Camelback Ford Lincoln Mercury hosts…2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid test drive and alternative fuel overview..

Two for the Road USA were guests at the Ford Fusion Hybrid event on April 20, 2009.

There was an Engineer, Doctor, Clean Air Specialist, Ford executive and dealer all speaking within their category of expertise with praises for Ford past, present and future.

Each professional had a few words about alternative fuels with the Ford Fusion in the spotlight. Over 100 people were in the audience and verbalized how good they felt about the direction of Ford Lincoln Mercury and then had the chance to test drive the new 2009 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Fusion and Milan deliver an amazing 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The Fusion hybrid has a base price of $27,995 the well-equipped Milan Hybrid is priced at $31,300.

We understand that with the purchase of a new Fusion or Milan Hybrid by March 31, 2009 a buyer may qualify for a $3,400 federal tax credit on their 2009 Tax Return. This is a nice added incentive.

What’s new for 2010? Six speed transmission, 2.5 liter 1-4 engine, 3.0 liter , V-6 Durantec, Flex-Fuel engine, variety of 16 to l8 inch painted and aluminum wheels, easy fuel capless refueling, available reverse camera system, available 12-speaker Sony sound system, available voice-activated navigation system and SIRIUS, Travel Link, available SYNC with 911 assist and vehicle health report.

The interior has a more contemporary technical look with metallic finishes all the way through. The display and switches have fashionable Ice Blue Lighting which makes night driving, while checking gauges a breeze. The exterior of the Fusion is both sportier and more upscale. The new Aerodynamic enhancements and new underbody shields surely helped further boost Fusion’s fuel economy.

In talking with the crowed that generally feel in the over 40 range, we found that they indicated that the Fusion might be their next car. The other comment was what a great first car for their teens and young adults. The word out there is that the 20+ generation likes the Fusion as well. The SYNC availability is a must for the technically savvy drivers.

Bill and I will have a Ford Fusion Hybrid to test drive for a week in April so that can then give you a more detailed report at that time.

We want to thank Darrin Delfelder of Camelback Ford Lincoln Mercury for hosting this event and inviting the Phoenix Press Association.

Get Ready for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Article By Cath and Bill
for ASA of AZ May Newsletter

Two for the Road USA was recently invited by Ford to check out the new Fusion Hybrid, and in listening to the presentation about where Ford is heading with regards to alternative fuel vehicles, we started thinking about the impact it would have on repair centers. Trying to keep up with the exponential changes in technology is challenging to begin with but here’s what’s coming down the pike as we speak with regards to drive train changes.

Most everyone is familiar with the hybrids on the road today from Toyota, Honda, Ford and GM but not many are aware that in 2009 Ford adds the Fusion and Milan hybrid iterations to the line up, Mercedes is planning to start selling an S-Class hybrid this year as BMW works on a 7-Series hybrid. Not to mention the rush to plug-in hybrids. And that’s just the beginning as electric vehicles will also be on the road in the next couple of years.

How will this impact you will depend on how ready you are for the renaissance. There’s no question that owners of these vehicles will be predisposed to taking their vehicles to the dealership after the base warranty expires because of the “technology” of hybrids. So, how do you let people know that they are not obliged to take the car to the dealership for regular maintenance and repairs like brakes, belts and hoses etc.?

First and foremost is making sure that the motoring public knows that you employ technicians today, not mechanics. Also, your customers know that your technicians are constantly being schooled on the new technologies in vehicles today? Do they know that you and your techs spend thousands of dollars on training and purchasing the technical tools necessary to maintain and repair the electronic components in vehicles today?

The landscape of automotive repair is rapidly changing and being in the forefront in your industry will guarantee sustainability. Our experience shows; that how you manage and market your business with regard to alternative fuel vehicles will determine how you will survive and thrive in this exciting new age of automotive repairs.

Bill and Cathy can be heard every Saturday from 6-8pm on KKNT 960AM and anytime on http://www.webtalkradio.us/ or visit the website at http://www.twofortheroadusa.com/.

Driving MBA and Community Tire Team Up Again

For Teen - Parents- New Car Owners and Driver

Parent Class and Car Maintenance Program Schedule
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Parent ClassA 2 1/2 hour class that provides parents with resources and tips on how to practice driving with their teenager. When: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at DrivingMBA Scottsdale located at 9089 E. Bahia Dr., Ste. 102; Thursday, April 23 and Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at DrivingMBA Chandler located at 1760 W. Chandler Blvd, Ste. 3Time: 6:30pm to 9pm

Cost: $50/family Car Maintenance Class This 1 1/2 hour class covers the basic operation of a vehicle, the importance of checking fluids and other maintenance items, how to change a tire, and jump-starting a vehicle. The class features minimum class time and maximum hands-on training to help drivers, new and old, understand what to look for when replacing automotive parts; and to be better prepared for roadside emergencies. .

After attending this event, your family will receive a FREE lube, oil filter change, tire rotation and vehicle inspection for one vehicle courtesy of Community Tire. Details in the coupon below. When: Thursday, April 23 and Monday, May 4, 2009 at Community Tire located at 15812 N. 32nd St., Phx., 85032;

Wednesday, April 15 and Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at Dana Tire located at 725 N. Arizona Avenue in Chandler. Time: 6:30pm to 8pmCost: $40/familyTo RSVP for the above events please email judys@drivingmba.com or call 480.948.1648.

Can Congress do Better?

While hearing a lot about the demise of the auto industry recently, I came across some information in that I found very interesting, information one doesn’t normally hear a lot about from mainstream media. This information actually offers some hope for the recovery of the industry much sooner than a lot of people may think. That idea doesn’t really surprise me because I’m convinced that some, if not most of the news about how American manufacturers haven’t been building or planning the right products is, simply stated, hyperbole.

Here’s what the gist of the information is and why I believe a relatively quick recovery almost has to happen. The average age of cars on the road today is aver 9 years old. The age of light trucks is over 7 years old and by 2011 there will be some 35 million cars on the road at least 10 years old. When one does the math, even at 15,000 miles a year, a very conservative number, what that means is that those vehicles have at least 150,000 miles on them. That many miles means lots of dollars have to be spent on maintenance and upkeep.

There are some 250 million vehicles on the road, 5% of which are scrapped every year. 12.5 million cars off the road every year while at present, only 9 million cars are being built. According to industry metrics, three quarters of current sales are replacement vehicles and that demand will increase to 13 million cars by 2012. Now while some people say these numbers are a little optimistic because people are driving less and keeping cars longer, keep in mind that there are 2 million new drivers coming on line every year. Also, based on historical data, GDP directly correlates to auto sales and a 4% increase in GDP propels auto sales up some 7% and when you combine that with cars being scrapped, demographic changes from boomers children beginning to drive along with economic recovery which will happen, it isn’t unreasonable to expect sales of new vehicles to reach the 16 million mark again in 5 years. And by the way, that doesn’t include sales in China and Russia where GM has a very strong presence.

Interestingly it seems as though used car prices are starting to rise which makes new cars more attractive and with the inventory of new homes finally dwindling, construction will spool up and that means sales of trucks will improve. Also, congress is mulling the idea of a 3 to 5 thousand dollar voucher to people to junk older cars, which will not only help stimulate sales but will help get polluting cars off the road.

A lot of people are unaware of is the fact that the Buick LaCrosse and Chevy Malibu have earned best in class in reliability studies from J.D. Powers & Associates, and the Ford Fusion won a comparison study against the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Edge is a very solid car and the new F150 is top drawer once again. The problem U.S. automakers face is one of perception and that takes a lot of time to overcome. While Ford, GM and Chrysler are working on smaller platforms, we need to hope that China doesn’t import the Chery and India doesn’t bring the Nano to America before U.S. automakers get it together.

With regards to the Congressional Auto Task Force, well let’s just acknowledge that there have to be some changes made with the Detroit three but those changes have been in the works for some time and I’m no fan of government dictating to the auto industry. There need to be some serious changes and that will be painful. And like it or not, new labor contracts have to happen to make profitability possible on smaller, lower grossing platforms. But all of that will take time and serious negotiations and sacrifice as well trimming the number of dealerships across the country, something that will in fact be very painful but will have to be done. U.S. automakers may have been a bit slow on the uptake, but they didn’t and don’t need government telling them how to build cars.

TOYOTA AND LEXUS HYBRIDS TOP ONE MILLION SALES IN THE U.S.

March 11, 2009 Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., announced today that total combined Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicle sales in the U.S. have topped the one million mark.The sales milestone was achieved with an industry-leading six Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles including the Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced gas-electric hybrid and the all-time worldwide leader in hybrid sales.
Two for the Road USA will be test driving the new 2010 Prius in Tucson this March

Speed Cameras, Life Savers or Money Makers

According to a landmark study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arizona leads the nation in red light running crashes and fatalities. Current data show a marked decrease in the number of accidents and deaths from motorists running red lights since the addition of red light cameras in 14 dangerous intersections a few years ago,

That of course is good news. While there was very minor opposition to cameras being installed to prevent red light running, the situation is very different with the addition of over 100 speed cameras and 40 odd mobile vans on Arizona highways snapping pictures of drivers going 11 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. So now there is a battle raging in Phoenix Arizona about the use of those cameras and this is one battle that isn’t close to being over.

The battle lines are simple. One side says that the cameras save lives by slowing traffic down and the other side says they actually cause problems because people speed until they see the signs for the cameras then slam on the brakes which of course can cause accidents. Like most arguments I suspect the truth lies somewhere in between.

American Traffic Solutions, the company that sells the system, commissioned a polling firm, Public Opinion Strategies, to do a survey. Five hundred registered voters in Arizona were asked their opinions on Jan. 13 and 14 and the results according to POS showed that 84 percent of voters surveyed said city police departments should continue using red-light cameras. There was less support, but still firm majorities, for speed cameras run by cities and counties (69 percent) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (63 percent). POS said the poll's margin of error is 4.38 percent.

Something to keep in mind is that cars are so much safer today then even 10 years ago, and highways are also much better and safer. While people who drive slow say that speed kills, the fact is that speed in and of itself doesn’t kill. Let’s acknowledge that driving 100 miles an hour on city freeways is dangerous not to mention stupid, but driving 75 miles an hour in a 55 mile an hour zone is not as long as people driving slower stay to the right which by the way is what they’re supposed to do.

Where problems happen is in the variance of speeds because some people seem to feel that if the posted speed is 55 mph they can do 55 mph in any lane they want. Unfortunately that usually means they park in the center lane where they mosey along not worrying about the traffic behind them. That in turn causes people to have to change lanes to get around them, and we all know changing lanes on freeways can be dangerous.

Back to the survey numbers for just a minute; I don’t know anyone that argues that red light cameras are a bad idea. But let’s look at the numbers for speed cameras. Over 60 per cent feel they’re a good idea but here’s an interesting statistic about the survey. The demographic groups with the highest levels of support for the DPS program are not surprisingly, older voters and women. Younger voters, particularly men, are more likely to oppose the program.

So the question is, do the speed cameras save lives or are they cash cows for a strapped city. Here’s what we’ve been told so far. Recent numbers bandied about from DPS about lives saved since the cameras were installed have talked about reductions in crashes saving 3 or 4 lives a month. Here’s what wasn’t mentioned. Over the last 12 months there have been some 12 billion fewer miles driven by motorists which is roughly 5.6 percent and will certainly have a direct affect on the number of traffic fatalities. Here’s the kicker though. Some estimates say the Arizona will make as much as 175 million in 2009 from speed cameras.

So, do speed cameras save lives, or make money, or maybe both?

One of our listeners talks about blogs

We always appreciate listener feedback from our radio show and we thought we'd share his thoughts about bloggers and blogging. While there are certainly bloggers out there that provide accurate, good and important information, we appreciate the thoughts expressed by this listener.

Bill/Cathy:

I wanted to tell you that it’s so nice to work with professional people who’ve been in this industry for a long time.

I’ve been contemplating starting a blog but after visiting with a lot of them, visiting their sites along with forums from various automotive sites I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a lot of difference between a blogger and a journalist. Bloggers are filled with opinions with little or no experience behind them.

Having been on the internet since 1987 and seeing all the changes that have come from it, mostly good - but bloggers make me sick. I would call it a cesspool of imitators.

I feel really sad to see all the newspapers and magazines with real writers and journalists being outsourced to bloggers.

I don’t know who sponsors your site or your program but forward this on in hopes they “see the light”. It’s so nice to talk to people who know what the hell they’re talking about.

Jeff