“It begs to be driven,” says Ford.

Beyond doubt, this car is very inviting. It appeals to a lot of buyers not only because of its modern styling and excellent driving abilities but most especially, its reasonable price.

Now on its sixth year, Ford Focus remains to be a strong contender in the economy car class in America and in United Kingdom. Since its debut in 1998 (in UK), Ford Focus has garnered over 60 awards, including 13 Car of the Year awards, both in Northern American and in Europe. It was also included in Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best List from 2000 through 2004 and recognized as the world’s best-selling car in 2001 and in 2002.

The Ford Focus was substantially upgraded in 2005 so there are only few changes to the 2006 Ford Focus model. The 2005 Ford Focus came with restyled Ford hood, larger Ford grille, reshaped Ford front fenders integrated with the Ford headlights. These new Ford parts were maintained for the 2006 model; however, Ford offers this time a new Street Appearance Package for Ford Focus ZX3, Ford Focus ZX4, and Ford Focus ZX5, laden with safety and convenience features.

Ford Focus Street Appearance Package came with different front and rear fascias, adding new Ford lights(Euro Altezza); lower Ford air deflector, Ford spoiler and rear Ford Front bumper; and chrome exhaust tip. The S and SE trim levels got optional alloy Ford wheels. All these additional features gave the new Ford Focus a racing car look.

Continuing success of the Ford Focus only reaffirms Ford’s renowned excellence in creating vehicles of extraordinary performance, interior and exterior auto parts. Also it further proves Ford’s high standards on quality automobiles and its commitment to the customer’s ultimate satisfaction.

Because of this, manufacturers and dealers of aftermarket and replacement Ford parts like the country’s top quality Ford auto parts supplier, Ford Parts Online, feel the need to continuously raise their quality standards as well in order to meet higher demands of Ford car users and match the latest from Ford.

At one time or another, you would need to replace some auto parts in your Ford Focus or any other Ford vehicle, whether it’s simply for maintenance, for repair, for car enhancement or customization. No matter how well built and how well designed your Ford is, it is still subject to some car problems and of course, you can make it better.

Replacing your OEM Ford auto parts has never been easier than it is today. There are thousands of aftermarket auto parts dealers all over the country and even online. You can have access to virtually all of them in just a click on a mouse, making it more convenient on your part. However, you still have to choose what is best for you. Even if many offer rock bottom Ford Parts Discount deals, you are not guaranteed to get the best for your Ford.

Choosing a trusted and experienced auto parts dealer like Ford Parts Online can save you from worries. This auto parts dealer offers a great variety of Ford replacement and aftermarket parts including the finest line of Ford Explorer parts, Ford Mustang parts Ford F-150 Pickup parts and Ford Escape parts. Sourced from well recognized Ford parts manufacturers, you can be sure that these parts meet the industry’s highest standards for car parts. Priced like Ford Parts Used, its Ford Parts Discount are the perfect answer to your high quality and inexpensive Ford replacement part needs.
About the Author

Jay Stevens works as a consultant for an established auto parts store in the country. He has expertise in automotive technology and has inside knowledge on the auto parts industry.

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Driving conditions and the changing of the seasons

Over the past few weeks the weather has taken a turn. The sky is grey more often than it is blue and there is a damp chill in the air. The seasons are changing and the UK is on the verge of yet another dreary winter, in fact this winter is predicted to be exceptionally long and cold. We’re all used to it by now, but unfortunately our resignation and acceptance of wet winters doesn’t mean that we adjust to the changes in driving conditions quite as easily. There are 6,393 more accidents involving cars on the UK’s roads in winter than there are during the summer months. A frightening statistic which clearly shows why we all need to buckle up and drive more carefully when it’s cold out.

We all know how unpredictable the British weather can be. One minute the sun will be shining and the birds singing, the next minute you’ll be struggling to see out of the car window because of freezing fog or driving rain. Situations like this are precarious as icy and wet roads make it difficult to stop quickly and low visibility results in collisions. It is recommended that you stay at home and avoid unnecessary car journeys when the weather conditions take a nose dive. However, many people simply cannot avoid leaving home for whatever reason. If this applies to you there are some vital safety measures that you should take to avoid being involved in a car accident.

Adjust your driving to suit the weather

* Wet roads make stopping distances a least double those required to stop on a dry road because your tyres will have less grip. To prevent a car accident from happening you should keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Instead of the normal 2 second rule you should leave at least a 4 second gap in between you.

* If the weather is icy or snowy you should try to avoid driving if you can. If you do have to venture out make sure you have provisions for an emergency. You should carry a spade, warm clothing, food, a warm drink and a torch. You should make sure that you can see out of all your windows. You must drive extremely slowly and keep a safe distance from other cars as stopping distances can be ten times greater than in normal conditions.

* On an icy road you should drive at a slow speed in as high a gear as possible. Braking should be done extremely gently. Take extra care around bends.

* In windy weather you should drive carefully and be very aware of other vehicles especially high sided vehicles and motorcyclists.

* When it’s foggy your main problem is the complete lack of visibility that you might encounter. You should use your fog lights remembering to switch them off as soon as you leave the fog. You should keep a safe distance from other road users and realise that you may not be able to judge the speed of other vehicles. You should slow down using your brakes so that the drivers behind you can see that you are slowing down.

In the worst case scenario you should take into consideration that you might get stuck. Bad weather can cause traffic and cars often break down because of the conditions or due to mechanical faults. If you do get into a situation like this there are a few key things to do to keep you safe.

* If you can, use a motorway emergency phone as the emergency services or breakdown services will be able to locate you more easily.

* Stay with your vehicle so that your car doesn’t obstruct snow ploughs and rescue vehicles.

* If you do have to leave the car make sure that you’re visible.

* Don’t keep your engine on in order to stay warm.

In an ideal world we would all be able to stay at home with a cup of cocoa and work on a lap top. Sadly this type of luxury doesn’t extend to everybody, so braving the elements becomes a necessity. If you simply have to go to work or have to pick the kids up from school when it’s icy and cold, then follow the tips above to make sure you get to your destination in one piece.

If you are involved in an accident during the winter months then help is at hand. Car Accident Advice Line, www.car-accident-claim.com can help you out of a sticky situation. If you need to make a personal injury claim or need a replacement car, then they will be of assistance.

ENDS-

Editorial notes:

Car Accident Adviceline www.car-accident-claim.com, 0808 143 43 42, is an independent company that works towards claiming compensation for people who have had a non fault car accident. Their services are completely free to use as all car hire charges and legal fees are recovered from the person at faults’ insurance company or written off.

About the Author

By Sophie Evans - Car Accident Adviceline www.car-accident-claim.com 0808 143 43 42 - Claiming compensation for people involved in non-fault accidents.

Technorati Tags: automotive, autocare, auto care, car care, auto repair

The drive layout is the arrangement of the engine, transmission, and driven axles. The types of drive layouts are Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/ FWD), Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/RWD), Mid engine Rear wheel drive(MR), Rear engine Rear wheel drive(RR), Four wheel drive (4WD or 4×4) and the All Wheel Drive(AWD). Each of these layouts has their own performance, advantages and disadvantages.

Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/FWD) The Engine and the two driven axles are placed in front, where the power from the engine is transferred straight to the front wheels. This layout increases the interior space especially in small cars because there is no central tunnel needed for the driveshaft. FF layout has advantage when it comes on low grip surfaces, and its tendency to understeer reduces the risk of losing control. The disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. The front tires must transfer all acceleration, steering, cornering, and braking forces to the road. This kind of tasks gives a lot of stress in front tires which may lead to wear and tear, while the rear tires have very little load on them.

Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/ RWD) - This is the complement of FF layout, where the engine is placed longitudinally at the front but the two driven axles are placed at the rear connected through the driveshaft. With this kind of layout, installation of more powerful engine such as V8, V10 and V12 is not a problem. Since the FR has a driveshaft, central tunnel is present in this layout a little interior space is sacrificed. All of the disadvantages of the FF layout are the advantages of FR layout.

Mid Engine Rear wheel drive (MR) The drive layout that consumes a lot of interior space of the car especially the seating capacity, the engine is placed in the middle of the chassis and the driven axles are at the rear. Although it has more weight at the rear, entering a corner makes it more difficult because the front tires have less traction resulting to understeer and since the rear is heavy, the car tends to oversteer when exiting a corner. This kind of layout is commonly used in racing cars and sports cars because of weight distribution focused in the center of the car.

Rear engine Rear wheel drive (RR) - This layout places both engine and the driven axle at the rear of the vehicle, even though the rear wheels benefit from the additional grip due to the added weight given by the engine, the front wheels still need grip in order to steer the car effectively. That s why RR layout car can also be prone to understeer.

Four Wheel Drive (4WD or 4X4) / All Wheel Drive (AWD) It is a term usually used to describe a car where the four wheels receive power from the engine simultaneously. This can be found in an off-road vehicle. A well distributed power to the four wheels improves the grip of the vehicle. The terms 4WD and 4X4 are used in jeeps and other off-road vehicles that require the driver to switch from 2WD used in street driving (two wheel drive) to 4WD to improve the grip depending on the road condition like mud, snow, etc. and it has a high and low gear selection. The AWD term was invented to identify the vehicle capable of driving all the wheels on any road condition without selecting high and low gear selection because the power is distributed on all the wheels. Unlike the 4WD with gear selection, you don t have to select the appropriate gear to match the road condition. Most of the modern cars use AWD system for more traction and better handling.

About The Author

Alvin D. Agomaa is a car enthusiast who also write articles to give out advices about car maintenance, tips for buying cars and the like. For free car classified listings visit http://www.ozfreeonline.com/cars/.

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