Buy American!!

If you want a car that is fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly, affordable, and easy to maintain then Go American!!! Buying an American car contributes to the US in many ways and is beneficial to the buyer. When the time comes to purchase a new car always consider American.

Why you should buy American. 

Quality: The quality of American cars has vastly improved over the years. Both Ford and Chevy have worked hard to improve the quality of their cars and it shows!! The Ford F-150 and the Chevy Silverado are two of the best trucks out there. In fact the Ford F-150 was just voted Motor Trend’s ruck of the year for 2012!

Price: When purchasing an American car you are almost guaranteed to pay less. It is expensive to import foreign cars and you will see that in the price. Foreign taxes are generally much higher especially on European cars; Buy American and you can avoid paying high taxes. American cars are also much cheaper to maintain. Replacing car parts can be a burden when you have to pay for them to be imported and wait for international shipping. American made car parts are less expensive and will arrive at your local mechanic in no time, if they don’t already have them in stock.

Economy: Not only are insurance rates lower on American cars, but they also heavily impact the economy. Buying an American made vehicle strengthens the economy, supports domestic manufactures nation wide, and generates thousands of jobs.  Also buying a car that has been manufactured in the U.S. is actually good for the environment. When vehicles are internationally manufactured there is a higher demand for freight transport. When your car is delivered overseas it is both wasteful and harmful to the environment.

Fuel Efficiency: American manufacturers are jumping on the hybrid wagon. Ford has a great variety of affordable, award winning hybrids. There are several great American made green options for the environmentally conscious driver who doesn’t want to compromise on performance. The ford Fusion Hybrid gets you a combined 39 mpg and can go 0-60 in about 8 seconds.

The Ford Escape Hybrid is the most fuel efficient SUV in the world. It has better gas mileage than most passengers cars and at the same time, it can also performed heavy duty jobs. It yields a whopping  34 City/31 Hwy

Here is another article that is all about the 5 new electric cars Ford will release in the upcoming year: http://bit.ly/yee9ji

Electric not your thing?

If electric isn’t your thing Ford also gives you the option of buying cars that are top competitors in the industry for gas mileage. The Ford Fiesta: 29 City/40 Hwy and Ford Focus: 24 City/35 Hwy are also great cars.

So there you have it, whether you want power, fuel efficiency, or an all around good quality vehicle the choice is simple; BUY AMERICAN!

A Bill Talley Ford Guide to Finding a Good Used Car

Used car shopping can be a stressful task for many of us, but with a little time and effort, you will be satisfied with your new ride. Here are a few tips to get you started on your car search.

Where to find a reliable, cheap car: There are endless resources available for used car shoppers. Your own neighborhood is a great place to begin your search. Many private sellers display for-sale cars in their own front yards, so take advantage of this convenient search. Another great source is the local news paper. There are hundreds of cars posted in the paper weekly, many of the posts include photos, milage, and price which is helpful when refining your search. If you have little experience in buying cars and need some assistance, visiting a car dealership may not be a bad idea for you. Car dealerships will have a wide variety of used cars that are ready for you to test drive. Finally if you have some experience under your belt, Auto auctions are another great source. Auto auctions are a great place to get deals on used cars. Car Auctions can be found on the web and also in your local paper.

How to compare cars: When comparing it is important to do your research. A really fancy, inexpensive car may seem like a steal, however the car history may be a horrible so it is always important to check. On every car is a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) make sure to take note of this so that you can do a vehicle history check. You can check car history on service such as CarFax. These reports  show things like repairs, damage, and accidents that the may not have mentioned by the seller. Also services like care fax are inexpensive and worth it in the long run. Be sure check safety ratings and car reviews to get other opinions. Another great resource is sites like cars.com, this site allows you to specifically compare cars side by side.

What to do once you have found the car you want: Ask Ask and Ask again. It is crucial that you make a list of questions you have about the car, especially if you are buying from a third party. Car dealers and independent sellers will not give up any information that would hurt their sale, so be sure to ask.  Make sure to have the car professionally inspected at least once, it is also a good idea to get a second opinion. Your interest in the car could be heavily impacted if any problems are found. Asking for previous inspections or receipts is a great move when buying from an independent seller. Doing so shows that you are on top of your research and thus you are less likely to be taken advantage of.

Purchasing your car: Always negotiate! It never hurts to try and negotiate, more than likely the seller will lower their asking price. If the price is as low as it will go also try adding features. Questions like “can you replace the windshield?” or “is there any chance you can instal a new stereo/speakers?” may save you a few hundred dollars. Another way to lower the asking price is to point out any cosmetic defaults, such as marks, tares, or burns in the seats or dents and cracks in the body. Never buy a car you can’t afford. Signing yourself up for an expensive payment plan with high monthly bills will make you hate your car. You wont enjoy your car and of you are struggling to pay it off. When paying a third party make sure the title is signed over to you and avoid paying cash. Giving a third party in cash for a car makes it very difficult to trace your payment. When buying from a dealership scrutinize the fine print and be careful what you sign, especially if you go on a payment plan.

If you stick to these tips you will be satisfied with your purchase and can avoid getting yourself into debt.

Here are some helpful sites to visit when buying a used car. HAPPY HUNTING!

www.dealerrater.com

www.kbb.com

www.billtalleyford.com

Are Hands Free Devices a Safer Alternative?

Recent laws banning handheld cell phones have been effective in getting people to convert to using hands-free wireless headsets while driving. But are hands-free devices really a safer option when it comes to driving?

There have been no studies so far that have documented significant differences in the number of car accidents between handheld and hands-free phones. However, it seems that hands-free devices are just as risky as handheld phones. It is the distracted driver that is really the issue here. While headsets are a big distraction, they could also impair the driver’s ability to hear noises such as other vehicles, horns and emergency sirens.

The dangers of wireless headsets have been known for years, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has kept quiet and did not released any research until recently. Why they would withhold such crucial information is the question many of us have. The answer? According to CNN.com it is simply because the government didn’t want to bump heads with the wireless industry that has spent over $35 million promoting hands-free devices.

 

Hands-free devices often are seen as a solution to the risks of driver distraction but there is nothing safer than keeping your mind, eyes, and ears on the road at all times, so HANG UP and DRIVE!

Facts about hand-held devices

• Nearly all legislation focuses on banning only handheld phones or only texting while driving.

• All state laws and many employer policies allow hands-free cell phone use.

• Public opinion polls show people recognize the risks of talking on handheld phones and texting more than they recognize the risks of hands-free phones.

• Many drivers mistakenly believe talking on a hands-free cell phone is safer than handheld.20

• Hands-free devices do not eliminate cognitive distraction.

• Even with hands-free devices, there is still a risk, because you are concentrating on the conversation and being distracted from the road and other vehicles.

• The human brain is involved in many complex decisions while driving and it’s more difficult to make those decisions if you’re talking on the phone.

• Multitasking is a myth and impairs performance; the human brain is already using visual, auditory, manual and cognitive functions while driving.

• The brain has a slower reaction time when it has to shift back and forth between tasks.

Sources: www.cnn.com , www.nhtsa.gov

Eco-Friendly Cars Continued

As promised I am back with a report on the Eco-friendly sports cars I found.

In the last post I challenged Ford Motor Company because they have repeatedly stated that they are “dedicated to developing fuel-efficient Cars, Trucks, CUVs and SUVs that are environmentally sustainable.” So I found out that it’s a pretty accurate statement from the all American Car Company… but I decided to take it a step further and look at their sports cars and see if they too are environmentally friendly.

This may seem unfair as they never claimed to have Eco-friendly sports cars but who cares? I challenged them anyway!

Here is what I found for you readers…

If you are one of the few of us who has an unlimited amount of disposable income and still care about the planet, then by all means go for the one of the following:

The lightning GT is great on gas- in fact it doesn’t even use gas. It’s an all electric sports car with a top speed of 130mph and can go 0-60 in only 4 seconds! It takes 10 minutes to charge and can go for 250 miles.

This is a British car so those of you looking to buy all American can forget about this one altogether.

It is a great Eco-friendly alternative to the sports car you are driving today as long as you are willing to drop $300,000

 

The Scorpion, a Ronn Motor’s car, actually does use gasoline . Well not 100% gas powered as it combines the use of Hydrogen too! Also, Ronn Motors is actually American!! This car will go 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and give you a whopping 450 hp!

You can get up to a top speed of 200 mile per hour with the Scorpion and with its 1.5 gallon water tank this car will give you 40 miles to the gallon. Not bad! Not bad at all if you have an extra $150,000 laying around.

 

Ok so there you have it if you want to be Eco-Friendly and get higher mileage per gallon you have to be rich or buy a foreign car!

Just kidding! Here’s what I found at the Ford Motor Company in the way of All American sports cars that are also great on gas.

The 2012 Ford Mustang with the V-6 engine will give you 305 Horse Power and 31 miles to the gallon. Yes that is all gas and all American!

You may be wondering about the Eco-friendliness of this machine as it is a gas powered automobile. You can rest assured that Ford Motor Company spends big bucks researching and developing cutting-edge technology that allows you to have your cake and eat it.

The V-8 version of this classic can deliver 25 miles to the gallon and a brutal 412 horse power!

The 2012 have a 6-speed transmission and can get from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. This is still extremely fast considering that the other cars above are just a second or so faster but also about 10 times more expensive on the starting price.

This beautiful American classic will yield high performance, high miles for your gas dollars and they start at around 22,000 which is as American as Apple Pie to me.

A Bill Talley Ford Guide to Driving Safely in the Rain

We all know that where there is traffic there are accidents and inclement weather only worsens the situation. Richmond VA residents dread going out into the rain because we know this means that a crash, if not multiple crashes, somewhere in town is inevitable. The thought of witnessing a crash alone is enough to make most of us want to pull the sheets back over our heads in the morning and hide.

Given the terrible rainy weather we are having today I thought it would be good to share some tips on driving in the rain. While I can’t promise that you won’t be stuck in traffic because of other drivers and their bad habits, I can remind you of those common sense rules we learned back in drivers-ed. These are fairly simple but often ignored because we, like all Americans, are in a rush to be somewhere, and the rain doesn’t change that. So stick to the basics and maybe you can avoid being the cause of a crash even if you can’t avoid them all together.

1. Pay attention to traffic laws
   This seems like a no-brainer, not to mention illegal if you don’t. That being said, I see more and more drivers roll through stop signs and yellow lights not considering that an adjacent car may be doing the same thing. A couple of seconds lapse between the two of you is all it take to end up in a collision so just DON’T DO IT!
2. Drive Slow
   Wet roads mean reduced traction and so that means stopping time is increased. Combat this by slowing down a little, even 5 miles slower can make all the difference when it comes to having to stop suddenly on a wet surface.
3. Increase the distance between you and other cars
   Remember the distance and time it takes to stop is increased in bad weather due to road conditions and limited visibility. Create a little more distance between your car and the car in front of you, you’ll be glad you did if you have to stop suddenly.
4. Put your phone down
   Driving while texting or on the phone, even if you use a head set is extremely distracting and dangerous. Inclement weather is a distraction enough in itself so do yourself a favor and put the phone down until you get where you’re going. Trust me the text, email, facebook update, or tweet is not worth getting into a wreck, it can wait a few minutes until you reach your destination.
5. Remember the IPDE Method of driving
   Back to the basics- Yes the letters actually do stand for something. We all learned this method of driving to pass our driving tests and then forgot it when it came to the actual driving part. Seems pretty backward so here’s a reminder from “safemotorist.com” about what it actually means.

Identify

The “foundation” of the IPDE method of driving, “IDENTIFY,” is reliant upon a driver’s implementation of scanning techniques that serve to discriminate between information that is useful to driving and “non-driving” visual information. To aid in this process, a driver must practice scanning the driving environment for the primary purpose of IDENTIFYING real and potential hazards, e.g., an oncoming vehicle in your lane of travel or a child playing near the roadway, respectively.

Predict

The second step in the IPDE method is to PREDICT what might happen should you encounter a real or potential hazard.

For real hazards, such as an oncoming vehicle that drifts into your lane of travel, simply predict whether the oncoming vehicle will continue toward your car and, if so, what consequences the oncoming car’s path of travel might involve. As with any dynamic environment, your prediction process might require a re-assessment if another real hazard is identified between you and the oncoming vehicle – such as a child runs into the street chasing a ball directly in front of your vehicle.

Decide

The third step in the IPDE method is to DECIDE what driver action you will implement (accelerate, steer, decelerate, or any combination of these vehicle control maneuvers) to avoid a crash with a real (or potential) hazard. This process requires an understanding of the need for necessary time and space to implement the “decided-upon” vehicle control maneuver. Before you implement an avoidance maneuver, be certain that your chosen escape path is still available and access space is available (leaving the roadway) if you have to implement a “less desirable” emergency avoidance maneuver.

Execute

To EXECUTE is to carry out your decided-upon action. This process might range from gently moving toward the left portion of your lane when approaching a vehicle parked on the side of the roadway for repairs (a driver changing a flat tire) to implementing an emergency avoidance maneuver. Generally, your skill in implementing avoidance maneuvers will increase commensurably with driving experience.

Source: www.safemotorist.com

Safe driving Virginians!

Eco-Friendly Cars

Ford vehicles definitely have the reputation of being “built tough”. With the F-series, the Super Duty, and utility trucks there is no question that Ford has some of the toughest cars in the market. The question I have is just because Ford Motor Company builds “tough” does it mean all of their cars are “tough” on the environment.

Ford has repeatedly stated that they are “dedicated to developing fuel-efficient Cars, Trucks, CUVs and SUVs that are environmentally sustainable.” So I wanted to challenge this and see if they really do offer “more fuel efficient trucks and cars than any other manufacturer.”

I started out by looking at their truck lines as those vehicles are usually presumed to be terrible for the environment. I was actually surprised at what I found!

Ford says that “The F-150 is the most fuel-efficient full size truck in its class and is part of the F-Series family, the best-selling trucks in America for 34 years.”

So that is where I started:

With a powerful 3.7L V6 engine it delivers 302 Horsepower @6500 rpm. With a towing capacity of 11,300 lbs. it is pretty hard to believe this beast of a truck gets 17 city and 23 highway miles to the gallon!

Click HERE to compare to the competition: Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram 1500, and the Toyota Tundra

Moving on to bigger more heavy-duty trucks, I looked at the 2012 Ford Super Duty- known for its sheer size and strength! The skinny on this monster is the 6.7L Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel and the 6.2L V8 gas engine were actually engineered to deliver the “best-in-class fuel economy.   The 6.7L Power Stroke® turbo diesel delivers a 20% improvement over the previous diesel, while the 6.2L gas V8′s improvement is 15%.” Click HERE to see some video demo’s!

The last truck I looked at was the Ford Ranger- deemed “America’s most fuel-efficient compact truck. It has 207 horsepower and can tow up to 5,800 lbs and the optional V-6 engine model can tow a large boat or trailer! The Ranger has a low starting price of $18,160 and a high gas mileage of 22 city and 27 highway miles to the gallon. So if you are looking for power and fuel efficiency in a compact truck the Ford Ranger is the way to go!

In this post I can conclude that Ford does have a lot of fuel efficient Trucks and it seems that in their effort to engineer vehicles that are fuel efficient they have not compromised on power and performance.

So does Ford have more fuel efficient vehicles on the market than any other manufacturer? That is still to be determined after I look at their other lines.

Tune in for my next post where I will take a look at high performance sports cars and see if you can have speed and good gas mileage.