Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Dude Love from Canada writes: "The problem is the 'Big Three' produced stuff that only a handful of people want. SUV's were sold as the vehicle for families, big and safe. "One of the things missing from the Big Three is a simple station wagon." _____ The station wagon is as dead as the Dodo! Buyers didn't want them - too stodgy, too much like the family car they grew up with. Boomer and Gen X buyers are heavily motivated by style and setting their own generational tone. They don't want to be like their parents. Even stylish wagons like the Accord wagons of the early 90s failed miserably as buyers jumped on the minivan, later SUV bandwagons. SUVs became popular not just for the big size and power, but because some of them are fun to drive. Originally, most SUVs were vehicles that could be used both on and off-road. They're an ideal vehicle for those living in the west, where the demographic shift is now happening. SUVs were built on tall truck platforms with truck-like suspension. But, many were prone to tipping over in accident avoidance manuovers. Many SUVs on the market now aren't suitable for off-roading. They don't have enough ground clearance. Big SUVs and trucks won't disappear. Too many buyers need them to tow their toys - boats, trailers, campers, jet skis, snowmobiles, et al. You can't tow these things using a car anymore. The frames aren't built for it. Having said that, fuel economy has dictated the rebirth of the station wagon in a new incarnation - the sports utility wagon (SUW) for those who need to haul the family, but don't need towing capacity. I think every automaker now offers one of them: the Toyota Matrix, Ford Edge, Suburu Outback, et al.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 1:26 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Costas Piliotis from Canada writes: "So what else does Ford have? The Mustang? Really nothing else but the trucks and SUV's..." ________


Can you explain to me the reason for the recent proliferation of Ford Fusions and Focuses in my neck of the woods.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 1:31 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: bruce strachan from Mara Lake, B.C, Canada writes: "In the mid 1950s, the first VW Beetles arrived. Next came the Japanese. In the meantime Detroit was sound asleep. Fifty years later the Detroit 'executive brain trust' is finally getting it - in the butt. "Here's a quick test; go to auto classifieds. Check out the asking price for a 2002 Toyota Camry or 2002 Honda Accord. Then look at the price of a 2002 Ford Taurus." __________________ Honda and Toyota vehicles are famous for their low depreciation rates. If well cared for, they will last decades. Until recently, we owned a customized Ford F150 Econoline van, which we were able to use as a mini-camper for the two of us on road trips. Sadly, like most North American vehicles, it was a gas hog. After only 12 years on the road and fewer than 80,000 original miles, it developed electrical problems with the battery re-charging system. Starting it became an adventure. We had to keep a jump-starter fully charged to get it going in the morning. The Ford dealer couldn't diagnose the problem. If that wasn't enough, the passenger door lock assembly broke and had to be replaced. Meanwhile, our second vehicle is a one-owner 1986 Honda Accord DX hatchback with 125,000 original miles. No major breakages here aside from the air conditioning compressor. I've had one clutch replacement, and am due for another. The biggest issue I've had with this car is with the fuel system, which has occasionally become clogged and needed to be blown out with compressed air. Most of the repairs we've done on it have been of the standard wear-and-tear variety. It's been a great car; very reliable. I'd dearly love to keep this car, but the parts are getting harder and harder to find.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 1:48 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Greg Out West from Canada writes: rob williams from Victoria, Canada writes: Ford should bring in some of their small diesel cars from Europe. There they can compete.
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You've made a very good point. Ford already makes much smaller more fuel efficient vehicles in Europe. Why not just introduce them into the North American market ? __________


Obstacle #1: The U.S. EPA & DOT was slow to clear European diesel cars for sale in the U.S. market. Diesel has to comply with current emissions standards. The appearance of Eurodiesels in the U.S. market has been very recent. I'm not sure if they're available in California and some other states because of more stringent emissions regulations there.


Obstacle 2: Not enough gas stations sell diesel at this time. I can think of only one chain of gas stations selling diesel in my area - and its not available at all stations. Here, you'll have better luck finding E-85 (another crapshoot).

• Posted 22/05/08 at 1:59 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: I'm amazed at the number of comments slagging the Big Three for producing cars with poor gas mileage as if that issue were limited to the Big Three alone. Have you guys not checked out mileage figures on imported cars? Many have only marginally better mileage figures than their Big Three counterparts. Others, like some of the Suburus, have unimpressive MPG figures and the added detraction of running only on premium. Like their North American cousins, a number of imported vehicles have sprouted into behemoths. Take the Honda Accord, for example. Does anybody remember the first generation Accord from the late 70s? It was teeny! Accords have morphed over the years, with every new generation larger than the previous. Consumer Reports has classified the 2008 Honda Accord as a *large* sedan. My Gen 3 Accord has a 2.0 4-cylinder engine. Today, you can buy the Accord with a full-blown V-8. Much as I love my old Accord, I won't replace it with another one. I like smaller cars; the new one is way more car than I want or need. Even the 2008 Civic is larger now than my old Accord. Honda doesn't offer anything smaller. With morphing sizes and additional safety and equipment requirements, the fuel economy of Japanese cars has dropped. Our new Toyota 4-Runner averages 16 - 18 MPG city/highway. That's not great, but it's still superstar caliber in the mid-sized SUV class. A handful of imports have remarkably good MPG. But, they're small cars unlikely to appeal to buyers with the requisite 2.5 kids and a labrador. The average MPG for a Mini Cooper S convertible is 28 - and this is the worst performer in the Mini Cooper line. It runs on premium fuel, but who cares when the mileage is this good!

• Posted 22/05/08 at 3:02 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Broken Record from Victoria, B.C., Canada writes: "It's a myth that diesel is hard to get. I've driven my diesel Mercedes from here to Tucson via the back roads and never had a problem with finding it. Same for the Oregon and California coasts." _______ Back roads and major highways outside of urban/suburban areas are the *easiest* places to find diesel. Big rigs run on lots of those roads; they need it. In many urban/suburban areas, diesel is much harder to find. Here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro, finding it can be a challenge. Most stations don't sell it. I'd have to drive an extra 4 - 6 miles out of my way from my home to find the closest station selling diesel. That's not so bad. But if I were out and about in another part of the metro, it could get dicey. "It's also a myth (propagated by a united RV and auto industry) that one needs a big vehicle to tow anything. Our 4-cylinder Suzuki Sidekick can tow a tent trailer like nothing and the Mercedes (also 4-cylinder) has no problem with it either." _______ You might be right about the fearmongering from the RV and auto industries. But towing with a smaller, newer vehicle will invalidate your warranty. Originally, we intended to replace our conversion van with a Toyota RAV 4. We're looking at getting a small enclosed twin-axle trailer to tow our two maxiscooters. The weight of the scooters and trailer would be at maximum capacity for the RAV. Carrying luggage and the loaded trailer would invalidate the warranty. We looked at a Toyota Highlander as an alternative. Tricking out the Highlander with a tow package was not cost-efficient, given the capacity of the package weighed against the added cost. So, we opted for a 6-cylinder 4Runner instead - rated by Toyota as having a 5,000 lb. capacity. Even then, the dealer tried selling us on an 8-cylinder 4Runner.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 3:31 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Duncan Munro from Canada writes: "The UK has higher speed limits than Canada!! The smaller UK engines have no problems on the UK M-Ways, but right now Cdn consumers don't give a rts ss about performance...they want fuel economy!!! "The NA auto industry spends billions to try and convince consumers that they want high performance, but most people do the speed limit just the same. The automakers obsession with performace had nothing to do with grassroots market demand, and everything to do with selling profitable V-8 gas guzzlers to an unwilling market." ______________ NA auto industry marketing is tailored to Americans, not Canadians. Since Canada has only one-tenth of the U.S. population, it means that Canadians are fated to receiving the same burnt offerings. U.S. interstate highways are incredibly diverse in design by region. In Minnesota, on and off ramps are mostly the cloverleaf type. Next door in Wisconsin, ramps are a long, mostly straight shot onto the freeway. Texas, however, has stubby little on-ramps, requiring hard acceleration. Most small cars built in the 70s, 80s and 90s just didn't have the power to smoothly merge onto the highways with their stubby ramps, nearly non-existent merger lanes and hyper-capacity traffic. They shuddered, rattled, rasped, shook and gasped along the way. Before buying my manual transmission Accord, I felt as if I was taking my life into my hands as I floored the accellarator and hoped for the best. That's part of the reason small fuel efficient cars are less appealing here.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 3:53 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment

Cheryl Nelson from United States writes: Duncan Munro from Canada writes: "Speaking about Ford P/Us.

"The Ford Ranger is a prime example of what's wrong with Detroit. The base 2.3L engine gets 20 to 25% better fuel economy than the 3L V6, but you cannot buy the most popular Ranger, the model with the extended cab, with the 2.3L engine...yet there is only a 5HP difference between the 2 engines...143HP for the 2.3L and 148HP for the 3L V6! Another example of the consumer getting hosed by being forced to buy a gas guzzler engine."
__________


Here's another one. Some people desiring pick-ups don't require a large one with a V-8 and extended cab. A small PU of the variety churned out by the automakers 20 years ago would do nicely for many suburbanites to carry around remodeling supplies for the house, wood for the fireplace and the occasional Costco raid. But...you can't find a new one. Everything is a hulking monstor in terms of weight, verticality and gas consumption.

• Posted 22/05/08 at 6:05 PM EDT | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment