blksn8k2

I read an article recently where Toyota stated that they use some of the same suppliers as the Big 3. That means they could be hurt by the domino effect as well. I am also a little surprised they would admit something like that. Of course the news media would never question how their quality could be so much higher when they source their parts from the same vendors.

Most of the news articles I have read recently are making statements like "GM and Chrysler say they will not be able to avoid bankruptcy before the end of the year without government aide and Ford's situation is not much better." Doesn't sound very positive to me.

The more likely scenario is that they will offer a bailout package to Toyota and Honda before the domestics. LOL.

Amazing how some of the people who left comments on that article apparently didn't even read it. All they did was spew the same old rhetoric of hatred for the US auto industry. The comments by Sam Ventres and Tim Erdman were particularly annoying since they both referred to "bailouts" when if fact Ford is asking for low interest loan guarantees that they may never even exercise.

Diecast hell, that's the same combo as the 70 Mach 1 I am restoring. Q code (428CJ), 4-speed. Where did you find a Grabber Blue Mach 1 diecast? All I have ever seen in that color are Boss 302 or 429 diecasts.

Yikes! The photos on the Ford site of the Chinese sedan don't look nearly as good as the Verve. Those wheel arches look like ass in comparison. Should have left well enough alone IMO.

Just out of curiosity, is this the same 6-speed as in the new F150? If so, how on earth could Ford possibly put this POS in their top selling vehicle unless they have fixed this issue? Assuming they have fixed it, will they finally man up and fix our guinea pig Explorers?

Back to the original topic, is Ford still planning to offer a sedan version of the Fiesta here? I saw the Verve sedan at the NAIAS last year and I still think it looks better than the hatch-backs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ford_Verve_NY.jpg

I don't think this has as much to do with the type of racing (even though some people obviously don't like NASCAR) as it does with the economy in general. It is still one of the most popular sports in America and still draws large TV audiences and ticket sales. I swear it seems sometimes as though all these cutbacks and hand wringings are only making a bad situation much worse. It is definitely having a ripple effect. Every job that is lost means one more income that will not be spent on goods and services, etc. etc, etc. Scary times...

Explains the source of the medical term "mammogram". :reading:

Wasn't that the Cisco Kid's sidekick Poncho?

Positive. I looked at the window stickers of all three over Labor Day weekend. The V-6s were 09 models. The SRT8 had non-dealer personalized plates so my guess is that the owner of the dealership is using it as a demo. He is a wildman and likes 'em fast and furious. I'm sure he has tested it's capabilities at least once or twice.

Speaking of base models, the Chrysler dealer in my old hometown in PA has had three Challengers on their lot since before Labor Day. Hasn't sold any of them and two are 3.5L base models while the third is an SRT8.

Where is the best place to see spy shots of the GT500?

73" high? That's over six feet! My old Bronco with 5 1/2" of lift is barely that high. I hope you are being sarcastic...

What a concept. Small dispacement, boosted engine that gets better fuel mileage than a larger, naturally aspirated engine. Oh wait, my 89 T-bird SC came from the factory with a 3.8L V6 with an Eaton supercharger and it easily gets 26-28 mpg highway in a nearly 4000 lb chassis.

Not trying to throw water on the fire but has Ford said what type of fuel the EB engines will require? Most boosted engines, whether they are turbocharged or supercharged, require premium fuel. Around here that means about $.20 per gal higher fuel price. If you are comparing an EB 3.5L V6 to a NA 4.6L 3V V8, which runs just fine on 87 octane, the actual fuel cost may be closer than people think.

Maybe they will come with one of these. https://www.looneystore.com/itemdetail.cfm?item=mmbob

Me too. I must be getting old because I actually liked the styling of the Verve four-door sedan concept more than this Pontiac Vibish thingy. The rear window on the five-door reminds me of some cartoon character. You know, the one with the helmet and the little slit for its eyes.

I recall watching an episode of Autoline Detroit that aired just before the Edge went on sale. The host, John McElroy, was interviewing one of the editors from Motor Trend and asked him what his impression was of the Edge. The MT guy basically ripped it a new butt hole saying it was not very sporty or fun to drive. His opinion was that the RSC was too intrusive to the point that it took all the fun out of it. McElroy's response was something like "Well, I think we'll have to wait and see what the average consumer thinks of it". I guess the average CUV buyer doesn't care about skid pad G forces or slalom test speeds. Imagine that...

Just curious, does anyone know what engine will be built here when the plant re-opens?

I have no doubt all the major rags have comparison articles in the works. Should be interesting... :reading:

Kind of ironic how everyone was complaining about how heavy the Mustang was, especially the GT500. What is the Camaro weighing in at? The Pontiac G8 which shares the same chassis as the Camaro was listed at about 4100 lbs in the latest MT.

Is the 6-speed automatic that is planned for the 09 F-150 the same transmission used in the 06 and newer Explorer? If it is has Ford done anything to address the driveability issues? I have an 07 Sport Trac with this transmission and while I have not had any serious issues with mine after about 16K miles I have read posts on numerous message boards from owners who have. Ford does not seem to have an acceptable solution to their problems either. I certainly hope they solve this problem before the 09 goes into production otherwise they will have a serious credibility problem. The last thing Ford needs is a bunch of unhappy F-150 owners as this is their moneymaker.

I am approaching 16k miles on my 07 Sport Trac Limited 4x4 V8. I have probably experienced the hard downshift when coming to a complete stop less than 10 times total. One of the few times that I have experienced a clunk has been after coming to a complete stop and then trying to accelerate again within seconds, such as when making a right on red. I have read that the computer has to learn your driving habits. I have also found that if I wait just a few seconds more before trying to take off again results in much smoother operation. I suspect the computer that controls the transmission shift points is not able to make the necessary calculations quickly enough to do it smoothly. Maybe it needs more processor speed? I have also read that this transmission and it's computer are supplied to Ford as a sealed unit. I see this as a major issue for Ford if they plan to use this same transmission in the 09 F-150.