Thread Number: 75386
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Ford To Abandon Most of Their Car Line |
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Post# 992247   4/26/2018 at 19:58 (2,163 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but this certainly took me by surprise! The only two cars in their line will be the Mustang and a crossover/sport version of the Focus. They're going to focus (no pun intended) on trucks and SUVs.
Every third car in this area is a Fusion (I drive one, too.) Apparently we were the only ones buying them. money.cnn.com/2018/04/25/autos/fo... |
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Post# 992248 , Reply# 1   4/26/2018 at 20:02 (2,163 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Yessir.. SUV's overtook cars in sales volume back in 2016 or was it 2017.. Didja know that the best selling vehicle in Canada isn't a car.. it's the Ford F150. Followed by the Honda Civic .
I don't know if I'd go back to a car now after a couple of years with the Forester.. Sometimes I miss my little Mazda3 and think, well I could get an Impreza STI or something fun.. but I dunno.. When my back goes out,, getting in and out of a car is painful. LOL. |
Post# 992250 , Reply# 2   4/26/2018 at 20:17 (2,163 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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Post# 992252 , Reply# 3   4/26/2018 at 20:25 (2,163 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
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I wonder how long this experiment will last. Where I live there are a lot of people driving new Ford cars, mostly the Focus. But lately I’ve also been seeing new Fiesta’s again too. Now the Taurus, hardly ever. Of course there are lots of their big trucks and SUV”s too. But if they cease selling the Focus sedans, they better hope that the public really likes their new Focus hatchback, because other wise the buyers of the Focus sedan will probably buy Honda Accords or Toyota Camry’s instead.
And I heard they are bringing back the Ford Ranger. I had an 02’ Ranger that was a nice truck. But it had a govenor on it and you couldn’t go over 93mph. I know, because once when we drove to LA on I-5 I tried to get around a big truck on the right and it sure did flat spot at 93! Fortunately, I was able to get around the truck, but I thought this was BS. Sometimes you may need to exceed 93 for a brief time and even though I wouldn’t make a habit out of driving that fast, it can be necessary on occasion. The driver should have the option of using the full capacity of the engine. Eddie |
Post# 992253 , Reply# 4   4/26/2018 at 20:41 (2,163 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
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I'm strangely both surprised and not surprised by this...
I'm not surprised since SUVs seem to be so popular. But, at the same time, I guess I'm a bit surprised because there still would seem to be a market for cars. I, for example, would be far more likely to buy a car than a SUV. (Although my opinion probably doesn't matter to Ford since I'm unlikely to buy a new vehicle!) I'm sure I'm not alone.
I just wonder how this will work out for Ford. It might make sense now, with current sales, but things have a way of changing. At some point, people might decide they are tired of driving SUVs, and decide they want smaller cars again. Maybe gas prices will sharply spike, and, again, people will want a smaller car. But if Ford is out of the car business, they could face troublesome times as they adapt--or try to adapt.
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Post# 992255 , Reply# 5   4/26/2018 at 21:10 (2,163 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
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I abandoned Ford after the crap 1989 Pinto I bought and their warranty had all these exclusions and at less than 12K had major problems, sorry, its all excluded. My great uncle owned the original Ford dealership and my whole family had to own Fords or we walked. I will never own a Ford again after the way they treated me. Their "brand" supposedly sells the most. But all the "brands" by GM far outsell them. A friend had to buy an F-150 last year and has had nothing but headaches since day one. My Silverado is 5 years old in June and regular maintenance is all I have done.
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Post# 992270 , Reply# 7   4/27/2018 at 01:29 (2,163 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Post# 992273 , Reply# 8   4/27/2018 at 04:22 (2,163 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 992283 , Reply# 12   4/27/2018 at 08:08 (2,162 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 992284 , Reply# 13   4/27/2018 at 08:30 (2,162 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
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Ford is making a mistake putting all their eggs in the Truck SUV basket.
Back a few years Chrysler, while under control of Daimler stuffed their lots with big hog Hemi V8s and Trucks. Then along came high gas prices again and they had nothing to offer in the economy line. I find it difficult to understand that Toyota can have a number 1 seller in the Camry, Honda sells tons of the Civic and Accords, but Ford can't sell a Fusion or Taurus? Still thinking Ford, and yes GM and Chrysler have always been short-sighted, focusing only on the next board of directors meeting with gigantic profits to show, instead of designing a safe, fuel efficient car that people will actually want. |
Post# 992289 , Reply# 14   4/27/2018 at 09:51 (2,162 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 992292 , Reply# 15   4/27/2018 at 10:50 (2,162 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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I like my Fusion, as well. It was obviously a "fleet" car---4 cylinder 2.5 liter engine; no extras like a back-up camera (which is the one thing I wish it had).
My stepfather bought a 1975 LTD and sold me his '69 Delta 88. That Ford was horrible. It was in the shop frequently, had two wiring fires, and was generally a piece of crap. I hated the ultra-light feel of the power steering---or more precisely, a lack of feel in the steering. That gorgeous Delta 88, on the other hand, was an awesome car! Kept it through college. |
Post# 992303 , Reply# 18   4/27/2018 at 14:30 (2,162 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
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So, if you want a sedan you might go to Toyota. They have several nice cars and they all have Toyota Sense for safety. You may buy one and realize the quality and reliability are really nice. Then when you look for an SUV or Truck maybe you will just go back to Toyota.
Yes. And I think I've told this story here before. But my parents knew someone who bought a Japanese car about 1980 just because they wanted something with good gas mileage. Then, a few years later, they realized that the car had over 50,000 miles, and, unlike any Detroit car they'd owned, it still had all the original parts (apart from routine maintenance). And at that moment, they apparently said: "We're never buying from Detroit again!"
And I can see that happening to Ford once their customers are forced to look elsewhere for cars. Their quality is supposedly better than the 70s, but is it at the level of long term reliability of, say, Toyota?
Even if a loyal Ford buyer has been happy enough with the reliability, he or she might find something else to like about another maker's cars that becomes a selling point when he or she buys a new SUV...and it comes from the company that makes the small daily driver that Ford doesn't want to bother with. |
Post# 992304 , Reply# 19   4/27/2018 at 15:02 (2,162 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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My 03 Grand Marquis until the wheels fall off, I love it, the absolute most comfortable car I ever owned. |
Post# 992306 , Reply# 21   4/27/2018 at 15:15 (2,162 days old) by newvista58 (Northern NJ)   |   | |
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Post# 992311 , Reply# 23   4/27/2018 at 16:01 (2,162 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)   |   | |
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is incredibly shortsighted, but no doubt when gas hits $5 a gallon they will bring cars back... from China.
As to Henry's past idiocy, the FoMoCo. of then is not the FoMoCo. of now, and if they made the best cars or trucks for the buck, I'd buy one. Unfortunately right now they do not. Our only US made cars are vintage cars from the '50s and '60s, otherwise we've been very pleased with the various 4x4 SUVs from Japan we've had as drivers here in the North Country for the last 20 years... no cars, thanks, of whatever make. |
Post# 992320 , Reply# 25   4/27/2018 at 19:33 (2,162 days old) by surgilator1 (Atlanta, Georgia)   |   | |
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I bought my mom brand new (heavily discounted) Lincoln continental. it was a nightmare of a car. once it was out of warranty. I went across the street to the Toyota dealership and bought her a camry. never again |
Post# 992323 , Reply# 26   4/27/2018 at 19:38 (2,162 days old) by robbinsandmyers (Conn)   |   | |
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As a VW, Mazda, Mercedes diesel driver I will not miss them. Although I did have fun with a Model A I had years ago, a REAL Ford. This just sounds like another bone headed move by Detroit. Like when gas hit $4.00+ a gallon several years ago for the first time and GM was pushing SUV's they couldnt give away even with factory employee dicounts and VW and Toyota couldnt build 50 MPG cars fast enough people were buying them so fast. As usual the Big 3 miss the plot.
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Post# 992343 , Reply# 28   4/28/2018 at 01:22 (2,162 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
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In my mind I’ve always put them in the same category as minivans...for families and soccer moms.
On one level, I still think of them as something that people heavily into doing stuff outdoor buy to drive when they go camping in the middle of nowhere, go hunting, or to use to take their boat to the lake.
Of course, most buyers today are buying a SUV to be a family vehicle, and what outdoor stuff they do could be done just as easily if they had a Corolla. I guess my memory goes back to when I was young, and very few people seemed to have a SUV. |
Post# 992346 , Reply# 29   4/28/2018 at 03:30 (2,162 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula)   |   | |
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I just don't understand why Ford never released the Ka here. I had all the generations and that tiny car is simply perfect! |
Post# 992349 , Reply# 30   4/28/2018 at 06:03 (2,161 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 992354 , Reply# 32   4/28/2018 at 07:27 (2,161 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
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While I am not a huge fan of Ford products, just from preference from coming from
A very GM oriented family, and no Ford/Lincoln cars I’ve owned felt right to me. I am saddened by this news, mostly because I prefer a sedan, and if possible a wagon, I hate the idea of eventually being forced into something I don’t want, though I already accept the fact that I’ll own a SUV I don’t want before I ever consider buying a foreign car or s Chrysler product. I shall hold on to my 2004 Park Avenue as long as possible(truthfully the 97-05 Park Avenue and 00-05 LeSabre are the last time anything has been made I truly love driving) I have recently been toying around with the idea of getting a Taurus SHO, I like the styling of it, and since the Chevy SS sedan was dropped makes it look more appealing. I live in a rural area while there are plenty of trucks and suvs on the road, the Ford Fusion as well as Focus are very popular in this area. The Taurus isn’t nearly as popular, as most people in that market here are choosing an Impala or LaCrosse. I’m wondering how long it’ll be before General Motors does something similar, as for the past 6 months I’ve heard rumor that by 2020 they will be phasing out the Spark, Sonic, Impala, LaCrosse, CT6, and XTS, thus leaving only mid-size sedans in their fleet. |
Post# 992356 , Reply# 34   4/28/2018 at 08:40 (2,161 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )   |   | |
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Post# 992368 , Reply# 38   4/28/2018 at 10:42 (2,161 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
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I'm surprised Hubbard didn't protest that it wasn't white. His platform for mayoral candidate was "keep Dearborn white". By then it was 1940, and colors had been available since the Model A. |
Post# 992370 , Reply# 39   4/28/2018 at 12:12 (2,161 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
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Post# 992396 , Reply# 41   4/28/2018 at 16:19 (2,161 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
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I just don't understand why Ford never released the Ka here.
I'm only guessing, but my guess is that "tiny car" is the reason. It's probably viewed as not profitable enough here, or something buyers don't want.
I remember hearing a claim that Henry Ford II felt that small cars mean small profits. That, of course, would have been many years ago...but that attitude may still be relevant.
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Post# 992399 , Reply# 42   4/28/2018 at 16:25 (2,161 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
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Post# 992415 , Reply# 43   4/28/2018 at 20:02 (2,161 days old) by Imperial70 (MA USA)   |   | |
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The mazda 6 is basically the same platform. |
Post# 992441 , Reply# 44   4/29/2018 at 01:09 (2,161 days old) by GusHerb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
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The Mazda 6 is way nicer at this point. The Fusion also hasn’t been based off that since Ford switched to the CD4 platform for the 2013 model year. |
Post# 992451 , Reply# 47   4/29/2018 at 05:55 (2,160 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
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Chrysler dropped the Dart and 200 in 2016, and 2017. They only have the 300 now. |
Post# 992452 , Reply# 48   4/29/2018 at 05:58 (2,160 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
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Charger. |
Post# 992468 , Reply# 49   4/29/2018 at 10:11 (2,160 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 992482 , Reply# 50   4/29/2018 at 11:29 (2,160 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
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same platform, but not a sedan. Huge trunk for a sport coupe. When GM moved the Camaro from the Zeta to the Theta platform, it got smaller. Prior to, the Camaro was the coupe, and the SS was the sedan, both on the Holden Commodore platform. |
Post# 992487 , Reply# 51   4/29/2018 at 12:10 (2,160 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)   |   | |
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I worked with a woman whose husband owned a Chrysler dealership and the one thing that surprised me was how loyal the customers were to the dealer.
They were sorry to see the Neon discontinued because as a dealership they wanted a full line of new cars and trucks so they could sell one to the family needing a cheap second car or the kid old enough to drive to school.
If they had nothing to offer, that customer might go to another dealer and establish a relationship there.
I have never purchased a new car (or even a used car from a dealer) so this was surprising to me. This is Iowa, maybe this dealer loyalty isn't as strong in other places. |
Post# 992503 , Reply# 52   4/29/2018 at 14:42 (2,160 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Speaking of people who don't know or think their SUV is AWD.... That's a friend of mine with his Santa Fe sport. He's been driving it now for almost 5 years and always thought it was AWD, it isn't. I said to him "did you go out to buy an SUV specifically because it was AWD" and he said yes but just assumed they all were. He's not very car savvy, no savvy at all really, so it's to be expected with him LOL.
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Post# 992533 , Reply# 53   4/29/2018 at 18:04 (2,160 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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I'm not happy about "progress". My current vehicle I bought new is a 2010 Mazda 5. It is a small mini van that allows me to be a big higher up than a sedan but is still easy for me to get in and out of. With the 3rd row seats down, I have plenty of room to get my walker in. I looked at "crossovers" when I was having to buy what I ended up with the Mazda 5. Crossovers can be 2 inches higher and those two inches make a difference in terms of me getting in and out of driver's seat easily. Not sure what I'm going to do if I ever have to replace it. |
Post# 993996 , Reply# 55   5/12/2018 at 14:28 (2,147 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Richard,
The large, RWD, full-frame, American cars went the way of the dinosaur / dodo, etc.
Minimum fuel economy requirement mandates from the Gov were encroaching and the best way to achieve this, in addition to (eventually) saving $$ on production costs, was to replace those large, heavy car lines with smaller, lighter, uni-body, FWD cars.
Most of the replacements were nearly as big inside and they're also comfy, but they just don't ride the same as a heavy, full size, full frame, RWD car from the 1970's & 1980's. However the Lincoln Clown Car... errr... Town Car... was damn close until it was discontinued.
Kevin |
Post# 994005 , Reply# 58   5/12/2018 at 16:08 (2,147 days old) by wft2800 (Leatherhead, Surrey)   |   | |
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The L405 Range Rover is an all-aluminium unibody... guess what? It's still upwards of 2.2 tons... unibody doesn't necessarily mean light! And why are today's FWD barges bigger than the RWD ones they replaced? A Ford Mondeo/Fusion is now bigger than the old RWD Scorpio! |
Post# 994022 , Reply# 60   5/12/2018 at 19:19 (2,147 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit)   |   | |
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Post# 994045 , Reply# 62   5/13/2018 at 03:28 (2,147 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 994189 , Reply# 65   5/14/2018 at 20:22 (2,145 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Post# 994198 , Reply# 66   5/14/2018 at 21:43 (2,145 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Post# 994837 , Reply# 69   5/21/2018 at 16:39 (2,138 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
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Face it: people need all wheel drive, or 4 wheel drive, tailgates as opposed to trunks, and perhaps something to rule the road, though more with at least some of the above, are more taking for granted what is STILL a privilege...
Leave it for other automakers to then what will eventually, or even suddenly, follow this trend... With the lease ending on my current vehicle, a Chrysler 200, which is a 300-wannabe, I believe what my next vehicle's taking the form of, is ever in question... -- Dave |
Post# 994853 , Reply# 70   5/21/2018 at 18:55 (2,138 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)   |   | |
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