Ford Trucks For Sale

The Ford Motor Company has been plagued by different problems in recent months. Last year, they have lost the most money in their storied and lengthy history. They have even used the company’s plants as collateral for a loan they needed badly.

And it seems that Ford is not out of the woods yet. Recently, the company announced that they are recalling diesel engined 2008 model Super Duty trucks. The recall is the result of reports of tailpipe fires on diesel variants of the 2008 model of the heavy duty pickup trucks. The culprit of these fires was discovered to be leaking oil or fuel ignited when it came in contact with the diesel particulate filter located near the tailpipe of the trucks.

As of today, FoMoCo received three reports of tailpipe fires. It can be remembered that Ford proudly announced the development of the particulate filter and its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the diesel engines. In one reported case, it was said that the truck’s hot tailpipe ignited the grass beneath it. Fortunately though, the grass fire was extinguished immediately and that no one was hurt neither in the incident nor in the other two cases of tailpipe fires.

The recall, according to Dan Jarvis, spokesman for Ford, “is an important product for us and an important customer base, and we want to move swiftly to make sure this does not become a safety issue for our customers.”The recall will be a big blow to the company’s reputation and it might as well negatively affect the sale of the Super Duty trucks. The truck is one of Ford’s most profitable vehicles and the company rally needs to address the situation as soon as possible. That is why Ford will be sending out recall notices to their customers in early April. But before that, their dealers can warn them of the possible risk of tailpipe fires.

The recall is the second problem that FoMoCo encountered with the Ford Super Duty Truck. It can be remembered that in late February, Ford’s engine supplier Navistar International Corp. halted deliveries of the PowerStroke engines due to contract disputes. The supply of the engines to Ford’s assembly plants is as abrupt as a vehicle stopped in its tracks by brake components from EBC Active Brakes Direct.The recall will affect the first 8,400 diesel Super Duty trucks for the 2008 model year. These vehicles will undergo software upgrades that according to Jarvis will only take less than ten minutes per vehicle. The new software upgrade will shutdown the vehicle once it detects abnormally hot temperature on the particulate filter. This will give drivers of the Ford Super Duty trucks to pull safely to the side of the road to let the particulate filter cool down before running the vehicle again.

Thieves in northern Alberta have stolen 49 vehicles over the past eight days, Fort McMurray RCMP said yesterday, warning that Ford pickup trucks seem to be attractive targets.The bandits are smashing windows and punching out ignitions, prompting police to urge drivers to add locking devices to their steering wheels or brake pedals.

Mounties have arrested 10 people in connection with six missing vehicles.

Used Ford trucks for Sale at 1UsedTrucks.com

Auto maker says it might cease investing in Canada if a free-trade agreement is reached with the Asian country

Ford may redirect future investment away from Canada if Ottawa concludes a free-trade deal with South Korea that doesn’t open up that country to auto imports, the company’s top Canadian executive said yesterday.

“We have to evaluate our competitive position in any jurisdiction where we don’t believe we’ve gotten fair and reasonable policies,” Bill Osborne, Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd., said yesterday following a speech to the Toronto Economic Club.

Mr. Osborne added his voice to a chorus of opposition that includes all the Detroit and Japan-based auto makers operating in Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents workers at the Detroit Three manufacturing plants in Canada, pointing out that he’s confident federal negotiators understand the industry’s position and are taking it into account.

Any deal Canada makes should not be similar to the agreement reached between American and South Korean negotiators because that deal fell short of including any measures to open a foreign market that imposes heavy non-tariff restrictions on imported vehicles, Mr. Osborne said.

Canada’s negotiations with South Korea are Ottawa’s top trade talks right now. Many had expected deliberations would accelerate after the U.S. reached a free-trade agreement with the Asian country, but talks have bogged down and a deal is not seen as likely this year.

Canada imposes a 6.1-per-cent tariff on cars imported from South Korea - home to the companies that produce Hyundai and Kia cars - and removing it would open this country to a potential flood of small cars from manufacturers that don’t assemble vehicles in this country, Mr. Osborne said.

Ford operates two assembly plants and one engine plant in Canada.

The company, which says it has invested $10-billion in Canada since 1990, has about 13,000 employees here.

The Ford Canada president took a shot at another federal policy - the feebate scheme introduced in the March federal budget, which slaps a levy of up to $4,000 on some gas-guzzling vehicles and incentives of between $1,000 and $2,000 for Canadians who buy fuel sippers.

“The current federal program is not working,” he said, adding that it actually encourages Canadians to hang on to older vehicles that generate more emissions than newer cars and trucks.

His criticism came on the same day that the C.D. Howe Institute issued a study of the plan that described it as flawed.

It suggested, however, the plan can be improved to become a more effective tool to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The program should provide greater incentives for Canadians to switch to more environmentally friendly vehicles, but do so without damaging auto manufacturing in the country, the think tank said in an analysis called Deals on Wheels.

“The feebate structure should apply to more vehicles to ensure that correct incentives are present,” it noted.

The institute said the program, which has been excoriated by all auto makers except Toyota Canada Inc., gives rebates on just 10 models from 2006 and 2007. Toyota’s Yaris model is the highest-selling car to benefit, although Toyota officials have insisted they would support the measure even it didn’t provide $1,000 to buyers of the subcompact.

The program should also be expanded to include levies on pickup trucks, which are exempt, the institute said, adding that the lack of a levy might encourage consumers to buy those vehicles so they can avoid the tax that applies to some full-sized sport utility vehicles and other gas guzzlers.

It said the feebate scheme should be part of a coherent plan.

“It is essential to maintain an incentive for people to travel less,” the organization’s analysis said, proposing such tools as an increase to the fuel tax or a carbon tax or some kind of mileage-based charge.

“Such taxes would also provide an added incentive for drivers to switch to more fuel-efficient cars.”

2008 Ford Super Duty Truck Highlights: Ford introduced a new generation of F-Series Super Duty Pickup Trucks at the 2007 NAIAS in Detroit, Michigan. The Trucks are available as either a 4×4 or 4×2 with your choice of three body styles and two bed lengths. There are three Super Duty engine choices, including a new 6.4-liter diesel. You’ll notice quite a few body changes and several new features, including a handy tailgate step, oversized power mirrors that project outwards and a bed extender that folds up for storage along the side of the bed. The new features are a result of Ford’s dialog with Truck owners.

2008 Ford Super Duty Cab Choices and Bed Length: The 2008 Ford Super Duty is available in three cab configurations: a Regular cab, a SuperCab with rear seats accessed through rear-opening doors and a more spacious Crew Cab with four full-sized, front opening doors.

Regular Cab Trucks are available with an 8-foot bed. SuperCab and Crew Cab Trucks can be fitted with either a 6.75 foot bed or the longer 8 foot bed.

2008 Super Duty Engine Choices: The three engines available on the 2008 Super Duty are a 5.4-liter Triton V-8, a 6.4-liter Triton V-10 and a 6.4-liter Power Stroke Diesel V-8. This new diesel engine replaces the 6.0-liter diesel that’s been used in the truck in recent years — an engine that many owners weren’t happy with.

Ford specs list a 6-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed TorqShift automatic transmission, but after looking at the information released by Ford, it isn’t clear which engine and transmission combinations are available.

2008 Super Duty Special Features: One thing I really like about the 2008 Super Duty is the step that drops from the tailgate for easier entry into the bed. There’s even a grab handle that helps you steady yourself while stepping up.

The stowable bed extender is another useful feature. My regular bed extender sits in the garage because it takes up too much space when not in use. The Super Duty’s extender splits in two, and each half folds against the bedside.

Large power mirrors telescope inwards and outwards and even lay flat against the Truck when you need to move through tight areas.

New Features for the F-450 Super Duty: The 2008 F-450 is available for the first time with a factory pickup bed. For 2008 Ford is also offering the F-450 as a King Ranch edition, but the F-250 King Ranch is still available. King Ranch Trucks are always outfitted with unique leather seats that have saddle-style stitching.