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Detroit, 11:17 AM
Wed Dec 2
30 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/18/08
MPG (city) 24
MPG (highway) 35
MPG (combined) 28
2009 Toyota Corolla
MPG (city) 27
MPG (highway) 35
MPG (combined) 30
Anyone know why Fords have a much bigger gap between highway and city?
And, man that flex is ugly. At least GM has the vibe(which carries the bonus of being an efficient corolla).
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P.S. Make sure there are no penalties for early repayment, and also make sure it's not a front-loaded agreement (i.e. where you agree to pay the full financed amount no matter how soon you pay it off).
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11/18/08
Fuck you, Ford. I may like your Mustangs, but your business sucks.
Oh, and the Flex? Ugliest. Fucking. Car. Ever. Only next to the Aztec and Lego, err I mean Element.
11/18/08
Solid steel Legos.
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With a small diesel and a manual, I'd have done it.
11/18/08
But you'd add $5k to the price, and hardly gain efficiency (not enough to offset the sticker + expensive diesel). However, if you just lust for torque, than there's no price to high. (but in that case just buy a duramax crew cab)
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11/18/08
(and add your slogan to your name ASAP, it's only necessary)
11/18/08
Sorry, you're simply not worth their time, you've already been filtered out.
I've worked in the marketing and buyer analysis/strategy area for decades, and you're simply too much trouble for the effort.
There are already MILLIONS of buyers out there (and add on millions more for fleet sales) who will buy from inventory and from a limited number of options.
They aren't buying now due to lack of appropriate product, they simply don't have the credit and/or disposable cash on hand, or they're simply holding onto their assets for long-term survival.
You're not even on the radar.
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11/18/08
The Formerly Big Three have been catering to that middle-of-the-road crowd who will accept whatever mediocrity is offered to them. I think, personally, that part of the issue is that that crowd is dramatically shrinking as vehicles become a more significant aspect of the general public's life. As the default "car guy" amongst my friends, I have been flooded with Facebook messages in the last 8 months from friends who are buying new cars. Some of these people have bought three or four cars since I've known them, and this is the first time they're asking me for input on their decision, because they're taking it a lot more seriously. One friend just waited three months to get the exact Mitsubishi she wanted, and turned away from domestics because they kept trying to talk her into something she didn't want. She went in with a $40k budget, wanting something sporty, and they kept trying to talk her into a $20k Cobalt sedan, because they had 30 of them on the lot.
I think you're bang-on right; there are millions who are willing to accept what's available. But it was 17 million last year, and 12 million this year, and as buyers are getting choosier, the industry isn't changing to follow.
11/18/08
NOTHING on the market is at all tempting to me; I can afford to buy a car and I've got the budget, but I want to buy Ford (or a sub-brand, read: Mazda) and simply put, NOTHING is interesting enough to me to make me want to pull the trigger and buy something.
11/18/08
Fusion wagon with 4-cyl diesel
Focus RS or SVT with 4 doors
F-150 crewcab with diesel six
Some companies have vaporware. As a consumer, I have vapordemand.
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11/18/08
How 'bout the Australian Falcon? Full line, that is, not just the sedan. I mean wagon, ute, and kitchen sink.
11/18/08
Let's see what Ford Canada has to offer, and I just might get an MKZ for a few years, until I can trade it in on a G8 GXP
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But the car drives great. Surprisingly much better than my '06 Altima.
However, last month they were offering 0% on 48 months. 0% on 36 months is not cost effective for most people. Even on a cheap car you're paying almost $600/mo.
11/18/08
Surprisingly good because it's more Mazda than Ford.
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Sport-trac.
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Ford will be saved when it brings its entire Euro lineup over. And all of us Americans will bow down before its greatness of fuel economy and useful space! Plus they will all have diesels as the they are the wave of the future. 1.4l Turbo/SuperCharged Diesels with manual transmissions and 300hp.
And magic pixies will now fly out of my butt.
11/18/08
Not until Obama touches you, you won't.
11/18/08
We eventually just started calling the entire week the 3-day sale (weekend) and the 4-day sale (Mon-Thurs).