1941 Lincoln Zephyr Street Rod on 2040-cars

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Ford Announces Free Brake-Pad Offer If Customers Stop By Dealers

These days, when you buy a new car, it's not unreasonable to expect a certain period of free maintenance to come along as well. Sometimes this is through the life of the warranty, in other cases a little less. But Ford Motor Company is going beyond those deals for at least one part of its cars. As of now, if you buy a set of Motorcraft brake pads for a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury model, you get free replacements for as long as you own the vehicle. The offer is good at Ford or Lincoln dealers and Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers. "We will replace the pads for as long as you own the vehicle," said Elizabeth Weigandt to Autoblog. She did clarify that the Motorcraft pads are generally for models from the '90s or newer. Also, to take advantage of this program, a person must return to the same dealer each time to get the free parts. Of course, Ford isn't just handing out brake pads to anyone who walks by; there are certain stipulations. First, the components have to be worn down to less than three millimeters to be eligible, and the buyer still has to pay for the labor to install them. If the model is used as a fleet vehicle for commercial purposes like as a taxi or limousine, this offer also doesn't apply; the same thing for racecars. On the plus side, if you recently bought a set of pads from one of the participating locations, you're still in luck. The deal covers parts purchased as of July 1. "This program reflects our commitment to providing customers with an excellent ownership experience regardless of the age of their vehicle," said Frederiek Toney, President of Ford Customer Service, in the company's announcement of the offer. Scroll down to read the all the details.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

Vintage photos: How presidential limos evolved from open convertibles to Biden's armored Cadillac

President Ronald Reagan waves from the back of his limousine in 1984.Ronald Reagan Library/Getty Images US presidents used to ride in unarmored convertibles with open roofs. After John F. Kennedy's assassination, presidential cars were customized with safety features. Today's presidential limousine is a 20,000-pound, $1.5 million Cadillac known as "The Beast." US presidents used to ride around in open convertibles. Today, President Joe Biden is driven in a 20,000-pound, $1.5 million armored Cadillac known as "The Beast." Take a look at how presidential limousines have changed through the years. Presidential cars replaced horses and carriages in the early 20th century. President William McKinley rides in an automobile in 1896.Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images President William McKinley, who served from 1897 to 1901, was the first US president to ride in a car, according to the National Archives. The administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded McKinley after his 1901 assassination, was the first to include a government-owned car. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president to ride in an armored vehicle — a limousine that previously belonged to gangster Al Capone. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rides in a car with bulletproof glass in 1942.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Roosevelt previously drove around in a 1936 Packard Touring Limousine. Then, in 1941, he upgraded to an automobile with bulletproof glass that the Treasury Department had seized from Capone in 1932, according to the US Secret Service. President Dwight Eisenhower's presidential limousine was a 1955 Chrysler Crown Imperial. President Dwight Eisenhower waves to cheering crowds in 1955.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images The car featured a 250-horsepower V8 engine and a sunroof, according to the US Secret Service. President John F. Kennedy's assassination in the back of a 1961 Lincoln Continental changed presidential cars forever. President John F. Kennedy, and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy ride through Dallas in 1963. Minutes later, Kennedy was assassinated as his car passed through Dealey Plaza.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Kennedy's limousine included a hydraulic seat that could be raised 10.5 inches for a better view of the president, but no protective features. After Kennedy's assassination, presidential cars were customized to prioritize the safety of the commander-in-chief with thick layers of armor.