If you’ve recently purchased a certified Ford, you undoubtedly want to get the most life out of it. With rising gas prices and everything else going on in our economy, making your car last is just one way you can keep extra money in your bank account.
Now you can use a computer software program to help you enjoy your car for as long as possible. One of the most popular programs, CARCare, is ideal for average car owners like you and me. It allows you to keep track of your service records, oil changes, fuel economy and other expenses for your car. That way, you can determine where you need to change your habits to save more money and possibly reduce wear and tear on your vehicle.
While the computer program isn’t full of bells and whistles or attractive screen shots, it focuses on its utilization capabilities. It’s compatible with most PDAs, so you can carry it around with you when you go to your favorite service station for repairs or preventative maintenance. Then you can sync it with your computer at home in a matter of seconds.
As a bonus, the program allows you to download scanned service documents and pictures so you have all the information you need at your fingertips. It even has expense graphs for your fuel economy and an alert feature that tells you when it’s time to get some preventative maintenance done to your vehicle.
With this program, you can take the cluttered papers and notebooks out of your glove box and use the space for its intended purpose–to store cookies and snacks.

Just when you thought it was safe to drive your classic vehicle on the streets of California, think again. Cars made before 1976 were once exempt from the strictest emissions standards in the nation. But a California senator , Dean Florez, is proposing legislation that makes this loophole a thing of the past.

Luckily, this only affects the cars registered in the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District. But we all know what happens when we allow the government to take an inch. They take a mile . . . and another mile . . . and another mile.

And so it begins. The hybrid craze and environmental people are slowly beginning to take over. How is anybody going to afford bringing a classic 1929 Model A up to today’s codes? How is a 1974 Ford Mustang going to pass today’s strict California smog test? Unless you want to put thousands of dollars into a car, it’s not going to happen.

I think this potential legislation is sad for two reasons. For one, how many actual vehicles built before 1976 are still rolling around the streets of the Golden State on a regular basis? If anything, owners might take them out for a joyride to show them off on a nice spring day. The second reason is this:  Will we never see one of the beautiful classic cars on the road in California ever again? I mean, these were vehicles that created the car culture of different eras. And now, nobody will ever see them unless they’re in a California museum of unwanted vehicles.

When you consider soaring housing costs, skyrocketing business taxes and everything else, it’s no wonder people are flocking out of California like birds flying away for the winter.

Luckily, you can still drive your certified Ford around the streets of San Francisco and beyond.

The next time you drive your certified Ford through Texas, look for the “environmental police” who watch your vehicle. This article talks about websites where you can report litterers and cars with sub-standard emissions. When you log on to these websites, prompts ask for the following :

License plate number
Make of vehicle
Time of day
Date
Location
What was tossed out the window
Who tossed the litter
Whether it was accidental or deliberate 

When officials at the Texas Department of Transportation receives the information, they compare it to the vehicle registration database in the state. If you report somebody, though, they can only check if it’s a Texas license plate. If there’s an exact match, they send the offender a litterbag with the words, “Don’t Mess with Texas” scrawled along the side. They also include a letter that reminds the  recipient to help keep the state beautiful by keeping litter off the roads.

You can also help the state by reporting vehicles that belch out dirty smoke for more than ten consecutive seconds. There’s a number to call that allows you to leave the necessary information within 30 days of witnessing the event.

Unfortunately, you won’t find those websites or phone numbers in this blog post. To me, this just seems like a slippery slope that is one step away from having the average citizen get people in trouble even if they didn’t do anything. And because this system is already in place, how long will it be before the police are able to issue these “offenders” tickets for their actions? I’m all about keeping the environment safe and pollution-free, but aren’t there more important things going on in this nation than a straw wrapper’s accidentally flying out the window?

If you live in Texas, you can click on the above link and get the information if you see a true offender.

If you’re like me, you probably roll your eyes every time you see a dog sitting in a driver’s lap and looking out the window. It looks like it’s just an accident waiting to happen.

I’m a pet lover, too. I love taking my pets to places with me. When my wife and I took a weekend trip to San Francisco last summer, we took our cat, Mrs. Meow-Gi, with us. But unlike many drivers on the road, we did it the safe way, with restraints and common sense. If you like to take your pets with you in your certified Ford, too, here are some tips to consider to safeguard yourself, your pet and the other drivers you encounter.

• Bring food and water for your pet. By using travel containers, youcan set them on the back seat or on the floorboard so your pet can have access to them any time. Some pets find food comforting.  So when they get nervous in the car, food can be a great distraction for them.

• Bring a few of your pet’s favorite toys.  When pets are not sleeping, toys keep them out of drivers’ laps.

• Plan stops along the way so your pet can get out and stretch. This is more applicable for dogs, but cats want to get out of the car at times, too. Be sure to have a leash and collar ready so your pet doesn’t get away.

• Never leave your pet alone in the car on hot days. Even a couple of minutes in a hot car can cause your pet to overheat or become dehydrated. If you don’t think you can avoid this, leave your pet at home.

It might take some extra work, but pets can add fun to your trip. Be sure to take care of them and make the trip enjoyable for them as well.

If you were an infant in the 1950s, your parents probably didn’t have a car seat for you when they took you along for a ride.  In fact, some cars from that era didn’t even have safety belts. But you simply can’t get away with that nowadays. That’s why we have infant car seats.

But they need to be installed properly before they ensure safety. Here are some car seat safety tips you can use in your certified Ford for maximum protection.

• Newborns should only ride in car seats that face the rear. Babies under 20 pounds are more fragile, and the stopping and starting can cause their necks to jar if facing forward.

• If your particular car seat has a base that stays in the car while the seat actually detaches, make sure you hear the click every time you put it back in the car. Without the click, it’s not securely installed.

• Make sure the harness is fastened properly. Also, make sure it’s not too tight or too loose. Either situation could cause serious injury.

• Toddlers should be in front-facing car seats.

• Always have the rear-facing car seat in the back. It might be more convenient to have it in the front passenger space, but that’s not the safest place for it.

These are just a few tips to help you protect your most precious cargo–your child. Don’t skimp on the car seat and don’t cut corners. It could literally be a life-or-death situation.

There are probably not many people who don’t know what their “Check Engine” lights look like. This little mystery light has probably come on in almost every car ever made at one point or another. And the funny thing is that many mechanics are just as stumped as you are when you take your car in to see why the light came on in the first place.

Of course, there are the obvious reasons: you let the engine run too low on oil, there’s a short in the dashboard lights or any one of many other reasons. And many car owners experience the horror story of paying hundreds of dollars to fix the problem only to have the light come back on within hours of leaving the service station.

If you check your dash, though, you’ll notice that the warning lights are color-coded. The “Check Engine” light is yellow, which means that there’s nothing seriously wrong yet. But it’s in your best interest to get the car checked as soon as possible. The red lights are the ones that mean something serious is wrong and you need to pull over right away and turn off the car. By this time, though, the damage is probably done already.

But if you have a certified Ford, you don’t have to worry about any costs associated with the “Check Engine” light. As long as you keep up with the vehicle’s preventative maintenance such as oil changes, tune ups and other services, you won’t have out-of-pocket costs when the yellow light comes on. Think of how much peace of mind that brings to car ownership and visit a Ford dealer today.

You wanted more tips for saving gas, you got ‘em. Here are three more easy ways to save fuel when driving your certified Ford.

• Don’t act like you’re in NASCAR. If you’ve noticed fingernails embedded in your seats or on the inside door handles, you might be scaring people who ride with you.  You’ve probably even caused a few other drivers to go home and change their shorts. It might be fun, but erratic driving just uses too much gasoline. Hard turns and quick braking wreak havoc on your mileage. Be gentle to your car and it’ll treat you right.

• Make sure your car is running properly. Some mechanical problems can cause your car to be less efficient. Dragging brakes, for instance, is horrible for your gas mileage. Slippage between gears can also cause you to have poorer gas mileage than necessary. Also, keep an eye on the fluid levels, cracking in the engine and other mechanical problems that could negatively affect your vehicle’s efficiency.

• You can’t tune a fish, but you can tune a car. Make sure to keep your car tuned up according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule. A bad wheel alignment or a suspension system that isn’t working properly can cause your gas mileage to drop. If you notice something “off” when driving, get it checked out to help your gas mileage and to ensure your own safety.

Have we drilled it into your head enough? With oil prices exceeding $100 a barrel, you really don’t want to buy more gas than you need. There are probably dozens of ways for you to save fuel, some of them more feasible than others. Here are a few of the more reasonable ways you can save gas when driving around town in your certified Ford.

• Combine your trips as much as possible. Studies show that starting your engine a few times while it’s still warm is more fuel-efficient than starting it once or twice when the engine is cold. As a bonus, you’ll also save wear and tear on your vehicle by making one trip with several stops rather than several trips with only one stop.

• Fill ‘er up at night. Gas tends to expand in hot weather. When that happens, you might be getting less than you’re bargaining for. By waiting until the weather cools down at night, you can save those few precious cents. Also, make sure your gas cap is tight before pulling away. Loose gas caps promote evaporation, which can negatively affect your gas mileage.

• Hike it or bike it. This probably goes without saying, but short trips in a car can eat up more gas than it’s actually worth. If you have a bike and your legs aren’t broken, try getting some exercise the next time you take a trip to McDonald’s or Taco Bell. Your gas tank (and your heart) will thank you for it.

And now, here’s the final installment of Five Things Your Car Will Do in 2020. And if there’s any concept that’s been talked about as much as flying cars, it’s this one:

Your Car Will Be Able to Drive Itself
That’s exactly what the engineers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency are working on as you read this. Can you imagine a robot-like technology that drives your car for you so you can enjoy your morning paper and coffee on the way to work?

In 2005, a Stanford robotics expert won a prize for creating this hands-free, feet-free, attention-free vehicle. He named it Stanley. The expert created the technology for soldiers in combat, but engineers will likely get it into the hands of the consumer before that actually happens. Up until now, the robotic creations have only been able to go about 15 mph. But once auto engineers get an inch, they’ll take it for miles. It wouldn’t even be out of the realm of possibility to open up the highways to a 100-mph speed limit (or even more) once the engineers are done with this job.

Analysts feel that a completely robotic car with sensors, predictors and other sophisticated technology will save thousands of lives each year. They don’t know if there will be a need for “Robotic Cars Only” lanes until we’ve phased out the human-driven cars. Only time will tell what’s in store for the future of automobiles.

Today, you can get the best the auto industry has to offer with a certified Ford. You might still need to pay attention when you’re driving your kids to school, but the comfort and technology makes these quality vehicles feel like a dream. Drive one today and see what I mean.

To buy a used, certified, or new Ford vehicle today, please visit our Ford dealers in St. Louis MO or our IL Ford dealers.

Continuing on our series of posts regarding cars in the future, here’s the fourth thing your car will be able to do that it can’t do now:

Financial Transactions

How many times have you pulled up to the drive-thru at McDonald’s or another restaurant chain late at night and realized you had forgotten your wallet? This won’t be a problem with cars in 2020. A small microprocessor will hold all of your financial information. And by then, restaurants will have the technology to communicate with your car and debit your account in a matter of seconds.

If you live in a state with toll roads, you might already have an early version of this technology. Some cars already carry a microchip that a sophisticated toll booth can read so drivers barely have to slow down as they go through the toll area. But, according to car analysts, this is just an early “primitive” version of what’s to come.

You might be wondering how a person can authorize a purchase at the restaurant, though, if everything operates electronically. By then, most navigation systems might have an electronic pad that you can sign in order to authorize the purchase. You’ve probably seen these at department stores where the cashier asks you to sign a screen instead of paper. This will be the same concept. Devices might even use a fingerprint or a retina scan instead of a signature for extra security.

Can you imagine getting a certified Ford during the time when these cars are popular? You’ll be so retro! Let’s hope “retro” is as cool then as it is now.

Come back tomorrow for the final (and possibly most exciting) installment of this five-part series.

For a Ford vehicle in 2008, please visit our Ford dealers - St. Louis, MO and our Illinois Ford dealership.