The Mariner is paying it's way easilly! Perfect vehicle for Holiday traveling.

Ok here's an update on my new Mariner. I've had it just over 2 weeks and it's been a real pleasure to live with. And yesterday's Thanksgiving holiday travel really helped the Mariner prove it's worth. As expected gas milage is improving on almost a daily basis. And the switch to the automatic paid big dividends in the 2 hour bumper to bumper traffic on both legs of my journey. One thing that I almost laughed at when I bought it but now love is the blind spot mirrors. At first glance I was thinking this was too small a vehicle to need them, but with all the bumper to bumper snaking around accidents on the Thruway and Parkway they really were a life saver.

I had a full load of passengers and leftovers coming home, and everyone was impressed with the ride comfort, even the back seat. Since I will never ride back there I hadn't really considered this, so it's a bonus that it's so nice.

The SYNC system's Bluetooth really made it easy, as I was receiving and making calls from the road in bumper to bumper traffic without any distraction. The voice command dialling and clear display high up on the dash meant that I didn't ram into the idiot that cut me off on I-87.

My sister who loves her Explorer but is wanting a smaller more efficient vehicle next spring liked my little Mercury so much that she's putting on her list for consideration. Her real goal is the Ford Edge, but the Escape/Mariner make a nice second choice. She was thrilled when I told her it's a 4 cyl and what milage I'm achieving.

5 days and still the honeymoon continues

It's only 5 days and I know the honeymoon period is still ongoing, but so far so good.
On the plus side, all the tech features are amazing, the ride is smooth and I don't get killed merging onto busy highways. Only 171 horsepower, but that's enough for the nimble Mariner. I can only imagine that the V-6's 240 hp would really make this move, but I'm not complaining, the better fuel economy from the 2.5 more than makes up for the fewer ponies.

One minor complaint is this, in order to fold the rear seats flat, you need to remove the headrests and find a place for them. This is not a problem unique to the Mariner, I've encountered it in the past with other vehicles, but it is a minor inconvenience none the less.
The load floor is flat and large enough to swallow a ton of gear. I'm in the middle of moving my office at work and I'm using my Mariner for the job. Several boxes of office supplies and files, the copier, fax machine, phones and PC tower all fit without a fuss. The load height is perfect for me and I would imagine for most folks. The liftgate height is enough that I don't bump my head even with the stupid bump cap required in our work area.

This is a very easy vehicle to live with on a day to day basis. No road trips on the horizon, unless you count the 60 mile drive upstate to see family for Thanksgiving, so I can't say how it will be on my anual 5 hour pilgrimage to Cape Cod.

While I don't notice the rear drum brakes when I'm driving, it still hits me that in this day and age they're back there. I'll be interested in how they feel this winter.

First pics! My new Mariner

My digital camera is broken, but luckily my buddy stopped by to check out my new ride, so here are the first pics. The color is Black Pearl, which is really graphite, not black. Actually I like it better than black. I had never been a fa of the Mercury "waterfall" grille, but you know what? On this I like it. Much nicer than the oversize eggcrate on the Escape.

I love the lack of claddiing or useless bump strips on the sides. A clean crisp look.

The jeweled taillights catch the light well and look nice. The 12 spoke rims look like they'll be a pain to clean, but when clean they look sharp. They also hide the lack of rear disc calipers.

I like the satin accent below the hatch, combined with the grille and roof rails, it's just enough bright work without looking like a pimp mobile.

Day 2 goes well, I've got the flashdrive in the dash, loaded with music and the SYNC system makes it easy. I went grocery shopping after work and the load height is perfect. I'm loving the 2 way opening of the cargo area too. Click the remote button twice and the glass pops open, or for bigger loads you can open the full door.

Smooth ride over bumpy roads, but not floaty or tippy. I've yet to drive it hard through any twisty roads, but it's not my old Mazda3, so I don't expect sports car handling from my new cute ute.

24 hours into my Mariner and loving it! Also surprise touch of class from salesman

Ok, so it's only 24 hours in and that's still the honeymoon phase, but I have to say I do love my new Mariner! The one adjustment is to the automatic transmission, I'm not reaching for the gearshift, but I still go for the clutch when stopping.

When I got home today, in the mail was a very nice thank you note from Frank C, my salesman.
And I have to say, that with all the cars I've bought over the last 22 years, this is the first thank you note I've ever received. A real classy touch. But it doesn't end there, Frank gave me key fobs with his name and number on them as well as a pen embossed with the same info.

And I'm not sure how best to say this, so I'll just say it. Frank is an older gentleman, and it's been my experience that many of the older salesmen don't keep up with the new technologies and concepts/future models. Frank is in his late 50's or maybe even older, but he had a great grasp of the SYNC system and other tech features (which the Mariner is full of) and like I said he knew about the Kuga, Fiesta and other foreign/future models coming down the pipeline. Only after I made my deal did I even mention my blog in detail. He modestly said he wasn't very Internet savy, but I kind of doubt that. Frank struck me as a very low key, but very smart guy.

I figured out how to SYNC up my phone, actually very easy, so that's tech toy 1 down. I need to load up a flash drive with tunes and try that, then hook up my MP3 player and test that. The Sirius radio is ok too. I have to admit the Ambient lighting is kind of goofy, but I picked a color (blue) that matches the dash lights.

24 hours may seem premature, but I'm sure that in 24 months I'll still be loving my Mariner.

MyFordDreams begins 27 month test drive of Mercury Mariner!

Ok not a test drive, but a lease. After months of shopping for a good deal I've traded in my trusty Mazda 3 sGT for a 2010 Merucy Mariner I-4 Premier 4wd. I went back to the dealership where I bought my very first new car 22 years ago, Smith Cairns of Yonkers New York. My salesman Frank made it one of the easiest purchases I've ever made.

My opinion of the refreshed Mariner/Escape/Tribute is a matter of record here, the only flaw is the lack of 4wheel disc brakes. The level of luxury and technology are both fairly high, especially at this price point. I was joking with my salesman Frank that when this lease is up, Ford should finally have the new Kuga based Escape/Mariner replacement out. That may be no joke. And if FoMoCo can SYNC up those dates, then that's what I'll do.

Now to learn how all my new toys work! I've got to learn the SYNC system, load up my MP3 and USB Flash Drive with tunes, then select which Sirius stations I want to listen to. The ambient lighting is actually kind of cool. But over the next 27 months I'll also give my day to day impressions of my first Mercury.

Yeah, it's hard for me to believe, but with all the FoMoCo products I've owned over the years, this is the first Mercury I've ever had.

Where the hell has MyFordDreams been? Don't worry folks, all 3 of you, I'm back...

As any regular reader will know, I'm not an Automotive Journalist by trade, although high horsepower, high rpm equipment is a regular part of my life. And I haven't posted anything since August 24th, but I'm back and I'll be posting more soon enough. Here's a brief glimpse into my life, I'm an Engineer, not like The Auto Prophet mind you, I'm more like the Casey Jones type of Engineer. And over the last few weeks I've been involved with a work project that will be ongoing over the next year or so, the redesign and retrofit of my powerplant. So, bear with me folks, life is complicated for those of us who don't get paid for this. For those that may be curious, that pic is me standing in front of a Steam Turbine, 600 hp that runs between 1500 and 48oo rpm, one of three we have in our plant.

I've also been trying to retrofit myself in a way. I've been on a diet and am quitting smoking, so no crap or I'll twist your head off and ... oh never mind, I'll be fine, no need to fear the blogger.

In September I did manage a little down time, even dragged my pastey butt to the beach. Damn kids kept trying to drag me back into the water, but what can you do.

I am happy to read all the good news about FoMoCo, the uptick in sales caused by Cash For Clunkers, the new product ramping up, the public perception improvement of the company, it's all been very promissing. Not so much over at Auburn Hills, Chrysler is in a world of hurt with no light at the end of the tunnel in my opinion. Guess that's what happens when you build truly boring mediocre cars and get bought by the taxpayers and Italy's house of crap.

It's my opinion the Chrysler won't last five years, the new Ram brand is obviously an attempt to position Dodge trucks for future sale. Jeep will get a new home also, but you can kiss Dodge and Chrysler goodbye. Another pair of "orphan brands" for the history books.

GM will survive, they'll even be fair competition for Ford, but they'll never be the giant they were. And looks like Japan's GM (Toyota) is in for a world of hurt as well. Of course all the Japanese are worried about Hyundai ( and their in house little buddy Kia )

But oveall I'm happy with the direction Ford is moving in although I see room for improvement ( that's sort of what I do .)

CARS aka Cash For Clunkers was a wild ride, but it's over and I didn't scrap the Ranger

So, like many Americans I took note of the CARS program, more commonly known as Cash For Clunkers, and was actually persuing a new vehicle under this program. Mine was a complicated deal initially, because I did not want to scrap my beloved Ranger, but instead trade in my beloved's Isuzu Rodeo. That was not going to work for a number of reasons.

Then I decided I would part with my Ranger, see it put to a miserable death and scrapped.
But fate had other plans for me and the Ranger. My dealer and I couldn't meet in the middle on a couple of details and I walked.

Now I've advertised the Ranger for sale, not scrap, but to a "good home" for "market value".
I've checked Kelly Blue Book and NADA sites for the estimated value of my Ranger and have actually gotten a couple of nibbles. I decided to get the Auto Check report from NADA, it's half the price of the CARFAX, in case any prospective buyers don't believe my claim of 57,670 miles on a truck that's 10 years old.

I'd love to sell my Ranger to a good home, then go back to the dealer that didn't want to honor my Xplan pin and see if he's so confident that he's going to get full price for the silver Escape.

In the end, it was an experience, not just for me, but for our nation. Pundits are kicking the can around the block, bitching and moaning about the program and every media is looking for the latest opinion and factoid. I still think that it was a good program, maybe not run very well, but out of the billions of stimulus dollars flushed this year, it's the only program that the average citizen could actually feel a benefit from.

I'm working long hours this week and waiting to hear if this fellow wants to buy the Ranger, but I'll update as I can.

Again no camera, but I did talk to New York Mustangs club today

On May 31st I was driving home from my office on a nice weekend morning when I heard then saw a line of almost 100 Mustangs. I kicked myself because I didn't have a camera . There I was stuck at a red light watching this parade of personalized late model pony cars. Well, today I stopped for coffee and there were 5 hot Mustangs, including 3 SVT Cobras, with IRS, and their owners. I walked up to the group of guys and started talking. I mentioned how I kicked myself for not having a camera and they told me all about their club New York Mustangs and their website (link in title title) and forums. As you would expect of a group of Mustang fanatics, a real nice group, with some very special ponies. Again, no camera, but I hope to meet up with this group again.

So, of course I couldn't restrain myself from asking for their opinion on an issue that I've talked about a lot over the last few years, the Mustangs lack of an IRS . And I was especially interested in hearing from the SVT Cobra owners, their opinion on the strenght of the IRS in their cars. The SVT Cobra was powerful enough out of the box, but these guys have warmed theirs over considerably, one guy putting 650 hp through the IRS. He was the only one to have any problems, but with 650 hp, that's to be expected. The other SVT Cobras are far from stock, but neither has ever had an issue. The other Mustang owners said they love their cars, but wonder how in 2010 a Mustang can't have an IRS, while they pointed out that the Camaro and Chalenger both have one. Preaching to the choir guys, I'm with you.

Take a look at my archives, go over to Jeff's site, Driving Enthusiast dot Net and read past posts, then e-mail Ford and ask them when the Mustan will get what it needs to be complete. I nearly said competative, but that would be misleading, since it's true that the Mustang is more than competing, even if initail Camaro sales are beating Mustang, in the long game it will all be Ford's to loose.

MyMercuryDream?

First I'd like to thank MF my friend from Dearborn for the Xplan pin, much appreciated.

It looks like today we're going to give the Mariner a second test drive and if all goes well sign on the dotted line. We're taking advantage of the CARS program (Cash For Clunkers) and trading in our Isuzu Rodeo (Ranger is in too good shape to be scrapped) and combining that with the Fed program and FoMoCo incentives means that this is a great value.

While it's obvious I'm biased toward FoMoCo products, I did my due diligence, researching available vehicles and incentives on small SUVs, CUVs and Wagons from Jeep, Dodge, Chevy, Chrysler, VW, Honda and Subaru ( as well as Ford, but more on that later.) End result? The Mariner is the value leader among them, when combined with mild incentives and the programs I'm taking part in (CARS & XPlan.)

The Mariner drove well in the first drive, the interior was very nice and there are a ton of features I really like. One thing I haven't seen in years, but was a real plus, was the two way opening hatch, where either just the window or the entire liftgate open depending on what you need to load/unload. The one deficiency that jumps out is the lack of 4wheel disc brakes? The Ford/Mercury twins were the only ones that didn't even have this as an option.

Traction Control, ABS, full compliment of Air Bags and the RSC (Roll Stability Control) offer a level of safety and confidence that help aleviate the nag of rear drum brakes. The tech goodies and amenities make the Mariner a near luxury vehicle at a more reasonable price. The 2.5L I-4's 25 mpg and 171 hp have the power and economy balance I'm looking for and the Smart 4WD will help in bad weather.

I've spec'd all the major options, Moonroof, Sync, Power and Heated everything, Dual Zone A/C and Stereo, so this is no stripper. I didn't opt for the DVD Navigation, I've never needed it, with my natural navigation skills, but a Tom Tom or Garmin GPS can be had for much less.

The one surprise was that with all the same option boxes ticked, the Mariner comes up $600 less than it's Ford Escape twin. That and my dislike of the Escape's egg crate grille were the tipping points for the Mariner.

I'll blog more about my adventure with this purchase later this weekend. This will be my first Mercury, I've owned quite a few Fords and even 1 Lincoln over the years, and my mom and dad each had a Mercury over the years, so I'm looking forward to this.

The one downer is that my Mazda 3 sGT is going away, but I'm just thinking of this as MyFordDreams doing my part to stimulate the economy and support the home team.

The wheels are spinning in my head. possible new car in my future?

So, with no Internet on vacation and some down time I got to thinking, not always a good thing.

My quiry was this, would this be a good time for me to take advantage of several programs and trade up while reducing my monthly payments? Let me lay the foundation, I currently have 2 vehicles, 1999 Ford Ranger XLT with 4.0 V6 and 4x4, plus 2006 Mazda 3 s GT. The truck is paid for, the Mazda is more than half paid, but I'm paying insurance, gas and repairs (minimal luckily ) for 2 vehicles. Now, the Ranger as much as I love it is a prime candidate for the CARS program, more commonly called the Cash For Clunkers, it's 10 years old and gets poor fuel economy. So, I went to Ford's CARS site to see what I knew, that if I were to scrap the Ranger I would be eligable for up to $4500 if I picked a vehicle that got better milage.

Yesterday, after enduring the long drive back to the New York Metro area from Cape Cod, I started tipping and tapping at my keyboard and checked KBB and NADA values of the Ranger, both pegged at aproximately $4300, so the $4500 scrapage is very fair. I also checked the Federal website and noticed that beyond the $4500 I may be eligable to apply the further scrappage value of the truck. But let's just assume the $4500. What to buy? Well after a lot of thought I settled on the 2009 Ford Escape Limited with the I-4 and AWD. It's 175 hp may not be impressive, but the Ranger has 5 less and the Mazda's 158 does fine. My racing days are long over. The Escape's MPG rating of 19 city and 25 city is less than the Mazda's but very livable.

Life's a compramise and I need the following qualities/features in my next vehicle;

I-4 engine for economy

AWD for winter driving

Wagon style versatility for hauling and people moving.

I'd like the following as well

Moonroof

Heated Leather seating

Premium CD stereo

and since it's a Ford Sync.

I'm thinking that if I do this, I can get one vehicle that will fulfill all my needs and save me a few bucks every month. After the CARS and Trade In of the Mazda my monthyly payment should be about $40 less per month and since I'll be paying for Insurance on only one vehicle you can add about $90 more to that.

The only drawback to the entire thing? No Manual Transmission available with the AWD.

Research has only begun on this idea, I need to shop the competition, see what's going to be a better price with comparable options and see if I can get the Manual with AWD anywhere.

Do I stay Ford loyal ? Keep an eye on these pages over the next few weeks as I explore my buying options.

Back from vacation, getting back to MyFordDreams

I've been on vacation and didn't have Internet access while out on Cape Cod. Sure I could have trudged up to one of many locations with free WiFi, but it was a vacation to get away from everything. But I'm home, and going to be getting back to blogging. I've got some observations and comments based on my vacation and interaction with a lot of very interesting folks.

I don't usually mention what I do in social situations, the Auto Blogging or my day job. But this year there were a lot of situations where friends and aquaintences started talking about cars and the auto industry and I couldn't resist adding my perspective, especially on several important subjects like the "Quality gap perception" and marketing towards the LGBT community.

I like to keep MyFordDreams about the cars and avoid "social issues", god knows I've got flack over the years when I've touched on certain issues. But this years trip opened my eyes and the eyes of those I talked to.

I go to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod a couple of times a year with a big group of friends and most of these folks are LGBT folks. And you'd be surprised how many of them are real car enthusiasts. Some of my friends are real gear heads, restoring classic cars and modifying and personalizing their newer cars. Many have brand loyalties based on perceptions of quality and on real life performance. Some LGBT folks buy vehicles based on how community friendly they percieve the company to be.

Some of my friends never knew I write about the industry or of my passion for FoMoCo, but when they found out they wanted to know my opinion on the perception of quality of the "Big 3" versus the competition. I was encouraged that MANY of them knew and appreciated the fact that Ford was the only domestic auto maker that did not take Bailout Money or declare Bankruptcy.

I was talking to one fellow who was a native of Dublin Ireland, now working in Germany, and vacationing on Cape Cod. Our conversation was enlightening, because it was one of those rate moments when I was able to get a European perspective on Ford. His insight on how well Ford does in Europe confirmed what I've known for years, that Ford truly is a global company that can compete market by market with a completely comparable lineup, that in many segments is class leading. His comments on the European view of Ford in the US unfortunately were not as favorable and all too familiar to comments to folks I've known that own Honda/Acura, Volkswagen and other foreign competitors.

Over the next week, I'll try and post some pieces that will flesh out these conversations and hopefully dispell myths on all fronts. Myths like Ford quality is so much worse than that of foreign competition. Myths like Ford is a company that is not LGBT friendly. Myths like all LGBT folks drive Miatas and Mini Coopers.

So, while I've been silent these last 2 weeks, I'm hoping that you'll come back for these and more opinion pieces.

EcoBoost to spread across FoMoCo lines in coming years, maybe even Mustang

When I went to the recent Lincoln event and drove the MKT and MKZ there was much EcoBoost talk. I even got to talk with Dan, one of the project heads and ask him about the migration of this technology across the FoMoCo line. Currently available in the Lincoln MKS and MKT flagships and the Ford Flex and Taurus SHO, the EcoBoost in 3.5 V6 355 hp glory will next be seen in the F-150 range as well. But there's a lot more to this story than that. While it's true that you can achieve V6 economy and V8 power in the larger vehicles, it's also going to be applied to I-4 engines to give superior economy with V6 power. We're going to see EcoBoost 2.0L engines with 200+ hp and even smaller engines with EcoBoost.

Not knowing if I'd ever get a chance like this again, I popped the question. No I didn't ask Dan for his hand in marriage, I asked him if we could expect to see EcoBoost in the Mustang. At first he assumed I meant the 355 hp V6 in the Mustang GT and told me that it was unlikely since Ford had new V8s which will offer superior performance and better economy. I acknowledged that and corrected myself by asking if we could possibly see an EcoBoost I4 in the "Base" Mustang? And being the smart guy he is, I'm unable to say "Yes" but there's enough wiggle room in what he said to guess that it's a distinct possability. And before the old guard Mustang guys start spitting nails let's see what's possible.

I doubt they would revive the SVT or SVO label for a Turbo 4 Mustang, not with the Shelby GTs.

It wouldn't be some pricey option, but a replacement for the V6 that makes 210 hp and achieves poor fuel economy. In Reality an EcoBoost 4 could produce more power and boost FoMoCo's CAFE ratings. And you're wondering where Ford would get such an engine?

Did you forget the Ford Explorer America Concept that was shown last year?

That has 275hp EcoBoost 2.0L 4 cylinder power.

So, while Dan didn't say it was going to happen, he didn't say no either.

Ford is going to spread EcoBoost across the model lineup, maybe just maybe in the next generation Mustang we'll see better power and fuel economy and an IRS?

Dan didn't mention anything about the IRS, that's just a matter for common sense.

Hey Ford, give me a Fiesta for a week?

Ford wants to get the word out about the Fiesta, I want them to give me a Fiesta for just one week. I'm going on vacation, to a very trendy location where the demographics for this car would be huge. I've seen more Honda Fits, VW Jetta TDI and Tiguans here than anywhere else. Folks come from all over the nation and they have money to spend. These are the people who need to see a Fiesta in the flesh.

So, Ford give me a Fiesta for a week, July 11th to 18th, and I'll make sure it's seen and talked about. What have you got to loose? The idiot in Brooklyn let people stand on his and it sat in an impound lot for that long. E-mail me and we'll talk.

If FoMoCo wants of vehicles I'd like to drive next, here it is

Number 1 on the list is the new Fusion Hybrid. I'd love to see how the transition from electric to gasoline power is and if the batteries added weight upset the handling. Having never been a fan of the "Dave" look, I have to say the new Fusion's muscular flanks do impress me. So, if anyone at FoMoCo could arrange for MFD to drive this, send me an email myforddreams@aol.com

Number 2 is the Tranist Connect. Not a van fan here, but having driven commercial vehicles of various sizes over the years I'd like to see how real world useful this is. I'd also be interested in the power or lack of it with the 2.0 and automatic trans. In Europe this come with a torquey Diesel and manual transmission, but since I've walked around the Transit Connect at the New York Auto Show, I could guess that the Focus powertrain should be enough. I'm waiting for these to start popping up in Taxi fleets, the 22/24 mpg rating makes that a near no brainer to me.

You knew the Fiesta would be on the list. Do I need to remind you why? No, I didn't think so. This is probabl going to be my next new car.

And I'd love to test a new Taurus, a SHO would be nice, but even the 268 hp model would be acceptable. In my opinion, the Taurus seems to have outgrown it's midsize roots. As a former Crown Victoria owner I'd love to see how this fills those shoes as Ford's new Full Size sedan.

So, if anyone at Ford could contact me, I'd really love to have the Fiesta for my week in Cape Cod.

Lincoln MKT driven and admired

So, last week your humble blogger was among several that were given a First Drive of the new Lincoln MKT. Is it a wagon, is it a truck? It's Lincoln's answer to the high fuel costs of the Navigator and Escalade, as well as competition for Acura MDX and Audi Q7.
And Lincoln has done their homework. I'm not a fan of big SUVs and I'm a huge fan of Station Wagons, so I'm impressed and overwhelmed by the MKT.

Impressed with the quality feel and level of luxury that is everywhere in this people mover.

From the wood accents to the soft touch dash materials and the butter leather interior.

Also impressed with the EcoBoost V6's 355 hp and Kansas flat torque curve. I didn't bother the with steering wheel paddle shifters, didn't need to, since the new 6 speed automatic shifted smoothly and never hunted for gears no matter the driving situation. Our half day in the new Lincoln took us on almost every type of road you could imagine and at one point I was going to complain about the slight body roll I experienced around tight twisty country two lanes, until I realized that I was doing almost twice the posted speed limit. This is a big vehicle, cavernouse interior and a substantial pressence on the road, but never did it feel like a truck.

I haven't received the promissed images from Lincoln's marketing folks, but luckily I had my trusty digital camera. So I can show you a glimpse of the cabin. But you need to sit in it to really appreciate the luxury and comfort. I couldn't find anything not to like. All the usual tech gear and automatic everything of course.

Between the Syn and largest Nav screen in class, this is a tech junky's playground.

But even non-tech people will appreciate and be able to use all their toys.

The USB port for your flash drive, MP3 player or my suggestion a portable hard drive, is at the bottom of the center console, which is as big as the boot on my little Mazda.

The DVD screens for the kids allow you to play the same movie on all screens or 2 different movies with headset connections. And the soccer team will have easy access to the third row, especially if you opt for the elecric self folding middle seats. Back strain will be a fond memory for many reason, including the power liftgate and easy load height. A totally flat load floor in 7 seat configuration makes hauling large loads easy as pie.

Try as I did, I couldn't find anything to hate about this. I personally have no use for all the room, but I'm calling my buddy with the Navigator and telling him that he needs this.

I almost forgot the 20 mpg we averaged during our half day and that's with two heavy footed drivers who really wanted to find fault in the worst way. I was really happy with two of the colors offered as well, the burgundy on top and this very nice blue. I drove a black MKT as well.

I'd love to hate this, but after driving it I just can't.

Can you identify this?

I'm still sort of amazed about this, so I decided to mention it again.

Yesterday, your humble blogger attended a product presentation with other members of the automotive media. And whiile sitting waiting for the shindig to get going, at a table of professional "automotive" journalists, I was fumbling with an object like the one pictured above.

When a one of the professionals asked me with a straight face, "what's that?"

I assumed somebody was having fun at the expense of the little blogger, so I smiled and responded that I thought it was there as an ashtray. When the blank stare confirmed that this person, a professional "automotive" journalists, really didn't know what I was holding in my hand I replied "it's a piston." It's over 24 hours later and I'm still gobsmacked.

Now, don't get me wrong, there are mechanics who could pull out obscure pieces from under a hood and I may scratch my head and guess, but a piston? Something every internal combustion engine, diesel or petrol, has had for over 100 years?

And this ladies and gentlemen is why traditional media, be it print or digital, fails us.

Because there are people who barely understand what they're looking at telling us what is good and what is trash. I'm not saying you have to be able to rebuild a Solex or Webber carburetor, but identifying a piston is so frigging basic.

MFD makes it to my first Media day, with Lincoln

So, MFD has made it to "media" status. I went down to Manhattan to see Lincoln's latest offerings. The MKZ ( major refresh ) and MKT ( new ) And this is the line of Lincolns waiting to whisk us away to the Queens Botanical Gardens. Manny, our driver, was a veteran of traffic roads and very likable. There were about 24 members of the media, digital and print, some of whom I've heard of. Actually, I was shocked to be sitting two chairs from Jerry Flint of Forbes Magazine. A man who I've read with admiration and used as material here on MFD many times. There were no other names that jumped out at me, but I did meet a very nice young man from Rides and 0-60 magazines, who was my co-driver.
Once out to Queens, we were given access to engineers and marketing people who've working so hard to re-invent Lincoln. Detailed presentations and then access individually. I was impressed by Dan, the Engineer behind EcoBoost. I'm sorry to say I do not remember his last name, but we had an interesting discussion about the future of EcoBoost, no I didn't get any scoops, but I did bounce some ideas off him to see what reaction I'd get. The entire Lincoln team were outstanding. Once we were fed and satisfied we had picked their brains to our satisfaction, we were teamed up and set loose with a car and directions. Think scavenger hunt or rally, 2 drivers, one car, a varied route and and let's not forget the toll money. I started off in the MKZ taking first turn behind the wheel, then my co-driver took over after our first stop. It was nice talking to him and getting a journalist' view of different subjects. We both agreed that since I'm not traditional media and not dependent on advertising dollars from the manufacturers I am free to rant and rave as I will.
It was a long day and very educational. Not just about the cars, but about "automotive journalist" also. Now I'm not going to reveal the name of the journalist or who they write for, but I was gobsmacked by the following exchange.

I was sitting at a table with some prominent journalists and there were two pistons on the table as props. Along comes a journalist who sits down and picks one up, then asks "what's this?" I thought they were just pulling my leg, since I'm not a professional so I replied jokingly that I thought it was an ashtray. This person looked at me blankly and I realized it wasn't a joke. I proceeded to explain that what this "automotive journalist" was holding was a piston. This is not a joke. A person who writes professionally about the auto industry and vehicles didn't know she was holding a piston. I wonder if she realized there was a row of turbo chargers on a rack labeled EcoBoost? Maybe she thought it was modern art or complimentary hair driers.

If you email me, I'll tell you what site this person writes for.

Lincoln MKZ review

So, today MFD made it to the big time, actually snagging an invite to a manufacturer's presentation for the media. And here's my first impressions of the Lincoln MKZ, formerly Zephyr. While I thought the Zephyr was a better name, the new MKZ is a better car.

24 media types, including little old me, were given the keys and set loose with Lincoln's "entry level" offering.
And let's just start off with this, the new MKZ goes way beyond just a mid-cycle refresh.

To puncuate that there was a 2009 MKZ right there for side by side comparision. And while the old MKZ was already nice, the changes are subtle and startling at the same time. And entirely new front clip, which allowed powertrain engineers to retune the engine, as a result of improved under hood heat management. And it also lowers the cd from .34 to .32. For you non-technical types, like me, that means it slips throgh the air just that much better. And it looks so much meaner too!
And there's little that feels "entry level" inside either. All of the interior panels are completely new. Nice soft touch materials, new guages with a very nice lighting feature. Of course the guage cluster moves with the wheel, which means that anyone, no matter how tall or short ( like me ) can see the speedo and set up a comfortable driving position.
A very clean center stack with reasonably easy HVAC and Audio controls, flows int a very useful center console. Everything felt just right. It was easy to set the power seat, mirrors and wheel for any driver. The seats were very supportive and comfortable. Our travels brought us from Queens Botanical Garden through bumper to bumper traffic, then up to quaint Westchester villages on a mix of highway and twisty back roads.
The navigation screen, which I needed for some of these winding county lanes, was at the perfect height for viewing, with no problems viewing, no matter which way the sun was shining.

Overall, I'd say the MKZ was a fun drive, but comfortable enough to shuttle grandma or the kids anywhere. I was satisfied with the power of the V-6, even without EcoBoost. And while I'm usually a shift for myself kind of guy, I was impressed with the automatic's smooth seemless shift and lack of hunting. It's what you'd expect in the class. And about this point I'd be begging for a nice 6 speed manual, but I could live with this. Not only that I could enjoy it.

MyFordDreams to drive new Lincolns?

No, I didn't win the lottery and plan to buy a bunch of new cars, but I did get an email inviting me to an event next week, where I'll be able to drive the new Lincoln MKZ, MKT and maybe the MKS? Maybe I didn't make FoMoCo angry with my last couple of posts. I'm waiting for confirmation, but so far 2 emails and I have date/time/location and outline of events.
If I did win the lottery, the MKZ would be my new daily driver, that's how much this car has impressed me. I liked the Zephyr name better, but what's in a name.

The MKT intrigues me, it's the city cousin of the Flex and when I saw it at the Javits Center in April, I had to admit it looks sharp. I don't have the need for something this big, but it's nice.

So, let's see where this goes, if I get a confirmation and the proverbial "golden ticket" to actually see, feel and drive these. Maybe they'll realize who I am at the last minute and bar the doors.

But I've been fairly good to Lincoln and have only beat up on Ford for the Mustang and Ranger.

Of course my pointing out the obvious about Mercury can't help.

Check this page next week for updates, MyFordDreams may actually be treated like "digital media" instead of deranged stalker.

Who Google searches this "78 Thunderbird mpg" ? Someone at FoMoCo that's who.

I've mentioned before that I sometimes look to see who's looking at my blog and I've been happy lately to see Livonia MI appear almost daily, because that's Ford Motor Company. And I can even see how they got here, a google search, a tweet or even just typing in http://www.myforddreams.com/ . But what struck me today was how odd this is.

Someone from Ford Motor Company landed on my blog after doing a Google search for 78 Thunderbird mpg ? Who looks up the mpg of a 31 year old car? And of course I've blogged about my 78 T-Bird and posted pictures of it many times, so of course if you do a weird Google search for Ford related items, I'm going to show up.

I get visitors from all over the globe, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the UK and of course all over the United States. I get people doing Google searches for Ford models like Orion, Ikon, Bantam, Courier, Everest, Ka and of course Ranger and Mustang.

I amuse myself to no end sometimes, but what really amuses me is how some folks find me.
Of course I hope they'll come back, but damn who Googles 78 T-Bird mpg?