Ford Motor Company’s Mercury division has recently announced the details and the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the all-new 2008 Mercury Mariner and Mariner Hybrid SUVs.

For the 2008 model year, the Mercury Mariner now features a bunch of new design cues inside and out, along with numerous new features and available options.

The new standard features of the 2008 Mercury Mariner include:

* Refined new exterior styling

* All safety features are now standard, including: Safety Canopy side air curtains; side- impact air bags; ABS; Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS); and Ford's exclusive AdvanceTrac with RSC (on gas models)

* 2.3-liter, 16-valve Duratec 23 I-4 engine (153 hp, 152 lb.-ft torque)

* Front-wheel drive

* New steering, upgraded with a s peed-sensitive Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system

* All-new interior with new materials

* New second-row 60/40 split fold-flat seats

* New MP3 audio input jack

* New integrated center stack with top of dash display

* New larger center console with two removable storage bins – large enough to hold a laptop

* New 16-inch wheels Meanwhile, optional features that is available for the 2008 Mercury Mariner include:

* 3.0-liter, 24-valve V-6 Duratec 30 V-6 engine (200 hp, 193 lb.-ft. torque) or 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve Atkinson cycle I-4 engine and 330V Nickel-Metal Hydride battery

* 4-speed automatic transmission

* Intelligent 4WD system

* SIRIUS™ satellite radio

* Audiophile sound system with AM/FM, CDX6, seven speakers and subwoofer

* DVD-based Navigation system with AM/FM, CDX6, seven speakers and subwoofer (new option for gas models)

* Moonroof

* New premium leather seating surfaces

* Heated front seats

* New 17-inch wheels

* Class II Trailer Towing (for up to 3,500 lbs. maximum towing capacity)

The vehicle will roll out in dealer showrooms across the US in the first quarter of 2007 carrying a base MSRP of $21,395 for the base 2008 Mariner model and $26,430 for the 2008 Mariner Hybrid. A $665 destination and delivery charge is already included. Now for quality auto parts for replacement like Triton F150 Programmer, just visit some of the trusted OEM auto parts store online.

We all know that hybrid vehicles offer a lot of benefits for owners and the environment like improved fuel efficiency, low fuel consumption, and cleaner and low exhaust emissions. But did you know that owning a hybrid vehicle also got some disadvantages? According to an article from www.biblelife.org, some of the drawbacks of hybrid vehicles are:

* Hybrid vehicles cost considerably more than conventional vehicles.

* Hybrid vehicles get worse fuel mileage on the open highway because of the added weight of the battery bank and the lack of any energy regeneration.

* Hybrid vehicles have a high maintenance cost. Battery replacement is a major expense.

* Hybrid vehicles generally have very small gasoline or diesel engines. Therefore the air-conditioning system will place a high load on the tiny engine that will reduce the gas mileage drastically.

* Hybrid vehicle manufactures have tended to exaggerate the fuel economy. Many owners are disappointed when they cannot obtain the fuel economy as advertised or promised by the salesmen or as shown on the manufacturer's window sticker.

A personal website from the Penn State University also posted some disadvantages of hybrid vehicles. It includes:

* Hybrid Cars accelerate at much slower speeds compared to vehicles totally powered by gasoline.  This is the major disadvantage because many drivers feel unsafe in an automobile that is incapable of keeping pace with traditional vehicles. 

*Batteries last an average of 80,000 miles before replacement is necessary, which then costs an estimated $5,000 to $8,000, depending on the model. (1)

*Hybrid vehicles are smaller and use lightweight body materials, which make them more vulnerable to complete destruction in an automobile accident than larger, steel reinforced vehicles. HEVs are not available in all areas of the country and the few places that do have them are limited in stock.

* The government currently does not offer deductions for the purchase of a HEV because there is still some gasoline present in the combustion process.

* To convert a normal gasoline powered engine to electric power costs an average of $7,500, excluding the cost of labor.  The process also includes 17 steps and can take up to 75 hours of manual, back-breaking labor.

* Parts Included in the Conversion: Batteries-$1,000 to $2,000   Motor-$1,000 to $2,000   Controller-$1,000 to $2,000 Adapter Plate- $500 to $1,000

Now do you still consider buying a hybrid vehicle?

Meanwhile, check out your trusted OEM stores online for quality auto parts for replacement like Carburetors.

 

I have certainly been waiting for whatever the Ford Motor Company has got in store for the remarkable Ford Five Hundred and I do hope my waiting would not only end up in vain. I have been going through Ford parts in the hopes that as I browse through these parts, I would be getting an inkling of what the vehicle would be when it gets revamped.

My excitement has certainly been notched up a bit when I did find some interesting news about the new Ford Five Hundred. Did you know that the company has already made sure that the vehicle would be making an entrance as a 2008 model? That's going to be good enough for me.

For 2008, the Ford Five Hundred would be coming with more updates. It is a full sized sedan and it would be coming with more power. Plus, the company says that this vehicle would be having with it an even smoother transmission system. The interior would something that you would be longing for because it has gone through a restyle and would now be more refined. The standard safety features of the vehicle have also been upgraded. Surely, this is going to be something really exciting.

According to the 2008 Ford Five Hundred’s head designer, Richard Woolley, "We knew we had a great package to begin with. What we wanted was to appeal more to a customer’s emotional side. When you see it coming you know what it is, even from a distance."

And I was not disappointed when I was able to take a peep at the vehicle during the 2007 North American International Auto Show. I did also notice that the vehicle has gotten a new front fascia. It also now comes with a new grille that has also been used on other Ford vehicles like the Fusion and the Edge. Looks like those people from Ford really did make a good job out of this one!

Ford once again redesigned the old Focus for the third time. The car is said to be released in 2008 as the newest addition to its line up of coupes.

The new car now comes with added power as it is loaded with a 151-hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder that will be PZEV rated in the green states. The previous 136-hp 2.0-liter engine is now left behind. You can choose between a five speed manual and a four speed automatic transmission packed with stabilizer bars, spring rates and new shocks to give justice to its dramatic make over. Safety car parts like the thorax and curtain air bags are also installed.

The car also receives new Ford parts like dash lights that are now in an icy blue shade. It also has a big trunk with styled 17-inch front fenders. For a more dramatic look, the beltline is raised just a little.

And the best part is - the installation of the new “Ford Sync”, a communication tool and a music gadget you can use to call hands-free or voice activated. Drive away smoothly as you listen to your favorite songs in your MP3 files. It also has a portable USB 2.0 cable best for your MP3 player, mobile phones or even iPods.

I know you are just one among those who are dying to own this.

Autoblog, the Turkish news website Sabah, is reporting that Ford will be importing a version of the Ford Transit Connect commercial vehicle to be sold in the United States. DaimlerChrysler began selling the Sprinter commercial van in the U.S. around 2004, and has enjoyed success selling it to large corporations that need workhorse fleet vehicles with large, enclosed cargo spaces.

The U.S. version Transit Connect will reportedly be built in Turkey at Ford's Kocaeli facilities until production of the commercial van begins in the U.S. around 2009.

Looking for quality Ford wheel covers? Check out Ford Parts Online.

According to the Associated Press, Ford is set to invest $1 billion to modernize six southeastern Michigan plants which include transmission plants in Livonia and Sterling Heights; Ford's Wayne assembly plant (likely to make the next generation of the Focus); Dearborn truck assembly, which makes the F-150 pickup and other truck-based vehicles; and the Dearborn and Woodhaven parts stamping plants.

Media reports also say that the automaker is also considering added investment at a hybrid vehicle engineering facility in Dearborn, the Romeo engine plant, a truck plant in Wayne, the Sterling Heights axle plant and Ford's proving grounds in Macomb County's Bruce Township,.

In return for upgrading the plants, the state of Michigan will give Ford $151 million in tax incentives, the story said.

Meanwhile you can still find the best Ford F-150 parts at Ford Parts Online.