Fight the Fuel pump

Posted on April 11, 2013 by brownbrosfordlincoln

With gas hovering around $1.35 a litre and sure to go up this summer, one of the questions we keep hearing these days is, “How can I increase my fuel economy?” It can be done and Ford has a few ways to try and achieve it.

Drive at a Moderate Speed: Did you know that driving at 90kph is the most efficient (on the highway only please). If you drive at 105 you can use up to 15% more fuel and driving at 120kph can consume 25% more fuel as you fight your way through the wind.

Drive Smoothly: Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. Frequent bursts of acceleration and braking can reduce efficiency by as much as 10%. Smooth acceleration will also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes and tires.

Reduce Unnecessary Drag: At highway speeds more than 50% of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Large car top carriers can lower fuel efficiency by as much as 15% at 100kph. Even empty roof racks can reduce your fuel economy.

Keep Tires Properly Inflated: Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance and that can mean up to 3% more fuel usage. More importantly, underinflated tires compromise handling and braking and they wear much faster. Becuase a low tire runs much hotter it can also lead to tire failure. Check pressures once a month when tires are cold.

Consolidate Trips: Engines are most efficient when they are warm so plan all your errands around one trip. Taking multiple little trips can reduce fuel economy by as much as 15% because the engine never has the opportunity to warm up.

Avoid Idling: Think of it this way, when you’re idling your car is getting 0 kilometres per litre! If you are going to be sitting for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine.

Don’t Use Premium Fuel: Your owners guide will tell you the recommended fuel. Most Ford’s are designed to run on REGULAR (87 octane). Running on premium will not improve performance, it will only help lighten your wallet.

If you would like to save more fuel take a look at Ford today. Ford’s Ecoboost engines offer top line performance but maximize fuel economy. Smaller displacement engines replacing larger ones, same power, better fuel economy.

See what Ford is up to today when it comes to technology and fuel savings. Follow this link: http://www.ford.ca/technology/

There is also the Hybrid option now you will find many more choices, lower prices and they are no longer limited to “quirky” looking vehicles. Ford offers the Fusion Hybrid, the C-Max Hybrid. We also offer the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. One step further is the Fusion Energi and the C-Max Energi which are plug in Hybrids and we also have the Focus Electric. They are the future and they are here now. We have them available for viewing and test drive.

The other way to save fuel is to take another look at what your driving and your current needs. Does the vehicle fit? It used to be that if you wanted “luxury” you had to go to a larger vehicle. These days though you can have all the luxury in a smaller package. The Fiesta, Focus, Escape all have as available options, leather, moonroof, navigation, park assist, rearview cameras.

Trading in? Keep it easy

Posted on January 4, 2013 by brownbrosfordlincoln

For a lot of people it seems one of the hardest (or scariest) parts about buying a new vehicle is when it comes to trading the old vehicle in. If you are prepared and realistic the process will go quite smoothly.

Before you get to the dealership, do a little homework. Research your current vehicle to find out what other people with similar cars or trucks are asking. All the information you need is close at hand these days. You can take a look at Auto Trader, Craigslist or even do a Google search. From there you will have an idea of what people are ASKING for theirs. Keep in mind though, that what people are asking and what they will actually get are different numbers. Also keep in mind that while their vehicle may be similar the condition may greatly vary, along with the level of equipment.

When you find the perfect replacement vehicle and it’s time to sit down and look at the costs, now the trade in comes into play. At a professional dealership a full trade appraisal will be filled out and generally the Used Vehicle Manager will be called to go and have a look. To do it properly will take upwards of 20-30 minutes. The manager will be doing everything you just did with the new vehicle. An appraisal means looking over the entire vehicle checking the paint for scratches and dings, the windshield for chips, tires for wear. A small test drive to check out the vehicle on the road as the manager does know what sounds to listen for and overall driving dynamics along with checking over the interior of the vehicle. All equipment like air conditioning, power windows, wipers, etc will be tested to make sure everything is in working condition. Don’t worry about a wash, we don’t look at the dirt

From there he is going to check recent sales of similar vehicles. That can be done by checking recent auctions, calling other dealerships if it is an off make, and also checking our famous “black book” along with the online resources I mentioned earlier. With all the information he will now have an idea of what the vehicle is worth and now any flaws that were found will be totaled as the dealership will have to bring the vehicle to a salable (it has to look and run like new) condition. You will get a complete breakdown on the overall value, less any re-conditioning costs which equals the final amount. This is the proper way it’s done. At Brown Bros Ford Lincoln our Used Car Manager has been in the business for 15+ years.

Now if you head to a dealership and ask the question to a Salesperson, “What’s my car worth?” and they actually quote you a number, I’d say you’re going to have some problems. I do not know of any reputable dealership where a Salesperson is qualified to give any figures, especially without doing a complete appraisal. It’s guaranteed the number they gave you on the lot will drop when it’s time to complete the paperwork.

Merry Christmas HO HO HO

Posted on December 13, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

It’s time to thank all of our customers, whether, Sales, Service or Parts. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas (or if you prefer, Happy Holidays). We can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate your continued patronage. We hope to see you in the new year!!

Brown Bros Ford Lincoln has a nice tradition that is now into it’s second year. A Christmas party for employees children. A great time is had by all. I’m not sure if the kids or the parents have a better time. I am sure that it would not happen without the people we lovingly call the “girls in the back”. They are wonderful!

So Merry Christmas to those that came and a special thanks to Santa Claus for making the special trip down from the North Pole. We serviced his sleigh while he was here since we certainly wouldn’t want sleigh problems Christmas eve!

lots of games to be played

crafts to be enjoyed

mini bowling

lunch about to be served

“Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night!”

Brown Bros & the Beat Cares at Christmas

Posted on November 29, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

The Holiday Season is upon us once again and we are very pleased to continue our involvement with The BEAT CARES. As our decorations go up and Christmas music is played on our radios and in the malls, it is a message of hope for children and families that are not as lucky as many of us.

Again, we thank local radio station The Beat 94.5 for a great idea that has Brown Bros Ford Lincoln fully on board. The Beat Cares, is a holiday toy and food drive that runs until Friday December 7th.

Brown Bros. employees will be donating new unwrapped toys along with non-perishable food items to help the many families in need this Christmas season. Contributions will go to The Salvation Army, The Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau, and The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.

Brown Bros. challenges all other Greater Vancouver Ford and Lincoln Dealerships to get on board, along with every other car dealer in our city, because at Christmas there is no one more important than children and together our industry could make a real difference to bring moments of happiness to many families and children this Christmas.

Our goal is to fill a Ford F-150 pickup truck(s) full of toys and food for donation. The truck will be driven to The Real Canadian Superstore at 3185 Grandview Highway, in Vancouver on Friday December 7th.

Along with our employees here, we hope our many valued Service, Parts, and Sales customers will help us contribute as well. If you would like to help, come and see us in our new Sales showroom and drop off a gift or food item. It would be appreciated by us, the Beat 94.5 and more importantly those families that deeply need and deserve our help. We ask that you do it for the children.

We have an opportunity to give something back and bring a smile to a childs face Christmas morning. Please join us.

Driving Safely – Gone Forever?

Posted on November 22, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

As our streets get more and more crowded and technology keeps encroaching in our vehicles can we still be safe drivers?

Driving is a full time job when you are behind the wheel. It demands your full attention but what is our level of expectation as new drivers get the licence? According to ICBC, distracted driving is the third leading cause of fatal accidents in our province ( http://www.icbc.com/road-safety/safer-drivers/distractions ). Have you seen Canada’s Worst Driver? I mean really, the show is now in it’s seventh season and all these people over the seasons have valid drivers licence’s. Who is giving them one? The people that gave them a licence should be held accountable. It’s a funny show but in a rather pathetic way. I often wonder what the requirements are to become a Driving Instructor, it can’t be too demanding or stringent because I see a lot of instructors with very bad driving habits. I also see them almost daily with a student in the car giving the student poor advice. It’s all well and good for ICBC to have graduated licences but it seems the real problem is who is teaching new drivers and what they are teaching.

Then there is old fashioned common sense. I was reading a recent article that states almost 50% of young drivers are now accessing the Internet on their smart phones while they are driving ( http://www.leftlanenews.com/study-almost-half-of-drivers-under-30-surf-web-while-driving.html ). Why is it that people don’t understand that in a blink of an eye at 50kph (or more) your world can change and you can destroy some one else’s. Let’s give the young a break though since they are young and learning and we’ll move on.

What about so called “professional drivers”. Truck drivers behind the wheel of their “big rig, 18 wheelers”. At least twice a day I will see them on their phone while negotiating through traffic. I will see them with one hand holding the phone, the other hand is busy on the steering wheel trying to negotiate a 90 degree corner as they turn from one street to another. One little slip of the hand is all it takes and…..

I despise the idea of “big brother” watching over us but I dislike the stupidity of people when they are driving even more. I say put in cameras at every intersection and ticket anyone that is caught on their cell phone. Currently there is a $167 fine if caught on your cell phone it should be raised to $500. Perhaps there should also be an exception, (haha) let us use our smartphone cameras to take pictures of the morons who insist on driving distracted and lets get them off the road or at least get them some common sense about how truly dangerous their actions are!

I’ve said it before. You are behind the wheel of an at least, 3,000 pound missile. Pay attention.

Winter Ready Driving at Brown Bros

Posted on November 14, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

Fall has definitely arrived, the cold has made an appearance and the rains have begun falling & falling & falling & well you get the idea, it is Vancouver after all…. so it is time to get the car “winter ready” before Christmas shopping (YIKES) begins!

There are some things I could do myself, since under the hood things like the windshield washer are clearly labelled. However, I don’t trust myself as much as I trust the technicians here at Brown Bros. Ford Lincoln. On the recommended list from our Service Manager Phil Poon are:

Top up the windshield washer fluid.

Is the oil still nice and clean? Maybe move up the next maintenance a little. Right now the service Department has a great deal on. Get the preferred oil treatment and also get roadside assistance, just in case… The cost difference is negligible .

Check my tire pressures yet again (fuel economy you know) and check the tread depth. Check the wear to make sure the alignment is not off and at the same time consider snow tires.

A battery test is a good idea to make sure it will still crank on cold mornings. Clean the terminals at the same time.

Check the filters, oil and fuel, both for fuel economy and winter running.

Top up the coolant make sure the mix is correct for water and coolant or whatever it uses.

Do a check of all the belts and hoses.

Hmmmm. I think these Service advisors still work here.

If you don’t want to do these yourself it might be easier to drop it off at Brown Bros. Service Department. Just phone and book your appointment and be sure to ask if there are any specials on. We may surprise you. While you’re here you can enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. To book your appointment give us a call at: 604-301-2807 Deborah and Joanne will make sure you get your vehicle in in a timely manner.

: Inside: Our new service department, outside: there’s a covered drop off area now.; This is something I will not skip. I’ve been watching too much “Highway thru Hell” on the Discovery channel & I do not want to get stuck on the Coquihalla Hwy in the winter!

C-Max Hybrid Lands at Brown Bros

Posted on October 25, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

the all new C-MAX has arrived

How would you like to achieve 71 miles per gallon in the city & 69 miles per gallon on the highway? This is the vehicle that can do it! The all new C-Max has finally arrived. It’s a very big thing, in a very tidy package.

drivers side with huge panoramic glass moonroof

Hybrids have been a good idea but have always been on the pricey side. Enter the Ford C-Max Hybrid. This is an affordable way to pass gas stations. C-Max starts at $28,849 for the SE model and moves up to $31,849 for the SEL with more equipment. By the way, both prices INCLUDE freight.

The one we have pictured here is an SEL with Navigation, My Ford Touch, Leather, Panorama roof, Rearview camera, Reverse sensing, Power tailgate. So all the gear. List price is just $34, 849 for everything!!! This vehicle is going to be a hit. It’s on the mark for making hybrids affordable, the fuel economy is the best in class. Fit and finish is great. It has all the right standard features. Room to spare. Very comfortable with great seating. Very airy and open inside. When you are in automotive sales we tend to be more critical than customers and there isn’t anything we can find to be critical about. If you are in the market you really do need to check the C-Max out.

Standard equipment in the SE includes;

Dual zone front automatic air conditioning * speed control with steering wheel controls * power windows * front and rear 1-touch down * front and rear 1-touch up * remote power door locks with 2 stage unlock and illuminated entry * manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel * day-night rearview mirror * internet access * wireless connectivity * 3 1st row LCD monitors * front and rear cup holders * dual visor vanity mirrors * full floor console * covered console storage * driver and passenger door bins * rear door bins

Seats and Trim

* 6-way driver seat adjustment * manual height adjustable driver seat * 4-way passenger seat adjustment * centre front armrest * 60-40 folding rear split-bench seat * floor mats

Entertainment Features

AM/FM stereo radio with radio data system * single CD player * MP3 decoder * steering wheel mounted radio controls * 6 speakers

Safety and Security

4-wheel ABS brakes * brake assist * 4-wheel disc brakes * Advance Trac w/Roll Stability Control * ABS and drive line traction control * dual front impact airbags * dual seat mounted side impact airbags * overhead airbags * knee airbag * airbag occupancy sensor * power remote door locks with 2 stage unlock and panic alarm * ignition disable * manually adjustable front head restraints with tilt * 3 manually adjustable rear head restraints

A little longer than a Focus & a couple of inches shorter than a Prius

Reverse sensing with power tailgate

Tidy aerodynamics to cheat the wind

All controls are within easy reach

Controls are well placed and easy to use

2013 Fusion = Safety, Style, Technology, Comfort

Posted on October 17, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

Could James Bond step out?

It’s been quite a wait but the all new 2013 Fusion is slated to be at Brown Bros the week of October 22nd. Fusion has been a top safety pick for 3 years running, is the number one selling car in it’s class and it seems the gap is about to widen.

Safety plays a large part in this car as Ford offers what most people think you can only get for the price of 3 or 4 Fusions! I think this is very important since our kids will also be driving (or so they hope). In 2010, more than 4,500 young drivers were involved in fatal car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S.. AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drivers ages 16 to 17 are involved in seven times as many crashes per mile driven than drivers in their 40s, 50s or 60s & I would think the numbers would be pretty much the same in Canada.

8 airbags are standard.

Advance Trac to help the driver maintain control in poor driving conditions.

Brake Assist to give you more braking when you need it most.

Driver Alert which monitors driving performance & assesses driver alertness & will give a warning when needed.

Lane Keeping System which monitors the lane marking and tracks the car. If it wanders you get an alert and will even help steer the car back into the lane.

Adaptive Cruise Control it uses radar to scan for slower moving vehicles and adjusts speed accordingly.

Collision Warning which can warn the driver and will pre-charge the brakes for added braking force.

Blind Spot Information System it uses radar to sense vehicles in your blind spot and gives warning in your rearview mirrors.

Cross traffic Alert also uses radar and if a vehicle or person is approaching behind the vehicle a warning is given.

Forward & Reverse Sensing to see what you can’t

My Key allows parents to program limits on the vehicle’s speed and audio volume & encourages seat belt use by programming in a constant chiming sound if passengers don’t buckle up.

The systems above go a long way in trying to make us safer. I don’t have room for all the details on the systems, but if you want more detail, give me a call or email. Some of these systems are only available though on the top two Fusion models.

Ford has streamlined the model selection down to three. Entry level is now the “S“, but it’s anything but entry. Standard equipment includes:

168 hp 2.5 L 4 cyclinder engine with variable valve control, battery with run down protection, 6 speed automatic transmission with overdrive, sequential sport shift, speed-sensing electric power-assisted rack-pinion steering, air conditioning, speed control, power windows, remote power door locks with 2 stage unlock and illuminated entry, tilt/telescopic steering, internet access, wireless connectivity, 6 way driver seat adjustment, 60-40 folding rear bench seat, AM/FM, CD/MP3, delay-off headlights, automatic headlights, seed sensitive wipers & low tire pressure warning.

The “SE” kicks it up a notch and adds: 10 way power driver seat with power lumbar, keyless-entry keypad, heated power mirrors with puddle lamp and Integrated turn signal, compass, outside temperature indicator.

If you want it all, there is the Titanium model which includes among other things: aluminum brake & accelerator pedals, ambient lighting, decklid spoiler, dual chrome exhaust, dual zone climate control, fog lamps, leather heated seats, driver seat memory (3 settings), 10-way power driver & 2-way power passenger seats, passive entry with passive start, rear view camera, remote start, reverse sensing, Sony premium audio (w/12 Speakers), SYNC® with MyFord Touch® which is voice activated

Available engines include the 168 hp 2.5 litre 4 cylinder, the 178 hp 1.6 litre Ecoboost 4 cylinder and the 240 hp 2.0 litre ecoboost 4 cylinder. Oh, and did I mention best in class fuel economy???

Of course also on the way are the Fusion Hybrid and the Fusion Energi Plug in Hybrid. More on those at a later date.

Brown Bros. Going Green

Posted on October 5, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

How would like to achieve approximately 166 miles per gallon?

Welcome to the 2012 Focus Electric. It has arrived and is now available to you.

Some ”cool” stats.

–If electricity was gas, this car would cost (at todays’s rates) $3.75 to fill and drive 160 kilometres.

–fuel ratings of: 1.7L per 100 km in the city, and 2.0L per 100 km’s on the highway (since it’s electric its the equivilant taking into consideration electricty costs)

–100% of power is available as soon as you touch the accelerator, it’s quick.

Inside and outside it is a Focus, no weird quirky looks. Fit, finish comfort remains the same. It looks pretty much the same to most people, except a different front grille, no gas door at back and no exhaust pipe. Same interior as well which means it’s roomy.

Other key features about the Focus Electric: It can be charged in as little as 3 – 4 hours at 240 volts, 18 – 20 hours at 110V. Along with fuel costs being cut substanially, maintenance costs also take a BIG drop. There are way less moving parts and no oil changes, air filters, fuel filters, spark plugs, mufflers, you get the idea. Over the life of the vehicle you are expected to save up to $2,200 in maintenance costs. Over 5 years based on $1.30 per litre of gas you will save $6,673 in fuel costs.

It also has a very smooth transmission since it only has one forward gear. Regenerative braking also helps extend the range of the Focus Electric as it re-captured the energy from braking and stores it in the battery pack for future use. You can set up the dash display to just about anything you want, including butterflies to promote efficient driving. It can tell you the range of the vehicle, any surplus energy along with the usual entertainment and navigation screens.

No Tailpipe!

There’s an “app” for that! The Ford EV (electric vehicle) app for your smartphone allows you to monitor the vehicle. You can:

Receive an instant vehicle status report.

Remotely perform key functions , like precondition the battery pack.

Monitor the state of charge and current range.

Receive alerts when it has finished charging or requires charging.

Locate a charge station and program the route.

Remotely program charge settings and download vehicle data.

Also on the horizon will be the Transit Electric, Fusion plug in hybrid, and the C-Max Hybrid and Energi. Ford can really do cool and efficient!

“Track Day” with Brown Bros Ford Lincoln

Posted on September 13, 2012 by brownbrosfordlincoln

It’s nice to give back, to show your thanks. Once a year Brown Bros gets the opportunity to do that for our customers that have purchased a high performance SVT product. Now it’s Shelby’s and Raptors. In earlier days it was Cobra’s, Focus, Lightning and Contour SVT products.

Since 1996 we have been holding “Track Day” out at Mission Raceway. Our customers get a day of instruction, with in car track time to learn about their vehicles and how to handle them. Oh yeah and to have one heck of a lot of fun. We hold it in conjunction with Morrissport Advanced Driving which specializes in a variety of automotive-based services. Again, it’s our way of saying thank you and we’re the only ones that do it. That combined with our own High Performance Centre with on site Dyno is some of what makes Brown Bros. the largest Ford Lincoln dealership in BC.

Here’s a pictorial of our latest event this past Monday September 10th. Great weather, great company, great food and most of all a great time. Thanks to all who participated!!