Tico

04 Mustang GT, 04 Taurus SES, bought new and almost new. Almost 50 and 70 K miles respectively. No problems or repairs except oil and tires so far. I will buy Ford again in a few years.

While I hate to see anyone lose their job, it seems American designed cars have been second class to European and Asian designs for a long time. At least as far as what is selling well in the NA Market. If Foreign designs is what people want then give it too them! If this allows Ford to survive and thrive then perhaps they will be able to produce some "niche" market American designed cars like Mustang, F100 and a large Sedan in the future. Until then bring on the European compacts and mid size sedans. It seems to be what people want right now. It is better than another 10 years of mediocre cars (current Focus, Taurus) and the slow death that will surely accompany them.

The Camaro almost always had more HP than Mustang didn't it? At least in the 90s / early 2000s. That didn't save it from being canceled did it? That didn't keep mustang from selling 5 or 7 times more cars each year did it? The new Camaro would have been a huge hit back in 2004. Now it will be too late. At $4.00 or maybe by 2010 $5.00 a gallon will anyone care? The Camaro is big, heavy and expensive. Also it has the mullet image to overcome. Camaro always cost more than Mustang too. Are enough people gonna shell out 30K+ for a Camaro in 2011, 2012, 2013 to keep this thing alive? Has chevy said what the base V8 will cost? How about the SS? As long as Ford makes Mustang smaller, lighter, cheaper price, and works on offering turbo 4's and 6's with high MPG as well as V8s Mustang will once again win the marathon if not the sprints. Sure Camaro will make a splash for a year or two but then what happens when the few fans who really will pay have one? Sure everyone says the will by one until there wife insists they really need a new Civic. One can say the 2002 Camaro was better than 2002 Mustang in many ways. Then why did it sell it such small numbers? I think in the long run (MY 2015 ) Camaro will be canceled again. Keep the Mustang, small, cheap an fast just like the original. That is why it has been in production for 45 years straight...

"Ford May Keep Building Rangers" Duh!

I can tell you all first hand that the tween age group (8-12) also likes Mustangs. My kid's friends all love our Black '04 GT. My daughter always wants to be seen in the Mustang and not our other car. When she gets dropped off at school the boys always yell "tell your mom to rev the engine!" It seems I run into more tweens and teen that want an American Car. Perhaps a rebellion to their parents love for Toyotas and Hondas?! It seems more and more the Camry is the choice of the blue hair crowd. That all being said, I think the V8 sound is big part of it. I think a small V8 will always have to be there as an option. Now a days I would think a small displacement V8 with DOD and other new technology could get reasonable mileage. Heck we get 20 MPG out of the 4.6L now as a daily driver mixed city / highway! Why can't that number to up'd to 30 MPG 10 year from now?

Of course he doesn't! But does it make it right for anyone to exploit workers! Doesn't anyone have a moral compass anymore or is $$$ all that matters?

What I was trying to say was, like the turck and suv market, the pony car market is gonna shrink not grow in the next few years. Can there really be 3 or more players in a market that is getting smaller not bigger? Mustang has survived this in the past by getting smaller. Also with the engines that are possible now a days smaller does not have to equal less fun. I think Ford can do it. The question was can Chevy or Dodge do it? Anyone care to address these quetions rather than just post wild rants?!

The average price of a gallon of gas has soared to $4.14 this morning, according to MilwaukeeGasPrices.com. At these prices can the pony Market support three cars? Sure some collectors will snap up the first models but don't you need 100,000 a year plus to really justifiy continued production? I think Challenger will be a short lived halo car ala Plymouth Prowler. Camaro will make a splash at first but can it survive at 4 or 5 dollars a gallon? Ford better hurry up with some hot 4 and 6 cylinder base models that get 30 MPG (Will Ecoboost mileage be good enough?) Also we need a smaller lighter over all body for the next generation mustng (not 2010 but 2013?) or they will be toast too. Something only a little bigger than the old fox bodies of the 80s but with a modern turbo 4 for the base model. Turbo 6 for the base GT and small 8 as an option on the GT. Of course there can still be V8 GT500s and Cobras for halo cars but I think hot 4 and 6 engines that both get over 30 MPG is the only way they can sell 100,000 Mustangs in 2012 or 2013.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/20/news/compa...sion=2008052105

and 50/50 chance totally broke in 5 years...

So are my '04 Mustang and Taurus. Only normal manintance so far.

I had a 1st Gen Neon. One of the funest cars I ever owned. Also after changing the cold air intake I got 40 MPG driving I80 from Chicago to NYC. Only drawback was the HORRIBLE crash test results. If only they could have improved on this car instead of killing it. Oh well.

I know the first 90s days impression is critical but does anyone do more long term reports? The average lease is like 4 years and with 5 to 7 years car loans many keep their cars at least 4 or 5 years. Which cars hold up the best over 4+ years? As for my two Fords, 4 year and zero problems. But that is just two out of millions I know...

It must be a good time to buy a used late Model Mustang. Lot's of people have been trading / selling their stangs lately. Seriously if Gas was down to evem $2.50 a gallon again this would not be happening. As my Stang is long ago paid for I will drive it into the ground before I ever sell it. Unless of course I the 05+ mustangs become cheap enough that I deciede to move up from my '04. Hope your cost of moving to the Focus was not a lot more that your gas savings. Too bad. Well I guess it means more cheap Mustangs for those of us who have the cash to buy them and run them. I fear the road will be ruled by FWD Turbo 4 bangers 10 years from now...

I always have felt pickups should be for people who need a working truck and not a status symbol to drive to the quickie mart to pick up a gallon of milk. Pickups don't need 4 doors or DVD players or navigation systems. Pickups should not be for city folks. Picks should be for people who need a hard working vehicle to haul stuff, pull stuff, push stuff, etc. A real pick up has a 8000 lb hay wagon attached to it. Has the tail gate removed, has cow *$ all over it. It has bailer twine and a tool box in the back. Real trucks don't need a 4 door "crew cab" because the crew rides in the back. A real truck spends most of it's time in the field drive way, not in the highyway. Real trucks belong on the Farm or at the construction site period. Most city trucks will never go off road. The owners are afraid to scratch them. These people need CUVs that look like trucks (Honda sells one I think) so they can pose for their friends. . My mechanic tells me if I want a good hard working truck, Ford or Chevys from the 70s are some of the best trucks ever built. This is what Ford and Chevy should build again. Trucks for people who need trucks. They should copy Honda if they want a 30 MPG city truck for posers in the suburbs. Call it the F100 maybe.

Here is the full story. http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/06/autos/volk...sion=2008030712

Chrysler owns all these names anyway. Now if Ford and Chrysler would merge they could call the new company American Motors....

I have had 5 new cars over the years and never needed brake pads before 75,000. I think everyone must ride around with there foot on the brake pedel all the time. Or maybe I just never brake hard. Who knows....

I think a more likely headline for late 2009 is GM or Ford buying a much slimmed down Chrysler.

Low resales values = Great prices on 1 an 2 year old used Fords. It a good thing if you don't want to shell out $30K for new. Bad thing for Ford I guess.

2020 is 12 years aways, 2030 is 22 years away. Lets see, what was ford selling in 1996, how about 1986? things change so much in 20 years. Most of these politicians will be in nursing homes by then... Who says the law won't change 10 times before then...

Looks like a BMW with 2004 Taurus headlights and grill stuck on it. Really! Look at it?!

I am in Milwaukee. check how much snow we have on the gournd now / have had this winter. I drive my GT to work every day. It's called snow tires and a couple bags of salt in the trunk and a snow shovel for insurance. We all drove around in RWD back in the 70s, and we had lots of snow back then. Walked uphill 2 miles in waist deep snow to school too... But seriously I have driven my 'stang to work every snowy day this winter. You make a good point but would anyone really want AWD in a Mustang?

Don't you think the Asian competition and ever higher gas prices will force the big 3 to change or die anyway? The politicians action will only speed the process (change or die that is.).

Live axel is part of what makes it a Stang in my opinion. The base GT should NOT have IRS. If you want to put it in some model above the GT I think that might make some sense. But the GT must be light, cheap and quick. And again, I say it just won't feel like I am driving a Mustang if it has IRS.