For many automotive enthusiasts it has been a dream to own their very own Ford Mustang, and nowhere has this been made more apparent than with Ford Motor Company’s latest milestone: the sale of the 9 millionth Ford Mustang, the company’s longest running brand.

The Ford Mustang made it’s world debut at the New York World’s Fair on April 17th 1964. It broke all sales records when in it’s first two years Ford sold over one million models. Popularity of the car continued after appearances in Hollywood movies, and today it is determined that one out of every two sports cars sold in the United States is a Mustang. It also leads the industry in more than $1 billion in after market parts and accessories, making it the most personalized vehicle of all time.

Mustang brand manager, Fritz Wilke, had this comment to make: “So many people have contributed to Mustang’s proud 44-year heritage possible – from incredible Mustangs owners and enthusiasts to our partners at AAI where Mustangs are built to Ford’s Product Development and Ford Division teams.”

In recognition of his amazing contributions, Ford decided to thank Ford Mustang designer Caroll Shelby with the release of the 2008 Ford Mustang GT500KR, nicknamed the Ford Shelby. The released occurred in time for Shelby’s 85th birthday.

And who purchased the 9 millionth Ford Mustang? An Iowan farmer named Thomas Krumm — one who probably has a barn full of Ford trucks — received that honor when he picked up his Ford Mustang GT Convertible earlier this year.

Whether you’re in the market for a new Ford Mustang or you have a lot to haul and you’re looking for something tougher like a new Ford truck, head on over to Sunset Ford to check out new inventory and specials.

Remember when the minivan craze started in the early to mid-1980s? I remember it because my parents bought one of those in 1988 – just two years after it was brand new. And when I got my driver’s license, that wonderful vehicle became mine and stayed mine for several years.

But there’s a new craze going around and many former minivan lovers are taking note. If you’ve heard of the Ford Flex, you probably know what I’m talking about.

But Ford isn’t touting this as an alternative to the minivan. In fact, marketers seem to be going out of their way to separate it from its minivan cousin. They use words like “car-based vehicle” and other vague terms for those who have been scared away from the “family feeling” of driving a minivan. Actually, one of the only things that distinguish it from an actual minivan is a sliding door on the side.

But that doesn’t mean the Ford Flex is a bad vehicle. In fact, it’s one of the better Ford cars on the market if you want something that can hold a lot of passengers (up to 7) while still maintaining a sportier feel.

Whether you were ever a fan of minivans or if you’ve just despised them, the Ford Flex is designed to fit your tastes. Check one out today and make the choice for yourself.

Electric cars are not a new invention - they’ve been around almost as long as their traditional gasoline powered counterparts. However, electric vehicles have not hit mainstream popularity because of their relatively high costs and limited range of power. Well, one company is trying to change all that. This is not your grandfather’s new Ford truck.

Starting in Israel and Denmark, Project Better Place has teamed up with Renault in an attempt to take electric cars out of the fringe category and have them become a viable alternative to the gas powered vehicle. What makes Project Better Place believe they can do what no one else has been able to do before is they have $200 million in start-up capital.

They plan to add electrical outlets to tens of thousands of existing parking spaces in both countries. For those in a hurry and unable to wait for a battery to recharge, they will also offer drive-through stations where dying batteries can be swapped with fully charged batteries.

Taking a page out of the cell phone company’s playbook, the cars will be offered at a low initial charge. The company plans to make the majority of their money in monthly or annual plans, where drivers pay to have access to an on-board computer that will show where the nearest recharging station is. The batteries will remain property of Project Better Place.

The cars are expecting to mimic a modern European design, range form about 100-160 km (enough for most commuters), and perform comparably to a 1.6 L gas powered car. Perhaps best of all, as the cars are fully electric there will be no emissions and no noise generated by the vehicle. The company plans to have sold between ten and twenty thousand cars in Israel, with similar numbers in Denmark, by the year 2011.

As both consumers and countries attempt to reduce their dependence on oil and fossil fuels with the ever increasing price of oil, the time of the electric car may have finally arrived. Your next new Ford car might be running on lightning.

If you can’t wait for the electric version and you’re in the market for a new Ford vehicle, stop by Sunset Ford and take a look at the new inventory.

I grew up watching Michael Knight and KITT fight the bad guys. But it was a much simpler time in those days when the heroes and good guys were obvious and the bad guys were even more obvious. It seems like that’s changed over the years as the line between “good and evil” has blurred.
That’s why I was so excited to hear that this iconic TV show Knight Rider (along with its car) is making its way back to the airwaves on NBC!
And this time, the show is using one of the most recognized Ford cars ever made–with several modifications, of course. This time around, Mr. Knight’s son will be driving around in a Ford Shelby Mustang while fighting the bad guys. Maybe a whole new generation can grow up watching a man and his Ford Mustang fight crime, just as I did so many years ago (it was a different brand of vehicle back then, though).
According to Variety, a trade magazine for the television industry, Knight Rider will likely have a Friday night time slot when it debuts as a new series later this year. NBC checked to see if it was still as popular as it was in the 80s by showing a made-for-TV movie earlier this year. Apparently, the verdict is in, and enough people tuned in to give producers the “green light” to make a new series.
Although this isn’t unprecedented, networks don’t usually revive an old series nearly 30 years after it went off the air the first time. But I, for one, am very happy that it’s coming back and I’m waiting on the edge of my couch. Are you excited, too?

Pay now or pay later. That is the cry of the auto repair shop, trying to warn customers that ignoring vehicle maintenance now is only going to lead to larger and more costly repairs later. The only problem is no seems to be listening.

Auto supply retailers are showing a decline in first quarter earnings. Some of this decline may be due to people sufficiently comfortable with auto repair turning to internet sites to buy their parts rather than the local mechanic, but car owners not so mechanically inclined are trying to do without, or make do with less.

Cathie Capp, whose son has a 1992 pickup, says “The cost of food and gas is affecting me like everyone else, so I’m going with the Band- Aid. I’m hoping and praying it gets him through his first year of college.” She had forgone the full engine repair job on her son’s truck, opting instead for a $415 quick fix.

Like Cathie, many vehicle owners forced to have work done on their vehicle are going with the least amount of work they can get away with. Says Alex Tamez, director of operations at a Ford dealership in Glendale California, “they’ll get an oil change, but not get the tires rotated. The economy and gas prices have a lot to do with it.”

However, this approach can be dangerous. Auto parts last much longer today than they did 30 years ago, but this also means that they don’t show wear and tear as readily as the old parts did. Parts should be inspected by a trained mechanic as parts that are dangerously worn down may not be detected by the lay person and replaced in time.

This comes at a time when bad economic conditions mean people are forced to hang on to their vehicles longer. In such a situation owners want to be ahead on the maintenance of their Ford cars, not behind. Forgoing maintenance now really does cost more later, and it is more important than ever for car owners to recognize this.

Need work done on your Ford car or truck? Stop by Sunset Ford and talk to a friendly and knowledgeable serviceperson or take a look at new Ford inventory on the Sunset Ford website.

Crossover vehicles are designed to please car buyers who aren’t interested in a normal sedan but still aren’t ready to drive a normal SUV. Crossovers are a popular product in the auto industry, but some of the Ford Motor Company’s older and bigger vehicles hold up well when compared to the new products.

This story in the Dallas News doesn’t look too kindly on the new crossovers. Instead, the writer describes them as a new “fad” that is pushing out the better, more established Ford cars on the market. He uses the Ford Explorer, an SUV that has experienced dwindling sales in recent years, as the catalyst for comparing the crossover models to the fuller-sized SUV models.

According to the test driver, the Explorer is, at the very least, competitive with the newer and sleeker Ford Edge (or trucklet, as he calls it). So why do people appreciate the Ford Edge and other crossovers more than the Explorer?

Maybe it’s the gas mileage.

Nope. When comparing the gas mileages of the two vehicles, there is only a difference of about two miles in the city. That seems minimal for making a car-buying decision.

It must be the price.

Wrong again. The Eddie Bauer four-wheel drive that the test driver tested was roughly $4,000 less than that of the Ford Edge. When all was said and done, the writer appreciated and enjoyed the Ford Explorer, a model that has been around for several years. The only explanation for its decreasing popularity and the increasing popularity of the Edge is the uniqueness of something new.

For me, I prefer an old friend to a new one any day. But that’s just me. If you’ve driven a crossover lately, do you have reasons for preferring it over a full-sized SUV? Feel free to comment and let us know.

Much has been written about the phenomenon of hybrid cars these days, especially as the cost of gas continues to increase and people become more concerned about their environment. For a lot of customers in the market for a new Ford vehicle hybrids are fast becoming a serious option. But is it really a good idea to purchase a hybrid car?

How Does a Hybrid Car Work?

For those who are new to the idea of a hybrid car, a brief explanation of how they work is probably required. A hybrid vehicle has two different types of propulsion, usually gas and electric power from a battery. The idea is that under certain conditions the vehicle can make use of its electric power and shut off the gas engine, therefore saving gas and carbon emissions. This is obviously very good for our planet, and the environmental impact of gas powered vehicles should certainly be considered when making your purchase.

Ford Hybrid Cars: What’s The Fuel Efficiency Difference?

It is important to note that while hybrid model of a particular vehicle will always be more fuel efficient than it’s gas powered counterpart, the fact that a vehicle is a hybrid does not always mean excellent fuel efficiency. A hybrid SUV might only get 30 mpg, which can be beaten by many traditional gas vehicles. However, there can be a big difference in fuel efficiency between the same types of vehicle. For example, a new Ford Escape gets 22 mpg in the city whereas the hybrid Ford Escape gets a whopping 34 mpg.

The actual fuel efficiency you get from your new Ford vehicle will depend on the type of driving you do most. Unlike traditional gas only vehicles, city driving in a hybrid is actually more efficient than highway driving. This is because the hybrid relies on braking to recharge the battery so the gas engine can be switched off. In highway driving where you are braking less frequently, the battery will not get recharged and you will be using the gas engine most of the time.

Whether you’re looking for a new Ford hybrid or a traditional gas powered vehicle, come and see us today at Sunset Ford.

Wednesday, we discussed three ways to save money when buying a certified Ford or other used vehicle. Here are a few more tips to help you get a great deal.

• Look for a Demo Model
Many dealers have used cars on their lots that have served as demos.  This means that the car has been taken for several test drives or maybe one of the sales associates used it for company errands. Either way, these cars typically have low mileage, but too much to be considered new. Beware of shady dealers, though. Some of them may try to pass off returned vehicles as demo models. Ask for a vehicle history report just to be safe.

• Go through a Broker
You’ve probably heard of ticket brokers who can get cheap tickets. A vehicle broker can do the same thing. For a small fee, they can find the best bargain by searching their networks of local dealers. They can also take care of the hassles of negotiation and many more stresses that go along with car buying. And because their business thrives on customer satisfaction and referrals, brokers will do their best to please you each time.

• Consider a Used Military Vehicle
Some dealers have trucks and other vehicles that the military used for various purposes. If you’re looking for something unusual yet inexpensive, purchasing one of these vehicles is the best way to get both these qualities.

When looking for a bargain on a new or used car, it’s always best to remember that the price should be fair for both parties. Dealers aren’t in the business to give cars away “at cost,” and they have to make a living, too. Keep this in mind and you can negotiate a price that satisfies both of you.

In recent years, New York City has been trying to phase out its fleet of taxis to make room for hybrids and other more efficient vehicles. But did you know the Ford Escape hybrids outnumber the other eco-friendly taxis by hundreds?

Right now, there are about 850 Ford Escape hybrid taxis transporting people all over the city while helping to create a cleaner environment. The nearest competitor to the Escape is the Toyota Highlander. But there are fewer than 100 of those on NYC roads today.

It all started around May of last year when New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he would like to have only hybrid taxis on the streets of the city by 2012. As New York has phased out Ford’s Crown Victoria models as the most common choice for taxis, the automaker has strived to keep its share of vehicles on the metropolitan city’s roads.

But Ford isn’t the only beneficiary of hybrid taxis. Taxi drivers also appreciate the hybrid options. Much of the cost needed to maintain a taxi falls on the driver’s shoulders. According to analysts, most taxi drivers who operate Ford Escapes can save upwards of $6,000 a year. That averages out to about $30 per shift!

So far, drivers are enjoying the Escape hybrid taxis. The first group of these popular vehicles has logged nearly 200,000 miles in only 18 months. And the only major complaint is that the back seats are a bit cramped when there are more than three passengers. Dearborn is also working on other hybrid Ford cars to send to NYC, including hybrid versions of the Fusion and the Taurus.

Now if they could only do something about that traffic!

As Ford has been coming out of a sales and quality slump for the past several years, the automaker has been gaining more customers and restoring its reputation. As a boost for the auto company, mogul Kirk Kerkorian is investing millions of dollars into the Ford Motor Company to boost its efforts.

Earlier this week, the investor disclosed that he acquired nearly five percent of the automaker’s stake to help Ford once again show a profit.  To do this, his Tracinda Corporation investment company made an offer of $170 million for nearly 20 million shares of stock. The shares had a price of approximately $8.50 at the time of the deal.

You might be wondering why a 90-year-old billionaire would want to invest so much money into the Dearborn-based automaker. In the last few years, he’s involved himself in the auto industry by trying to buy Chrysler and invest in other automakers, too. But analysts think he wants people to remember him as one of the main investors who helped the Ford Motor Company, an icon of the United States and the auto industry as a whole, come through its troubled times.

Others say Kerkorian respects the impressive way Ford managed a comeback in such a short time, overcoming its dismal standing to regain a top industry spot.  A spokesperson also stated that the investment reinforces the recognition that Alan Mulally earned by doing such a great job in turning the automaker’s situation around.

You might not be able to afford a multi-million-dollar investment in the company, but you can still purchase a vehicle from your local Ford dealer. It’s not only a great investment in Ford but also an ideal investment in your family and your future.