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Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego
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Comments
However, the Fusion/Milan did only get Four stars from the government...as compared to Five for the Five Hundred (and that's without side airbags).
~alpha
Don't despair.
I could use more footroom also.
It also seems that most of us agree that the interior is where Ford really needs to concentrate their efforts - widen the foot and leg space for the driver, add a telescoping function to the steering column, add satellite radio as a factory option, and add other options and features which other brand flagship cars offer, but which are missing (e.g. dimming exterior mirrors, Bluetooth, rain-sensing wipers, and such which the Chrysler 300 and/or Buick Lucerne, amongst others, offer).
Since it is now being reported (Detroit News) that the new 3.5 V6 and new Ford-Gm six speed automatic will initially be offered in the Zephyr (or MK-whatever) and not the Fusion and Milan, maybe Ford has come to their senses adn realized that the ehavier Five Hundred / Montego / Freestyle need it more than those smaller cars?
Unbelievable car loaded with standard features. Its what a flagship car should be. :sick: :sick:
Then there is the interior - it beats the 500 hands down.
Sound system is awesome.
Just go look at it.
Thats my point in posting about the Azera.
I thought the interior was great. Some analysts have compared the fit and finish of the Azera with BMW series 3.
One of the biggest criticisms about the Five Hundred on this thread is the drivers comfort. "The Ultimate Package ($2500) includes the sunroof and stereo plus power adjustable pedals and tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, memory for the driver's seat, mirrors, and steering column, rain-sensing wipers and power folding outside mirrors." Headroom and legroom exceed the Five Hundred.
Then there is the power and noise issue that is brought up on this thread so much. The Azera is REALLY QUIET.
I am not in the market for a car for two more years. I have had numerous Ford, Mercury and Lincoln products and currently have a Windstar. I wouuld like to continue wwith Ford but it is getting difficult to justify.
The newer enhanced Five Hundred better be on the mark.
Apparently, you are not alone. The sales of Ford products, other than the Mustang and F150 are poor at best.
The 500 was ordered for a "redesign" almost right after it hit the streets. The design of the 500 at best is boring, when compared to others. And of course, the CVT transmission was a poor idea from the start. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with them, but public acceptance has been poor. I drive an '05 Taurus (company car) that I picked up brand new-what a joke it is!
The 500 is a nice car (makes a great company car anyway). It still lacks the refinement and pep of a v6 Accord or Camry, but the car itself seems nice and the overall interior and truck space is impressive.
Some of the interior parts seem overly cheap, but overall it seems solid. My biggest complaint is with the Duratec 3.O. It's gutless at low rpm and thrashes crudely at high rpm. It has to be the worst DOHC v6 I've ever driven, Toyota and Nissan had smoother v6s 20 years ago. I do like the CVT, it allows for peppy performance once underway and you don't have to the gear hunting some Ford transmissions have been known for. My wife only keeps her company cars for 2 years or 50k miles, so the CVT should last that long I'd hope.
Having spent 10 days and 1000mls with a Toyota Avalon, a car about the size of Civic, powered by a 1.6 I4, it delivered mediocre 23MPG in combined driving. That's the same I get with my V6 sedans.
Yet, the compact chugger cost over $20000 over there. Americans get much more of a car for this figure.
Your statement above is quite inaccurate.
Did I miss something?
Yes, my company is replacing the Taurus with the 500 also. My Taurus is written for a two-year 75,000 mile lease, With the miles I am driving, it will come in right at that at the end of this year. The problem is if the 500 is the "Fleet Vehicle", I am not sure if this will help the resale value of those regular folks who buy one.
They show up at auction about 6 months later with between 15 to 20k miles on them and bring in about 50% of the new car window sticker.
As a result they end up dragging down the residuals and sapping the pool of new car buyers. "Why by new when you can have a certified pre-owned for $$$$$ less?
Now selling the 500 to large companies who are going to lease them for 3 or more years shouldn't really affect the residual. Ford just needs to be smart and make sure that a whole fleet doesn't show up at auction at the same time in 3 years.
Mark.
Oops, my bad. I meant a Toyota Avensis.
Sorry.
Mark, to the best of my knowledge most companies lease cars for two years for their sales people. Most sales people are going to drive AT LEAST 30K a year. A three year lease would be far more expensive. I would imagine at between 70,000 to 90,000 miles one could count on some repairs on cars that are driven hard in heavy traffic.
And I don't really think that Ford has any control over when private (non-rental type) corporations replace their vehicles.
I'll tell you why. Because the darned car was a RENTAL. Have you SEEN how people drive these things?
There is a dealership in California that sells only ex-rentals on their used car lot. These are mostly Chevrolets, Cadillacs, and Buicks. All have less than 30,000 miles on them. Also SUV such as Trail Blazers. Some PT Crusiers are starting to show up there as well. It's a small family - owned dealership...and they sell 600 used cars a month! There is very little downside to buying a "off rental" if you still have the factory warranty left. I have purchased three off rentals, all have provided good service.
My wife and I have looked at alot of cars in different price ranges, and there is nothing better out there, in our opinion, for the money, with the SAFETY (Gold award from the IIHS) AND Features. We also happen to like the looks, especially in the Merlot colour (burgundy) with the pebble (tan) interior.
The only thing we think needs improving is the engine. (Even the CVT seems ok, although in two different Limited AWD cars we drove, one had a very annoying loud noise on acceleration and the other was quiet - one of the reasons we are waiting for the improved version).
Thanks!!
That's all I can say about that...
Expect the Five Hundred/Montego for MY 2008 to come out in early calendar year 2007, about a year from now.
As for the MKS, my lips are sealed....
Ford needs to offer the 3.5 in it, and start advertising it heavily. There is no reason that the similarly sized and similarly bland Impala should be selling three times as many units. Impala offers more engine choices, but not as much room and no AWD. How strange that Ford just lets Chevy have this market without a fight.
1) Ford came up with the so-called innovation called Lincoln Zephyr – and a year after its’ release, it will get a re-design and a “new” 3.5L V6! Wow – does any one understand what Ford is doing?? They are desperately playing catch up! But the long awaited 3.5L v6 won’t save them, because Toyota and Nissan has run away with it a Long time ago!!!
2) Zephyr is so pathetic – it is not even funny – can it compete with the likes of G35 or the IS350 or the TL – the answer is a solid NO. It is a piece of junk in comparison to those fine automobiles.
3) The so called innovation is a Mazda 6, which by the way comes with better warranty and service than a mercury Milan or the Fusion. Plus it gets a 6 speed manumatic transmission and more HP, then the Fusion. SO WHY SHOULD ONE BUY A FUSION? The answer is: if you want lot’s of fake plastic chrome and piano-like interior – buy the Fusion.
4) The ford Five hundred, hm. what a dud! Too slow, too boring and not well equipped for the competition. Possesses the reflexes of a cow and the AWD that is totally overrated BTW is just a sales pitch. Hyundai Azera is 10 times better than the 500, it has more power, more style and much ,much better interior. Sells for less (comparably equipped, if there is such a thing) and boasts a much better warranty. So why should one buy a 500? Why not buy a Charger SXT with a 3.5L 250HP V6, and smoke the 500 with a better looking, and better handling while selling for less? Safety ratings : the 500 has everyone beat, but what is exactly the difference between the safety of the 500 and the competition, is it really that much safer than the rest that it is in the class of it’s own? – NO it is NOT.
Ford is going down, it is closing plants and closing dealerships, while Bill Ford is on TV, every 5 freaking min. Feeding us with his PR crap. I mean common ford. It’s time to fold’em. Ford F-150 and Mustang will not keep it afloat for long.
Exploder is not selling at all, and the rest of the fleet is not even worth talking about.
The 3.5L v6 is only about 3 years too late. Ford should have bought it from Nissan back in 2002, when the new Altima and Maxima came out with the 3.5 VQ – the best v6 ever!
Let's see:
1) Of course they are trying to play catchup. No one is trying to catch them. Relax. Either they will improve or a lot of heads will roll.
2)Zephyr isn't "junk" so much as outclassed by much of the competition. (It could be a great Mercury.) It is selling, so that will help Ford keep Lincoln afloat until better products come along.
3) The Mazda6 that has more hp than the Fusion only comes with a 6 speed manual. The Fusion has more room, so some will choose it over the 6 for that reason alone.
4) Yes, the 500 has been duddy so far, but whose yardstick determined the Azera is 10 times better? Four or five times better sounds better enough. (And I still say the Impala's styling is at least as big a snoozer.)
Ford is shrinking, but they are still making money. On the world stage, they have some bright spots (Land Rover, Volvo, Aston). Yes, I am mad at them too for screwing up their American line-up so badly, F150 and Mustang notwithstanding. But they did, so now they have to eat what they served.
But they are not going away soon; there are better products in the pipeline. As to whether these will be competitive by the time they reach salesrooms is another story...but as I say, look across the street at the Chevy showroom where they are presently cleaning Ford's clock with two average products in the full-size and compact segments: the Impala and the Cobalt.
Seriously, Ford has made it through even worse product line-ups in the past. However, I don't think Mercury is going to make it this time. It's toast. No Chrysler-style comeback for them. Back in the day, Mercury could sell 400,000 to 600,000 vehicles a year.
I agree that Mercury is going to go.
I have owned 1 Ford and 2 Mercury's - they were all POS.
I will never give Ford a penny, until they prove to me that they are making great cars and that they really do care about the customer, no just another PR stunt from Bill.
They promise innovation but deliver yesterday's news.
Look at Toyota and Nissan for innovation.
The Five Hundred / Montego do have many excellent features, such as the excellent AWD, excellent safety ratings, excellent trunk space, and excellent interior space. Unfortunately, the few things they lack have been holding them back - a fancier front end, better foot and leg space for the driver, a telescoping steering column, a smoother and quieter engine, and simple features such as Bluetooth, Satelite radio, dimming exterior mirrors, rain sensing wipers, and such. The revised versions should fix all of that, but why are they waiting so long?
Think about this. Selling parts, and not just routine maintenance parts, for Toy-Awful-A vehicles is a big business, a direct conflict with their claims of being reliable. I won't ever touch one again after loosing over $8,000 having to sell a mal-designed Sienna after just 4,500 miles.
The problem is really foot and leg or knee space. The center console is just too wide, especially since the lack of a telescoping steering wheel forces drivers to sit further forward. Ford may not need to change the console if they add the telescoping steering column.
If the 500 had the same styling as the Fusion I would probably buy it (assuming it drives well). I love the new Ford face.
I flirted with a V6 Charger but transmission issues have me spooked.
I'll probably wind up with a Mazda6 Wagon (V6/5spd) in the end though I'd prefer more interior room.
We also like the looks inside and out.
We'll probably wait for the '07/'08 in order to get the better engine, at which point the car will be "perfect".
The Ford Freestyle is bigger then the Mazda6 Wagon if you're looking for something with more room; however, if the exterior flashy looks are more important than interior space, it's probably not the vehicle for you.
I sense a bit of sarcasm... what's wrong with having an opinion on styling?? :shades:
I don't need "flashy," but my wife and I are both graphic designers, looks DO matter...we can't help it, it's how our brains are wired. The Freestyle and 500 just aren't compelling stylistically. But, the car is otherwise on target so we will drive it (probably on Sat.) and see if it sways us. The 500, not the Freestyle, we don't need or want a minivan (whether Ford calls it that or not. )
We want room, but we don't need a minivan, or anything gigantic. There are a lot of midsize choices out there. I also don't see any reason to spend 20 grand plus on something I don't find asthetically pleasing.