How To Get Your Car Ready for Winter

  Crazy to think that we are only a few months away from the new year! Now is the time to run

through your Winter Vehicle Checklist and make sure your car is ready for any possible wintery

weather conditions. Here's a list of things to update or check:

1) Tires

Every driver knows that Winter means slippery roads, as well as, potholes...and those summer tires just won't do the trick.

2) Rust-proofing

I had this done to my car and let me tell you, I feel better knowing that the bottom of my car won't rust or erode no matter how much snow is on the ground!

3) Coolant/Anti-freeze

Get this updated, so your car won't overheat!

4) Check ALL fluids

5) Keep an emergency container or book bag of necessities!

You can purchase these online or you can put together a bag of thick clothing, bottles of water, jumper cable, first aid kit, battery operated radio, flashlight with extra batteries, snack food (energy bars), etc.

Follow these steps and this winter will be enjoyable and safe for you and the whole family!

Fred Martin Ford's Fall 2017 Commercial

Check out our latest television ad! Just in time for high school, college, and professional football season! Offers end soon, so stop in today!

Take a First Look at the 2018 Ford F-150!

We're already in August of 2017 and that means it's almost time to bring in the new 2018 Ford models! 

Earlier this week, our Professional Sales Consultants were trained on the features of the brand new 2018 Ford F-150 trucks and we couldn't be more excited to give you this first look! If you have any further questions, please contact one of our sales consultants and they'll be happy to answer them for you!

On Your Mark, Get Set, Race...to the Buckeye Horse Park!

Looking for a fun event on a summer Friday night? On July 21st, it's the 2nd Annual "Twilight Jumpers" Show, hosted by Buckeye Horse Park in Canfield, Ohio! This event will benefit CANTER Ohio! At this event, you can watch the top local jumpers compete for over $3,500 in purse money! The gates open to the public at 5:00 P.M. and the first class begins at 7:00 P.M.

Of course, half the fun during the summer is tailgating before the big show! There will be a prize offered to the best tailgate set up. The price to tailgate is $20/car load on the day of the event. If you want an alcohol-free spot, it is only $25!

Fred Martin Ford Mercedes will be there to join in on the fun too! While we won't be actually riding a horse, we will be featuring two of our famous F-150 trucks and one of our best Mercedes-Benz vehicles for show-goers to take a look at in between performers!

If you have any questions, please call Susan at (724) 301-1414.

Fred Martin Ford Lends A Helping Hand to Our Valley's Animal Shelter

Here at Fred Martin Ford, we love our furry friends and jump at the opportunity to give back to the community in any way we can. This Sunday, July 16th, we will be sponsoring the "Bike Show" at the West Side Cats' 6th Annual Bike Run & Summer Festival at Austintown Township Park. All proceeds from this event go to help West Side Cats.

The festival is open for the entire family and they will provide a lot of entertainment, food, and refreshments for all to enjoy! If you are participating in the Bike Run, registration starts at 9 a.m.and the fee starts at $15/bike and $5/passenger. The Bike Show is $10 and begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. There will be a total of 9 categories and 21 trophies will be given to the best bikes! All Motorcycles are welcome! There will be door prizes, a Chinese raffle, a 50/50 raffle, AND a prize for the Best Poker Hand.

During the bike show, the whole family can enjoy some wonderful music from Ron Hamrick as well as A.C. Jones! Entertainment starts at noon. You don't want to miss Ron Hamrick's beautiful song just for this special event!

Summer is all about fun and we hope you will come out and help your local animal shelter! If you want more information, check them out on Facebook or visit their website: www.westsidecats.org.





West Side Cats is a No-Kill Animal Shelter & Rescue, located at 2217 Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio.

Popular Roadtrip Destinations

Summer is officially upon us! I don't know about you, but when it's summertime, I think of road trips and vacations. Also, making sure my car is in tiptop shape to travel all over the country. Here are some of my personal favorites and a few of our staff's favorite places to road trip.

1: Myrtle Beach

Who doesn't love the beach!? This destination is one of the most popular vacation spots amongst all ages. There is so much to do, especially during the hot summer months! There are many places to eat, fun resorts to stay at, occasionally a festival or two, and (the best part) all the sun you can soak in!


2: Disney

The most magical place on Earth! No matter what season it is, this is always the most popular travel destination. With multiple locations (Disney Land & Disney World), this road trip could last you hours or days. You could easily spend a week there and enjoy all your favorite Disney characters, while catching some sun. Make sure your vehicle is full of snacks for the kids and the Disney stations are on repeat.


3: Route 66

This route is also known as the Will Rodgers Highway and stretches all the way from Chicago, Illinois to Las Vegas, Nevada (2,451 miles). While it is no longer in service, Rt. 66 is still a popular historical travel destination for those who like long road trips and that tourist who likes to visit as many states as possible at one time.


4: Geneva On The Lake

Conveniently located in Geneva, Ohio in Ashtabula County, this place is known as "Ohio's paradise beach".  Not only can you spend a day at the lake, but you can walk to one of the many winery's they have along the strip. They have tours all the time and you can (responsibly) taste test their wine and food. I've been here countless times and it's always a good day to catch up on some sun without breaking the bank.

5: Cedar Point

Of course, I had to include an amusement park in here that isn't Disney or Universal Studios. Cedar Point is full of crazy rides, great food, and fun games for adults and the kids. Not only do they have rides and such, it is a popular place for Mustang drivers and they are modified to drag cars.

What You Need to Know About Ford Roadside Assistance

 

When it comes to roadside assistance through Ford, the first thing you need to know is what exact kind of coverage you have based upon the vehicle that you drive. For customers who have a Ford that is a 2007 or newer, the warranty is a little bit more flexible at 5 years or 60,000 miles. If you are a customer who has a Ford that is a 2006 or earlier, then your warranty is at 3 years or 36,000 miles.

The benefits that we give our amazing customers through the roadside assistance program are towing to the nearest Ford dealership within 35 miles, a battery jumpstart, flat tire change, fuel delivery and lock out assistance.  So when untimely events get you down, you know that you can count on Ford to be there for you!

Therefore the question is, how do you take advantage of these perks if you are stranded on the side of the road? Well, all you need to do is call the toll free number at 1-800-665-2006 and have your VIN number at the ready for the representative that answers your call. This will then give them the information that they need to know on what kind of coverage you have available to you and your vehicle. If in case your vehicle is out of warranty range, the Ford Roadside Assistance will still be available to you, but a credit card will need to be used for the one-time fee for the service in which you need.

EcoSport Set to Come to North American Market in 2018

When it comes to purchasing an SUV, the typical idea in mind is to have something with storage and capability. However, nowadays consumers are looking for something that is on the smaller side, but still has the functionality as that of an SUV. That is why in 2018, Ford is expanding the EcoSport into North America from countries such as Australia and India. This particular SUV is compact in size, but packs a punch when it comes to the technology and comfort within.

Athletic and lean in design, the EcoSport is bound to make a powerful mark in the North American market with its innovative "Blind Spot Information System" which alerts the driver when other vehicles are located in their blind spots. Another wonderful feature is SYNC 3 which allows for Apple and Android users to connect their cellular devices to the vehicle for added features such as voice recognition,  CarPlay, navigation, a WIFI Hotspot, Bluetooth, SYNC Connect and FordPass.

 With all of these amazing features, what more could consumers want out of a vehicle? Well, we are not done just yet! The EcoSport contains an eight inch LCD touchscreen which makes all of the features previously mentioned just that much easier to utilize. FWD, heated seats, a moonroof and an automatic start/stop system are also integrated to make the ride just that more comfortable.

So with an all inclusive SUV that packs a punch with technology and comfortableness, but compact in size,  what more could you want and need? The answer is simple: nothing.

New EcoBoost Engine Making Headway in F-Series

Back in the day, the sole purpose of purchasing a truck was to haul your heavy equipment. However, nowadays dynamics have changed and consumers are setting their sights on a truck that can get the job done, in addition to being eco-friendly.

The American Council has rated the F-150 4x2 with the 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6 engine as the only "greener choice," full sized truck. This truck is lighter, stronger, has an aluminum-alloy body and an MPG of 19 city/26 highway. This new EcoBoost engine is the smallest that the F-Series has seen in 68 years. 325 horsepower is created and  automatic start and stop is embedded for added technology. Having this engine in your truck allows for heavier hauling as it can carry up to a 11,300 pound capacity. In addition, the 2.7 liter engine utilizes a compacted graphite iron block for extra durability.

Another prospect aside from the innovative technology is to consider future gas prices when shopping for a new truck. Looking forward into the rest of 2017 and into 2018, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is expecting natural gas prices to average around $3.55 MMBtu (Million British Thermal Units) in 2017 and escalate to $3.73 MMBtu in 2018. This forecast is up from an average of $2.57 MMBtu for the years of 2015 and 2016.

Analyzing this data it is easy to see that gas prices will be rising within the next two years. Therefore, when shopping for your next Ford truck, it would be highly beneficial to choose one with an EcoBoost engine so that you, the consumer, could put some money back in your pocket.

With technology like this, it is easy to see why for 40 years the F-Series has been the best selling truck in America and will surely continue to do so with the innovative and cost efficient technology as that of the EcoBoost engine.

Ford Impacting Breast Cancer Patients in a Powerful Way

 

                For 23 years The Ford Motor Company has created a fund, "Warriors in Pink," to help breast cancer patients, survivors and co-survivors come together to fight against this horrible epidemic. The "Warriors in Pink" Fund donates 100% of the proceeds from their apparel line to four breast cancer charities so that the recipients may be able to live their lives to the fullest, while battling this disease. The fund also runs a "Models of Courage" campaign which highlights survivors and gives the world a glimpse into their lives during and/or after fighting breast cancer. This campaign features what these survivors do for a living, how long they have been in remission and gives a Q&A so that the world may relate to them on a more personal level and for everyone to see that they have not allowed what has happened to them define who they are.

                One of the particular Models of Courage is Tony Savage, former 49 year old pro football player from San Diego, California. Tony discovered that he had cancer when he had been involved in an automobile accident and mentioned to the doctor that he had noticed a lump in his breast. In a fight to get rid of the cancer, Tony and his doctors opted to perform a mastectomy in addition to six rounds of chemotherapy.  In a testimonial discussing his diagnosis, he stated, "none of those injuries (while playing football) can come close to what your body goes through after you undergo chemotherapy." He says that without the support from his family and friends, he would have not been able to get through his darkest hours. Tony has happily been a breast cancer survivor for three years. Reading Tony's story shows that this disease does not discriminate against age or gender, but instead can alter any one particular individual's life dramatically.

                 In efforts to keep patients upbeat throughout their diagnosis, the "Warriors in Pink" also give their audience helpful tips to stay positive through their fight, healthy recipes and resourceful information to stay strong and fight on! A great testimonial of continuing to stay positive throughout her fight is Karen Sherrod from Acworth, Georgia who has was diagnosed in 2008. She is an accountant and mother of two who says that time is her most treasured possession.  Throughout her fight she has looked up to her mother who was also diagnosed with breast cancer and fortunately beat it. To keep in a positive state of mind she loves to plant flowers because she says that it gives her complete peace.

                 So if you would like more information on how you can donate, purchase apparel and impact the lives of those just like Tony and Karen's in a positive way, please visit the website at www.warriorsinpink.ford.com