ZanatWork
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Posts posted by ZanatWork
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It locked up noisily while I was driving it, it sounded very mechanically tragic. I haven't had it out and diagnosed yet, but it sounded like someone was dragging bicycle chains in a metal drum...and only park/neutral were doing ANYTHING.
Sadly, my abilities to get a proper diagnosis are very limited as the timing of the failure was truly unfortunate. I only just started a new job and am beyond broke, which exacerbates the situation. -
Should be the same tranny as the Edge. Let me post this over on the Edge forum. I don't remember any discussion about a different tranny.
Much appreciated. The Flex is excellent for my overall needs/uses when working, and the rest of the car has been excellent.
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I'm really hoping that someone here can help with this.
OK, so...I have a 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD. It's very "limited" right now, as its transmission gave up the ghost on me a month back. As I'd just lost my job and had other chaos hit at the same basic time, my autumn was off to a less-than-great beginning.
That said, I'm still paying on the car and genuinely love it when it's working. So...once re-employed, I began searching for a replacement transmission. I have a good friend with a shop, we can do the swap...but there's a confounding issue: "early" 2009 Flexes (like mine) take a different version of the transmission than those built after 5/2009...and the later transmissions are both easier to find and much cheaper.
I don't know what the difference is, and no area Ford dealer or transmission shop can seemingly tell me. I have enough in Paypal Credit to get one of the "latter" transmissions (with some warranty, even), but not the earlier version.
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Flex has always been a great product. If Ford actually put a little effort into it, I think it could be a standout vehicle. It's unique, roomy, and people seem to love it (our neighbors are on #2). I almost bought one in 2009 but went with the SHO instead. Update it and advertise the poop out of it and it could be a winner. Especially if they could use the new RWD platform.
These numbers are beyond not pretty. Even FCA with ancient platforms, ugly Ram redesign (looks like a Chevy), and crap quality managed +13.93% while Ford is -16.65%. They need new product and advertising ASAP as they are getting their asses handed to them.
I still have a small hope that the Flex will be one of the "whitespace" vehicles, because they really are thick on the roads out here in Washington. Mine has been amazing, one of the best and most unique vehicles I've owned.
The numbers aren't pretty, and I wonder how RAM is getting increases when their quality remains everything we know and remember about FIAT.
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I can see the Flex having a relatively small but dedicated group of buyers. The people who buy them really love them.
I'm in that group, and there's a LOT of them on the road up here in Washington. I joke that it's like a Subaru for Ford lovers.
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Honestly...the new system(s) had better be fairly impressive, due to all of the press Ford sought over their future electrification efforts.
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I have to give unlikely kudos, on the cheeseburger front:
the "fresh beef" Quarter Pounder is a massive improvement...and I'm very skeptical about anything from fast food chains. -
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What this confirms, however, is that Ford is able to hedge its bets with the C2 architecture. If the same set of "bones" can be re-set to accommodate cars and CUVs across a wide range, Ford should have reasonable ability to react to potential market changes more efficiently...including the capacity to re-introduce a sedan or two if the market moves that way.
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I think the wagon-ish qualities of the "Active" could be very attractive to potential buyers of Subarus, and would allow Ford to challenge much of that brand's model lineup...if done properly.
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Yes sir. Despite some design flaws over the years, Ford pickup trucks have always had a pretty good reputation. And they still do. By contrast Ford's U.S. market passenger cars outside Mustangs, hi performance versions (ST/RS/Sport), and hybrids/PHEV have a reputation for being disposable and unappealing to retail new vehicle buyers.
Plus, pickup truck customers seem to be more brand loyal than passenger car customers. Ford is in a favorable position here. And with its sedans in North America now dumped as a lost cause, Ford can devote its resources to keeping its pickup trucks especially F-Series competitive and sales strong for years to come.
GM truck fans had to endure their share of recalls, plus the serious issues that plagued the "Vortech" engines...no company is immune.
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The main reason that I enjoy manual transmissions is the direct engagement, which is lacking in every "flappy paddle" car I've driven. I'm well aware that those transmissions are a bit faster, but they don't give me the same satisfaction...so it's hard to justify spending thousands on those vehicles.
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I know that I've been able to change the plugs on my 1998 Expedition 5.4 without incident for quite some time, now...because I, y'know, paid attention to service instructions....
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One can go off road, one can't.
..aaaaand you know this about the as-yet-unseen CD6 Explorer how, exactly?
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Here's something for all the "get over it" people:
the Mustang was going to be a fwd coupe going into the 90's, too...and the writing was supposedly on the wall, nothing we can do, etc etc etc.
The Mustang faithful disagreed, and got Ford to re-think the iconic pony car while GM temporarily gave up on the Camaro (and killed the Firebird). While many of us will remember that the next decade and a half involved further evolution to the ol' Fox platform, it was a ton better than what would become the short-lived Probe (though I admit a fondness for the later V6/5-speed GT models).
If we seriously want a manual option in the car, we make a ton of noise and/or vote with our dollars...so no, we don't simply have to "accept", "get over it", or "move on". -
You don’t think people will buy a 30-40 mpg hybrid Escape or Edge over a 25 mpg Fusion sedan if gas prices go back up?
That is a fundamental part of Ford’s plan. Where is the flaw?
You really think many will spend $10 K more for a hybrid Edge if gas prices go up? You don’t think a hybrid Malibu, Accord, or Camry that get better mileage than the hybrid Edge or Escape for far less money won’t be the choice they make? There’s the flaw.
Only if they were truly shopping for a sedan and their minds were made up...
...oh, and that'd be at least 2-3 years in the future, because the Fusion will be on sale that long.
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The problem isn't necessarily recalls. It's the problems that don't generate a recall that alienate owners.
At least with a safety-related recall, the owner knows that the problem has been fixed.
Ford was never ordered to recall the Taurus/Sable or Windstar for the 3.8 V-6 head gaskets or the failure-prone automatics hooked up to it. Those weren't considered safety-related issues.
But those vehicles undoubtedly drove a lot of buyers away from the Blue Oval.
That era was just plain tragic, the Troutman/Nasser combination seemed to be to limit Ford to trucks/SUVs completely by making the car offerings completely forgettable.
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I know I won't be getting an SUV of any type, I have no need for one. It's Ford's quality that drove buyers away. Take the transmission problems in the Focus for example or the spitting spark plugs in the F150, or all the recalls on the Escape. That's what hurt Ford. I know the F150 is the best selling truck but just think of all the customers that will probably never buy another one because of the quality issues. Just saying.
...or the fact that Toyota and Honda were the recall kings for 5 straight years before GM's ignition switch fiasco, FCA's transmission issues and diesel defeat scandals, etc etc etc.
If people held serious grudges over stuff like that, no automaker would break even, much less make profits.
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Can you back your words up with actual facts that Blue Oval sedan buyers shunning Ford sedans are buying Fords more expensive utilities? Fords sales data sure doesn't show this to be fact.
Akirby your posts remind me of those irritating Facebook and Google ads that they "push market" think we desire to see. And no matter how many of these ads you click i don't want to see, is a losing battle.. But you are damn good at it I must say, plus your sig shows only high riders in your driveway so at least you put your money with your mouth is.
Look at the sales reports over the last few years, for Ford and every other full-line carmaker in our market.
CUVs are replacing the typical car at a ridiculous rate. The Nissan Juke, the Honda HR-V, and that little crouton of a Toyota baby CUV are just the latest responses to the market...as is the Ecosport.
The numbers are easily found, and the headlines at auto sites have been telling this story for years, now...so I don't know how you possibly missed all the evidence.
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It got rave reviews when new, but the rest of the market has surpassed it.
Its styling got rave reviews, but it was also knocked for being kinda heavy, for limited rear-seat headroom, and for the typical complaints about underwhelming Ecoboost fuel economy.
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Maybe they can give you a free buggy whip with it.
While the other "drivers" let computer nannies do most of the work...?
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Given that sedans-not just Ford sedans-had been on the decline for some time and the auto news sites have spent the last few years with "Crossovers hot, sedans falling" headlines...I'm admittedly not sure that the panic over the car situation is all that sensible.
Yes, I think that the steps taken are extreme and also that Ford's PR department is pathetic at their job(s)...but it's hard to defend the Fusion too vigorously. It's very attractive, but the only way it leads any segment is the horsepower of the Sport model...and even that car got very milquetoast reviews. It's a bunch of motor wrapped in a car whose chassis dynamics are mid-pack.
In a shrinking sedan market, how can many resources be justified for its continuation? I hope that Ford has allowed itself the resilience to respond if the car market bounces back, but I'm also reminding myself that the "plan" is largely revealing itself over the next year or so...and that my information is limited.-
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The lower lift-in height on the Flex made it preferable to my old Expy when it came to loading amplifiers/guitars/etc on a regular basis. As it has typical car ride height, I imagine that advantage would continue vs. the Explorer and/or other CUVs.
It's fairly unique in a very conformist market. -
Agreed. And then they let it rot on the vine, so any hope it had left has been lost.
See: Mercury.
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Born in Detroit, Made in America & Famous Worldwide
in Ford Motor Company Discussion Forum
Posted
Yep, proof of over-medicating in this country...!
1. The GT is doing fine in racing, and I hadn't noticed that the class-rival Corvettes were than much cheaper...so your argument is bizarre.
2. The top-level Vette may hold a minimal advantage over the GT in some conditions, but it's still hilariously garish to look at and suffers typical GM build quality issues.
3. The Camaro is a far worse car than the Mustang, and only out-performs it (in some guises) by amounts slight enough to be overcome by driver skills. Why suffer gunslit windows and worst-in-class styling for 1/10th of a second at some drag strip?
4. GM is crap, and seemingly determined to stay that way. It's nothing new that they'll build a "numbers" Camaro/Corvette that still has interior trim falling off in the first year of ownership.
Back away from the paint thinner, and put its lid back on.