finish. Mild soap and water may work here; if not, a dedicated wheel cleaner may be required. Be sure the cleaner is compatible with the type of finish (paint, clear-coat, chrome, etc.) used on the wheels. A strong formula intended for mag wheels, for instance, can damage the clear coat that’s used on the wheels that come on today’s cars. To be on the safe side, choose a cleaner that’s labeled as safe for use on all wheels.
Are there any general guidelines I should follow when washing a car?
Don’t… wash your car when the body is hot, such as immediately after driving it or after it has been parked in direct sunlight for awhile. Heat speeds the drying of soap and water, making washing more difficult and increasing the chances that spots or deposits will form.
Don’t move the sponge in circles. This can create light, but noticeable scratches called swirl marks. Instead, move the sponge lengthwise across the hood and other body panels. And don’t continue using a sponge that’s dropped on the ground without thoroughly rinsing it out. The sponge can pick up dirt particles that can scratch the paint.
Do… rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water before you begin washing to remove loose dirt and debris that could cause scratching. Once you begin, concentrate on one section at a time, washing and rinsing each area completely before moving on to the next one. This ensures that you have plenty of time to rinse before the soap dries. Start at the top, and then work your way around the car.
Work the car-wash solution into a lather with plenty of suds that provide lots of lubrication on the paint surface. And rinse the sponge often. Using a separate bucket to rinse the sponge keeps dirt from getting mixed into the sudsy wash water.
When rinsing, use a hose without a nozzle and let the water flow over the car from top to bottom. This creates a sheeting action that helps minimize pooling of water.
How should I dry the car when I’m done?
Don’t… let the car air dry, and don’t expect a drive around the block to do an effective job. Either will leave watermarks, which in areas with hard water are the minerals left after evaporation. In addition, don’t use an abrasive towel or other material that can leave hairline scratches in the paint.
Do… use a chamois (natural or synthetic) or soft terry towels. If you choose towels, you may need several. It’s best to blot the water up instead of dragging the towel or chamois over the paint. The drying process can be speeded up by using a soft squeegee to remove most of the water on the body, but be sure the rubber is pliable and that it doesn’t pick up bits of dirt that can cause scratches.
Well, there you have it. It’s a lot of work to keep your Ford vehicle clean, but will be well worth it when you decide to trade it in.
Stay tuned as we add more articles that hopefully you will find informative. If you have a topic you would like us to cover, feel free to email us at leads@waldorfford.com. Waldorf Ford is located on Route 301 North in Waldorf MD, just 15 minutes south of Washington DC.
Usually if you ask 10 different people the same question you get 10 different answers. That wasn’t the case when I asked 10 people how they would go about picking a repair shop for their vehicle. The overwhelming majority said they would ask their friends and family. The rest said that they would go online to find a shop and read reviews. We were surprised to find that there really weren’t any other answers given.
So, we are guessing that the first way to find a shop is pretty straightforward, so we will take you through some of your online choices that will assist you in finding the right repair shop for your needs.
Google: The frontrunner of search engines. But Google is more than a search engine. It includes mapping, store information and most importantly reviews. Google will also be adding photo tours of locations, though this is new and not widely in use currently. If you want to see what information you can find, just click here to see the Waldorf Ford information.
Yelp: Yelp was started to help connect people with businesses. Their viewers have written over 25 million local reviews. They do not allow businesses to pay to change reviews and they don’t let businesses re-order the reviews. Yelp also posts deals from businesses, posts local events and lets Yelpers talk to each other. Click here to see the Waldorf Ford Yelp page.
Bing: Another widely used search engine. Completely independent of Google, so search results may be different from what you see when you search using Google. The information that Bing provides on the company listings isn’t as detailed as Google, but will get you what you need to make a call. To check out Waldorf Ford’s Bing listing, click here.
The last online resource we’ll cover is Yellow Pages.
Yellow Pages: The online replacement for the yellow pages section in the printed phone book. With so many people abandoning print it only made sense for them to publish online using the same name. It’s well organized and includes reviews. Business can buy premier listings that put them at the top of your search results. Click here for Waldorf Ford’s Yellow Pages listing.
That pretty much covers where you can find a repair shop online. Just go to any of these resources, enter the area you want to find service in and then enter “repair shop“, “auto repair“, “oil change”, “transmission repair”, etc. We are confident that you will find many places to choose from. Of course we hope that Waldorf Ford will be your pick from these lists. If you want to talk to one of our service advisors regarding servicing your vehicle, just give us a call at 301-843-2400 and ask for Ford Service. Or check us out online at Waldorfford.com. Waldorf Ford is located on Route 301 North in Waldorf, just 15 minutes south of Washington DC.
This racing inspired model is going to turn heads for sure. Now, don’t think this is just another wanna be, the development was overseen by Ford’s director of Global Performance Vehicles, Jost Capito. Before coming to Ford, Jost was the head of Red Bull Sauber’s F1 program, headed Porche’s racing efforts and in 1985 won the Paris-Dakar race truck category. So we are thinking this guy knows a little bit about racing.
The Focus ST will come with a 2 liter ecoboost engine putting out 247 horsepower and a 6 speed manual transmission. Also Ford has added high performance brakes and a sport tuned suspension. The exhaust has also been upgraded and tuned to give this racer a throatier sound. Finally, the ST will have lower springs and stiffer shock absorbers which allowed Ford to lower the center of gravity and giving it a meaner stance.
The look of the ST is different too. It will have a unique black honeycomb grille and a larger rear spoiler for better high speed stability. The colors are unique to ST as well; performance blue, race red, white and tangerine scream, the signature color for ST.
Inside you will have the benefit of adding Recaro race inspired seating and specially designed sport pedals. They even redesigned the rear seating to give more stability to those passengers during vigorous driving maneuvers.
So, stay tuned for more news on Focus ST. If you want to find out when we expect them to start arriving here at Waldorf Ford, check us out online at waldorfford.com or stop by and see us. We are located on Route 301 North in Waldorf, just 15 minutes south of Washington DC.
