Ford of Ocala Blog

Swap you Ride at Ford of Ocala - Enter to win!!

2010-04-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ford of Ocala is giving away the opportunity to 4 lucky winners for a chance to “Swap Your Ride” for one week.

Winners will have the opportunity to set aside their own vehicles and drive a brand new 2010 Ford Fusion for one week. The official drawing will be held on Friday May 7th, 2010, at 1pm.

Once the winners have "Swapped their Rides" for the week, they will be interviewed by Tegan Dover, the Business Development Manager at Ford of Ocala where they can personally tell us about their experiences with the 2010 Ford Fusion. Their stories and testimonials will then be shared with the public and online telling us how they felt about the New 2010 Ford Fusion.

Participants must be 21 or older to enter and will have to show proof of valid driver's license and insurance card. The offer is restricted to residents of Florida. The winners will be contacted via email.

Do hurry! Entries will be accepted up until Thursday, May 6th. This is your chance to try out the brand new Ford Fusion for a whole week. Please contact Ford of Ocala to learn more about the "Swap Your Ride" Entry.

In Loving Memory of Gary L. Scott - Ford of Ocala Vice president

2010-04-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

Gary L Scott (1940-2010)
Gary L. Scott, age 69, former Vice President and General Manager of Ford of Ocala, quietly passed away in his home surrounded by his wife and two daughters on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Gary was born on October 14, 1940 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Jewell Scott and the late John Scott, both of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He moved to Florida in 1961 where he began his longtime career in the automobile industry.

Gary's relationship with Ford Motor Company began in 1961. Over the last fifty years, Gary received numerous awards and accolades from Ford Motor Company. He was President of Ford Motor Company's Jacksonville District Parts and Service Manager's Club for several years. He was also on the Board of Directors for the Parts and Service Manager's Club. He was Vice President, General Manager of Griffin Ford in Frostproof, Florida prior to becoming Vice President, General Manager of Ford of Ocala. He was on the Board of Directors for Marion Technical Institute (M.T.I.) and one of his greatest career achievements was playing an instrumental part in the formation of M.T.I.'s automotive program.

Throughout his life, Gary was a member of many influential organizations. He was Rotary Club President in Frostproof, Florida, member of the Tampa Lions Club and was proud to serve on the Marion County Board of Chamber of Commerce. Gary was also a 32nd Degree Mason. Gary was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Ocala where he was an Elder and served as Chairman of the Pastor Nominating Committee. Anyone acquainted with Gary knew his passion for music and guitars. He was a member of the Praise Team at First Presbyterian Church where he played the guitar each and every Sunday.

Gary is survived by his caring and devoted wife of 41 years, Janie, his eldest daughter and her husband, Stacey and Jim Flemister of Winter Garden, FL; his youngest daughter and her husband, Kari and Scott Reece of Ocala, FL; five grandchildren, Chelsea, Quint, Dixie, Chase, and Ashton; his mother, Jewell Scott and two brothers, Doug and Calvin Scott. He is also survived by his daughter Sherry Lynn Jordan and her daughter Jennifer, as well as 5 nieces and 1 nephew. Gary loved and adored his wife, children and grandchildren. He cherished his companion of nine years, Morgan, their golden retriever. His world revolved around God, his Family and music. He enjoyed playing golf, hunting and fishing.

Visitation will be held Friday from 5-7 PM at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, 910 SE Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at noon on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at First Presbyterian Church 511 SE 3rd St., Ocala, with Dr. Raymond Guterman, Rev. Darren Bess, Dr. Joseph Pickard, and Rev. Sam Harris officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Marion County or First Presbyterian Church of Ocala Praise Team.

Ford's Driving Skills for Life program allows Teens to "Belt it out"!!

2010-04-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ford of Ocala is pleased to inform you that Ford Driving Skills for Life, an award winning driver's education program developed by Ford Motor Company Fund and the Governors Highway Safety Association have created a "Belt it Out: Sing for Safety" safe driving campaign to encourage teenagers to compose songs with safe driving messages. More than 6,000 youth die in accidents on American roads every year. Ford of Ocala, your neighborhood dealer for new Ford vehicles and used cars, understands that creating awareness on safe driving practices among the youth is the need of the community. The winners of this contest will receive up to $5,000 each. The contest is going on now. For details log on to www.drivingskillsforlife.com. You can select the winners by voting for your favorite songs online till April 30th. The winners will be announced on June 1, 2010.
Ford Driving Skills for Life deals with four key skill areas: speed management, space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition. The lack of these skills has been quoted by the experts as the major cause of nearly 60 percent of vehicle crashes for newly licensed drivers aged between 16 and 19. Ford Driving Skills for Life has already reached thousands of teenagers online through interactive training and other events across the country and "Belt it Out: Sing for Safety" is a very significant event which engages the teens creatively for a great purpose. Vote for your favorite songs and support this event, and take a look at what Ford of Ocala is doing in to get involved in the community of Ocala Florida.

Ford of Ocala Has Tips for the Road!

2010-04-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Ford of Ocala GM Going to Jail! (For a Good Cause...)

2010-04-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Your Hometown Ford of Ocala is a proud sponsor of community events! So much so that our boss is willing to go to Jail for the Muscular Dystrophy Association on May 26th. PLease help support this worthwhile cause by donating to raise his bail.

Ford of Ocala Sees Big Gains in March!

2010-04-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

FORD'S U.S. SALES UP 43 PERCENT IN MARCH; NEW PRODUCTS WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING QUALITY AND FUEL EFFICIENCY NET FIRST QUARTER SALES INCREASE OF 37 PERCENT AND SHARE GAINS

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury March sales totaled 178,546, up 43 percent versus year ago

Ford brand sales up 46 percent versus year ago, Lincoln up 19 percent and Mercury up 26 percent

Cars up 53 percent versus year ago, utilities up 46 percent and trucks up 30 percent; March retail sales up 38 percent; fleet sales up 53 percent

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury first quarter sales totaled 428,596, up 37 percent versus year ago

Ford gains retail market share for the 17th time in the last 18 months, as more buyers turn to Ford’s fresh lineup of high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles to meet their needs

Ford of Ocala has Everything~ Including the Kitchen SYNC!

2010-04-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

Just For Fun... Cheese Commercial!

2010-03-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

We Have Seen the 2011 SuperDuty & We Like It!

2010-03-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

AS one of the Top 100 Ford Dealers Ford Motor Company sends the newest Ford vehicles to Ford of Ocala before other dealers see them. In addition to previewing the vehicle our sales department undergoes training & testing so that we can answer any questions you might have. The 2011 SuperDuty was here February 11, 2011. The Mustang GT 5.0L was here Tuesday but not for training purposes.

Ford of Ocala Is Winning Over New Converts!

2010-03-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

FORD IS WINNING MORE NEW CUSTOMERS FROM COMPETING BRANDS, FUELING MARKET SHARE GAINS

New trade-in data show Ford is increasingly winning new customers from competing brands, a key reason the company has gained retail U.S. market share for 16 of the past 17 months

For the Ford brand, the rate of customers who traded in competitive brand vehicles rose 18 percent from 2005 to 2009. The conquest rate for Lincoln rose 61 percent, while Mercury saw a 12 percent increase

The Ford Fusion, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids, as well as Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKX, attracted the highest number of buyers from competing brands.

The redesigned Ford Taurus showed the largest increase in attracting new buyers to the Ford brand from 2005 to 2009

2010-03-24T13:50:00.001-07:00

Did you know the Ford Fiesta has a starring role on Simon Fuller's new show
"If I Can Dream"? See it here http://ping.fm/qbtez

2010-03-17T07:49:00.001-07:00

Ford Fiesta, Top 12 'American Idols' Get Personal
http://ping.fm/3oXs4

Grab Some Cash @ Ford of Ocala!

2010-03-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ford Fusion - magnet to first time Ford car buyers!

2010-03-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Followed by a very successful 2009, Ford set a new sales record and brought in a multitude of awards, as the winning streak continues into 2010 as well!

This year, Ford is attracting buyers who are first-time Ford owners more than ever before!

Ford of Ocala, your local Ford dealer serving Gainesville and nearby regions in Florida is ecstatic to share this piece of news to our area residents.

The Ford Fusion saw "conquest sales," or sales to customers that are new to Ford, increase to 60 percent of total Fusion sales in February, up 6 points from January and up 11 points from the 2009 calendar year.
The percentage of customers new to Ford purchasing the Fusion Hybrid reached 82 percent last month, up 12 points from January and 19 points from 2009.

Though competing against some of the best selling cars in the segment, Fusion's share of the midsize car segment in 2010 has increased to 12.2 percent, up 4.4 points from the 7.8 percent share in the first two months of 2009.

Fusion once again posted the largest share gain in the segment of any competitor.

What attracts new car buyers to Ford? It's time you checked out the brand new Ford models for yourself! Your Gainesville car dealer, Ford of Ocala brings you all that you need to get a feel of the magnetic Ford Fusion and other Ford models! Reviews, virtual showrooms, and a host of exciting stuff here at Ford of Ocala's website give you a comprehensive Ford experience!

What to Do on Long Car Trips!

2010-03-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

Just for Fun! Enjoy!

New Motor, New Specs, New Mustang!

2010-03-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

2011 FORD MUSTANG V-6 GOES HIGH-TECH: NEW 305-HP ENGINE, SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSION EXPECTED TO DELIVER 30 MPG HIGHWAY
The New 2011 Mustang V-6

For 2011, Mustang makes sports coupe news with a new high-performance, all-aluminum Duratec 3.7-liter DOHC Ti-VCT V-6 that delivers 305 horsepower and an expected best-in-class 30 mpg highway with six-speed automatic transmission - no other vehicle in the industry can beat that combination
Six-speed transmissions - manual and automatic - combine with newly standard limite-slip differential and revised suspension for road-carving driving dynamics and handling
New technology and convenience features include: Standard integrated spotter mirrors; message center; MyKey programmable vehicle key; and Universal Garage Door Opener

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 30, 2009 - The 2011 Ford Mustang puts 305 high-performance horses in the hands of V-6 coupe buyers with a new all-aluminum dual-overhead cam (DOHC) engine that delivers a projected 30 mpg on the highway with a six-speed automatic transmission and fun for drivers on nearly every road.

For 2011, Mustang's new 3.7-liter Duratec 24-valve V-6 uses advanced engineering to deliver its power and economy: Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) adjusts the valvetrain in microseconds. Aluminum construction means light weight. It's an engine designed to crank out torque down low, rev to 7,000 rpm and deliver the mechanical music sports coupe lovers crave everywhere in between.

Ford of Ocala is Your Key to MyKey!

2010-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES include Ford of Ocala!

2010-03-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

FORD NAMED ONE OF FAST COMPANY'S TOP 10 "MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES" IN MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

Ford Motor Company shares ranks with Google, Apple, Amazon and HTC on Fast Company magazine's annual Top 10 list of the "Most Innovative" companies in Mobile technology
As the only automaker to ever be featured on the Top 10 Mobile list, Ford was recognized for the industry-leading mobile device connectivity technology, SYNC and the new MyFord Touch driver interface
Ford has been the convergence point for automotive and consumer electronics innovation collaborating with many mobile device manufacturers, software and app developers, and network providers
DEARBORN, Mich. Feb. 18, 2010 - What does Ford Motor Company have in common with Google, Apple, and Amazon? Ford shares a spot with them on Fast Company's Top 10 list of "Most Innovative" companies in Mobile technology, and becomes the first automaker to ever be recognized in the category.

"This honor represents Ford's commitment to innovation and development of technology that enhances the driving experience and adds real value to the consumer," said Mark Fields, Ford president, The Americas. "We're very proud of this recognition from Fast Company, and it is truly an accomplishment to be named amongst some of the leading technology innovators and mobile application developers."

Fast Company ranked Ford fifth in the mobile technology category for the introduction and evolution of SYNC, the industry-leading connectivity system co-developed with Microsoft, as well as the recent reveal of MyFord Touch, an innovative user interface that promises to redefine the in-car experience.

Just for Fun from Ford of Ocala!

2010-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

READ BEFORE WATCHING THE 2 MINUTE VIDEO! This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa . Amazingly, 97% of the machines components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft , Iowa... yes farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see it was WELL worth the effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian P.S. Notice that at no time does a ball fall on the floor!

Ford of Ocala Is Nothing to Sneeze At!

2010-02-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

For the millions of people who suffer from airborne allergies, Ford is making a small change that could produce huge benefits. Beginning with the 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ, more efficient, upgraded allergen filters have been installed in the vehicles' climate control systems. The particulate filters remove pollen, mold spores and road dust from outside air. The result is a cleaner, fresher cabin for occupants.

You'll breathe easier knowing that Ford is planning to use the high-quality cabin filters in a host of new vehicles, including the Ford Fiesta, which goes on sale in North America this year.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the costs of treating hay fever and similar nasal allergies have skyrocketed, reaching more than $11 billion annually - mostly for prescription medications.

For the 30 to 40 percent of people estimated to suffer from allergies, improvements in air quality can make a big difference in their symptoms, and consequently their health care expenses.

Ford's new cabin air filter removes the most troublesome airborne allergens, such as pollen and mold spores.

The cabin filter used in North America is similar to the one that has helped certify Ford vehicles in Europe as being allergy-friendly by the independent testing organization TUV Rhineland. Ford is the only automaker in Europe with the official TUV allergy-friendly certification.

Quote

"Upgrading the cabin air filter to remove allergens and airborne pollutants will help our millions of allergy-suffering customers find relief while driving their Ford cars, trucks and SUVs. This is a great example of how Ford is examining every aspect of vehicle engineering to maximize consumer benefits."
~Adam Barrow, Feature and Branding Manager, Ford Product Marketing

How Much Stuff Will Go in Your Ford Fiesta?

2010-02-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

From My Friend @YogaArmy on Twitter

Ford of Ocala Has The North American Truck of the Year In Stock!

2010-02-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect handily hauled home the 2010 North American Truck of the Year. The award was announced January 11, 2010, at a news conference at the North American International Auto Show.
The Transit Connect is part of the Ford global portfolio of products, and was introduced to North America in 2009 to meet the unique needs of small business owners. The Transit Connect is a spacious, fuel-efficient alternative to larger commercial vehicles, and it's ideal for navigating U.S. cities.
The North American Truck of the Year recognizes the most outstanding vehicle of the year based on many factors, including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. To be eligible, vehicles must be all-new or substantially changed from the previous model. The jury is comprised of 49 automotive journalists in Canada and the United States, representing newspapers, magazines, web sites, television and radio shows.
This is the 17th year of the award, and the 2010 Ford Transit Connect was selected above nine other competitors. Ford has a bit of experience winning this award. Most recently, the F-150 was the 2009 North American Truck of the Year. A Ford vehicle has taken home the honors five times; more than any other brand.

2011 Shelby Loses Weight, Gains HorsePower!

2010-02-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

Rotary to Visit Ford of Ocala!

2010-02-15T06:58:00.001-08:00

Ford's 'Focus' on material recycling

2010-02-15T01:43:00.000-08:00

Ford of Ocala, the leading car dealer in Ocala, asks the question... Have you ever wondered what happens to household carpets, old jeans and empty bottles that you discard? Would you believe Ford has found a way to recycle these items by using them to make car parts?

Ford collects discarded items everyday items like plastic bottles, bottle tops, carpets, computer and TV housings, compact discs, and even denim jeans and uses them to make vehicle components from recycled content thereby saving around 20,000 tons of landfill every year. In fact, the Focus, Ford's innovative hatchback, is in the forefront of this comprehensive European recycling campaign, which has created over 300 separate parts made out of the recycled material. Ford's material researchers have developed various vehicle components from recycled materials ensuring quality, durability or performance. The recycled materials have been used to make heater, air conditioners, bumpers, interior carpets, battery tray, wheel arch liners, air cleans, fabric seats, roof lining and instrument panel parts. It is very interesting to note here that noise insulation in all Ford vehicles is made from jeans and reclaimed car seat upholstery.

Ford of Ocala, the leading car dealer in Ocala for new Ford vehicles and used cars, believes this unique initiative demonstrates the Ford's commitment in taking a leading role to addressing environmental, economic and social impact of its cars. Ford is also testing Innovative new compounds for future use. Visit Ford of Ocala to learn more on Ford's innovative focus on material recycling. Also check out the brand new 2010 Ford lineup, special offers and more!