My Transit Connect pics!

[Furious1Auto]

wow notice none of them are the US.

We could have saved money and the logistical headche by invading Canada instead, and leaving Iraq to Saddam!

[suv_guy_19]

How many of these countries are friendly to the US? I can see only one.

 

 

And that one is one of the only countries with increasing production and is already your number 1 supplier. The majority of your oil already comes from us.

[battyr]

We could have saved money and the logistical headche by invading Canada instead, and leaving Iraq to Saddam!

 

This would make it a lot easier for Canadians to travel, shop, work and invest in the US.

[Furious1Auto]

This would make it a lot easier for Canadians to travel, shop, work and invest in the US.

What an opened border, or a North American union? I hope your not serious!

[F250]

2.0 4cyl, 4 speed auto, durabilty tested to +150,000 miles..........

 

And fully loaded 0-60 times that have to be clocked with a calendar.

 

It had better be durable because parts are going to take months to get for that thing.

 

I hope it flops at launch like every other Euromobile Ford has tried to sell here. That way fewer American commercial customers will be let down by this Turkey CAR.

Edited March 16, 2008 by F250

[suv_guy_19]

And fully loaded 0-60 times that have to be clocked with a calendar.

 

It had better be durable because parts are going to take months to get for that thing.

 

I hope it flops at launch like every other Euromobile Ford has tried to sell here. That way fewer American commercial customers will be let down by this Turkey CAR.

 

 

I hope its very successful. If it is, they'll start to build it here.

[F250]

I hope its very successful. If it is, they'll start to build it here.

 

Yea, like the Fusion.

[Edstock]

And fully loaded 0-60 times that have to be clocked with a calendar.

So, don't buy one.

 

It had better be durable because parts are going to take months to get for that thing.

Maybe 150 years ago, when ships used sails. Fortunately, Ford discovered the concept of parts warehouses. Have you heard of them? Thanks to the advent of ships with motors, and the invention of the airplane, the process has speeded up considerably, especially in the last 50 years. The vehicle is derived from the Focus, it's a pretty simple vehicle, there shouldn't be any large problems.

 

I hope it flops at launch like every other Euromobile Ford has tried to sell here. That way fewer American commercial customers will be let down by this Turkey CAR.

That's you're opinion. No facts, just churlish ranting. Seems like "this Turkey CAR" does very well, for reliability and service, judging from the ownership experiences posted on the web and by its sales in Europe.

[suv_guy_19]

Yea, like the Fusion.

 

 

IIRC, It has already been stated that it will be built her if successful.

[battyr]

What an opened border, or a North American union? I hope your not serious!

 

A North American Union will never happen because the US will never give up their sovereignty to form a union. Canada will not Join the US unless it is on equal grounds.

 

If the Bush Security Bureaucrats don't get back down to earth, Canada with form a union with Mexico and the Carribean. With Canadian Technology, and Mexican labor force, I could see big things from the Canadian Union.

[F250]

So, don't buy one.

 

 

Maybe 150 years ago, when ships used sails. Fortunately, Ford discovered the concept of parts warehouses. Have you heard of them? Thanks to the advent of ships with motors, and the invention of the airplane, the process has speeded up considerably, especially in the last 50 years. The vehicle is derived from the Focus, it's a pretty simple vehicle, there shouldn't be any large problems.

 

 

That's you're opinion. No facts, just churlish ranting. Seems like "this Turkey CAR" does very well, for reliability and service, judging from the ownership experiences posted on the web and by its sales in Europe.

 

I've been in the business long enough to know better smart ass.

Do you want me to give you a history lesson on Ford's track record importing European vehicles to America? Let's start with the 1970's Fiesta and Capri and work our way through the Merkur fiasco. As you should know ships and airplanes were available to Ford during those failed attempts to get parts here in a reasonable amount of time. Ford had a hell of a lot more resources (money) during those years than they do now and still couldn't get it right. They even tried building the Euro-success Contour here and it didn't cut it.

 

I'll say it again. Europe is a totally different truck market than America. Example: The F-Series has been the sales leader for decades in America but how many are sold in Europe?

Edited March 17, 2008 by F250

[suv_guy_19]

A North American Union will never happen because the US will never give up their sovereignty to form a union. Canada will not Join the US unless it is on equal grounds.

 

If the Bush Security Bureaucrats don't get back down to earth, Canada with form a union with Mexico and the Carribean. With Canadian Technology, and Mexican labor force, I could see big things from the Canadian Union.

 

 

Or alternatively, since we seem to be doing pretty well on our own, we could just stay Canada.

[Biker16]

Well, theres this thing called NAFTA that keeps the oil flowing freely. We are your largest supplier and our output is growing.......oh wait, everyone hates that, I forgot.

http://www.cleveland.com/printer/printer.s....xml&coll=2

 

Oil production, gas prices at peak, expert tells industry

Saturday, March 15, 2008

John Funk

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Columbus

 

Today's inflated oil prices should be gone within a few months, veteran analyst Henry Groppe told Ohio's oil and gas producers Friday.

 

But they are not likely to fall back to any level that will make U.S. motorists very happy.

 

The average price of oil will settle to between $70 and $100 a barrel, he said.

 

In other words, the old pattern of price spikes and collapse are gone. That's good news for producers and a tough reality lesson for consumers, who may have to learn to live with $3 gasoline.

 

The problem is that global oil production from conventional sources has already peaked or will peak this year, Groppe told about 650 people attending the annual conference of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. In other words, total global production won't get much higher.

 

"The only country showing significant production increases in the next 10 to 15 years is Canada," he said.

 

And that is only because for the last 50 years Canadian companies have been working to develop a process to mine and produce oil from "tar sands," the crude-soaked earth that was not economical to bother with until now.

 

Groppe's firm, Groppe Long & Little of Houston, stands in opposition to the U.S. Department of Energy and the major oil companies, which continue to claim that oil production will significantly increase over the next 25 years.

 

Armed with a bundle of graphics detailing the demise or at least the diminution of the Oil Age, Groppe took the packed ballroom at the Hilton Easton north of downtown through the highlights of his firm's analysis of the economic and other factors underpinning oil and natural gas prices.

 

On U.S. gas markets, close to the hearts of Ohio's gas producers, Groppe said wellhead or wholesale prices are likely to stay between $7 and $10 per million BTUs, (about 1,000 cubic feet). That made the crowd happy. But it means consumers will see prices in the $11 to $12 per Mcf range, and a delivered price of up to $15 per Mcf. The average annual consumption in Northern Ohio is about 75 Mcf.

 

Groppe's major explanation about global oil prices went like this:

 

"All of our work is based on the premise that the fundamentals always express themselves," he said. "And the controlling fundamental is that depletion begins from the day you drill your first well."

 

The fundamental conclusions:

 

New oil fields are smaller, are worked harder and are depleted sooner in today's oil-short world than ever before. It takes more and more new wells to offset the rapid decline of older wells. Even in deep water, where most of the new fields are developed, almost 30 percent of the available oil is produced in the first year.

 

OPEC production has been level for several years.

[Mark B. Morrow]

I've been in the business long enough to know better smart ass.

Do you want me to give you a history lesson on Ford's track record importing European vehicles to America? Let's start with the 1970's Fiesta and Capri and work our way through the Merkur fiasco. As you should know ships and airplanes were available to Ford during those failed attempts to get parts here in a reasonable amount of time. Ford had a hell of a lot more resources (money) during those years than they do now and still couldn't get it right. They even tried building the Euro-success Contour here and it didn't cut it.

 

I'll say it again. Europe is a totally different truck market than America. Example: The F-Series has been the sales leader for decades in America but how many are sold in Europe?

 

The Capri had a pretty good run as did the Fiesta. There were reasons Ford stoped importing them, mostly due to the fact that U.S. safety and emissions regs made it unprofitable to bring European models to the U.S. Mercedes and BMW made a lot of modifications to their cars to sell them here. Capri and fiests sales didn't justify a U.S spec version. The Merkur debacle happened due to two variables, one within Ford's control and one outside. Ford never marketed the Merkur line effectively. Mercury dealers didn't know how to sell it. The second was the currency differential between the Dollar and German Mark which changed during the planning and introduction of Merkur. Ford couldn't keep the cost down on the retail end.

 

A lot has happened in the intervening 20-30 years. I see no reason the Transit Connect won't be a huge success in the U.S.

[RichardJensen]

How hard is it to get parts for Mustang and Explorer transmissions and engines?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cause, you know, they're manufactured in France and Germany.

 

Transit Connect fits a certain niche, maybe it's big enough to justify building the thing here, maybe not. I think, however, it will sell well enough here. If there's one market Ford knows, it's commercial, and they haven't a long history of disappointments there (it basically starts and ends with the 6.0 PSD).

Edited March 17, 2008 by RichardJensen

[Biker16]

Hard to say.

 

I would not say the C170 Focus was cheaper to assemble. I would say it is assembled with cheaper parts. In both quality and cost.

 

maybe so. I think we have learned that it does not cost much more to make a higher quality part over a lower quality part.

 

The Taurus has a wheelbase of 113. The Mondeo has a wheelbase of 112". Fusion is currently 107". With it's current sales volume I would say the Taurus is a niche model. If the next Fusion is shared with the next Mondeo, I would say it will be growing in size. If you want to improve on CAFE Kill the Crown Vic. and replace it with the RWD Taurus. Replace the Taurus with the Mondeo-Fusion. Replace the Fusion with an enlarged Focus. Replace the Focus with Fiesta.

 

Now I think of it. The Mondeo and the C1 Focus have a lot in common but they have a big difference in size. It might make sense to fill the gap a little.

 

 

C1 Focus sedan/hatch L/W/WB

176.4/170

72.4

103.9

 

mondeo

190.7

72.3

112in

 

taurus

201.8

112.9

74.5

 

new Corrolla

178.7

69.3

102.4

 

I still do not get why you would grow both cars?

 

I would grow the Focus's Wheel base 1 inch

keep the mondeo flat

and make the Taurus wider.

#1 priority is to keep mass under control.

 

The truth on the size of the next Focus depends on the sized of C cars coming from Opel and Renault.

 

true to an extent, the Astra grew in size in response to the Focus.

 

Just checked, a saturn Atra, same as an opel has a wheelbase of 106". A Nissan Sentra, must be the same as some renault, has the wheelbase of 105.7". I would say the Focus comes up short at 104".

 

wheelbase increase doesn't always add length.

[F250]

The Capri had a pretty good run as did the Fiesta. There were reasons Ford stoped importing them, mostly due to the fact that U.S. safety and emissions regs made it unprofitable to bring European models to the U.S. Mercedes and BMW made a lot of modifications to their cars to sell them here. Capri and fiests sales didn't justify a U.S spec version. The Merkur debacle happened due to two variables, one within Ford's control and one outside. Ford never marketed the Merkur line effectively. Mercury dealers didn't know how to sell it. The second was the currency differential between the Dollar and German Mark which changed during the planning and introduction of Merkur. Ford couldn't keep the cost down on the retail end.

 

A lot has happened in the intervening 20-30 years. I see no reason the Transit Connect won't be a huge success in the U.S.

 

I suppose it depends on what you consider "a good run" in sales volume. Besides, I wasn't talking about marketing failures, I was refering to customers waiting several weeks for normal service parts, collision repair parts, suspension parts, window regulators etc.stc.

 

The last Merkur was sold here in 1990 since then Ford division has successfully imported and provided support for how many European vehicles...

 

We won't mention other bad memories like the Australian Capri of the '90s.

[Edstock]

The last Merkur was sold here in 1990 since then Ford division has successfully imported and provided support for how many European vehicles...

 

And your point is?

[F250]

How hard is it to get parts for Mustang and Explorer transmissions and engines?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cause, you know, they're manufactured in France and Germany.

 

Transit Connect fits a certain niche, maybe it's big enough to justify building the thing here, maybe not. I think, however, it will sell well enough here. If there's one market Ford knows, it's commercial, and they haven't a long history of disappointments there (it basically starts and ends with the 6.0 PSD).

 

Getting simple crate engines and transmissions for high volume vehicles like the Mustang and Explorer is no big deal.

 

It is an entirely different matter to be able to supply any and every part needed to get a commercial vehicle back on the road ASAP and you know it. The Transit Connect will be alone in America, it will share nothing with any other Ford sold in this country.

 

No one has answered why Ford isn't selling 500,000 F-Series every year in Europe. Because what works in one market has to work in the other right?

 

Why isn't any other manufacturer like Toyota or Chrysler building cargo mini-vans for all of the soccer mom contractors. There must be hundreds of thousands that are just waiting to buy the Transit Connect.

 

Tell the truth, back when Ford phased out the legendary 7.3L PSD in favor of the all new 6.0L and customers were very concerned did you say something like "If there's one market Ford knows, it's commercial, and they haven't a long history of disappointments" before of course the disappointments started getting towed in.

[F250]

And your point is?

 

My point is Ford has not even attempted to import a all-European vehicle to America in 18 years so what exactly has happened that makes anyone think they can provide better support now than they did then. Other than the fact that in 1989 Ford had a lot more money than they do today.

 

To make matters worse the risk is much higher because it's a vehicle intended for Ford's loyal commercial customers, not some low volume sport sedan trying to win a few sales from people who were looking to buy a foreign car.

Edited March 17, 2008 by F250

[RichardJensen]

Getting simple crate engines and transmissions for high volume vehicles like the Mustang and Explorer is no big deal.

Right. Because you always replace the entire transmission or engine.

 

Frankly, Ford isn't discontinuing a single product to 'make room' for the Transit Connect, ergo your opposition to this project strikes me as somewhere between absurd and irrational.

 

On the one hand you seem to be suggesting that there will be no market whatsoever for this vehicle (despite the existence of cargo Caravans, and the HHR panel van).

 

And on the other hand, you are suggesting that this will be an unreliable maintenance nightmare, which suggests that it would have to sell in sufficient volume to seriously dent Ford's commercial reputation (as was the case with the PSDs).

[RichardJensen]

My point is Ford has not even attempted to import a all-European vehicle to America in 18 years so what exactly has happened that makes anyone think they can provide better support now than they did then.

Naturally, the two years that has gone into this project and the responsibility of those in charge now. As opposed to Maximum Bob Lutz 20 years ago--who insisted on bringing his misbegotten European children with him when he came back to Dearborn.

 

And why do I say misbegotten? Because both products were dead-ends in Europe as well as NA. It just took longer for them to die in Europe, and because they carried the blue oval there, the stench from the corpses lingered a lot longer.

Edited March 17, 2008 by RichardJensen

[Furious1Auto]

A North American Union will never happen because the US will never give up their sovereignty to form a union. Canada will not Join the US unless it is on equal grounds.

 

If the Bush Security Bureaucrats don't get back down to earth, Canada with form a union with Mexico and the Carribean. With Canadian Technology, and Mexican labor force, I could see big things from the Canadian Union.

I coluld stomach a union with Canada better than one with a country that cheapens our labor market! Canada's territory's could be added as individual states, the biggest challenge is going to be with the differences in our health care system! This will be a problem for both the elderly citizens, and the businesses that currently opperate in Canada!

Or alternatively, since we seem to be doing pretty well on our own, we could just stay Canada.

Then by force it must be!

Edited March 17, 2008 by Furious1Auto

[Edstock]

Then by force it must be!

 

Be sure to target the submarine fleet in the Edmonton Mall — think of it as a WMD, a weapon of mass delusion, in this case.

[battyr]

I colud stomach a union with Canada better than one with a country that cheapens our labor market! Canada's territory's could be added as individual states, the biggest challenge is going to be with the differences in our health care system! This will be a problem for both the elderly citizens, and the businesses that currently opperate in Canada!

Then by force it must be!

 

Watch what you wish for. With 32 million new voters from the north, the US would be in for big political changes. Canadians would demand universal government health care, other social hand outs and less military. Canadians would re-write your constitution and and remove the right to bare arms. We would destroy your culture as you know it.