Perception vs. Reality

In these times of economic uncertainty, it is important for people to get the most from their investments, and that includes their investment in their vehicle. People now want the most for their money, and who can blame them? Nobody wants to spend their money on something that does not live up to their needs and expectations.

WE love the new Fords we sell. Even though they’re the best line-up ever, we suppose our opinion doesn’t count for much. Maybe we are a little biased, but we believe in the vehicles we sell for a reason. Ford makes a great product.

So what do the experts think? The people that do the testing have the facts and figures and test practically every vehicle under the sun, both import and domestic. What you probably don’t know is that Ford Motor Company had more vehicles receive the top safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety than any other manufacturer. Ford vehicles’ mileage ratings also do very well in the EPA Fuel Economy guide. As for quality, Ford is rated better than most by just about every testing group, including the leading consumer magazine. Believe it or not, our quality is a virtual tie with Toyota and Honda quality.

Ford quality is now head and shoulders above the other American auto makers. You have to drive one to understand. Here’s just a sample of some other things that some third party experts from around the country are saying about Ford:

Ford Motor Company was named one of CRO (Corporate Responsibility Officer) Magazine’s Top 40 Best Corporate Citizens, the ONLY Automobile manufacturer in the top 40.

Ford received the most honors from Strategic Vision in their annual "Customer Delight" awards Ford F-150 was the best selling vehicle in America for 2008, Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year, the "Truck of Texas" award, "Best Overall Half-Ton Pick-up" from Pick-ups.com, "Automotive Excellence Award" from Popular Mechanics, "North American Truck of the Year" finalist, and "Top Safety Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Ford Flex was named Automobile Magazine All-Star, 2009 North American Car of the Year Nominee, GQ Magazine Best Stuff of the Year list. The Auto Channel calls Flex "a great family car…and pretty cool."

Ford Focus: The Chicago Sun-Times says "With Great fuel economy, cool features and attractive design, I can’t imagine what more you’d want in a car". The Washington Post calls the 2009 Focus SES "one of the best sub-compact cars sold in the United States. It’s also a joy to drive." And the Washington Times adds that Focus is "a good car that offers a fun time with good gas mileage that everybody needs a little of right now. The 2009 Ford Focus coupe has big strengths and a right price."

Ford Escape: The New York Times calls the Escape "one of those unassuming vehicles that seems to be everywhere. If you count the Escapes in any supermarket parking lot you’ll conclude must have sold a million of those things. In fact, it has

Ford Ranger: From the Minneapolis Star-Times; "the compact Ford Ranger pick-up’s high-quality, high-value formula continues to succeed against an onslaught of competition."

Ford Edge: The San Francisco Chronicle says "the Ford Edge wins the crossover race with its eye-catching design. Living up to its name, Edge’s design, technology, driving performance and safety give it a distinct edge over the other five-passenger vehicles in many ways."

And coming soon to a Ford Dealer near you, here’s a sampling of some new technology that has recently hit the showroom floor or is still on the way.

· Ford’s new Eco-Boost engine technology, a winner of Popular Science Magazine’s "Best of what’s new for 2008" award.

· "Active Park Assist": With the touch of a button, drivers can parallel park quickly, easily and safely without ever touching the steering wheel.

· "Collision Warning with Brake Support" uses radar to help drivers avoid rear-end collisions.

· "Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)" uses two multiple beam radar modules when backing out to alert drivers sooner of nearby traffic.

· "Adaptive Cruise Control" allows the driver to set and maintain the vehicle’s speed while radar monitors the traffic ahead.

· "Intelligent Access with Push Button Start" allows the driver to enter the vehicle and start the engine without using the key. The driver simply carries a key fob which the vehicle detects.

· Adaptive Headlamps with Standard High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps: Sensors monitor the vehicle’s speed and steering wheel input to engage headlamp movement and increase the driver’s field of vision.

· "Rain Sensing Wipers" use an optical sensing system to gauge precipitation and automatically activate and adjust the wipers.

· "SYNC": This award winning voice activated communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft integrates Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players into the vehicle. SYNC incorporates 911 Assist, which can notify a local 911

emergency operator in the event of an airbag-deployment incident.

There is a lot to be proud of with Ford and the work being done by each member of the Ford Team, from its leaders in Detroit to the workers in the Ford plants. If you are in the market for a new car, truck, SUV or crossover, we hope you’ll at least consider a Ford.

You can also check out how Ford is raising the bar at

Thank you for your time and attention.

The Hagerstown Ford Family