As some unfortunate drivers can attest, there is no more devastating news for a car enthusiast than to learn that their vehicle has been written off by their insurance company after being in a major collision. Insurance companies have to take into consideration the amount of damage done to the vehicle and if it is likely that a repair job would completely fix issues for the remainder of the life of the vehicle.

If it is determined that the car cannot be safely repaired, the insurance company writes it off, pays the value of the vehicle to the driver, and the wreckage is towed to a junk yard. Or is it? As 261 Irish motorists found out, this may not necessarily be the case.

The Irish Department of Transport recently completed an audit on over 5420 vehicles previously written off by insurance companies, only to find that 261 of the vehicles had found their way back onto Irish roads. This resulted in a number of urgent letters sent to motorists warning that their vehicle may be unsafe and imploring them to have their vehicles checked out by a reputable mechanic. It seems these vehicles were re-sold and many of the new owners were unaware of their vehicle’s past history.

Apparently this state of affairs was allowed to occur because although insurance companies keep records of their write offs, there was no organized system to share this information with the government. Immoral dealers knew that there was no way for a potential buyer to check the write off lists to see if the vehicle they were purchasing had ever been so classified. They simply repaired and resold the cars, not seeming to care that they were potentially putting lives at risk.

When asked what was being done to correct the problem, Mr. Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, replied “If necessary, I am prepared to legislate to compel insurance companies to supply this information; however, at this stage, I am confident insurance companies will voluntarily make this information available on a systematic basis”. A formalized tracking system has since been put in place.

When you’re ready to pick up your new Ford truck, make sure you stop by and say hi. Aren’t you glad Sunset Ford is American?

Today, it seems like everybody’s jumping on the hybrid bandwagon. More and more people are turning to this eco-friendly form of transportation to save gas and the environment. But there are still some who refuse to change their mind. If this describes you, read the following myths about current hybrids and you might just change your mind.

1. Hybrids don’t have much power.
This was once true when hybrid vehicles came out. Today, however, hybrids have just as much power as most other vehicles. In fact, some hybrid models can even accelerate as fast as most gasoline-powered vehicles. Besides, power usually equals decreased efficiency. And who wants that nowadays?

2. Hybrids are too expensive.
Again, this was true when hybrids first came out. But when you factor in tax credits and fuel prices, hybrids can actually save you money within a few short years. Also, hybrids retain a greater amount of their resale value. And that figure just increases as gas prices continue to go up.

3. Hybrids need to be plugged in to charge
Although some of the newer electric cars run solely on electricity, nearly all hybrids have a mechanism that charges the batteries during braking. As a result, plugging the car in is simply not necessary with today’s hybrid.

4. Hybrids have expensive batteries
Even though hybrid batteries might be expensive, most car manufacturers give their hybrids warranties that last up to 10 years. Since most people don’t keep their cars that long anyways, you may never need to pay for replacing the battery. The batteries seem to be durable, too. One taxi driver drove his hybrid taxi for nearly 200,000 miles and his battery is still going strong!

With all of these myths dispelled, it’s never been a better time to find a hybrid model of your favorite Ford cars. Check one out today at our Ford dealership in Illinois or our Ford dealership in Missouri and stop “breaking the bank” at the gas station!