MGolden Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I quite often get rental minivans at work so i took one home not long ago. We strapped in the car seats and ran it around a few days after work before it had to be returned. After getting back into the Expedition, it was quickly apparent how much easier it is to have kids ride in a minivan. From the rear seat access, to the sliding doors when parked beside other cars; cargo room and more, It was superior in all things functionally. It was time to replace my Expedition with another baby mover. We went and drove the Flex and really fell in love with it. It is by far the nicest inside-out Ford product i have ever seen. I encourage everyone to go visit one at a dealer. I sat down at a dealer and worked out a model i could afford and left it at that. After talking with my wife, we both agreed that it would functionally be the same as our Expy. There is just no way around the convenience of a minivan for access. I could have lived without the extra room behhind the third seat. The rear seat access is comparable if you get the buckets in the middle row. The one thing that was the hangup was the sliding doors. We ended up getting a used minivan and I am not sorry. After going to the store and getting the kids and a carseat out of the vehicle I reallized how great the sliders are. I realize Ford claims that the Flex was not targeted at minivan people, however it is a people mover. I really wish this thing had sliders, no matter how small they would be, it would be easier for everyone to access the vehicle. If it did I would be driving around in a cool baby mover......... Are there still plans of a Lincoln version? Initially it was leaked that the lincoln version would have different access, though i doubt it would be sliders. Just some thoughts. -Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I realize Ford claims that the Flex was not targeted at minivan people, however it is a people mover. Actually, that is exactly what Ford claims. They called it their 'minivan replacement'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 good thoughts which I have a tendency to agree with, sliders would have been a coo....don't rightfully know why they were avoided, perhaps in the response to Minivan trends and trying to avoid the "stigma" or perhaps rigiditty...who knows....sure does drive nice though....perhaps after your kids grow up and are no longer in need of Osh Kosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbuck15 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Here's the lincoln version,spyshots from a few days ago. http://www.leftlanenews.com/lincoln-mkt.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordowner Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 One reason stated in the earlier quotes from Ford was cost. Sliders would have cost a lot more and they decided to invest in the interior instead of in the sliders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 One reason stated in the earlier quotes from Ford was cost. Sliders would have cost a lot more and they decided to invest in the interior instead of in the sliders. Pretty lame excuse really. I would have liked to see sliders on the Flex as well. Maybe it's something they could retrofit in a mid-cycle refresh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 (edited) Pretty lame excuse really. I would have liked to see sliders on the Flex as well. Maybe it's something they could retrofit in a mid-cycle refresh? I would have loved to have seen these...: YouTube ...but would imagine those would have made sliders seem extremely cheap (as in inexpensive)... Edited July 23, 2008 by P71_CrownVic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkFive Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Pretty lame excuse really. I would have liked to see sliders on the Flex as well. Maybe it's something they could retrofit in a mid-cycle refresh? I don't think it needs sliders. I think it needs gas to be cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Pretty lame excuse really. Really, its not though. The vehicle already costs enough that many people are complaining. If they were to add sliders, it probably would have pushed the sticker pirce up higher, and I don't think it could go much higher without being too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Really, its not though. The vehicle already costs enough that many people are complaining. If they were to add sliders, it probably would have pushed the sticker pirce up higher, and I don't think it could go much higher without being too much. But it would have made the product much easier to use. The car still would have been a station wagon...just a station wagon with sliding doors, and how many station wagons do you know of that have sliding doors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonj80 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I don't think it needs sliders. I think it needs gas to be cheaper. Well it is down to $3.07 for Aug Delivery, as of today. Which is about ~$3.65 pump price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 But it would have made the product much easier to use. The car still would have been a station wagon...just a station wagon with sliding doors, and how many station wagons do you know of that have sliding doors? Mazda 5 I would say is about it. Many people really don't care how easy it is to use and they in fact do care about having a nice interior. I know you wouldn't understand that as made obvious by what you drive, but many people don't think like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I would have loved to have seen these...: YouTube ...but would imagine those would have made sliders seem extremely cheap (as in inexpensive)... Yeah, those are definitely cool. I don't think they're quite ready for primetime though. It would likely be much trickier to come up with a way to stow doors with framed windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one2gamble Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I still cant understand why it doesnt have sliders as at least an option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I still cant understand why it doesnt have sliders as at least an option What other vehicles have ever had a slider OR flip-out door option? The only ones I can think of are fullsize vans with completely rectangular door openings that are pretty easy to fit with either one. I don't think there's really a viable either/or solution for a vehicle laid out like the Flex. Would be pretty cool if they could find a way though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one2gamble Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 What other vehicles have ever had a slider OR flip-out door option? pretty much exactly why it should have had the option if at all possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 pretty much exactly why it should have had the option if at all possible What would people be saying if the option cost $1500? $2000? It's my issue with some second guessers--I'm pretty sure Ford focus-grouped the sliding door issue, and I'm pretty sure they acted accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Really, its not though. The vehicle already costs enough that many people are complaining. If they were to add sliders, it probably would have pushed the sticker pirce up higher, and I don't think it could go much higher without being too much. Do you have kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Do you have kids? I was a kid not long ago. We had vans, trucks, SUVs. There are many people who had families and SUVs or trucks that would never consider a minivan. Some of them may consider the Flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Do you have kids? my question....how did people handle the situation prior to the developement of sliding doors.........people must have been tougher way back when....I also see baby seat GALORE in Suburbans, Tahoes, Expeditions etc etc etc.....missed opportunity perhaps.....perhaps.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkFive Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 (edited) It's my issue with some second guessers--I'm pretty sure Ford focus-grouped the sliding door issue, and I'm pretty sure they acted accordingly. If the Flex came out with sliding doors IMO it would be a minivan. Edited July 23, 2008 by MarkFive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGolden Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 my question....how did people handle the situation prior to the developement of sliding doors.........people must have been tougher way back when....I also see baby seat GALORE in Suburbans, Tahoes, Expeditions etc etc etc.....missed opportunity perhaps.....perhaps.... Yeah, and people used to ride horse n buggy before cars were invented; i concede they were tougher. My point is that the sliders are so much better that i gave up buying the coolest baby mover on the road for the convenience of this one feature. I am driving a Dodge for goodness sakes.........Thats how much i like the sliders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Yeah, and people used to ride horse n buggy before cars were invented; i concede they were tougher. My point is that the sliders are so much better that i gave up buying the coolest baby mover on the road for the convenience of this one feature. I am driving a Dodge for goodness sakes.........Thats how much i like the sliders. whilst I do see their benefits, I also see baby seats strapped to plenty of cars w regular doors, cas of priorities I guess, and they must work out....LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingincirclez Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Oh joy, it's that lame "But sliders would make it a minivan" argument again. WHO THE HELL CARES? Regardless of what it is called, "IT" still IS what it IS. People who would shun a vehicle because of perceived stigma need to get over themselves. Count me in the slider camp. As much as I love our Freestyle for doing what it does, I have to admit there are times, when parked in tight areas, that a slider would be so much more convenient. Also, a slider would be more "FLEX"ible. For when you are trying to shoehorn some random piece of furniture or what have you in there, and by god it really would fit if only the blasted doors swung open *just* a little further... But this is an old debate. Function was sacrificed for Form. Both camps have compelling arguments and we'll never really know which would have been more successful. I will likely still consider a Flex when the time comes to replace the Freestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 my question....how did people handle the situation prior to the developement of sliding doors......... Who cares how people USED to do it. If there is a better way to accomplish something, do you still do it the old, difficult way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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