Tips on automotive maintenance procedures that will prepare your vehicle for summer are given by an auto service as a public service on its website. Scott?s Automotive, Inc. provides both easy maintenance procedures that vehicle owners can do by themselves and more complicated maintenance procedures that should be done by a professionally trained and skilled automotive mechanic.

The Ford Motor Co. announced new incentives last Wednesday for the 2007 lineup. The automaker is also offering auto purchasers cash back on the just-launched 2008 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans.

The 2008 Ford Taurus was previously called the Five Hundred. Ford CEO Alan Mulally determined that Ford’s strategy to redesignate new cars in the lineup with new names beginning with the letter F – as in Focus, Fusion, and Freestyle – was not a clever marketing move. The new F names were not as popular to be associated with Ford in the United States, and purchasers were confused by the name changes.

Mulally believed the Taurus had strong brand equity. Changes made to the new Taurus include enhanced Ford Hedman headers, newly styled front end, signature three-bar chrome grille, and the 263 hp 3.5 L Cyclone engine from the Edge.

The Mercury Sable, the Taurus sedan twin, was revived from the Mercury Montego. Changes to the new Sable include a new front end, 3.5 L Cyclone engine from the Edge, and the replacement of the continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The offers, available through the ninth of July, are part of Ford?s ?Summer Drive? sales event nationwide. According to the Dearborn-based company, the offers include zero-percent financing for 36 months on 2007 Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles, or up to $2,500 cash back on select models; and an additional $2,007 cash on 2007 trucks and sport utility vehicles, excluding the Ford Edge, Freestyle and E-Series van, and the Lincoln MKX.

The automaker is also is putting money on the hood of 2008 models, including a $1,500 cash rebate on F-Series SuperDuty regular cab and super cab pickups or $1,000 on crew cab models. Additionally, Ford is offering $1,000 cash on 2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner compact SUVs. That is a bit of a surprise because the redesigned vehicles have been available only a few months and are selling well. Ford’s offer of $500 on the Taurus and Sable, launched in the previous week, is a semaphore that even the most recent vehicles often need discounts right out of the gate.

“They’re not even at the dealerships yet, (but) $500 is a pretty nominal amount,” said analyst Erich Merkle of IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids. “June is going to be a weak month for the industry as a whole, and Ford has really been much weaker than the industry on average.”

Ford spokeswoman Jim Cain said that the moves are not unusual. “We’ve launched lots of vehicles with a cash incentive,” he said. “Every year, you have model year end clearance, and the traditional time to begin is around the Fourth of July.”

Aside from its summer offers, Ford is also backing auto industry?s aim to boost environment friendly lineups. Ford and the Chrysler Group, trying to reinforce their green credentials as pressure intensifies for them to manufacture more fuel-efficient vehicles, said last Wednesday that they had joined a group calling for mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

The two domestic automakers joined the General Motors Corp. in the United States Climate Action Partnership – a group of large U.S. businesses and environmental groups. The group has called on Congress to establish a target for reducing carbon emissions and a national program to accelerate technology research, among other ideas.

“Now is the time for advancing a national approach to climate change where all of us – individuals, industry and government – take action toward reducing emissions of greenhouse gases,” said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group’s president and CEO.

Ford said that its decision to join is part of its commitment to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign oil and reduce carbon emissions.

For the summer season Kia has a lot to offer that would keep the whole family happy.

To keep the kids entertained during long trips, the Sedona models and Carens seven seat models will now include a fully integrated multimedia cinema system consisting of wireless headphones surround sound with games console compatibility. The large screen DVD player is a sure hit with all passengers.

And due to the success of the original launching of Carens model, Kia will offer discounts on the entire Carens range for all would-be mothers. And guess what? The series of discounts to be given will depend on the number of babies that a mother is expecting. Initial offer for one baby will start at

Jaguar’s supercharged XKR Convertible was voted number one in Kelley Blue Book’s list of cars which were best suited for road trips.

Compiled by the road test editors of Kelley Blue Book, the Jaguar XKR Convertible was short-listed against ten other new product lines. The editors surveyed purchasers on which vehicle they would most like to take on the road this summer. At the top of the list was the Jaguar XKR Convertible and it well ahead of BMW’s 3-Series Convertible and the Chevrolet Suburban.

“In choosing our list, we wanted to include a vehicle for every journey – from weekend jaunts of one or two people, to week-long escapades that involve one or two entire families and maybe a dog and a boat,” said Jack R. Nerad, the executive editorial director and executive market analyst for the Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Our selection criteria included all the tangible and intangible need-to-have attributes such as driving enjoyment, passenger comfort, fuel economy and cargo space.”

The 420-horsepower convertible from the luxury automaker is equipped with a reliable Jaguar catalytic converter, a navigation system, 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlamps, an all-leather interior, burl walnut trim, and side airbags. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is made an optional feature. Also, 19 and 20-inch wheels could be had for extra cost.

“The same sexy sheet metal found on the Jaguar XK is adorned with sportier accoutrements that reflect the 420-horsepower supercharged V8 and livelier suspension underneath,” Kelley Blue Book added.

Earlier, auto journalists have been given the chance to experience the thrilling ride offered by the convertible. “When I left, design director Ian Callum was doing battle on a few key issues. Many executives and dealers wanted a retractable hard top. Callum was willing to fall on his sword for a soft top, and eventually he won. A hard top would have forced the rear of the car to be a foot wider, there would have been nothing sexy or sporty about that,” said Sue Callaway, an auto journalist.

He added, “Fast-forward four years, and here I am, stepping into a car I knew so well but hadn’t seen finished. Experiencing the new XKR in the flesh was a jolt: Callum has done nothing short of put it through a sex change. Where the old XKR was an elegant female – feline, voluptuous – the new XKR is all male. Aggression smolders through the shrink-wrapped body panels; it is the automotive equivalent of a bodybuilder wearing a wet T-shirt. It works. Jaguar’s heritage is as a racing and sports car company, so the taut lines are a direct nod to history.”

Callaway noted, “Inside, optional blond wood or aluminum trim feel thoroughly modern. The seats are well bolstered; the carpet is thick. And so is the tire smoke you can create with one good push on the throttle – in most any gear. What else? Steering-wheel-mounted paddles for shifting. An excellent and intuitive touchscreen navigation system. Clean, clear gauges. A ride that is invitingly plush yet performance-oriented.”

According to J.D. Power and Associates, and the top automotive information site by Nielsen/Net Ratings, Kelley Blue Book’s Kbb.com Web site has been North America’s most-visited auto site for eight years in a row. Kelley Blue Book has provided vehicle purchasers and sellers with the information about new and used vehicle. The informative tidbits are essential in accomplishing their goals with confidence. The company’s Web site, kbb.com, provides the latest pricing and values. It offers the New Car Blue Book Value which reveals the reasons why people actually purchase new cars.