St. Louis Ford Dealer - Sunset Ford

Sunset Ford's Service Department has Ford Certified Technicians who are trained to repair your vehicle right the first time. We have Diesel Certified Technicians on staff to handle those big trucks because important jobs usually depend upon these trucks. Our Blue Oval Certified Service Advisors will promptly welcome you to our service drive and help solve any issue you may be experiencing with your vehicle. We try to be as flexible as possible which is why no appointment is needed for oil changes and light maintenance repairs. Come in and see why we are the St. Louis Ford dealer to count on for quality service!

The awards for the Ford Fusion just keep rolling in. The latest is recognition by Earth, Wind & Power at the L.A. Auto Show who named the 2010 Hybrid the "Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year."
The criterion for this award is substantial. The organization seeks out vehicles that are driven by a power source that reduces global warming, promote a cleaner environment, and achieves energy through alternative sources.
The judging panel for the EWP award consists of nineteen automotive editors and journalists. They cited Ford's Fusion Hybrid as having unrivaled fuel efficiency and true ecological "wow" power. And right they are. The Fusion delivers an EPA 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, beating out all others in their class.
"Ford has worked diligently to make the Fusion Hybrid America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan," said Jonathan Richards, Fusion marketing manager. "It is very gratifying to see our hard work recognized by some of the most prominent automotive journalists in the country through the EWP award." 
Sales for the Fusion Hybrid have been quite substantial since it hit the market early in 2009. The hybrid model makes up around 20% of total Fusion sales, with most of those buyers being consumers who have converted from imported brands, like Toyota and Honda.
Those buyers have not been disappointed. Research that Ford conducted through a survey with the RDA Group indicates that the Fusion Hybrid delivers more significant customer satisfaction scores than any other Ford vehicle.
Other earlier announced recognition for the Ford Fusion Hybrid includes being named one of Car and Driver's Ten Best Cars for 2010, while the entire Fusion brand was announced as the 2010 Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine.
Sales continue to be hot and availability can be scarce. If you'd like to be sitting behind the wheel of the 2010 Fusion Hybrid, stop into see your Ford Dealer sooner rather than later.

The anticipation is mounting. Thanks to the buzz coming out of the Fiesta Movement this summer, drivers across America are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the much heralded Ford Fiesta. You've heard about the incredible fuel economy, you know it's a cute as a bug, but did you know that Fiesta will also deliver innovative solutions for small car safety and powertrain technology?
Along with fuel efficiency projected at 40 MPG on the highway, the introduction of Fiesta to North America will also Ford dealers to offer buyers fifteen savvy choices of class exclusive technologies.
Customers have high expectations. They want economy, quality, the latest features, and they want a fun driving experience. Fiesta plans to answer that call with a new standard for small cars.
Ford designers, targeting a youthful consumer group, set out to create a car that projected an air of confidence, style and individuality. They coupled intriguing body lines with a palette of nine vibrant colors. The dramatic flair continues on the interior with molded surfaces, distinctive hues, and comfortable materials.
Attention to detail is evident in the instrument panel centerstack that offers a design as useful and familiar as the keypad on a mobile phone. You'll also find front bucket seats in cloth or leather with a trim level that's stylish and unique.
There is a real sense of harmony inside the Fiesta. An intuitive layout is matched by ambient lighting available in seven mood enhancing colors. Speaking of color - the Fiesta goes for green with 25% of the seat fabric comprised of recycled content.
All the focus on design hasn't neglected the quality of safety technology. The wide array of features includes dual stage front row air bags, side and side curtain air bags, driver's knee air bag, AdvanceTrac with electronic stability control, rear child safety locks and a safety canopy system.
Fiesta will hit the U.S. markets next year adding much momentum to the anticipation surrounding the 2011 lineup of Ford cars.

With the Mustang undergoing a considerable remodel for the 2010 year, logic would have it that Ford might skip any refinements for the coming year. However, that doesn't seem to be the case.
The manufacturer is using the 2011 model year to bow a new 3.7 liter V6 Mustang that will deliver the power and polish necessary to buffer the appeal of the Chevy Camaro. Additional refinements will include new gearboxes, a mighty V6 performance package, and plenty of pizzazz to the interior.
Even with it being smaller that the current 4.0 liter, the redesign represents considerable improvements over the 2010 model. An added benefit - Ford says the powertrain will deliver an impressive 30 MPG on the highway when coupled with the six speed automatic.
Several changes were responsible for the notable fuel efficiency figure, including a revamped air intake, electric power steering, and a noticeable aerodynamic styling.
The move to electronic power steering may rouse the suspicion of purists who don't like the "feel" of this component, but Ford promises they've paid attention to the performance characteristics. The brakes are also bigger: eleven and a half inches in front and eleven point eight in the rear. The standard limited slip differential should assist the V6 model find grounding power.
The dual exhaust system is a visual hint for the identifying the 2011 model. Inside you'll find a sleek new look to the instrument panel that offers a 160 MPH speedometer and an 8,000 RPM tachometer.
Ford has not announced pricing levels, but even with the terrific jump in power, rumor mill suggests there won't be a large bump in cost.
Those pony car lovers who weren't able to jump on the 2010 bandwagon will be flocking to their Ford Dealer to size up the latest improvements. The potent changes may even bring some Camaro drivers into a new stable.

The old adage of "good things come in small packages" holds true, especially for the Ford Motor Company. This year is going to be a big year for them. Of all the Ford cars, trucks, and SUVs, the new compact Ford Fiesta has yet to officially hit the public market, but it is already a much anticipated model. It is cleaner, sharper, more fuel efficient, and more sought after than ever before. One of its greatest attributes is how quiet it is while in operation.

The volume of a vehicle is becoming a greater focus for potential car buyers. Knowing this, Ford made it a point to address this issue head-on and developed a vehicle that is quieter than most. In fact the Fiesta delivers noise levels lower than the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit.
"A buyer of a larger car expects it to be quiet," said Steve Pintar, Fiesta chief nameplate engineer. "For a Fiesta driver, the quiet cabin will be a welcome surprise, allowing them to better enjoy a conversation with a friend or their favorite road tunes."

"A smaller car can pose challenges for noise and vibration control. You have smaller spaces to work with, and there are always cost and material concerns to keep the car affordable," Pintar said. "With Fiesta, we started with an unusually rigid structure that helps prevent rattles and then enhanced the global noise and vibration package to harmonize with a revised chassis, tire tuning and the revolutionary PowerShift automatic transmission - a key factor in allowing Fiesta to deliver up to a projected 40 highway miles per gallon. Small-car buyers don't need to compromise a quiet cabin to enjoy top fuel economy."

In addition to the high strength steel that makes up the frame of the Fiesta, there is also the quiet PowerShift transmission along with an acoustic-laminated windshield. So take a look at the Fiesta at your local Ford Dealer today.

Ford showed, yet another strong month of sales. In fact, the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited was the top selling auto manufacturer in the country. They hit this mark for, not only, the month of March, but for the entire first quarter. They sold an impressive 22,018 units, which marked a 29.1 percent increase over the same month last year. Of all the Ford cars and Ford trucks the leaders of the sales were the Ford Taurus and the F-150. They showed an increase in sales of 230.2 percent and 51.8 percent respectively.

"Sales crowns are nice to have but we remain focused on sustainable growth by delivering what customers want and value," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "Our results in March show that we were strong across the lineup in car, crossover and truck sales."

The Ford truck sales were up a total of 32 percent during the month of March, being led by the F-150. Ford CUV and SUV sales were also up, a total of 33.3 percent, led by the Ford Edge and the Ford Escape. And Ford car sales were up as well, a total of 19.4 percent. The combined sales allowed for one spectacular month for the Ford Motor Company.

"Ford is committed to delivering the freshest showroom in the industry and our new products are driving our sales success," said Mondragon.

"With new products like the 2011 Ford Fiesta, Edge and Super Duty, our lineup will have something for everyone."

It is impressive to see such strong numbers for the first quarter sales from Ford deales. It is a testament to the product, the production and marketing efforts. Most impressive, is Ford's unending commitment to producing safe and reliable vehicles to meet the needs of today's car buyer. They are the brand to beat in the auto industry.

Most car buyers opt for obtaining an auto loan in order to purchase their vehicle. Others pay cash for their purchase. Sometimes the financing rates at the time of purchase are not the ideal rates for the buyer. A car buyer may find that in a few months or years they are in a much different financial position than when they purchased their vehicle. In this case it may be worth it to consider refinancing your auto loan.

In order to refinance your auto loan you may have to do a little shopping around to find the best deals. Often you will find really good deals through an online search. Auto loan refinancing is an idea that is becoming more and more popular as Americans are more financially aware and looking to save money wherever they can.

An owner in good credit standing, at the time of purchase, may consider refinancing when the rates begin to drop. Even if there was a slight jump in the owner's credit score it may save him some money to refinance and get a better loan rate.

If you are purchasing one of the many Ford cars or trucks through a Sunset Ford dealer then in house financing will lend you the best rate. However some car buyers, when obtaining dealership financing, will later find that they could've gotten a better financing rate elsewhere. In this case it would be a good idea to look into the benefits of refinancing.

Many car buyers will opt for a short term loan with a higher, but manageable, payment schedule. Barring there are no financial setbacks during the span of the loan, the deal will work out. Oftentimes life happens and finances change. If you find yourself with a short term loan and a change in your financial status, consider refinancing. It may extend your payment plan, but will allow you to have a lower monthly payment.

A potential car buyer may wrestle with the many facets of buying a vehicle. There are so many decisions that need to be made, even prior to stepping foot on the car lot. For instance, will you purchase a new or used Ford model? Will you lease or buy? Do you want car or truck? The questions can seem endless. If you have never entertained the idea of leasing a vehicle you may want to consider it.

With leasing a vehicle there is a certain amount of "residual value." This term refers to the amount of money you can purchase the vehicle for once the lease is up. Many times people choose to lease a vehicle from a Ford dealer to achieve a lower monthly payment for the vehicle. Others lease vehicles with the intent on purchasing the vehicle once the lease has expired. If you decide to buy after the lease is up you will owe the "residual value" of the vehicle. If for some reason your lease was subvented, then the residual value would be more. You would then end up paying more for that vehicle than you would a used version identical to the one you leased.

The residual value of a vehicle is determined by the banks. It is their best approximation as to what that vehicle would be worth upon expiration of the lease. It is based on data collected on past vehicle models and a prediction of what consumers will want.

On average a consumer is unable to negotiate the residual value of a vehicle. However, the residual value of a vehicle should be your focal point when shopping for an ideal lease agreement. You can check the residual rates of current vehicle models via the Black Book. This publication is produced quarterly and should be available at your local bank in the auto loan department.

The Ford Motor Company offers several features to add-on to their Ford trucks at the time of purchase. One of the most popular truck add-ons is the installation of a trailer hitch. If you own a truck it is quite probable that you would benefit from a trailer hitch at some point or another. While some choose to have this installed before taking their truck home, others may decide to have a hitch installed at a later date. Installing a hitch is not difficult. In fact, technicians who do this often can easily install a hitch in less than an hour. If you choose to perform this task on your own, you may want to allow for a little more time.

When ordering a hitch, be sure you have chosen a hitch that is compatible with your specific Ford truck. Installing a hitch that is designed for a larger or smaller truck will only result in faulty operation and increases your risk of doing major damage to your vehicle. Hitch installation instructions are easy to understand and should be followed down to the final instruction given.

Before you begin installation, be sure you have a clean working environment. This will allow you to easily keep track of the parts you will be using. Also, working with a clean vehicle will be much easier than working with a dirty one. Always use proper safety gear, as well as the correct tools called for the job. By using tools meant for another purpose you run the risk of doing unnecessary damage to your vehicle.

Once you have installed the hitch, test it out in a controlled environment, when possible. Know the parameters of the hitch, as well as the vehicle. Never tow a load that demands more from your vehicle or hitch, than what has been set forth by the manufacturer.

The Ford Motor Company has seen great results from marketing on social media networks, such as, Facebook. It is true that many potential buyers turn to Facebook to gain more information on vehicles. This information made it easy for the auto maker to decide on where to market their new models. As a result there has been an increase in both new and used Ford model sales. The 2011 Ford Explorer is one of the vehicles Ford has chosen to promote on Facebook. The redesigned model is already gaining popularity for its class leading efficiency. It is true that the Ford Motor Company is relying heavily upon the influence of Facebook in order to debunk the idea that the Explorer cannot be a fuel efficient family vehicle.

"Our job is to be a myth-buster," says Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of global marketing, sales and service. "We have to let the people know what the Explorer has become."

The Explorer was once known for its large stature and many capabilities. The new edition Explorer is quickly being recognized for its fuel efficiency as well as, its many capabilities. The largest difference between the newer version and past versions is that it is now built on a car-based platform rather than a truck-based platform. In fact, it will now share the same platform as the Ford Taurus sedan.

The decision to make the Explorer more efficient came as a result of the changing market. More buyers are expecting vehicles with added efficiency along with the same capabilities as before. The market for hybrid models has grown exponentially over the past ten years. Though this generation of Explorer is not considered a hybrid, it is a significant jump in efficiency over past generations.

Suset Ford in St. Louis, home of new and Used Ford cars and trucks is proud to announce that since the University Research Programs (URP) began in 1989, Ford has invested more than $60 million in university research projects, offering nearly 500 grants to 100 schools globally.

Some of the world's most prestigious university professors and students are pairing up with Ford scientists in 2010 to explore a wide range of new technologies planned to benefit future Ford vehicle development.

This year, Ford awarded 13 University Research Program grants to 12 different universities around the world, including Wayne State University in Detroit; Stanford University in Palo Alto, California; RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, Germany; and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

According to Ford Motor Co., Ford's new collaborative program is a relatively new approach aimed at "testing the properties of thermoplastics modified with nano materials and developing an in-vehicle safety alert system for diabetic drivers, to studying the environmental and economic impact of batteries for electric vehicles." In total, Ford is planning 30 study projects utilizing 26 world-wide universities.

Research collaborations are a driving force behind the innovations bringing consumers to Ford-and will be crucial to keep them coming back," said Gerhard Schmidt, Ford chief technical officer and vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering. "The spirit of collaboration fostered by initiatives such as the Ford University Research Program maximizes our chances of developing relevant technologies our customers want and value. As our scientists and engineers have become increasingly adept at innovating with their university counterparts, the quality of proposals has risen and the interest in awards has become more intense," said Krause.

Successful projects that Ford has orchestrated through URP include alternative power systems; automotive engineering and safety; environmental issues; infotronics, electrical and electronics and controls; materials and structures; manufacturing and quality; and powertrain. In the 90s, Ford, in collaboration with the University of Illinois, developed a new technology that controls diesel emissions which is used today in the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel powering the 2011 Super Duty, which complies with new 2010 federal regulations to reduce NOx levels by more than 80 percent.

Ford's innovation in development of new and improved automotive technology has helped the automaker to forge alliances with leading organizations such as MIT, the University of Michigan, Northwestern, and The Boeing Company, which has been in an active strategic alliance with Ford for more than 15 years.

In recent years, Ford has invested more than $100 million in total in these advanced collaborative research efforts, resulting in numerous technical advancements.

University of Michigan Professor Jessy Grizzle, who has been conducting engine and emissions control research with Ford through the University of Michigan strategic alliance for years, stated: "I've been working with students and strong engineers at Ford for nearly 25 years developing rich, relevant and practical solutions that can help minimize the environmental impact of transportation." Grizzle, who has co-authored 16 patents with Ford, added, "From a university perspective, the discovery process and seeing your research come to life through real hardware implementation is extremely rewarding in and out of the classroom."

Ford has strengthened its commitment to even more university collaboration this year. Ford researchers, working with university faculty, have begun submitting their project proposals. Grant winners will be announced in early 2011

Ford shares top $16 for first time in 6 years

St. Louis Ford Dealer, Sunset Ford, is pleased to announce that. the company's shares rose above $16 in the New York Stock Exchange trading. for the first time in 6 years. It was a 2.2% rise to $16.21 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Ford's stock has not been over $16 per share since June 23 2004.
The company's rising stock price Is a result of its strong October sales and positive investor reaction to the Federal Reserve's bond-buying program, which sent stocks broadly up at the end of the week.
Ford's winning streak began last Wednesday, after Ford reported a 19.3% increase in October car and truck sales which outpaced the industry wide sales increase of 13.4%, boosting Ford's gain of 1.5 points of market share.
Factors that helped to boost Ford's third quarter sales include Key new products, such as the Fiesta subcompact which delivered a strong performance. "A strong showing for the Fiesta bodes well for Ford...a traditional area of weakness for the company," Standard & Poor's equity analyst Efraim Levy stated.
Industry-wide truck sales also outpaced those of cars in October by the highest margin in nearly five years. That helped sales of Ford's highly profitable F-Series pickup -- the top-selling vehicle in America -- increase 24%.
October sales rose 15% as a result of the high demand for Ford pickup trucks, new compact cars, and SUV's. Overall Ford shares have risen 62% in 2010.
Ford's U.S. industry wide sales reached 12.3 million for its seasonally adjusted annual pace, the highest sales yet this year.
Ford, now the second largest U.S. automaker managed to capture 16.7% of the market in the first 10 months of the year, up from 15.2 percent a year earlier.
"I'm enjoying this, and I could see it running even higher," said Bernie McGinn, president of McGinn Investment Management in Alexandria, Virginia, which owns 330,000 Ford common shares. "The Ford story just keeps getting better. This is a company on its way to becoming investment grade and a solid long-term company."
According to recent data from Bloomberg news, of 17 analysts making recommendation regarding investment in Ford shares, 11 recommended buying shares, 5 advise holding, and 1 recommends selling.
In January of 2009 only 2 analyst reported a buy rating while 8 recommended hold and 3 said to sell.

Sunset Ford in St. Louis is pleased to announce that Bill Ford, Chairman of Ford Motor Co., reported that he feels investors are not cognizant of the facts surrounding the financial potential of today's auto industry for both domestic and export sales, including China and India. "When people think growth, they think of the Brazil, India, China, Turkey, places like that-which is all true, and we're participating a lot there," according to Ford in an interview with Reuters. "But we actually think the U.S. is a growth market for us."

Ford Motor Company now holds the number 2 position for domestic automobile sales in the United States market; up 21% in 2010, largely due to the success Ford has had in the sale of Ford trucks such as the F-150.

"The U.S. is a big growth market for us," said Ford, the great-grandson of the company's founder. "We're growing our market share. We think the sales volumes will continue to grow as an industry, and I don't think people focus on that."

Ford stock is up 3.5%, to over $16.00 per share for the first time since 2004. An analyst with Morgan Stanley has predicted Ford's stock could nearly double to $30 per share if the sales continue to rise. Ford reported a 19.3% increase in October car and truck sales, which outpaced the industry-wide sales increase of 13.4%, boosting Ford's gain of 1.5 points of market share.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said the stock could command a higher price target if Ford increased U.S. market share by 2% points to 19%.

According to Jonas: "Yes, we could see a modest US recovery of about 1%. In the last few weeks we saw a slowing down of the decline and a lot of media talk about green shoots." Jonas also stated, "My predictions are still valid, however, technical recovery is one thing and real recovery is another." The recovery will be a jobless one; some industries will recover faster than the others, and the gross national recovery will not undo the damage anytime soon," said Jonas.

The positive signs of economic recovery are not interpreted as being a result of healthy economic growth, but rather a direct result of government bailouts and stimulus incentives.

According to Bill Ford: "It's an indication of how people are seeing us now and that the plan we've put together is working."

Sunset Ford in St. Louis offers a great line-up of new and used Ford trucks of all sizes, for those customers who are Ford Ranger enthusiasts, you will be happy to know that even though Ford Motor Company announced the official plans to discontinue the production of the Ford Ranger there are preliminary plans to design a new small sized truck, but what is next, will a new prototype be popping up soon to replace the Ranger?
Ford plans to get rid of the Ranger sometime next year and may be planning to replace it with a new vehicle built on the next generation Ford Focus platform.
It certainly seems that there continues to be a market for a small Ranger type pickup as evidenced by the popularity of a new concept pickup at this year's Detroit auto show. The vehicle is as small as a Ford Focus with four seats and small (4 foot) cargo box.
The concept vehicle was developed as an economic fuel efficient vehicle that offers the convenience of being able to haul items such as large boxes, home building supplies, sporting equipment and more, even a small motorcycle will fit into the cargo box that extends up to 4 by 8 feet.
Ford Motor Co. is planning a few different production models built on the Focus platform, including a compact minivan that offers space for up to 7 passengers. It has been noted that the wheelbase of the Focus platform was extended to create the minivan that Ford is calling C-Max.
Some auto experts believe that the platform has adequate dimensions that would enable it to be used to create a small, unconventional pickup similar to Toyota's popular concept pickup.
Ford has already announced its plans to design a new Focus family pickup truck, the jury is out as far as the details are concerned, but let's hope that the new little truck will have some of the innovative new features described above in the new concept vehicle.

Sunset Ford, home of new and used Ford cars is pleased to announce that a number of analysts, who were recently polled by Automotive News, projected a rise of around 10% in the U.S. auto sales market for next year. That would amount to around 11.5 million cars being sold. However, at least one analyst predicted a sales volume that was much higher, more importantly, there is evidence to back up this rather optimistic perspective.

"Morgan Stanley says consumer creditworthiness is improving so rapidly that lenders are about to loosen credit dramatically-and that will rocket the market to 14 million units in 2011," as reported on autonews.com.

The statement seems as though it could be a little misleading. While it is like music to our ears to hear that Americans seem to be focused on maintain good credit and are making progress toward repairing damaged credit. However, increasing creditworthiness does not inherently translate to significantly more sales. Loosened credit simply means that there will be those who qualify for loans that couldn't get them in the past and others will benefit from decreased interest rates as a result improving their credit.

According to Ravi Shanker, Morgan Stanley's lead analyst for North America, "The catalyst is credit availability-a bigger impediment to auto sales than tight inventory or low demand." Time will tell how the extent of decreased consumer demand will factor into the scenario. The nation is still operating rather conservatively, especially when it comes to spending. It is highly likely that people will choose to squeeze an extra 20,000 to 30,000 miles out of their old vehicles.

George Magliano, senior analyst of IHS Automotive indicates that jobs and housing uncertainties will negate some of the increased potential for strong sales due to credit availability. He is of the opinion that too many fundamental economic factors are weak for a single improvement (credit worthiness) to make that much of a difference.

Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com agrees that job uncertainty, housing issues and the lack of economic stability in the U.S. and Europe, as well as in emerging markets are topics that seem to be keeping prospective buyers on edge regarding investing in new cars.
Auto sales should increase, but the economy is still sluggish, lenders are still likely to proceed with caution to avoid loan defaults and costly repossessions. Will next years combined sales level top or even approaches 14 million? Optimistically speaking, it is a possibility. Stay tuned to the auto shopper; the first quarter of 2011 will provide more perspective.

A number of analysts, who were recently polled by Automotive News, projected a rise of around 10% in the U.S. auto sales market for next year. That would amount to around 11.5 million cars being sold. However, at least one analyst predicted a sales volume that was much higher, more importantly, there is evidence to back up this rather optimistic perspective.

"Morgan Stanley says consumer creditworthiness is improving so rapidly that lenders are about to loosen credit dramatically-and that will rocket the market to 14 million units in 2011," as reported on autonews.com.

The statement seems as though it could be a little misleading. While it is like music to our ears to hear that Americans seem to be focused on maintain good credit and are making progress toward repairing damaged credit. However, increasing creditworthiness does not inherently translate to significantly more sales. Loosened credit simply means that there will be those who qualify for loans that couldn't get them in the past and others will benefit from decreased interest rates as a result improving their credit.

According to Ravi Shanker, Morgan Stanley's lead analyst for North America, "The catalyst is credit availability-a bigger impediment to auto sales than tight inventory or low demand." Time will tell how the extent of decreased consumer demand will factor into the scenario. The nation is still operating rather conservatively, especially when it comes to spending. It is highly likely that people will choose to squeeze an extra 20,000 to 30,000 miles out of their old vehicles.

George Magliano, senior analyst of IHS Automotive indicates that jobs and housing uncertainties will negate some of the increased potential for strong sales due to credit availability. He is of the opinion that too many fundamental economic factors are weak for a single improvement (credit worthiness) to make that much of a difference.

Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com agrees that job uncertainty, housing issues and the lack of economic stability in the U.S. and Europe, as well as in emerging markets are topics that seem to be keeping prospective buyers on edge regarding investing in new cars.

Auto sales should increase, but the economy is still sluggish, lenders are still likely to proceed with caution to avoid loan defaults and costly repossessions. Will next years combined sales level top or even approaches 14 million? Optimistically speaking, it is a possibility. Stay tuned to the auto shopper; the first quarter of 2011 will provide more perspective.

Sunset ford, home of Ford trucks is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company is giving its retirees an inflation bonus, reflective of Ford's hard work to turn the company around to be more profitable in 2010.

General Motor has spent over $200 million this week paying out inflation bonuses to the company's more than 250,000 retirees. The United Auto Workers (UAW) retirees will get up to $700 each; an additional 72,000 surviving spouses can receive up to $455.

The other two members that make up Detroit's Big Three have recently issued checks to their retirees, as well. Chrysler Groups shelled out $35 million in December to UAW-represented retirees and surviving spouses, plus another $6 million to hourly retires who are represented by other unions. Ford Motor Company anticipates paying out around $70 million in the coming weeks for the same reason. All of these payments are required according to contracts that were negotiated by the automakers and the UAW.

Presently, there is a wage freeze in place for the active auto workers at GM, Ford, and Chrysler. For this group, there will be no inflationary pay adjustments this year. Fortunately for them nationwide inflation is presently low, hovering around the 1.15% level in recent months. Hourly employees also had to forgo cost-of-living allowances in 2010 and 2011, due to certain contract concessions that were made in 2007 and 2009.

In terms of hourly workers, GM employs about 53,000, while Ford carries 41,000 of their own. Employees drawing salaries are not eligible for the cost-of-living allowances. At GM none of its 26,000 salary-receiving employees will get a raise next year, although company chief executive officer Dan Akerson is trying to change that for some. To do so Akerson will need to get special government approval. The problem is that other automotive firms are beginning to lure away talented GM executives with compensation packages that GM is presently unable to match, even if they wanted to, largely due to government control of company policies, since GM took a Government bailout last year.

According to GM spokeswoman Sherrie Childers Arb, the UAW retiree's payments were made on December 13th. Those who are eligible tend to refer to the checks as Christmas bonuses because they are always paid out during the last month of the year.

Dirk Danjin is a retired GM employee and a former UAW representative. Danjin stated that he would have liked to see the active workers get their cost-of-living allowances this year as well, especially since GM has recently reported profits, Chrysler's financial position is better, and good growth in projected for the industry in 2011.

Danjin said, "The companies had a contractual obligation to us. It's a shame, though, that some concessions couldn't be made to active employees given the state of affairs at GM and Chrysler."

Sunset Ford in St. Louis, home of a great line-up of new and Used Ford vehicles, is pleased to announce that Ford plans to invest in a higher stake in China's Jiangling Motors, which now makes up over 30% of Ford's China sales. The investment will give Ford more voting power on Jiangling's board to enable future growth in China's fast-growing light commercial vehicle segment.

"Joe Hinrichs expressed an interest to increase Ford's stake in Jiangling when meeting with the governor of Jiangxi province earlier this week," according to a source that was interviewed by Reuters last week. Hinrich, president of Ford's Asia operations has also stepped in to take the position as chairman and chief executive of Ford's China operations in November.

Hinrichs met with Chinese governor Wu Xinxiong on December 13 in Jiangxi, the home base of Jiangling Motors. There is no official confirmation that a formal agreement has been reached yet, and Ford China declined to comment.

According to Ford data; last year Jiangling Motors' sales rose over 59% to 164,088 units (up 39% from a year earlier). Production resulted from two separate plants, outperforming a 34.1 percent gain of the overall China market. The total capacity of the Jiangling Motors plant that builds Ford's Transit models is 210,000 units.

A $300 million plant was opened in July; it can produce 300,000 units annually, and will begin operation in 2012.

An additional venture in China is being managed by Ford Motor Company, Chongquin Changan Automobile Company, and Mazda.

Ford reduced its stake in Mazda Corporation from 11% to 3.5% with the intention of "increasing flexibility" as the company continues to pursue growth in emerging foreign markets, such as China.

Ford has been expanding gradually as it builds its 3rd Chinese auto plant and added 100 additional dealers as the industry continues to grow in China.

Sunset Ford in St. Louis is pleased to announce that Ford's vehicle communication technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another via advanced Wi-Fi signals on a secured channel, allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which is able to identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous driving situations.

With the new technology, drivers would be alerted in many potentially unsafe situations, such as when another vehicle is close to colliding at an intersection or follows too closely. When a traffic pattern suddenly changes, the driver of the car would be warned whether another car changes lanes and is too close, approaches a parked vehicle, or even loses control all together.

Ford's prototype intelligent vehicles will tour the U.S. beginning this spring. Ford will provide additional prototypes for the Department of Transportation's world-first research clinics expected to begin this summer

"Ford believes intelligent vehicles that talk to each other through advanced Wi-Fi are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes," said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

An October National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report on the potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4,336,000 police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or 81% of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers.

Ford'sFord Motor Company continues to explore new possibilities for designing "intelligent vehicles". They want to be the first automaker to create a prototype vehicle with the technology to communicate with other automobiles on the road, with the intention of increasing safety. Just imagine if your car could actually alert you at unsafe intersections where another vehicle is not stopping for a red light. and will be launched in cities considered major technology hubs across the country. Experts predict that the new technology could be available in many new cars in as little as 5 years.

"While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is advanced versions of technologies that are pervasive-Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today," said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering and chief technical officer. "Intelligent vehicles could help warn drivers of numerous potential dangers such as a car running a red light but blocked from the view of a driver properly entering the intersection."

Ford plans to team up with other automakers, the federal government to create a "common language that ensures all vehicles can talk to each other based on a common communication standard."

Sunset Ford Ford dealers If you happen to be a Ford Motor Company shareholder, you'll be happy to hear that Ford has announced a hefty $6.56 billion in profits for 2010. This is Ford's highest posting in ten years. The company points out three major contributors for those profits: bigger sales, better products and great prices.

All good news, right? Technically, no. Even though over six billion in profit is nothing to sneeze at, it could have been more. Ford's fourth-quarter numbers took a nose dive because that was when Ford was paying down previous debt and running up some bills for launching new cars. There was also a dip in sales in Europe. Still, it's 6 billion in profits!

"We're in transition mode now," claims Ford CFO Lewis Booth at a media briefing today. He went on to predict that 2011 will be an even better year. "We've fixed the fundamentals of the business. I think the thing that pleases us immensely is the improvement in the balance sheet

Those who follow the stock exchange will have noticed that Ford shares fell 7.9% to $17.30 at 9:56 a.m. on January 27. This occurred once the Wall Street analysts had their say.

"These results significantly call into question the idea that Ford's North American profit margins should expand from the 10 percent level as SAAR grows over next few years," J.P. Morgan analyst Himanshu Patel said in a statement. "A faster-than-expected cost rise - both structural and variable - seems to have been the primary driver of the fourth quarter earnings miss."

Over at Ford's European operations, nobody is popping the champagne corks. They filed a $51 million loss due to higher costs deterring customers.

"We were a little disappointed but we did the right thing on the European call," Ford CEO Alan Mulally said. "Clearly, as that situation unfolded, we chose to act decisively and not chase market share and heavily discount our vehicles."

As with any publicly traded company, Ford is required to open its books for the entire world to see. The numbers broke down like this: The company ended the year with $20.5 billion in gross cash, which helped Ford reduce its debt to $19.1 billion, leaving the Detroit automaker with $7.4 billion floating on a revolver loan.

If these numbers make your head spin, don't worry. All that's important is that Ford is in the black and going strong.

Sunset Ford is one of many Ford dealers, who are pleased to announce that new Ford vehicles In many major metropolitan centers are operating as taxis, the lifeblood of the transportation system. Without them, many folks would be stranded. If you really want to know what's going on in a town, ask a cabbie! It's also a lot of fun when you've got an enthusiastic cabbie who is willing to share his/her stories with you. Over in the Windy City of Chicago, there're going to be some welcome new additions to their cab fleet in the form of the Ford Transit Connect Taxis. These are the alternative-fuel cars that are getting rave reviews from passengers, drivers, and citizens alike.

In each major city, the Taxi Medallion Management runs the cab fleet and gets to say who drives what. The Chicago version of the Medallion Management branch ordered up 12 of the clean-burning compressed natural gas or CNG for their fleet. These new taxis will fly the banner of the Yellow Cab Chicago.

All of this came about because of the city's commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 25%. Naturally, it makes sense to put city managed vehicles on the front line of this battle. The EPA says that the CNG actually releases up to 30 to 40% less of those greenhouse gas emissions that your typical street model puts out. You might think that's a drop in the bucket compared to all the cars on the road in Chicago, but you've got to start somewhere!

"We are adding vehicles with more fuel-efficient gasoline engines, as well as vehicles with alternative-fuel sources, to find a vehicle mix that best suits our customers, our drivers, the city at large and the environment," said Michael Levine, CEO of Taxi Medallion Management. "We are excited about testing this new vehicle."

The shiny new Ford taxis will make their way to Chi-town by way of Packey Webb Ford of Downers Grove, Illinois. This won't be the first time the Ford Transit Connect Taxis have hit the road. The initial fleet was launched in Boston back in December.

"During product development of this vehicle, we visited cities across the U.S. speaking with taxi owners, operators, drivers and city officials on the key product attributes they wanted in a taxi," said Gerald Koss, Ford Fleet marketing manager. "Of course, reliability and durability were key, but fuel-efficient powertrains and sustainable solutions also were high on their lists."

Passengers can expect plenty of legroom and personal ventilation controls. Drivers get a rear view camera and back-up sensor. A welcome addition for any taxi!

Your local St. Louis Ford dealers, including Sunset Ford, are pleased to announce that the 2011 Ford Edge was named 'Canadian Utility of the Year' at the Canadian International Auto Show.

"We are pleased to receive the 2011 Canadian Utility of the Year award from AJAC," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "The Canadian-built 2011 Ford Edge features industry-leading technologies that create a whole new in-vehicle experience."

Ford Edge underwent a challenging road test by professional drivers in Canada who "put it through its paces and performed uninterrupted comparisons of each vehicle under the same conditions," and the Ford Edge came out a winner with a panel of AJAC judges.

Ford Edge offers a combination of technology, class leading powertrains, and great design, the first vehicle in its class to feature the MyFord Touch technology which connects motorists with in car and digital technologies. With MyFord Touch. The 2011 Ford Edge features an innovative, configurable instrument display and a very usable cabin technical interface. Sync offers a high quality voice command and connectivity with cell phones and music players..

But the 2011 Edge gets more than just a new dashboard; this model sees the introduction of three new engines along with revised body styling. Ford offers the highest trim model, the Sport with all-wheel drive.

It's not difficult to figure out why the Canadian panel of automotive experts selected Ford Edge as number one in Utility class, if you want to find out first hand, visit your local Sunset Ford Dealer near Ferguson.

Sunset Ford in St. Louis, home of a great line-up of new and Used Ford cars is pleased to announce that in February the infamous orange Ford Focus electric vehicle was officially donated to the Petersen Automotive Museum in California. The Electric prototype commonly seen on the Jaye Leno show last year is now part of green automotive history.

"This donation signifies Ford's transition from a prototype version of Focus Electric to the real production vehicle," said Matt VanDyke, Ford director of U.S. Marketing and Communications. "We still believe the Focus Electric prototype can continue to create awareness and excitement for electric vehicles like it did during the Green Car Challenge. The Petersen Automotive Museum is the perfect place for the car to do that."

The electric powered Ford Focus was designed based on the 5-door production Focus ST, built to perform on a racetrack. The Focus Electric was in fact outfitted with Recaro racing seats, a full roll cage, and a 5 point racing harness with the eye catching electric orange paint scheme.

Many famous actors got involved in accepting Focus's racing challenge, stars such as; Drew Barrymore, Arnold Schwarzenegger,, and Sheryl Crow all drove the infamous Ford. Dr. Phil McGraw beat out all the other celebrities for the fastest lap time in the Focus Electric concept car.

Today Ford Focus electric is featured in the museum's "Alternative Power Exhibit." The display highlights features of various types of engines that run on alternative power such as an electric car designed in the 1800's, and even a wood burning engine, as well as a steam powered vehicle, and of course the modern day version of electric powered engines.

"We are excited to add the Ford Focus Electric to our collection," said Buddy Pepp, Petersen Automotive Museum executive director. "It is a historically significant car on many levels. Not only is this prototype Ford Motor Company's first all-electric passenger car, but it also has a local Hollywood connection. Vehicles like this reflect our mission to explore and present the history of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture using Los Angeles as the prime example."

Ford built the Focus Electric prototype vehicle in order to begin the process of the evolution of the electric powered engine in the ford line up.

"The Green Car Challenge was a win-win for everyone involved. Jay Leno and his guests got to participate in a fun and entertaining segment and consumers learned more about electric vehicles and the positive impact they can have on the environment," said VanDyke.

Sunset Ford in St. Louis is pleased to announce Ford's focus Rally America, that took place in March 2011, marking the end of the interactive rally with 6 teams of 2 that traveled across the U.S. in the new Ford Focus. The teams drove 6,000 miles and 10 states.

"Focus Rally: America was the ultimate experience for both the teams and the people following the adventure at home," said Jeff Eggen, Ford experiential marketing manager. "The fans tuning in at home got to take part in every bit of the action. Even with an under-12-hour turnaround, the Hulu episodes capture the essence of the program and the experiences of the teams on the road."

Challenges were presented along the trip to each of the teams, and over 8 million minutes of live video was taken during Focus Rally America, capturing teams in between challenges. There were also more than 300,000 episodes displayed on Hulu, where you can view them live at www.Hulu.com/focusrally.

The teams traveled to Big Sur, Calif., where they participated in a high ropes course in a redwood forest. The rally teams also traveled to Navajo Bridge in Arizona, where they were walked out onto a suspended plank over the Colorado River to pick up puzzle pieces
In Nevada, one team member even stood on the wing of an airplane in flight, all while looking for a clue on the plane to help them answer a riddle on the ground

30,000 followers participated in voting online and helped to determine one of the winners of the challenges that were viewed in real time.
"We have been pleased with the depth of engagement from the people who became followers," said Eggen. "It wasn't simply about the size of the group but more important was how involved they were, in every part of the website. The real-time element of rally took social gaming to a whole new level."

Eight new Ford cars (Focus vehicles) were given away to followers as well as trips to Austin, Miami, New Orleans, and Big Sur California.

The all-new Ford Focus has started to arrive in dealer showrooms, as it attracts plenty of attention. The Focus offers stylish design along with the latest in automotive technology all while delivering 40 mpg on the highway. For more information, or to test drive the new Ford Focus, stop in at your local Pennsylvania Ford dealers; Sunset Ford today.

Sunset Ford in St. Louis, home of a great lineup of Ford Trucks and cars, is proud to announce that Ford Motor Company has launched a new "Take Charge" contest on its Electrified Vehicle facebook page which will be active through the middle of April.

In the contest, Ford will ask Facebook users to share what actions they are taking in keeping with conservation efforts to help the environment. Those with the most votes on their ideas from other Facebook or Twitter users will be winners of an electric vehicle experience.

The Facebook website is www.facebook.com/FordElectricVehciels. The page offers education on electric vehicle technology. "The contest allows Ford to use social media to connect with our fans and exchange ideas about what they are doing to lower their carbon footprint," said David Finnegan, Focus Electric marketing manager. "Our electrified vehicles are just one part of Ford's overall sustainability efforts and we want to ensure our fans have a voice in sharing what they are doing as well."

Four winners will be selected, one from each category; Repurposer: Ideas focused around recycling, Power Mizer: Ideas focused on energy conservation, Gas Sipper: Ideas on fuel-efficient thinking and Unconventionalist: Ideas covering everything else eco-friendly.

"Even though we're asking Facebook users to share what actions they are taking to help the environment, Ford will take part in the conversation by giving examples of what we're doing too," said Brian McClary, Ford social and emerging media specialist. "These reminders will help spark people's imaginations on what they can achieve."

Sunset Ford in Missouri, home of a great line up of new and Used Ford vehicles, is pleased to announce that the first quarter net income for Ford Motor Company was $2.6 billion, .61 cents per share, which is an increase of $827 million from last years' first quarterly report. For the last 7 consecutive quarters Ford has reported an operating profit. For the first quarter of 2011 Ford reported a pre-tax profit of $2.1 billion, an increase of $936 million according to Ford News. This increase is a result of a higher sales volume in each automotive segment in Europe and North America.

The pre-tax operating profit was $2.8 billion, or 62 cents per share, an increase of $827 million from first quarter 2010. Ford has posted a pre-tax operating profit for seven consecutive quarters.

A new line-up of fuel efficient vehicles is attributed to the recent spike in sales, in addition to Ford's investment in global automotive markets, not to mention the company's high quality and safety ratings.

"Our team delivered a great quarter, with solid growth and improvements in all regions," said Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO. "We continue to accelerate our One Ford plan around the world, delivering on our commitments to serve our global customers with a full family of best-in-class vehicles and deliver profitable growth for all, despite uncertain economic conditions."

In spite of higher costs and investment in new products, Ford continues to make a profit, which is a testament to the company's success with a lower net interest expense and a stronger balance sheet. In fact, ford shows a net reduction of automotive debt of $2.5 billion in the first quarter. Ford also improved its revolving credit by increasing its liquidity resulting in a $1.7 billion addition to its secured credit.

"Our business is improving as we achieve growth in volume and revenue, while maintaining our focus on increasing competitiveness," said Lewis Booth, Ford executive vice president and chief financial officer. "The quarter was another encouraging step as we invest for an even stronger business for the future."

Sunset Ford in St. Louis is pleased to announce that Ford's group Marketing Manager; Amy Marentic reports that she has a personal interest in the safety of Ford Trucks and cars; 3 teen drivers. Marentic, who oversees Ford cars, SUV's, and Crossovers, was actually trained as an aerospace engineer at the University of Michigan.

Marentic said she was pleased with the MyKey feature that was designed to put controls on vehicles' speed and audio volume, in order to protect teen drivers. She was also impressed with Ford's Driving skills for Life program designed to enhance teen's driving skills through online training.

"With three teenage drivers, I am truly a fan of MyKey and Driving Skills for Life because they give parents other options to help their kids learn how to drive safer," Marentic said. "Ford is complementing graduated licensing by helping parents give their young drivers more experience with reasonable parameters so they can develop safe driving habits for life."

Marentic has a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering as well as a master's degree in industrial and manufacturing engineering, she originally took training to become an aerospace engineer. When she was near the completion of her education, Marentic decided on a change in her career track and started to pursue an automotive degree.

Engineering, product planning, business strategy as well as regional field sales management are all part of Marentic's automotive portfolio, according to Ford; "At the center of each of her career experiences, you'll find the cumulative voice of Ford customers as a key influence." "Each of the roles in which I've served at Ford has provided me with an even deeper understanding of what our customers want and value in a vehicle," Marentic said.

Sunset Ford, home of a great line up of new and used Ford vehicles in St. Louis is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company offers many innovative safety features designed with safe teen drivers in mind. According to Ford News; "Ford is also making advancements in auto safety technologies to shape teens' current and future driving experiences."

New safety features include;

MyKey is a teen safety feature that was designed to limit the vehicle's top speed, as well as controlling the audio volume. MyKey also encourages teens to use their seat belts by automatically muting the stereo system when occupants are not buckled up. The system can also block inappropriate content on the radio.

Ford SYNC is a hands-free communication feature that offers a connection with driver's cell phone and iPod so teens can make calls and listen to their favorite songs without taking their eyes off of the road. The Ford SYNC's 911 Assist feature can provide parents with peace of mind, knowing that in the unfortunate event of an accident or emergency, a local emergency operator is available to quickly dispatch assistance.
The newest Ford safety technology comes in the form of a talking car. Utilizing advanced Wi-Fi technology, Ford's "intelligent vehicles" will be able to communicate with drivers to alert them of potential collisions, and to avoid traffic jams and improve fuel economy. According to statistics used from the NHTSA, intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers avoid up to 81 percent of all accidents reported to police, that involve unimpaired drivers.

Ford has gone above and beyond in advocating for safe teen drivers with the Ford Driving Skills for Life program which is a comprehensive community initiative that features an exciting interactive website and a free educator program available to area schools. Ford Driving Skills for Life program addresses the leading causes of teen crashes.

For more information about Ford Driving Skills for Life, visit www.drivingskillsforlife.com to see modules, quizzes, car care and driving tip videos and games. Free educator packets are available for students, parents, educators and community organizations.

Ford's new "Smart Car" technology is integrated into intelligent vehicles that use a program called DSRC which will display bright red lights and a loud alarm sound when the possibility of a collision is imminent.

Ford allowed a number of journalists and other guests to test drive Ford cars-which are currently on tour nationwide. According to Ford, the new safety technology could be available on all Ford vehicles as soon as 5 years from now.

Ford's Smart Cars use Wi-Fi and commercial GPS signals to communicate with other cars and sense their speed and rate of approach, as well as position in order to calculate the possibility of an impending accident. Ford engineers designed a vehicle positioning monitor under the hood of Ford Smart Cars. The sensor calculates hazards such as the possibility of another car overtaking the driver as he/she changes lanes, a possible collision as the Smart Car passes on a two lane road, or even a blind entry into an intersection where another driver fails to stop in time.
One of the biggest downfalls to the system seems to be that in a few dangerous driving situations such as a vehicle following too close behind; hitting the brakes would not be the most advantageous maneuver on the drivers' part, and the warning system will automatically persuade drivers to stop.

At this point in time; Ford does not plan to connect the DSRC sensors to the steering system, so there is an issue of reaction time. Notoriously drivers depend on knowing where traffic is at all times in order to utilize defensive driving skills. The new DSRC sensors have a range of up to 500 meters which is a little approximately 1/4th of a mile. At 60 mph, (one mile per minute) a car travels that distance in about 15 seconds which should be enough time to produce an adequate warning to the motorist. The problem is that with the current system, a driver is not automatically notified of what to do when the alarm sounds. It's possible that in the future the Ford cars could let the driver know which lane was save to move into in order to avoid a collision.

Although it's not a perfect system as of yet; Ford does have the next 5 years to get the bugs out. In the future we may be looking at a drastically reduced percentage of traffic fatalities as a result of Ford's innovation.

Sunset Ford Dealer in St. Louis Missouri is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company is taking action sports to the extreme! With its upcoming launch of Octane Academy, a new program targeting the younger generation of race enthusiasts.
Ford fans will be united with their favorite Ford sports drivers; Ken Block, Brian Deegan, Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin Jr. - for an opportunity to get behind the wheel and experience performance driving first-hand.
"Today's Millennial generation is extremely influential so our job is finding new and inventive ways of communicating and connecting with them, which includes building our presence in the multibillion-dollar world of extreme sports," said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Global Marketing, Sales and Service. "With an all-star lineup of drivers and vehicles, Ford is bringing fans directly into the excitement of action sports in a way only Ford can with the first-ever dedicated consumer experience for this energetic and expressive audience."
Ford racing fans will get an opportunity to tell their own story through video submissions, regarding why they feel they have what it takes to survive a weekend of on and off road challenges, running with Octane Academy's founding members.
Ford action sports drivers will be asked to design their ultimate playground hosting their elite winners on their terms and their turf. Participants will be given a quick training regime in how to master the road while sharing their experiences on the Octane Academy series.
Those drivers who are selected who drive like the professionals will win prizes, and the overall winner of each camp will be awarded a custom vehicle created by Block, Foust, Deegan or Gittin Jr.
"Getting the chance to create my own challenges for the hardcore competitors who want to take on the challenge of Ford Octane Academy is going to be crazy," said Deegan. "I can't wait to bring the competitors to my spot, The Compound, to give them the ultimate Ford action sports adventure."

Sunset Ford Dealer in St. Louis MO is comitted to keeping its loyal customers update on recent Ford safety issues and recalls.
Ford Motor Company has announced that the company will recall over 20,000 new Ford Trucks- the Ford Ranger compact and parts for other vehicles due to an exterior lighting problem.

According to Federal Safety Regulators, Ford Rangers have a possible faulty switch which could cause the tail lights, hazard flashlights, as well as brake lights to fail to work properly. The impending failure of emergency lighting system could predispose used Ford trucks to the risk of traffic accidents according to information posted on the National Highway Safety Administration's (NHTSA) website.

Although Ford Rangers, like other Ford trucks, have high safety ratings, this issue could possibly cause Rangers to have a higher incidence of traffic accidents due to failure of safety equipment. Approximately 20,450 Ford Ranger pickup trucks and other Ford cars, as well as over 6,000 service parts that had been delivered to dealers' service centers were all involved in the recall according to documents drawn up by the NHTSA.

Ford Ranger models that were recalled include the 2011 model year Rangers built between the dates of January 25th through April 25th, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There were also auto parts from the 2004 throught the 2011 Ford Ranger trucks as well as the 2002 through 2005 Ford Excursion sport utility vehicles (SUV's) as well as the 2002 through 2007 medium and heavy duty Ford F 150 full size pick up trucks.
Dealers will repair the defective switch at no cost to consumers and the recall will begin around August 15th 2011, according to the NHTSA. If your Ranger is affected, see your local Missouri Ford dealer service center, Sunset Ford located in Waterloo Illinois and St. Louis Missouri.

Sunset Ford in Waterloo Illinois is pleased to announce that for the 4th year in a row, Ford F-150 won the Ideal Vehicle Awards for the Large Light-Duty Pickup category. Other vehicles that won for the 2nd year in a row include; Ford Fusion as Premium Mid-Size Car, Ford Fusion Hybrid in the Hybrid category, Ford Super Duty in Large Heavy Duty Pickups and Lincoln MKZ in the Luxury Mid-Size Car group. Large Crossover SUV and Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV went to Ford as well, with Flex and Explorer taking first place.
the 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), is announced by Auto Pacific, an automotive research and consulting firm. The awards are given to the vehicles that most closely match owners' desires.

"Everyone has had the experience of wanting to change something after you've bought it and experienced it for awhile. This is especially true of vehicles," says George Peterson, President of AutoPacific. "This research recognizes the vehicles that owners want to change the least. In other words, the vehicles that already match their owner's demands.

The IVAs are based on owners' ratings of their 2011 model year vehicles considering 15 key vehicle attributes from power and acceleration to interior space. The survey includes responses from over 72,000 participants giving input on their vehicles.

"Its getting harder and harder to measure quality differences in today's vehicles, says Peterson. "Consumers need better insights into which vehicles will meet their ideal for comfort, ride and handling, cargo space, and other attributes that are experienced on a daily basis. IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind."

If you are interested in test driving award winning new or used Ford trucks, see your local Sunset Ford Dealer today.

Sunset Ford, home of a great line-up of new and used Ford trucks in St. Louis Missouri and Waterloo Illinois is very pleased to announce that Ford motor Company sold 361,978 F-Series trucks in the United States in the first 8 months of 2011-a 7% increase over the same period in 2010.
In fact, Ford Motor Company analysts are saying that perhaps the U.S. auto industry's September sales rate could be one of the highest of the year. The huge increase in September Ford sales is being bumped up by the increased demand for full sized pickup trucks. Ford says that U.S. truck sales are currently at their highest sales rate since December.
According to George Pipas, Ford sales analyst; large trucks account for approximately 13% of industry wide sales so far in September, up from only 9% in April and May. "There is a lot of merchandising, especially on trucks, because that's where the inventories are," said Pipas.
Pipas state that automobiles usually sell well in September and October with strong incentives and marketing and have done so this year despite the weak housing market. Because inventory has been so low on some models, such as small cars, incentives have been low. On the other hand, incentives for pickup trucks such as the 2011 Ford F 150 have been offered up to $3,000.
Pipas says he anticipates the 4th quarter sales rate to keep pace with September's sales rate and that the end of the year numbers will come in just short of 13 million units.
Several analysts including J.D. Power have already lowered their sales projections for 2011 and 2012 due to growing concern for a slow economy, low consumer confidence, and unstable stock and job markets.
"By October, the levels of stock of the most popular models that were in short supply will be available," Pipas says. "Then it'll be a no-excuses quarter."

Sunset Ford, home of a great line-up of used Ford cars near Columbia is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company has just launched a new website that is all about the innovative Ford SYNC voice activated vehicle connectivity system.
The new Ford SYNC exists in over 3 million Ford cars and trucks. On the website, visitors can login and learn more about how to utilize the SYNC's features such as driver assistance, entertainment, and safety.

The website was built for ease of use and understanding of the SYNC for consumers who want to know more about the technology-even those who already have the system.

"What we've tried to do is deliver a simpler and more intuitive way for consumers to understand the benefits of SYNC," said Cole Buccafurri, Ford Digital Marketing Communications. "It's delivering contextually relevant information to them at the right time. If they're an owner and want educational material, it's right there. If they're a shopper and just want to know about SYNC, it's all right there, too."

It starts with the SYNC homepage that contains 4 owner experience videos, each based on one feature of the system. One video focuses on SYNC 911 Assist, the feature that is automatically activated when an airbag deploys in an accident or he fuel pump shut off is activated. This feature connects occupants with a 911 operator and provides automatic information on the exact location of the vehicle.
The website can be accessed at ford.com/synchomepage.
"We are continually improving the SYNC experience and this new website is reflective of those efforts," said Michelle Moody, manager, Ford Technology Marketing. "The new site brings all of the information about SYNC together in one nice package."
According to Ford News; "Site visitors can click on the commands to see descriptions of what happens when specific voice commands are given. For example, clicking on the command, "I'm hungry," informs guests that if they said that phrase while driving, SYNC would provide a list of nearby restaurants."
"SYNC's voice recognition capabilities continue to expand and the technology now is able to recognize more than 10,000 words," said Buccafurri. "The expanded vocabulary of SYNC just makes it that much easier for drivers to keep their hands on the wheel."
There is a "support" tab which features topics such as getting started, connecting our mobile phone to SYNC, and SYNC software updates.