akirby

Do a search for PIE adapter.

It also won't apply if you forget to do the 5 yr checkup, so that cuts down the number of potential claims even more. I say it's a smart marketing move. They get the benefit of added publicity and sales now but the added costs won't begin to show up for at least 5 years.

I agree - just didn't want people to think this particular study was on long term quality.

I assume it has to do with the 09 F150 redesign. Or maybe Lincoln doesn't want to be in the pickup business any more. When they introduced the LT they didn't have the MKX or the Navigator L. The MKS will be out next year so they won't really miss the 10K/yr volume.

You guys do realize that GQRS only measures the first 3 months of ownership, right? It's still a great accomplishment but don't read more into it than is really there.

Why does the union think that a worker's pay should be based on the company's profitability? A job is worth whatever the market says the job is worth and that's based on the skill level required and the number of positions available. If you expect higher than market pay because the company is making a profit - would you accept lower than market pay when the company was losing money? Of course not. Should a secretary at an oil company that makes billions in profit be paid more than a secretary at Ford that lost $12B last year if they do exactly the same job? Of course not. It's time to wake up to the realities of the real world job market and stop living in this LaLa land of Union contracts that were negotiated in a different era.

$258M profit for 2Q NOT COUNTING the Aston Martin sale.

Right now Ford doesn't really have a vehicle that is direct competition for a BMW. I think they will one day but the only thing that was close (the Lincoln LS) was killed last year. If you worked for a beer brewery does that mean you can't drink champagne?

I think this will be the only 2009 Mark LT ever made. I heard 2008 would be the last year but I don't know for sure.

Wow! An estimate of a forecast with a range of 15 to 74 cents per share. That's some real newsworthy data!

That explains a lot. Actually I had a 1990 2.3L and a 1995 4.0L. I never understood why they offered the 3.0L option in the first place.

I think the FWD version will be limited to 280 or so hp which could be a fuel efficient standard 3.7L without all the goodies. I think 300 or more will require AWD.

It's either the 6F or an Aisin unit with manual shift capability, just like the old LS/Tbird setup. It's not the powershift/clutchless manual type of tranny.

Who still uses it? I thought all the 3.0s were duratecs?

That was last year. The 4.4L V8 was super expensive because it was outsourced to Yamaha and it only puts out 315 hp. The 3.7L V6 is much cheaper and will put out up to 330 hp naturally aspirated with direct injection and full VCT. The 3.9L V8 was also more expensive (it's gone now in case you hadn't heard) and only put out 280 hp, possibly 300-320 with some major changes. And the V6 should get slightly better fuel economy than either of the V8s. There is absolutely no reason to offer a V8 with the MKS right now.

As pointed out, the keypad does unlock all the doors. And if it bothers you that much just turn off the autolock feature.

Correct, but up until Mullaly each continent was allowed to do whatever they wanted (see Fusion/CD3 and Mondel/EUCD) and they only collaborated by mutual agreement. Mullaly has mandated that there be global platform sharing. He's forcing them to act like one company instead of individual companies and putting the needs of the global Ford above their own individual needs. It's probably the single biggest impact Mullaly has had along with taking the capital budget back from the board of directors. This is groundbreaking stuff for Ford even though it seems obvious that they should have been doing this all along.

Doing the same type of stops also work going forward, although I could see where reverse might work better - assuming you don't hit anything. My sister ran into a tree with the family station wagon back in the 70's trying to "back off" the excess miles she put on it that night.

Of course you can. Not only that, but you also get most mfr to dealer incentives that aren't published. The only things you can't use with X plan are the special rebates like college grad, military or american quarter horse association.

The MKS will not get the 4.4L V8. Instead it will get a 3.7L V6 with Direct Injection that puts out almost as much if not more hp than the yamaha 4.4L V8. It will also get a Twin Turbo 3.5L or 3.7L putting out at least 380 hp a few months after it debuts. The Mark LT (F150 clone) is gone after the 08 model year.

That's why they have a 8 yr warranty on the batteries.

Because the new ones don't really "tilt" - the whole column moves up and down AND it telescopes. The old ones only tilted right behind the wheel. It's not a convenience feature for getting in and out - it's an adjustment for driving position.

May/June 08

They are PERFECTLY ACCURATE for what they represent. If the EPA allowed them to advertise their own mileage estimates then they would all design their own tests that give them better results and all the tests would be different and there would be no way to compare them. The EPA dictates the tests and therefore the test results and it's the same for all manufacturers. The fact that the Prius is more optimistic than others is based on the way the hybrid system works. Perhaps you should actually read what the sticker says. Here is the exact wording from a Fusion V6 sticker: CITY MPG 20 HIGHWAY MPG 28 Vehicle Engine Information 2007 FUSION 3.0L DOHC V6, FUEL INJECTION, CATALYST, 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Actual mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicle's condition. Results reported to EPA indicate that the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 17 and 23 mpg in the city and between 23 and 33 mpg on the highway. For Comparison Shopping all vehicles classified as MIDSIZE have been issued mileage ratings from 10 to 60 mpg city and 16 to 51 mpg highway.

Exactly. The EPA numbers DO NOT REPRESENT YOUR EXPECTED ACTUAL FUEL ECONOMY. Says so right on the sticker.