2012 Focus Recall

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:13:00 -0400

Ford Motor Company recently announced a safety recall on 2012 Ford Focus vehicles built up to October of 2011.

Buy a Vehicle in April and Help the United Way!!!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:50:00 -0400

We are very excited to announce a fantastic community partnership for the month of April.  In partnership with the Livingston County United Way, Krug Ford is donating $100 in the customer's name for each new or used vehicle sold in the month of April. 

Daytona 500...not just any car race.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:15:00 -0500

This year's Daytona 500 was full of historical firsts.  It was the first time in 53 years the race was delayed by weather.  It was the first time that a female driver seemed to have a preliminary chance of competing for a win.  It also marked the first time that stock cars ran with fuel injection rather than carburetion.  The sport has come a long way since running the first races literally on the beach.

Ford Flaunts Great New Offerings at 2012 NAIAS

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:31:00 -0500

The 2012 North American International Auto Show was the most successful it has been in over a decade.  With some of the largest attendance numbers in recent memory, as well as some fabulous new vehicles on display; this year's NAIAS was a crowd pleaser.  I would be remiss if I did not mention that Ford Motor Company reminded the world why Detroit is called the Motor City with some of its redesigned 2013 models on display.

Motor Trend picks 2012 Ford F-150 as its Truck of the Year

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:31:00 -0500




  Motor Trend magazine named Ford's 2012 F-150 its Truck of the Year, edging out the Nissan NV commercial van, the Ram HD Laramie Longhorn and the Toyota Tacoma.

Normal Operation

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:50:00 -0500

Hopefully everyone has recovered from Christmas, both physically and financially, the financially part tends to take a little while longer.  Though we did not have a white Christmas, this week has brought some typical winter weather to our area, save for large amounts of snow.  With extreme cold and icy, slick road conditions come some perceived vehicle service issues. 


Traction Control Warning Lamp

Christmas Season

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:43:00 -0500

As the day quickly aproaches and the end of 2011 creeps up right on its tail, I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of our customers for helping to make 2011 another great year at Krug Ford!

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Power Outage

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:01:00 -0500

So we were just sitting here minding our own business, last Wednesday, fixing cars and trucks like we do and ZAP, we are all sitting in the dark.  It made me realize three things I was thankful for at that moment, I had power at my house, I do not head west on Grand River to head home and last and most important my car starts everytime I turn the key.

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Product Driven Approach Helps Ford Distance Itself from its Competitors.

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:54:00 -0500

E85: The Dollars and Sense of Ethanol

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:17:00 -0500

With the cost of gasoline increasing on a daily basis, many consumers have started to take a serious look at alternative fuel options for their vehicles.  These options include hybrid vehicles, (those that run on a combination of gas and electrical power), fully electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, Ford Flex, Ford Fusion and the Ford Focus, or flex fuel vehicles, those that can run on gasoline and/or E85 ethanol.  As shifting to a hybrid often includes a drastic cost increase, and as electric powered vehicles are still in their infancy, the most common alternative for most consumers is to take advantage of flex fuel capabilities, if their vehicle is so equipped.  If the latter category describes your car or truck there are some key things to keep in mind before jumping headfirst into the world of Ethanol.  If you are not sure if your vehicle is flex fuel capable there are a few simple steps that can help make that determination.  Flex fuel vehicles (FFV) are typically marked in a variety of ways, either by a separate emblem on the fender or tail gate, the fuel cap might also indicate fueling options.  If neither of these options applies, a quick run of your VIN at a local dealer can also yield this information.

Before delving into a chemistry and math refresher I would like to describe some of the larger scale market influences and effects that cultural shifts in energy options can cause.  First we have all been led to believe that the price of a barrel of oil is a direct indicator of gas prices at the pump, this is not entirely accurate.  According to the Department of Energy, each dollar spent on gasoline is made up 65% by the cost of crude oil, 14% by refining costs, 13% from state and federal tax and 8% for distribution and marketing.  These are averages but can vary based on some outside factors. If you live in an area near oil refineries you most likely will pay less as it costs less to get that gasoline to the gas stations in your community.  Crude oil prices fluctuate daily based on world events, natural disasters and market speculation.  Taxes, in this equation, are a national average, in Michigan we pay $.19/gallon, which compared to Washington’s almost $.38/gallon is not so bad, the lowest state tax is in Alaska at $.08/gallon. In the summer, gasoline costs increase as a product of greater refining costs for summer blend fuel, combined with the increased demand of summer traffic and road trips.  The last factor in gasoline price is station mark-up, hence the differences one would see up and down Grand River for what effectively amounts to the same product.

Ethanol also has a host of factors influencing its cost, the substitution in its equation; however, is corn in place of crude oil.  Corn is the main ingredient in US ethanol.  As individual consumers we may never see the impact of using E85 in a tank or two; however, a market shift towards E85 will cause an increased demand for corn.  An increased demand for anything causes prices to increase, thus everything that uses corn will increase accordingly, beef prices, poultry prices and milk prices, to name a few, would all increase as a product of a spike in the price of corn.  Before you get scared away from trying an alternative fuel, keep in mind that it would take nothing short of a populist rebellion or a legitimate national energy policy to move the market away from gasoline dependency, if gas prices keep rising though we may witness one or the other.