Ford 500 and Ford Freestyle, talk about too little too late. . .

[PlatinumGold]

If ford had just revealed both of these vehicles 3 or 4 yrs ago, ford wouldn't have lost nearly as much market share as they have.

both vehicles are actually extremely competent and even excellent vehicles.

 

[Accipiter22]

what a fact filled post~!

 

[Ika]

when did Ford realize they were losing all the market share? I'm guessing it took a while for these cars to go through development...

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
If ford had just revealed both of these vehicles 3 or 4 yrs ago, ford wouldn't have lost nearly as much market share as they have.

both vehicles are actually extremely competent and even excellent vehicles.

hey if i knew these lottery numbers 3 or 4 days ago, i would have been a millionare

or how about if mazda revealed the 3 and the 6 3 or 4 years before their actual dates (2003 and 2004)... hell, the 6s would have killed everything single sedan on sale including camry, accord, altima in terms of performance and price. the mazda3 would have probably pushed the ford focus into a very early retirement, and trump the corolla/civic/sentra in sales.

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

i say about 11 years too long. should have been killed back in 1995.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: Aflac
when did Ford realize they were losing all the market share? I'm guessing it took a while for these cars to go through development...

come on, they held on to that taurus design way way too long.

don't get me wrong, i understand what a risk it was that ford took when they first introduced the ford taurus to replace the LTD, it was a great move. and for a about 12 yrs ford did everything right, in the mid 90's every model ford had was top three in sales for it's class.

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

 

[Pocatello]

The Ford 500 is everything a rental car should be. It's roomy, slow, and boring looking.

 

[Stunt]

Domestics have a lot of catching up to do.
They are a decade behind the Japanese...from a business perspective.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Domestics have a lot of catching up to do.
They are a decade behind the Japanese...from a business perspective.

and it's their own fault for being dependant and flaunting it.

The little guy took his time working from the bottom up, and now "made in the USA" means it is made by an eastern company.

 

[thedarkwolf]

They need to speed up the 3.5l v6 introduction.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: sniperruff

or how about if mazda revealed the 3 and the 6 3 or 4 years before their actual dates (2003 and 2004)... hell, the 6s would have killed everything single sedan on sale including camry, accord, altima in terms of performance and price. the mazda3 would have probably pushed the ford focus into a very early retirement, and trump the corolla/civic/sentra in sales.

I dunno, I think the 3 is doing quite well for itself. Ford should have brought the euro focus to the states long ago. I've heard it's actually a decent car (and shares the same C1 global platform).

but yeah, they'd do even better if introduced a little earlier. However, the mazda6 really is between the small sedan's and mid-sized ones. Not quite as roomy as the camry. Not that I want something that big.. but that whole bigger is better notion just won't go away.

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Stunt
Domestics have a lot of catching up to do.
They are a decade behind the Japanese...from a business perspective.

and it's their own fault for being dependant and flaunting it.

The little guy took his time working from the bottom up, and now "made in the USA" means it is made by an eastern company.

The japanese have an edge over US carmakers because they don't have the dominant union that we do over here. We're paying pension to lots of employees, while the japanese do no such thing (as I recall).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Pocatello
The Ford 500 is everything a rental car should be. It's roomy, slow, and boring looking.

:laugh: I'll add pretty much any GM sedan to that list too.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: sniperruff

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

i say about 11 years too long. should have been killed back in 1995.

I don't agree with that...the 95 and down Tauruses were all crap...not a single reliable model ever made in that orignal body style.

They finally got it right with the 96-present Taurus. And yes, I mean "present"...there is a 2006 Taurus, but it's only available to fleets, not the general public.

They should have either redesigned or replaced the Taurus a few years ago, though.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Pocatello
The Ford 500 is everything a rental car should be. It's roomy, slow, and boring looking.

:laugh: I'll add pretty much any GM sedan to that list too.

Some people want a roomy car with a good ride and adequate, but not thrilling amounts of power. My uncle had pretty much any choice of car from his company and he got a nice Ford 500. It is a very nice car, tons of room, very nice ride, with a decent amt of power. Not too expensive, luxurious enough for what it is, and he likes it. This coming from a guy who used to own an Alfa Romeo Spider? and now that he is losing his company car he's buying a Porsche.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: sniperruff

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

i say about 11 years too long. should have been killed back in 1995.

I don't agree with that...the 95 and down Tauruses were all crap...not a single reliable model ever made in that orignal body style.

They finally got it right with the 96-present Taurus. And yes, I mean "present"...there is a 2006 Taurus, but it's only available to fleets, not the general public.

They should have either redesigned or replaced the Taurus a few years ago, though.

For one, 95 and earlier is NOT the original body style. I'm not going to research this but I think it was introduced in 86 and had at least two or three styles until 95.

Second, they were the best selling vehicles in America during that time and I still see tons of them on the road, more than most other vehicles from the same era.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: sniperruff

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

i say about 11 years too long. should have been killed back in 1995.

I don't agree with that...the 95 and down Tauruses were all crap...not a single reliable model ever made in that orignal body style.

They finally got it right with the 96-present Taurus. And yes, I mean "present"...there is a 2006 Taurus, but it's only available to fleets, not the general public.

They should have either redesigned or replaced the Taurus a few years ago, though.

For one, 95 and earlier is NOT the original body style. I'm not going to research this but I think it was introduced in 86 and had at least two or three styles until 95.

Second, they were the best selling vehicles in America during that time and I still see tons of them on the road, more than most other vehicles from the same era.

You are wrong. They never did anything but minor changes from 86-95. Same car the whole time.
And regardless of how many they sold, they still were crap compared to the 96-present body style.
Far, far, far more problems. This is not even a debatable fact.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: sniperruff

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

but they held on to the taurus design about 3 yrs too long.

i say about 11 years too long. should have been killed back in 1995.

I don't agree with that...the 95 and down Tauruses were all crap...not a single reliable model ever made in that orignal body style.

They finally got it right with the 96-present Taurus. And yes, I mean "present"...there is a 2006 Taurus, but it's only available to fleets, not the general public.

They should have either redesigned or replaced the Taurus a few years ago, though.

For one, 95 and earlier is NOT the original body style. I'm not going to research this but I think it was introduced in 86 and had at least two or three styles until 95.

Second, they were the best selling vehicles in America during that time and I still see tons of them on the road, more than most other vehicles from the same era.

You are wrong. They never did anything but minor changes from 86-95. Same car the whole time.
And regardless of how many they sold, they still were crap compared to the 96-present body style.
Far, far, far more problems. This is not even a debatable fact.

Actually you are wrong, there were two generations between 86-95. That is fact.

 

[thedarkwolf]

The 86-95s were okay if you got the old 3.0l vulcan engine.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
I don't agree with that...the 95 and down Tauruses were all crap...not a single reliable model ever made in that orignal body style.

They finally got it right with the 96-present Taurus. And yes, I mean "present"...there is a 2006 Taurus, but it's only available to fleets, not the general public.

They should have either redesigned or replaced the Taurus a few years ago, though.

between the 500 and the fusion they have replacements. the taurus name is carrying too much baggage to sell to the general public. so it is being sold to fleets, which is good because it keeps the fusion out of the rental business.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Pocatello
The Ford 500 is everything a rental car should be. It's roomy, slow, and boring looking.

:laugh: I'll add pretty much any GM sedan to that list too.

Some people want a roomy car with a good ride and adequate, but not thrilling amounts of power. My uncle had pretty much any choice of car from his company and he got a nice Ford 500. It is a very nice car, tons of room, very nice ride, with a decent amt of power. Not too expensive, luxurious enough for what it is, and he likes it. This coming from a guy who used to own an Alfa Romeo Spider? and now that he is losing his company car he's buying a Porsche.

You mean any choice of a bunch of fleet cars. That's not saying much IMO. Not like he picked a Ford 500 over a Porsche 911 now is it?

 

[Fenixgoon]

i've seen some fusions around... they look surprisingly slick!

 

[CraigRT]

I was in a Ford 500 the other day. That car is even more bland than a Honda... I hated it... ugly interior, and slow.. Not bad looking though.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: archcommus
You are wrong. They never did anything but minor changes from 86-95. Same car the whole time.
And regardless of how many they sold, they still were crap compared to the 96-present body style.
Far, far, far more problems. This is not even a debatable fact.

Actually you are wrong, there were two generations between 86-95. That is fact.[/quote]
Learn to read. There was ONE body style from 86-95. Don't try to argue with someone who worked at a freaking Ford dealership for 16 years.
Here is a quote from the link YOU PROVIDED:

The car was given a cosmetic facelift in 1992 and a major redesign in 1996

"Cosmetic Makeover" means they spiffed the SAME BODY STYLE up a bit. Not a major change.
Dash, head lights and tail lights, mostly.
They did not change the actual body style until 1996.
You can put a 1986 and a 1995 next to each other and you can see they are basically the same car. Lots of interchangeable parts. Very little interchanges with the 96-present models and the 95-down.
Sorry, but you asked for it.

 

[Pacfanweb]

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Look at these two cars side by side...the first one is a 1986, and the second is the 1992...tell me those are different cars other than minor changes.
Same basic car, and it was the same car underneath, too.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
i've seen some fusions around... they look surprisingly slick!

I've driven a couple for possible wind noises, and they surprised me at how much pickup they had.
Not that they are speed demons or anything, but they definitely ran better than I expected.