Sunset Ford Dealer home of a great lineup of new and used Ford cars in St. Louis is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company is collaborating with SHFT.com to launch a documentary series with innovative leaders who are working hard to influence businesses around the globe to adopt sustainable policies.

The documentary series, directed by Gilly Barnes Adrian Grenier, and Peter Glatzer is scheduled to begin its debut in the spring of 2012.

Ford and the award winning multi-media platform collaborated in order to inspire business to make better environmental decisions using leading industry influences such as; sustainable fashion and transport industries to advanced up cycling and smart plastics.

“Our goal is to provide the vehicles and resources to help people live more sustainable lives,” said John Viera, director of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company. “We are working with organizations such as SHFT because they share a similar philosophy – looking at the small and large actions that can make a real difference in a creative and authentic way, which is part of Ford’s commitment to allow people to choose which fuel-efficient and green solution works best for them.”

As part of Ford’s mission to improve fuel economy and develop new alternative fuel vehicles, Ford has teamed up with SHFT.com to give consumers the power to make more eco-conscious buying decisions.

“SHFT.com celebrates businesses where great design, sustainability and innovation meet, which is why we are so excited to be forging this relationship with Ford,” said Grenier.

“Shared core values are at the heart of our collaboration,” adds Glatzer. “Our common goal is to present the best sustainable options to the conscious consumer in an inspiring and entertaining way and to embrace the individualistic choices people need to make.”

A variety of different programs will be started as a result of Ford and SHFT.com’s collaboration, such as; development of creative content such as short documentaries and live event programs and film festivals.  Ford discovered from a recent survey that over half of all Americans are confused when it comes to the selection of green cars such as hybrids, plug-in hybrid, or electric vehicles.

According to Ford News; “Ford technologies such as EcoBoost, flex-fuel powertrains and hybrid batteries give consumers access to a variety of vehicles that promise function and style while making driving a greener and more affordable experience.”

Ford has also been committed to its goal of electrification with several sustainable new products which will be available soon including; Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and Transit Connect Electric.  Nine new fuel efficient vehicles will be launched this year including the Focus SFE, Fiesta SFE, and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid all that get 40 mpg or better.

“Ford is excited to be collaborating with innovators at SHFT to develop real solutions to help consumers live a more sustainable lifestyle,” said Viera.

Sunset Ford Dealer home of a great line up of new and used Ford cars in Missouri knows that with the country becoming more eco-conscious, many consumers are looking for alternatives to the chemicals which are commonly used to clean automobiles.  Chemical run off results from cleaning cars on the street or in the driveway, after polluted water containing dirt, grime, and oil from you car as well as detergent can run into storm drains and then into local streams, rivers, and lakes.

Many consumers are using waterless products to clean their cars today.  Tires with brake dust, road grime, and greasy deposits from roadways can be particularly challenging to clean without water, here are some tips;

With waterless cleaning products the cleaner degreaser is sprayed on and wiped off immediately using a terry cloth towel. Some wheel covers require extra attention using a toothbrush to get into crevices. Spray the brush before using it on those stubborn, hard to reach areas. Remember to wipe off the cleaner immediately. If there is a film left behind after wiping off, which usually happens on hot tires, simply spray area and wipe it off again.  Simply spray on and wipe off. No harmful oils exist in waterless cleaners which could result in drying out your tires limiting the life of tires.   You can also use waterless products on the wheel covers to make them shine.

Use a microfiber applicator and towel to clean the aluminum finishes in order to safely clean without scratching. Use the wipe on and wipe off method to make wheel covers shine. This cleaner also adds a Carnauba wax shine which helps to repel dust, dirt, bugs and raindrops.

Sunset Ford, home of a great lineup of new Ford trucks near The Loop knows that the F-150, with its redesigned six-speed automatic transmission saw the introduction of the 3.7-liter V6 engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing.  The 5.0-liter V8 and the 6.2-liter V8 with EcoBoost was added to the fleet in early 2011.

Other changes and updates include upgrades to the gearbox, which has been modified to add Selectshift capability. Selectshift enables gear shifting and acceleration much smoother. It enables gear shift to take place automatically while driving, but also offers total manual control.

Progressive range select features a lever on the gear shifter that enables drivers to decrease the range of gears while in drive. This essentially allows the elimination of higher gears when towing heavy cargo. A simple tap on the 4.2-inch LCD screen enables the driver to enter range select mode and select available gears, while informing the driver of the current gear.

The manual mode allows drivers to select the gear they’d like to drive in manually, merely by pulling the shifter into the “M” position. A toggle then allows customers to choose the appropriate gear. The LCD screen will digitally confirm the gear chosen, and the technology then communicates to the torque converter, which holds the gear, making it truly feel as if you are driving an actual manual transmission.

In addition, the new transmissions boast a tow/ haul mode, which offers more efficient, capable towing performance. When driving in haul mode, the vehicle uses electronic sensors to monitor the need for a down shift, especially when going down grades, improving towing operation.

Aside from range select, manual mode, and haul mode, Ford also added one-way clutch, which results in effortless transitions between gears.

In addition to a much smoother and more comfortable driving experience, the new 6R80 transmission delivers improved fuel efficiency.

The 6R80 transmission “has been tested to 150,000 equivalent miles in testing cycles that reflect the most extreme-use customer, and the box itself is rated up to 7,000 rpm. The fluid is filled for life,” according to Ford News.

This is the first time such a progressive range select and a manual mode has been offered in the F-150, and Ford is the first truck manufacturer to offer a six-speed transmission throughout its fleet.

Sunset Ford, home of a great line up of new Ford Trucks near Arnold is pleased to announce that Ford Motor Company took top honors for the 2^nd consecutive year at the Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards presented at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit.

Ford was a multi-year winner in several categories this year including;  Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer; Overall Loyalty to Make; African-American Market Loyalty to Make; and Mid/Full-Size Pickup for the F-Series truck lineup-which won 14 out of the past 16 years.

“This is a true testament to Hyundai’s product success and confirmation that it has become an exciting brand in the U.S. market,” said Brad Smith, director of Polk’s Loyalty Management Practice.

The Lincoln MKZ won the luxury car category with a fairly new model.

The awards are given to models which retain owners over repeat buying cycles.

“The awards represent an OEM’s success in bringing consumers back into their showrooms when they return to market for a new vehicle,” said Smith. “OEMs are more focused than ever before on customer loyalty programs, and those that place high priority on these initiatives are reaping the rewards.”

When a consumer who owns a vehicle returns to purchase or lease the same model or make, loyalty is determined.  Polk follows owner loyalty track records throughout the year with an in depth evaluation of auto shopping behaviors.  The model year was considered from October 1^st 2010 through September 30^th 2011.

“We are honored that our customers continue to choose our products. Each day, Ford endeavors to gain their loyalty and advocacy by providing choices, fuel economy, smart technology and safety,” said Ken Czubay, vice president of sales and service for Ford.

“OEMs are paying increasingly close attention to loyalty as the industry begins to rebound,” said Stephen Polk, chairman, president and CEO of Polk. “Together with some of the retention programs manufacturers have put in place, and several new product launches in the past few years, there are a lot of exciting options in showrooms for consumers who are in the market for new vehicles,” he said.

Although the overall volume of the automotive industry has been down for a couple of years, loyalty rates have increased.

‘“It’s clear that keeping customers is an integral part of the business strategy at the OEM and dealer levels,” said Smith  “In addition, a renewed emphasis on ethnic marketing has improved loyalty to the brand and manufacturer” he continued.

Sunset Ford Dealer, home of a great line up of new and used Ford cars in Metro St. Louis is pleased to announce that Ford Motor company is putting its vehicles through the test in the pre-production phase to ensure that Ford cars and trucks not only perform well in temperate weather, but in sub zero temperatures as well as desert climate.

Ford Motor Company’s Drivability Test Facility in located in Michigan and the facility is able to simulate weather conditions as hot as the Arizona desert and also as cold as a blizzard in Alaska- complete with simulated snow.

According to Ford News; “On a bright, clear, sunny autumn day in Detroit we bundled up in our heaviest winter coat, boots, gloves, and hats and stepped into a blizzard. It wasn’t a freakish fall storm, but a glimpse at the extreme lengths carmakers go to build vehicles that will never let you down in the worst possible conditions. “

Editors visited Ford’s Drivability Test Facility which is located in the city of Dearborn Michigan to observe Ford vehicles being tested in Ford’s weather tunnels which can create severe wind chills as well as scorching temperatures, rain, and snow.

Editors agreed not to reveal the exact specification of the tunnels, but reiterated that the facility could get “hotter than Death Valley or colder than Northern Minnesota,” and that testing technicians could even create monsoons or blizzards that could rival even Mother Nature’s handiwork!  The buildings are heavily insulated and explosion proof to shield the extreme weather testing protocols.

So rest assured if you are in the market for Ford cars or trucks that you’re new Ford will perform equally well no matter what geographical area of the country you live in.  To see for yourself, stop into Sunset Ford in St. Louis MO and Waterloo ILL today.

Sunset Ford, home of a great line up of new and used Ford cars near Eureka MO is pleased to announce that Ford has introduced an updated version of its SYNC destination smarphone app now compatible with SYNC AppLink for in car voice activated control.

According to Ford News; “SYNC Destinations now leverages the power and speed of the latest 3G and 4G mobile broadband networks to provide fast access to turn-by-turn directions*, destination downloads* and traffic information.”  “SYNC Destinations is now compatible with SYNC AppLink, enabling drivers to get quick, on-the-go access to the latest traffic reports, turn-by-turn directions* and destination downloads* with simple voice commands.”

Ford plans to announce SYNC Destinations along with 4 other new apps at the upcoming 2012 International CES.

“SYNC Destinations is an indispensible tool that cuts travel times and helps Ford owners save money by using less fuel,” said Doug VanDagens, global director of Connected Services, Ford Motor Company. “The app not only makes the SYNC experience better, it makes it easier than ever to navigate with SYNC Services.”

To find out information about events in the surrounding area, simply say the command and the system will exhibit a list of all current events in the local surrounding area.

Drivers also can use the SYNC Destinations app’s community reporting feature to “Report an accident” to other fellow SYNC Services drivers to forewarn them of potential traffic delays.

For Ford owners who do not have the AppLink, a download version of SYNC Destinations is available

New features in the AppLink include;

• Access real-time traffic information and incident reports covering every major interstate, highway, arterial and city street in North America
• Gather reliable traffic forecasts that cut travel times and save money by consuming less fuel
• Get comparative traffic reports delivering fast insight into which roads are better or worse than normal for that time of day
• View previously unsaved destinations and convert them into a Saved Point
• Access alternate route options to any Saved Points
• Leverage international language support for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hungarian and Dutch

“We continue to collaborate closely with other companies to make sure SYNC and the app ecosystem built around it remains fresh and exciting for our customers,” said Srini Racha, product manager, SYNC Services, Ford Connected Services. “SYNC Destinations gives busy, on-the-go SYNC users the convenience of using their smartphone to find, save and send destinations to their vehicle. Then, when in the vehicle, to leverage the smartphone’s power and speed and SYNC AppLink to download directions to that destination using simple voice commands.”

Sunset Ford, home of a great lineup of new and used Ford cars in Missouri knows that the 2010 Ford Edge is a small SUV available in 4 different trim packages including; Limited, SE, SEL, and Sport. Each trim level has all of the conventional features.  The SE is the basic package which includes; power accessories stability control, 17 inch alloy wheels, and air conditioning.  The Limited and SEL trims offer more luxurious features and the Sport trim features Faux Suede upholstery, an upgraded body design and sporty larger 20 inch alloy wheels.

The 2010 Ford Edge is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine which produces 265 horsepower. The car comes with optional AWD paired with a standard 6-speed automatic transmission. It automatically enhances the efficiency by using a cruise control system with all-wheel drive. According to Ford News; “the power of between 50-60 percent is automatically sidetracked to the back wheels to wipe out wheels spin.”

Although the 3^rd row of seats are becoming a very popular feature in full sized SUV’s as well as all the latest generations of minivans, the 2010 Edge lacks this feature as it does NOT offer an option of 3^rd row seats.  The 2010 For Edge does however come with a roomy 2^nd row seat and ample space for cargo.  The rear seats can be folded back or reclined forward to create even more cargo space.  If you compare the Ford Edge to other SUV’s in its class; it comes out on top as far as ergonomics and functionality.  The interior cabin provides a functional seating arrangement although it is not adorned with decorations the way many   of its competitors are.

To test drive a new or used Ford Edge in Missouri or Illinois, visit your local Sunset Ford Dealer located in St. Louis and Waterloo today.  You won’t be disappointed!

Sunset Ford Dealer, home of a great line-up of new and used Ford cars in West County knows that everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon.  New fuel saving technology is being developed every day from hybrid electric plug-ins to diesel and gasoline mixtures as well as bio diesel fuels.

For energy conscious consumers unable to purchase a brand new hybrid, there are still some things that you can do to make your used Ford more energy efficient.   A few simple changes in your lifestyle can make a difference, particularly when motorists ban together to take the steps necessary to add to the green movement.

Becoming more environmentally conscious includes taking simple measures such as driving the speed limit, avoiding gunning the gas pedal, and taking off and stopping more smoothly which will use less gas resulting in lower emissions being discharged into the environment.  Also, avoid letting your engine idle longer than 30 seconds unnecessarily.

The recommended RPMs are 1200 to 3000 with shifting at proper times a must for manual transmission cars.  Use common sense and plan ahead consolidating errands to keep the overall mileage down on your car, which will also help your vehicle to hold its value longer.  Carpooling is an obvious way to integrate more green principals into your daily life.

Be sure to get your maintenance done regularly which will enhance your vehicle’s engine to run at optimal operating level and burn less fuel.

Planet Green states:  “if every driver kept their tires inflated properly, the U.S. would use 2 billion fewer gallons of oil per year.”

Leave your car at home whenever you can. If you live close enough to work, take the bike or scooter or even try taking a walk.

Although the St. Louis area rarely has inclement weather requiring chains or studs on snow tires, Sunset Ford, home of a great line up of used Ford trucks in West County knows that many Ford owners travel to places such as Canada where mountain areas require winter tires MUST be equipped with chains or studs.

Below are some tips to help you in the proper use of snow tires;

• New technology and advanced rubber compounds have helped engineers create winter tires that offer traction and handling safety in snow, ice and  wet winter conditions
• New rubber compounds used in snow tires remain flexible in cold temperature with improved stopping power compared to all season tires
• Research shows most people wait until the first major snowfall to install winter tires. To ensure you are prepared for any condition, drivers are encouraged to make the change to winter tires in the fall; a good rule of thumb is to put winter tires on when the temperature drops to 44 degrees
• Avoid mixing tires with different tread patterns and wear.  If only two snow tires are installed, make sure to put them on the rear position for optimal lateral control
• Check the air pressure on a monthly basis.  For every five degree temperature drop, the tires lose one pound of air pressure.  It is particularly important to check tire air pressure after the first frost. Properly inflated tires also ensure optimum safety, traction, and fuel efficiency

Be aware that even if you drive a big Ford truck or 4WD SUV, the stopping capacity on slick icy roads is no different than driving a car and sometimes it’s even worse due to the weight of the vehicle.  Good winter tires are therefore a must for your truck in the winter.

Sunset Ford, home of a great line-up of new and used Ford cars in Saint Louis and Waterloo knows that many car enthusiasts have more than one car, and most likely more cars than garage space to keep them in, so purchasing a high quality car cover to protect your investment from the elements is the next best thing to building a new garage.

A good car cover will protect your new or used Ford from the effects from ice, snow, rain, and sun damage.  It will also keep your vehicle from getting scratched or dented and keep things like tree sap away from the finish, which could literally destroy the paint job.

You should also be aware that not all car covers are created equal.  There are 2 types of car covers; water resistant and water repellent.  Many consumers feel that the waterproof cover would provide the highest level of protection, however: water repellant covers actually allow the car to breathe so that moisture doesn’t get trapped under the cover.  A waterproof cover will most likely stop water from getting in, but will also trap a lot of water underneath the cover. Waterproof car covers usually cost less. The difference in the price is not significant, but water repellant covers are higher priced.

Quality car covers can be purchased for under $100 in most car stores. Some covers are made to just fit certain cars, but for other common types of cars, custom made covers are available as well.  Both can keep your car’s finish looking great and save your vehicle from severe weather damage and sun fading.

To test drive a new or used Ford car or truck, visit your local Illinois Ford Dealer, Sunset Ford in Waterloo today, you won’t be disappointed!