Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102949
Ford needs to stop cutting its "salaried" positions and go after the Union. I DO NOT mean the union workers, i mean the actual union that is helping the media get what it wants... Dead US automakers.
The Five Hundred has gradually made its way into New York. While I see few around, there are more and more every day. There was a limited parked right next to a big toyota/honda/hundai dealership.
That says alot
If gas prices get over $3/gal and stay there the folks in the Glass House may want to consider offering a 6 cyl. FWD version. If it's good enough for the Audi A8 in Europe, why wouldn't it be good enough for a Lincoln here.
Considering the higher cost of gas rising daily, don't be surprised if you see all these models that "Oh it's too small for american roads/standards" jump the pond.
This is a market economy and things are driven by supply and demand. Right now Ford has access capacity and extra factorys. This results in over production which results in high rebates which lowers profits.
Its better to sell fewer cars at a higher margin then to blow out cars the way GM does.
As for Firing the white collar workers? Hey it wasn't the union workers that screwed Ford up so bad now was it?
As far as I'm concerned, anyone that isn't directly involved in designing, building or distributing an automobile is potentially surplus.
The fat is being trimmed and in the long run, I think Ford will be stronger.
Mark
When is the embargo over?
Mark
The adjustable pedals do not help, as they are meant for short people. I kept them all of the way forward, the normal position for a car without that feature.
The big hump in the floor on the left side could be fixed with a block of wood.
A telescoping steering column is simply a must with the Five Hundred, and there is no reasonable explanation for the lack of one.
The overly wide console also must be redesigned. As wide and bulky as the console is, there is still just a silly joined cup holder which is no good with two mugs with handles. Actually, I would prefer that it have a 40-20-40 bench seat and column shifter option, as on the competing 2006 Impala.
Frankly, I've never understood why ANYONE would want to sit CLOSER to the steering wheel.
First of all, it would be "intruding" in "my personal space" if it were any closer, and secondly, it would put the airbag too close to me.
People can't stand having their arms sticking forward to hold the steering wheel? Hmm, it's never bothered me, even on 13-hour drives, and I sit with the seat all the way back.
I know that, but I do sit with the seat as far back as possible. And I'm only 5'11"
"but that results in my arms being straight out, or worse, yet, having to lean forward."
I guess I'm either blessed with longer arms, or you're cursed with shorter arms, then. LOL
I mean, if you're several inches TALLER than I am, your arms should also be longer.
My arms are extended quite a bit. But it seems a small price to pay to keep the steering wheel and airbag away from my chest area.
Also, I don't wear 35" sleeves. So you arms ARE longer than mine. So it's hard for me to imagine that your arms are extended more than mine are.
I've driven cars with telescoping columns before, and it always felt very WEIRD having the steering wheel that close to me . . so I would just extendd it back to its farthest position.
I get the impression that some people just don't like their arms in that position, and want a LOT more "flex". But it's the position I'm used to. While having the wheel closer would make the arms a bit less tired, I still can't stand the thought of being that close to the steering wheel and airbag. I know the column is built to collapse, and the airbag is supposed to be smart enough to take into account your position relative to it, but it still seems more dangerous to sit that close.
I thought the whole point of adjusting pedals was so that shorter people could put the seat further back and still reach the pedals. I never thought the idea of a telescoping column was so that you could put the wheel up halfway from your knees to your chest.
Thanks for the info, sounds like you really enjoy your new car. I have drove the 500 and it handles great. It seems that 8.5 sec to 60 has been rated as too slow, but it is just fine considering the gas mileage and size of the car.
I assume the mileage was with the air on as you live in Fl.
I hope you enjoy the 500 for many years to come.
Griffman12
At best, Ford blundered by making the narrow footwell (left hump and overly-wide console) and omitting the telescoping steering column. Maybe we need to blame the guy in Sweden who was mentioned in the article about a team of people from the USA visiting him and telling him that the cup holders in the initial design were too small (even those are still not good, as they are joined, leaving space fro just one mug with a handle).
The only reason I even bother to care is that I still think Ford is monitoring these discussions, and that the Five Hundred and Montego are excellent basic designs which need some simple revisions to the interior, more optional features, and a better engine to be outright excellent cars. In fact, with those changes, the Five Hundred / Montego / Freestyle would rank as one of the very best cars at any price.
I really like the car and when it corrects these designs and put a 3.5 liter V6 in, I will buy.
More than you know ...
1) It is not designed or even easily adaptable to a transverse layout.
2) It is not in character with the 500 as it is a rather high-strung engine, requiring revs to make power.
3) Ford currently does not have a suitable tranny for that application. The Aisin 6 speed auto may have been able to handle the power, but, would not properly fit that engine if it could be mounted transversely. The CVT couldn't even hope to cope with that power. It would have been saddled with either a Jatco 5 speed unit that would still have durability issues, or a version of the 4 speed that sat next to the engine in the retired continental.
The best hope for the 500/Montego is the new 3.5L V6 with the new joint venture 6 speed auto which can be configured as FWD or AWD.
Personally, I hope that Ford steps up to the plate and either produces an SVT 500 with the 4.4L Yamaha 60 degree V8 attached to the JV 6 speed auto AWD, or does the same package, but in the Montego under a revived Marauder name. Personally, I think that since there will be a new continental and LS derived from the D3 platform used for the 500, and both will have or offer the V8, the SVT Ford makes more sense.
I also hope that Ford does not continue to starve the Five Hundred / Montego of features as part of some futile attempt to "force" potential buyers to consider a radically more expensive Lincoln.
Having said that, I think the 500 is a good car, but not good enough. "Ford", I'm not a 0 to 60 nut. I only want to ne able to get on the expressway without getting run over. It is nice to be able to place my Passat TDI in cruise and it stay there without downshifting on hills. It takes the torque of a diesel to do that.
I should add that my CVT equipped AWD SEL Five Hundred has never once downshifted on a hill...and it certainly does not have a diesel engine...
LOL
PS: Do you think they will get it?
Ford has a diesel team in place that's working on/studying, the feasability of diesel passenger cars. But unfortunately till cleaner diesel is introduced, and the infrastructure of having more gas stations offering it, it hampers the introduction of it.
Please keep your comments related to the subject of the sedans in this topic. Thank you.
Thanks, Steve
P.S. Am I the only one who sees a cross between a Toyota Avalon (last years model) and an Audi in the design of the 500?
The person who designed the previous generation Jetta, Passat, etc... now work's at Ford J.Mays is his name...
If so where can I get one and what is the part number?
Thanks for any info.
Gene
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=107285
narrower console. I am a big wide body and those things along with a 3.5 V6 are musts before I buy. And I don't want a Lincoln's price tag.
One of the things that is different from the 500 is that the montego is defenetly more "premium" in look and feel. I have seen a few montegoes and the few changes ford did (HID's and LED lamps) along with more spokes on the 18inch wheels help the car look premium. The two-tone interrior is really nice, and if you wait for the 2006 models, which come out soon, you can get a nav.
The center console is really well done, and the wood-looking trim i think can be had in different colors. The cool thing about this car is that it does not look so big on the outside, untill yo usit down inside. Especially in the back. If your used to driving a passat, meybe the slightly narrow foot well in the front won't bother you. This car really looks good.
I am pretty sure that in JD power ford has a better rating than VW, probably in both initial and long term quality. I cannot imagine a worse quality car than VW, meybe Mercedes, or Kia???
Ford is so big, in terms of service departments that really your service should depend on the department, does it have a good rep or not. Tell us were you live and meybe someone here knows of a good place to take your car. The plant these cars (500/montego) are made is world-class and the cars reflect it. Either way, though, if you do have a problem its nice to know the company you invested in can treat you well after the purchase.
And yes, if your spending 25-30K on a car, its an investment!
If Ford had introduced the D3 vehicles with a 3.5 liter V6 option and a telescoping steering column to better fit taller drivers, it seems obvious that D3 platform sales would have equalled or surpassed LX platform sales.
You have a good eye to have caught that...
The 500 cars are better than the crysler LX platform and are more than a match for any other foreign car.
The big gain with the 500 is that finally an American automaker was able to to produce a space efficient four door. I cannot stress this enough. Most of the time our cars are (compared to toyota/honda/nissan) big on the outside and not so big on the inside. One has to look at the pontiac GP and now i am hearing even the Impala which i like but can't ignore in this sence.
Ford has done a superrior job giving a car that is not so big on the outside (think CV, GM, TC) to be very big on the inside. Very well done Ford.
The 500 may yet reach it's audience with that 3.0L engine in it, in light of gas concerns at this point. No hurry for the 3.5L unless it gets equal economy.