Ok, first a bit of a disclaimer: I am not a Ford fan. I like Thunderbirds and Cougars, but other than that Ford does nothing for me. If I was gonna buy a new car I can't think of a single Ford vehicle I would want, save the new Mustang.
Still, whenever I read a magazine comparison I find myself rooting for Ford. Even if it's something as plebian as a minivan comparo I will always hope that the Ford will come out on top, or if not on top, at least beat the other domestics in the comparo. Whenever Ford comes out with an "all new" vehicle or improves an existing one I hope it is enough to rel-light my fire. Lately, though, Ford has not given me much to root for. Virtually every new vehicle Ford has come up with in the past few years is substandard compared to the competition (except the Mustang and GT). Just look at these examples:
Freestar. Every other minivan on the market soundly trounces the Freestar in any comparison test. The Freestar is supposed to be a ground-up redesign, but it boasts almost no improvements over the Windstar. It still uses a coarse, underpowered engine, a substandard chassis, and an outdated style (that looks nearly identical to the model it replaced).
Ranger. Nissan has a new Frontier (~265 horses). Dodge has a new Dakota (with two optional V8's). Toyota has a new Tundra (~250 horses). Chevy has a new Colorado (~250 horses). Even Honda is coming up with a sort of mini truck. Every single vehicle in the compact/midsize pickup truck segment has been redesigned in the past year or two, and yet Ford is going to allow the Ranger, already 11 years old, to suffer for another 5 until it is redesigned in 2010. The ranger is currently the #1 selling compact pickup truck. Who wants to bet that Ford's market share in this segment drops dramatically over the next few years?
F-150. Nice truck. Very nice. Unfortunately, every road test I have read on the thing, including long term tests, point to one serious flaw: Horsepower. The Ford has a top offering of 300 horsepower. Chevy has 345, Dodge has 345, Nissan has 315, and Toyota's upcoming real attempt at a fullsize will almost certainly have enough oats to compete. Meanwhile Ford seems content to let the competition steal market share away by building more desirable trucks.
Five Hundred. Same problem as the truck. Excellent vehicle in need of a new engine. While Ford tries to compete with 240-260 horsepower competitors with its 200 horse V6 it is losing face. Eventually the Five Hundred will receive the powerplant it deserves, but will it come in time to make people take the car (and Ford) seriously? Meanwhile, customers are buying imports...
Focus. Just this past year, Ford unveiled a brand-new Focus. Too sophisticated for us colonists, though, we get stuck with the old one. Ford currenntly has no plans to update the Focus here.
Contour/Mystique/Mondeo. Cars that won accolades all over the world for their handling and sophistication sold like shiznit here because Ford dumbed them down for the North Americans. We didn't get the european handling, we got an expensive Tempo. Instead of learning from their mistakes Ford cancelled the program here and upgraded the European cars.
SVT. For years SVT had the "fastest production pickup" title locked up. Then the F150 was redesigned so SVT said "We'll be back!" - meanwhile Dodge drops jaws with its 500-horse SRT10 ram. "Don't worry," SVT said, "We're working on it". Now I just read in the latest Motor Trend that there will be no new Lightning. The F150 is too heavy, too bloated, to turn into a performance truck. They rolled over and died. Gloria Victis, Mopar! And the SVT Focus. Underpowered from the start, it still gained a following thanks to its excellent chassis. WRX's, EVO's SRT-4's, R32's - all of them would walk all over the SVT focus, but still Car and Driver magazine gave it a Top Ten spot several years in a row. Now, instead of upping the ante (or at least matching it), SVT rolled over and played dead again. High school kids all over North Amereica are all over the ST4, WRX, EVO, etc, and instead of giving 'em something to lust after Ford just gave up.
Lincoln. Caddillac is taking on the Germans, Lincoln is taking on Buick and Acura - at least it looks like it, though they're screwing that up as well. What the hell is wrong with these people? You don't answer a CTS-V with a Zephyr!!! Mercury is supposed to take on the entry level luxury cars. Lincoln is supposed to take on Caddillac! Alas, they have given up.
Ford has said thath 2005 will be the "year of the car" and they delivered an underpowered rental special (500), a nice but limited market pony car (Mustang), an only-in-your-wildest-dreams Ferarri fighter (GT) an old Focus wih a new grille, an ancient Crown Vic, and nothing else. There is NOTHING in the Ford lineup, save for the Mustang (or, while I'm dreaming, the GT), that I would want to own. FoMoCo really, REALLY needs to watch GM and Chrysler as they actually start to build desirable products that will lure people into showrooms. Instead, they just seem to have given up.
This is not even a new phenomena. When GM was making 250 horsepower Grand Nationals Ford was selling 190 horsepower Thunderbirds. The Monte SS had a 180-horse 305, the T-Bird Sport had a 150-horse 302. An HO T-Bird would not have stolen any more sales from the Mustang than a 250-horse GN or 180-horse Monte Carlo stole from the Camaro. The worst part is that it probably cost Ford more money to offer two versions of the 5.0 instead of giving everybody the HO version in the first place. The 1994-2004 Mustang was a big disappointment when comared to the LT1/LS1 Camaro/Firebird (even though, for some reason, it sold better).
So tell me, why, oh WHY, do I root for Ford?????
Why should I beware? You're talking about new cars. I really don't care much about new cars. They're nice to look at, and nice to talk about occasionally, but I doubt I'll be buying one any time this decade.
You root for Ford because that's your preference. The same reason I rooted for AMD over Intel back when I was buying K6-2s over Pentium IIs. Now they completely kick ass, and here I am still using an AthlonXP 2200+.
Besides.. I have no problem with other GM models, JUST Chevy.. and because of their average fans. I also respect Mopar products. Hell, I just posted a pic in the forum here today of my lone Mopar product, and I miss it. (wouldn't give up my Birds to have one again, but I liked it when I had it)
So what else should I beware of? The length of your rant? I could do better. :p
'cuz I was badmouthing Ford. Given some of the "discussions" I've seen I thought you were a diehard Ford guy.
BTW, even though I have a laptop and desktop both featuring Intel chips I root for AMD too. I also root for ATI (being Canadian it's my patriotic duty :canada: )
With a 9700 Pro, 9600, and 9200 (all 128 meg), who do you think I pull for? :p
I'm a die-hard everything-but-Chevy guy. I'd even *consider* (not necessarily drive) a Yugo over a Chevy, just because I loathe the average Chevy fan so much. The type of person who thinks the 350 is the greatest engine ever built, and everything else is complete , and probably has a Camaro up on blocks in their front yard. I could say more, but it would probably start a riot. :p
Anyway, it just so happens that my top preference is Ford. However, I can appreciate "BOP"s, Mopars, even some imports. Maybe not all for the same reasons, but I can appreciate them. I can even appreciate two Chevys, although I don't think of one of them (the older Vettes) as Chevys. Early '60s Impalas get a pass from me.
BTW, to head off the second potential riot.. (looks at Oldraven) my main beef with Chevy is the obnoxious average fans. (I think he knows what I mean, since we covered this before) One of my first cars was a '62 Impala 4-door with a 327/250hp and a Powerglide. While that car was not in as good of condition as my '64 Galaxie, (2-door fastback, 390/300hp w/ "3 on the tree") I still look back fondly upon the car.. and it's the reason old Impalas get a pass from me. Just wanted to point that out before all hell broke loose over it again. :p
I know I personally root for Ford because it is a family thing. My grandfather worked for Ford in the 1940's. He has never owned anything else. I guess the love for Ford cars is in my blood :). Serioudly, another reason I am PRO FORD is that Ford is one of the only companyies who hasn;t ever burned me.
For example, I drove about six different GMC C3500's / C2500's in my last job and hated them all. Loaded (well under capacity) the truck could not top 55mph. These truck were riddled with mechanical problems, and totally unreliable.
Nearly every import I've worked on (or that friends / family has owned) does not perform well in sever cold weather. The exception to this is Toyota, the only import I will give a thumbs up too. Take for example VW. Has anyone worked on one of the late eighties fuel injected Vw's. Its like what were they smokeing when they built that thing.
Alot of this and other anti non ford products statements I've made are partly out of ignorance because I have mostly worked on only fords my whole life. You do make a totally valid point about Ford comming short of competitors all the time in certain areas. They still do make reliable, modest, cheep vehicals the sell very well.
Not to demean what you've said, but the family thing means only as much as you put into it.
Why do I say that? Because generations of my family worked for Harrison Radiator in the Buffalo area. Who does Harrison make radiators for..? :giggle:
I just meant, if you are raised with something it is likley to affect your whole life. Ex: I grew up around only Ford cars. I leared to fix ford cars from age six up. There fore I know most ford cars far better than any others. Because I was formerly employed fixing cars I prefered the fords because I knew more about them. This makes me think other cars are strange, especially VW. This reenfoarces my love of ford.
You do realize Harrison Radiator is a GM company, right..? :giggle:
(my Impala had a Harrison in it, probably built by my grandfather)
Like I said.. nothing against your personal experiences. However, I always thought of myself as the counterpart to the "it's in my blood" argument.. since, if it were in my blood, I'd be a huge GM man. :p
I always have been, always will be a ford guy. My first automotive memory was sitting on the fender of my dads 1982 F-150 4X4 'helping' him change the sparkplugs when I was 5. I like chevys too but its the chevy guys I cannot handle.
Sunday night criusing back from the bar in my buddies blazer (his 19th b-day) it was screwing around, caliper sticking and pulling it around, I made a comment like "typical chevy" (I'm a ford guy hes a chevy guy we always rip on each other:p) and his brother who was one of the three people in the back seat of the blazer *Snapped* and started freaking out about chevy being the "greatest company in the world" and "nothing comparing to chevy vehicles" and he actually had to be removed from the vehicle and calmed down before we could proceed :screwy: luckily I was sober enough to keep my big mouth shut!
But one thing I can't argue about is fords shiznit offering of vehicles :disappoin theres just nothing to get excited about. If I were in the market for a new vehicle I would probabally end up with a dodge before a ford as far as cars go :shakehead
But eventually ford has got to wake up.... Right?.....
Ford of North American has had their head firmly implanted in their ass for years now. When it comes to domestics I am a Ford guy..but there is nothing new from them that I would buy. My g/f likes the new Mustang...myself I could take it or leave it. Yes I own 6 Ford vehicles..but none are newer than '88.
Ford of Austrailia has is down. The Aussies love their cars....as much if not more than we Americans. I'd take a Aussie Falcon XR6 turbo over ANY new US manufactured car....period. Anyone ever watch Austrailian Supercars racing? Now THAT is "stock car racing".
I have no problem with foriegn cars either. I dismiss most asian makes though and tend towards the european marks. Personally I have only owned VWs and Fords. Personally I wouldn't mind getting my hands on another early H2O-cooled VW for fun sake. I cut my teeth doing my own repair work with them and they were decent little cars for the time. VW had it's problems in the late 80's-early 90's. I'd take a 1975 Scirocco over a 2004 Focus any day.
Anyway, yes Ford-US is out of touch..with alot of things..but I'm not in the market for a new car, so it really doesn't matter to me what they do.
I'm sure some of you have seen some of the cars that Ford Australia makes, right? They beat the piss out of the North American watered-down cookie cutter pieces of poo. The low-end engine in thier "Family Sedan" the Falcon has a 244 hp I-6 with dual overhead cam and VVT. The list goes all the way up to the XR8 with a 350 horsepower quad-cam V8. In a FAMILY SEDAN!
(http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/images/8octfor11.JPG)
PS - On the Chevy issue... I can't say I'm brand-loyal. I drove a beater '90 Cavalier that cost me $200 for a while. I also have a big infatuation with the second generation Cavalier Z24's.
They need all that power to outrun the dingos in the Outback.....
, why can't we have dingos!
We did (or at least we had wolves).....they all got killed off along with almost everything else "native" to this continent :p
Anyway...don't wish to hijack...sorry....
GM of Australia has some pretty ed cool cars too. Even the middle east still gets a very cool Caprice (nothing like the boats we had here, they are unibody, RWD, and LS1 powered). I will never understand why North American automakers completely neglect the North American market. At least GM is trying, though - they're making Cadillacs that can actually be compared to BMW's and Benzes. They're making a 200+ horse supercharged Cobalt. They brough the Monaro over from Australia. Ford, on the other hand, is doing nothing to make their north american product line more appealing.
Do you know why Ford has such cool cars in Australia? It's because Australia doesn't have the federal emissions laws that we have here. So you can have a 350hp family sedan and not worry as much about emissions from that sedan. It costs a lot of money to develop the technology necessary to make a 350 horsepower motor meet US and Canadian emissions standards. That's why all those HEMI powered cars cost well in excess of $35,000.
Why does everyone here compare ford to chrysler when they cant hold thier own in the first place? Half of Chryslers line is running either mitsu powerplants or mitsu trannys, Hell my brothers 99 Jeep classic has a mitsu tranny. The jackasses at Yark Jeep dident wanna tell him that, Its idiotic to try and compare a car company like chrysler to ford esp. since chrysler was forced out of the top 3 because thier sales were , only to be replaced by Toyota. so chrysler is the :dunce: of em all.
And their toilets flush in the opposite direction too :grinno:
Austailia is still pretty "unpopulated" with vast areas of land that will probably never be developed...which is good. But yes..less people=less cars=less polution=less "federal mandating" of emissions standards...
http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/coriolis.html
That could be Canada you're talking about as well. Real estate wise we're second largest in the world (second only to Russia) but population wise we have about 30 million people. Imagine, NY and LA combined have more people than Canada.
Speaking of which, Canada's emissions laws have always been much lighter than the USA. This is why in the mid 80's you could still buy T-Birds and Cougars with carburetors. It's also why my car, even without its catalytic convertors, is perfectly street legal. Our safety standards have traditionally been more strict though (daytime running lights, et al).
While emissions laws undoubtedly have some effect it certainly isn't the only factor. The biggest problem is that manufacturers have a firm belief that North Americans don't want those cars. To prove their point they'll bring one over (GTO), jack the price way up (GTO), nobody will buy it (GTO), and then they'll say "SEE? We TOLD you it wouldn't sell!" (did I mention the GTO?). They think that we want cars that handle like Crown Vics, so we don't get the good stuff. They think we can't handle the power, so we get dumbed down versions (WRX).
Meanwhile, Chrysler has wisened up. It's giving us desirable cars. Like it or hate it, there's no denying the PT cruiser was a smashing sales success. The Ram's market share has increased exponentially since Dodge took a chance in '94. The 300 and Magnum wagon are both incredibly successful. Instead of offering rebates Chrysler dealers are charging a markup, and that is where you can find the definition of a succcessful car: If you have to offer incentives, you have failed. A successful car will sell itself without having to offer $2500 cash back, 0% financing, etc.
Someone must never watch the Simpsons..... :)
Haven't watched it in years. I don't get broadcast TV here, just satellite. Never really bothered to track down a station that plays old episodes of it. I'll settle for Family Guy reruns. :p
Woo hoo! This is a Duesey. It's something I've been trying to say for a very long time. I just keep getting cut off at the pass. (looks back at bird351 ;) )
I'm a T-bird guy, but not a Ford guy. This has a lot to do with being raised in a Chevy family, and a lot to do with my experiences since owning a few Fords. But the fact that my Dad has jumped ship to Toyota, and my brother has gone the way of MOPAR almost every time, though he has no idea why, and my other brother has owned everything under the sun and now hates cars in general, kind of boots the idea of having been raised around Chevy's deciding why I am a fan.
I'm a fan because I love my truck. It's reliable, sturdy, and I just like the look of it. I'm a fan because Chevy has been the first of the three in so many areas, like fuel injection (corvette, sorry man, it's a Chevy. It's been the flagship since it arrived, how could it be anything else. There's a bowtie in the emblem.) Turbocharging (Corvair and Olds Jetfire) automotive design (Harley Earl started the first ever Automotive Design studio for GM, taking the right away from Engineers for the first time) fibreglass bodies (Corvette again, something they still do, yet the other two never have, that I know of) etc.
But GM isn't my favorite company. Just with domestics. That would be VW and VWAG. Yup, because of experience, which started me off in the automotive world. It wasn't my first car either. Just the best so far. As for late '80s VW FI engines. The Bosch fuel injection system is genius. I still to this day do a double take when I see a Fox, and do plan on having one as a comuter again some day.
Ford disapoints over and over, as GM has done in the past 15 years. Dodge never really entered into it, once the musclecar days were over. But now, watching the latest trends from GM gets me giddy. And I can honestly say, that if I were to choose a new car from the Detroit three (can't call them the big three anymore) I'd be looking at Dodge.
And complaining about Dodge sourcing out parts is hillarious. How many parts in your Ford were made in America? Be honest, now. I remember Ford getting Yamaha to build them a few high output engines for their family cars. A good portion I can guarantee comes from the likes of Volvo and Mazda. GM went with Toyota and Suzuki to source components, (and now Daewoo). It's global automotive management.
The Aussies have the cool cars because of their choice in motorsport. We've got NASCAR, which sold out decades ago, and NHRA drags, that require nothing but straight line and a huge left turn to get to the next straight line. They have RWD V8 sedans that need to pull heavy g forces in all directions.
That sounded a bit testy.. hah.
So let me get this straight: You like T-birds yet don't really like Fords, but when someone feels the same way about the Corvette vs. the rest of Chevy, you get a bit testy.
I'm not testy man. And I can't deny that the T-bird is a Ford. I can take pride in the fact that there are, and never have been, any Ford emblems on my T-bird though. ;)
Again, I'm not testy. I can tell your temperature's rising already. I made it a point of refferencing your posts as little as possible, simply to avoid the usual. I'm asking you not to start this again.
Is there nothing else in my post you can discuss? Because it looks like you're trying to find a reason.
My temperature only rises when people say things like "I can tell your temperature's rising already" when it isn't. I don't know how many times I have to drop this hint before some of you get that. The fact that I'm not calling you a few things that are popping to mind right now (nothing vulgar) is evidence enough that I'm not as worked up as you'd like to think I am.
You made a point of referencing my posts as little as possible, but didn't quite go far enough. I suggest you work on it a bit harder.
As a side note: If anything today SHOULD get my "temperature up", it would be the fact that I'm watching a "Seconds From Disaster" show on National Geographic Channel about a train wreck in Alabama, when my fiance is riding home on a train as we speak. :D (and no, it isn't getting my temperature up)
Ford outsources parts that we own Mazda,Volvo,Lincoln,Mercury,Asotn Martin, Jaguar. We are american based not German. Sure if eaton wasent such an asshoole and dident go and sell Crrysler to the germans i believe they would still be part of the big 3. Years ago i would have concidered a Chrysler shiznit its all i grew up around, Horizons and voyagers, but as of now i have no sympathy for a car company that contiousily shoots it self in the foot with the "new Radical designs" that are take it or leave it. To tell the truth there is only one car out of thier whole line that i would buy SRT4 and well its got major oil leak problems (sigh) normal chrysler problems, just wonder if they are gonna fix this one, they like to let "little problems" slip by.
How long have you been waiting for me to post in this thread? I honestly don't know what your problem is with me. Do you honestly think I was trying to insult you or something? Just remember that you used my name first. You sound like a troll.
And so you know, I don't tip toe around anyone, so get over yourself. And consider yourself ignored from here on out.
On with the TOPIC AT HAND.
20th anny 5.o, remember that the new T-bird is just that. One of those radical new designs that you can take or leave. As is the new Mustang. The GT is as radical as it gets. They're all doing it, to an extent. I actually wish GM would get with it, and start producing cars that aren't so vanilla to look at. (excluding Cadillac, they're doing a fine job) Even if this retro thing doesn't last any more than another five years, I'd like to see some retro Chevelles, or F-bodies.
Ignored? Sounds like a good idea.. because I'm tired of your .
:grinno:
OK, before anyone else gets sand in their hoohoo over my Chevy comments.. back to the topic.
I guess I don't get too bothered by Ford's ups and downs because I don't look at their cars from the perspective of buying one myself. Pretty much all new cars have lost my interest. If I think of any new car, I think of it in terms of suggesting my mother buy one. She has a lot of trouble getting in and out of her ZX2, and even my T-bird, due to her spinal surgery. She's shown some interest in the 500 (and now the Montego, since I pointed it out) for the whole "command seating" thing. I tend to think she should just get a minivan and be done with it. (SUVs are a bit of a climb in, which is also somewhat bad.. not to mention not thought of very well in the household)
Someone lock this thread. Apperantly there can be no civil discussion regarding controversial (Ford vs. Chevy?) topics on this message board.
I'm enjoying the discussion. There's no reason we can't continue with the actual topic.
Ok raven but this side conversation is intresting :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:
No need to lock it. Problems have been dealt with.
I guess so. Oh well. Australian's are s because they have cooler cars than us. Discuss.
Im not trying to make any enemys its just that as soon as anyone mentions the 500 or the montego the Magnum seems to pop up for whatever f*cking reason, and frankly im sick of hearing of that car in my opinion its a pos but thats my opinion. Anyway i dont see how anyone could try to hold the 500 to the magnum even if it was a RWD V8 because it would still be a sedan, a family carter, a haul ass family carter but none the less.
I know I wanna bum some of their inline-6 stuff and put it in a decent car. But if it were a TC or XR7 I'd probably get lynched, judging by the reaction to that one Ebay thread. :p
Now who's putting out flame bait? :giggle:
What... there aren't any... Australians here, are there?
Bloody royt mayte. Oym ganna keek yer ass!
;)
I wish the SCCA GT series would really take off over here. (I think that's the name of it) I know it's an American series, but it's similar to the Aussie Supercars in that they're real stock cars on road courses. Mostly Fox body Stangs and F-bodies. They're modded to the max, but at least they're real cars that you can buy. If the series ever got manufacturer support, I bet NASCAR would disapear pretty quick. Would you rather watch a Stang run, or a Taurus that doesn't exist?
HMMMM i think i would pick The stang and sentance all who watch nascar to death by SNU SNU
sadly, nascar aint goin nowhere, theres too many people into it, too many people buying the products, and too many people who live their lives for every sunday
that, and its becoming like an addictive soap opera for some "oh my god, Tony Stewart is such an asshole!" i mean , chill out
but yes, Ford sucks in its current form, by the time they made a stock car to outrun the LS1 F-bodies, the F-body line died off, and it took them a supercharger to do so, where as GM had a beautifully designed pushrod engine
but as mentioned before, if i were to buy a new car, it would be an SRT-4, theyre light, cheap, economic, and fast, there is no car that truly competes with it in bang-for-the-buck
and also, i finally spotted a new stang, 05 GT in redfire...i can officially say i dont like it, it looks so fake, so playskoolish to me, i think they messed up big by making a design thats either a love or hate, everyone ive talked to either loves it or hates it, havnt heard an "ehhh, its alright" or "its pretty decent", ford needs to stop targeting age groups, specific buyers, previous owners etc, they need to build cars that should appeal to everyone
i wonder how the expedition didnt get brought up. that is an american suv, and very powerful too.
and why the 500 bashing? how many of you ppl actually drove one? i drive about 15 of those things a day. and even in it's base form, i would almsot take it over a GT mustang. even with 203 hp, they smoke the 250 hp 300. and yes, I've done it :ies:
i always root for Ford as well, but i expect them to fall in every catagory. and frankly, they are the most american made car out there. (ford, gm, and cryst)
and dont try to prove that im wrong about that, cuz trust me i know. and if we cant get along with this stuff
IES!!!!! :ies:
discuss! :dunno:
Yes Tbird 232ci and your engine will be banging when it totally drains all the oil outta it. We have to many Chrysler sympathisers on this board. I would buy a focus before i would buy an SRT4, for the simple fact that chrysler has had and always will have major quality issues.
And try and tell me the 300 c aint a mitsubishi reskin now
http://mitsubishicars.com/galant/image_gallery.html
And here is the link to the 300c's image gallery just to prove my point
http://www.chrysler.com/300/features/exterior_photos/index.html
Actually the 300 is a Mercedes reskin, uses alot of thier chassis. :ies:
And the Focus doesn't have quality issues? I think there are more recall issues against that car than there have been against any other single model in recent history.
As Cougarman said, the 300 is no Mitsu reskin, it's a Mercedes E-class reskin. Meanwhile, the Five Hundred is a reskinned Volvo S80 and the upcoming Fusion is a reskinned Mazda6...
pwned
And I don't see any similarities between the Galant and the 300. It's a FWD, for heavens sake.
Here's a focus quality story for ya...a couple weeks ago my stepson's g/f pulls into the driveway in her focus with engine troubles. She is complaining of loss of power and pinging. I go out to have a look and the first thing I aways check is fluid levels.
Oil looked good, no metal, a little brown like it needed to be changed, no smell of gas...I think, "may have overheated" so I check the coolant level...hmmm? no coolant in the overflow (and no way to check what's in the rad). I told my stepson to go into the shed and bring out a bottle of coolant and top it up. About 3 seconds after he starts to poor it in the overflow it starts to come out of the bottom of the rad.
He gets down to have a look and it's coming out of the lower hose. The factory hose clamp (you know the ones you have to nip together with pliers to get off) is loose and the hose had come off. I go into the shed and get a replacement clamp while he takes off the original clamp.
He passes me the the original clamp and the retainer that holds the clamp open during assembly is still on it. :shakehead there's "Quality is Job 1" for ya:mad:
BTW. After we refilled the rad, the engine did start up and run fine. No problems since.
My mother's '01 (first year, bad idea, I know) has only about 75k and it has valvetrain rattle and the exhaust has a small leak. Oh, and in addition, as stated, it has about 15 recalls.
all i have to say is chrysler never bothers to fix any of the thats wrong with thier cars they would rather just end the line, and yes i will compare the 300 to a galant same basic body structure seems a bit suspicious to me, im not fond of chrysler so :flip: Chrysler into obvilion. I hope they go down in burning flames and take the once Proud jeep with them.
Well, your suspicions can be put to rest, because they are completely different platforms. ;)
I'm fond of the 300 more for what it means for the domestic market than anything else. I think it's pretty ugly, and this hydraulic valve actuator system they have on the Hemi scares me. But it's the return of the RWD family sedan, which can only be good.
Im sorry guys i have been a pretty big ass about the whole thing and would like to take this time to apologize, I am obviousily very overopionated and where the hatred of chrysler lies deep in my heart i will quit being a dick about how stanchly i hate them.
This proves you're not completely closed minded, which is all right, in my books. No worries, man.
Just as a side note i may be showing up to CJ but not in my cat she is going up in storage and if i get this next job will be buying an 05 focus stick of course. (need to start out with credit somewhere)
i was actually raised in a chrysler family, so im still partial to the mopar name, i mean hell, i do still own a turbo-k car, but i need to sell it
How much ? J/k my parents tryed to get me to buy one and frankly i dont really like em.box on wheels, just outt curiosity how much hp?
146hp, like, 150ft/lbs of torque, but the potential of those cars are amazing, theres guys running 12's on their daily drivers
But its aerodynamically incorrect ???? running 12's its as [] as you can get
There are 10-second K-cars also. Not sure if they've gone lower.
theres a guy named Gary Donovan, who runs thedodgegarage.com and relentlessracing.com, he has a 10 second Reliant
a guy named Stephane, i forgot his last name, but he has a 9 second GLHS
There was a 10-second K-car wagon running the streets here awhile back. I remember seeing it at Maitland drag strip. Of course there was also a bone stock K-Car wagon with a pro-street hood scoop, huge wing, and stock 13" wheels painted "chrome" running arund, too. Oldraven may remember that one - you don't forget K-Car wagons with pro-street hood scoops...
What does a pro street hood scoop look like?
That's what I was wondering. :p
And no, you don't forget a k-car wagon with a hood scoop. You also don't forget a Chevette with a hood scoop, spoiler, and racing stripes. (another Dartmouth anomaly)
This is the style of the one on that K-Car:
(http://www.rodnrace.com/images/scoops/6306S.JPG)
oh ok i have seen one of those on a CRX around here in toledo