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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.

Consumer Reports criticizes small turbo engines for misleading performance, fuel economy claims [w/video]

Consumer Reports has taken aim at at small-displacement, forced-induction engines, saying the powerplants don't manage to deliver on automaker fuel economy claims. Manufacturers have long held that smaller, turbocharged engines pack all power of their larger displacement cousins with significantly better fuel economy, but the research organization says that despite scoring high EPA economy numbers, the engines are no better than conventional drivetrains in both categories. Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports, says the forced induction options "are often slower and less fuel efficient than larger four and six-cylinder engines."
Specifically, CR calls out the new Ford Fusion equipped with the automaker's Ecoboost 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The institute's researchers found the engine, which is a $795 option over the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder, fails to match competitors in acceleration and served up 25 miles per gallon in testing, putting the sedan dead last among other midsize options.
The Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Sonata Turbo and Ford Escape 2.0T all got dinged for the same troubles, though Consumer Reports has found the turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the BMW 328i does deliver on its promises. You can check out the full press release below. You can also read the full study on the Consumer Reports site, or scroll down for a short video recap.

Lego provides one of the cheapest ways to own a Bugatti Chiron

Just over a month ago, we got a look at one of the latest Lego Speed Champions sets when Ford revealed the GT and GT40 kit. Now we get to see the rest of the lineup, and it's chock full of F1 and supercar goodness. The official Lego images show that the Bugatti Chiron, Mercedes-AMG GT3, Ferrari FXX K, and F1 cars from Ferrari and Mercedes all made the cut. Each set gets some unique features and most include interchangeable wheel covers. The Chiron comes with some tiny cones suitable for desk slaloms and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 gets an alternate nose. The FXX K comes has the most impressive selection of accessories, though, as it includes a dyno and engine run stand. The F1 sets are divided similarly, but with Mercedes getting more extras. The Brick Fan also reports that the Mercedes kit may be exclusive to select stores. The Ferrari kit only comes with a starting light, but the Mercedes set includes a garage, starting lights, and winner's circle. It'll be up to you whether you put Hamilton or Rosberg in that winner's circle. According to The Brick Fan, these kits are set for release in winter 2017. Since the Ford GT set has a release of March 1, we expect the rest will hit stores in the next couple of months. They're sure to be great additions to anyone's existing Lego garage. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Lego Speed Champions sets News Source: The Brick FanImage Credit: Lego / The Brick Fan Toys/Games Bugatti Ferrari Ford Mercedes-Benz Lego Bugatti Chiron ferrari fxx k