Ricart Ford has the right Ford for your deadstyle!

   Most people don’t realize the Ford F150 Raptor was specifically designed in response to leaked information about a secret program creating undead creatures, a program rumored to be taking place

right here in Raccoon City!

   Not really...

   Ok, maybe "Resident Evil 6" wasn’t so good, but "World War Z" was a huge hit, "The Walking Dead" is still sprinting, "The Last of Us" became an instant classic, and like the masses of walkers surrounding the mall in "Dawn of the Dead", there is no end in sight. With that in mind (brains!), let’s look at Ford’s vehicle line-up, and how they fit various zombie deadstyles!

   Let’s start with the classic and original zombies from George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”; rugged, purposeful and relentless… they will not stop, just like Ford F150 trucks! And while Romero’s ghouls have a voracious appetite for brains, the F150’s available Ecoboost engine means you’ll spend less money and time at the pump! 

    

   The 2013 romantic comedy “Warm Bodies” gave us zombies who could think, and by the virtue of love, become human again. These thinking undead really don’t have to put a ton of thought into driving one of Ford’s Hybrid or Electric vehicles. The C-Max Energi or Hybrid, Fusion Hybrid, or Focus Electric, all have great economy, amazing style, and cutting edge technology. It doesn’t take a high functioning brain to drive smart!!

    

   The 21^st century saw a major shift in zombie philosophy. Zombies in the new century still view humans as their entrée of choice, but movies like “28 Days Later”, Will Smith’s “I Am Legend” and the Brad Pit big screen adaptation of “World War Z” made them fast. Inhumanly fast! And if you are a zed-head in the new millennium, Ford’s got the speed you need. Mustang offers a slew of packages and options to take you from quick with the V6 pony, to ripping the screaming tires off the back from a dead stop with the Shelby 500, and all points in between! Or as a Zack runner, you may want the thrill of the Focus ST, the Focus that’s not for the faint of heart, whether it’s beating or not!

   

    The new century has given us way more Zombies than we have ever had before, and “The Walking Dead” comics, novels, and television series gave rise to “the hoard”, which is cool, because Ford has cars, CUV’s and SUV’s that’ll help get that walker team to the soccer pitch, or the shamble family down the block to the school play comfortably, economically, and looking good… at least the Ford vehicle is good looking. Whether it’s the Escape or Explorer, Edge or Flex, Taurus, Fusion, or Focus, Ford has the right vehicle for every undeadstyle. And if you happen to still be warm, you can stop by Ricart Ford in The Megamall and find the Ford for your, ummm,  lifestyle!

It's Columbus Auto Show time!

The thermometer is bouncing up and down like a basketball on The March Madness hard wood, the Arnold Fitness Classic has come and gone, the award show season is done, and the count to baseball’s opening day is just around the bend. What do all these mean? It’s time for The Columbus Auto Show, when auto manufacturers tout their current wares, and offer a glimpse at what they have in store for us, or at least what they may have coming down the road. And this year, every single new Ford you see at the Columbus Auto Show is from Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall! That means you can get the exact new Mustang, or Fusion, Escape, F150 or whatever Ford you see at the Greater Columbus Convention Center this year at Ricart Ford!

This year’s Columbus Auto Show runs March 14th through the 71th, and in addition to exhibits and presentations that fill a motor-head’s dreams, and the thoughts of somewhat less possessed car lovers, Dialed Action Sports BMX Team will have multiple shows each day, The Columbus Zoo will have some animals to check out Saturday and Sunday, Matt The Balloon Guy will be at The Show Sunday, so there’s things for the whole family to do!

The Columbus Auto Show hours are Noon to 9:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. And if you see a new Ford you really want to drive, Ricart Ford will be open 10 to 8 Thursday and Friday, 9 to 8 Saturday, and Noon to 6Sunday! That makes it easy to take a spin in the new Focus ST, C-Max, or any Ford you saw at The Show on our six acre test track, on the road, or both!

 Enjoy this year’s show, and we’ll see you at The Ricart Megamall soon!

Is it the end, the beginning, or simply SOP at Ricart Ford?

   So you probably wonder just what the title of this post means. The answer is, it means it all. It's Ricart Ford's Year End Celebration with special Holiday specials and a really cool Holiday video, it's the start of a new year at Ricart Ford, and Motor Trend just announced the 2012 F150 as the Motor Trend Truck of the Year Winner, which is pretty much standard operating procedure for a truck that won the award in 1997, 2004, and 2009 as well!

   Upon receiving the 2012 Truck award, Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields said, "The 2012 F150 is a no compromise solution that can be tailored to fit virtually every customer's needs, and the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award further reinforces that this truly the best choice for America's
truck owners. We are proud to receive this award, and even more pleased that our F150 customers have additional validation of their top choice". In non-corporate speak, that means Ford thinks its great that you love the F150 and the critics do too.
   The 2012 Ford Focus redesign has been a huge hit at Ricart Ford since they arrived this summer, and the technology you can find in Focus, and across the entire Ford line, meant plenty of Edison Awards for Ford earlier this year, awards that prove Ford's integration of your vehicle into your life is spot on with technologies that enhance the vehicle experience like no other manufacturer, and do it with economy in mind.

   At Ricart Ford, we've sold a whole bunch of Ford cars, trucks, CUV's, and SUV's this year, and will help even more folks get that new Ford they want before the clock finishes striking twelve on December 31st. After that, we'll get started on 2012, winning more awards, making more friends, and doing what we love to do best... making you happy with your new Ford.

What'd we learn from Cash for Clunkers?

The “Cash for Clunkers” program reaffirmed something for us at Ricart Automotive that we have always known… Americans really love their cars. We could tell by looking at the woman who tearfully sat in her late 80’s Buick one last minute before driving off in her new 2010 Fusion with a smile as wide as a four lane highway. We could tell when a family asked us to take pictures of their old van and email the pictures to their house, where they would keep them as a reminder of all those miles they shared before it became a clunker. They also had us take pictures of their new Escape. The really amazing thing is, these were not rare occurrences during the “Clunkers” program.

A lot of people were sad to be trading away their old, rust and primer spotted, have seen much better days (some even with duct tape repair jobs), cars and trucks. Of course, all those very same people will soon be just as madly in love with their new Escape and Focus, Fusion and Flex, Ranger and Edge as they were with their clunker… probably an even deeper love because the economy, safety features, and quality of their new Ford is far superior to what they just got rid of. Oops, better make that traded in instead of “got rid of “. It seems like a much more fitting end to a beloved family member. And that’s the point driven home to us during “Cash for Clunkers”. No matter how much we deny it, and try to research it away, buying a new car is an emotional experience. The promise of an exciting new relationship with your latest ride, and the fond memories of your former wheels racing through your mind are a lot like feelings we usually save for our family and closest friends, probably because we see our vehicles as both.

The Ricart Automotive Family thanks and congratulates all those folks who made a new Ricart vehicle part of their family, and became part of ours during the “Cash for Clunkers” program

Cash for Clunkers on now at Ricart Ford

This old Caddy was the first fuel swilling car taken off the road at Ricart Ford just minutes after the official start of the Federal Government's Cash for Clunkers program. While the Caddy had served them well over the years, the couple who traded it in will see dramatic savings in gas in their new 2010 Fusion, with the best mileage of any mid-size sedan. Add that to the quality, craftsmanship, and styling of the new 2010 Ford Fusion, and you get a vehicle they will be thrilled with for years to come, and by the looks of how clean their caddy was, WE MEAN YEARS!

Young folks are getting in on the Cash for Clunkers Program at Ricart Ford as well, and we have seen a really good mix of all kinds of people taking advantage of the best slection in the region of Focus, Fusions, Escapes, trucks... the whole gammut of all the new Ford vehicles that meet the CARS criteria, so if you have been sitting on the sidelines so far, it's probably a good time to stop by Ricart Ford for a visit to see exactly what the program can mean to you. If you are interested, give us a ring at 888-355-6934.

Gotta go, there's this nice lady who wants to drive an Escape on the test track...

Reliable Ford value resides at Ricart Ford (Wow, alliteration)

Reliability means many things to us. It means your loyal dog at your feet on a chilly night, or your best friend watching your back in a tough spot, or even Old Faithful doing what geysers do at predictable times to thrill vacationers at Yellowstone Park.

Reliability also means the vehicles you’ll find at Ricart Ford according to the 2008 Consumer Reports Car Reliability Survey, which says, “Almost all Ford models are now average or better… Ford's reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers.”

The article goes on to rave that the Fusion is among “the most reliable family cars” and has the Focus landing an above average rating. Check for yourself here.

Obviously this is great news for Ford and Ricart, since Ford is our flagship brand, and also for those folks who have said to themselves in the past that they wanted to buy an American car, but they just aren’t as reliable as Japanese cars. Well… actually a Ford is as reliable, costs less, and tends to have more innovations than Pacific Rim cars… and most of all, it’s a Ford!

Reliability does mean many things, and at Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall, it means even more value in your new Ford car, truck, SUV, or CUV. So, when you spend your hard earned money on a new Ford at Ricart, it’s worth every penny and so much more… you can rely on that!

Ford MyKey tech coming to Ricart Ford for 2010

When you are a teenager, say sixteen or seventeen years old, there is no rush of freedom quite like when you get the keys to the family car and head out on the road… no Mom, no Dad, no hassles. The problem is, a teen is dramatically more likely to be involved in an accident because teens tend to speed more, fasten their seat belts less, blast their tunes louder, and in general lack the experience most adult drivers are able to acquire over time. Ford, that innovator of automotive technology has come up with a device which will help keep younger drivers safer, giving them the chance to build the skills that only come from being behind the wheel. It’s Ford’s new MyKey, and it will be available as standard equipment at Ricart Ford in the Ricart Megamall starting with the 2010 Ford Focus coupes.

MyKey is designed to allow parents to encourage their kids to learn safer driving skills, as well as increase the fuel economy of their vehicles, and it does it by letting Mom or Dad, Grampa, Uncle Dave, or whoever limit the top speed of the vehicle, the volume of the radio/entertainment system, give earlier warning signals when the vehicle is low on fuel, encourage the use of safety belts, and give audible cues when the car attains specific speeds, like 55 miles per hour. All this should help your younger driver be more aware of how they are driving, enhance their focus while they are tooling around town, and prevent you from having to endure DMX at sonic shrapnel volumes if you are first to start up the car after your youngster has driven it.

MyKey is only one of the ways Ford has been working to help your family drive more safely. Another is Ford’s Driving Skills for Life Website (see it here) which is a gold mine of information and tips for teen drivers, and drivers of all ages. Ricart Ford takes the safety of younger drivers, and all drivers so seriously, we have teamed with The Bloom School of Driving Dynamics in offering one of a kind, hands-on training at The Ricart Megmall. Check out all the details, and sign up for the course on the Bloom Driving Dynamics site.

Ford’s MyKey and Driving Skills for Life, and Ricart Ford’s relationship with Bloom Driving Dynamics are a few more ways that Ricart and Ford continue to build a family experience of vehicle ownership for all of our customers. After all, everyone wants to keep their family members as safe as possible when they're on the road.

Let's Refuel America... Gas Gimmick

Chrysler has just announced what it calls the “Let’s Refuel America” program, which promises that you will pay $2.99 a gallon for gas for the next three years, no matter how high the actual cost may rise. Sounds easy huh? Sounds great too, huh? Well, I contacted a friend of mine who graduated from MIT to do the math the way it is laid out in the program. He was busy and promptly referred me to an MSNBC.com article that said someone buying a 2008 Dodge Durango would save just over $400 a year with an average three year gas price of $3.61 a gallon (the current average price in the Detroit area).

Hmmm… $400 a year for three years sounds a lot less than the $4000 rebates available on a 2008 Ford Explorer. I guess that means Ford wants you to have gas money, and a little something to spend on a drive away vacation, about $2800 worth of something!! Formula you ask? Why, yes, there is a formula involved where you factor in 12,000 miles per year, the vehicle’s government fuel economy rating and the cost of a gallon of gas. I don’t know about you, but any promotion that requires me to do more math than simply reducing my price by a pretty good chunk of coin makes me more than a little suspect… especially one that makes your savings a crap shoot. It also gives me a head ache.

To be honest, I have had it with fear mongering, and to be sure, this Chrysler promotion is nothing more than that. The formally American, then German, (then American again?) automaker is playing off the fear that more violence in the Middle East, or South America, or wherever will have an adverse affect on the oil supply and send gas prices ever higher, which is the only way you really come out ahead with this program. I don’t know, I’d rather drive around this summer and beyond in my new 2008 Ford Focus at nearly 40 miles per gallon, enjoying the car, my family, and the driving experience and not sit around rooting for more world unrest to inflate the price of gas… how about you?

Ford-Microsoft Sync... cooler than cool!

So I bought my third Ford Focus the other day, long before I read an article about Kelly Blue Book rating the new 2008 Focus one of the ten coolest cars you can get for under $18,000, which it most certainly is. I used the rebate to pay off my Liquid Gray 2003 Focus SE and am giving it to my eldest daughter for her college car. Heck, it has well under 60,000 miles on it, and still looks and drives great. She is thrilled, and thinks it’s a cool car. Now, with all modesty aside, I really didn’t think that a car could add much to MY coolness factor. I worked in rock and roll radio in New York for nearly two decades, roadied for Van Halen for part of the second album tour, watched Deep Purple rehearse in a friend’s basement when I was a kid, actually saw the Ramones at CBGB’s… you get the idea. Anyway, all things considered, how could a Ford Focus possibly make me any cooler? One word… Sync.

Just In case you are still living in the twentieth century and have missed all the commercials and press about the Microsoft and Ford creation which is Sync, it is a system available only in Ford. Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles, which seamlessly allows you to use voice commands to control your Bluetooth enabled phone, your MP3 player (I have the Microsoft 80g Zune), and has upgradeable software that will allow updates of the system, the first of which is due by early fall. All this means that you can tell Sync to call your home, and it will. You can also tell Sync you want to listen to the Ramones, and it will, or to play a certain genre of music, or album, or song, or songs that sound kind of the same… and it will!!! Now that’s cool.

Okay, so it may be hard sitting there reading this to picture in your mind’s ear just how Sync works and sounds, but a quick trip to see Sync demonstrated in person will calm those Hal from “2001 A Space Odyssey” fears, and let you see just how easy Sync is to use, and how easily it becomes a part of your driving life. Ford has Sync in the Focus, the Edge, and the Fusion now, and on the way for the Escape, F150, and Taurus making it a lifestyle feature that spans all economic levels, and can make anyone who owns it at least a little bit cooler… not that I needed it mind you.

Come see, hear, and experience Sync at Ricart Ford in the Megamall today, and you'll probably have a new Ford at your house tonight!

Ford Focus fords floodwaters!

It was a dark and stormy night…
Okay, it was actually a gray and rainy morning, but the previous night certainly was dark and stormy, which is why the parking area for the townhouse we live in was a lake by dawn, and it was still raining.
Sure, big honkin’ trucks with twelve feet of ground clearance were able to drive through the water with the wake flowing after them like an inboard towing a couple of water skiers, but anything smaller would surely be doomed attempting to ford the flood. At least that’s what I thought.
Being of hardy New English stock, I surveyed the situation, and decided that a little flood water would not keep me from driving in to work, so I climbed into my Ford Focus, backed out of my parking space, and headed for the shoreline. It was then that I noticed the Police had barricaded the street to the left, so I had no choice but to turn right around my neighbor’s house…and it was then I saw a Honda Civic and Toyota Tercel stalled in another massive pool of water. They didn’t make it through, and probably should never have tried.
By this time, I had no choice but to press on, through the same lake which now had two import islands, one white, the other gold. Water was actually flowing over the hood of my Focus as I descended into the water, and I tapped the accelerator and tried to avoid the fate of Atlantis as I increased my speed. It was one of those driving situations that has you saying a prayer that begins with, “God, if you let me make it…”, and ends with a promise to give up some vice.
Despite my best efforts at reenacting “The Poseidon Adventure”, my Ford Focus made it through like a champ, unlike the Toyota and Honda that are still stuck where they stalled.
I love my Focus!