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Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego
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Comments
You will see them in the upcoming autoshows, while the Zephyr is shown at another show that's appropiate for it's demographics. You have already seen spy pics of the Fusion, including the interior circle around.
Also, I dont mean to be a thorn in your side... but you keep saying how the Five Hundred isnt a competitor to the Camry (which, based on size, I would agree), AND YET, Ford has chosen to directly compare the Five Hundred to the Camry in its promotional literature. Mixed signals, at best.
Based on this car, the Fusion is definitely peaking my interest. Does Ford have a discount credit card like GM, Subaru, BMW, etc...?
~alpha
Credit card like GM's where you gain "money" towards the purchase of a vehicle ? I think your better off just putting a larger down payment. Most of that money is generated through interests you compound yourself as you purchase items.
The biggest problem with using credit cards in general is the vast majority of the population that is not disciplined enough to not charge so much that you cannot pay the card off in full every month, then they pay loan shark interest rates, but this is another subject altogether!
The biggest problem with the GM card is it forces you to buy GM, which is about last on my list, except for a 'vette, and I can't afford that!
Has anyone out there had a good experience with some of the "plug and play" units? I heard the JVC model was junk, i'm trying to find a goood one.
Mark
Ouch...to think I've never had a cavity, I cringe on thinking how bad it can be.
Now, if we can just cram a Yamaha V8 into the 500's engine bay...
Our car insurance rates are also quite inexpensive, so maybe it all evens out a bit.
With the big back seat, maybe Ford should put that Yamaha V-8 engine in the back seat! Ah, a mid engine Five Hundred two seater sports car!
Although, majority of people just buy a house because it's "cute", so that's what your seeing in the national news when half their roof is blown away. Asphalt shingle roofs...IN FL? They HAVE to be kidding. Or trailer homes, leaves you thinking "your asking for it". So I question peoples common sense, as I question insurance companies for even insuring them.
I'm involved in an organization pushing strict building codes to be adopted statewide, and ban new trailer parks from being built, again...statewide.
The Yamaha V8 can be shoe-horned with minimal re-engineering of the current structure. Think, next Lincoln LS, Conti.
We own two rental houses in Florida and one more is being built - regular taxes and insurance are OK, but the stamp taxes (sounds like something from the 1700's) you pay at purchase time are very high. Florida, Texas, Nevada and some other states have no personal income tax, but the property taxes in Texas are high.
Of course, here in southern California smaller houses are selling at $500 per square foot, and larger ones at $350 per square foot.
To save for a new car, consider the Chase Perfect Card. We pay our balance in full each month, and receive a 3% rebate on gasoline and 1% on everything else, with no cap on the payouts.
My point being the actual brochure, that is available upon website request or in the dealer showroom, points out the Camry. If you want your car not to be considered a competitor to another, dont point it out in what is likely your most widely circulated publication.
~alpha
Surprise demand prompts Ford to build more Freestyles, fewer Five Hundreds
AMY WILSON | Automotive News
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101059
Posted Date: 10/20/04
DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. will build fewer Ford Five Hundreds and more Ford Freestyles at its assembly plant in Chicago, Ford Division President Steve Lyons said last week.
The market's surprise demand for the Freestyle is triggering the mix adjustment, Lyons said. "We thought it was going to be the other way," he said.
The Chicago plant began assembling the Five Hundred sedan, Freestyle sport wagon and 2005 Mercury Montego sedan in July. They went on sale in September. Initial production of the Ford models was split 60 percent to 40 percent in favor of the Five Hundred. Lyons said now the mix of the Ford vehicles will be at least 50-50.
savetheland Oct 19, 2004 6:05pm
The interior materials quality in a Passat are much better than a Five Hundred.
The interior materials (mostly plastic) is one of the things I like least about the Five hundred. I find them similar to what you'd find in a Taurus or Impala, not a "higher end" sedan.
BUT before my aggression towards VW starts coming out because of the nightmare experiences I had to deal with, through my friends. I'll just simply state that VW is a great illusionist. Beautiful interiors, in the most unreliable package this side of a Kia. And that's why VW has the highest "perceive quality" index in the industry... Interiors...
The Jetta is not in the same class. I've heard of many Jetta quality issues but have no personal knowledge.
I am a mold and otehr toxic materials consultant, and agree that cabin air filters which are not properly cleaned or replaced can become sources of mold.
And as for the other 6 Passat owning friends, never told them about the mold issue although everytime I would drive their cars in for repairs I would smell it, and rather not bring up something they aren't aware of..being ignorant is bliss I say.
Out of the original 12 VW friends, now it's 2 left who are waiting to pay it off (have one purposely leave his doors open so it gets stolen). So they can replace it.
No I'm not bitter, I just gotta deal with their headaches because I'm in the field :-)
My 1990 Taurus was just as tight as new interior wise after ten years and 100K miles, and even the cloth drivers seat which got used 100% of the time showed little wear and tear.
My current 2000 Taurus is also doing well in this regard at 42K miles and counting.
Hopefully, Ford has been able to "bling" up the interiors to make a better first impression but still continue their generally long life attributes, which are more important to me than initial "bling".
ALSO, the power seat controls belong on the DOOR.
the switches and stalks carry over into the 05 'Stang and look even cheaper. Hey there is always room for improvement
Mark
---
BTW: If you can't pay taxes with your credit card, you sure can pay it with the attached "convenience checks" which usually comes with the credit card statement.
give-me-a-break! Stalks look cheap? - its called plastic, get real and get over it!
Actually there's really just a handful of car models that have the power seat controls on the door. Without thinking too hard, really CV, GM, TC and some Mercedes models. As previously stated, the modules that are shipped by the suppliers already contain the proper wiring. Running wiring to the door adds un-necessary costs, and complications come time to replace anything on the door.
Power Seat controls on doors, have a pro/con situation as I see it. It's easier for me ( since I'm tall) to just open the door, play with the buttons instead of squeezing into a very tight seat, and changing it there. On the other spectrum, the first instinct most people will have, is to touch the side for controls.
Another reason you see some rear door lock stalks towards the rear of the rear doors (as opposed to the frontal near the "B" Pillar is also for the same reason. Many years people would reach back to unlock their doors. But in the rear seat, the instinct is the same, to reach rear ward. Hence, why now some are doing that. When there's an accident, instinct is to reach back as studies have proven.
Same with power window switches on doors. Some vehicles get slammed for having them in the center console (like BMW 3-Series, Saturn L300, VUE) because they aren't on the door, and the instinct is to look at the door to open a window.
FDCAPT,
And what I prefer about the Mercury clone is you get the memory seat settings feature, HID Headlights and Led rear lights, dual colored interior fabric trim AND it's a few hundreds less than a comparable 500. This is on purpose because they expect people to flock to the 500, so it gives the Montego an added benefit and bring people into the showroom.
And like the Lincoln Aviator and Navigator!
(Sorry if I hurt you... you seem to be Bill Ford or his best friend... knowing everything from tires to lamps to supply, mechanical issues, paint issues, future vehicle issues, and what not??? :-)
A few other's, Avi, Navi as you mentioned. PTCruiser on the rear seat I believe, previous MB CLK are a few I can remember at this time.
Both the Avi and Navi (while having the Explorer/Expy) have it on the console. Supposedly it was to give them something distinct from the Exp twins, but I say it's cost cutting. When driving my mother's Navi my first instinct is going for the door, don't find the button. See it's really an inch from my right arm that's already resting on the armrest, and end up punching the door in frustration.
ANT, hats off to Ford for producing a well rounded vehicle at a good price. Im not sold on the performance, or the lack of some desirable features, but overall... a very nice effort.
As I said before, Im really looking forward to the Fusion. Then again, I was always a fan of the Contour/Mystique V6s.... the styling of the Mystique when it first came out really caught my eye. Pity Ford flooded the Fleet market with those two.
~alpha
Mark
You may want to check your dealer's web site, sometimes they have internet coupons you can printout that might save you a few bucks. Also if you work for a company that is a vendor to Ford, you may qualify for that discount. X-plan is it?
Otherwise, about the only option is to wait until dealer stocks become sufficient. With Ford using one plant for both Five Hundred and Freestyle, they really may not be able to kick out the volumes they could like when they had two full plants available for just Taurus and Sable production, so it could be big discounts will be slow in coming, but this is just a guess on my part.
On the other hand, half a plant's production may be enough, given the current auto market with the blossoming of more and more models to choose from from both Ford and all the competitors.
Heck, in this market, they may put incentives on it anyway, just to keep it selling. Still, I don't see that Ford did what GM often does---price the car high enough to take incentives into account. This is what hurts residuals, increases depreciation and makes the cars look "cheap" in the market--as in: "Unlike the Accord, the Impala does not keep its value very well at all---must not be a good car, Hilda!"
Sales to rental car companies do much the same thing.
The front seats are comfortable, however the rear seats were not comfortable. The rear seat was very firm with little padding. The rear seat arched backward (opposite of a persons back). You must lean all the way back to feel it. I asked the sales person to drive while I rode in the back. Since no one has mentioned this, I can only assume all the potential buyers here did not ride in the back seat.
Is this typical of folding rear seats. My 91 Cougar had a split folding rear seat and I would say it was almost as bad.
Would the rear seat of the 500 been better if it had not been a folding design?
Anyone else sit in the back seat for more than 10 minutes.
I remember having a Mustang, where on the front seat, everything from my mid back, north...Nothing touched. I'm sure anyone who had a 83-89 Tbird, Cougar understands as well since it followered that design.
We drove a Premier AWD at the Mission Veijo, CA mall yesterday and I used my $25 certificate to reduce the price of a mall item to close to reasonable. They also had Mariners, and they sure are much nicer than the Escape was in 2001 when I was shopping for an bought my '02 Mountaineer. The engine of the Montego labored up the hills going out of the mall, but with the test drive worker talking, it was difficult to concentrate on the vehicle. I still will not place my order until I am able to drive one for 30 or more miles on some rough freeways, so I'll have to wait until the dealers have more of them.