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What is the difference between AWD and 4WD?

2021 Ford F-150 in Oklahoma City

What’s the difference between 4wd and awd?

  It’s a question we’ve all had to figure out at one point or another, and there’s no shame in asking for clarification on the subject. After all, they sound roughly the same, right? All wheels? There are four of them driving, so isn’t that all of them?The answer is simple and easy, but there are a plethora of different ways that Four-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive systems operate that are specialized for the intent of the vehicle. Some trucks are meant to conquer every piece of terrain in sight, but some aren’t. -and, likewise, some cars just need the capability to drive through snow and harsh road conditions, while some are perfectly fine and purpose-built for sunny-day optimal weather driving only.    Typically, but not always, all-wheel drive is meant to get you through tough weather conditions or limited stretches of less-developed roads. When you’re looking at hardcore offroaders like what you’d take out to Little Sahara park in Oklahoma, you’re not typically considering bringing an AWD Volkswagen Tiguan out for dune-riding. 2021 Bronco Sport Near MeThis is why you’ll often see sedans, crossovers, coupes, and hatchbacks with AWD systems, because they’re not meant for mudding, blazing new trails, or rock-crawling. They just need to be able to handle entry-level situations. Last year, when we had the massive ice-storms sweep Oklahoma and cause untold destruction to roads, it was almost critical to have more than a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive system, as the road conditions were slick and dangerous.    Life doesn’t just hit pause when the weather takes a turn for the worst, however, and the Okies who had something like a Honda Pilot with AWD were able to safely and efficiently navigate to work, the grocery store, and Byrons.If you’re looking to head out to some local Oklahoma ORV parks or quasi-legally explore the trails behind electric lines, you’re likely looking for a 4x4 system.New Ford Ranger in EdmondWhat’s the difference between 4x4 and 4WD? Not a thing. It’s just a matter of semantics, and people will understand what you mean regardless of which you use. Hardcore offroad vehicles like the Wrangler Rubicon OKC, Ram Power Wagon, and the new Ram TRX all come with four-wheel drive because they’re more than just snowry road handling machines. Every now and then you’ll run into a 4WD sedan, like the exceptionally odd AMC Eagle, but that’s moreso the exception than the rule.   That’s the difference between 4WD and AWD, and we hope you’ll use your newfound knowledge when you visit us to find your next adventure vehicle.   

View our full inventory of new and used AWD and 4WD vehicles here

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2022 Ford Bronco Raptor - Specs, Price, And More

What’s so special about the Bronco Raptor? Ford has finally confirmed what we already basically knew. There is a very real Ford Bronco Raptor coming in 2022, and it’ll be a desert-runner like its F-150 Raptor sibling. Rumors circulated on enthusiast forums like Bronco5G months ago about a possible Bronco Warthog variant, and this idea was even supported by images that leaked of “Warthog” scrawled on the side of a test mule. Unfortunately, it was just a red herring, as Ford used that name designation for the specific mule, not an actual variant of the Bronco. Due to disappointments like that (AND the Bronco Everglades rumor), the fandom had just about given up on a Bronco Raptor setup. It seemed like the Sasquatch Package was as close as we’d get, but thankfully we were wrong. Ford released a brief teaser for the new Bronco Raptor, but as is the norm in pre-release teasers, we were given almost nothing to work with other than the brief shot of a grille. In that grille, however, we were given one vital piece of information about this new development. The amber lighting, a fixture which is required on vehicles wider than 80 inches, tells us that the new Bronco Raptor in Edmond, Oklahoma will be significantly wider than the (circa 79 inches wide) standard Bronco. These amber lights are a fixture on heavy duty trucks, and it’s neat to see that Ford plans to take the next version of the Bronco to the next level. To gain perspective on what the specs of the new Bronco Raptor will look like, we can take a look over at its sibling, the 2021 F-150 Raptor. The 2021 Raptor rocks with a 3.5L EcoBoost High-Output V6, which is a twin-turbo monster that spits out 450 horsepower on demand. In addition to heating things up with its power, it also keeps things cool with an all-new high-power fan system that ensures it can thrash around without needing a break. Fox sport-tuned shock absorbers with live valve technology help provide comfort while sending it in the dunes and also while cruising on the highway. We can only hope that these will carry over to the new Bronco Raptor. While we don’t have any specific details, we can surmise that some of these distinct Raptor traits will be gifted to the new Bronco Raptor in Edmond, Oklahoma. Whatever it ends up with, we can expect this to be an insane amount of fun where the blacktop ends. We’ll make sure to pass along new updates on the Bronco Raptor as we receive them, but for now we’ll just have to wait and see what’s coming.

the dashboard of a nice car in Edmond, Oklahoma

Why buying a car with cash isn't a negotiation tactic.

Many people have fallen prey to an assumption that, while possibly true in the past, is certainly not relevant in today’s market. Telling your salesman that you’re paying for your car in cash isn’t the power move that you may think it is. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying a car with cash. In fact, for some people it’s the absolute best way to go. What is isn’t, however, is a thing to say to your salesman in an attempt to “sweeten the deal” or barter. When you tell us that you’re paying for your car with cash in an attempt to get a lower price, it’s telling us that we might not make any money from this deal. It’s critical for both parties to benefit from a transaction, and given financing provides the brunt of a dealership’s profits, paying cash isn’t the incentive to offer a lower price that you may think it is. In order to stay in business, we need to make a profit from our sales. We don’t get greedy with our pricing, and we try to provide our best price up front and on our website. You’ll still get the same five-star treatment paying cash as you would were you financing with us, but it’s imperative to understand that telling us you’re paying with cash isn’t a negotiation chip in your pocket that’ll change the amount we need to make to keep this small business running. Here at the John Vance Auto Group in Edmond, Oklahoma,  we try to be as open and transparent through the entire car-buying process as is humanly possible, and that extends to helping dispel misconceptions about what creates leverage in your purchase. When we’re all on the same page, it allows for everyone to have a level playing field and helps erase any feelings of hoodwinking or subterfuge. As it can be to your advantage to finance, we did want to provide some perspective on why you benefit from financing your car purchase. One of the most important factors in your financial landscape is liquidity. The ability to use or invest your cash reserves in savings or emergency funds is worth paying an additional 3.5% in financing interest if it means you can keep your cash reserves up. Obviously everyone is coming from a unique situation, but these general principles apply to most scenarios we see.   It can be intimidating signing up for a few years worth of payments, but knowing that you’re financially prepared for any occurrence between now and the end of your loan is a very reassuring bit of knowledge. View our full inventory here!

The new F-150 Lightning with the front trunk open at an outdoor campsite on a scenic hill.

Ford F-150 Lightning Can Power Your Home

Texas found out the hard way that the electric grid can be brought to its knees temporarily by extreme weather conditions. You can normally rely on the stability of core infrastructure, but wild situations can come out of left field and wreak havoc. In situations where the unexpected happens, it’s vital to have a plan in place to mitigate the damage. F-250 owners in Texas rose to the occasion and fueled their powerless homes using the abilities of their truck, helping them stave off the cold and keep their families safe during the worst of things. You can power your home using the all-new Ford F-150 Lightning. This isn’t just something that can be made to work. It’s something that was made for this purpose. Built tougher than even ice storms and power outages, the electric F-150 will have the fortitude and battery capacity to outlast the worst of it. The change from ICE to electric trucks might seem intimidating at first, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that electric vehicles have what it takes to get the job done just as well as gas-powered vehicles. The range capabilities of EVs are steadily rising well beyond the 300-mile requirement most consumers indicate as the minimum acceptable amount. In fact, Ford ran their range tests with a full payload, so the likelihood of the Ford F-150 Lightning having a more extensive range than the current numbers suggest is pretty high, which is unlike most range predictions thrown out by marketers. The F-150 Lightning in Edmond isn’t meant to be a second or third vehicle used on occasion. It’s built from the tires up to be your go-to for work and leisure. It’s built tough just like the classic F-150, and much like the ultra-successful new Mach E Mustang, it feels like a vehicle first and an electric vehicle second. We’re your local Ford dealership in Edmond, and we’d love to help you find your next truck. Browse our full inventory of vehicles at VanceCountryFord.net