P71_CrownVic Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 To some, if it has no V8, or is not imported from Europe, then it's 'the end of Ford'. Not really, but if I wanted a Scion, I would buy a Scion...not some Ford imitation. And one thing that FoE has over FnA...no damn three bar razor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Okay, maybe I'm out of touch with reality, but I think $29K for the base price and over $37K for the Limited (which still has a few options missing) is over priced for a Ford. If it said Lincoln on it, they are more likely to get away with it. 9 sec 0-60 does seems slow, so why did they just put the 3.7L in it ? Also at 4,661 lbs this thing is a pig. Don't expect EcoBoost to make a huge impact on fuel economy ! It is also odd that the biggest feature, a "real" 3rd row seat, only gets mentioned as "not a horrible place to pass time". Well, except for the fact that there are (or at least were) $48K Expeditions being sold for years (ours was, I don't find it "over priced" for a Ford. Looks like it's time to drag race the Flex and other mini-vans....do you really think people who are buying this vehicle care about 0-60 times? Also, the 3.7 is a Lincoln-exclusive engine. Ford called the prototype a "people mover". Only those who have to move more 4 or 5 people will consider it. My guess is that it will die by 2011 or 2012. Well, I'm sure people said the same thing about giant SUVs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 uh no, it means it has a V6 in it that makes numbers similiar to a V8 and gets V6 MPG numbers.....IF you don't get on it. no replacement for displacement. This vehicle will be as successful as the Freestyle. In fact, I call it the Freestyle II. SO when it FAILs miserably in a few years we can rebadge it the Taurus XX. another thing, call the "Limited" trim level something else. There is nothing "Limited" about 10000+ of the same thing. my SVT is limited, this is just pandering. What is wrong with the Limited nameplate? It's been used on many Ford products for years now, and no complaints until now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 What is wrong with the Limited nameplate? It's been used on many Ford products for years now, and no complaints until now? People like to complain about stupid things. Any way they can to make Ford look bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 People like to complain about stupid things. Any way they can to make Ford look bad. I suppose that's true, and I should've expected nothing less from many on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 SO when it FAILs miserably in a few years we can rebadge it the Taurus XX. I am FOR SURE getting the DVD system in my Taurus XXX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Well, I see the Flex appealing to the buyers who possibly would have come into a dealer looking for an Explorer or Expedition before. In that line of comparison, the Flex's fuel economy may actually be a marketing ADVANTAGE. Ford Marketing would have you believe exactly what you just said. Reality is, almost no one driving an Explorer currently hauls more than 3 or 4 bodies on a regular basis so why would they buy a vehicle design to hold 7 or 8 ? With gas headed for $5, I'll bet they would buy an Escape. Expedition and Navigator customers ? Maybe, but again, only if they regularly carried more than 4 passengers. Of course they would loose the massive towing capability of the Big E and the Big N. Ford did not want to build a traditional min-van and they did not. The sad part about it is that is the market space it will be selling into. Sure the soccer team might like the fridge, but is it worth loosing a seat when you can through a cooler in the back ? I certainly hope there is a rear 12V outlet, because one of those "elctronic" hot/cold boxes would be cheaper and probably hold more. Last, 2 questions. If you load a Flex with 7 "adults" and their luggage (as is required by federal law for braking test), I believe that is 175 lbs each or 1225 lbs (I'm far north of 175 and I'll bet I don't know 6 other friends who are south of that number), how much suspension travel is left ? Sound like the after market air spring companies could have big business here ! Second, with that 1225 in the vehicle, how much of the GCVW is left ? (i.e. how much can you tow when the vehicle is fully loaded ? Or stated another way, if I want to tow 4,500 lbs, how many "bodies" can I carry ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goinbroke2 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Quite the negative posts from "the old wizard". Strange, I know he not a cheerleader or troll, did somebody steal his password? Different writing style, so to speak..... hmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Ford Marketing would have you believe exactly what you just said. Reality is, almost no one driving an Explorer currently hauls more than 3 or 4 bodies on a regular basis so why would they buy a vehicle design to hold 7 or 8 ? With gas headed for $5, I'll bet they would buy an Escape. Expedition and Navigator customers ? Maybe, but again, only if they regularly carried more than 4 passengers. Of course they would loose the massive towing capability of the Big E and the Big N. Ford did not want to build a traditional min-van and they did not. The sad part about it is that is the market space it will be selling into. Sure the soccer team might like the fridge, but is it worth loosing a seat when you can through a cooler in the back ? I certainly hope there is a rear 12V outlet, because one of those "elctronic" hot/cold boxes would be cheaper and probably hold more. Last, 2 questions. If you load a Flex with 7 "adults" and their luggage (as is required by federal law for braking test), I believe that is 175 lbs each or 1225 lbs (I'm far north of 175 and I'll bet I don't know 6 other friends who are south of that number), how much suspension travel is left ? Sound like the after market air spring companies could have big business here ! Second, with that 1225 in the vehicle, how much of the GCVW is left ? (i.e. how much can you tow when the vehicle is fully loaded ? Or stated another way, if I want to tow 4,500 lbs, how many "bodies" can I carry ?) how is the Flex different from any other Minivan or 6-8 passenger crossover in your assessment? Yet the 2 segments (total) are still growing - last month the Minivans let off a little, but crossovers continued to climb. There is clearly a demand for FWD/AWD V6 people haulers .. and the Flex does just that - and just as well as anyone else does. The only thing that has Flex stand out from the rest is that it looks a little different - otherwise it is spot on with the competition - the same space, the same mileage, the same price, the same features .... In other words, the only way the Flex will fail (for the reasons you outlined above) is that the whole V6 people mover segment collapses - and I do not see that happening. Maybe - MAYBE - Rav4/Mazda5/Rondo will add a few sales from people that trully just want the third seat "in case" - but those that want a semi usable one - they will look at the Flex and its competition ... Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalepsy Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Your logic is flawed. How many minivan drivers pack their vehicle with 7 or 8 people regularly? No one I know of. The same argument that you implied with Explorer drivers can be said of minivan drivers: 3 or 4 bodies. Hence, with that assumption that each vehicle will more likely haul 3 or 4 bodies with occassional 7 or 8 people, the fridge space issue is a non-issue. Electric hot/cold boxes are great, but do you want your children to unbuckle, go to the back of the van to get a drink? Beyond all that...the fridge is an option. Why would anyone bitch about having an option? If you have 2 kids and their grandparents come to visit once a month, this is a great vehicle for it. It gives you the option of driving a minivan without looking like a soccer mom or having to go with an SUV. The suspension issue is once again, a nonissue. Once again...minivans can handle it, Flex can handle it. It isn't an offroad truck. Ford Marketing would have you believe exactly what you just said. Reality is, almost no one driving an Explorer currently hauls more than 3 or 4 bodies on a regular basis so why would they buy a vehicle design to hold 7 or 8 ? With gas headed for $5, I'll bet they would buy an Escape. Expedition and Navigator customers ? Maybe, but again, only if they regularly carried more than 4 passengers. Of course they would loose the massive towing capability of the Big E and the Big N. Ford did not want to build a traditional min-van and they did not. The sad part about it is that is the market space it will be selling into. Sure the soccer team might like the fridge, but is it worth loosing a seat when you can through a cooler in the back ? I certainly hope there is a rear 12V outlet, because one of those "elctronic" hot/cold boxes would be cheaper and probably hold more. Last, 2 questions. If you load a Flex with 7 "adults" and their luggage (as is required by federal law for braking test), I believe that is 175 lbs each or 1225 lbs (I'm far north of 175 and I'll bet I don't know 6 other friends who are south of that number), how much suspension travel is left ? Sound like the after market air spring companies could have big business here ! Second, with that 1225 in the vehicle, how much of the GCVW is left ? (i.e. how much can you tow when the vehicle is fully loaded ? Or stated another way, if I want to tow 4,500 lbs, how many "bodies" can I carry ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Not really, but if I wanted a Scion, I would buy a Scion...not some Ford imitation. Which Scion is it again that has 7-passenger seating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Just because those that own Explorers, Expeditions, etc. aren't observed packing their vehicles to the limit ALL of the time, it doesn't happen? One would think, especially due to the gas crunch, that more and more folks would carpool more often. I have a 3 row Volvo, and thought that the last row would be a waste, but low and behold it is getting more than enough use. The Explorer's third row, is for the kiddies What about when you need to tow? Well I don't think Ford is advocating anyone to for go the Expedition, but by offering the Flex there is now a vehicle in the Ford lineup that's as close to a minivan without being a minivan. I think it's fairly obvious, in terms of the advantages, that the Flex has over an Expedition. First and foremost ....... fuel economy. And just what do minivan owners do when they load their vehicle to the max? How much suspsension travel is left in any of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8-X Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 The base Flex is only $800 more than the base Highlander. It's not that "spendy". The only difference I could question regarding this is: "What standard equipment comes on the Highlander vs. Flex?" From my experience, on average Toyota's come with more standard equipment. So if the Highlander comes with more than the Flex for $800 less, why opt for the Flex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 The only difference I could question regarding this is: "What standard equipment comes on the Highlander vs. Flex?" From my experience, on average Toyota's come with more standard equipment. So if the Highlander comes with more than the Flex for $800 less, why opt for the Flex? First and foremost, the interior dimensions of the Highlander pale in comparison to the Flex. Second, the Highlander isn't offering anything that you really aren't getting from the Flex SE as standard equipment. So yes the price difference is more than justified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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