(04-29-2018 10:25 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Gas prices are inching up again in Texas. And if they're up here, I imagine it's worse in others part of the country.

I love my Dodge Ram Hemi. I don't use it to haul anything of note really but I love the engine's strength when I get onto a freeway, and in Texas as poor as others drivers are, at least you tend to get more respect in a truck. But the biggest thing is having been in Houston 32 years now, I have come to the conclusion that you can't drive low-lying vehicles in our flat terrain which is prone to flooding. As long as you don't have a long commute (which I don't), there is no reason to drive anything but a truck in Houston.

That’s a good point. As a group, cars tend to be the most economical, comfortable, and reliable vehicles. But in even the most limited high water situations, they can quickly become worthless (literally and figuratively).

(04-26-2018 04:31 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(04-26-2018 04:13 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  I would rock a Taurus SHO un-ironically. What a beast but still Crack Pipe priced.

First new car my girlfriend, now wife, bought was an Oldsmobile Achieva in '93. It had the W41 Quad 4 engine and a five speed and that little bastard would flat fly. We were coming back from Savannah one night on I95 and I was driving when this dude in a Taurus SHO came up beside us and acted like he wanted to race, This went on for about five miles before she finally said "Dust him" I dropped it down to fourth and left him in the dust.

We stopped at the U178 exit to get gas and for her to go to the bathroom and the dude in the Taurus pulled up beside me at the pump. He wanted to know what we had under the hood and probably to this day still doesn't believe it was a bone stock engine even after looking at it.

Although we would have outgrown that car as our family grew I wish we still had it. Sadly she was slowing down to turn into work and this dude just plowed into the back of it and totaled it. I've looked at a couple similar models on Craigslist since then but they always seem to have the automatic.

My first care was an Olds Cutlas Calais with the Quad4 engine. I loved it when it worked; however, I blew the head gasket twice in that car. I wasn't even driving it hard. Loved the engine - just the one I had didn't like head gaskets...

I'm actually torn about this. My wife drives a Honda CRV, so we already went the CUV route. She'll never go back to the sedans. Having AWD and being able to get MPGs in the mid 20s up to 30 mpg reliably with mixed city/hwy driving is a game changer that the old SUV's don't have. I opted for a mid sized sedan and bought a Chevy Malibu. It's a great car with a lot of features and is a gas sipper (I can get low 40s reliably on the hwy). I can easily get in the mid 30s mpg for mixed driving. But...I do not have AWD and it sits low to the road.

I'll probably keep the Malibu for at least 5-6 years and will likely pass it on to my youngest daughter. I want to say that I'll buy another Malibu/Camry/Accord style car again; however, more than likely I'll go for a CUV myself.

I guess ford is wanting to push folks to the Lincoln MKZ and Continental...both seem like very nice cars.

MKZ


Continental

(04-29-2018 10:25 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Gas prices are inching up again in Texas. And if they're up here, I imagine it's worse in others part of the country.

I love my Dodge Ram Hemi. I don't use it to haul anything of note really but I love the engine's strength when I get onto a freeway, and in Texas as poor as others drivers are, at least you tend to get more respect in a truck. But the biggest thing is having been in Houston 32 years now, I have come to the conclusion that you can't drive low-lying vehicles in our flat terrain which is prone to flooding. As long as you don't have a long commute (which I don't), there is no reason to drive anything but a truck in Houston.

In Houston you also have to contend with roads that will eat low profile tires on expensive cars.

(04-29-2018 12:06 AM)BlazerFan11 Wrote:  

(04-26-2018 11:09 AM)bobdizole Wrote:  It's the early 2000s all over again. Gas prices are down so companies want to push people towards trucks and SUVs. Even though gas economy is far superior now, if we get another run on gas prices the sedans will make a come back and dealerships won't be able to give away SUVs. I wonder how many people ended up sleeping in their H2s after 2009

Then they'll come back to the trough for another bailout. Why worry about long-term trends when you can chase short-term profits and have the taxpayer assume the risk?

Well, as far as THIS subject matter goes, Ford did NOT accept bailout money from Obama. So looks like their record in the recent past grants them the benefit of the doubt on their financial acumen.

(04-29-2018 01:10 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 10:25 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Gas prices are inching up again in Texas. And if they're up here, I imagine it's worse in others part of the country.

I love my Dodge Ram Hemi. I don't use it to haul anything of note really but I love the engine's strength when I get onto a freeway, and in Texas as poor as others drivers are, at least you tend to get more respect in a truck. But the biggest thing is having been in Houston 32 years now, I have come to the conclusion that you can't drive low-lying vehicles in our flat terrain which is prone to flooding. As long as you don't have a long commute (which I don't), there is no reason to drive anything but a truck in Houston.

In Houston you also have to contend with roads that will eat low profile tires on expensive cars.

low profile tires.....I really laugh at the idiots in the 'burg....we have to run slalom here.....

and to the 5.4l v8 on 04-08 ford models, I had to trash my Lariat that had a known design defect replaced and it died two weeks later....somebody mentioned the plugs breaking off.....that was biatch too....what a joke of an engine

my gmc model with a 5.7l 350 is as good as I've ever owned....I wore out the body on the first one.....I'll wear out the body on this one....

Winning team:

Ford F-150 sales numbers 2017 = 896,764; ave. price = $35,151

When you're selling that many trucks at that price versus what the mid-size car market is doing:

Honda Accord 2017 = 322,655; ave. price = $19,976
Nissan Altima 2017 = 254,996; ave. price = $17,305
Toyoat Corolla 2017 = 308,695; ave. price = $15,388

Maybe giving up on passenger vehicles in this market doesn't seem like a crazy idea at all.

(04-29-2018 10:25 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Gas prices are inching up again in Texas. And if they're up here, I imagine it's worse in others part of the country.

I love my Dodge Ram Hemi. I don't use it to haul anything of note really but I love the engine's strength when I get onto a freeway, and in Texas as poor as others drivers are, at least you tend to get more respect in a truck. But the biggest thing is having been in Houston 32 years now, I have come to the conclusion that you can't drive low-lying vehicles in our flat terrain which is prone to flooding. As long as you don't have a long commute (which I don't), there is no reason to drive anything but a truck in Houston.

Hondas are low lying and I only got water in it with Alicia, and that was just a little damp carpet. I think Hondas are lower than Fords. GMs ride a little higher.

(04-29-2018 12:59 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  I guess ford is wanting to push folks to the Lincoln MKZ and Continental...both seem like very nice cars.

MKZ


Continental

Those are on the Fusion and Taurus respectively I'd be surprised if either of the Lincoln's stay around.

One thing for NASCAR fans to consider, with this decision, Ford will no longer be able to field NASCAR teams since they won't have a car that meets the wheelbase or roof height requirements.

(05-02-2018 06:45 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  One thing for NASCAR fans to consider, with this decision, Ford will no longer be able to field NASCAR teams since they won't have a car that meets the wheelbase or roof height requirements.

I gave up nascar over a decade ago when the ticket prices shot to the stratosphere and commercials became 50% of the broadcast time......

however, I thought Ford was running the 'mustang' model now......

hell, does it really matter???......they basically turned it into IROC with template overkill.....

nascar hasn't been worth paying attention to for many a moon now in my world......

France and corp can kiss my lily white one.....

(05-02-2018 07:00 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(05-02-2018 06:45 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  One thing for NASCAR fans to consider, with this decision, Ford will no longer be able to field NASCAR teams since they won't have a car that meets the wheelbase or roof height requirements.

I gave up nascar over a decade ago when the ticket prices shot to the stratosphere and commercials became 50% of the broadcast time......

however, I thought Ford was running the 'mustang' model now......

hell, does it really matter???......they basically turned it into IROC with template overkill.....

nascar hasn't been worth paying attention to for many a moon now in my world......

France and corp can kiss my lily white one.....

That's true about the template overkill, I gave up NASCAR some time ago too for that reason. Because it's a NASCAR template and not a manufacturer template it may not matter, currently Ford is running Fusion decaled cars. The Mustang roofline would be too low if they were running true manufacturer templates.

(05-02-2018 07:17 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  

(05-02-2018 07:00 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(05-02-2018 06:45 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  One thing for NASCAR fans to consider, with this decision, Ford will no longer be able to field NASCAR teams since they won't have a car that meets the wheelbase or roof height requirements.

I gave up nascar over a decade ago when the ticket prices shot to the stratosphere and commercials became 50% of the broadcast time......

however, I thought Ford was running the 'mustang' model now......

hell, does it really matter???......they basically turned it into IROC with template overkill.....

nascar hasn't been worth paying attention to for many a moon now in my world......

France and corp can kiss my lily white one.....

That's true about the template overkill, I gave up NASCAR some time ago too for that reason. Because it's a NASCAR template and not a manufacturer template it may not matter, currently Ford is running Fusion decaled cars. The Mustang roofline would be too low if they were running true manufacturer templates.

and that's the problem....

it's to the point where aero push has ruined the sport.....

all it is now is which team are heavily funded, pit times, fuel mileage, and getting caught up in an aero wreck....

the personalities/faces are cookie cutter made for tv too.,.,...most of the tracks suck....etc....

I went to ATL about 12 yrs. ago.....no cautions as the bees were simply turning laps b/c of the aero issue at that time.....I literally fell asleep....

(05-02-2018 06:45 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  One thing for NASCAR fans to consider, with this decision, Ford will no longer be able to field NASCAR teams since they won't have a car that meets the wheelbase or roof height requirements.

They announced a few weeks ago that they are going to the Mustang in Cup racing next year. Figured they would once Chevrolet moved to the Camaro this year.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports.../33915917/

Quote:Two years ago, it was the new Toyota Camry. Then it was the new Chevy Camaro this season.

Now it’s Ford’s turn to debut a new model for the NASCAR Cup Series.

Ford announced Tuesday that the Mustang will be the manufacturer’s new body for the 2019 Cup season. It will be the first time the Mustang races in the Cup Series, as Ford’s three prior bodies were the Thunderbird, the Taurus and currently the Fusion.

Quote:Ford has not finished testing the new Mustang, although a formal submission is due to NASCAR this summer. Then the body will be publicly unveiled at some point thereafter, with the goal for it to be ready for the 2019 Daytona 500.

(05-02-2018 06:43 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  

(04-29-2018 12:59 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  I guess ford is wanting to push folks to the Lincoln MKZ and Continental...both seem like very nice cars.

MKZ


Continental

Those are on the Fusion and Taurus respectively I'd be surprised if either of the Lincoln's stay around.

The Continental is actually a Fusion platform derivative.

The Taurus platform is old and won't have any future at all.

I don't think Lincoln is going anywhere. The new Navigator is a home run and the Aviator sibling looks like it is going to be as well.