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Driving too fast for icy conditions is the number one cause of accidents during Oklahoma’s inclement weather. Slow down. Plan for an earlier departure and take your time getting to your destination. It’s usually the car that zooms by you during icy conditions that you see in a ditch a few miles down the road.
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Be alert! Look ahead. Watching the traffic pattern ahead of you will give you more time react. Also, pay more attention to the vehicles in your rear view mirrors. Always consider a way out incase you need to maneuver quickly.
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Control. If you need to stop suddenly on icy roads and your vehicle is equipped with Anti-lock Brakes, you depress the brake pedal and hold it down firmly. You could hear a grinding or roaring noise coming from the front of your car. This normal. That is the ABS module pumping your brakes for you to keep your vehicle stopping in a straight line. If your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, you will need to pump your brake pedal repeatedly while bringing your vehicle to a stop. If you are unsure whether your vehicle is equipped with Anti-lock brakes, just call you service advisor and they will be able to tell you over the phone whether your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, or not. Try to avoid using cruise control while the roads are icy. Cruise control will apply acceleration when your car begins to slow down. Cruise Control does not know the roads are icy and could accelerate your vehicle into a spin. 4 Wheel Drive is very handy during icy conditions. 4 Wheel Drive will help you get your vehicle moving on slick roads, BUT it can build over-confidence in drivers. A 4 Wheel Drive vehicle does not stop any better on slick roads. Actually, most 4WD’s are heavier and take much longer to stop on slick roads.
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Be Prepared! When Winter Weather hits Green Country, sometimes we get little warning and can find ourselves stuck on the side of the road during a snow or ice event. Put together a simple bag to carry in your trunk or behind your seat for a situation like this. That bag needs to have additional warm clothing or blankets, a pair of gloves, a flash light with fresh batteries, a small shovel or item that can move snow away from your exhaust pipe (i.e. cookie sheet or small frying pan), a cell phone charger or extra battery, De-icer from your local auto parts store, jumper cables, a can of fix a flat, ice scraper, a bottle of water and few energy bars or breakfast bars. The reason we want you to be prepared for a long stay is because we have seen the tow truck companies get back logged during ice events upwards of six hours.
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Proud to be on the Ford Team
These are certainly unprecedented times. Not many of us could have ever imagined the government owning parts of two US business icons like General Motors or Chrysler, but it looks like this will be a reality for both in the coming weeks. Through all of this uncertainty the Ford Motor Company shines through like a beacon of light and thrives while the other US manufacturers struggle to survive. Ford’s performance over the past 8 months has made me proud to part of a company that is driving a brighter future for the nation as well as our community. Ford (including the Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo brands) has gained market share in 8 of the past 9 months and in April outsold Toyota.
I have been associated with Ford since 1984 and can say the vehicles we are selling today are the best the company has produced and based on recent JD Power Initial Quality Ratings they compare in quality to both Honda and Toyota. Ford also had more 4 and 5 star safety rated vehicles than any other manufacturer in the latest safety ratings.
The exciting news is that it is only going to get better. We just launched the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. Both models include the hybrid version that gets 41 mpg in the city – the highest of any 4 door sedan on the planet! It is also 8 mpg better than the similar sized Toyota Camry Hybrid. In addition, we have the all new 2010 Ford Mustang in stock and soon will have the completely redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus. This car will make as much news as the original Taurus did in 1986. These products come right after the 2009 F-150 achieved Motor Trend Truck of the Year and has proven be an even bigger winner in the showroom.
It is great to be on the Ford team and we are honored that you have chosen to be on the Bill Knight Ford and Bill Knight Lincoln Mercury team. In a short eleven months we have become the number #1 volume Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealer in the State of Oklahoma. We have great momentum at Ford and at the Bill Knight Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealerships.
We thank you for driving with us into a very bright future.
Drive green. Drive safe. Drive smart. Drive quality you can believe in.
I hope to see you soon and don’t hesitate to contact me directly if I can be of any assistance at bknight@billknightauto.com or 918-526-2301
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