When did I catch the Blue Oval bug? Why am I such a Ford Fanatic?

Every now and then I do these personal nostalgia pieces, sue me, I'm just a guy and this is just my blog. It would be cool if I was AutoBlog or Jalopnik, with the latest news and great pictures, but it's just me. So, I was thinking, I do that a lot, about how did I become such a Ford Fanatic?
I was born in 1965, the fifth child of a middle class Irish American Family from New York City. And the very first car I ever rode in was a Ford! My parents bought a 1963 Fairlane the year before I was born and we had that car until I was 5 or 6. I guess that could be part of it. But my dad wasn't a gearhead, he didn't even drive when I was very little. My mom always joked that she was the one that drove away from the church when they got married! By the way, that was in a 1957 Ford ! Being born in Washington Heights it was not that common to have a car in those days, but at one point before we left for the suburbs our family had 2! And of course they were both Fords.

Being a family of 7 with the Fairlane was fine, except when we do our family vacations with all the lugage. So, every summer my dad would swap cars with his brother and we'd take his 66 Country Squire to various places from Plymouth Rock to Gettysburg. And that's when I fell in love with Country Squires. Weird kid huh? Most little boys would be wanting the Mustang or Corvette, I wanted the big woody! Uncle John's was black with the wood of course and blood red inerior. And Uncle John's good friend and neighbor worked for Ford at the Mahwah New Jersey plant! And later my cousin John Jr Worked there. And I'll never forget cousin John's 66 Mustang, he was always working on that. Both my grandfathers were Chevy guys, go figure?

And then in 1972 or 73 my Mom bought our first Pinto! And again I fell in love. And you're thinking I'm crazy now aren't you. Well, I love Pintos and don't care what the world thinks. In the late 70's my dad bought a 73 Pinto wagon used from our neighbor and I was hoping that would be mine someday. But my older brother got it and by the time I was driving it was gone.

My parents had started out Ford owners but over the years drifted, buying GM and Chrysler vehicles. Like many dads, mine got on a Slant-6 phase, buying several Darts/Valiants and even talking both my sisters into Aspen/Volare territory. But back to me, my first Ford was a 1967 Ford Fairlane while I was in High School, by this time we were suburbanites and a multicar family was putting it mildly. Over the years most of my family strayed from the Blue Oval path even I did a couple of times. But I've had at least 9 Ford vehicles, including my own Pinto, a 79 that I learned to drive stick shift on. Lots of fun there.

I became such a hardcore Ford guy it was driving my poor parents mad. At one time I had 4 Ford products in their driveway, 77 Versailes, 78 T-Bird, 88 Festiva and 91 Mustang LX 5.0, not to mention the Chevy Truck I had. And you know how it is, when you have old cars, the hood would be off one of them and my tools were all over the garage. I think the ultimate expression of my Ford fanaticism was in 1998 When I made my personal Hajj to Dearborn and the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. And while I did go to the Henry Ford Museum and other points of interest, I really mean the Headquarters building. It was a 2 day drive, stopping in Cleveland half way and I dragged one of my best friends, who's not a car guy. And I made sure I actually went into the building, went to the company store and bought a bunch of crap.

So, I guess it's in my DNA to a certain point. I only learned recently that my mom's father worked at a Ford asembly plant when he first came over from Ireland. But it was also environmental, with so many family members driving Fords. Ford has always been part of my life. Ok maybe now it's an obsession, but I haven't elevated to stalker level. I mean it's not like the local Ford dealer has a restraining order against me or anything. But I would explain why just over 4 years ago I started these blogs. Why I started "dreaming" so to speak. For a while I dreamed of an 05 Mustang. But I've always loved all Fords.

With my damaged DNA, this would represent the ultimate Ford, if you stuck an SVO Mustang drivetrain in it that is. It would combine my love of the blue oval, Pintos and Coutry Squires.

How cool would that be? A sleeper Pinto Squire with SVO power!

And so I blog, and hopefully someone reads.

only 98 bottles left on the wall? 2nd Fiesta stolen

So, at least 2 Fiestas are MIA, the one stolen from Brooklyn and now another.

I had read a couple of days ago that the Brooklyn Fiesta was found in DC, but SM of the Fiesta Movement said on Twitter that the DC car was a different Agent's. So, does that mean there's 2 stolen Fiestas? What about the GPS tracking?

In my youth I knew some shady fellas, long before Lo-Jack or GPS of any kind. And these fellas, who I haven't spoken to in 25 years and knew only cassually, would brag that could boost a car and get it to Port Elizabeth, where it would be shipped out to Latin America in a matter of days.

So, do you think Hugo Chavez is tooling around in one of these stolen Fiestas?

Just when you think you know it all, Jalopnik shows you something new

I've always obsessed on all things Ford, but just when I thought I knew all of the concepts and foreign Fords (Latin American, European, Australian etc..) Jalopnik shows I don't know it all.
And of course another opportunity to show a pic of the Reflex ( I really should get therapy.)

Jalopnik has a post on concept cars circa 1999 ( cue Prince song here) and among them was this odd little concept from the Tokyo Motor Show. I know this wasn't at the New York show, I haven't missed one of those since 1977. It's sort of cool, in an odd way. Sort of like the Nissan Figaro. It's sort of retro Anglia meets New Wave. Go hit the link in the title to see what other cars of the future didn't make it.

My love of all things small and Ford

It must be months since I've had my Reflex Fix! I loved this concept, the lines are great. I've always said I could do without the butterfly doors, but I love the idea of a little 2+2 coupe.
Hell, I love all things small and Ford. From the domestic Fords like the Pinto/Bobcat twins to the foreign Fords like the Cortina, Capri, Puma, Fiesta and Ka and especially the "global" Fords Escort and Focus. I love all Fords, but I've always had a warm spot in my heart for the little guys. That's one of the reasons I'm anticipating the arrival of the Fiesta next year. I have to admit I wasn't a huge fan of the Tempo/Topaz twins, but the EXP/LN7 and the ZX2 were neat.
I remember when I went to Ireland in 2003 drooling over the Ford Fusion MPV, not to be confused with our Fusion midsize sedan, the Fusion MPV was based on the Fiesta platform.
And when I would watch old british movies or TV shows I'd get excited about seeing an old Escort or Capri. And I'm not just talking about the Lotus versions either. Hell, I'm a Pinto guy, I like them all.

When I was a kid, my mom bought a 71 Pinto 2 door. It was the 2.0 L with an automatic, admittedly not the fastest car on the block and to many not the coolest. But I loved that car. And later when my dad bought a 73 Pinto Wagon, I knew I was hooked. Then when I was in college I bought a used 79 Pinto from an ex-nun, 2.3L with the 4 spd manual. I had a blast with that car! It was chocolate brown with a mustard interior, had no A/C and the radio didn't work, but it's the car I taught myself to drive stick in. My mom bought her firts New car in 1982, an Escort in bright red with the blacked out trim the metric rims and 4 spd Manual. We called her Maria Andretti when she drove that. My next little Ford was my first ever new car the 1988 Ford Festiva. Only 1.3 L and 68 hp, but it was the LX model so it had the 5 spd and a nice interior, still no A/C. This was a great car. I would race my friends in this, sure I'd loose, but it was tossable and I did get a speeding ticket upstate doing 100 mph, all the while getting 40 mpg.

And my love of all things small and Ford makes me as green (with envy) as this FiestaMovement car. I'm not hip enough to be one of Ford's Agents. I didn't even apply, because I didn't want to make a video. I'm actually kind of shy and reserved. But recently I joined Twitter, just so I can Follow some of the Fiesta Movement news.

I should have made a video, Doh! But I'm not really the Movement's demographic, I'm 44 and not "hip". Sure, I blog, I MySpace and Facebook, and finally Tweet(?) but I've got a job and a life (despite the obsessive blogging about Ford) that wouldn't allow me to participate in all the missions. But I can tell you what I'd do if I did have one of these Fiestas. I'd take it to local car cruises and shows. I'd drive it up and down the local strip and to Dunkin Donuts to refule on Java. And I'm going to Cape Cod this summer for a week, I'd take it and park it in the busiest section of Provincetown and just stand there telling people about it. Oh and I'd blog,facebook, myspace and finally tweet about it too. But more importantly, I'll probably buy one when they do get here. So much for marketing and demographics, a "middle aged" man (wow that hurt) would actually buy a Fiesta.

What happened to all the regular guys that blogged about the auto industry?

When I started MyFordDreams in April of 2005, the landscape ( or blogsphere ) was lush with the "regular guys" that blogged about the auto industry. I remember one of the first I ever found was The Auto Prophet ( linked in title) the masked man of the auto blogging world.
But there was The Car Pundit, Rides Blog and many others. Some are still around, like the Prophet, Joe Sherlock of View Through The Windshield, Bob of CarsCars Cars and of course Gary of The Garage.

Jalopnik and AutoBlog have always been Pro sites, although many of those guys came up from the ranks of semi-pro blogging. I know it's been a rocky road for my blog. The first year I blogged so much it was fanatical. Then when I was having problems with my original blog I started up here at MyFordDreams2.

There was a real sense of community too. I remember when Dave Thomas, then was with MPH Online and now with Kicking Tires, started the blog for AutoBloggers and was really trying to herd us together. I think I have the honor of posting the last item over there back in 2007.

It's not easy doing this, guys like me don't get paid to do it. We do it out of passion, passion for the cars. I especially do it because of my passion for all things Ford. I'll be the first to admit I'm not on the level of the pros. Too many typos, poor grammar and sometimes too hot headed.
Many of my posts are inspried by what other sites write, but I don't just rehash someone else's work, I try and put personal color commentary and of course link to and refer to the original.

I always say, I love this and that I'm proud to have rubbed shoulders (well cyber shoulders) with some very talented and very nice folks. I want to thank TheAutoProphet for all of his help lately. He's been giving me advice and pointers. Over the years I've received that from many of my fellow bloggers.

I'll never forget the Carnival of Cars and how excited I would get if I was mentioned. That was always a point of pride. And when on those rare ocassions one of my posts would be mentioned by the pros like Jalopnik or Mark Tapscott.

Now that I'm blogging more actively, I'm hoping to rekindle those cyber relationships and grow new ones.

Ford nearly rained on Obama's CAFE party?

In the Los Angeles Times story (linked in title) it says that President Obama's anouncement of an agreement on new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards nearly didn't happen because Ford was hesitant to sign on. "A senior Ford executive said the company had run the numbers again and concluded it might not survive if it accepted the deal. "

No wonder Obama mentioned his Ford Escape Hybrid, he was probably trying to sooth Ford.

Of the domestic manufacturers I would think Ford would be best prepared for these new standards. With new smaller cars like the Fiesta, more Hybrids like the Escape and Fusion and the EcoBoost engine family. But these are tough standards to meet. I would guess the biggest roadblock to meeting these standards would be trucks. pickuptrucks.com has a great piece on that.

These are strange days to be certain. And let's not forget that Ford, being a truly global manufacturer has to juggle a lot of eggs. Look at my earlier piece on the UK Scrapage program.

So much to do, and no clear directions from governments implimenting new policy on the fly.

I can understand Ford wanting to tread carefully these days.

Thinking about the CAFE standards and the Mustang..

You know, most of the news about the Mustang has been good lately. New powertrains promissed and great styling. But with the anouncement of new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards it got me thinking. What would be a really great idea?

How about this, a 2.0 EcoBoost powered Mustang! How about that 275 hp Explorer America concept's twin turbo 2.0? Now, here me out here folks. I know the 5.0 will be dishing out 400 hp and that's a great thing for the GT. But how about the turbo 4 for the Pony Mustang? Isn't the rumored Ranger replacement coming with a 1.8 l EcoBoost ? And that will ahve 175 hp 180 lb ft of torque. So, sine they'll be doing the work to fit an EcoBoost in a rear wheel drive vehicle already, how hard could it be to do it in a Mustang? You could have 3 levels of Mustang, the Base with the EcoBoost I-4, a mid level with the EocBoost V-6 and the GT with the Coyote V-8.

Just a middle of the night thought. Well maybe a dream really, but isn't that what I do.

Ford "resists cutting dealer network" is a bit of a fib

Now don't get me wrong FoMoCo is doing a fine job trying to restructure during these tough times. But all the news stories about Ford not cutting dealers, like the one linked in the title, are a bit of a fib. It's true that FoMoCo isn't slashing and burning dealers like Chrysler has and isn't giving a doomsday clock to dealers like GM is doing. But, it's also not true that they haven't shed dealers. In reality FoMoCo started in 2005, as part of the Way Forward, shutting unproductive dealers and trimming some dealers in oversaturated areas. FoMoCo just did it slower and more carefully. 770 Ford dealerships have shut down since 05, just about 1 in 6 to be honest.

And I think it was obviously a good thing. I know of several Ford dealers within a reasonable drive from me that shut. One of those was a huge dealer that had just changed owners and was in the middle of major renovations. I wasn't a fan of this particular dealer, they had shady practices.

I see these news stories as a double edged sword. On the one hand it makes it look like Ford is doing better than GM & Chrysler, which they are. But on the other side, it makes it look like Ford isn't doing enough to cut costs and return to profitabilty, which of course is untrue.

In my opinion it would be to Ford's advantage to point out the facts, that they did cut dealers, but slowly over time and with less of an impact to the economy than the paniced moves of Chrysler and to a lesser degree GM. I can see that any positive press is good. But will people feel that Ford hasn't done their share? I know they have and that they've done it in a far gentler way. Sure, the closed Ford dealers had employees that lost jobs, but because it was gradual over 4 years, they had opportunities to find jobs. What Chrysler did is dump a huge pool of workers all at once. And next October when GM dealers run the clock on their franchise agreements, there'll be more.

Give Ford credit where it's due, but also point out that the Way Forward has been a process not a panic.

I'm sure GM & Chrysler CEOs were red faced when President Obama endorsed Ford

GM's future CEO, President Obama, goofed a little when he accidentally endorsed the only domestic automaker who didn't seek government relief. Read the article linked in the title.
Obama at a press conference anouncing new CAFE standards that will go into effect in 2016 was standing back from the podium, when he added that he thinks his Ford Escape Hybrid is still parked at home in Chicago. He said it drives real well and people should check it out.

Realising that CEOs for Chrysler and GM were standing right there, he quickly added that there were other Hybrid and "fuel independant" manufacturers as well. Doh! Alan Mullaly was seen pumping his fist in the air. You just know that FoMoCo execs are going to be talking about this around the water cooler. Ford should give Obama a new Fusion Hybrid as a gift. Or even better, give it to me.

Again, while GM & Chrysler fumble FoMoCo reopens Cleveland plant!

Yet more evidence that I can "dream" again and not have night terrors that Ford will fail.
Signs of life again a Ford's Cleveland Engine Plant, where they reopened after closing 2 years ago. 250 people are going back to work to build EcoBoost powertrains.

Now I'm not trying to blow smoke up anyone's tailpipe ( nice how I kept that PG wasn't it ) I know that FoMoCo has work to do, but while the recent trend is to loose big money, teeter on bankruptcy and close dealers and plants left and right, it's nice to see Ford trending carefully in the oposite direction.

And you know what, we can all thank one man, Alan Mullaly. He's not Santa Claus or Jesus Christ, but he's been smart enough to plan ahead. Ford leveraged everything BEFORE the credit markets dried up. Ford did not take bailout loans. Ford watched their stock climb and then sold new issues to finance VEBA. Ford has great product coming down the pipeline. Are they out of the woods? No, but they have a plan!

I really want to know who falls for these....

I really wonder how stupid people are. We've all heard about the hoax "phishing" e-mail went out offering 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrids for half price went out, don't we? Read the article linked in the title. I had avoided blogging on this, because I wonder who actually falls for these tricks.

How many emails a day do I get informing me of some money I can make if I help some mystery person transfer funds or split lottery winnings if I let them use my bank account. How stupid are we? Or is really a question of how greedy?

How many times was the Brooklyn Bridge sold? Suposedly an asteroid killed the dinosaurs, I wonder what will get us fools.

To tweet or not? What the hell

I'm a bit of a dinosaur really. Not that tech savy. But, I have been blogging for 4 years now and I've fallen victim to other "Social Networking" services. I have a FaceBook, but not associated with this blog, that's just for friends and family. I have a MySpace page for this blog, but I'm not too active on there, except my addiction to the stupid games. And now I've signed up for Twitter? I don't have a mobile device. I have a cell phone, hell I have two, one for me and one for my job ( the real job that pays the bills.) But there are a couple of people or networks I'd like to "follow." I'm interested now in the Fiesta Movement, after the car was stolen.

Slowly I evolve? If anyone wants to "tweet" at me, it's myforddreams look me up?

This was what pushed me over http://mashable.com/2009/05/18/ford-social-media/

Shelby cap has a proud new owner!

About 2 weeks ago I decided that since funds were low I'd have to sell the centerpiece of my collection a commerortive baseball cap for the 2006 Hertz special Shelby GTH Mustang that was signed by Carroll Shelby himself. I never wore the cap, didn't want to damage it, so it sat on a shelf surounded by my die cast cars collecting a little dust. Well, the e-Bay auction ended Saturday night and Monday around noon I shipped it off to the winner.

So, I got a little curious about who bought it and looked at their e-Bay profile.
And it looks like this hat went to a very devoted Mustang fanatic. His purchases over the last few months imply that he has a 2006 Mustang and he's tastefully personalizing it with accessories. It's even possible that he has a Shelby GTH.

I hope he enjoys the hat, but really feel better knowing that he's a true blue oval fanatic!

Some changes and hopefully improvements to blog

MyFordDreams has come a long way since April of 2005. It started on one page http://myforddreams.blogspot.com and sprouted spin offs like Star Trek, must not as succesful.

I've changed templates in the past and updated deleted links over the years. But now I'm catching up on some other items. For one, you'll notice labels/tags on each post and on the sidebar. This is to help you look at what else I may have posted on that subject.

I've also added a Blogs I read section, a reccomended sites section and ads.

There's a feature that lets you follow this blog as well.

More changes are in the pipeline, and I'm going to try and stay ontop of things around here.

Sure, I was quiet for a while, but I'm back and Ford is doing better, so it's time to "Dream" again.

Ford UK not ready for their Clunker program, could delay hurt sales?

Read the story, linked in title, about Ford's problems with the UK's "Scrapage" program, their version of Cash for Clunkers. With vehicle sales down globally, many countries are starting their own version of this scheme. In the UK, it seems that Ford was negotiating and trying to get online with the program from day one, but with so many changes right up until the last minute they were caught out on day one of the program. From what I've read in 2 different articles, the program gives people a 2,ooo Pound incentive for trading in a car 10+ years old when they purchase a new more fuel efficient vehicle. Half of the incentive from the government and half from the manufacturer ( that's about $3,000 with $1,500 from Ford ) and the lag is that Ford needed to get new forms to 550 dealers to initiate the program. Ford's not crying about the money, it's just that with all the last minute wheeling and dealing they couldn't cross the t's and dot the i's on the paperwork quick enough. Fiat was rumored to be in the same boat, but they denied that was the case.

Patience my UK bretheren, FoMoCo is doing it's best to get their ducks in a row.
I wonder if this will initially hurt Ford sales? Doubtful in the long run, what's a 2-3 delay in buying a new car?

UPDATE: CarScoop has an interesting piece about the European sales as they relate to programs like this. And Ford's new Fiesta is doing very very well!

Kiss Mercury goodbye! AutoBlog reports Sable to end this year, this Thursday?

Stick a fork in them, they're done. In the post linked in the title from AutoBlog, Ford has decided not to continue the Mercury Sable. They've made a load of changes to the Taurus, including a new SHO, but no plans for a 2010 Sable.

This leaves Mercury with only 4 models, 2 of which will end production soon. The Milan, which is an upscale Fusion, the Mariner which is an upscale Escape, the Mountaineer which I forgot they still made! And the Grand Marquis, which like the Crown Victoria and Town Car is dead man walking. So, with only 2 real models I'd say you can kiss Mercury goodbye. Autoblog mentions plans for an unnamed small car in the future, which can only mean an upscale Focus, even thought they mention the Lincoln C concept.

If Ford wants to keep the Mercury brand alive and at this point that seems unlikely, they need new models to keep the brand. I had said over the years that Mercury would be the perfect brand to bring the neat European and Global Ford products to the states, but since, the Fiesta and new Global Focus are coming here as Fords, that shoots that down. It would be nice to dream about the Australian Ford Falcons coming as Mercury models, but that's unlikely.

So, why keep the brand? It used to be a nice filler between Ford and Lincoln, but as some Fords approach Lincoln prices and Lincoln has their "entry" level MKZ, there's no filler needed.

Mercury will be gone in as little as 5 years, but no longer than 10, unless FoMoCo comes up with something fairly snazzy and profitable for the brand. But look at the bright side, now those who want an orphan car like and Edsel or Studabaker can get a fairly modern vehicle to bring to shows. Hell, the way brands are being killed lately, orphan car shows are going to be loaded with late model iron. I wonder if I should start checking e-Bay for a 2003 Marauder?

Finally getting in the game, Ford to offer 400 hp 5.0 V-8 ! Looks like Igor was right

Autoblog is reporting that Ford is finally getting back into the horsepower game.
Looks like frequent commentor Igor was right. Not that there hadn't been plenty of rumors and stories about the return of the 5.0 for a while now, but it looks like a new 32 valve DOHC V-8 with 400 hp and 400 lb ft of torque will be coming in 2010. And mention of an EcoBoost V-6 as well.

It's about blooddy time! The current 315-320 hp GT and 210 hp base are no slouches, but wtih everybody and their mother offering more power, it's just not good enough to be the bargain muscle car anymore. When the Mustang was the only Pony Car on the market, Ford could breathe easy. But competition is strong now, with the rebirth of the Challenger and Camaro, both outgunning the current Mustang. And don't forget the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, with it's base 2.0 Turbo I-4 beating base Mustang's 210 hp, and the V-6 putting out 360 hp.

This is great news, now when can we expect that IRS? When will the Mustang be truly comparable to the pack?

Picture of the idiot and the stolen Fiesta

So, here's a picture that's been all over the net of the Fiesta that was stolen from Brookly and found near DC. And of course there's the idiot Agent jumping on the hood, just like he encouraged strangers to do with a sign he had on the car. Some folks on the net think the entire episode is just a publiciy stunt. I doubt FoMoCo would do it, but the idiot? It is the type of bonehead thing an attention whore might do. More likely is that he got strung out on Mocha Lattes and left the keys in it.

CarScoop has update on stolen Fiesta Movement car.

Linked in the title is a post at CarScoop updating the situation reported on Friday about the stolen Fiesta Movement unit that was lifted from a Brooklyn street. For those not familiar with the Fiesta Movement, do a Google search. But I'll try and sum it up here.

Ford in an effort to create buzz ahead of next year's release of the Fiesta, started a program to place 100 units in the hands of Hip or near-Hip folks who would drive the cars for 6 months, with free gas, insurance and concierge service. These "Agents" would help create the buzz by blogging, tweeting, facebooking, myspacing and youtubing, so interested parties could follow and evaluate the cars.

Well, one Brooklyn New York Agent had his Fiesta stolen off the street near his home and of course he tweeted about it and Ford's PR man tweeted about it and many sites, including AutoBlog, Jalopnik and CarScoop, posted about it. A "buzz" storm ensued and there were updates stating the car was GPS equipped so that FoMoCo could track it in real time. There were criticism of local Police, because the car is not in the DMV database, but who's fault is that? Not FoMoCo's. I don't think anyone thought the cars would be stolen. Why didn't Ford pay for this guy to have a garage space?

Interestingly, comments at various sites, such as CarScoop, imply that the whole thing is nothing but a publicit stunt. That's possible, but unlikely in my opinion, at least on the part of FoMoCo.

Now, the Agent is another thing. One of the reasons I wouldn't attempt to get in the Fiesta Movement, although I was drooling over the prospect of driving, evaluating and blogging about the car, was that I'm not by nature an attention whore. And these Agents got the cars by being exactly that. I read on CarScoop that this particular Agent had posted signs on the car encouraging passersby to stand on the hood and climb on the car and take pictures of themselves. Maybe FoMoCo did pay for a garage and this nimrod parked it on the street as part of his little social experiment.

The Fiesta Movement may create some buzz, but will it sell cars? Wouldn't FoMoCo have been better served by giving Fiestas to guys like me ? I would have driven it to cruise nights and car shows as well as public places and gathered feedback from regular people. I would have taken pictures and videos of the Fiesta and posted them on my blog, where I would give real life feedback on the car. But, let the hipsters have their fun. Overall this isn't going to cost FoMoCo too much. As long as one of their Agents doesn't do a stunt like the Queen's Day horror last month.

Most of what I've seen on the Fiesta Movement is by little plastic attention whores, who's opinion on the car wouldn't carry much weight with a real buyer. But of course I'm biased aren't I?

MyFordDreams accepting solicitations for advertisements

When I started MyFordDreams ( and several other blogs ) back in 2005, I was against advertising. Over the years I have recieved offers of various schemes, including embeded links in posts. And I had always said no way, I wanted to keep MyFordDreams untouched by others.

Well, as you can imagine in these tough economic times, I've revisited the issue and have a few ads already on the site. I had signed up for Google's AdSense a while back as you can see. But now I'm willing to received proposals to advertise on my site (or sites ) if they are relavant and tasteful.

Anyone interested can e-mail me at myforddreams@aol.com

Ford Eco Boost, Explorer America & Edge

The Ford Edge is a nice vehicle. It's not perfect, but what is. I see a lot of these on the road these days, so I'll give Ford credit for coming up with something people want. But I can't help thinking they could benefit from better fuel economy, not that they're gas guzzlers, but what about a new Eco Boost powerplant. Not the twin turbo 3.5 V-6 from the Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS and MKT, but the 2.0 Eco Boost I-4 from the Explorer America concept.

At the 2008 New York Auto Show, I saw this on the turntable, the Explorer America concept.

And the spokesperson was saying it was going to be car based and powered by an Eco Boost 2.0 I-4 producing about 200 hp. And with the recent article over at PickupTrucks.com about a possible Eco Boost powered Ranger replacement ( 1.8 L making 175 hp ) it had me thinking how this Explorer America or the Edge would do with a 2.0 Eco Boost. I guess we could just look at the VW Tiguan, since it's a cute ute with a 2.0 Turbo 4 from the GTI.

Just wondering on a lazy Saturday. Eco Boost technology is supposed to spread across much of the FoMoCo lineup over the coming years. It makes sense, scales of economy for the turbo systems, a lowering of the CAFE for the brand all without loosing usable power and lowering emissions. I realize the EcoBoost will filter down from the pricer models down to the rest of the lineup, and I look forward to seeing how long that will take. Turbo Charging combined with Direct Gasoline Injection is no longer new technology, Audi, Mazda, VW and GM have had it on the market for a short while and GM's Chevy Cruze is suposedly coming to the US with a turbo direct injected 1.4L.

While others panic, FoMoCo started the process before it was too late...

Do you know why the Ford blue oval is the shining star of the US Domestic auto industry?
It's simple, while the others continued with business as usual and now take government assistance, Ford Motor Company started a process several years ago that would help them navigate the troubled waters of our economy. We all saw the "big 3" going hat in hand before Congress last fall, but Ford didn't ask for help. Why? Because they had borrowed heavilly before the credit markets dried up. They gathered a war chest of $24 Billion. They even mortgaged the beloved Blue Oval logo.

And while Chrysler has already entered bankruptcy and GM is headed toward Bankruptcy on June 1st, Ford has the cash and the plan to get back to profitability in 2012. Ford doesn't need to partner with a foreign manufacturer like Chrysler's deal with Fiat, because they're going to build their own global small cars here.

GM is trying to sell off brands like SAAB, Saturn, Opel and just kill off Hummer and Pontiac.
Ford sold Premiere Auto Group brands, like Ranger Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin, but had the relative luxury of time. With Ford it didn't seem like the fire sale GM is running.

And while the news of late tells the tale of Chrysler shutting 789 dealerships yesterday and GM closing 1,200 by 2010, Ford has shed 500 dealers since 2005, when they started the Way Forward. No mass panic, just closing underperforming or oversaturated outlets quietly in a calm and civil way.

It's not all wine and roses, it's tough going for Ford Motor Company, but they have this thing, it's called a plan. And they've been working at it since before the economic meltdown. That's what big companies are supposed to do. GM and Chrysler saw the same storm clouds on the horizon, but Ford took action. And in the end, when we have a smaller chrysler who's majority owned by Fiat and a trimmed down GM, we'll have a more profitable trimmer Ford too. But Ford will do it with a more gradual plan that won't gut shareholders. Ford's not out of the woods, but they've got a compass and a flashlight and seem to know how to use them. More importantly, they had a plan!

Fiesta Movement? Not for this suburban New Yorker

I'm guessing the New York Auto Show was as close as I'll get to the new Ford Fiesta, until they reach dealers next year. I honestly didn't bother applying for the Fiesta Movement program. I'm not some perky 20something who's all over Facebook and Twitter and MySpace. I don't make stupid videos demanding the world's attention and believe me the world is a happier place for that. But, I did check the Fiesta Movement site (and registered for updates) to see about the tour they're promissing of 100 cities across the country. But when I go to the "Northeast" there's no New York? Maybe later in the year?

I know that marketing people think it's only young hip folks that buy cars like this, but they are wrong. I know Toyota counted on the younger generation to buy Scions, but you know who I see driving the boxy little hip-mobiles? Mostly women over 40.

I'd love to be able to take a little spin in a Fiesta and then tell you all what a great little car it is, but I'm not willing to jump through hoops to entertain the world.

A "Real" truck? You bet your ass!

Just feeling nostalgic about my Ranger. It just celebrated it's 10th birthday and only has about 57,000 miles on the odometer. I remember when I first got it, some people I know asked why I didn't get a "real" truck, meaning a full size truck. And my rather crude response was that I didn't need a big truck, because I had something else big. Childish, I know, but I laughed.
But the Ranger is a real truck. I've been able to do almost everything that my associates with bigger trucks have with theirs. I don't own anything that I tow, so no need for massive towing capacity needed. Most of the people I know don't tow anything either. I've filled my Ranger with over 1.000 pounds of various payloads with no problem at all. I've driven through a couple of blizzards on unplowed roads and not got stuck. Hell, one time I used it to pull a tree out of the way when it fell at work. So, it's a "real" truck.

And it's been very very reliable too. I was thinking of all the repairs it's needed over the last decade. And that has been limited to a brake job every two years and I replaced the tires a couple of years ago. Oil changes every 5,000 miles and a new air filter when I bought the new tires. That's it!

We here at the MyFordDreams ranch are a multi vehicle household and the love of my life has a 1997 Isuzu Rodeo, with triple the mileage, so a direct comparison one not be fair. But I will mention that last year when the Rodeo was up on the lift for yet more work, the mechanic pointed out the extensive rust on the frame and major suspension components. So, I decided to crawl under the Ranger and compare. The difference was like night and day. Both trucks have been in the same area all of their lives and neither garaged regularily. But the Ranger has just minor frame rust, and no suspension rust.

Did I mention that in 10 years it's still on the original shocks, clutch etc..
A few dings and scratches, as befits a "real" truck.

I'm going to try and keep it PG here, but I'll say this, you don't need a big truck to get the job done.

I may have to read this book...

I received an e-mail today, offering to send me a free copy of PJ O'Rourke's latest does of insanity. And so because I've never read any of O'Rourke's books, I did a Google search.
And based on the following, I may have to read this.

"....You have to get a car that handles really well. This is extremely important, and there's a lot of debate on this subject – about what kind of car handles best. Some say a front-engined car; some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind. You can also park without looking, and can use the trunk as an ice chest. Another thing about a rented car is that it's an all-terrain vehicle. Mud, snow, water, woods – you can take a rented car anywhere. True, you can't always get it back – but that's not your problem, is it? ..."

Driving Like Crazy (link in title to Barnes & Noble, if you'd like to buy it) is O'Rourke's latest satire. Sort of the Hunter S Thompson of the auto journalism? Very funny stuf so far. Can't wait to see if I'll get it.

Questions/comments about safety vs mpg?

When I was a kid, my dad had a 1968 Mercury Montego MX like this drawing above.
It was a great car, fast and cool looking, really the only one of my father's cars over the years that you could say that about. And I was a kid during the oil crisis of the 70's but I remember the lines for gas, the odd or even days based on your plate number. I even remember my dad saying that for such a big V-8 powered car ( 302 cid with a 2bl carb ) his Mercury got 20 mpg on the highway! That seemed like a lot to me at the time. That was around the time the Japanese cars started to really pop up on the streets of New York. And I've been thiking, if a big old "gas guzzler" like that got 20 mpg in the 70's why can't we do much better today? My 2006 Mazda 3 with a 2.3 I-4 gets about 30 mpg on the highway. So I got nostalgic about my cars and decided to post about the safety vs mpg issue.

In 1998 I bought a used 1992 Ford Crown Victoria, with the 4.6 V-8 and this is often called a "gas guzzler" as well. But I remember it fondly for many reasons, not the least was the fact people would move out of my way on the turnpike, thinking I was a state trooper. I took this car on my own personal pilgrimage in 1998 to Dearborn and Ford's World Headquarters. And thanks to the trip computer, I can tell you that on that long 2 day drive I averaged 25 mpg on the highway! Not bad for a "gas guzzler" huh? I'd say these two cars are very comparable, in size and power (despite the 2 extra doors on the Crown Vic) but the Crown obviously cheated the wind better.

My very first brand new car, was my 1988 Ford Festiva that I got in September of 1987.

And this was a 1.3 I-4 that got 40 mpg. But it only weighed about 1900 lbs! I loved this car, it was fun and frugal, but it was gutless and felt like a tin can. Safety wasn't a major factor in it's design. So, why does my Mazda 3 only get 30 mpg on the highway in 2009? I mean we've had such drastic improvements in engine management and aerodynamics since the 70's. Why can't our new cars get 30-40 mpg? Hell, why aren't we flying our cars to work? It's the future isn't it?

I'll tell you why we can't meet the fuel economy standards we dreamed of 20 years ago.

SAFETY! While we've been complacent, somewhat, about fuel economy, we've been screaming safety. Or more precisely the insurance companies, lawyers and big government have.

Let's think about this, my 1992 Ford Crown Victoria weighed about 3,800 lbs. My 2006 Mazda 3 weights about 2,800 lbs. The Festiva as I've said weighed about 1.900 lbs (maybe even less?)

We want power (got it, my Mazda has 158 hp, my 78 Thunderbird with 302 only had 150 hp) we wanted safety (got it, my Mazda has 6 airbags ABS EBD and a very crash resistant body cage, as does every new car) we wanted room ( a Mazda 3 while being a "compact car" is damn big inside and out, as is every other car over the last decade. Look at the Honda Accord over it's life) and we all want this at a reasonable price. And the government wants us to be safe. So, if we wonder why we're not all getting 100 mpg in our Suburbans and Explorers, it's not because the oil companies and auto industry bought patents to hide that mythical 100 mpg carb, it's because today's cares are little fortresses on wheels.

And it's only going to get tougher? That's right, read up on how the government is going to double, almost tripple roof crush standards. I believe right now most vehicles must withstand 1.5 times their own weight ( which of course is so heavy because of all the safety goodies ) but the regulations are going to 3-4 times their own weight! And every vehicle must have the complete aray of air bags. Remember that's why the Ford Ranger was going to be left to die.

And yet the government screams at the same time that the auto industry has failed us, by not supplying 40 mpg cars. It's not a conspiracy folks, the government isn't evil, as far as I know, and the auto industry isn't as a whole incompitent. It's just simple math, you can't demand fuel economy and increased safety overnight. It takes time and requires economies of scale.

And what of the future of convertibles? Will these safety improvements kill them off?
Does anyone remember the late 70's? The "last of the American Convertibles" Cadilac Eldorado?

The last Ford Convertible from the 70's I can remember was the 1973 Mustang. And it took a decade for Ford to bring it back. I'm not a ragtop man myself, never owned one, but that doesn't mean I don't like them. I know they're a niche vehicle. But will our safety require the end of the drop top? Are we, or the government, asking for too much too fast?

Maybe the Ranger isn't going to die in the US?

Now that I've gotten bak into the MyFordDreams saddle, I'm getting up to speed with some of the news. I know that Igor, a frequent commentor and fanatic Blue Oval fan, had mentioned rumors of a Ranger Replacement, but Pickup Trucks . com has a piece (linked in title) about a possible replacement that would be truly "Global" unlike the current Ranger line up.
We all know that the North American Ranger is the same basic unit for over a decade. And I posted recently explaining that even if Ford wanted to they won't be able to sell it in the United States, because of safety and emissions standards in our near future.

I had complained that we weren't getting the new Thai built Ranger ( Mazda BT-50) that was available globally outside North America ( United States & Canada, although available in Mexico). But Pickup Trucks . Com says that much like the Fiesta, a new Global Ranger could be on the way for 2012! Just about time too. My 1999 unit may want to retire by then. Not that it's showing any signs of problems, but who keeps a truck 13 years?

Now, one major point I found interesting, was the mention of an EcoBoost powertrain for the US.

A 1.6 liter unit? But making 175 hp and 180 lb ft of torque sounds right for a base powerplant.

I know the concept Explorer America was supposed to be an EcoBoost 4 cyl, but I thought I read it was 2.0 liter and putting out 200 hp? Maybe that will be an uplevel motor in a new Ranger?
Maybe a V-6? But no mention of the 2 available Diesels that the rest of the world gets.

Jump over to Pickup Trucks . Com and see the article and spy photos. It's wearing Mazda BT-50 body panels, but it's suposed to be a new Global Ranger, to replace the current Thai unit and BT-50 I assume.

Flashback to Bio Fuel and Alternative fuel talk at MyFordDreams

3 years ago I posted about Bio Fuels and the post was good enough to be mentioned by esteemed blogger Mark Tapscott, who is also a professional journalist and at the time was the man behind Carnival of Cars. And today, I took the time to do a quick Google search for MyFordDreams. ( I bought a T-shirt last year that says " When I'm alone, I Google myself ")
And so I was inspired to revisit this subject and I've linked to the original 2006 post in the title.

Bio Fuels, it's been the buzz for several years now. We've seen Television and Internet pieces about the idea, local newspaper pieces on "Grease Cars" and Bio Fuel Stills run by regular folks getting the used veggie oil from local fast food joints. But that's only a small part of the story.

I had even been so inspired by the subject that I started another blog, that died quickly, Alternative Fuel Universe But even though I haven't blogged about it I haven't given up on the idea. It's an obvious solution to several important problems, from our Environment, Economy to National Security. Energy Independance is more than a handy catch phrase, it should be a very serious goal. Hybrids are the current magic pill and part of our future to be sure, but many people know that Bio Fuels are a better answer. Not that it's an overnight solution, it will take years to get it implimented.

I'd like to recant one question I raised in the original 2006 post. I don't see Corn or Soy Beans as viable sources for Bio Fuel. Since the original post I've learned about developments in the field by companies like Solazyme using algae. Like I said in 2006 it could take decades to get this fully implemented, but I no longer think it will take 90 years.

Read the original post, do a Google search and blog search on Bio Fuel, it's food for thougt.
Oh wow, that was a horrible pun, food for thought. At least I didn't say it's food for fuel. Doh!

MyFordDreams to bail out FoMoCo?

Linked in the title is an article at Bloomberg.com anouncing that Ford is taking advantage of the uptick on their stock price and the generally posative prospects by issuing another 300 million shares of stock. They'll use this influx of cash to avoid government assitance and to help fund the VEBA employee benefit obligation. As you can see here in this chart Ford's stock has been on a roller coaster over the last year, trading from a 52 week low of $1.01 per share to a high of $8.37, and is now trading around $6.08. Ford started taking steps before the economy tanked, raising money by mortgaging everything, including the iconic Blue Oval logo itself. And while that was risky, it's paid off. And even Ford's anouncement of $.14 billion losses seemed like a breat of fresh air to Wall Street, in light of GM's $6.6 billion and Toyota's $7 billion losses.

I've never invested in stocks directly, but If I can, I'm going to scrape a few bucks together and buy a token few shares of FoMoCo stock. If for no other reason than to put my money where my mouth is. In all honesty I feel it's going to turn into a smart choice. I can't afford to buy much and have never bought stock in the past, but I'm going to seriously look into this.

Finally a Hybrid that works for everyone! 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

I snagged this video of a New York state Ford dealer doing a video walk around of the new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. But the more I learn about it, I realize that this is a Hybrid that blows my previous objections to Hybrids away! I for a long time had been saying that Hybrids really only make sense for folks that do an Urban driving loop, but the Fusion's 41 mpg city is really only half the story. Highway rated at 36 mpg is great, but what really tops the list is the Fusion's ability to run on Electric only up to 47 mph! I was thinking about that in relation to my daily drive and realized that I could drive a Fusion Hybrid on mostly electric power without hypermilling and probably only have to refuel once a month.

I live and work in the suburbs doing only short stints on highways and usually doing 45 mph or lower. And the Fusion Hybrid seats real adults in comfort and has a usable trunk. The Escape Hybrid was impressive enough, but it switched to the internal combustion engine at speeds over 20 mph. Now, I know that the Prius gets better fuel economy, but the Fusion is a more paletable Hybrid for everyday people.

The only thing that hurts really is the $27k pricetag. I wonder when Ford will have a Hybrid Focus? I'm sure it will meet or exceed the Fusion's economy and hopefully be under $25k.

Another video of Mazda BT-50 (Ford Ranger) last one I promise

English language video of Mazda BT-50 (Ford Ranger)

I was able to find a video in English but only for the Mazda version (BT-50) of the new Ranger.

Video walk around of new Ranger in UK

Ranger video from Russia?

Here's what a Ranger should be!

What is the future of the Ranger?

Today there was a comment on one of my archived posts that brought back one of my favorite gripes. The Ranger, how Ford has let it lapse and what I hope they will do. Ok, let's get some history here, the Ranger name started as a trim level on the full size Ford F-Series trucks, just like the Eplorer badge. Starting in the late 60's and early 70's Japanese makes started to bring compact pickups to the US, Nissan and Toyota leading the way, but Isuszu and Mazda also. So, when the Domestic makes saw an emerging market segment, they initially imported partner trucks rebadged as their own, in the case of Ford that was the Courier. But eventually they recognized that a true Domestic compact pickup would make more sense and the Ranger was born . And from 1987 to 2004 it was segment leader. In many ways it was far superior to the Courier it replaced and Ford improved it with each generation. But the evolution stopped in 2000 or so and it was just mild refresh after that, until this day. I believe it was a combination of relatively cheap fuel here in the states and our tendancy to super size everything. While competitors grew in size, the Ranger remained compact. It remains a profitable unit for the company, especially since they've done no real development over the last decade. What a shame really. But with new safety and emissions standards coming into effect soon, the current Ranger is coming to a point where Ford can't sell it, even if customers were lined up out the door, which really they aren't. One major fault is that the current Ranger can't be fitted with airbags in the A pillar. Another minor fault is that it's not available in a true 4 door cab here, while it has been all over the world, including Mexico.

But as with Ford's need for small fuel efficient car, they have the answer in their global garage.
Ford developed a new Ranger (Mazda BT-50 also ) for markets outside of the United States.
And I've posted about it before, because it's a class leader and would be a huge hit here.
I'm not sure if it has air bags in the A pillar, but I'd guess it does since it's sold in Europe.
It's also got 2 great Diesel powertrain options and one of the nicest interiors I've ever seen in a compact truck. So, should Ford rush to get this cleared to come here? Would they import it from Asia or build it here? Yes they should rush to bring it market! If the Diesels aren't going to meet emisions, they can stick the 2.5 petrol I-4 and 3.5 V-6 in there. Over the last few years I've read criticism of the Ranger on the web and speculation that Ford should introduce a new Mid Size pickup using the F-100 nameplate. I disagree, but if they did it right, I'd be willing to take a look.

Now, this is a photoshop done quite a while ago by "FUD" (?) that I had seen on several message boards suggesting that the new Ranger be based on an Explorer chassis. But at this point is that prudent? Haven't we had that already? Isn't that the crap known as the Sport Trac?
What say you? I say, bring us the Global Ranger, with the Diesel option for those pulling boat trailers.

Top Gear's Clarkson drives Fiesta Blue's Brothers style !

I love Top Gear and this video of Clarkson reviewing the new Fiesta is an example of why. Responding to complaints that they no longer do practicle testing for reviews Clarkson does his best to answer the standard questions, but then goes completely overboard.

With scenes reminiscent of The Blues Brothers or maybe even the original Italian Job and then an epic beach landing with the Royal Marines, it's got to be one of the most memorable Top Gear reviews in ages.

Ford should use part of this in their advertising when the Fiesta comes to the states next year!

American Muscle's video on how they mount and balance your order of Wheels and Tires

You may notice some new links on the sidebar, American Muscle and American Trucks. So, I was checking out their sites and found a video showing how they mount and balance the wheels and tires you order for free and explaining a little about their customer service.

Kicking Tires' Dave Thomas checks out the new Mazda 3 with Video

It's no secret that I hold the Mazda 3 in high esteem, high enough that I bought one brand new 3 years ago this month. And I was surfing around and found a short but sweet piece by Dave Thomas of Kicking Tires blog, with video, reviewing the 2010 3.

While I love my 3, I'm the first to say it's got a face only a mother could love. I bought it not on looks, although I've seen much much worse, but value and performance. To be 100% honest I bought it partly because it was the closest thing I could get to a European Ford Focus here in the US. The new 3 also has love/hate styling, but it's still got that Zoom Zoom factor that can't be denied.

When I was shopping for a new car 3 years ago, I went in with an open mind, no bias even though I love Ford. I test drove the Chevy Cobalt ( which was very good ) Dodge Caliber ( which had very interesting packaging and pricing ) and several others from both domestic and foreign manufacturers. I had specific criteria, most important was value and funcionality. It came down to the Caliber and 3 in a direct showdown. My brother had recommended a dealer than sold both brands and we arranged a direct comparison test drive. It's obvious which won, the Mazda had more power, better handling and higher quality perception.

My 3 gets 30 mpg on the highway, over 20 mpg on a suburban loop and is just tons of fun on twisty roads. The only major options I didn't get were the slushbox and navigation.
So, click on over and watch Dave give you the rundown on the latest 3.

Ford's loss statement not so bad and Bone to pick with NYC

We all read about Ford and GM's loss statements this quarter, Ford lost $1.4Billion and GM lost $6Billion. But when I read about Toyota's $7Billion loss my jaw dropped. And I read at AutoBlog recently that Ford has had a lower percentage drop in sales than many of it's competitors.
Part of that is the fact that Ford has recently introduced some great product and refreshes.
Some say it's also a benefit of Ford not taking any "bailout" loans from Uncle Sam.
I'm just greatful that Ford looks like they'll weather this economic storm.
It doesn't hurt that Ford is moving quickly to reorganize their production mix and build the new Focus and Fiesta in the United States and Mexico.
This should have been a seperate post, but I'm lazy. I have a major bone to pick with New York City. Recently they bought a small fleet of Nissan Altima Hybrids to test as patrol cars.
I'm all in favor of some hybrids being purchase for government fleets as well as taxis.
But in this economy and just as good policy, shouldn't they have bought domestic hybrids?
Doesn't the Ford Fusion Hybrid get better milage in the city loop than any of it's competitors?
Shame on New York! Whoever made the decision to go with the Nissan needs to brought into a back room and beating with a phone book.



I have to say the Fusion Hybrid just makes so much more sense.
And as I was reading The Auto Prophet's latest post, Hybrids ( especially domestics ) not only give you that warm fuzzy Eco Cred, but they help improve our fuel independance and national security! Not that Hybrids are the only solution, Ford's Eco Boost equipped vehicles will also go a long way to be greenish.

UK Fords that I'd love to own....

Ford has offered some fantastic cars here in the states over the years, but there have always been some forbiden fruit on the other side of the pond. Like the Ford RS 200. This insanely powerful street legal rally car. I saw online recently that one of these appears in the new Fast & Furious movie?

And while this was available in the US for a few years, I'd still love to be able to buy one of the rarer RS3000 or Tickford versions.

The Mk5 Fiesta, especially the ST version was another one that I've always envied. Even when the Fiesta does arrive here in the states, it's unlikely that we'll see an ST version. But with 150 hp this little car must be a blast!

And what about the Ford Puma ! Now this is a cool little car.

And for those Top Gear fans, this was their Car Of The Year in 2000 and there's a video on YouTube showing Tiff Needel tossing one around and shaking up Clarkson.

And another video, that I've posted in the past of Tiff giving stunt driving tips in one.

Maybe some day? One can dream, can't one.