Diamond Coach Buses

By Rick Akins
As you may know, Don Chalmers is the authorized Diamond Coach Bus dealer. We sell shuttle buses that are handicap accessible or can seat up to 25 passengers.
Sunday, July 26 was a day for showing off Don Chalmers Ford with our bus. Sally Reeves and I worked from 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. helping shuttle people at the Santa Ana Feast Day. We’ve never seen so many people, but everyone that rode our bus was extremely pleased with the ride, especially our high out put air conditioning. Don Chalmers Ford chose Diamond Coach because of the quality and safety construction. We are the only New Mexico Shuttle Bus dealer that services what we sell.
Please contact Sally or me if you know of an organization that has a need for buses.

Could you double your fuel mileage today?: The Van Experiment

By Willby Evans
In my last post, I wrote about my plan to perform a hyper-miling experiment with a Ford E-350. I started the experiment on Friday, May 29th. My first challenge was to remember how I used to drive (I started hypermiling in my Ford Focus 2 years ago). It just isn’t my habit to accelerate to stop signs and take off too quickly. Coasting down hills and timing traffic signals is just something I do automatically. I’m also running the air conditioning constantly (It’s summer in New Mexico so I think that is pretty common with drivers here this time of year).
A Don Chalmers Ford employee owns the van that I’m driving and he and his wife use it to run a small business out of their home. There is a ladder rack mounted on the roof and ladder as well. I thought it would be a good example of a large vehicle that is not aerodynamic (not even close and the ladder on top doesn’t help) and is heavy (I weighed it at the dump the other day and it came in at 6,024 pounds). I think it is representative of many large SUVs and the types of vehicles many commercial companies are using.
I want to find out what kind of potential for energy savings there are just by modifying our driving habits. Sure, technologies for fuel efficiencies are improving, and you can buy more and more fuel efficient vehicles now and more are on the way. Alternative fuels and electric vehicles are being researched and developed and are seeing limited production as we speak. However, I believe that the single largest contribution that we can make right now is how we drive. As a Ford salesman, I’d be glad to help you get into a more fuel efficient vehicle now, but you don’t have to wait until you have one to think about saving fuel. So, let’s see what happens over the next two tanks of fuel.
I’ll blog again on this after the next fill-up. In the mean time, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

8 Ways to Peace of Mind When Purchasing A Pre-owned Vehicle

By Jarrod Watson

When shopping for a pre-owned vehicle, peace of mind means a lot. You, as the consumer, want to make sure you are purchasing a safe and reliable vehicle from a reputable dealer. Some things you should ask from your dealer about the vehicle you are looking are include:

1) How or where did they come up with the price of the vehicle? Did they pull the price out of thin air or are they actually using a third-party recommended value, such as NADA or Kelly Blue Book?

2) Make sure you see a copy of the actual CARFAX report. This will let you know the history of the vehicle, including:
a. Number of owners
b. Any reported accidents
c. Any flood damage
d. Any odometer discrepancies
e. Is the title clean or is it a salvage title
f. Have the airbags ever been deployed

3) Ask for a copy of the AutoCheck report by Experian. This is very similar to the CARFAX report, and they even score the vehicle on a 100 point scale, with 100 rating the best compared to similar vehicles. This report is good because, just like your credit, agencies report to multiple companies. This helps support and cover any gaps that might be on the CARFAX report.

4) Have the dealer show you if the vehicle passed an Autoscan laser frame inspection, or was the frame just “eye-balled” for damage? The Autoscan actually uses a laser measuring down to the millimeter to check the integrity of the frame. In some cases, a vehicle may have been in an accident and never reported to CARFAX or AutoCheck, but the laser frame inspection is going to show any flaws in the frame.

5) Have the dealer go to www.fueleconomy.gov and show you the estimated gas mileage for the vehicle you’re interested in. Dealers have it posted on new vehicles so you know the gas mileage you’ll be getting, why not on a pre-owned vehicle?

6) Ask what kind, if any, safety and maintenance inspection was done on the vehicle. Have the dealer show you the inspection and any repairs that might have been done. Make sure all work was done by an ASE Certified Service Technician.

7) Find out what guarantee the dealer offers on the vehicle, their Service hours, and ask if they offer free towing and whether or not they provide a free loaner when your vehicle is in for service. It’s always nice to know if you’ll have to rent a vehicle if yours is ever in the shop.

8) Do your research on the dealer. Ask others who have dealt with the dealer about their experiences. Find out about the dealer’s reputation and customer satisfaction.

A vehicle is the second largest purchase you’ll ever make next to buying a home. You should make sure you are getting a safe and reliable vehicle along with a great value. Make sure the dealer will take care of you at the time of purchase and beyond.

Could you double your fuel mileage today?

By Willby Evans

Last year’s wild ride with fuel prices put fuel mileage back in most peoples’ mind. Here at Don Chalmers Ford, we had a surge in renewed interest in smaller, more fuel efficient cars and trucks. Customer after customer came in trying to trade in larger, less fuel efficient vehicles for gas sipping models. However, despite the pinch on all of our wallets, many people really had a need for a larger vehicle. Here in New Mexico, we have many customers who live in rural areas and need the hauling and working capacity of a large truck. Plumbers, electricians, and other businesses also needed larger vehicles even though gas prices were playing havoc with their budgets.

Now, after going through an equally sharp decline in gas prices over the winter, miles per gallon are still an important consideration for many Americans. I think most of us know that fuel prices will go up again in the future. For me, environmental concerns are of even greater importance for using less fuel. National security worries that arise from being exposed to the international demand and in dealing with foreign suppliers are of genuine concern, as well. Rather than debating the merits of any of these reasons (we can let the radio, internet, and TV commentators argue about that all they want), I think most of us can agree that using less fuel is a good thing, regardless of your specific reasons for doing so.

So, what do you do if you own a larger vehicle? Maybe you have a large family or need towing capacity. Maybe you just aren’t ready to buy one yet. That doesn’t mean you can’t do something about dramatically increasing your MPGs today.

Last month (April ’09), Ford Motor Company claimed the world record for the most miles on a single tank for a gasoline-electric powered mid-sized sedan by driving 1,445.7 miles on a single tank of gas in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The official estimated range for a single tank for this vehicle is around 700 miles, so they basically were able to double their mileage. So what was their secret? It was the drivers. Specifically, the drivers were trained in a driving technique called hypermiling. My next blog will go into details about this tremendous fuel saving technique.

I was very curious about this and what kind of difference it could make in other vehicles so I have decided to run a little experiment of my own. I have access to an E-350 van with a 5.4 liter V8 engine. Of course, this vehicle does not get anything near what I would call good mileage. I’m going to fill the tank and then drive it daily in city traffic (just my normal commute and errands, etc) in the aggressive way that many of drive everyday on our city streets. After that, I plan to drive the same vehicle on a second tank of gas using the same hypermiling techniques that were used to gain a world record for the Fusion hybrid. I’m wondering, can I also double the MPGs in a larger vehicle. I will report on what I find out next month along with a closer look at the mileage maximizing driving techniques.

It's Up To You Now

By Willby Evans

As the automotive business comes to terms with the new market realities, it becomes clear that Ford Motor Company has distinguished itself in its restructuring to survive and eventually prosper in the 21st century marketplace. It’s not out of the woods yet, but you have to admire a company that has been restructuring itself since before this current recession. Ford and its CEO had the vision to set a plan in motion to revamp its car line-up, stream line its operations worldwide and arrange for financing ahead of the credit market collapse. In other words, when other manufacturers’ recovery plans were basically to tell the government “show us the money”, Ford already had a plan and financing (non-bailout, bailout) in place to turn the iconic manufacturer into a true competitor in the new millennium.

There is certainly plenty that I can write about (and, I will soon) as to details about the different things Ford is doing right. Ford certainly has a responsibility to you (the consumer) to produce a variety of vehicles of good quality and innovative design and technology now and in the future, and I believe we are doing so. I wanted to address the ultimate referee in all of this. It’s you, the consumer. You are the ones that ultimately will decide Ford’s future and, by extension, the dealership I work at, Don Chalmers Ford. Ultimately, you vote and by that I mean with your wallet.

We don’t expect you to spend your hard-earned money with us without returning a value to you in the form of a top notch product line and how we treat you at our dealership. It will only be if you decide that our turn-around plan meets with your approval that we can have a future. We are not asking for government assistance to survive. Instead, we are trying to earn your assistance in the form of your patronage.

At Don Chalmers Ford, we have a mission statement that is more than just a poster on the wall: “Growth through customer loyalty”. We expect to earn your loyalty, and Alan Mulally and Ford Motor Company expect to earn it, as well. We are not afraid of that challenge and will continue to move forward and constantly seek to improve on and maintain a high standard. I ask you to consider joining us on that journey. Take the time to look at what Ford is doing with its product line and manufacturing innovation. Consider how we have taken responsibility for ourselves and are not using your tax dollars that can be put to better uses.

I’m proud to be a part of what I feel is something historic. I’m proud to be a part of Don Chalmers Ford. But that won’t be enough, because without our customers, it won’t matter. We look forward to seeing you here in the dealership, or hearing from you by phone or e-mail.

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Guide to Auto Financing

By Willby Evans

These days, there are a lot of questions concerning the ability to obtain credit. I have been asked by many people about how today’s market conditions are affecting auto financing. Auto credit is still available, but lending institutions are more careful about their terms and conditions and about managing their risk. So today I’m covering the basic factors a lender looks at to determine whether or not to approve you for a loan and at what terms. In future blogs, I will go into more details on the individual areas.

Lenders look at three basic factors when considering an auto loan application. They are looking at your credit history, your capacity to pay and the collateral. Let me go through the basics of these factors and what you can do to make yourself look better to a lender and qualify for better loan programs.

First is history: This is the record of how you have met your financial obligations in the past and what sort of financial obligations you currently have to other creditors. Basically, the longer the history that you have of making payments on time, the more favorable a lender will look at you. A short or non-existent credit history may limit your options but will not necessarily stop you from getting financed. Sometimes having a co-signor with an established credit history can help you overcome a short credit history, or one with some hiccups. Lenders will also be considering what type and how much other credit you have handled in the past.

The second factor is your capacity to pay. Basically, do you have enough income to cover your monthly obligation to an auto lender along with your other obligations? Have you demonstrated stability in your employment? This is an area that you can have a greater impact on in the short term. When selecting a vehicle and applying for a loan, it is important that you try and stay in a budget that fits your income. Lenders were much more lenient in this area not that long ago, but due to the high rate of defaults on many of their loans, they are much more cautious about letting a customer “bites off more than they can chew.” In a situation where there is a co-signor, their incomes will also be considered. Down payment will also have an impact on this because the more you put down, the smaller the loan you are applying for and the lower your payments will be. This leads us into the next area.

The third factor is collateral. When you buy a vehicle, you are using it to guarantee your loan. If you end up defaulting on the loan, the lender has the right to repossess the vehicle and then sell it to try and recoup the money that you owe them. There are several things that a lender may consider as to your collateral. The age and miles on the vehicle are a big consideration for many of the best lending programs. A newer, lower-mileage vehicle is generally considered less risky. A lender also takes into account the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio on a vehicle. Every lender will establish their own process for determining what they consider the value of a vehicle to be. Generally, on used vehicles they will be using either Kelly Blue Book or NADA as a guide for setting their value. Each lender will set their own standard as to what value and what percentage of that value they are willing to lend. The lower the LTV ratio, the better chances you have of being approved and for qualifying or a better loan program. The best way to affect this positively is through down payment. The more you put down, the lower your LTV ratio is going to be, and a lender will look at your loan application more favorably.