Fund the Fort

We will match 10% of your down payment up to $11,000

As you can see we still have funds available!!!

For a limited time, at all of our O’Daniel Dealerships we will match 10% of your down payment up to $11,000.00. Complete details at www.fundthefort.com.

What’s the best thing about the 2010 Mazda CX-7? In addition to being an excellent and practical five-passenger crossover, Mazda’s “zoom-zoom” philosophy means that this family-friendly hauler also hauls. The CX-7 is fun, and nowhere is this more evident than in the sporty, turbocharged “s” models. No wonder they look like they’re grinning.

The rambunctious CX-7 s (MSRP starting at $25,950) comes in two trim levels: Touring and Grand Touring, and each is offered with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. What makes the CX-7 a pulse-quickener is Mazda’s MZR 2.3-liter Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) turbo four-cylinder engine. With 244 hp and 258 lb/ft of torque, the CX-7 has a wide power band that makes over 90 percent of said torque available between 2,000 and 5,000 rpm. What’s the significance? It means that a palpable, immediate response is there every time you hit the accelerator. A quick-shifting, six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission is standard on all CX-7 s crossovers.

The high-tech turbocharged engine is also a responsible pick. Its tailpipe emissions are very low, and EPA fuel economy estimates range from 23 mpg (all-wheel drive) to 25 mpg (front-wheel drive) on the highway. Better still, Mazda tunes the 2.3-liter DISI engine to run on Regular grade gasoline – a departure compared to many other high-output turbos.

Power is nice, but it’s only half the equation. Mazda engineers are equally obsessive when it comes to chassis and suspension development. The result? Relentlessly entertaining on-road dynamics that make the CX-7 a fun partner on your favorite curvy roads. The available Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive system employs a computer-controlled rear differential and can send half of the CX-7’s available torque to the rear wheels instantly when conditions call for it.

New exterior styling brings improved aerodynamics and features like a standard roof-mounted rear spoiler and chrome trim. The CX-7’s passenger compartment has a reshaped dashboard, more upscale materials, a redesigned multi-function steering wheel and the addition of a Multi-Information Display (MID). Almost 30 cubic feet of cargo space is available behind the backseats; when they’re folded, the flat cargo area expands to 58.6 cubic feet.

The 2010 Mazda CX-7 s models don’t leave you wanting for equipment. The CX-7 s Touring includes 18-inch wheels, heated leather seats, standard Bluetooth phone and streaming audio capability, dual chrome exhaust tips and every power convenience you could want. The optional Touring Technology Package offers a power moonroof, nine-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround-Sound System with AudioPilot, six-disc CD changer, a color MID with rearview camera, automatic climate control and SIRIUS Satellite Radio with a six-month subscription.

From there, the 2010 Mazda CX-7 s Grand Touring throws in the kitchen sink. All Touring features are standard, as are the contents of the Touring Technology Package. On top of that, the Grand Touring adds 19-inch wheels, automatic HID xenon headlamps, rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers, navigation, heated outside mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, Blind Spot Monitoring, electroluminescent gauges and a Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System.

Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control System are standard, as are Mazda’s Antilock Brake System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist. Advanced front airbags use seatbelt use, passenger weight and driver’s seat position sensors, and work together with front side-impact airbags and side-impact air curtains with rollover protection to keep passengers safe in the event of an accident. Also included are a tire pressure monitor and active front headrests.

With their extensive standard-feature lists, useful cargo space and energetic powertrain, 2010 Mazda CX-7 s models offer a high level of value that’s on par with their fun-to-drive demeanors. It’s the kind of driving experience that encourages you to take the long way home; not because you have to, but because it’s just a blast.

Most people would agree that from a safety perspective, your car or truck’s glass is the most important part of the interior to keep clean. Unfortunately, thanks to condensation, temperature fluctuations and the sheer surface space of it, it also tends to collect dirt, dust and fingerprints quite easily. That being said, cleaning automotive glass is easy and fast. Any household glass cleaner combined with a microfiber cloth will work well on your vehicle’s windows and windshield, but you will need to take care when spraying cleaner to make sure you don’t accidentally drip on other surfaces. It’s usually a good idea to spray directly on the cloth you are using, rather than try to aim at the glass itself.

The carpet and fabric surfaces inside your car require a bit more specialized attention. A vehicle’s carpet takes a fair amount of abuse from water, dirt and, in some climates, snow and road salt. Over time, any of the above can soak into the carpet and create stains or discoloration. The first step to cleaning automotive carpet is to vacuum up any loose dirt, small rocks and other debris using either a household vacuum or one of those units found at gas stations or carwashes. You will have to remove your mats to make sure that you get at every nook and cranny.

If it has been quite a long time since your carpets were last cleaned, then you might want to let a professional step in. The detailing department at your dealership not only has the know-how to tackle tough stains and ground-in dirt, they also have specialized equipment that can take care of even the most neglected carpets. Dealership car cleaning crews can use hot water extractors that employ extremely warm water in order to break down the bonds that stains have made with carpet fibers. They can also use specialized enzyme cleaners to take care of any hardened salt leftover from a long winter. The chemical action of these unique cleaners is far more effective than simple soap and water.

Dealership detailers also have extensive experience with seat fabrics. If you have fabric seats, you can choose to clean them yourself with a spray-on cleaner and a bristle brush, or you could ask a professional to both clean and dry the seats for you, saving your time on both ends. Leather seats need more care to be taken in order to preserve the material during cleaning. Harsh chemical soaps and detergents should never be used on leather, as they can rob it of the natural oils that are critical to keeping it supple and soft – and prevent it from cracking. A very mild hand soap and warm water are often enough to lightly clean gently used leather; for dirtier seats, a dedicated leather cleaner needs to be used. It is also important to never use a brush or scrub too hard when working on a leather seat or interior panel – a gentle cloth is the best way to go. Once you have finished with the cleaning process, apply a leather conditioner to make sure the material has its supply of oils replenished. If you are uncertain as to whether you can effectively clean your leather without damaging it, it’s always a good idea to stop by your dealer and get their opinion on the matter.

With the glass, seats and carpet out of the way, the final step to having a clean car is to take care of the vinyl and plastic components in your interior. There are hundreds of products out there that claim to be the best option for cleaning vinyl and plastic. When choosing which one to use for your car, make sure to read the label carefully and select a cleaner that is silicone-free. While silicone will make your dash look shiny after it has been applied, it can actually react with vinyl and speed up its decomposition in the sun. In fact, silicone cleaners offer no protection from UV light at all, which is the number one cause of cracked and faded dashboards and interior trim. Choosing a silicone-free cleaner can dramatically extend the life of your interior. Your dealer’s service department can also be a good resource for information on the products best suited for the interior surfaces of your particular car or truck.

Interior detailing isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. These simple steps will have you enjoying a passenger compartment that is as well taken care of as your paint in no time.

Mazda 3

The true beauty of Mazda’s redesigned 2010 MAZDA3 5-door is that it doesn’t pretend to be anything that it’s not. Fortunately, the company’s latest achievement is versatile enough to be just about anything.

In Sport and Grand Touring trims, the 2010 MAZDA3’s recent redesign is nothing short of dramatic. Bold and exaggerated, sleek and stylish, the newest 3 is more athletic, more appealing and more downright unmistakable than its immensely popular predecessor. Five-door models take the redesign to an exciting new level, ushering in a new era in modern hatchback style.

In keeping with its company mantra, Mazda sculpted its newest hatchback to convey an overwhelming sense of driving enjoyment, a concept that is brilliantly reflected in the five-point, black mesh grille that characterizes the vehicle’s front end. The 3’s gaping grille creates an oversized, mischievous grin that, in a certain light, suggests that the vehicle may be up to something. Available self-leveling bi-xenon high-intensity headlamps slice into either side of the grille, giving eyes to the MAZDA3’s distinctive face.

Lines on the 5-door are sleek and modern. Like strokes of a brush, they sweep elegantly from front to back, pouring over the attractive 17-inch alloys and tapering off at the vehicle’s edgy rear spoiler. The hatchback’s rear end bulges, and features the sleek wrapping of a set of available LED taillights stretched over the versatile liftgate. Subtle features like dual chrome exhaust and optional low-mounted foglights dot the MAZDA3’s aerodynamic surface.

The new 3 drives as fun as it looks. Beneath the hood, Mazda’s latest houses a standard 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine that generates a spirited 167 hp and 168 lb/ft of torque through a new six-speed manual or available five-speed automatic sport transmission. Advanced variable valve timing helps the hatchback’s powerplant deliver responsive power and throttle control without sacrificing fuel economy (up to 29 mpg).

Mazda’s MacPherson strut front and independent multi-link rear suspension system works brilliantly with the rack-and-pinion steering system to provide pinpoint, aggressive control like never before. More than any other vehicle in its class, the MAZDA3 is a driver’s dream, combining exciting acceleration with tight, responsive handling. Advanced dynamic stability and traction control systems, as well as standard antilock brakes, harness that power into something confident, controllable and eminently enjoyable.

Inside, the 5-door’s cabin is surprisingly sophisticated for a vehicle so fixated on fun. Though unmistakably driver-oriented, the cockpit features substantive style and comfort for all. The oversized electroluminescent gauges, subtle, athletic blue welcome lighting and exceptionally contemporary dash design brilliantly complement the boldly redesigned exterior, and create an attractive and functional cabin. In addition to supplying innovative storage options throughout the cabin and flat-folding rear seats, Mazda’s 5-door with its cavernous rear cargo area envelops upward of 17 cubic feet of gear.

The seats themselves are bolstered and comfortable, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift have been intuitively repositioned for enhanced comfort. Climate and audio interfaces compose the MAZDA3’s sleek center stack while steering wheel-mounted buttons place all controls within easy reach. The newest Mazda features the incomparable sound of an available 10-speaker Bose Centerpoint® surround-sound audio system, as well as an accompanying Bluetooth hands-free communication interface. Instead of a distracting, oversized navigation screen embedded in the stack, the MAZDA3 subtly integrates its optional system high on the dash, more in-tune with the driver’s natural line of sight.

For safety, in addition to its intelligent lighting setup, advanced steering and braking systems and driver-oriented cockpit, the MAZDA3 employs everything from active front headrests to three-point safety belts to front, side and newly-expanded side-curtain airbags. The body itself has been reinforced and intelligently engineered with innovative support beams and collapsible crumple zones.

The versatile new 2010 MAZDA3 5-door features an exceptionally affordable starting MSRP of $20,290. No wonder it’s grinning.

Our Yearly SUPER SALE will be on Tuesday the 1st of June 2010.  This sale has been a yearly event  that gives our employees time to observe the holiday with friends and family and show respect for the U.S. Military men and women who died. Pricing for all vehicles are clearly marked on the windows for those of you that would like to browse before the sale starts.   New Vehicles are $100 over invoice and Discounts have been made on all used vehicle inventory at all locations.

We encourage our employees to observe the holiday for what it was intended.

Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials.  A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3p.m. local time.  Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time.  American flags are placed on grave sites. Respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

What are octane ratings? Simply put, when you pull into the gas station and are presented with the array of different fuel grades that you can pump into your car, the numbers written above each button or nozzle indicate that particular grade’s octane rating. Typically, the range will run from 87 octane on up to 93 octane.

In the world of automobiles, it is tempting to associate higher numbers with higher quality. After all, more horsepower and more miles per gallon are a better thing, which feeds into our perception that more impressive octane ratings also equal higher performance. Gasoline companies understand this mentality and do nothing to dissuade drivers from it, labeling 87 octane gas ‘Regular,’ and 91 or 93 octane ‘Super’ in an attempt to reinforce this way of thinking. After all, since ‘Super’ is priced higher than ‘Regular,’ it’s in their best interest to convince as many people as they can that paying a bit extra means getting better quality gas.

Unfortunately, this is where the myth of what gasoline’s octane rating really means creeps into the picture. Time and again, people will be told that high octane fuel burns cleaner or more completely, and that it will give them extra power and better fuel mileage than Regular octane gasoline because it contains more ‘energy.’ These blanket statements are simply not true. In fact, the octane rating for gasoline has nothing to do with the amount of power locked inside of it – it actually relates to just how much a fuel can be compressed before igniting. The higher the number, the less likely it is to ignite under pressure.

Why would anyone want to produce a fuel that was actually harder to ignite once inside an engine? To understand the role that octane ratings and ignition pressures play in a motor, it helps to be familiar with the term ‘knock.’ Essentially, when gasoline is sprayed into a cylinder by a fuel injector and mixed with oxygen, engine designers expect it to remain there in vapor form until it is time for the sparkplug to light it up, causing the explosion that drives the piston down to generate horsepower. The timing of this explosion is critical, as gasoline that ignites too early causes ‘knock,’ which reduces engine output and efficiency and which, in worst-case scenarios, can actually physically damage an engine.

In most engines, knock is rarely an issue because the compression ratio – that is, the pressure that the air/fuel mixture is put under in the cylinder – is low enough that Regular gasoline’s octane rating is sufficient. There is absolutely no benefit to running Premium fuel in a standard motor, since it will never be able to take advantage of that gasoline’s higher knock resistance. However, more aggressive engine management schemes, especially those found in turbocharged or supercharged vehicles, can turn up the compression to a high level, requiring much higher octane gasoline to avoid knock.

How can you know whether your car actually requires Super gasoline or whether it can get by on Regular? Almost every vehicle will list the octane rating necessary to run it safely inside the owner’s manual. Some luxury or sportscars might even place a small reminder on the gas gauge itself stating ‘Premium Unleaded fuel only’ to make sure you don’t forget.

To wrap things up: no, you won’t see a power or fuel efficiency increase by running high octane fuel in an engine that has been tuned and designed for Regular gas, nor will doing so perform any extra ‘cleaning’ inside the motor. On the flip side, running low octane fuel in an engine built for Premium can increase the risk of engine damage and will certainly impact that unit’s overall performance. The next time someone tries to pass these myths off on you, you can try explaining to them how octane ratings really work – or you can just smile and nod, pay for your gas and move on.

Since the new car industry has lowered its annual production of new cars by nearly 6 million units, the used car market has been hot!

We buy cars! Many people overlook the fact that we purchase cars for resale every  day! Many times it’s in the form of a trade-in or at a vehicle auction, but we also purchase vehicles from customers who just want to get rid of a vehicle for one reason or another! We pay incredibly good money for clean used vehicles. Certain models are in more demand than others, but every vehicle out there has potential.

Interested? Here is what to do!

Stop by O’Daniel Auto Mart to get a bid for the purchase of your vehicle.  You can also email us at jkimes@odanielauto.com.  We will make arrangements to do a full appraisal of the vehicle and let you know its current market value! Don’t worry if you have a pay-off, we can handle that too. Lower your Monthly payment-Get rid of one.

Remember, the spring market is a good time to get the most for your vehicle, whether you are thinking of trading or just selling it.

Parts Manager

Tel: (260)434-4321

Parts Advisor