A down payment for a Focus.

[FX-Man]

My wife drives a Minivan because she wants to have seating for us, the three kids, and maybe a friend or two of theirs. She say's the suv's are too big for her to drive, which if you watch how most of the soccer mom's drive 'em is probably correct. Also she can't drive a stick which leaves me stuck driving the Cobra
:shrug: instead of tooling around in the caravan (sigh).

 

[Jens03GT]

Whatever floats your boat. I am just saying that minivans are not for me.

 

[cito]

Why is there no love for the Focus? It is an excellent car. Gutless perhaps, but an excellent car. I have said this before, but I will say it again, the Focus is probably the best car that Ford makes right now when all things are considered.

SUV vs. Minivan?

My wife won't drive a minivan. They are more difficult to drive than SUV's. And, she hates the image of the Minivan.

We have had a Navigator and now have a Mountaineer. The Mountaineer is fantastic. AWD with 4-wheel independent suspension. Seating for 7. The tow rating is over 7,000 pounds. I towed my dad's '66 Continental (think about 5000 pounds) loaded with packages with no problem whatsoever. Try that in a minivan (or a Pilot, MDX, any Lexus SUV, Highlander POS, etc.). The engine is an all-aluminum SOHC 4.6 with a 5-speed automatic. We loved the way the Navigator looked, but the Mountaineer is really better in every way (except maybe for the 32-valve 5.4 engine). Mind you, we had a 2000, and I have not driven a 2003, but think they are pretty damn cool. MSRP of the Mountaineer is in the 38k range, but the street price is much lower. Resale value does suck, the only real downside I have seen thusfar.

The combination of seating, tow rating, etc. is virtually unmatched in the industry. Ford really did a nice job on the Explorer/Mountaineer and does not get enough credit.

Now, if my wife would only let me stick a Saleen 281-E engine in it, open up the exhaust, add an air suspension, put some dubs on it, hmmm....

 

[ltv1]

I remember when a Toyota Land Cruiser was a real
4WD truck and not an "SUV". We saw a 90 pound porcelain princess air conditiong queen driving one. My wife and I cracked up laughing. She looked like a little kid "playing drivey".

They ramped the price up to what aging yupsters that didn't want to be seen in a station wagon (like Uncle Charlie's Old Rambler) would pay. Apparently, to salvage a few cool points, they were willing to shell out a hell of a lot of money.
The marketing worked.

I would rather be seen in an SUV of course, than a minivan.

The SUV is 'oh so trendy', but the stigma of being seen in a minivan is not something I could deal with now. Maybe when they are so out of the loop you are an iconoclast, I could deal with it mentally.
Not looking like a picklehead is more important to me than practicality.

But it's all about me anyway, dammit !

 

[CobraCallie]

I absolutely LOVE my Explorer.. When it comes time for me to have kids I'd get a bigger SUV than what I got now. More like an Navigator :coolman:

 

[ltv1]

I take some of what I said about SUV's back. It is starting with the Brothers, they start almost everything cool, then it trickles into white culture.

They are taking monster SUV's like Escalades and pimpin' them out totally TV's, Assassins, Bling Bling everywhere.

I would drive one of those. A Sean P. Daddy Special.

 

[sohowcome]

SUV's=Bad heres mine

 

[Jens03GT]

THat does not look good. Was everyong okay!

 

[sohowcome]

Originally posted by Jens03GT
THat does not look good. Was everyong okay!

I broke a rib that was it

 

[Jens03GT]

Are you serious. Well that it is good. I have only been in one accident. I totaled my 97 Tahoe. I got in a head on collision. THe other person missed the turning lane and came right at me. My truck did not look that bad. I had some bruised ribs, fractured coller bone and now I have minor heart problems.