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Future Crown Vic and Grand Marquis

152 messages,  Last post on Jun 07, 2008 at 4:54 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Sedan

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#137 of 152 Re: $4 & $5/Gallon Gasoline (euphonium) [hpmctorque] by peetiedog Mar 08, 2008 (12:50 am)
Replying to: hpmctorque (Mar 06, 2008 9:42 am) The biggest reason oil is so high, is that among other things, it's priced in U.S. dollars. Have you noticed the beating the U.S. dollar has taken lately? It takes more U.S. dollars to buy just about any foreign commodity, or to take a vacation abroad, or just about anything else. It makes coming to America, or better yet buying up America very cheap for foreigners. If our currency were to strengthen by say 20% over the next year, oil prices would drop back to about $85/barrel or so. And then there's also world unrest in oil producing regions, there's heavy speculation, fear based hoarding, emerging markets competing for resources (India & China), and then there's manipulation by OPEC and the oil conglomerates. No doubt it's demand driven as well, and we need to become better stewards of our resources and the our children's futures.   Unfortunately, I believe we're being treated like drug addicts. The drugs are oil based products (gasoline, diesel, heating oil, etc.), the consuming public are the addicts, the oil companies are the pushers, and the oil producing nations are the growers & suppliers. The unfortunate part is that the government is in partnership with the suppliers and pushers, and their take is the taxes on the oil and gas. We need to change our habits, yes; but we need to take our nation back. Many of the billions our government is spending on the war in Iraq could be better spent on shoring up our infrastructure here at home, investing in the education of our youth, and subsidizing and partnering with U.S. auto makers, universities and research industries, in developing alternative technologies and sources of energy that would lead to our becoming energy independent. Now that I consider is in our national security interests. Unless the grand plan is to annex Iraq as our 51st state. Then that would solve our energy independence for a long time into the future, and P. M. Nuri Al-Maliki can become governor and the Iraqi people would be U.S. citizens; at least then we'd have a lucid reason for needing to clean up the mess we've got over there.   But as my friend euphonium was saying, it's not just the price of gas that's the problem, it's also the price of everything else (a lot of it tied to the price of gas) and the fact that incomes have not kept pace with inflation. Here in California, back in 1971. I was a young man with a young wife and new-born baby. Gas averaged about 35 cents p/gal (under 25 cents during gas wars), minimum wage was $1.65 p/hr. (fortunately as a young management trainee I was making a whopping $675 per/month), my rent on a small 2 bedroom apartment was $125 p/mo, and a good sized Baby Ruth candy bar was 10 cents. Today, gas is $3.50 per gallon (10x incr.), min. wage is $8.00 p/hr. in California (less than 5x incr.), a friend owns the building that my old apartment is in and he rents that same apartment for $1850 p/mo. (almost 15x incr.), and I saw a similar sized Baby Ruth candy bar in a convenience store the other day for $1.40 (14x incr., they call it a jumbo size now). Gas at 10x the 1971 price seems very high to most people (myself included), but as euphonium was saying, it's not as bad as with many other things or as bad as it could be. Hey 14x or 15x increase on gas would put us easily at $4.90 - $5.25 p/gal. (inflation adjusted of course). Just be glad it gas is a better bargain than Baby Ruth candy bars. And let's not consider the inflation rate of higher education, taxes, or health care. Then gas would really look like a bargain. Fortunately my income increased by about 25x 1971 rate, but it sure don't feel like I'm 25x better off, in fact I know I'm not. I wish it were 1971 again, things were so much simpler then. Replies to this message: euphonium (Mar 08, 2008 12:04 pm) peetiedog (Mar 08, 2008 2:03 pm)
#138 of 152 Re: $4 & $5/Gallon Gasoline (euphonium) [peetiedog] by euphonium Mar 08, 2008 (12:04 pm)
Replying to: peetiedog (Mar 08, 2008 12:50 am) $675 X 25 = $16,875 a month for income. That is great in my book. I like to see others do well. Congratulations on your success. Replies to this message: peetiedog (Mar 08, 2008 2:03 pm)
#139 of 152 Re: $4 & $5/Gallon Gasoline (euphonium) [euphonium] by peetiedog Mar 08, 2008 (2:03 pm)
Replying to: euphonium (Mar 08, 2008 12:04 pm) Maybe I should've said almost 25x, but it doesn't feel like 25x. Keep in mind, I live in California, you have to make twice as much to live half as well. Yea, I guess I'm still doing pretty well, all things considered; but my partners (the state & federal governments) are taking a much bigger slice of the pie than they used to. My taxes will choke a horse to death.
#140 of 152 Despite the by marsha7 Mar 09, 2008 (7:04 pm)
difference in the dollar, there si still a part of me that believes the if (when) the US economy takes a cyclical downturn, we will be buying fewer things from China...when we buy fewer things they will be making fewer things and there won't be as many employed Chinese to buy that expensive gasoline...without the demand from Chindia (China and India, not my phrasing, but quite accurate) gas prices will fall, IMO, simply because Arabs can't eat it...or, put another way, if the US sneezes, China will get the flu...   Any thoughts on this master theory of mine??? Replies to this message: peetiedog (Mar 09, 2008 9:19 pm) euphonium (Mar 10, 2008 2:05 pm) carthell (Jun 07, 2008 4:54 pm)
#141 of 152 Re: Despite the [marsha7] by peetiedog Mar 09, 2008 (9:19 pm)
Replying to: marsha7 (Mar 09, 2008 7:04 pm) Great theory, in theory; but in practice, the theory won't work, at least as far as Chindia (catchy, I like it) goes. The biggest problem is that most things that are made in China and India, are not made here; and if they are, the prices are much higher. And most Americans will almost always choose the cheaper product, rather than vote with their wallets for their own American industries & American workers. Most domestic manufacturing sectors have long since been decimated by foreign countries, like Japan, Taiwan, N. Korea and the Philippines. Now here comes China, India, Vietnam and Mexico to finish the job of making the United States totally a consuming market, with virtually no production ability of our own. When we decide to demand American made products, demand that our government require a level playing field or else we'll subsidize our own industries; yes require quality from those producers, but be willing to pay a little bit more to buy home grown; THEN we will be able to start turning this ship around. We've got to stop out-sourcing everything off-shore. If we don't, their won't be many people left here in the U.S. with the ability to buy their stuff anyway, because our people will not have jobs. And guess who those people are? Our children and grand-children! Soon we'll be like most 3rd world countries, a 2 class system: the rich 'Fat-Cats' and the poor 'Down-Trodden'. There won't be any middle-class here anymore, the new middle-class will be in the emerging markets like China and India.   As far as lowering gas prices, we need to work on our consumption habits and becoming energy independent, or like I said before, annex Iraq and make them the 51st state. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the Free-Market System, but our energy dependence on foreign oil is fast becoming this country's #1national security issue. That and fresh potable water will become the cause of wars that our children will fight in the future. So get ready. We need to demand that our political leaders take some of the billions and billions of dollars being spent on the Iraq war and on propping up other countries, and spend it here at home subsidizing education, clean air & water, new technologies, and alternative sources of energy. Then, we might stand a chance of competing against Chindia. Just one man's observation. But enough said on that, what can we do to get Ford Motor Co. to bring new world-class rwd replacements for the CV/GM/TC to market, and to give the current Panther trio a significant facelift/re-engineering job, so they can soldier on another 4 or 5 years until the new replacements are ready?   Oh, and that old addage "When America sneezes, the whole world catches a cold", well that'll soon be gone if we don't watch out. Soon it'll be "When America sneezes, it just means she's catching a cold"! The handwriting is on the wall, and we'd better heed it's warnings. It's sorta like the famous question that Ebenezer Scrooge asked the Spirit of Christmas Future, "Are these visions of things that must be, or of things that might be?". Hopefully we aren't going the way of many of the dominant empires of old, like the Egyptian, Greek and Roman empires. WE'VE BEEN WARNED! Replies to this message: euphonium (Mar 10, 2008 2:05 pm) carthell (Jun 07, 2008 4:54 pm)
#142 of 152 peetiedog by marsha7 Mar 10, 2008 (8:42 am)
While I am not an automotive engineer, somehow I cannot believe they cannot update and tweak the current Crown Vic platform/chassis with a 275-300 HP V6 or V8 engine that gets decent gas mileage ( most of the newer cars do not break 30 mpg, so it is not like their engineering is space-age) and update the interior for minimal expense into, say, the early 2000s (not yet 2008) and a little new sheetmetal on the outside...if they can badge engineer at GM, Ford can take a safe and paid-for platform, add some updates at truly minimal expense, advertise a family sedan with safety and decent mpg, and an interior that would attract somebody other than a 60-plus adult...if younger folks can like a CTS/DTS/STS, why can't Ford change some interior design and sheetmetal to not look like your grandfather's Model T and keep the car???   Once again, Ford's strategy never seems to make much sense to me...
#143 of 152 Re: Despite the [peetiedog] by euphonium Mar 10, 2008 (2:05 pm)
Replying to: peetiedog (Mar 09, 2008 9:19 pm) I have the memory of the American Labor Movement constantly entitling themselves to more wages and benefits while performing mediocre levels of craftsmanship while their overseas counterparts were supplying us with superior quality products. This chipping away has successfully priced the ALM out of work. To meet the demands of the stockholder, management has cut costs of production by moving manufacturing overseas.   How ready is the American Labor Movement willing to give up their massive benefits, unrealistic wages, for service performed, & submit to returning to where they were in the 1950's?   How ready is the American Labor Movement willing to provide higher quality of craftsmanship in exchange for a job that has to pay less in wages and benefits?   The Middle Class is not willing to recognize what it has done to itself as it still has too much arrogance and pride blinding their vision. Replies to this message: carthell (Jun 07, 2008 4:54 pm)
#144 of 152 Engine by ionosphere1 Mar 11, 2008 (9:59 am)
Yes, better gas mileage in the Grand Marquis would be nice, but I have no complaint about the horsepower. Lots of so called experts make a big deal that for a V8 engine it does not have much horsepower. Well, I have no problem getting up to speed so it has enough horsepower. I am not an old man and like the interior. I wish the dashboard was all digital though, like older models were. Guess they went back to analog, because they thought people wanted that? I end up always looking at the digital speed display instead of the dial.
#145 of 152 ion by marsha7 Mar 12, 2008 (6:50 am)
I absolutely HATED the digital dashboards for the speedometer...for the clock, it is OK, but for speed I just like the round analog dials...
#146 of 152 Digital forever by ionosphere1 Mar 12, 2008 (5:34 pm)
Not me. Wish it was all digital. Replies to this message: euphonium (Mar 12, 2008 7:27 pm)

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