Used Cars Toronto - Shopwilsons Blog

Spanish Aid to Ford under EU Scrutiny

Ford recently received a loan totalling $32.71 Million US Dollars from the Spanish government to help fund the development of a new factory in Valencia, Spain, that Ford plans to use to build a new version of the Ford Transit van.

The new factory will cost Ford just over $500 million USD, and the loan is intended to help cover some of the costs. In a failing European economy, governments are trying to do as much as they can in order to ease the shock of the recession, and of course to stimulate the creation of local jobs.

The antitrust regulators of the European Union have opened a probe into whether the money loaned to Ford breached the EU's state aid rules and regulations. The rules are set up in place to prevent EU governments from loaning money to companies to boost production in regions where the markets are in decline.

A Ford of Europe spokesperson said "We firmly believe that our state aid request for the Ford Transit Connect is line with EU law. We will work with the Spanish government and the EU Commission to clarify the situation. "

Stay tuned for more information. Brought to you by your favourite Toronto Used Cars dealership - Mark Wilson's Better Used Cars, located at 700 York Road in Guelph. With our enormous selection of used trucks in Ontario, our dealership is your prime destination for all used vehicles on sale in the province. Visit us today!

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Ford Attempts Fresh Start in Europe

Ford, along with almost every single other carmaker, is having a really tough time in Europe the past couple of years. The market has slowed to a grinding halt, and the consumer base has lost much of it's purchase power. Car sales have slowed, jobs continue to be lost, and the situation overall hasn't improved yet.

Ford is tired of calculating losses, so it's created a dynamic new plan to boost it's sales and improve it's overall brand recognition and public opinion in Europe. The current UEFA Champion's League soccer tournament is where it will all start: A dynamic new advertising campaign will focus on the user-friendliness and vast features available in the Ford vehicles in Europe.

Narrowed-Down Focus Points

Elena Cortesi, Ford of Europe's director of earned and social media told reporters that "It will allow the perception of the Ford brand to be much more differentiated from our competitors."

The company will feature one technology per model, in a bid to highlight one specific feature to be easily identificable by the consumer. For example, the company will highlight it's Microsoft Sync technology, which allows phones to be wirelessly connected to the car's central nervous system, allowing hands-free calls and music from the phone to be played over the vehicle's stereo. This tehcnology is offered in the Ford Fiesta in Europe.

The company overall will increase it's advertising budget, while keeping it's TV and Print budgets static until 2014. The increase will be seen in additional investments in digital platforms, such as social media, which is planned to account for 35% of the total annual budget, up from 15% in 2012.

Through March 2013, Ford Europe's sales were down 20% year on year, and it expects to finish 2013 with a $2 Billion loss.

 

Some interesting new technology available in Europe include the automatic tailgate offered on the Ford Kuga (similar to Ford Escape), which allows drivers to activate the power tailgate by waving their feet under the rear bumper when the car is unlocked.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

How to Rotate Your Tires

Rotating your tires is not a difficult task, and it is something that must be done periodically, according to your vehicle specific owner's manual.

Rotating the tires on your car ensures that you are wearing the tires evenly, so that traction and performance are as optimal as possible. On a front wheel drive car, the front tires get worn out faster, so they need to be rotated to the rear. How often this is required depends on your specific vehicle, and you should always consult your owner's manual.

Directional Tires

Directional tires are typically summer tires, or sometimes all-season tires. If a tire is directional, it means it can only turn in one direction to perform properly. Every directional tire has an arrow and the word "rotation" to point to where the tire should rotate. Ensure that all directional tires are facing the correct way before driving your vehicle.

 

Winter Tires

Winter tires typically aren't driven for many kilometres per season, so you generally have to rotate them on a season by season basis. If you are installing/removing your tires by yourself, a common practice is to mark which tires were installed in what location on the vehicle with chalk. For example, if you just drove an entire winter with your winter tires, upon removal you must label each tire as "LF"=left front, "RR"-right rear, etc. This way, when the next winter comes, you will know exactly where your tires were mounted the previous year, so you can rotate them accordingly.

Some manufacturers recommend tires be rotated front to back, some recommend it's better to rotate in a cross shape. Consult your owner's manual always.

How to Do It

Any car repair or maintenance at home requires that certain safety measures are put in place. Never crawl under a vehicle only supported by a jack (any kind of jack), always engage the parking brake before lifting your vehicle, and block the rear tires with a spare piece of wood (when lifting the front end of the car), and block the front tires when raising the rear of the car.

Consult your owner's manual to check for safe jacking points, but typically the rocker panels behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels are the general locations.

Before you jack up the car, loosen the nuts on the wheel you are working on. Just enough to break them free, but don't remove them completely. Jack the car up so the wheel is just off the ground. Remove the nuts, and the wheel. Install the new wheel, and hand-tighten the nuts. Lower the vehicle completely. Tighten all the nuts in a cross pattern. It's best to use a torque wrench set to your manufacturer's specifications to ensure you don't overtighten or leave nuts too loose. Repeat for all four wheels.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

Do It Yourself Car Maintenance - For The Backyard Mechanic

 

Driving your car safely is more than just holding the steering wheel properly and paying attention. Your car must be well maintained and running properly in order for you to be safe on the road, and we have some simple tips for do it yourself drivers who want to try maintaining their own cars:

 

Let's start by saying that while you can fix/check/replace many things on your car with basic tools and knowledge, there are several components on vehicles that must NOT be touched by the average Joe. If you feel that a job may be unsafe, or that you might not have enough knowledge to complete the job, don't attempt it. You could leave yourself with an expensive repair, and a towing bill to your local garage.

Secondly, being safe is number one. Always ensure that raised vehicles are supported by jack stands, and never rely on only the strength of a jack (regardless if it's a floor jack, emergency jack, or any jack), never use bricks of any kind, and don't improvise. When you crawl underneath a raised car that weighs at least 1,500kg, your life is on the line. Use the proper tools for the job, wear gloves and goggles when you can, and ask for a helping hand if you need it.

How To Check Your Oil Level

Every car has an oil level indicator (dip stick) that is located somewhere in the engine compartment (under the hood). This dip stick is a long, thin piece of metal with a handle attached to the top for you to grab. The other end of the stick goes deep inside your engine to where it can measure the level of oil. The dip stick is usually yellow or orange, so that it's easily identifiable to anyone who opens the hood.

1. Ensure your vehicle is on a level surface, like a road, not a steep driveway.

2.Make sure your engine is OFF, and has been off for at least 2-3 minutes to let the oil settle in the cylinders.

3. Get a shop rag or paper towel handy. Find the dip stick and pull it out slowly. Notice the "F" and "L" at the very bottom of the dip stick. The oil in between those marks indicates how full or empty your engine is. Wipe the dip stick clean with the rag/paper towel, and insert it fully into the engine again. You are wiping it to clear any splatter that might give you a false reading.

4. After the dip stick goes down all the way, pull it out again and inspect the level. If it is somewhere in between L and F, preferrably closer to F, your level is perfect. If your oil is low, you need to immediately add some oil.

How to Add Oil To Your Car's Engine

Low oil levels, even for a small amount of time, can seriously damage your car's engine permanently. Oil is the only thing in the engine keeping internal metal parts from rubbing against each other, so the level must always be adequate, and the oil must be clean (regular oil changes).

If you've just checked your oil level and notice that your car is a little bit low, but it's not time for an oil change, you need to top up your oil level. The engine oil on every vehicle is filled in the engine compartment. There is a plastic cap right on top of the engine, and it will usually have an oil symbol, like the one below:

Usually, but not always, the oil cap will tell you what type of oil your engine uses. In this example, it is 5W-30. The 5W refers to the viscosity or thickness of the oil, and the 30 refers to the heat resistance that the oil has. It's never a good idea to arbitrarily decide your engine needs "thicker" or "more heat resistant" oil, you must always use what your owner's manual says is required, and only that type of oil.

Remove the oil cap by twisting it counter-clockwise, and now you can see where you add oil to your engine. It's a good idea to use a funnel, so you don't leak oil all over your engine.

Most owner's manuals will tell you how much oil it takes to make the level go from L to F. Usually, on a 4-cylinder 2.0L engine as an example, it would be about 800 grams. It's a good idea to add a little bit at a time (200g at most) and start the engine and let it run for 20 seconds, then turn it off, let it sit for 2 minutes, and check the level again.

How to Replace Your Car's Oil:

If you've read the top part of this post, you already know how to check the oil level, and add oil to the engine. The only other parts left to explain are draining the oil, and removing and replacing the filter.

Step 1

Open your hood, and remove your oil cap. This is done to allow air to enter the top of the engine for when you unscrew the oil pan bolt, allowing the oil to drain our faster.

Step 2

You will have to get under your car and locate the oil pan. It's usually a 'pan' looking type of metal box, with a large bolt at the end of it. This bolt needs to be removed to drain the oil. If you car is low and you can't get under there, you will need to raise it.

To raise your car, make sure it's in park or reverse gear if it's manual (reverse is the strongest gear), and lift the parking brake all the way. Place a piece of wood or something similar behind the rear wheels to prevent them from moving. Place your jack at the appropriate jacking position on the rocker panel as indicated in your owner's manual (usually behind the front wheel - on the metal panel). Lif the vehicle just enough to be able to slide a jack stand there to hold the vehicle. Ensure the vehicle is steady, and supported by the jack stand, and then you are set to crawl underneath. Note: never crawl under a car supported only by the jack.

Have a large container ready to catch at least 4L of oil. Crawl under the car, located the oil pan drain plug, and remove it. Keep the bolt in your hand, don't let it fall into the oil container or you will have to dig for it.

Step 3

After you're sure all of the oil has drained (it will stop dripping), it's time to remove the oil filter. It can be unscrewed usually by hand (80% of the time), and if it's on too tight, you can purchase an oil filter wrench for less than $10 at your local auto parts store. The filter is located on the bottom, in front, or behind the engine. It's a metal cylinder about the size of a pop can or a bit longer.

Place your oil container under the filter, and unscrew the filter and remove it. Compare your new filter to your old one to make sure the sizes match. Take your finger and dip it in the old oil, and rub some of it on the rim of the new filter to lubricate it before you screw it onto the engine.

Screw the new filter onto the engine. Put the drain plug bolt back into the oil pan, and tighten it with a manual wrench until it's tight. Don't over-tighten. Always use an exact-sized wrench for this bolt, because stripping it can become a large problem.

Step 4

After the oil pan bolt is fitted, the oil filter is fitted, all that is left is to add oil. You can now remove the jack stand and lower the vehicle to rest on it's wheels.

Make sure you check your manual for the exact amount of oil your car requires. It's a good idea to use a plastic cooking beaker (or special oil beaker - same thing) to measure how much oil you're putting in the engine. Eyeballing it doesn't cut it.

Pour the oil in, and close the oil cap. Start the engine and let it run for a minute. Turn it off and let it rest for a minute or two. Check the oil level. If it's good, you're done! If not, add some more. Be careful not to over-fill the engine with oil as this could cause serious problems!

It doesn't hurt to check the oil level after a day or two to make sure it's still at the appropriate level just to be extra safe.

 

Stay tuned for more do it yourself car maintenance tips and how to's!

 

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

Lincoln Tries to Save Itself After Botched MKZ Launch

As the shopwilsons.com blog posted last month, Ford and Lincoln struggled badly with the launch of their new, reinvented Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan. First it started out with not having enough workers to complete the job, then the problem became that the company didn't have enough quality control inspectors on-site at the Hermosillo, Mexico plant to keep up with production.

Ford's 'answer' to the issues was to ship cars via rail to Flat Rock, Michigan, where additional vehicle inspectors would check over and fine-tune the vehicles before being shipped out to dealers. Although the cost of this would be enormous, the company opted to do this to please dealers, who had been waiting patiently for too long, and customers, who had paid for vehicles they haven't seen yet.

Initially dealers were told that they would get their vehicles in October of 2012, then it was delayed a month, then another month, and again another month, and they still haven't seen their vehicles. Customers are getting angry and cancelling deals, and dealers are losing customers for good. The situation is bad, and even the parent company is spending millions on advertising, effectively wasting money, since there are no cars to be sold.

Lincoln spend $7.4 Million to advertise during the superbowl, and also a lot for commercial space during the grammy awards.

Recovery in Sight?

Dealers are hopefuly that after missing thanksgiving sales, black friday sales, christmas sales, new years sales, and president's day sales, that they finally can get some vehicles soon and begin selling them to their eager customers. Lincoln is promising dealers a quick recovery, and will spend millions on new advertising in April for when the vehicles are ready. Already four months into 2013, no 2013 models have arrived, so the marketing campaigns are expected to be strong.

Words cannot express how important the MKZ launch is for the survival of the Lincoln brand as a whole. Geared to please a younger luxury car crowd, the MKZ is crucial in the next few 'make or break' years for the brand. When Ford deleted the "Mercury" brand back in 2010, Lincoln-Mercury dealers lost a lot of sales volume, which was responsible for crucial cash flow and revenue that dealers and their employees depended on for as a means of survival.

Dropping the Lincoln Town Car, a very steady seller among the fleet, limo, and airport taxi crowd, further increased financial strain on dealerships. As the delayed delivery problem looms, Lincoln has been investing in customer service training for it's dealership staff, using luxury hotel concierges as training people. They say they want their customers to feel welcome, appreciated, and feel like they've entered a Ritz-Carlton when they come to a Lincoln dealership.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

EU Needs More Strict Emissions Standards To Curb Consumption

Fuel prices have always been higher in Europe, and as the recession lingers, recovery is slow, and the price of oil continues to rise.

A European consumer protection body based in Belgium has been analyzing the growing stress on European consumers, who at today's date, with today's exchange rate, pay about $2.10 Canadian per litre of gasoline, compared to today's average of $1.25 in Canada per litre.

Battling the price of oil is difficult, as Europe is heavily reliant on crude oil imports, which it then processes in local refineries to prepare them for European markets. The EU is aware of the financial stress put on it's consumers, which in turn negatively effects the entire continents economy. The less disposable income consumers have, the less they spend, the harder it becomes for the economy to recover.

Alternative Fuels

Because of the traditionally higher fuel prices, many Europeans have and still turn towards diesel powered vehicles. Diesel fuel costs roughly the same amount per litre as gasoline, but drivers can go almost twice as far on one litre of diesel compared to gasoline.

Other fuel alternatives include LPG (liquid propane gas), which are installed in many taxis, fleet vehicles, and city buses as conversion kits. These allow the drivers to use much less expensive fuel, which can cost up to 30% or 40% less than gasoline. Many city buses are also opting for hybrid buses and vehicles where possible. 

Strategic Goals

The EU currently has a strategic goal of reducing vehicle emissions by introducing strict regulations, therefore curbing pollution and reducing fuel consumption at the same time. Heavy pollution plagues many european cities, as the amount of traffic is constantly rising, and the city's greenspaces are constantly shrinking, producing a double impact of pollution. While newer diesel vehicles can brag about near-zero emissions, older diesel cars still on the road all across Europe emit high amounts of toxic pollution, making smog a problem in many large cities.

By reducing the maximum pollution or CO2 emissions allowed, the EU will reduce pollution, and improve the standard of living. The easiest and most effective way to reduce emissions is to cut fuel consumption, which in turn lowers the dependancy on foreign oil, and eases the financial strain on European consumers.

By 2020, the EU has a goal of reducing emissions to a maximum 95 grams per kilometre for passenger vehicles, and the commission is now proposing a 2025 goal of 70g/km. While the EU is still debating how to enforce the 2020 pollution goals, the United States already has in place a 2020 pollution reduction to 93g/km in place. Some consumers are worried that new technology will increase the purchase price of vehicles, while experts say the savings in fuel will offset the investment within 3 years of ownership.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

Bosch Auto Chief Stepping Down

Bernd Bohr, the board member of Bosch responsible for Automotive supply and manufacturing, has announced that he will step down from his position at the end of June 2013, at the age of 56.

Bohr has been responsible for Bosch's automotive parts manufacturing division for over a decade. The company's success has been proven throughout the years, making it the largest automotive supplier in the world. After many successful years with the company, Bohr decided to compete for the much sought after CEO position of the manufacturing mega-company. In July 2012, Volkmar Denner, the then head of research and engineering in the company, took over the top-spot, leaving Bohr in his current position.

Officially, Bohr will be leaving "for personal reasons", and will continue to provide advisory services and some board-related services for the company after his stepping down. The statement released says that Bohr will "devote more time to his family and personal interests". The board of Bosch released a statement commending him for his outstanding work over the years, and understandably, regretting his decision to leave.

The company sad Rolf Bulander, 54, will join the management board effective July 1st, 2013, effectively taking over nearly all responsibilities that Bohr is overseeing at the moment. Bulander will be responsible for overseeing the Gasoline Systems division, Bosch Engineering, Diesel Systems, Starter Motors, and quality control.

Bosch, officially named Robert Bosch GmbH, tops the world's list of automotive suppliers with estimated sales of $40 Billion to automakers in 2011. Bosch was founded in 1886 in Stuttgart, Germany, by Robert Bosch. The company has over 350 subsidiaries in 60 countries, and sells it's products in over 150 countries. It's main products include:

• Brakes, Controls, Electrical Drives, Electronics, Fuel Systems, Generators, Starter Motors, Steering Systems
• Drives, Controls, Packaging Technology
• Houshold appliances, power tools, security systems, thermotechnology

Roughly 303,000 people worldwide are directly employed to Bosch, making it tremendously influential on a global scale. The company is privately owned, with 92% of the stock value belonging to a charitable organization, named Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH. The voting rights are mostly held by an industrial trust, and the remaining shares are held by the Bosch family.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

Chip Perry Retiring from Autotrader.com (USA)

Chip Perry, the first employee of AutoTrader.com, announced his plan to retire as the head of Auto Trader group starting May 1st, 2013. He will be replaced by Sandy Schwartz.

Chip was chosen back in 1997 as the man who would be in charge of building the AutoTrader brand in the United States. At the time, Chip used the company's sibling, Manheim Auto Auctions, to help the company grow and become well known among car retailers and wholesalers.

Over the past 16 years, Perry has led AutoTrader.com to become one of the most well known and most used automotive marketing websites available to both dealers and consumers. The company has grown quite a bit since Perry came along, and many acquisitions have come along.

Recently, AutoTrader.com balloned to become the AutoTrader Group, after it completed several key acquisitions such as the vAuto pricing machine, VinSolutions, and HomeNet. Chip Perry will be remembered as an energetic, self motivated leader who was responsible for much of the growth at AutoTrader.com

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

Ford CEO's Salary Drops by $8.5 Million - Ford News

Ford's CEO, Alan Mulally, earned 29% less money in 2012 compared to 2011, amid the company not meeting it's key global targets.

Mulally cashed in $29.5 Million USD in 2011, and 'only' $20.99 Million in 2012. Broken down, his salary equals $2 Million, $3.95 Million cash bonus, and $14.3 Million in stocks, according to a statement released by Ford Motor Co.

In 2012, which was overall an improvement over the previous years for the automotive industry, Ford exceeded it's own targets for vehicle quality and cost performance, but fell short in meeting expectations for profit before taxes, operating cash flow, and global market share. The shortcomings result in a decrease in the pay of the CEO, who is the chief of the company and is ultimatley held responsible, in part, for the company's performance.

The company issued a statement that overall, given the difficulties with the global economy and especially the auto industry, it is satisfied with the company's performance. Ford expected an $8.7 billion operating profit, but only had $8 billion.

It was under Mulally's leadership that Ford managed to be the only domestic carmaker that did not accept a US government bailout, and never claimed bankruptcy. Ford kept producing and selling vehicles, although it did take a major hit as did every carmaker. In 2012, a major credit rating agency restored Ford's grade to 'investment grade', and Ford resumed making dividend payouts. This quarter the dividend doubled compared to Q3 2012.

Ford shares traded for less than $2 four years ago in the heart of the recession, while stock values rose 20% in 2012. Ford continues to march forward with new ideas and innovation. Stay tuned to the shopwilsons blog for more auto industry news!

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!

GM Plans Lighter, More Efficient Vehicles

General Motors Chairman and CEO, Dan Akerson, made a statement today that he vows to shed up to 15% of the average GM vehicle weight by the time the 2016 model year rolls around.

The company is continuing efforts to provide more efficient, eco-friendly, and consumer-aware vehicles, and it's not alone. Mazda has it's lineup of SkyActiv fuel efficient vehicles, Ford is making huge profits with it's Ecoboost V6 pickup trucks, Chrysler uses cylinder deactivation in it's large vehicles, and GM is also making efforts.

This is more than just a simple media statement, an annoucement like this means that General Motors, as one of the world's largest automobile producers, will spend billions of dollars to develop new materials, to explore how to use existing materials, and create better vehicles. Various methods exist today to improve fuel efficiency, including engine tuning, the use of lightweight materials, different frame designs, and aerodynamics.

Akerson commented that his company would be exploring new materials and technologies such as carbon fibre, nanosteel, and resistance spot welding for aluminum structures. He noted that the company has already made a leap toward their goal, showcasing the 2013 Cadillac ATS, which is already lighter than a similarly sized BMW 3 Series. The company notes that the main focus will be certain vehicles that are already heavier than their rivals, but overall it will be an effort that will affect all of GM's models.

Akerson also touched a little bit on Electric Vehicle technology, as well as the use of Compressed Natural Gas to power some of it's future vehicles.

Mark Wilson's is proud to offer over 450 Used Cars in Ontario, with 50+ Years in Business, and 5-Star Reviews!