Consumer Car Buying Advice Blog

Ford to donate to Komen charity for each test drive as part of its new Advantage Plan

Charities part of payment assurance plan

Here at Auto Credit Express, we wrote about the first payment assurance plan offered by any of the domestic automakers called the Ford Advantage Plan. At that time, the information from Ford also mentioned that the plan would also tie-in with local charities and that once plans were worked out, Ford would be making an announcement in April. Today, it appears that those plans have been finalized.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

In addition to 0 percent financing on select models and payment protection for a full year, Ford announced today that it will donate $20 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in the name of each prospective customer that takes a test drive in a Ford, Mercury or Lincoln vehicle between now and June 1st of this year.

According to a news release, the company will donate up to $1 million to the charity. Dealers may also match the $20 per test drive amount up to $1,000 per dealership, while customers will be able to select the local Komen affiliate of their choice for the contribution.

“Our goal with the Ford Advantage Plan is to rebuild consumer confidence and assist local charitable organizations that also are struggling in this economy,” said Ken Czubay, vice president of Sales and Marketing. “The Ford Advantage Plan also delivers a ‘community advantage’ to remind people that Ford and its dealers will be there to support to support them and the charities they care most about – in good times and bad.”

How the program works

In order to take advantage of the program, you can do one of two things:

Log on to the web site www.fordcares.com and obtain a registration form and registration number. Once you visit a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury dealership and test drive a vehicle, the dealer will provide you with a registration code. You then return to the “fordcares” site and input the registration code. This validates your form and activates the donation by Ford in your name,

Or

If you plan on participating in an upcoming Komen Race for the Cure event through June 1, you’ll be receiving a registration form in your race packet.  Once you have it, you can follow the same steps to initiate a donation on your behalf.

The Bottom Line

A tip of the hat to Ford for supporting such a worthwhile cause (in its 15 year partnership, the company, its employees as well as Ford dealers and their employees have donated more than $100 million to Komen for the Cure).

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