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.

Agreed. It's the battery.

I think this concept is kinda neat. You may have a future in auto design. Any idea what kind of drag it could generate in a wind tunnel? What kind of power?

I am simply going to have to wait until next spring. The dealers here won't budge on the price. There are too few cars and they are willing to wait until the end of summer before they will even entertain the idea of invoice pricing.

My local dealership has several Mustang GT Convertibles on the lot. While they are gorgous cars, they cost nearly 4 grand more than I paid for my last brand new Mustang Cobra Convertible. And the Cobra had a supercharger, six speed manual, and an IRS. The 2010 Mustang GT Conv seems to have become one of Ford's most expensive cars on the lot. It is a real bummer.

I don't know the specifics of this vehicles, but on another car I owned, the problem was a bad solenoid that is designed to open and allow the intake manifold to draw the vapors out of the canister. If the purge valve remains shut, it will keep vapors trapped in the canister and produce the problems you are experiencing.

I imagine it would not only be a "Ford" issue but a supplier issue as well. You can only build as many vehicles as the suppliers can provide. It is a shame. Ford lost sales here in south Florida because there were too few Fusions, Focuses, and Escapes.

Are any of the premium automakers selling well in this economy?

The new Mustang GT Convertible looks sharp. Unfortunately, it has become one of the highest priced vehicles in Ford's fleet. At $38,000, it is simply out of touch for me.

Make : FORD Model : EXPLORER Year : 2006 Manufacturer : FORD MOTOR COMPANY Service Bulletin Number : 05236 Date of Bulletin : JAN 01, 2006 NHTSA Item Number : 10019029 Component : POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Summary : HARSH OR DELAYED 1-2, 2-1 AND/OR 3-2 SHIFT. *TT I took my vehicle in for service to address this issue and the dealer/service reflashed the computer and the technician replaced the screen and transmission fluid. It helped initially, but then the kicking came back over the next 12,000K miles. The shifting degraded to a point where I took it back and this time, the dealer/service pulled the entire transmission and rebuilt it. The tech stated that there were worn parts (vehicle has 21,000 miles and never towed anything). It took three days, but I advised the dealer/service to take their time with it since the bumper-to-bumper warranty was just about up. Since picking it up, the transmission is noticeably smoother and quieter. No kicks. I am thankful that the dealer service took the time to thoroughly address this issue. Hopefully this fix will finally resolve it.

My girlfriend and I were looking at the Fusion and the Accord and then the Mazda6. At the Mazda dealership the 3 caught her eye. I agree I was a bit put off by the front fascia of the 3. But it was the perfect size and had bells and whistles (HID self-leveling and turn-in headlamps, manumatic transmission on the automatic (or six speed manual), touch button start, dual exhaust) that are usually reserved for cars in the $30K range. The Grand Touring was better equipped and less expensive than the 2005 Acura TSX that we are replacing. What really sold me was the low end torque in the 2.5. This car was much more fun to drive than either the Accord or Fusion. My girlfriend loved the car because it made her feel 10 years younger. We like the car so much we bought it. I will agree that while the wind noise is muted, the road/tire noise is noticeable in the cabin compared to the TSX. But the Bose stereo takes care of that issue. I really like that it is getting 32mpg at 75mph on the highway on regular unleaded.