akirby

Check the spare tire/jack/lug wrench.

Darn near impossible (or at least not feasible). Changing the engine from transverse to longitudinal is a huge change and if the platform wasn't engineered for it then it won't happen. It's cheaper and easier to build a new platform.

I think those were the same problems Jag was having with the Pirellis on the S type which caused them to switch to Michelin.

Why would you buy one from Helm or E-Bay when you can print one off for free immediately? It's the exact same text.

It's not worthless because it represents a gain in market share as opposed to someone who's moving from a Focus or other Ford product into a Fusion which doesn't. One interview mentioned Civic, Camry, Jetta, Altima.

Right here - free and quick. https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owne...als/default.asp

Michelins are mostly great tires - but they're expensive. The Jag Stype used to have Pirellis but they had lots of complaints and finally switched over to Michelins. Obviously not the same exact tire so YMMV. I'd go to Tirerack.com and check the user surveys. If they have enough reports it's usually very accurate. If it were me I'd take the Michelins based on past experience (I just replaced the Pilot LTXs on my Aviator and they're great). Again the only downside is replacement price.

How is this Ford's fault? They have no control over the dealers. Every time they try to get control they get sued and lose. What are they supposed to do?

You should be able to get it from Ford using the VIN number.

Not sure about the mustang tranny or the new 6 speeds. I hope so. As to the Edge MT review - it was confirmed by an engineer that the MT vehicle was one of the earliest and that they made hundreds of changes after that and before production began. Not to mention that it was being compared with SUVs. I think we need to wait until more reviews and tests have been conducted with the production models before making any conclusions.

DEW98 was too expensive but more importantly it's too small for the modular V8s. Otherwise the LS would have had a 4.6L several years ago.

Oh yeah - we've been through this before. Deja vu. The 5R55 as used in the LS and Tbird did not have shift scheduling capability unless it was added in the last year or so. Not sure about the other applications.

In June 07???

My point was simply that it won't shift differently for different drivers. It will only learn the best shift pressures for that particular transmission. There are some transmissions that change shift patterns based on driving habits but the LS and Tbird (and as far as I know no Ford) trannies don't do that.

That's not nearly as stupid as the one where the truck falls all the way through the Earth and ends up in China. And I thought they couldn't do any worse than Dr. Z.

The code is printed on the module but I don't know where the module is on a Taurus. On the explorer it was in the side of the cargo area.

The Ford quotes above are referring to adaptive learning for SHIFT QUALITY. The software compares the amount of time it takes to complete a shift with the ideal time and it will adjust shift pressures the next time to compensate. Driving habits can hasten or slow the learning process because the shift pressures vary by shift, rpm and throttle input so there are a lot of data points. I personally know the engineer in charge of the software for the LS and Tbird trannies who told us that this is what happens. What's your source?

That's why it's so much cheaper than having no copay.

Your Tbird tranny didn't "adapt" to your driving. It simply adjusted the shift pressures to account for manufacturing tolerances and wear over time. Has nothing to do with the way you drove it.

Ford said last year that it would let the other companies like GM and Hyundai have the rental fleet market. I'm sure if they needed volume to fill contracts they would have kept the Taurus longer.

I have a highly subsidized medical plan with a large corporation. I pay almost $200/month for no deductible coverage with co-pays (family coverage). You can get individual coverage for less than $100/month but it also comes with a $2K deductible and 90% coverage. You couldn't get $100/month coverage privately with no deductible and only a small co-pay. The company would still be paying a large sum of money to subsidize the coverage.

Yet another reason the dew98 wasn't suitable for the mustang - couldn't do a rear seat because of the cross braces. I don't know if HTT meant the floor pans and fuel tanks were identical or if they were the same but modified - all he said was that the floor pan and fuel tanks were carried over from the dew98 but that was all.

According to HTT who worked on both, only the floorpan and fuel tanks are the same. Everything else is different.

Of course it sucks, but it's not the companies' fault. If it costs the company $200M more to provide medical insurance today than it did 5 years ago, that money has to come from somewhere. And if you give people health benefits with no copays then they'll abuse the system. A modest co-pay helps keep costs down for everyone.

It's been happening to every employee in every other non-UAW industry for the last several years. Welcome to the party. There's no reason someone making over $20/hr can't pay $100/month and $25 per visit for health care. No company can afford to give 100% free healthcare to workers anymore.