Ford announces NEW "Blind Spot Mirror"

I have to previse this story by saying that as a person who commutes, I LOVE THIS! Read on...

Ford introduces two new features coming in 2009 to aid drivers' visibility - Blind Spot Mirror and the Cross Traffic Alert with Blind-Spot Monitoring System, arriving in 2009.

Ford will be the FIRST to market with the Blind Spot Mirror, answering customer's demands for better visibility as they change lanes or parallel park. This affordable mirror technology will first launch early next year and find its way onto many future Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles as standard equipment replacing the traditional side view mirrors. These new mirrors feature an integrated convex spotter mirror aimed directly at the vehicle's blind spot. The Cross Traffic Alert with Blind-Spot Monitoring System utilizes radar to alert of cross-path traffic while in reverse and, in forward gears, warn when a vehicle enters the blind spot. Specifically, Cross Traffic Alert works by using the radar when in reverse to pick up moving objects within a 65-foot range from either the left or right side of the vehicle. The radar also works when backing out of angled parking spaces because its view is wider that just strictly sensing traffic coming at a 90-degree angle. Conventional systems have limited sideways effectiveness. When cross traffic is approaching, two warnings are given: an indicator lights up in the corresponding outside mirror and an audible alert is sounded.

Stockton Asparagus Festival! Join Us!!

San Joaquin Counties' most prestigious agricultural product, asparagus, inspired the creation of the Stockton Asparagus Festival 23 years ago. The Stockton Asparagus Festival to be held April 25th, 26th and 27th is a multi-event, food, and entertainment festival, which celebrates asparagus.

The festival features two performing stages, an Asparagus Alley with the BEST deep fried asparagus found anywhere, one of the finest celebrity chef cooking demonstration kitchens, a fabulous Spear-Its of the Valley wine and beer pavilion, a craft show, 600 booths, displays and exhibits in the show. The Stockton Asparagus Festival is honored to work with the City of Stockton to bring you this wonderful community event.

In honor of the celebration, Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury will be featuring a Used Car Sales Event. Receive financing as low as 2.9% APR up to 36 months (on approved credit) on select Ford Certified Vehicles. Choose from over 70 pre-owned vehicles. Come early for best selection!

Thank You! From Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury

Owner Advantage is our way of saying thanks. And, it's your way to earn "rewards" again and again!!

Now available as "Standard Equipment" on ALL new Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles as well as ALL pre-owned vehicles in our extensive inventory, you earn:

· $10 credit toward a future parts or service purchase upon enrollment
· Percentage credit on every parts or service purchase that can be applied to a future parts or service purchase
· Access to your transactions and earnings online
· Service performed by technicians who are extensively trained to know every aspect of your vehicle
· The assurance of knowing you’ll get Genuine parts engineered to keep your vehicle performing at its best
· Other regular benefits of ownership, including competitive prices on everything your vehicle needs
· Enrollment is FREE and AUTOMATIC each time you purchase a vehicle from Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury

How membership works:
· Just present your Membership Card or let your Service Advisor know that you are a member every time you visit and we’ll automatically update your account with every reward you earn!
· Your membership can be extended to any member of your household!
· Earnings can be used toward future parts and service purchases!

Available EXCLUSIVELY at Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury!

Ford Quality Soaring!

When it comes to initial vehicle quality, no automaker performs better than Ford.

The quality of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brand vehicles soared to the top of the charts equaling that of Toyota and Honda, according to the first quarter 2008 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

The study shows Ford’s domestic brands improved 8 percent versus last year with a combined average of 1,284 things-gone-wrong (TGW) per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership. This performance is statistically equivalent to the 1,250 TGW level of Honda and Toyota.

“Last year we tied with Toyota, and this year our quality performance is as good as industry-leading Honda’s too,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Our world-class quality is one of the most important aspects of our turnaround in North America. This consistently strong quality improvement should offer today’s customer renewed confidence, setting the stage for important new products like Ford Flex, which is launching this summer.”

Ford’s dramatically improved vehicle quality will be highlighted in a sweeping new marketing campaign called “Drive One” that officially debuts Tuesday. The campaign tells the story behind Ford’s rise to the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality as well as underscoring safety, smart technology and improved fuel efficiency.

The company earned best-in-class honors in two important engineering functions: interiors, which includes such areas as trim, seats and instrument panel appearance; and electrical, which includes entertainment systems. Ford tied for best-in-class in two other functions, paint and vehicle engineering, which includes such areas as ride and handling and cabin quietness.

Additionally, Ford’s domestic brands pushed customer satisfaction up one point to 77 percent.

Recycling the Ford Way

Ask someone on the street what consumer item they think is recycled more than any other in the U.S. and they’re likely to guess "newspapers" or "soda bottles." Most people probably wouldn’t say "cars" -- but that is, in fact, the answer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 95 percent of all end-of-life vehicles in the U.S. are processed for recycling. That's compared to 52 percent of all paper and 31 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles.

Roughly 85 percent of each Ford Motor Company vehicle, including the 2008 Fusion, is recyclable. What's more, Ford is working with Chrysler and GM through the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and its Vehicle Recycling Partnership to raise that number to as close to 100 percent as possible.

"The U.S. automakers have long taken a proactive stance in vehicle recycling," says Don Walkowicz, executive director, USCAR. "They continue to work side by side with government and private industry to optimally recycle all vehicles, regardless of age, content or origin."

The EPA calls recycling one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century, reporting that the practice diverted more than 72 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2003, up from 34 million tons in 1990 -- doubling in just 10 years.

A Stong Grip

Not so many years ago, all-wheel drive (AWD) conjured up images of dusty off-road trucks. But today, Ford offers the most extensive lineup of vehicles with AWD and 4WD, including Edge, Escape, Fusion, Taurus and Taurus X. With AWD, a vehicle is driven by all four of its wheels rather than the usual two. The benefit? Every wheel helps pull the car along the road, which improves the handling. If one wheel loses its grip, three more are still actively keeping the vehicle aligned. The greatest advantage comes from pairing AWD with modern traction-control systems like Ford's AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control (RSC). Adding sophisticated sensors and software to the four wheels improves control on uneven and slippery surfaces.

Q+A

What does the number 150 in Ford F-150 mean? Surprisingly, it has to do with gasoline. But the complete story began 60 years ago.

The first F-Series trucks, the F-1, F-2 and F-3, were introduced in 1948. Their names were pretty simple. The F stood for Ford, with the F-1 the lightest duty of the three and the F-3 the heaviest duty. After a 1953 redesign, the F-1 was renamed the F-100 and joined the larger F-250 (formerly the F-2) and the F-350 (the old F-3). These names remain the same today, with one exception.

In 1975 unleaded fuel was introduced to meet new federal emissions standards. There was concern that some F-100 owners in rural areas would be unable to find unleaded fuel, so Ford developed a version of the truck that could run on unleaded fuel. This new truck, the F-150, also had a higher cargo capability; its 6,050-pound gross vehicle weight hit a sweet spot between the F-100 and F-250, and its sales soared, eventually surpassing those of the F-100.

Both the F-100 and F-150 remained in production until 1983, when the F-150, which by then ran on unleaded fuel, became the base model in the F-Series.

Visit us at Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury and see our huge selection of F-150s and Super Dutys. For a limited time, receive 0% financing for 36 months on F-150s!

A LOOK BACK

Every truck driver can use a helping hand when backing up, whether to hitch a trailer, drop off materials or unload groceries. Ford has the answer: F150 and Super Duty trucks are now available with an optional Reverse Camera System, in which a tiny camera mounted in the tailgate relays video to a screen in the rearview mirror. It provides a clear line of sight when you're in reverse; the wide view gives you a picture of the area behind the vehicle to help you back across a construction site or into a garage or tight parking spot.

At Big Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury we have an enormous selection of new F150's and Super Dutys in stock and ready for immediate delivery. Visit us online at bigvalleyonline.com to view our current inventory.

LIGHT SHOW

Music isn't the only way to personalize your ride. New optional ambient lighting ADDS A SPLASH OF COLOR TO THE CENTER CONSOLE AT THE FLIP OF A SWITCH! Built-in LEDs illuminate the cupholders and the front and rear footwells. To change the mood, select one of seven different colors: red, aqua, yellow, green, blue, purple or white. Other instruments and switches on the console glow in ice blue. They don't just look cool: Research shows that certain levels of blue lighting can help you feel more awake and alert, which could make long drives a little less taxing. Ambient lighting is currently available in the new 2008 Focus and Mustang and will be available for the Flex and the Fusion.