grbeck

Around Thanksgiving another central Pennsylvania Ford dealer had a brand-new Explorer Timberline with a $5,000 "price adjustment!"

Our local Ford dealer didn't have any Explorers on the lot when I last checked (this past Sunday).

The Lelands (Henry and Wilfred) founded Lincoln in 1917 to build Liberty V-12 airplane engines for the U.S war effort. When World War I ended, they switched over to car production. The first Lincoln car was built in late 1920 (most likely as a 1921 model). Ford acquired the company in 1922.

The local dealer association just announced that the 2022 Pennsylvania Auto Show (held in late January at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg) has been cancelled for that very reason.

GM did with Cadillac what Ford's critics have said it should do - bring out bespoke platforms for Cadillac passenger cars. Several years later, after those passenger cars have gone nowhere in the market, Cadillac is retrenching, and just like Lincoln, it depends on crossovers and SUVs based on regular GM platforms for survival.

Acura isn't a top-tier luxury brand, no matter what Honda fans say. It's evolved into what Pontiac and Oldsmobile were to Chevrolet in the 1960s - a brand that is a step up from the mass-market brand, but not a true luxury brand. If you like Hondas, but want to step up without leaving the "family," you buy an Acura. Not a formula for huge sales totals, but enough to keep the brand profitable and in business. So I don't see a problem with this Integra.

Toyota sells a fair number of Camrys to rental car companies, and hasn't been reluctant to use generous incentives to spur sales. Honda doesn't rely as much on incentives to move the metal, and has avoided large-scale sales to fleet customers. Sales of the Accord therefore give a better picture of the state of that market segment.

I've never been much of a truck guy, but I'm seriously interested in the Maverick. I showed a photo of it to my wife, and she was immediately interested because of the price, size and four-door configuration. (She currently drives a 2014 Escape SE, and has never been particularly interested in a true pickup). I think Ford has a massive hit on its hands.

Civic sales have held up reasonably well, considering the effects of the pandemic and the age of the current model. The Accord is the one that has been getting hammered from all sides. Many people who prefer a car either buy a less-expensive Civic, or move up to a low-level luxury sedan via a lease (most of the Accords I see at the local dealer sticker for at least $30,000). People who want room move up to a crossover.

Intriguing idea, but I have two words of warning for Ford: Oldsmobile Cutlass.

Don't come to Pennsylvania, either!

The Maverick looks good without the camo. I'm not interested in driving a large pickup, but something like this - with four doors, able to carry light loads, but not too big or high off the ground - has piqued my interest.

This whole thing smack of overcharging...we'll see what the actual outcome of the case is.

I was responding to the Tread Lightly! information, which says the person is to "respect the rights of private property owners." He did. And just because something is enshrined in the law doesn't mean we can't question it. At various points in our history, both Prohibition and the 55-mph and 65-mph speed limits were the law of the land. I can only hope and pray that, in 2021, no one is clueless enough believe that either one worked, let alone was ever a good idea.

It's my understanding that either the jumps were filmed on the driver's OWN property, or that he had permission from the land owner to conduct the jump.

I watched the video, and was surprised to find that I actually know this fellow (my wife worked with his mother). He has quite a collection of cars. Last saw him three years ago at the Harrisburg Auto Show.

I had a 1972 Cutlass Supreme Holiday coupe in Sequoia Green with a light green vinyl top. It was a sharp car. When we were looking for a new car for my wife in 2016, the dealer had two off-lease 2014 Escapes. One was Ginger Ale Metallic, while the other was Sunset Orange. My wife preferred the Ginger Ale Metallic Escape, but the Sunset Orange (which I greatly preferred) had much lower mileage, so that the one is now in our driveway. Fortunately.

When American Motors, which owned Jeep in the 1970s, introduced the first Cherokee for the 1974 model year, it first received the blessing of tribal leaders. (I'm guessing tribal leaders received a loaded, brand-new Cherokee.) There is a photo of AMC officials and tribal leaders with a 1974 Cherokee in Patrick Foster's book, American Motors: The Last Independent.

GM's large pickups and SUVs are certainly fine from a mechanical standpoint, but the Silverado or Sierra are not better-looking than an F-series. The heavy-duty Silverado, in particular, looks like the Mammoth Car from the old Speed Racer cartoons. GM's new big SUVs are a step backward in the styling department, in my opinion. The Expedition and Navigator are more attractive than any GM SUV.

Doesn't he still write a column that is published on the back page of the magazine?

Our neighbor had one - bought brand-new - and he loved it. I didn't like it, but my wife really did...meanwhile, she hated the Flex, which I loved.

Is BMW's new grille really hurting sales? Critics may not like it, but the real test is whether it drives away potential customers. I remember critics hating Chris Bangle's styling theme (particularly the "Bangle Butt" on some sedans), but it really didn't hurt BMW's sales in the long run.

Great news for Ford and its dealers. Still waiting for one here. Visited both local Ford dealers yesterday, and didn't see one.

Lincoln needs to work on the fit of the exterior trim pieces and body panels. The vehicles look great and have real presence - particularly the Aviator and Corsair - but close inspection reveals some less-than-stellar fit-and-finish.

At this point, Acura is the equivalent of Pontiac or Oldsmobile in the 1960s...a step up from the mass-market brand, but definitely not a luxury brand. Honda reflects Ford in some ways...just as the Ford Division has always come first (which dates back to the 1950s), so will the Honda Division always come first.