Nanaimo, BC Dealership Blog » Escape

Vehicle Mobility Modifications and Equipment with the Ford Mobility Program

Karen Ann — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Increase Your Confidence. Living with a health condition or physical disability shouldn’t limit your mobility. The Ford Mobility program is designed to extend your abilities, allowing you to enhance your personal independence.

Extend your Ability. At Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln and with Ford of Canada, we are committed to understanding and supporting individuals with unique mobility needs.

When you purchase or lease a new Ford of Canada vehicle, you may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 toward the installation of adaptive driving aids or mobility assistance equipment.

Enhance Mobility. Start driving now by customizing a vehicle to suit your needs.

Eligibility modifications and equipment include:

Wheelchair lifts or other lift equipment
Hand or other driving controls
The Early Alert Response System (EARS) for the hearing impaired

In Nanaimo MediChair is approved to offer Mobility upfitter packages.

2013 Ford Escape and MyFord Touch Performance Upgrade

Karen Ann — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:28:54 +0000

MyFord Touch is getting an upgrade. More icons, more intuitive navigation! The quadrants are still the same, just with better labeling!

If you have a Ford with the SYNC software package in recent years, you will be able upgrade to the latest version which will be shipping in our 2013 models.

Ford Hands-Free Liftgate Feature on the New Ford Escape

Karen Ann — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:35:32 +0000

We are so excited to try this out. Can’t wait for the new Ford Escape to arrive!!

42% Say Fuel Economy is Key in Vehicle Purchase Decision

Karen Ann — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:26:38 +0000

MPG Matters!

In a 2011 Maritz Research study, 42% of all consumers say fuel economy is an extremely important new vehicle purchase consideration. Which is up 13.5% from 10 years ago. Generation Y (or Milennials) rank fuel economy even higher and rated it most often as having the greatest impact on their vehicle purchases.

Ford and Lincoln products lead in fuel economy in 12 of the vehicle classes. Four Ford models deliver 40 mpg or better, which is a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

For extreme fuel economy be sure to check out the Ford Fiesta, which can go 920 KM on a tank of gas! There’s also the redesigned 2012 Ford Focus, and the last year of the Ranger too! Even our Super Duty trucks get better fuel economy than previous years, and their competitors.

Press Release:

DEARBORN, Mich., June 21, 2011 – More than 40 percent of consumers view fuel economy as “extremely important” when considering a new vehicle purchase today, a new study finds.

What’s more, one third of consumers say fuel economy will have the “greatest impact” on their next vehicle purchase, and younger buyers place an even higher priority on miles per gallon.

“Customers are telling us clean and green vehicles matter most because they are good for people’s wallets and good for our planet,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “We hear what they are saying, and that is why Ford is absolutely committed to giving our customers vehicles with top fuel efficiency.”

The annual New Vehicle Customer Study has been conducted since the 1970s by Maritz Research, reaching approximately 200,000 consumers a year. The latest study, conducted in the first quarter, shows:

42 percent of people surveyed say fuel economy is “extremely important” in their decision to purchase new 2011 models – a 13.5 percent increase versus 10 years ago
37 percent indicated they expect fuel economy will have the “greatest impact” on their next new vehicle purchase
Millennials place an even greater importance on fuel economy, with 46 percent saying fuel economy is “extremely important” in the new vehicle purchase decision – the greatest percentage among all age groups. Also, 41 percent say fuel economy will be the top factor in their next vehicle purchase

In addition, while buyers of small vehicles are most likely to put fuel economy toward the top of their list of purchase considerations, fuel economy has jumped in importance in nearly all vehicle segments since 2001, the survey finds. Specifically:

Fuel economy as a purchase reason for B-cars became the top consideration in 2011 (21 percent), up from fourth in 2001 (14 percent)
Fuel economy as a purchase reason for C-cars nearly tripled in importance from 2001 (7 percent) to 2011 (19 percent), going from fifth to first
After ranking 16th in 2001, fuel economy was listed in the top five most important purchase reasons for small utility vehicles in 2011
Fuel economy was listed in the top 10 most important purchase reasons for sports car buyers for the first time in 2011
Fuel economy as a top purchase reason for medium utility vehicles jumped 14 spots from 2001 to 2011
Fuel economy as a top purchase reason for C/D-cars ranked fifth in 2011 after ranking 12th in 2001
The Maritz Research survey results also track with Ford’s 2011 research and sales trends.

Consumer perceptions of Ford delivering “good gas mileage” grew 57 percent from late 2008 to the end of the first quarter of 2011, according to Ford’s latest brand health study.

Plus, Ford’s small vehicle sales have been hitting record levels in the U.S.

Ford’s two all-new small cars combined had sales of 29,423 in May, up 74 percent versus a year ago. It was Ford’s largest small car month since May 2008, with Fiesta sales at 7,120 and Focus sales at 22,303, up 32 percent versus a year ago.

“Since December, we have seen industry-wide small car purchases increase from 19 percent to 24 percent,” said George Pipas, Ford sales analyst. “It drives home the point that consumers are looking at more fuel-efficient choices.”

That applies to larger vehicles, too. Eighty percent of customers buying Ford’s hot-selling Fusion midsize sedan in May chose the four-cylinder engine over the V6 – up from 50 percent when the vehicle debuted in 2006. Also in May, for the first time in decades more than 55 percent of Ford F150s sold were equipped with V6 rather than V8 engines.

Ford Motor Company has 12 vehicles leading their sales segments with best-in-class fuel economy and four models that deliver 40 mpg or more – a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

Consumer habits shape decisions

For some, the idea of more ethical consumption is driving the desire for higher-mpg vehicles.

“Consumers are taking a logical approach to making their lives better,” said Sheryl Connelly, manager of Ford Global Trends and Futuring. “Choosing a car that lessens their impact on the environment as well as their wallets can really create peace of mind.”

Additionally, Ford’s family of electrified vehicles – including the Ford Transit Connect Electric, Focus Electric as well as the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid coming next year – offers plenty of choice for customers who want a vehicle that supports their ethical beliefs while also delivering quality, style and innovation.

Meeting customer desires

Ford invested billions beginning in 2006 in researching and developing new fuel-efficient engines, transmissions and electrified vehicles, working to make fuel economy affordable for millions of people. Today, Ford’s fuel economy standouts include:

Ford Fiesta: With the six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission, Fiesta is EPA-certified at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg city, and delivers class-leading fuel economy
All-new Ford Focus: Delivers 40 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city through its advanced six-speed automatic transmission
All-new Ford Explorer V6: Fuel economy ratings are EPA-certified at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, a 25 percent improvement over the previous V6 model
Ford Mustang V6: Its high-revving 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 31 mpg; Mustang V6 is the first car in history to deliver the combination of 305 horsepower and more than 30 mpg

New technology saves fuel

In 2010, Ford launched nine new engines and six new six-speed transmissions, and the company is on track to deliver fuel-saving six-speed transmissions across all of Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles by the end of 2012.

Ford also is expanding its industry-leading range of fuel-efficient powertrains in North America with the addition of a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost™ three-cylinder – the smallest engine Ford has ever built – and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Many of Ford’s new powertrains include fuel-saving technologies such as:

Twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), which enables the engine to operate at peak efficiency by continually adjusting the precise moment the intake and exhaust valves open
Gasoline direct injection (GDI), which improves efficiency by raising the compression ratio and by using precise amounts of fuel placed directly in the combustion chamber
Turbocharging, which uses exhaust gases to pressurize the engine cylinders with a more dense mixture of fuel and air, increasing power
EcoBoost, which uses direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to allow four-cylinder engines to deliver the power of V6s and V6s to deliver the power of V8s. EcoBoost engines save fuel in part because they burn less fuel, and because they weigh less than the larger-displacement engines they replace
Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), which eliminates drag on the engine by replacing the hydraulic pump with an electric motor. EPAS, available on Ford Mustang, F-150, Fiesta, the new Focus and other vehicles, improves fuel economy by approximately 4 percent

Raising Money for School with Drive One 4 UR School

Karen Ann — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:35:28 +0000

Woodland Secondary School Basketball Team raised $1,820 with a total of 91 test drives taken in a number of New Ford and Lincoln products: Check out our Facebook Photo Album of the event!

As seen in the Nanaimo Daily News:

Nanaimo’s Steve Marshall Ford raised more than $1,800 for the Woodlands Secondary School’s senior girls basketball team in a unique fundraiser held last weekend.

The “Drive 1 4ur School” fundraiser saw the car company give $20 to the basketball team for every test drive that was taken in their cars during the event.

Carl MacDonald, coach of the basketball team, said there were 91 test drives taken and he really appreciates Steve Marshall Ford and the company’s contribution to the team.

Sherdan White, the company’s promotions manager, said the idea was to put more people behind the wheels of Ford vehicles in the hopes they will buy.

FREE Vancouver Canucks Jersey!! Get some Canucks fever!

Karen Ann — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:28:50 +0000

Updated with new video, thank you Nanaimo. All 100 Jerseys are gone, and we have food and money for the Salvation Army piled up!!

Updated with new video the morning of Thursday, April 28th.

We wanted to show our incomparable support for the Canucks, find a way to help our local food bank, and have some fun during the play offs that are happening right now… Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln acquired 100 Canuck jerseys!

We are giving away a Canucks jersey (no purchase necessary) to anyone who brings in a non-perishable food item or a monetary donation for the Salvation Army and test drives a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle on April 28th or 29th.

That’s it! So easy (and rewarding) to Make a Difference in Nanaimo! Get your FREE Canucks jersey:

Bring a non-perishable food item, or a monetary donation, for the Salvation Army
Test drive a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle
There are only 100 jerseys

Limit: One per household. Must be 19 or older.

Impress Your Valentine with These Cool Date Night Features from Ford

Karen Ann — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Just about everyone remembers the car they rode in on their first date. Was it a convertible with a great sound system, or a boat on wheels with lots of space? Whatever it was, both men and women agree that cars can make or break that first and often memorable impression. “A person’s car is most definitely an extension of themselves,” said Ellen Fein, dating expert and best-selling co-author of The Rules. “You often get one chance to make a right impression, and your car is one of the first personal things your date sees about you.”

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the all-important role that cars play in modern romance can’t be overlooked. And it’s not just the make and model of a car that matter. The features inside your ride can have a considerable impact on the setting and mood.

and not with this Ford American Idol commercial

Cramping My Style

Take interior space, for example. Cramped, tight spaces can really put a damper on a comfortable “car date.” But you don’t have to have a big car to get some elbow room.

The all-new Focus from Ford brings small car interior space to a new level, rivaling larger vehicles. It offers more shoulder room than an Audi A4 and more front headroom than a Toyota Camry. In the spacious second row, the new Focus provides more hip room than the Audi or Toyota.

Sweet sounds

There’s nothing like good tunes to spice things up. Music is essential on a date. Wouldn’t it be even better if you could simply ask your car to select the song your date wants to hear from your custom playlist on an iPod or MP3 player?

Ford’s next-generation voice control can interpret a single voice command, such “USB, play artist, Lifehouse” to change a song if the mood calls for something soft and slow. Connectivity for portable devices and media players, are available through two USB ports, three RCA jacks (video, right and left audio) and SD card reader.

The setting gets even better when the songs are played on a premium Sony® 10-speaker audio system with subwoofer found on most Ford models.

Careful component matching and tuning for the vehicle has ensured that the premium sound system delivers outstanding sound quality. System performance is enhanced by the center speaker, which provides highly authentic staging, while the subwoofer ensures that bass sounds have a full, rich quality.

Mood Lighting

Almost as important as mood music is mood lighting.

Ford’s advanced ambient lighting system uses LED technology to provide precise pools of illumination in the foot wells, cup holders, door handle releases and map pockets. The driver can choose between seven different accent colors and set the brightness level to suit his or her mood.

A search mode can also be activated, switching the lighting to a bright white color, helping occupants to find misplaced objects within the car.

The right kind of lighting, such as Ford’s new LED Crystal Blue interior lighting, ensures consistent levels of color and brightness are delivered in the right places and at the right times to set the right mood.

Roof with a view

If gazing at the stars is your idea of a romantic car date, you can while staying warm, dry and bug free while viewing from the inside of your car. Several of Ford’s crossover and sports utility models can be equipped with the panoramic Vista Roof. The large glass moon roof provides a grand view of the sky.

The roof features a large glass panel. The oversized front panel provides open-air touring. Close the forward roof and the enormous skylights allow natural light to flood the cabin while protecting it, and you, from the elements. Or sky-gazing on a hot, sunny day? Twin power-operated cloth shades can be closed simultaneously to block nearly 100 percent of ultra-violet rays.

Chillin’

Need to keep beverages chilled? Ford’s Flex cross-over vehicle boasts a class-exclusive refrigerated console that is mounted between the second-row captain’s chairs. The available refrigerator can cool up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles from room temperature to 41 degrees in a little more than two-and-a-half hours – 40 percent faster than a standard home refrigerator.

Intimate Interiors

Attention to detail, including the look, touch, feel and operation of all controls, features and surfaces also help define the setting. Materials that feel luxurious to the touch, comfortable seats and a welcoming interior contribute to the appeal and allure of any interior space, including a car.

For example, Ford uses authentic chrome plating on the interior trim parts, such as door handle release, rather than painted coatings to improve the look and feel of its car interiors. Optimizing the softness and feel of key customer touch points, such as the steering wheel, door armrests and center console, also provides an overall feeling of comfort and style.

Peace and Tranquillity

An ideal date night is one without distractions or disruptions from noise generated by the external environment, such as traffic noise, pedestrian chatter, and other business taking place outside of the car.

Soundproofing cars to shut out distracting outside noises offers both privacy and tranquillity inside.

Windshields with a special acoustic layer and thicker side and rear glass on Ford cars and trucks significantly reduce high-frequency noises. Sound-absorbing carpets and self-expanding foams also help absorb sound, as well as help maintain a more consistent sound level distribution inside the vehicle.

So while your Ford car can help set a mood, it can’t guarantee a second date.

Hybrid and Electric Cars, How soon will the Fusion pay off?

Karen Ann — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:49:57 +0000

Last week when the Nissan Leaf was announced to be launching in North America this year, the San Fransisco Chronicle had some indepth wisdom. Wisdom that included, price on the environment and price on your pocket. As the purely electric vehicles are costly enough to not reasonable be able to break even on cost of ownership vs a gas powered vehicle, they opted to discuss exactly how much more likely a Hybrid vehicle would be.

They listed through 7 Hybrid cars and their “Years to Break Even”, including Nissan Altima Hybrid “21″, Toyota Prius “20″, Honda Civic Hybrid “17″, Honda Insight “16.5″, Toyota Camry Hybrid “15″, Mercury Milan Hybrid “13″ (unavailable for Canada), and the Ford Fusion Hybrid “5.6″.

San Fransico Chronicle:
According to Consumer Reports, the answer is the “crown jewel” of the Fusion family and a very cost-effective hybrid vehicle. This could account for why it took home top honors as the North American Car of Year at the Detroit Auto Show. It provides a similar look and driving experience as the non-hybrid Fusion, but because the price discrepancy between the two models is relatively slim (about $3,200), drivers are likely to break even with the money they save in gas within six years.

Autoblog:
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?

Owner’s Manual and Towing Guides

Karen Ann — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:15:53 +0000

Towing Guides for Ford vehicles are available on-line.

Whatever your towing need is, there is a Ford vehicle to fill it. With many years of RV and towing experience, Ford has earned a reputation for providing quality and reliable RV products.

The Towing Guides are designed to provide helpful information about towing with Ford. For additional towing information pertaining to your Ford vehicle, refer to the vehicle’s Owner Manual.

The Owner’s Manuals are also available online!

Now you can get all the information you need from the very important Manual right at your computer, including setting your clock (it’s almost fall), programming your radio stations, towing and hauling capacities, and your service maintenance schedule!

BCAA Rewarding Customers for DrivingElectronic Stability Control Equipped Vehicles

Karen Ann — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:25:59 +0000

An excellent and new way of rewarding smart and safety savvy consumers, BCAA introduced a 5% discount on collision premiums for vehicles with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). So now driving a Ford or Lincoln can immediately save you money!

2009 and 2010 Ford and Lincoln Vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) include the Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Mustang, F150, Super Duty, Explorer Sport Trac, E-Series, Escape, Edge, Taurus X, Explorer, Expedition, Flex, MKZ, MKS, MKX and Navigator.

Press Release:

Electronic Stability Control – or ESC – can help prevent a collision, and maybe even save your life. Now, for the first time in Canada, ESC can help save money on your auto insurance, too. BCAA Insurance is introducing a five per cent discount on collision premiums for vehicles equipped with ESC – an innovative way of rewarding customers for choosing the added safety and peace of mind provided by ESC. ESC is a computer-controlled safety device that monitors the vehicle’s direction compared to the direction of the steering wheel. When the vehicle is in a skid, or if the tires spin, the ESC system will automatically apply braking to certain wheels and may cut engine power to help the driver regain control. The ESC system can actively prevent and reduce skidding conditions and wheel spin before the driver becomes aware of the problem.

Passive devices like seatbelts, airbags, and child seats help drivers and passengers survive a car crash, but the safest vehicle is the one that does not crash at all, explains BCAA Auto Insurance Product Manager, Heather Prizeman.

“By offering a discount we hope to encourage more drivers to select a vehicle equipped with this technology,” says Prizeman. “In addition to being a proven safety device, ESC makes good economic sense, as ‘losing control’ is one of the leading causes of road crashes in Canada.”

“We feel customers with safe driving practices – technical or otherwise – deserve to be rewarded with lower premiums,” adds Prizeman.

According to Canadian crash data from 2000-to-2005, vehicles equipped with ESC were involved in approximately 30 per cent fewer severe crashes due to loss of control. Based on this data, if all passenger vehicles were equipped with ESC, there could be 255 fewer deaths and 1,440 fewer people seriously injured on our roads each year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation was so impressed with ESC that it is requiring all new cars sold in the U.S. to be equipped with ESC by model year 2012. And Transport Canada is currently working on regulations that will require ESC on all new passenger vehicles in a similar timeframe.

Currently, only five per cent of Canadians have vehicles equipped with ESC, but it is available as a relatively inexpensive option on many models. When buying a new vehicle make sure to ask if it has an electronic stability control system, or if it’s available as an option. It appears under various trade names, such as StabiliTrak, Advance Trac, VSC (vehicle-stability control) and ESP (electronic-stability program).

BCAA will be the first insurance provider in Canada to offer a discount on collision premiums for vehicles equipped with ESC. For more information on ESC, please refer here.

Ford Escape Hybrid is an MVP

Karen Ann — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:22:24 +0000

Sarah MacWhirter, of the Globe and Mail feature GlobeAuto, has been busy testing various vehicles that will fit your burgeoning hockey team for both regular practice and weekend away games, while also including other Family activities that happen during the week.

So far Sarah’s articles have not shown her ultimate decision on the perfect busy sports family vehicle, but she has shown serious love for the Escape Hybrid. Why?

One of the main and first reasons Sarah states: “the Ford Escape hybrid easily clocks 598 kilometres of mixed city and highway driving on only 50 litres of gas. You read that right: The hybrid Escape outperforms, fuel-wise, any of the vehicles I’ve tested for this ultimate hockey vehicle experiment.”

It’s a lovely article and the MacWhirter family and friends have put the Escape to the test.

2009 Ford Escape earns 5 Star Safety rating

Karen Ann — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:29:25 +0000

“Ford is a leader in safety and fuel economy – not even Toyota or Honda can match the new Escape’s safety and fuel efficiency ratings.”

The 2009 Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid are now ranking above the small SUVs offered by Toyota and Honda in Safety and Fuel Efficiency ratings respectively.

“We’ve devoted many hours to analyzing and developing the body structure, safety belts and air bags of Escape for better performance in front and side impact crashes,” said Steve Kozak, chief engineer for safety systems, Ford Motor Company. “We’ve taken our compact SUVs to the next level of safety and have achieved better ratings than fierce competitors such as Toyota.”

Key Ford safety technologies include:

The Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system is a Ford exclusive feature that helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side-impact crashes. It is designed to stay inflated for several seconds, as rollover crashes often last much longer than side-impact crashes.

AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control is the industry’s only electronic stability control system that uses a unique gyroscopic sensor to monitor and help the driver prevent both side-to-side “yaw” and roll motions that may lead to rollovers.

Personal Safety System®, a suite of seven safety technologies, including dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger, and a front-passenger sensing system. Together, the system helps customize front air-bag deployment levels based on driver seating location, passenger weight and safety belt usage.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System alerts drivers when tire pressure is low. Properly inflated tires are not only important for safety — they can also help save gas.

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system for installation of child safety seats in vehicles consists of built-in straps and hooks on the safety seat and mating anchor hardware in rear seating positions.

“Safety is a top purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, so Escape’s five-star crash safety ratings and best-in-class highway fuel economy (I-4 manual) are a winning combination,” said Tedros Mengiste, Escape marketing manager, Ford Motor Company.