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What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus/Sable?

530 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM

You are in the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Ford Five Hundred, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Future Vehicle, Sedan, Wagon


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#209 of 530
Re: Good Move [albook] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (7:17 pm)
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Replying to: albook (Feb 21, 2007 2:54 pm)

Why get something that you don't like to look at- And i hate that ugly bubble top!-whn you can have good looking like the 300? I'd say why not spend the same amount on an Avalon, get a nicer beter lookking car than the 500 (and it's dumb that they spell it!) and actually get some money back when you trade the car in?!
 
I actually LIKE the 500's looks. And the 300? I would've only got it for the Hemi . . but the trunk is a lot smaller, and it's a real PITA to look out of. Visibility is very poor.
 
As far as trade-ins, I just don't do that. I typically keep my car 8 - 10 years. So, the trade-in difference is negligible. Basically, any extra trade-in value of an Avalon after that amount of time will be less than or equal to the extra amount I would've had to pay for the car up front. So why tie up all that extra capital when I don't need to?
#210 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (7:19 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 6:57 pm)

Why buy a Timex (Ford 500) when for just 20% more price, you can get a Rolex (Toyota Avalon).
 
Bad analogy, since (by our own numbers), the Rolex is 100x pricier, not 20% pricier.
 
And in either case, why pay more for the same thing? Or even pay more for LESS?
#211 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (7:21 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 6:57 pm)

Just take a look at resale prices. I compared Edmund's trade in values for 500, Impala, Toyota Camry and Avalon and Honda Accord for 2005 model year.
  
2005 Ford 500 Limited = $13999 trade in
2005 Chevy Impala SS = $13555 trade in
2005 Toyota Avalon XLS = $17371 trade in
2005 Toyota Camry XLE = $16400 trade in

 
Only valid for those who trade every 2 to 3 years.
 
Also, you need to look at how much each vehicle COST (real cost, not MSRP).
 
The Avalon's trade-in value is 2372 more. How much more would it have cost to buy that Avalon compared to the 500 in 2005? I submit that it would've cost at LEAST that much more.
 
In that case, the 500 is actually the BETTER value when you look at costs associated with trade-ins. You just made a common mistake by those who *think* they know what they're doing when they make this comparison.
#212 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [barnstormer64] by gtee
Feb 21, 2007 (8:20 pm)
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Replying to: barnstormer64 (Feb 21, 2007 7:21 pm)

Only valid for those who trade every 2 to 3 years.
 
On average most people only keep their cars for 3 years. Most cars are leased for 3 years. If all you care about is minimizing your cost over 6-8 years of car ownership then the best way to go is to buy a 1-2 year old American used car. But if we insist on talking about new cars, then the total cost of ownership is what matters.
 
IntelliChoice list the cost of 5 years of ownership of 2007 Ford 500 limited as $38,126 .
 
Again from IntelliChoice the cost for 5 years of ownership of a 2007 Toyota Avalon XLS is: $37,711
 
I guess that I don't see where all of the great value of Ford 500 is? For less money one can drive a much better car. Maybe, just maybe, not all of the people who buy Toyota and Honda are stupid. Maybe, just maybe, they do the research and find out that its actually cheaper to drive a superior product. That is what makes it a superior product in the first place. And yes, image does matter.
 
Now for my mother image means nothing. She wanted a very safe and reliable and cheap car because she is retired. I purchased a 1 year old Ford Crown Vic for her. Its a perfect car for her. It was cheaper then a used Civic. Now that is great value.
 
And what about all of these Ford Ads "Bold Moves!!!!!" What does it mean? Does putting a 3-bar grill on a slow selling car make it a "Bold Move"? How about selling every Ford Car with a 100k mile warranty. What would a regular car shopper prefer. The same car with a new name or a same car with a 100K bumper to bumper warranty?
#213 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by zxw
Feb 21, 2007 (9:30 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 6:57 pm)

so tell me what is the difference between the 05 Toyota Avalon XLS ( and what does that mean but typical automotive alphabet soup ?) and the 05 Toyota Camry XLE ? Both are built on the sasme chassis, share most of their mechanicals and look quite the same. If this were an American brand we'd be hearing the usual "badge re-engineering" rant ... when Toyota does it, it's innovative ?
 
Upon reading many of these posts I see the word "image" in most and it's not so subtle implication that it's not "cool" to drive a domestic brand. Today with the quality gap erased it's basically an uneducated customer who wants to keep buying cars with profits going to another country. Kiss my American ass.
 
ZXW Robb
#214 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (9:32 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 8:20 pm)

On average most people only keep their cars for 3 years. Most cars are leased for 3 years
 
Proof positive that most people don't care about VALUE.
#215 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (9:33 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 8:20 pm)

And yes, image does matter.
 
Not to those who believe in VALUE.
#216 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [zxw] by barnstormer64
Feb 21, 2007 (9:35 pm)
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Replying to: zxw (Feb 21, 2007 9:30 pm)

Today with the quality gap erased it's basically an uneducated customer who wants to keep buying cars with profits going to another country. Kiss my American ass.
 
With Ford (and especially the Five Hundred / Freestyle), there's still a lot of money going out of this country.
 
And with most Toyota/Lexus vehicles these days, a lot of money actually stays in the US.
#217 of 530
Re: Value vs Image [gtee] by savetheland
Feb 21, 2007 (10:50 pm)
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Replying to: gtee (Feb 21, 2007 8:20 pm)

People who are concerned about image will never drive Toyota, period. What exactly do you want to announce to world by driving Toyota? That you are rich, famous and hip?
 
Well, I got a news for you - most will think you are plain-vanilla, no-risk-taking, family-comes-first, A-to-B, do-not-care-about-cars, cannot-change-a-tire kind of guy. Driving 500/Taurus projects exactly the same image for less money.
 
Avalon will tell me that you are retiree who cannot afford Lexus.
#218 of 530
My 500 thoughts by receiver88
Feb 21, 2007 (11:08 pm)
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I've had my 2007 Ford Five Hundred SEL for almost two months now as a company car. I thought I'd share my thoughts with this board.
 
My likes:
 
1) Excellent space and comfort, love the trunk.
2) Feels safe due to its size
3) Pretty good gas mileage
 
My dislikes:
1) Very bland design
2) Interior design is way behind its competitors... just way too plain.
3) Lack of power. Although it is barely adequate, I can feel the engine struggling especially going up the hilly areas in my neighborhood.
 
Although my comments are nothing new to this board, I thought I'd throw out my two cents. This is my third Ford vehicle since my company only provides Fords. I also do quite a bit of traveling and have rented many different makes and models. For a company vehicle, the Five Hundred is above-average compared to the other company vehicles out there... such as the Taurus and the Escape.
 
However, I am very disappointed at how much Ford lags behind the imports as well as GM in overall interior and exterior design. Ford just can't seem to get their act together it seems. For example, I have rented both the Hyundai Azera and the Sonata. I have to say I was quite floored with how nice the interiors were. I really liked the Azera in particular. If given a choice between that and the Five Hundred, I would take the Azera in a heartbeat. I can't understand how a company such as Hyundai can improve by leaps and bounds while Ford is just stagnating it seems. I'm pulling for the Big 2.5 to regain success in the US market, however it seems only GM is really making any progress. I had recently rented a Saturn Aura XE and was very impressed with both the interior and exterior design. I also was impressed with the Chrysler 300 that I rented some time ago as well as the Pontiac G6.
 
Why is it that Chrysler and particularly GM of late have been stepping up their game while Ford continues to flounder. My point is that the Five Hundred is an OK product, but it will not stop Ford from this uncontrollable slide they are experiencing. It is just unbelievably frustrating how incompetent Ford comes across. I was always pulling for Ford because I hate to see people lose their jobs due to management's mistakes, but when I see some of the things they do, I feel Ford deserves to go belly up. I just hope that my company will eventually provide other makes and models besides Fords.

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