96towncarcartier

Ford keeps the Thunderbird name and many others protected so that other companies can't steal them and use them. Ford already said that the Thunderbird name is very much alive, and may be put back into use some time in the future should they decide to produce another model, so that is one good reason to keep it protected. As for the Territory, that is the name of a current Ford model that is sold in Australia.

About Wixom: I dont know where you get all the information about it being such an awful plant... since as of May 31, 2007 it received an award for being the best manufacturing facility in the world ( I dont recall the exact name of the award), but it was really nice that it won just as it was closing. It makes perfect sense to me to move the TC to St Thomas. Why not have all the same platform vehicles built in the same place? As for the Ranger, I'm hearing that in 2009 it will get a complete re-do, which is interesting since many have been postulating that it will end production very soon. CV/GM may not have a big following with the younger folks, but with the fleet buyers it's good as gold. I just read an article today about it, why 94% of taxis in New York City are Crown Vics...it's because they are workhorses and can EASILY rack up 300,000 miles with no trouble. NYC CV Taxi's average 100,000 miles PER YEAR, running 24 hours a day. Plus, keep in mind that most GM buyers are older, and the population of this country is getting older by the minute. Product makers chase the teenyboppers and 20-somethings like crazy, and forget that the VAST majority of our population are OLD. That's just not right. All my years of Crown Vic/Marquis ownership have been completely trouble free, and so have my mom's and sister's. They're the best cars around, and I salute every person at STAP for making such fine vehicles!

I haven't dragged my Lincoln ANYWHERE. It *always* starts and gets me all over the country. Not an OUNCE of trouble. SO stick that in your pipe and smoke it. I don't care what Toyoder claims... they produce CRAP with the Tundra and Camry and Lexshus GS. So says Consumer Reports and a lot of other sources. Bland and ugly, boring and uninspired... that's Toyoder today. SO am I worried about their "alleged" sales title? HELL NO.

The Taurus is being sold in Saudi Arabia as the Five Hundred. So that nameplate still exists in some parts of the world. By the way, the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis are EXTREMELY popular in the middle east... Saudi Arabia and Kuwait especially.

The recent edition of Consumer Reports magazine said it all with the headline: "Toyota falls, Ford gains" Consumer Reports DROPPED the V6 Camry, AWD Tundra and the Lexus GS from its list of Recommended vehicles, saying all three had BELOW average reliability. In the same article, the Fusion and Milan are the "most reliable vehicles in their class" according to CR. In today's news, the Tundra has had yet another recall, this time for the driveshafts coming apart, this comes after the camshafts are being replaced in engines because of failure. Oh yeah... Toyota says Tundra is "the truck that's changing it all." HAHAHAHAHAHA

New version?? It's already OUT. The fifth generation Taurus. There won't be another version (the sixth generation) until maybe around 2010.

Production starts in January, yes. Town Cars will not be available at dealers, they are by Order only, from what I've been told. So if you want one, go order it now!

I've driven and ridden in my mom's 2008 Marquis GS... stripped down model (not even adjustable pedals) but it drives REALLY NICE... great ride! Dark Toreador Red too. Beautiful. Taurus and Sable, offer more legroom, more headroom, larger trunk, and better gas mileage, with more features for the money... I was trying to get her to buy that instead, but she still got a great vehicle either way.

Actually,this is not true! I HAVE personally seen an advertisement for the New Taurus. They are out there.

Say what you want to tout the Charger/Magnum, but the reality is that a police car needs ROOM...and Charger doesn't have it. I was shocked when I saw how LITTLE room was left with the full size spare in the back... everything was literally CRAMMED in there when I worked for the Sheriff's Office. Add a cage to the back seat? No room for prisoner, might as well strap him across the grille like a dead deer. Crown Vic may not perform as well as Impala in slippery conditions, and may not be as fast as Charger, but it has good speed, handling, and ROOM to be the jack-of-all-trades choice for police work. That's why Ford didn't make huge changes... why fix what isn't broken? When you consider how QUICK people are to sue police departments after pursuits, it makes no sense to me at all that anyone would want a police car that can drive 150mph. THere's NO NEED for that! Not to mention, on a car without body on frame construction... unibody crap is a death trap in high speeds. That's Dodge for ya. No wonder Mercedes bailed out of owning them. It's Crown Vic or nothing for me. When I changed departments, the Sheriff still had a 2000 with over 200,000 miles on it, running great. Any Dodges or Chevy's doing that? Didn't think so.

Let's see.... Fusion and Milan are among the "most reliable cars in their class." according to Consumer Reports... So yeah, I say they did it right. Who gives a damn about some noise? Whoopee. It runs great, doesn't break down, looks great and gets amazing gas mileage. If you dont like a little hum, turn up the radio.

Not surprising at ALL. LEAST reliable cars according to Consumer Reports.......All made by TOYOTA! hAHAHAHA Camry, Tundra and Lexus GS.... NO LONGER recommended!! Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, now among the "most reliable in their class." I love it.

I think you'll be very happy with that 2002 CV Sport. You'll get many happy years from that car, and many hundreds of thousands a miles!! 2003MY brought the hydroformed frame rails, which improved ride and stiffness of the chassis, as well as more fine-tuning of NVH foaming to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. 2003MY also brough rack and pinion steering, to replace the recirculating ball. Also, 2003MY moved rear shocks to a position outboard of the frame rails in the rear, just like they did for the 2004 F150. Improves rear ride and lateral support.

Actually, NO THAT'S NOT TRUE. Up to a point, it's cheaper to repair an older car. But after 10 years or so, it's better to buy new. Manufacturers are only required to keep a parts supply for 10 years after a model year is produced. After that, parts supplies slowly start to dry up. This means that, as time goes on, parts become MORE expensive. And LESS available. Go ahead, try and find a dashboard part for that 1978 LTD...see how far you get. And if you DO find it, look at the pricetag! As time goes on, more parts need replacing... a transmission, an engine, an axle... becomes more than the car's worth!

Since when is it said that the CV is being phased out?? For 2007, 91% of CV sales were fleet sales... 94% of all taxicabs in New York City are Crown Vics...running 24 hours a day, for 95,000 miles a year. That's why CV is fleet only for 2008. GM sold 50% retail, 50% fleet in 2007. So it's still good with the average Joe. Where's this notion of the GM dying after 2009? I'm hearing a new look for CV in 2009 as well.

All I can tell you is, people love these cars because of the quality, reliability, and durability, as well as their size and safety factors. Keep in mind the CV and GM have exceeded government crash test ratings 10 years before the 2006 standards went into effect, since 1996. These cars run their butts off, they rarely break down, and they offer plenty of room and trunk space. What other car can do that? What other car is still running strong after 200,000 or 300,000 miles? Think I don't know what I'm talking about? Ask my sister. 1988 Crown Vic, with 450,000 miles. Original engine and transmission. Only thing new on it are exhaust pipes and a paint job. After nearly 20 years on the road, with some of those as a police car! People buy these cars because of the product, not because of something silly like styling. Older people want a car that will last, be safe, roomy, and dependable. They don't care about a waterfall grille or what the taillights look like. Young people care about such things. Change the oil, a little routine maintenance, and drive! That's what it's all about. That's why my mother just bought her third GM (2008) and she's had two CV's prior to those.

Mr Ford, Mr Mullaly, Many of the structural and financial changes that are being made with regards to Ford Motor Company are indeed necessary cuts. You and I both know this, however, there are many who do not fully understand the intricasies of the auto business well enough to fully evaluate the variables that drive these decisions. Ford is a successful company in nearly every respect; it has reinvented itself many times throughout the last century, such as when Mr. Henry Ford revolutionized operations by bringing in the "Whiz Kids" during the 1920's and 30's. Any successful businessman knows that keeping overhead low is the key to success. I have been dismayed at the apparent greed exerted by the UAW, as it seems obvious that the Unions continue to demand more and more from the Company without regard for the company's overall fiscal health. I firmly believe that the Company's current financial troubles have been significantly affected by the strains placed upon it by the UAW. I won't hide from the fact that I distrust and dislike Unions, though I agree that all workers should be fairly and justly treated regardless of the company that employs them. I believe that Ford Motor Company has demonstrated a firm history of taking care of its employees since 1903, and feel confident it would continue to do so if Unions were forced out of company operations. Being a Ford employee is much more than simple Union membership: it's about being a part of something greater than yourself, a source of pride and family. Mr. Mullaly, I am proud of the decision to keep the Taurus part of the active model lineup. Taurus is every bit synonymous with Ford, just as the Model T and the Mustang, a cherished part of automotive history that I trust will continue to grace the world's highways for decades to come. I believe firmly that Ford is on the right track to financial stability and profitability, and is continuing to produce the finest vehicles in America. That belief is backed by over 50 years of Ford ownership in my family, which has included everything from the 1978 LTD, 1982 Granada, 2001 Continental and 2008 Grand Marquis. Not once has any Ford in my family ever failed us; I can not begin to calculate the millions of miles we've driven collectively on all of our Fords. Having worked in broadcasting, I know that perception is reality. When a person is told over and over that something is a good product, he believes it. This is a tactic used by our competition, and a tactic our Company must employ to help grow our market share. Though the media would have us believe that we hold only 15% of the market, most surveys reveal that the overwhelming majority of Americans have an American vehicle in their driveway. We must not let anyone "spin" the media to discourage any buyer from our products. Marketing is clearly an under-used resource that must be increased. We're proud of our vehicles, we must make that known! Enthusiasm is infectious, we should boast about our Escape Hybrids and Tauruses with a smile on our faces. If we believe in our cars, so will others. The proof is behind the wheel, we just need to get buyers to sit there. Previous Ford management has squandered excellent opportunities in the past. The Lincoln LS was an exceptional vehicle that should never have stopped production. It was so close to perfection and in many ways outperformed the likes of BMW, yet never received the backing it was due. We should invest in continual improvement of our cars, rather than allow them to languish into obscurity and ultimately fade away. The bread and butter of our company stems from retail vehicle sales. We should never allow fleet sales to outstrip retail sales. Once again, this is happening only this time with Crown Victoria, just as with the previous generation Taurus. There is little profit in fleet sales, we should invest in consumer sales and then consider fleet purchases to be icing on the proverbial cake. Gentlemen, you know as well as I do that Ford Motor Company is here to stay. It's not enough to build the best vehicles, we must make that fact known. A little amount of ego can be healthy, especially when it's backed up by exceptional products like Fusion, Edge and Taurus. We should never be ashamed to stand behind the products we make. Perception is reality, and reality drives perception. I own shares of Ford Motor Company and I do not care to make profit from those shares. I'm proud to own my stock and will continue to hold that stock as long as I live. Perhaps if everyone acted for the good of the greater good first instead of being selfish, we would all enjoy more successes. Grossly excessive salaries are contrary to the Company's greater good. When we invest in our company, we invest in our futures, and everyone succeeds. I congratulate every employee of Ford for the dedication and hard work that drives us forward. Every person that contributes is a vital part of our collective, be it a worker on the assembly line or a Vice President. Each day we come together and help build the future of America on wheels. Mr. Henry Ford said, "Before everything else, being ready is the secret to success." As we drive into the 21st century, I'm ready. Let's prove to the world and our competition that not only are they in our rearview mirrors, but we see the future before anyone else. There's no better place to be. Sincerely, Dave L. Shareholder/Owner Ford Motor Company Virginia Proud owner: 2001 Continental, 110,000 miles

Wait a second.... I get so tired of people saying the 500 had bland styling. Let's see, I've seen SEVERAL models from Toyoder and Lexshus that looked almost the SAME... square grille, square headlights..etc etc... and yet NO ONE ever complained about that styling... Give it a rest. Far as I'm concerned, the 3.0L engine was all that was wrong with 500. And now it's fixed.

Biggy, bbf is exactly correct. THe car is a new model, so there are no spare parts ANYWHERE...they have to be produced from the factory that is making the cars on the assembly line! So yes, it does take a lot longer to get replacement parts to you, since the car is so new and an accident after a few days is very rare. Glad you got it fixed... I'd give anything to be able to buy a new Taurus right now... but that day will come soon.

Ask the sales manager, he has a binder that lists every car in inventory, and lists the AZD plan prices as well as X plan. Generally, X plan saves about $1500, while D plan saves from $2,000-4,000, from experience. X plan is a non-negotiable price however. AD plan allows incentives to be added.

I'm saddened the CV is no longer available to the public (though I hear its been like that in Canada for years) but I can understand the logic... CV sells best to fleet and gov't buyers, while GM sells best to the public. It's an obvious money-based decision that makes sense.

If you're talking about the big rectangular screen that has buttons along its side... HELLO...wake up! It's the $2000 Navigation System and the screen is a touch-screen! Gees, get with the times folks. ABout the wood trim... I have PERSONALLY seen and driven the 08 Taurus and Sable... Mercury is going with the black and aluminum satin look for Sable, and to me, though Sable should be the dressier version... I prefer the wood trim on Taurus... it gives it a very rich and elegant look. Since Camry and Avalon are too cheap and poorly made to even offer a wood option, that gives Taurus something that Toyoder doesn't... and a richer looking vehicle interior for a lot LESS money!

I think bringing back the Taurus and Sable names was a GREAT idea, and I think now they have something to advertise and champion a great vehicle, that will be even greater with over 260hp under the hood to go with great styling and a famous name. Plus, keeping the name improves the chances that the car will win the coveted "Car of the Year" award from Motor Trend.... now won't THAT be something to trumpet in the streets! "Ford Taurus... 2008 Motor Trend Car of the Year..." THAT WOULD BE SWEET!!

Falconman13, That is just wrong that a dealer can't call you back or anything. I was in sales for awhile, if we ignored a customer we'd be fired! If you're near Virginia at all, contact Barton Ford Lincoln Mercury in Suffolk. Awesome place, and believe it or not, they have a movie theater in their Service Dept/Body Shop building. I won't take my Continental anywhere else!

I think it looks great! Keep in mind, in 1989 E Series was Motor Trend Truck of the Year. THese vans SELL because they are workhorses, and great vehicles. Been in production since 1964.