Mercury Milan

Topic: Mercury Milan (Read 5021 times) previous topic - next topic

Reply #30 – November 01, 2005, 06:40:26 PM

Quote

As for engine choices not making sense, it's not the first time Ford did something stupid like that - witness our own 5.0 SO T-Birds and Cougars. To give the flagship T-Bird/Cougar the SO engine while the much cheaper Mustang got the HO was stupid.

Agreed...but that was, like, so 20 years ago. Why hasn't Ford learned any horsepower lessons since then, dammit!? When are they going to pull their collective heads out of their backsides and get things RIGHT for a change? Once again, here's a golden opportunity wasted. "Well, we know it's underpowered but we'll fix that later." And then wonder why domestic automakers are losing ground to imports. Ford aims low with horsepower with everything but the Mustang. If they want to compete in the real world, they really ought to start out with higher numbers, don't ya think?! Back when our cars were new, there were lots of reasons (EEC-IV being new, SEFI being new, the gradual transition to all-computer controlled engines, phasing out carburetors, pressures from the insurance industry, new and upcoming government regulations, etc.) why our engines were underpowered. In the era of 300hp family cars, there are no more excuses for Ford.

Mercury Milan

Reply #31 – November 01, 2005, 07:14:43 PM

Quote from: Cougars 2 go

I thought Honda and Toyota used quality to succeed and Nissan, in my opinion, actually put some effort in styling.
Mercury as a line-up has nothing exciting and it can't rely on high quality and resale value history. To me, it's a dead brand and this seems to continue with that trend. It's very disappointing because I don't want to see Mercury follow Oldsmobile.

Toyota does not use quality where would you get that idea? go look at a toyota camry i wonder if any of you guys have noticed it but look at the exhaust pipe hangin UNDERNEATH the suspension, thats right folks underneath, that shows what enginering skills really that are put at work in the camry doesn't it? a friend of mine took a trip down to mexico from Canada, he said thats the last time that he will ever drive that piece of sh*t down there agian due to the fact that his ass got sore after 5 hours. The year before that he took his wifes old taurus and will be taking it agian next time he decides to go down to mexico...

Mercury Milan

Reply #32 – November 02, 2005, 09:10:29 AM

More goodies on the Fusion: http://www.autoextremist.com/page6.shtml#table

(Be sure to visit before 11/9/05)

The SEMA Fusions are not bad at all. And the commentary about the Fusion--from sales and marketing, to the Zephyr--are perfect.

Mercury Milan

Reply #33 – November 02, 2005, 10:52:20 AM

Quote from: turbo88

Toyota does not use quality where would you get that idea? go look at a toyota camry i wonder if any of you guys have noticed it but look at the exhaust pipe hangin UNDERNEATH the suspension, thats right folks underneath, that shows what enginering skills really that are put at work in the camry doesn't it? a friend of mine took a trip down to mexico from Canada, he said thats the last time that he will ever drive that piece of sh*t down there agian due to the fact that his ass got sore after 5 hours. The year before that he took his wifes old taurus and will be taking it agian next time he decides to go down to mexico...

Many, if not most, FWD cars with independent rears have the exhaust hanging under the suspension, including Taurus/Sable/Tempo/Topaz and likely most other FWD Fords. In fact, even the MN12's exhaust system dips below the rear suspension. It's a packaging issue - why bother snaking a pipe up and over the suspension when they can pass it under the center, where there are no moving parts? It's not possible in a stick axle car because the axle moves, but with independent suspension you don't have to worry about it and can package things very tightly back there.

And Eric - I agree 100% that Ford has no excuse for being the bottom of the barrel. It almost seems like they're TRYING to be. That and they can't seem to understand that technology and customer's expectations change. In the mid 90's when the Duratec first came out, 200 horses was something to brag about. Trouble for Ford is it isn't 1996 anymore and the rest of the world has moved on. Even GM, with its outdated pushrod engine designs, is laying the smackdown on Ford in the HP wars. GM's new 60-degree 3.9 V6 with VTEC (yes, a GM pushrod engine with VTEC) is smaller, lighter, more effiecient and more powerful than any Ford V6 offering. It produces 240 horses NA - the old 3800 required a supercharger to do that.

Mercury Milan

Reply #34 – November 02, 2005, 11:39:58 AM

Quote from: turbo88

Toyota does not use quality where would you get that idea?

If i had to buy a car based on reliability and quality alone, i would buy a Toyota, why you ask? My friend had a 1988 Toyota 4runner, first year for the V6, it had a 5-speed, 4 wheel drive, and was a nice SUV. What made me like it more, he bought it with 186K on it, and it ran smoother and quieter than my red bird that had 174K on it at the time, had much more power, and got better fuel milage. Then at 212K, it needed a timing belt, idler pulleys, and a clutch. The thing ran even better than before, not a single problem with it, got even better milage, and was a quality piece. It lasted untill i think 236K when he wrecked it.

Not to mention we regularly raced, off roaded, and beat the living shiznit out of that truck. We lifted it 3", put some 33" tires under it, and it was a badass little offroad vehicle with nothing more than the lift and tires, and the lift was just so it would clear the tires.

Doesnt sound like low quality to me...just sounds like your buddy has a sensative tushy, tell him to stay out of gay bars.

Mercury Milan

Reply #35 – November 02, 2005, 07:51:11 PM

Just read the December Motor Trend and there's a 4-way comparison between the Fusion, Camry, Accord and Sonata. The Fusion did very well, coming in second place behind the Accord (and the Accord is $7k more expensive, so it SHOULD come in first). The really amazing thing, though, is that the Camry came in dead last. Not only did the Fusion beat the Toyota (probably the first time in over 20 years a Ford has beaten a Toyota in a comparison test - proof that Ford got the Fusion right), but even lowly Hyundai emerged victorious over the Camry.

The funny thing is that GM, with its newly redesigned Impala and new G6, was not even invited. I'm surprised Toyota didn't provide an Impala to make itself look good...

And the ironic thing is that the so-called American Comeback Car is built in Mexico while the two puppiesanese and the Korean are all built in the USA. interesting times...

Mercury Milan

Reply #36 – November 02, 2005, 08:05:09 PM

...And Shawn - don't think the puppiesanese have exclusive claim to high mileage. My '85 V6 T-bird had 430,000 km (270,000 miles) on it when I traded it (and still ran good for a carbureted 3.

. My first '87 Cherokee had about 400,000 km on it (granted, it was nearly dead, but it was still running), the second Cherokee had over 350k (350k is about where the odometer stopped working), and my current Dakota has 310k and still counting. And if you wanna see some REALLY high mileage, just glance at the odometer of a Caprice or Crown Vic taxicab. I've seen 'em with over 600,000 km and only two years old! The Caprice and Crown Vics are probably the toughest cars ever made, which explains why cops still use 'em.

puppiesanese engines do seem to run forever, I'll give you that, but living in the northeast as you do I'm sure you've noticed that nothing rusts like a puppiesanese car. It's quite common to see late 90's Civics, Toyota trucks & Fourunners, Maximas, etc, with bodies full of holes. My old '90 Nissan 2WD truck was only 5 years old when the whole box had to be replaced due to rust (that same Nissan also had 560k on it when it was sold - original engine and clutch (!), but tranny was rebuilt twice and replaced once) and I sold it because the rear frame had rotted away.

BTW, I've heard from some very reliable sources (including a cousin that works at a Toyota dealership and an industry rep that taught a course I was on) that the older Toyota 3.0 V6 is in the same boat as the older 3.8's - major head gasket problems. Toyota just did a better job of handling the problem. We all know about Ford's legendary "Tough titty" stance on the 3.8 problem...

Mercury Milan

Reply #37 – November 03, 2005, 09:08:45 AM

Some more reading:
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=19&article_id=9973

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=30&article_id=10265

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=36&article_id=10020

Mercury Milan

Reply #38 – November 03, 2005, 09:28:13 PM

Quote from: Tbird232ci

If i had to buy a car based on reliability and quality alone, i would buy a Toyota, why you ask? My friend had a 1988 Toyota 4runner, first year for the V6, it had a 5-speed, 4 wheel drive, and was a nice SUV. What made me like it more, he bought it with 186K on it, and it ran smoother and quieter than my red bird that had 174K on it at the time, had much more power, and got better fuel milage. Then at 212K, it needed a timing belt, idler pulleys, and a clutch. The thing ran even better than before, not a single problem with it, got even better milage, and was a quality piece. It lasted untill i think 236K when he wrecked it.

Not to mention we regularly raced, off roaded, and beat the living shiznit out of that truck. We lifted it 3", put some 33" tires under it, and it was a badass little offroad vehicle with nothing more than the lift and tires, and the lift was just so it would clear the tires.

Doesnt sound like low quality to me...just sounds like your buddy has a sensative tushy, tell him to stay out of gay bars.

a friend of mine had a early 90's 4 runner, he traded it in due to the fact it is such a piece of sh*t, where heading up aroudn mount baker to get some sking time in (not there is only myself,myfriend and 4 skis in the back going up this hill) now this hill was in no meens steep...i was driving and had it flat out going 60 MPH, didnt gain a mile or loss one, now if i was going up that long slightly slopped hill in the turbo bird with myslef and him and the skis in it you can bet i would be doing 120 plus if needed, talk about toyota power.....then not long after the trip he had a ABS sensor go, this anoying red light kept coming on so he goes in to finally see how much it is going to cost and how much work it will take to replace this sensor, they told him the gas tank had to be removed, and it would be a grand total of 500 bucks...wonderful, so he sold it and bought a volvo wagon and hasn't had a problem since...i would never by a toyota camry for a luxury car nor any toyota for that matter there are plenty of far better cars on the market for the money

Mercury Milan

Reply #39 – November 03, 2005, 09:48:37 PM

turbo88:

I love how you generalize an entire car company based on one experience with a vehicle that you didn't even own.

By the way, go ahead and do 120+ on public roads. That's the cool thing to do.

Mercury Milan

Reply #40 – November 03, 2005, 10:45:36 PM

Quote from: cougarcragar

turbo88:

I love how you generalize an entire car company based on one experience with a vehicle that you didn't even own.

By the way, go ahead and do 120+ on public roads. That's the cool thing to do.

thats not what i ment, no i did not own it and im sure happy i didn't but i sure drove it im just commenting on what a wonderful piece his toyota 4 runner was it certainly wasn't anything to right home about, according to shawn his buddy had one to so why should he be commenting on a toyota 4 runner and basing toyota quality on that? where did i say anything about basing toyota's ""quality"" on a early 90's 4 runner? i simply stated what problems and lack of horsepower my friends 4 runner had.

I simply said that it could i didnt say i would go 120 on a public road..

Mercury Milan

Reply #41 – November 03, 2005, 11:39:06 PM

The 4 Runner90-95, expensive, low power, even lower torque, little engine and gas guzzler. I only liked the model body....

Ford Needs a car for real men, i´m tired of seeing those gay´sports, except the Stang, that seems the market of the ford cars are destinated for a newer people "out of..."

Give me some names, of actual Ford cars, that you REALLY want to drive and be Different... like the T-Bird , Mark of Cougar....

Mercury Milan

Reply #42 – November 04, 2005, 01:13:41 AM

Quote from: turbo88

thats not what i ment, no i did not own it and im sure happy i didn't but i sure drove it im just commenting on what a wonderful piece his toyota 4 runner was it certainly wasn't anything to right home about, according to shawn his buddy had one to so why should he be commenting on a toyota 4 runner and basing toyota quality on that? where did i say anything about basing toyota's ""quality"" on a early 90's 4 runner? i simply stated what problems and lack of horsepower my friends 4 runner had.

I simply said that it could i didnt say i would go 120 on a public road..

I also know many more people with toyota's and have nothing but good things to say about them, but i didnt include any of those statements because i didnt have any first hand experience. My friends 4runner was almost as much mine as it was his, because i drove it quite a bit, i did quite a bit of work to it, and part of him buying it was so we'd be able to lug my bike around when we went to the skate park and whatnot

While your personal experiences with toyota might not be so swell, you gotta think, toyota had to do something right to do as well as they have over the past few years

also, his was an 88, the boxy years, and the first year for the 3.0, which is different from the 90's

while yes, they do rust, his was almost spotless

Mercury Milan

Reply #43 – November 04, 2005, 11:17:17 AM

Quote from: turbo88

i would never by a toyota camry for a luxury car nor any toyota for that matter there are plenty of far better cars on the market for the money

How is that not generalizing?

Mercury Milan

Reply #44 – November 04, 2005, 11:26:21 AM

Who cares if he generalized something or not? It's just his opinion. Stop trying to provoke him on it and cause an argument.