Friday, February 27, 2009
Prestige Ford Sends Students to Contest: 32 Advance to State
February 2009
Once again, LCHS Auto Collision Repair Technology program has proven they are a force to be reckoned with. They attended the SkillsUSA District 6 competition at Texas State Technical College in Waco. Forty three students made the trip to compete with projects they had to repair. The students picked a project that would showcase the skills that they had learned in class. The projects included hoods, motor cycle tanks, fenders, and fabricated metal projects. When the dust had settled, thirty two of the forty three students had advanced to the state contest.
There were two Best-In-Show awards given in the contest. The award for Best Custom was won by Miriam Deutsch and Stefani Barrow. The award for Best Collision Repair was won by Romeo Umana and Andres Alvidrez. Once again Lakeview has shown that they are the school to beat.
Lakeview’s Autobody program is thankful for the support that local industries have given the program. In particular, Randall Reed, new owner of Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury sponsored seven (7) students in the competition. Instructor Craig Baughman said, “the sponsorship of these students made it possible for them to compete and win in the district competition. These students are now ready to compete in the state contest because of Mr. Reed and Prestige Ford. This experience of competing will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
“We would also like to thank Armadillo Collision Central and The Body Shop for their donation of paint materials for the projects” said instructor Greg McSwain. “The industry support really helps to defray the cost of the contest.”
The class is looking forward to the state contest which will be held in Corpus Christi in early April. They are confident they can continue the good work and bring back the awards from state.
Ford Tops for Detroit 3 in Annual Consumer Reports List Magazine Praises Ford, Has Concerns With GM
Detroit Free Press 02/27/2009
Author: Justin Hyde
(c) Copyright 2009, Detroit Free Press. All Rights Reserved.
WASHINGTON -- Foreign brands maintained their domination over Detroit models in the annual evaluations by Consumer Reports, which praised Ford Motor Co. for quality but offered sharp critiques of General Motors Corp. and warned that Chrysler LLC was trailing the industry.
While the rankings may seem less essential in the midst of the worst market for new vehicles in four decades, the results offer a snapshot of a hyper-competitive market offering no reprieve for Detroit's struggling automakers.
The closely watched analysis lauded Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Co. and Subaru Motor Co. vehicles as the best in the industry. Its "top picks" list changed little from last year, with the Toyota Highlander displacing the Hyundai Santa Fe as best midsize SUV and the Chevrolet Avalanche replacing the Chevrolet Silverado as best pickup. The Chevy was the only Detroit model among the 10 picks, five of which were Toyotas. Overall, Ford had the best ratings among Detroit companies, with the magazine granting "recommended" grades to 70% of Ford's lineup, compared with 17% of GM's models it tests.
David Champion, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said Ford's quality on many new models matched or exceed that of Honda and Toyota, while GM was building eye-catching new models. He cited Ford for boring design and GM for inconsistent quality. "I hate to say, but if you could merge the two, with the strength of both, you would have a good product line to really compete against the Japanese," Champion told the Washington Auto Press Association.
As for Chrysler, the news was bleak. The magazine does not recommend a single Chrysler vehicle in its annual automotive issue, and ranks it last among all automakers because of below-average reliability and poor scores on its driving tests. Champion said the new Dodge Ram pickup was the lone model that stacked up well versus the competition. "Chrysler has a long way to go," he said.
Automakers closely watch the magazine's annual auto issue, whose recommendations carry more sway than any other independent source, thanks to more than 7 million print and Internet subscribers. Chrysler used the magazine's quality rankings as a benchmark in its request to the Obama administration for a $5- billion survival loan.
To earn a top pick in a category, the vehicles have to do well in driving tests, have at least average reliability according to owner surveys and garner good crash-test scores. The magazine also requires top picks to offer electronic-stability control either as standard equipment or as a readily available option. Detroit auto executives have long complained that Consumer Reports' judgments lag the improvements in their vehicles, but the performance gap between Detroit and foreign makes has closed little in recent years.
Ford spokesman Bill Collins said the magazine's tests were a "critical benchmark." "The goal now is to distance ourselves from our top competitors and become the sole quality leader," he said. Doug Betts, Chrysler's vice president and chief customer officer, said the company was pleased by the magazine's acknowledgement of the Ram, and vowed that its vehicles would do better in the future. "It will take time to see the results of the changes that we are putting in place to address the reliability and quality concerns of our customers," he said in a statement. GM spokeswoman Janine Fruehan said the company "had its arms around" the problems cited by Consumer Reports. "Our internal data suggest that we're going to be much better, and far more reliable, and we expect that will be seen in the vehicles to come," she said.
Author: Justin Hyde
(c) Copyright 2009, Detroit Free Press. All Rights Reserved.
WASHINGTON -- Foreign brands maintained their domination over Detroit models in the annual evaluations by Consumer Reports, which praised Ford Motor Co. for quality but offered sharp critiques of General Motors Corp. and warned that Chrysler LLC was trailing the industry.
While the rankings may seem less essential in the midst of the worst market for new vehicles in four decades, the results offer a snapshot of a hyper-competitive market offering no reprieve for Detroit's struggling automakers.
The closely watched analysis lauded Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Co. and Subaru Motor Co. vehicles as the best in the industry. Its "top picks" list changed little from last year, with the Toyota Highlander displacing the Hyundai Santa Fe as best midsize SUV and the Chevrolet Avalanche replacing the Chevrolet Silverado as best pickup. The Chevy was the only Detroit model among the 10 picks, five of which were Toyotas. Overall, Ford had the best ratings among Detroit companies, with the magazine granting "recommended" grades to 70% of Ford's lineup, compared with 17% of GM's models it tests.
David Champion, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said Ford's quality on many new models matched or exceed that of Honda and Toyota, while GM was building eye-catching new models. He cited Ford for boring design and GM for inconsistent quality. "I hate to say, but if you could merge the two, with the strength of both, you would have a good product line to really compete against the Japanese," Champion told the Washington Auto Press Association.
As for Chrysler, the news was bleak. The magazine does not recommend a single Chrysler vehicle in its annual automotive issue, and ranks it last among all automakers because of below-average reliability and poor scores on its driving tests. Champion said the new Dodge Ram pickup was the lone model that stacked up well versus the competition. "Chrysler has a long way to go," he said.
Automakers closely watch the magazine's annual auto issue, whose recommendations carry more sway than any other independent source, thanks to more than 7 million print and Internet subscribers. Chrysler used the magazine's quality rankings as a benchmark in its request to the Obama administration for a $5- billion survival loan.
To earn a top pick in a category, the vehicles have to do well in driving tests, have at least average reliability according to owner surveys and garner good crash-test scores. The magazine also requires top picks to offer electronic-stability control either as standard equipment or as a readily available option. Detroit auto executives have long complained that Consumer Reports' judgments lag the improvements in their vehicles, but the performance gap between Detroit and foreign makes has closed little in recent years.
Ford spokesman Bill Collins said the magazine's tests were a "critical benchmark." "The goal now is to distance ourselves from our top competitors and become the sole quality leader," he said. Doug Betts, Chrysler's vice president and chief customer officer, said the company was pleased by the magazine's acknowledgement of the Ram, and vowed that its vehicles would do better in the future. "It will take time to see the results of the changes that we are putting in place to address the reliability and quality concerns of our customers," he said in a statement. GM spokeswoman Janine Fruehan said the company "had its arms around" the problems cited by Consumer Reports. "Our internal data suggest that we're going to be much better, and far more reliable, and we expect that will be seen in the vehicles to come," she said.
Ford Benefits as GM, Chrysler Stumble
FEBRUARY 20, 2009
By MATTHEW DOLAN
(See Correction & Amplification below.)
Ford Motor Co., which hasn't taken a dime of government bailout loans, is benefiting from the troubles of its two cross-town competitors in Detroit, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. GM and Chrysler are required to seek cost concessions from the United Auto Workers union under the terms of their federal loans. That allowed Ford to open parallel talks with the UAW, which has a history of working out the same conditions at each company.
This week, Ford and the UAW reached an agreement to cut pay for laid-off workers, ease work rules and eliminate wage increases tied to the cost of living -- two days before GM and Chrysler reached the same deal.
At the same time, while GM and Chrysler have been hit with a steady stream of negative news -- including growing concern they may need to file for bankruptcy protection -- Ford has been having more success at luring away its competitors' customers. Ford's share of the U.S. retail market rose in each of the past four months, while GM's and Chrysler's fell, Ford said.
In January, 45% of Ford buyers turned in cars or trucks of other manufacturers, up from 38% in August, according to Edmunds.com, an auto-shopping Web site. Meantime, the "conquest rate" for GM's Chevrolet was 43% last month, down from 49% in August, and for the Chrysler brand, the conquest rate was 60% last month, down from 67% in August, according to Edmunds. "That's a sign that there is something definitely going on for Ford," said Jesse Toprak, an analyst at Edmunds Inc.
For some domestic-car buyers, the bankruptcy talk has been enough to cause them to defect to Ford. John Grassi of Warren, Mich., recently turned in his leased Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and replaced it with a Ford Fusion.
"The future of GM and Chrysler certainly played a part in my decision," said Mr. Grassi, 50 years old, who works for Warren's parks and recreation department. "Ford seems to be the most sound in terms of staying solvent. I mean, you look at your warranty and you want that warranty to be good." Still, Ford has many challenges. Edmunds's Mr. Toprak said the company is "weighed down" by the perception of many consumers that it is in the same boat as GM and Chrysler. All auto makers are suffering from the recession and credit crunch, which have sent sales plummeting. In January, Ford's sales were down 40%. And the company continues to post huge losses, including $5.5 billion in the fourth quarter, which are eating up its cash. Ford isn't assuming its trend of recent market share increases will continue. "This market provides limited opportunities. You can't will yourself to higher sales," said Ford sales analyst George Pipas.
Ford has told the federal government it doesn't need loans for now, mainly because it raised about $23.5 billion in 2006 by mortgaging almost all of its plants and assets. The company said it had $13.4 billion in cash as of Dec. 31. Its credit lines dried up in January.
So far, GM has won $13.4 billion in loans from the Treasury Department, and this week asked for as much as $16.6 billion more in a revitalization plan it was required to give the government. Chrysler has received $4 billion and has asked for $5 billion more.
The UAW concessions reached this week could save the auto makers hundreds of millions of dollars a year -- for Ford, a windfall from its rivals' struggles. The union agreement "was styled in such a way to benefit all three companies," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in an interview Thursday with Detroit radio station WWJ.
The terms of the government loans also require GM, Chrysler and the union to work out a way for the companies to put less cash and more stock into trust funds to cover the cost of health care for retired union workers. That has opened the door for similar talks at Ford, although no agreements have been reached yet.
The terms of the government loans also require GM, Chrysler and the union to work out a way for the companies to put less cash and more stock into trust funds to cover the cost of health care for retired union workers. That has opened the door for similar talks at Ford, although no agreements have been reached yet. Ford also is believed to be seeking concessions from its bondholders and dealers, also required by the loans given to GM and Chrysler.
Ford has been less forthcoming about the state of these negotiations. But Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said during an earnings call last month that "I really believe from the ongoing conversations that we are having with all the stakeholders and the U.S. government that as we go through this and we continue to take the actions that we need to take that we will not be disadvantaged."
Meanwhile, Ford seems to have made headway with customers as both GM and Chrysler nearly ran out of money over the past few months. In Centerline, Mich., Bob Thibodeau said he's noticed more owners of other makes shopping at his Ford dealership. "We have certainly seen a lot more cross-shopping in recent months like we've never seen before," he said.
Ford also may be seeing more customer traffic because it just launched a redesigned version of its F-150 pickup truck, the top-selling vehicle in the country, and its finance arm is healthier than the lenders GM and Chrysler work with, GMAC LLC and Chrysler Financial. Write to Matthew Dolan at matthew.dolan@wsj.com Corrections & Amplifications
Ford Motor Co. had $13.4 billion in cash as of Dec. 31, 2008, but still had $10.1 billion in lines of credit. A previous version of this article implied that its last credit lines had also been drawn down by that time, a move that did not happen until January.
By MATTHEW DOLAN
(See Correction & Amplification below.)
Ford Motor Co., which hasn't taken a dime of government bailout loans, is benefiting from the troubles of its two cross-town competitors in Detroit, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. GM and Chrysler are required to seek cost concessions from the United Auto Workers union under the terms of their federal loans. That allowed Ford to open parallel talks with the UAW, which has a history of working out the same conditions at each company.
This week, Ford and the UAW reached an agreement to cut pay for laid-off workers, ease work rules and eliminate wage increases tied to the cost of living -- two days before GM and Chrysler reached the same deal.
At the same time, while GM and Chrysler have been hit with a steady stream of negative news -- including growing concern they may need to file for bankruptcy protection -- Ford has been having more success at luring away its competitors' customers. Ford's share of the U.S. retail market rose in each of the past four months, while GM's and Chrysler's fell, Ford said.
In January, 45% of Ford buyers turned in cars or trucks of other manufacturers, up from 38% in August, according to Edmunds.com, an auto-shopping Web site. Meantime, the "conquest rate" for GM's Chevrolet was 43% last month, down from 49% in August, and for the Chrysler brand, the conquest rate was 60% last month, down from 67% in August, according to Edmunds. "That's a sign that there is something definitely going on for Ford," said Jesse Toprak, an analyst at Edmunds Inc.
For some domestic-car buyers, the bankruptcy talk has been enough to cause them to defect to Ford. John Grassi of Warren, Mich., recently turned in his leased Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and replaced it with a Ford Fusion.
"The future of GM and Chrysler certainly played a part in my decision," said Mr. Grassi, 50 years old, who works for Warren's parks and recreation department. "Ford seems to be the most sound in terms of staying solvent. I mean, you look at your warranty and you want that warranty to be good." Still, Ford has many challenges. Edmunds's Mr. Toprak said the company is "weighed down" by the perception of many consumers that it is in the same boat as GM and Chrysler. All auto makers are suffering from the recession and credit crunch, which have sent sales plummeting. In January, Ford's sales were down 40%. And the company continues to post huge losses, including $5.5 billion in the fourth quarter, which are eating up its cash. Ford isn't assuming its trend of recent market share increases will continue. "This market provides limited opportunities. You can't will yourself to higher sales," said Ford sales analyst George Pipas.
Ford has told the federal government it doesn't need loans for now, mainly because it raised about $23.5 billion in 2006 by mortgaging almost all of its plants and assets. The company said it had $13.4 billion in cash as of Dec. 31. Its credit lines dried up in January.
So far, GM has won $13.4 billion in loans from the Treasury Department, and this week asked for as much as $16.6 billion more in a revitalization plan it was required to give the government. Chrysler has received $4 billion and has asked for $5 billion more.
The UAW concessions reached this week could save the auto makers hundreds of millions of dollars a year -- for Ford, a windfall from its rivals' struggles. The union agreement "was styled in such a way to benefit all three companies," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in an interview Thursday with Detroit radio station WWJ.
The terms of the government loans also require GM, Chrysler and the union to work out a way for the companies to put less cash and more stock into trust funds to cover the cost of health care for retired union workers. That has opened the door for similar talks at Ford, although no agreements have been reached yet.
The terms of the government loans also require GM, Chrysler and the union to work out a way for the companies to put less cash and more stock into trust funds to cover the cost of health care for retired union workers. That has opened the door for similar talks at Ford, although no agreements have been reached yet. Ford also is believed to be seeking concessions from its bondholders and dealers, also required by the loans given to GM and Chrysler.
Ford has been less forthcoming about the state of these negotiations. But Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said during an earnings call last month that "I really believe from the ongoing conversations that we are having with all the stakeholders and the U.S. government that as we go through this and we continue to take the actions that we need to take that we will not be disadvantaged."
Meanwhile, Ford seems to have made headway with customers as both GM and Chrysler nearly ran out of money over the past few months. In Centerline, Mich., Bob Thibodeau said he's noticed more owners of other makes shopping at his Ford dealership. "We have certainly seen a lot more cross-shopping in recent months like we've never seen before," he said.
Ford also may be seeing more customer traffic because it just launched a redesigned version of its F-150 pickup truck, the top-selling vehicle in the country, and its finance arm is healthier than the lenders GM and Chrysler work with, GMAC LLC and Chrysler Financial. Write to Matthew Dolan at matthew.dolan@wsj.com Corrections & Amplifications
Ford Motor Co. had $13.4 billion in cash as of Dec. 31, 2008, but still had $10.1 billion in lines of credit. A previous version of this article implied that its last credit lines had also been drawn down by that time, a move that did not happen until January.
$1,000 PRESTIGE FORD AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY/ FFA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO LOCAL YOUTH IN GARLAND, TX
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-7-08
Christi Chadwell, Maria Puente, Matthew Cope and Melanie Martin, all 2008 graduates of Garland HS FFA, have each been awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Randall Reed's Prestige Ford-Garland and Ford Motor Company.
The scholarship is one of 600 scholarships awarded by Ford Division, Ford Motor Company Fund and the Ford Dealers to FFA members who are high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall of 2008, as well as current collegiate students.
This program is part of a much larger commitment of $1 million dollars to the National FFA Foundation. These scholarships are being awarded on behalf of individual participating Ford Dealers.
Additionally, 5 $1,000 national scholarships are being awarded on behalf of Ford Motor Company. The Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Program is designed to recognize FFA members' talents and accomplishments while encouraging their future academic achievements.
Built Ford Tough Trucks and Ford Motor Company and Ford Fund sponsor these scholarships as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.
Randall Reed's Prestige Ford-Garland is proud to support FFA and the Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Program. Ford has supported the National FFA Foundation since the first F-Series truck was introduced in 1948, and has sponsored the Built Ford Tough collegiate scholarship program since 1997.
The program, equally funded by Ford Motor Company and Ford dealers, has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 FFA members. Ford knows the value of hard work, and believes that hard work should be rewarded. That's why Ford has increased the Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Fund each year since its inception.
Educating aspiring young people to become the leaders of tomorrow is just another way of ensuring a successful future. Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford, in Garland, Texas is family-owned – one of eight dealerships in Texas alone. Owners Randall and Sherry Reed – parents of active teenagers themselves – generously support family-first organizations all over the United States, including The National FFA Organization.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 495,046 student members — all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture — as part of 7,242 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education.
The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.
Christi Chadwell, Maria Puente, Matthew Cope and Melanie Martin, all 2008 graduates of Garland HS FFA, have each been awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Randall Reed's Prestige Ford-Garland and Ford Motor Company.
The scholarship is one of 600 scholarships awarded by Ford Division, Ford Motor Company Fund and the Ford Dealers to FFA members who are high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall of 2008, as well as current collegiate students.
This program is part of a much larger commitment of $1 million dollars to the National FFA Foundation. These scholarships are being awarded on behalf of individual participating Ford Dealers.
Additionally, 5 $1,000 national scholarships are being awarded on behalf of Ford Motor Company. The Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Program is designed to recognize FFA members' talents and accomplishments while encouraging their future academic achievements.
Built Ford Tough Trucks and Ford Motor Company and Ford Fund sponsor these scholarships as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.
Randall Reed's Prestige Ford-Garland is proud to support FFA and the Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Program. Ford has supported the National FFA Foundation since the first F-Series truck was introduced in 1948, and has sponsored the Built Ford Tough collegiate scholarship program since 1997.
The program, equally funded by Ford Motor Company and Ford dealers, has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 FFA members. Ford knows the value of hard work, and believes that hard work should be rewarded. That's why Ford has increased the Built Ford Tough Trucks/FFA Scholarship Fund each year since its inception.
Educating aspiring young people to become the leaders of tomorrow is just another way of ensuring a successful future. Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford, in Garland, Texas is family-owned – one of eight dealerships in Texas alone. Owners Randall and Sherry Reed – parents of active teenagers themselves – generously support family-first organizations all over the United States, including The National FFA Organization.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 495,046 student members — all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture — as part of 7,242 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education.
The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.
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