Sunset Ford Dealer Blog

If you’re looking for a 2008 Ford truck that’s more of a cargo van than a pickup truck, the E150 is for you. In addition to dominating the heavy-duty pickup trucks for about three decades, the automaker has also been a force to reckon with in the commercial van segment.

Although we know it now as the 2008 Ford truck E150, it wasn’t always called that. When the company began manufacturing these Ford trucks, they were called Econoline. But Ford decided to follow the example of the F-Series in 2002 and began calling it the E150. The current design of the E150 dates back to 1992. If it works, why change it?

The 2008 Ford truck E150 received a minor facelift, though. The front of the vehicle is somewhat different with a redesigned hood, grille and fenders. Everything else is pretty much the same. But people don’t usually buy these trucks because of the style. The E150 is one of the best utilitarian trucks on the market. It’s not only durable, but it’s also affordable at a base price of just below $30,000.

If the 2008 Ford truck E150 interests you, another great thing is the storage capabilities in the cargo area. Some packages include the QuietFlex storage units that can hold all of your tools and equipment and still stay quiet over those bumps along the road. Other packages included compartments with steel trays and panels that help protect the sides of the truck and your tools.

These types of 2008 Ford truck are ideal for those who work in construction or another industry where hauling tools is part of the daily grind. Visit a local Ford dealer and take a look at one. You’ll wonder how you got along without it!

With the recent increase in gas thefts, many truck owners are turning to locking gas caps to prevent thieves from stealing their fuel. But these are nothing new. In fact, locking gas caps were invented in the 1930s when people during the Great Depression were stealing gas. It’s funny how some things never change, huh?

Locking gas caps had a renewed popularity during the fuel crisis in the 1970s. Today, auto parts stores are having a difficult time keeping up with the new demand. According to Brian Drake, an employee at Bridgeville Auto Parts near Philadelphia, the locking gas caps where just sitting around and “collecting dust” until recent months. “We can’t even get them from suppliers,” he said. “We’ve place a couple orders. We’re still waiting for them.”

Although these new caps are great for keeping thieves away from your $4 a gallon gas, some truck and car owners still aren’t impressed with them. For one thing, imagine how annoying it is to misplace the key for your gas cap and needing to call a locksmith just to put fuel in your tank. Also, some motorists have claimed that the gas cap doesn’t have enough suction power to create a seal. As a result, their engine light comes on and they lose fuel economy.

If you’re thinking about getting a locking gas cap for your Ford trucks, there are some new ones on the market that are better than the older ones. Stop by your local auto parts store and find one that fits your truck and start protecting your gas today!

You’ve read all of the suggestions and tips for saving fuel, but did you ever think about protecting it? With gas prices as much as $4.65 in some places, it’s a precious and valuable commodity. That’s why thieves are stealing gas from gas at an unbelievable rate. These days, they are poking holes in the gas tank and draining the gas into containers. And they are targeting trucks because they are easier to climb under. Don’t be a victim of these hoodlums, though. Follow these tips for protecting Ford trucks.

Use your garage. If you have a garage at your home, clean it out and make room for your truck. This is the easiest and most effective way of protecting your fuel tank.

Park near the front when in parking lots. There was a time when parking at the end of the parking lot was good s you could walk farther and get more exercise. But if you part far away these days, it gives gas thieves an isolated spot where nobody will notice them stealing your gas. When you come back and all your gas is gone, you’ll be doing a lot more walking than you thought.

Take note of the fuel gauge. Some people can’t even trust their own neighbors. These days, everybody is looking out for themselves. That’s why you should look at your fuel gauge every time you get in your truck. That will tell you if somebody has stolen some of your gas overnight.

Install a sensitive alarm. Most alarms won’t detect minor vibrations or bumps, but a more sensitive alarm will act at the slightest sign of trouble. Unfortunately, though, people have become desensitized to car alarms so don’t rely solely on this.

Have you ever heard of a self-driving car? I’ve heard of a self-parking car, but this takes the idea to a whole other level.

You probably won’t see a large number of self-driving vehicles on the road for at least another decade or so. But think of how much fun you can have with one of these on a closed course! The company that made it – Torc Technologies – has already worked on a similar model with Virginia Tech. They recently started selling a self-driving version of this model earlier this month. It sells for about $90,000 right now. That seems rather pricey for a car that you can only drive on a closed course.

The auto industry is moving closer and closer to adopting self-driving technologies. I’ve already mentioned the self-parking technology, but more and more cars have features like crash avoidance technology and pedestrian awareness. One company even has a feature called “lane departure control” which makes the car stay in the lane that it’s in. If it veers from its lane, it uses the brakes to “kick itself back on course,” according to Car and Driver magazine.

Torc Technologies is also working on a self-driving technology for the military. In addition, the company has also created a feature called SafeStop, an emergency system that stops unmanned vehicles so they can get out of trouble.

You probably won’t see these features at your local dealer any time soon. But since Torc Technologies created the vehicle on an Escape hybrid, you’ll probably see these features built into Ford trucks before any other brand. It’s just another way Ford is leading the industry in innovations.

In a recent video question and answer interview, Alan Mulally, Ford’s CEO, discussed the role of the compact car and SUV market in America’s future. Here are a few highlights of that interview.

The most important thing Mulally said that compact cars aren’t going anywhere soon. With more Americans switching to smaller Ford cars, he said the automaker is switching its resources to accommodate that demand. He also believes that SUVs will continue to fall in demand as long as gas prices stay as high as they are. Mulally also felt that the demand for SUVs probably won’t increase the same way the demand for larger cars increased following a similar fuel crisis in the 1970s.

During the first quarter of 2008, sales for small, fuel-efficient cars increased by more than 30 percent. As if that figure isn’t staggering enough, the auto market as a whole experienced a sales decline of eight percent overall. Sales of midsize cars stayed about the same as they were last year.

But Mulally also implied that Ford is taking a small gamble on the oil industry. With all of the changes the automaker is making to increase production of smaller cars, it’s almost imperative that fuel prices stay where they are at to make the switchover worth the trouble.

Either way, you the driver can benefit from these new moves. If gas prices stay where they are, you can get a compact Ford car with great gas mileage to save money at the pump. If gas prices go back down, you’ll be spending even less with every mile you drive. It’s a win-win situation for everybody involved.

At the New York Auto Show, the Ford Motor Company unveiled a new edition of the Mustang – the Dan Gurney Signature Edition Saleen Mustang. The automaker, in conjunction with Saleen Automotive and automotive legend Dan Gurney, helped create this new line of Mustangs. Some say it’s the most impressive yet.

Only 300 of these Mustangs are being produced for the public and they’ve already been shipped to showroom floors across the country. The model that debuted at the auto show in March was “production ready,” but Gurney spent the last couple months fine-tuning some final touches, including the suspension.

The Gurney Edition Mustang has a distinct body style that you won’t find on any other Mustang. It’s reminiscent of Gurney’s 1969 Trans Am series Mustang with a look that “honors history but looks aggressively towards the future,” according to the Ford Motor Company’s press release about the vehicle.

Dan Gurney is also excited about the release of the new Mustang. “I am pleased that they could make a car that is so beautiful but still so true to my old race car.” He went on to say that all he really wanted is a “car that is faster than Parnelli’s.”

If you’re interested in one of these popular Ford cars, you can choose from three colors: Performance White, Vista Blue and Torch Red.

You probably didn’t know this, but the Ford Motor Company typically waits about five years before making any major styling changes to its vehicles. But according to Peter Horbury, Ford’s head of design in North America, that’s about to change.

In a plan to reduce the necessity for huge incentives to move older Ford cars from the lots, the automaker is going to start making styling changes every three years instead of every five.

Until now, Ford would give models a minor facelift to give them a fresh appearance. But that simply wasn’t working. Sales simply weren’t increasing by that much. This means that engineers could already be working on major changes for cars that are hitting the lots this year. The Ford Flex is a good example of this. The Flex you drive today could be completely redesigned within three years. That’s pretty exciting! I know I’d be more likely to visit Ford dealers more often.

This new move is likely going to bring more young car buyers to dealer lots, too. With today’s society, the younger generation tends to get bored quickly. That describes me. After a couple years with one car, we want to get behind the wheel of something different. With Ford’s new plan, we can do that while still staying loyal to the Blue Oval.

Do you love your Ford truck? If so, you’re in good company. Did you know there are clubs where you can gather with other Ford truck enthusiasts and spend time discussing your favorite truck stories?

One of the most popular Ford truck clubs in the Midwest is the Old Ford Truck Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. The club holds monthly meetings at which hundreds of Ford enthusiasts gather with Ford trucks ranging from the classics to the newest ones on the market. Members can exchange parts and tips about how to get the most enjoyment out of their trucks or simply walk around and admire the evolution of the product from 1948 to the present. The organization also publishes a monthly newsletter available to members. In addition to that, members attend the F-100 Nationals each spring in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Another Ford truck club – the Classic Ford Truck Club – is a more specialized organization for lovers of classic trucks. The members in this club are dedicated to preserving and restoring classic trucks, vans and Broncos. It’s been around since 1994 in Ontario, Canada and has more than 150 current members. There’s even an annual auto show where you can showcase the truck you’ve maintained and “souped up” over the years.

If these clubs sound interesting to you, check your local area for a Ford truck organization that you can join. They’re not only fun, they can be informative and exciting as well.

If you thought luxury was only for small cars and sedans, think again. The Ford Motor Company has a luxury pickup truck…and it’s pretty sweet.

The Lincoln Mark LT is a beautiful piece of machinery that I just discovered today. Judging from the front of this truck, you wouldn’t even know it’s a truck. With its chrome accents and unique grille, it looks more like an SUV than a pickup truck. This luxury vehicle also has an extended cab, but it’s not just any extended cab. There are four full-size doors so even you back passengers can climb in and out of the truck easily.

But the inside is really where it gets interesting.

Once you’re inside the Ford Mark LT, you’ll fall in love with the plush leather seats. The Audiophile Sound System is ideal for enjoying your ride. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or a cross-country road trip, the system makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the event. In addition to that, you can also choose the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Package with 130 different channels. From comedy to news to rock and country with everything in between, you’ll have several favorite presets that you won’t be able to get enough of.

As one of the most luxurious Ford trucks on the market today, one blog post isn’t enough to do this truck justice. I’ll post more about this impressive vehicle later in the week. Come back and see what else you can get with this one-of-a-kind truck.

How many times have you backed out of your driveway or a parking spot and worried about something being behind you? Unfortunately, many children are killed each year because of rollover accidents simply because drivers don’t see them.

Recently, Motherproof had a blog about famed Contemporary Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman being a recent sufferer from this problem. On May 21, his teenage son accidentally backed over his five-year-old sister simply because she was in his blind spot and he didn’t see her. Now, the problem is receiving national attention since it has affected a five-time Grammy winner with millions of fans worldwide. People Magazine did a story about the Chapmans and the tragedy of this type of accident along with ways to prevent this from happening to you.

Fortunately, some of the newer Ford cars have also addressed this issue. Many of the 2009 models include a Reverse Sensing System that alerts the driver when there is something behind the vehicle. It measures a distance up to 16 feet from the rear so you can have more confidence when backing up. The feature is also standard on some limited edition models. In addition, the reverse camera system is available on many models. A camera is strategically positioned on the rear of the vehicle and a picture of what’s behind you appears on the rearview mirror when you shift into reverse.

This is just another way that Ford is looking out for you and your family.