Meelaan

Great work here, Timmm. I really like your execution. :beerchug:

One word: CIMMERON. Two more words: Horrible idea. I can't wish anything like this on Lincoln. The brand is already downmarket enough as it is.

1983.

Point is that GM has come through the storm better than anyone ever expected... and with only having to shed Oldsmobile in the process. Point is Ford doesn't have nearly as many badges to drag with it through the storm. Point is if Ford actually bothered to define the market for each brand it owns, customers would have something to identify their brands with other than recalls and poor build quality.

What if... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20393673/site/newsweek/ Toyota might soon replace GM in another iconic role: official automotive sponsor of the U.S. Olympic team. “Toyota has an obsession with becoming America’s car company,” says Peter De Lorenzo, author of the forthcoming book “The United States of Toyota.” “After NASCAR, grabbing the Olympics would be the next logical step.”

Ford has been backwards about its division brand differentiation for decades now. The differentation should not be based on tiers of luxury. Rather, it should follow the GM model. Hell, they've got eight brands under their wing... sound like they are the experts at this game. GM differentiates on THE IMAGE OF LIFESTYLE. Not luxury alone as FoMoCo does. What's being communicated: Buick - Comfortable, safe, luxury on par with Lexus. Tiger Woods approved. Cadillac - Mold-breaking baby-boomer rebellious attitude. Chevrolet - Quality American vehicles for Americans who love America. USA-USA-USA. GMC - Hard working, industrial-strength trucks. Hummer - Go-anywhere recreational vehicles for your urban lifestyle. Pontiac - Exciting, edgy performance with a flair of devil-may-care youthfulness. Saab - Nordic/European with a sporty attitude. Saturn - "I-would-have-bought-an-Accord-but-GM-says-this-is-better" personality. The kind of people who think all you have to do to keep a car running is put gas in it. Ford needs to be a combination of Chevrolet/Pontiac/Saturn/GMC. Mercury needs to be combination of Saab/Buick. And Lincoln needs to be Cadillac/Hummer. That's how you fix the situation. You look at a competitor who's already dug themselves out the quicksand.

Can anyone tell me what exactly is "new" about the grille here? As if the Hybrid would look any different from the regular gas vehicle? The Escape Hybrid doesn't.

I recently had an issue with that practice. I had six CDs in the changer with one of them being a MP3 burned CD. It was one of those with the all solid white surface on the label side. Had it in there for a couple of months, I guess. Changer ended a CD and moved to that MP3 disc... but it wouldn't play. None of the head unit's controls would work either--I couldn't skip or eject the MP3 disc. Got it to turn off though. Turned it back on, and the display read "CD ERROR." Turned it off again. Let it sit for a while, and hit the eject button. It came out, thankfully. No other problems to report. I think it was the MP3 CD label surface being that lightly textured white ink coverage. Haven't tried to play any MP3 CDs since though, so not really sure if it's as bad as a complete MP3 CD read problem.

What are your credentials? How are you privy to this information? These retarded insinuations that Mercury is holding back Ford and will be cut continue to play out as mere rumor. It's getting old. Mercury is the only Ford brand left that isn't entirely damaged by FoMoCo's horrible public image. I feel the only way to sell Ford's product line is to rebadge everything as Mercury. Get rid of the real problem--the blue oval logo.

Then you are lucky enough to own a transition vehicle. I double-checked and my Milan was built in July 2006. It's essentially a carry-over from the 2006 model. Kinda cheesy how Ford did that.

1997 Ford Lineup: Aspire Contour Crown Victoria Escort Mustang Probe Taurus Thunderbird 2007 Ford Lineup: Crown Victoria Five Hundred/Taurus Focus Fusion Mustang I don't see anything from 10 years ago to get excited about compared to what's available right now. Major differences are the Probe (which was on its way out after attempting to replace the Mustang), the Thunderbird (on its last breath), the Contour (in decline), the Aspire (import from Kia on its last leg), and the Escort (would be replaced by the Focus three years later). ...But, to each his own.

Get a 2.3L Mariner. The gas savings of the hybrid model is not great enough to justify such selectiveness.

That's the fuel tank protective casing. It covers the fuel tank to protect it. Every Ford vehicle has it. The frame is set up for IRS, so no... a solid rear axle is out of the question.

Anyone ever consider part of Ford's problem is they make vehicles that say "SEL" on the back of them? Talk about a negative connotation. Reverting to "L," "GL," and "LX" could boost sales at least 10%.

People will pay more for what they perceive as a better product. That's what's been happening for the past 10 years anyway. Ford's--and the other "domestic" brands'--biggest enemy is their constant price cutting. All people end up seeing is "CHEAP." What do you think of a product that has to be discounted so much just to get it off the lot? FAULTED.

This thread is ghey.

"On certain vehicles, the sensing and diagnostic module, which controls the function of front air bags, may not operate properly. As a result, the front air bags may fail to deploy in a frontal crash. Also, the air-bag warning lamp on the instrument panel may fail to provide warning that the system is inoperative." Good luck with that.

Because Ford enjoys bleeding money, I guess. Until Ford wisens up and starts playing smart-ball like Nissan, they're on a neverending coast downhill. Nissan uses two power trains in every car: 3.5L and 2.0L. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.

You'll find the more you let dealership shop mechanics mess with your car, the more problems pop up. It's like feeding your child to a crowd of gremlins. Put yourself in their shoes. Do you want to deal with the guy who takes his car in every time he hears a rattle in the door? Screw that. You're wasting both your time and theirs.

As much as the press rails on Ford every time a recall notice goes out, it's primarily Nissan, VW, and Chrysler that exhibited the most recalled vehicles over the past year. Only Ford here is at #15... and it's for probable tire manufacturing issues. See the full list with details: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/08/08...mpaign_id=msnbc VW New Beetle Toyota Sequoia Jeep Liberty Nissan Altima Hyundai Tucson Dodge Nitro/Jeep Wrangler Suzuki Forenza/Reno VW Passat Miscellaneous Chrysler cars/SUVs Infiniti G35 Coupe Chevy Aveo Nissan Versa GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook Ford Expedition

Passenger cars typically have a max tow rating of 1,000lbs. A Crown Vic would be the exception due to body on frame, rear-wheel drive, and low-end V8 torque. Ergo, it's a four-door truck. Your Taurus is a far cry from this.

Does the vehicle start? Does the vehicle drive? Are you comfortable in the vehicle? Are parts falling off? Seems the answers to these questions here is a "no." So why involve a dealer? If there's nothing clearly broken, there's nothing to fix.

Go into your "My Controls" screen and select hide signatures. On topic: Anyone ever heard the theory that if cars were invented now, they'd be federally controlled like airplanes? Wrap your minds around that one!

I keep reading the issue about "people who need vehicles with low fuel efficiency for work would suffer" didn't read the part of my initial post about exceptions. The tax would be for non-commercial vehicles... those owned privately. Airline, trucking, and municipal vehicles would be exempt from the tax. Those vehicles are necessary for operation of our national infrastructure. SIDEBAR... And my comment about poor access to New Orleans residences was not influenced by any carbon monoxide leak. Insurance companies are no longer writing policies for mortgages in the area. You can't buy a house without homeowner's insurance. Therefore you can't buy a house. Rental property rates have skyrocketed. Apartments that were priced at $500 before the hurricane are $1800/month now. That's due to higher insurance rates for the property owners. I bought my 3 bed 2 bath house in Covington (northshore) in 2002 for under $80k... that's impossible in New Orleans or Jefferson right now. Unless you want a house with no walls in New Orleans East.

I hate to say it, but he's right. The only thing Americans (i.e. "the general consumer whore nation") understands is their wallet. Thing is, both of these things would have to happen: 1. Gas would have to be over $5.00/gallon. Perhaps around $7.00. 2. The huge commuting public--of which I'm a member of--would have to relocate closer to their employer's location. I would foresee this increase in fuel costs only being enacted on the driving public as raising costs for fuel on airline, trucking, and government entities would crash infrastructures around the country. Perhaps a sort of "visa" would be granted to those who must commute a particular minimum distance each day and cannot afford to relocate? I would fit that bill, as I commute 105 miles round trip every day to New Orleans where residential property costs are either jacked up to all hell or not even available. If the price of gasoline was increased $0.50 per gallon, I could live with it. I wouldn't like it, but it wouldn't prevent me from continuing my routine. An increase of $3.00/gallon would definitely have an effect on me though... and I think that would go for all the driving public, thereby getting the government's--and Mullaly's--desired effect.