Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest

2010 Ford Fusion – Click above for to enlarge

For about the first 110 years of the automobile, the gold standard of eco-thriftiness was a car's miles-per-gallon rating. With the rise of hybrids, plug-ins, biofuels and the like, cost-per-mile might be the better measurement of road-going value. The idea is simple: if a car is powered by a Mr. Fusion or Dilithium crystals or the laughter of children and only costs $.01 per mile to operate but it carries a sticker price of $500,000, its efficiency is never going to balance out its initial cost.

Well, the San Francisco Chronicle has compiled a list of seven popular hybrids along with estimates of how long it would take for each car to pay for its higher cost compared to non-hybrid models in gasoline savings. The winner by a long shot is the Ford Fusion Hybrid at a mere 5.6 years. Which car fared worst? The Nissan Altima Hybrid at a whopping 21 years. We have to wonder, 21 years from now, will they still be making batteries for a 2010 Altima Hybrid?

In short, if you're going by gas savings alone, hybrids don't really pay in the short term. Then again, if gasoline taxes shoot up or peak oil really is right around the corner, the cost per mile of these vehicles could very quickly tip in their favor. Read the full article here.

SOURCE [AutoBlog]

Something to get you excited

We found this video online and thought it would be a great thing to get you excited about the 2011 Ford Fiesta!

2011 Ford Fiesta North American Debut from TangentVector on Vimeo.

Don't forget that we will be having a Fiesta on Cinco de Mayo to introduce the 2011 Fiesta. We will have a car on hand for you to sit in and check out. There will also be a Ford representative on hand to answer any questions you may have. Come visit us...Waldorf Ford, Route 301N, Waldorf

FORD CUSTOMERS BENEFIT FROM HIGHER RESALE VALUES, FEWER WARRANTY REPAIRS

The good news from Ford just keeps coming and your local Ford dealer, Waldorf Ford, couldn't be happier.  We have just received our first 2011 Ford Superduty - and delivered it to its new owner; 2011 Mustang, 2011 Fiesta and 2011 Edge will all be arriving over the next few months!

The resale value of newer Ford Motor Company vehicles rose 23 percent in the past year alone, the result of stronger demand for Ford's new vehicle lineup and improved quality and durability ratings.

At the same time, warranty repair rates on Ford vehicles have declined by an average of more than 40 percent globally in the past three years.

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with one to five years on the road are fetching significantly higher resale values at auction in the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter a year ago. Overall, the resale value of Ford's three brands at auction rose 23 percent from a year ago to outpace the industry, which saw resale values increase by 19 percent, according to the latest National Automobile Dealers Association auction data.

Rising resale values means more money in customers' pockets when it is time to sell or trade in for a new vehicle. Combine these savings with lower repair and maintenance costs and better fuel economy, and the cost to own a Ford product drops dramatically over the life of the vehicle.

Ford performance in third-party consumer quality rankings has been steadily improving for the past several years. Years of a consistent and disciplined focus on quality is paying off, including a marked decline in warranty repair rates.

Ford has reduced its warranty repair rates on vehicles in their first three months of service by an average of more than 40 percent in every major business region around the world in the past three years.

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles' initial quality in the U.S. has improved for five straight years. Ford vehicles now have the fewest number of defects of any full-line manufacturer, according to the GQRS study conducted by RDA Group.

For Ford customers, this means fewer trips to the dealership for repairs. This also means savings for Ford as the company has reduced its warranty repair costs by $1 billion in the past three years.

Source: Ford Motor Company

Speeding Tickets: 65 issued per minute and other fun facts

It’s every driver’s nightmare: flashing blue and red lights in your rear-view mirror. Speeding tickets can strike a blow to anyone’s day. While you pull away from the office with the ticket in your hand, you wonder “Is going ten or fifteen miles an hour over the speed limit that big a deal?” Or “How much is my insurance going to go up now?” Here is some information that answer such questions that will surely cross your mind.


[Via: Auto Insurance]