FLLMTR

Thanks for the reply. I will pay closer attention to it when I go back to the dealership.

Wow, thank goodness for owner forums. I have been working with a dealer regarding the 2012 Focus SEL Hatchback over the weekend. After reading this thread, I am wondering if I should buy this car. For those of you who are experiencing this problem, did it show up within the first few hundred miles? Or did it show up after a few thousand? I owned a Mountaineer with a kicking transmission from 2nd the 1st gear when coming to a stop. It took over two years for Ford and my local dealership to finally fix the problem... I certainly have no interest in reliving the experience...

I am interested in trading in my SUV for Focus but have yet to test drive one. Do you think that the driving characteristics you are experiencing will reveal themselves on the test drive... or should I rent one (if I can find one) for the weekend to ferret out any issues that develop with time?

I hate haggling with dealers which is why I was thankful for one of the paint guys at the Louisville plant for giving me an X-plan PIN to buy a Mountaineer Premier in '06. But X-Plan PINs are really tough to come buy. I too am thinking about a Titanium 5 door with Nav and Sunroof. Here is my question. Has anyone had any experience with buying through COSTCO or other buying services? My boss bought a Hyundai Sonota through COSTCO. But before I run out and become a member, I just want to know other peoples experiences.

I was under the impression that most incentives were limited to dealer stock in order to clear current inventory. I was not aware a customer could order a vehicle and still get the incentives. Is this right?

I am currently the owner of a Mercury Mountaineer Premier. I chose this vehicle because back in 2006 when I purchased it, the Explorer did not offer power folding running boards as an option. Aside from a glitch with the transmission that took two years and three trips to the dealer to resolve, I am pretty satisfied with it. Back in 2008 I remember reading that >60% of Mercury sales were conquest sales from Honda and Toyota. When the customers were surveyed, many stated that they would never buy a vehicle with a Ford logo on it. Lets not forget that it was not that long ago that Explorers were known for tire failures and roll overs and F150s were burning people's houses down after being parked in the garage because of a short circuit in the cruise control system. But as fate would have it, the Ford brand has become the flavor of the month. Reliability is up, recalls are down, and Ford never took any bailout money from the government.... Lets also admit that Ford has benefited from Toyota's huge PR hit which forced repeat buyers to finally give Honda and Ford serious consideration. I am disappointed that Ford Motor Company decided to kill off Mercury. I guess I underestimated how much it takes to mold a different set of headlamps, bumpers and interior color radio and switch bezels. What are we talking $50 instead of $25/per unit cost? I am kidding, I really don't have a clue as to how much it costs to stamp out Mercury emblems. Put simply, Ford killed Mercury because of marketing. It was not due to costs for R&D or manufacturing. Let's not kid ourselves. Ford trying to tout itself as a premium brand. Therefore, Mercury is a distraction. Ford One is the catch phrase. Frankly, Ford should kill off Lincoln too.

16.1 mpg is pretty good, lol. J/k. I am such a jacka%%. It is a pretty cool photo .

I am disappointed to see Mercury get axed. Under the One Ford Plan, I imagine the Lincoln will be facing the same scenario soon. After all, if a Mustang GT can hit $42,000 with options, then what would a Lincoln have to cost in order to be "above" a Ford name plate?

Ford really priced the Mustang GT Convertible very high. If a potential buyer could lay down $5K, they are looking at an $800/month payment for a $38,000 convertible GT (+taxes, title, tag). On the other hand, if they open up the Sunday paper they will see lease ads for $45,000 BMW 328iC for $3000 down and ~$450/month + tax. It probably explains why I have yet to see a convertible 2010 Mustang GT driving down Fort Lauderdale beach but BMW's seem to be everywhere.

Can you cite where the spare tire is an option? Neither the BMWUSA website or my dealer in Fort Lauderdale can provide that part number as an option. Thanks.

Thanks for the clarification. As of today, neither Edmunds nor Carsdirect.com list the V8 Mountaineer for 2010. But the Mercuryvehicles.com site does, just the way you described. Thanks.

I have been pricing out SUV's on a car buying website and I came across a statement that claims that the V8 with a 6-spd transmission can no longer be ordered. Is this true? Are the day's of the V8 over?

You may be able to get the vehicle retrofitted with these options such as tow hooks and skid plates. But understand that there are fewer manufacturers that make these available because of CAFE restrictions. All of these components add weight to the vehicle. Functional skid plates can add several hundred pounds to the gross weight of the truck and thus hurt the fuel economy. Right now, fuel economy is the one of the top reasons cited for crushing Explorer sales. What others have stated is true. You can't overlook even the smallest of details. When I comparison shopped recently, I was shocked the BMW does not provide a spare tire on their 3 Series car... not even as an option since there is no place to mount one. BMW instead fits the car with run-flat tires that cost a fortune to replace.

These batteries must have a self destruct date. Mine just died tonight @ 39 months.... After reading Punisher's response, I ejected all of my CD's. Once I get the replacement battery installed tomorrow, we'll see if the head unit survives.

The more I run the numbers, the more attractive the Camaro is becoming.... Too bad the convertible won't be out until 2011.