Brown Motors Invests in Dalton’s Future

This is a busy year for Dalton Ormsbee!  He graduated from Petoskey High School and will be attending Ferris State University in the fall pursuing a degree in Automotive Engineering Technology.

In the picture you see him accepting a check for $2500 from Erik & Steve Brown as the recipient of the 2018 Brown Motors PHS Scholarship.  Brown Motors awards a scholarship to a Petoskey High School senior interested in pursuing a degree in a Career-Technical field; an emphasis in the automotive field is preferred but not required.  

This summer Dalton is working as an intern at Brown Motors learning what goes on in a dealership service department.  As low man on the totem pole he gets some ‘interesting’ jobs but exposure to the whole process will help Dalton with his studies this fall.

 

Brown Motors Hosts Ford Drive 4 Harbor Springs Baseball

Petoskey, MI – Brown Motors along with Harbor Springs Baseball Boosters friends and family members raised $3,540 for the RAM baseball program at a recent test-drive event, as part of Ford Motor Company’s Drive 4 UR School program.

Thank you to the 124 people who participated in the May fund raiser at the Harbor Springs Baseball Complex during opening day festivities for Harbor Springs Little League. For each Drive 4UR School participant, Ford Motor Company donated $20 to the Harbor Springs Ram Baseball Program. Plus for every participant that did a second test drive in a Ford Expedition or Ford EcoSport, Ford donated an additional $10 for Ram Baseball. Josh Brey, Harbor Springs baseball coach, will use the $3,540 towards an indoor batting cage.

“Ford Drive 4UR School is a great program for local communities! Josh got the word out to the Harbor Springs school families, who turned up to raise much needed funds for the baseball program. The added bonus is they got to see first hand what a fantastic Ford lineup we have at Brown Motors! Our thanks to everyone who participated,” said Derrick Brown, Ford Sales Manager.

Brown Motors has been an active member of the northern Michigan community for 120 years and sees huge benefits in being a neighbor who cares. Brown Motors supports many organizations that help area youth; plus, they award a yearly college scholarship to a deserving PHS graduate for study in a technical field.

Best Selling Vehicles in 2017? TRUCKS!

At Brown Motors we love trucks! We are lucky enough to have the two best trucks on the market — and almost everyone agrees with us!!!  Ford F-Series trucks topped the chart as the best selling vehicle in 2017 with 896,764 Ford trucks sold.  Almost tied with the Chevrolet Silverado, The Ram pickup was the 3rd most popular vehicle purchased in 2017 with 500,723 Rams sold.

The Ford F-Series, best known for it’s popular F-150, has been America’s best selling truck for the 40 years since it was introduced in the 1976 model year; and, for 35 years it has been the most popular of any vehicle sold.  New for 2018 (arriving in spring) the Ford F-150 will offer an available 3.0L Power Stroke® diesel V6 engine which will deliver best in class 250 horsepower and 440 lb.-ft. of torque. With an EPA-expected fuel efficiency of 30 mpg highway, the first ever diesel F-150 will round out the ‘truck for everyone’ philosophy of Ford.

Soon we will know all about the new redesigns for the 2019 Ram 1500 being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this month. It’s fun to check out the spy photos to see what’s coming!  Looks like new grille designs with plenty of chrome, some aluminum will be in the hood & tailgate to reduce weight & improve gas mileage, a nice big screen will be front & center in the large cab and it looks like there may be a split tailgate option.  The popular Ram truck is just getting better!

Any time you want to check out the latest and greatest in trucks come to Brown Motors in Petoskey and we will be happy to share our knowledge!  Check out our current new truck inventory right now!

 

 

The Chrysler Pacifica Really Delivers

When Chrysler designed the Chrysler Pacifica, they took their time and crafted a minivan that defies all expectations and really delivers for your family’s needs. Check out some really cool features of the new minivan:

• Its sliding doors open at the push of a button – so easy and convenient when you’re carrying a child or a handful of groceries!
• Stow ‘n Go seating allows the 2^nd row seats to disappear into the floor, creating more cargo room
• If you want it, you can add on a built-in 50 watt vacuum system. It comes with 11.4 feet of retractable host, so you can sweep out all of the cereal crumbs very easily
• This can has 13 cup holders. Yes. 13.
• It has a third row sunroof, so your kids can get a little extra natural light, too

This van has some really great features, and experts agree that it blows away the competition. We think Car and Driver said it best: “It’s an all-new minivan, with a new name—and by our estimate, it’s also the best.”

Stop by Brown Motors today and test drive the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica!

Be Aware of Cyclists: National Bicycle Safety Month

 

May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and at Brown Motors, we want everyone to be safe on the road.  You need to know how to share the road with bicycles. We’ve thrown together a few of more important rules!

First and foremost, expect cyclists to be on the road. It’s dangerous to come around a corner and be surprised by one. Instead, acknowledge that they have as much right to the road as you do and that they are going to be out there!

Sometimes people can find it frustrating to have to slow down behind a cyclist. This can lead to an attempt to pass without first ensuring everyone’s safety. It’s important to be patient. Wait until it is clearly safe to pass for you, the cyclist and oncoming traffic. When you do so, leave ample space between yourself and the cyclist.

Since cyclists ride to the right of the lane, be mindful when you turn right. Also, be aware when you are backing out of your driveway. After parallel parking, check your mirror before opening your door. It’s called getting “doored” and it can cause injuries to the cyclist.

Do Women Buy Lincolns?

 

Do women buy Lincolns? Upon taking a candid appraisal of the market, the Lincoln Motor Company discovered that their brand has grown immensely among women. Of course, Lincoln models are designed to embody lots of class that has universal appeal. Though it’s not surprising that women find Lincolns so alluring, it’s certainly good news for the brand.

Based on IHS Automotive data and the automaker’s subsequent analysis, the number of women that have registered vehicles with Lincoln has grown 45%. Women were responsible for a significant amount of SUV sales. In particular, they liked the 2016 Lincoln MKX, with 59% more women registering that particular model in 2015.

Lincoln executive Sheryl Connelly said in a press release, “…as women reap the rewards of their success, they have increasing influence in shaping the luxury market landscape.” The growing interest from women becomes a positive cycle. As more and more women buy Lincolns, the more Lincoln is able to hone their products to appeal to them.

Brown Motors is your Lincoln dealership in northern Michigan.

A Few Rules for Parking Lot Etiquette

The problem with parking lots is that there is no uniform design. Often, the rules of the road for one don’t translate to another. But there are some general rules for parking lot etiquette that can help wherever you are.

Go slow. In a parking lot, someone can reverse out of a spot without paying close attention to their surroundings. Increase your reaction time by reducing your speed as you traverse the lot. This will ensure you can keep your eyes peeled for reversing vehicles and pedestrians at all times.

Don’t follow pedestrians. Though you may be desperate to get a close spot, following someone as they walk to their vehicle is just bad manners. Also, that person might take their time getting into their vehicle, getting situated, and pulling out. You effectively become a roadblock while you are waiting. This is not only inconvenient for other drivers but may create a dangerous situation.

Park properly. A parking lot only works if you actually respect the parking lines. Be considerate to others and do your best to park in the middle of the slot. Not only will this make for more room, it may also prevent another driver from dinging your vehicle with their car door.

Distance is key. The best tip for parking lot etiquette is to just park way out away from the crowd. This helps you avoid pedestrians, avoid potentially fender benders and helps you get a little exercise!

The bottom line is, we want you to be safe! We wouldn’t want you to scratch up that shiny, new car!

40,000 People Have Already Shown Interest in Upcoming Lincoln Continental

The upcoming Lincoln Continental is already garnering strong interest around the nation, according to the latest information from Automotive News. Around 40,000 people have already expressed interest in the upcoming luxury sedan, which is set to become the flagship of our lineup at Brown Motors Ford Lincoln.

“People are asking a lot of questions about the car,” said Dan Marks, chairman of the Lincoln National Dealer Council. “This is the most buzz I’ve seen in a long, long time.”

This is great news for the Lincoln brand, whose popularity has been steadily on the rise over the last few years. Last year, it topped 100,000 sales, in large part thanks to the MKX crossover and Navigator SUV.

It remains to be seen how a new sedan will perform, but given that this is the Continental we’re talking about, the nameplate that practically defined Lincoln in its early years, we have little doubt that it’ll do well. The 40,000 people who have already requested their names to be on a list are a testimony to that!

Top Speed Record on Ice: 170 MPH in the Challenger Hellcat SRT

Getting a car up to 170 miles per hour is almost no big feat, these days—doing the same on the ice, however, is a challenge. Fortunately for us, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat SRT was up to it.

The event took place at Årsunda Speed Weekend in Sweden, just two hours north of Stockholm—where else do ice driving events take place other than in Scandinavia, after all? According to the organizers, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat SRT was utterly stock—just like you’d find it at Brown Motors—except for the studded tires.

Even with those equipped, it was a struggle for driver Alex Danielsson to keep all of the car’s 707 horsepower under control and he wiggled more than once while powering straight ahead on the snow. After all, this is a rear-wheel-drive car.

Still, Danielsson managed to get the Challenger Hellcat up to 170.6 miles per hour, setting a new top speed record on ice, bringing it within about 32 mph of its top speed on dry pavement.

Ford Named Best Overall Truck Brand by Kelley Blue Book

Ford has been named the Best Overall Truck Brand for the third year in a row in Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com’s annual Brand Image Awards. This is also the seventh time the automaker has earned the honor in the eight times Kelley Blue Book has presented the award.

“Ford continues to give truck buyers what they want: best-in-class towing and payload capacity, a cabin filled with lux and tech amenities, performance that can cause an adrenaline rush, and a low starting price,” said KBB.com’s editors.

The awards are based on Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch study, which tracks consumers’ perceptions of various automatic brands and how these affect their purchase decisions.

In other words, when customers come over to Brown Motors Ford Lincoln to shop for a new F-150, they tend to be just as motivated by its excellent capability as they are by the badge on the grille!