It's Show Time! Then it's drive time at Ricart Ford!

   An auto show is like a movie. You can see what it’s all about, but you can’t actually experience any of it. For that, you’ve gotta be in the real world! That’s why we love it every year when the Columbus Auto Show comes to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and folks have the chance to see what’s new on the road, what’s on the horizon, and sometimes an early

peek at what’s on the drawing board in the automotive industry.

  

  Having a bunch of different cars, trucks, SUV’s, and crossovers all in one place, it’s a car enthusiasts dream, and a car shopper’s candy store! The only problem is you can’t drive the vehicles at the car show. Sure, you can sit in some of them, but you can’t grab the keys (or just push the start button) to fire up your favorite ride and tool around the extra wide hallways in the Convention Center, or up and down the aisles in the Exhibition Hall! That kind of activity definitely does not fit with proper auto show decorum, and will probably get you arrested. Actually, that’s pretty much a guaranteed criminal record and guest appearance in the next Need for Speed game!

   

So, let’s say you saw something you really like at the auto show, but where can you put it through its paces, safely and legally? Umm… that’s exactly the reason why we have as many vehicles as we do at The Ricart Megamall, and as many kinds of vehicles we have! It’s easy to compare and contrast vehicles when you can do it at one location with no fuss and no muss!

   

Whether you go to The Columbus Auto Show every year, or have never been, when the time comes to see what that new ride you’ve been thinking about is like when rubber actually hits blacktop, just stop by the Ricart Megamall. We’ll be waiting for you

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!

Embrace the future of driving at Ricart Ford... Or at least learn to be comfortable with it!

   Gas powered. Diesel powered. Gas and electric hybrid. All electric. Warp drive. Flux capacitor. Okay, so the last two not so much, but gas, diesel, hybrid, and electric are now all viable options for powering your automobile, and at Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall, you can check out all of them. We are patiently awaiting the plasma drive and flux capacitor.


   Technology has given us so many choices for our motor vehicles it almost feels like we are living in a Science Fiction novel from the past. The thing is, all this technology can be a bit daunting to some folks, but with familiarity comes acceptance, and Ricart Ford is the perfect place to get to know what state of the art is in the driving world.

   A few years ago, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Ford SYNC, MyFord Touch, turn by turn navigation, and all the stuff we touched on in an earlier posting on this blog seemed so foreign, especially when you think about the first time you saw a video screen on a car’s dash. “Whoa dude! You watching Two and a Half Men on that?”

   We became used to seeing, then using all those tools quickly, and now it’s a little hard to think about a vehicle without them. The next generation vehicles we have available to us now will also seem just as common place sooner than later, so don’t be afraid to embrace the Ford Focus Electric, C-Max Energi or Hybrid, Fusion Hybrid or Energi, or at least learn a bit about them. Stop by Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall and ask to check out the vision we have for the future of automobiles with a vehicle tour and a test drive or two.

Your smart phone can do so much more than all the computer systems used to put a man on the moon combined, and you use it every day without a second thought. When you think about that, the new technologies offered by Ford don’t seem foreign anymore, do they? See you soon!

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!

Fall car maintenance... and zombies at Ricart.

You’re taking a pleasant walk with your dog through the woods at a park. It’s twilight, and the shadows among the trees are starting to take on other-worldly appearances. You aren’t worried though, having walked the trails of this park many times.

As the light fades more noticeably and you start to head back to your car, your dog begins to whine as if sensing something in the surrounding trees and bushes, but you hear or see nothing out of the ordinary, and coax the canine to follow you. After a few more steps, the dog becomes dead weight on the leash as he stops, facing back up the trail with a low rumbling growl. You turn to see what has gotten into the dog, and notice a figure lumbering through the trees. Then you see another figure, then a couple of more. Something must be wrong with those people because they all seem to be stumbling through the growing darkness. It’s time to get back to your car!

You pull the leash hard, and with it the dog, as you begin to walk with greater purpose toward the parking lot. Suddenly the dog passes you, whining loudly, as he begins pulling you hard down the path to where your car is parked. The reassuring sounds of nightfall, the crickets and the fading calls of song birds, are quickly overwhelmed by the growing din of a large group of people now crashing through the underbrush and trees. You move faster and faster, the dog pulling you ahead harder and harder. You look over your shoulder and see many of the dark figures following you now, and notice they don’t seem to move quite right, but you are too scared now to try and figure out why.

With your car just ahead, you are running full speed, the dog still racing ahead of you jerking the leash and your arm hard. When you reach the car, you yank open the door, the dog leaps across the driver’s seat to sit shotgun, you hurl yourself into the car, jam the key into the ignition as you see the first zombies spilling from the woods onto the parking lot and heading toward you! You turn the key in the ignition, and… you guessed it… the car does not start!
Maybe it’s the battery, maybe the starter. Who knows? Had you taken the time to get your vehicle serviced regularly by the Factory trained and certified technicians at Ricart, you would be half way home now, and not a snack for the zombie horde.

Sure, zombies are not real, but rain, ice, and snow storms are. So are dark nights in a lonely parking lot. So to avoid having a bad vehicle experience under any conditions, make sure to follow the vehicle maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual, and call Ricart Service at 614-836-6300 to set up your next appointment.

Looks like the new Fords are arriving at Ricart Ford.

One of the best car related movie lines ever uttered came during a car chase in the original “Blue Brothers Movie” where, after slamming into the plate glass windows of a car dealership in the mall, Ellwood Blues says to his brother Jake, “Looks like the new Oldsmobiles are in early this year!”.

Fall is the traditional start of the automotive new model year, an event celebrated for decades with a stop by the car lot with your parents or grandparents just to see what’s new, whether a new car was on the family horizon soon or not. Then there were, and still are, the ads promoting the newest and best in driving convenience, or style, or power, or, whatever in magazines, on the radio, on television, and eventually in emails, and all over on-line!.



2013 Ford C Max

2013 Ford Focus ST

 Of course, the introduction of Ford’s 2013 model year is no different than all those past years, except maybe for the fact the 2013 Mustangs came out this spring, along with the 2013 Edge and Taurus, and the 2013 Escape redesign was introduced early this summer, and all have been hits! Sure, those great vehicles showed up on the lot and in folks’ driveways early, but there is still plenty of excitement this fall at Ricart Ford with the arrival of the 2013 Ford Focus ST just a few days ago, which will be followed very soon by the C-Max Hybrid and Energi, and after that the Fusion Energi and the Focus Electric. See, there are plenty of reasons to get stoked about the traditional new model year season this year, and all of them are stylish, economical, technologically advanced, and planet friendly!


So this fall, take some time to continue the tradition of marking the new model year with a walk through the new Fords at The Ricart Megamall, or at ricart.com, and see what’s new, what’s innovative, and what you’ll want parked in your driveway soon!

The Internet before ricart.com?

There is an overwhelming chance you have researched a new vehicle on-line. That’s because more than 8 in 10 folks now go to at least one web-site to do some research when they start thinking about a new vehicle. When they get to that web-site, they see full color pictures of cars, trucks, SUV’s and CUV’s, and lots of them! There are videos, and live chat, and payment generators for both leases and purchases on the site, along with links to articles about the vehicles, and social sites so you can see what other people are saying about the car you want and the store you want to go to (umm, that better be Ricart!).


Color, sound, video, chat, and oodles of information are what you find on our website today, and that’s are far cry from the first website, which went live 21 years ago this month!

Wow. That’s pretty boring. And does anyone still refer to the ‘net as W3?

Actually, when you think about it, when Tim Berners-Lee published the first web-page from his lab in the Swiss Alps, it was a pretty major event. Of course, back when Tim was working for the European Organization for Nuclear Research his site was designed to be used by fellow researchers. That was the World Wide Web long before you started checking your Facebook status, or even received your first email… and forget about that smart phone you have, or live streaming video, instant messaging, or any of the other stuff you now accept as part of your life!

So the next time you hop on ricart.com to look at that new car, or make a service appointment, or check Facebook or Twitter to see what community event Ricky Ricart will be hanging at this weekend, remember it always didn’t use to be that way. Life was hard back in the day, wasn’t it?

Free show in the sky worth a ride in your Ricart Ford May 20th!

There's a free show coming just before sunset on May 20th, 2012. Hey! That's a Sunday! Great! Let's hope for nice weather!

No, it's not a live performance of "Dark Side of the Moon", but it's really cool, and your Ricart Ford Family didn't want you to miss out the chance to enjoy something you just can't see every day... a partial solar eclipse. If you want to see the total eclipse, grab the family or some friends, fill up your Ford, and head west a few states.

To see the partial eclipse, find a good place to look westward with as few ground objects between you and the western horizon as possible. Plan on arriving at your spot by 8 p.m. or so on the evening of the 20th, weather permitting. The event should begin a bit after 8:00, and you should begin to see the Moon's shadow blocking a bit of the Sun's disc. The Moon should cover as much of the Sun it's going to by about 8:40, or about the time the Sun will set completely.

Remember to never look directly into the sun! That would not be good because it can damage your eyes. So if you are gonna view the eclipse, check out how NASA suggests you do it. Make sure any children with you follow the viewing guidelines, or stay at home and watch it from Mt. Fujiyama in Japan at go-green.ae.

If you want to find out even more, you can check out Annular Solar Eclipse May 20. 2012 on Facebook.
While you are on Facebook, just go ahead and like Ricart Automotive too. You know you want to!

So pack some snacks, and maybe a blanket for the ground... put together a good tunes list on your player or phone, hop in your Ford, and head to that spot you have picked out. It'll be a great way to end the weekend, so have fun! If we don't see you out there, we'll see you the next time you visit the Ricart Megamall.

Right after the last of the Holiday decorations have been packed away, and the din of New Year’s celebrations and Bowl Games fades into the past, it is, to the uninitiated, a quiet time of year. The lull between football and The Daytona 500 or Spring Training can seem deceptively quiet and uneventful. But those with motor oil in their veins… gears spinning in their noggins… and thoughts of rubber meeting road know better. This. Is. Car Show Season. And as usual, Ford is the star!

Running through January 22nd, The 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which we’ll just call the NAIAS from now on (to reduce the risk of a finger sprain with all those extra letters), runs the gamut from really boring to outrageous concepts that nobody would ever really build in a million years. But what that really means is something can be found for everyone at the show.

Before jumping to the extremes, how about some news from Detroit that you will actually use in your life? And of course, it’s from Ford.

The Ford Sync and My Ford touch are now superstar options in the industry, with other manufacturers trying to come up with matching technologies that always seem to look like weak copy attempts, or fall completely flat on their faces. So that probably explains why the early hit at the 2012 NAIAS is the Ford Fusion for 2013. As a matter of fact, it took less than a half hour for Consumer Reports to declare that with the Fusion, "Ford stole the show!”

Of course the new Fusion has SYNC and My Ford Touch, along with a new lane assist feature which helps you keep it between the lines, auto parking for parallel parking, blind spot detection, and adaptive cruise control, and c/net has an overview of the advancements. And autoblog has a good rundown as well.

Add to its style, all the technological advancements already mentioned to a Hybrid system update, or the ability to get an Ecoboost engine to save on fuel costs, and a plug in version, and it becomes obvious why Ford’s Fusion is already in the passing lane, and is set to accelerate past Camry in a big way.

Oh, and it looks great too!

2011 Ford Explorer is North American Truck of The Year!

Ford passes North American Truck Of The Year mantle... actually; the award is staying in the Ford Family, again!

The 2011 Ford Explorer was named the 2011 North American Truck Of The Year at the Detroit Auto Show January 10th, 2011, making it the third year in a row Ford has won Truck Of The Year. Last year the Ford Transit Connect got the award, and in 2009 it was the Ford F150.

One look at the new, 2011 Explorer lets you know that this is a very different Explorer than you have seen in the past, and according to critics and early owners, it's the best Ford Explorer ever!

From the new, strong, and light weight structure featuring high-tech materials, to the Terrain Management System and Intelligent 4 Wheel Drive; to the 2,000 pound towing capacity, MyFord Touch, SYNC, available EcoBoost engine and much more, the new 2011 Explorer is really... new!

A test drive of the 2011 Explorer on Ricart Ford's 6 acre test track should be all it takes to get you to add to the praises being heaped on the new Explorer, and the great part is, you can drive one today at Ricart Ford and see for yourself the value, innovation, quality, and comfort the 2011 Explrer delivers in spades. To set up your test drive, give Ricart Ford a buzz at 866-471-3777.

Haven't you scoped the Ford Fiesta yet?

Sure it's kinda goofy, but Ricart Ford has been bringing the new 2011 Ford Fiesta to the people, if the people can not make it to the Fiesta!

Unless you have been hiding on a deserted island all summer long, you know the new Ford Fiesta is a hit, and are hard to find in various regions of the country... but not in Ohio, 'cause at Ricart Ford, we have a bunch of the new "rock star of cars", not by magic, but because we made sure to get enough from Ford to meet the demand. We knew the Fiesta was a big deal!

Ricart Ford has been hitting the street with the new Ford Fiesta, visiting parks, sporting events, fundraisers, offices... heck, we'll show up for your barbecue Saturday afternoon if you want! (Actually, we don't really have enough people to work at the store, and be at your house on Saturday, but you get the idea).

You've read about the new 2011 Fiesta and all the standard safety features, the equipment Ford put into the Fiesta that other makers wouldn't even dream of, the 40 plus miles per gallon, and all the rest, but to really get the Fiesta, you gotta drive one. So, if you don't see us pulling up in front of your office, or your kids soccer game, or that haunted hayride down the road, get to Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall and take the new Fiesta for a spin. That's when you'll get it too!

2011 Ford Mustang. Wow! Just, wow! See why at Ricart Ford.

Just in case you haven't heard yet, the 2011 regular Ford Mustang, you know, the V6 Mustang coupe, now has 305 horsepower. The GT now has 412 horsepower. Oh. and the v6 starts under $23,000 and both have $500 bonus cash... like you'd need convincing if you were asked on a date by a supermodel! And with rates as low as 2.9%, that supermodel is picking up the check at dinner too!

The new, 2011 Ford Mustangs have added their mark to an already amazing vehicle history right out of the gate, with rave reviews for its performance, economy, and reaffirmation of its iconic styling. And speaking of iconic, July 4th weekend will mark the Ford Mustang's entry onto the track in a NASCAR event, at Daytona International Speedway.

You certainly don't have to take our word for it on the new, 2011 Ford Mustangs, with Motor Trend giving you a technical overview, MuscularMustangs.com posting all kinds of 2011 Mustang information, and Ford's own Mustang pages offering you all kinds of neat Mustangy things to play around with. Go and check what they have to offer up on the matter, and then get to Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall so you can take one of the 80 or so Mustangs we have available for a drive on our exclusive 6 acre test track, because if there was ever a need to have an exclusive 6 acre test track, the 2011 Mustang is it!

Ricart Ford really does stuff for you after the sale. Really!

You certainly can tell summer is here, even if June 21st hasn’t shown up on the calendar yet. The smell of grilling drifts through the neighborhoods, school kids are getting antsy for that last day, Ricart Automotive Family activities are in full swing… oh, and the 2011 Mustangs are out, more the 2011 Super Duty trucks arrive almost daily, and the Fiesta is just around the corner. That’s a lot of stuff going on at The Ricart Megamall!

This past weekend, The Ricart Megamall played host to a Teen Driving Rally, two days of towing training, and Ford/ Microsoft SYNC clinic, all free to the public! Yeah, it does seem strange that a car dealer really does do things to enhance your automotive life AFTER YOU BUY, and even stranger to offer these programs to everyone, whether they are a Ricart customer or not! But that’s exactly what The Ricart Automotive Family does, regularly.

The Teen Driving Rally was a wildly successful and fun afternoon which combined driving safety with music, games, exhibitions, and prizes, all made possible by the collaboration of Columbus Division of Fire, MADD, Costco Wholesale, Columbus Public Health, Bloom School of Driving Dynamics, AAA, Sprint, Safe Communities, Sunny 95, The City of Columbus, American Family Insurance, and Ricart Automotive.

The towing training held both Saturday and Sunday, hosted by Ricart Ford with a hand from Paul’s Marine and Columbus Sail and Power Squadron allowed anyone who tows a trailer to learn the safest and most efficient ways to tow , and to gauge exactly what equipment best suits their needs. And as if we didn’t have a full enough weekend at Ricart, or SYNC Clinic helped even the most novice, low tech folks among us, easily learn how to use the Ford SYNC System, bringing them all happily into the twenty-first century.

You’ve got to admit, events like these enhance your vehicle ownership a bit more than an occasional call from a salesperson to see if you want another new car yet (if you even get that!). And at Ricart, we do this kind of stuff for you regularly. As a matter of fact, if you are into classic and custom cars and bikes, free live music, fun in the sun, all for a great cause, then join us at The Ricart Megamall Saturday (Mat 29th) from noon to six for the 2010 Earth Angel Car and Bike Super Cruise in, and “Be a Dream Maker”.

So I guess what we are saying is pretty simple. It’s one thing for a car dealer to say they value you after the sale, and completely another to actually offer you and your family experiences and activities that make your automotive life the best it can possibly be. That’s exactly what we do at Ricart Automotive.

If we don’t see you this weekend at The Ricart Megamall, we hope your family has a good Memorial Day weekend. Drive safely.

The new 2011 Ford F-Super Duty will be at Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall on Monday March 29th, and if you can get to The Megamall on Hamilton Road that Monday, you can join us and be among the first to scope out the toughest, cleanest, most economical Ford F-Super Duty yet. Oh, and there are a lot of technological advances too, which make the 2011 Super Duty the smartest truck ever.

From the new 6.7 liter Ford Built Diesel engine, giving best in class torque and horsepower, AND fuel economy, to the amazing driver information system that tops all other full-size trucks, to the standard side curtain and seat mounted airbags that come standard on all models, and everything else you’ll find on the new 2011 F-Super Duty, Ford had gotten it right… again! Make that even better than right, and you’ll see whyat Ricart Ford in the Ricart Megamall Monday March 29th, with appetizers and beveragesprovided by WHOK 95.5 The Hawk, and the chance to win $10,000 in genuine FordAccessories! RSVP at 877-244-0656

Not to sound any alarms or anything, but do you find yourself kind of questioning the safety of that Toyota you see on the road behind you… next to you… in front of you… the one you drive? You are not alone as you think it. Quality just isn’t synonymous with Toyota anymore, and so it seems safety may be lacking as well.


So with the long standing mantra that Toyota is a fabulous manufacturer sadly rusting away like an old Yugo, folks are turning away from Toyota in rising numbers, and turning to a vehicle company that offers quality and safety in cars, trucks, and other vehicles people actually love to own. Ford.


No matter how long someone has owned import cars, there is a certain comfort and familiarity when they climb into a new Ford. And when they drive that Ford, they suddenly “get it”. That’s why more than one former Toyota owner has asked themselves why they waited so long to get a Ford. We’ll leave the soul searching to them.


With the U.S. Transportation Secretary initially calling for Toyota owners to park their cars if they can’t get them fixed immediately, the software problems, the refusal of some lenders to give loans to buy new Toyotas, and all the rest of the problems, now is the right time to pick out the Ford you like, and drive one!

Motor Trend Car of the Year Ford Fusion, and Ricart's economic grassroots movement

So here's how we are going to give a leg up to the American economy, but we need your help to do it. That's where the real "we" part comes in.

Nope, no hand outs, bail outs, or time outs. Nothing like that at all. What we are going to do is continue to sell Fords, the best quality vehicles available anywhere, and you are going to tell as many people as you can about Fords. Piece of cake.

Since we have been a Ford store since 1953, our part as Ricart Ford is pretty easy. We just keep offering folks the Ricart Experience. You know, the $1,000 low price guarantee, the best trained personnel in sales and service, selection, six acre test track, etc...

Your part in this big economic boost we have planned is easy too! Just tell your friends and family, even complete strangers little tid bits about Ford, like the 2010 Ford Fusion winning Motor Trend's Car of the Year Award. How about F150 being Motor Trend's Truck of the Year last year. Tell them about the Ford and Microsoft SYNC System that only Ford offers, or the fact the F-series has been the best selling vehicle line for over thirty years! Oh, and don't forget to mention Ford didn't take a dime of government money, and has posted a profit with American vehicles like the Taurus, Edge, Focus, Escape, Fusion, Explorer, Expedition, F-series, E-series, Mustang, and Flex.

By combing the quality of vehicles built by Ford, the quality of your buying and ownership experience provided by Ricart Ford, and you getting the word out to as many people as possible, we can create one of those 'grass roots movements" that's all over the news lately, and stage our own economic recover right here right now.

Ricart Ford in The Ricart Automotive Megamall is working with 101 Mobility to offer affordable technologies that make driving and enjoying a motor vehicle accessible to people with physical challenges, or who have family members who require special transportation considerations.

On Saturday, October 24 from 9a-12n, Ricart Ford will host informative and enlightening presentations by 101 Mobility in the Ford Showroom at 4255 South Hamilton Rd. which will showcase the tools now available to assist in making vehicle ownership and operation easier or even possible for many. From lifts, to ramps, to sources of funding assistance and more, 101 Mobility, a leader in local mobility and access equipment, and Ricart Ford will provide valuable information beneficial to anybody with mobility and vehicle questions. The Ricart Ford Mobility Team will also discuss the various manufacturer programs available to assist in the purchase of mobility devices and conversions for passenger vehicles.

Along with the displays and demonstrations, including a fully functional demo auto lift, refreshments will be served during the event, and 101 Mobility is offering free installation of all new mobility products sold at Ricart Ford that day. Guests can also register to win a 101 Mobility scooter.

Anyone with questions can call 866-392-3394. More information about 101 Mobility can be found at http://www.101mobility.com/, and about Ricart Automotive at www.ricart.com.

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

Ford F150 Raptor Arrives at Ricart Ford

Its existence has been rumored for a long time now. Its heritage is undeniable. Its name says it all. The 2010 Ford SVT F150 Raptor is now prowling the lot at Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megmall, and is ready for you to climb in and rip it up at your favorite off-road site… and even some places you could never dream of before the rise of The Raptor! Chances are, if the thought of being airborne in a truck at seventy miles an hour scares the living daylights out of you, then you should step away from this article and go read about the other F150’s available for you. But if you have the brass, and are willing to eat tacks, point that right big toe toward the floor, and let’s go !

The first thing you probably noticed about the Raptor is the look. This is an off-road truck, not a race car in truck’s clothing like the Lightning was. Raptor has been designed and built with the singular thought of taking your four wheel drive experience to an all new level, unless of course you are a professional Baja Racer. That’s why the Raptor’s development included painstaking tests which recorded the stresses and strains placed on all components so the SVT Team could clearly identify and rectify any issues that caused a part to perform at less than peak or even fail due to the demands placed upon it.

When you stop by Ricart Ford to scope the Raptor, take a look underneath the beast. That long traverse suspension that used to require aftermarket parts and work, and a pretty good sized pile of money was developed by the Ford SVT Team and Fox Racing, including Raptor only shocks. The front shocks have 2.7 more inches of travel than a regular F150, allowing for control of the massive forces placed on them during off-road impacts (like when your Raptor catches some brutal air). The rear bypass shocks, with extra oil to keep them cool, use an internal bypass system which, in a nutshell means you will not have to adjust the shocks while on course, maintenance is never an issue, and the chance of damage due to course debris is non-existent. No muss, no fuss!

The Ford F150 Raptor also incorporates a special SVT created powertrain function named Off-Road Mode which is push-button activated and leaves the butterfly valve wide open during acceleration, giving you a linear throttle response instead of losing power as you acceleration reaches its end like on a regular truck. If you read that last bit and are scratching your head, don’t worry… just click here for a full tour of the Raptor on Ford’s website. Oh, and the Raptor has been so well conceived and designed, the U.S. Border Patrol may be using them soon.

From the tires, to the metal used to manufacturer its components, to Fox Racing’s involvement, to the tests used during its development, to pretty much everything about the new 2010 Ford F150 Raptor, it all ads up to a true off-road truck that will take your breath away while with its looks and innovations… and leave your stomach behind you when you let it do what it was designed to do on an off-road course. Stop by Ricart Ford in The Ricart Megamall and see "it" for yourself!

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...