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Kathinozarks
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Username: Kathinozarks

Post Number: 592
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 9:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Fort Taurus is the best car made, ever IMO. Loved mine.
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 186
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 9:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

People still want to "Trendy"..... Need to keep up with the Joneses.... What the heck you mean hauling... half the time I see these suburban assault vehicles parked at the mall. Another funny thing is how clean alot of the owners keep their rugged off road mall vehicles. Another fine place is your local coffee house. I have nothing against people keeping there vehicles clean...but yeesshh! Ever thought about buying a bigger car? Maybe something with more trunk space then the Saturn you own? Like an Impala or the new Taurus?
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Fury13
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Username: Fury13

Post Number: 1886
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lmr, my Yaris is amazingly comfortable on road trips. Oh sure, it's not super-quiet or cushy-plush like an Escalade, but the ride's not annoying either, and the seats are more than adequate. In fact, I'm sure that many of today's small cars ride better on trips than their '60s-'70s-'80s predecessors (I owned a '66 VW in high school... no comparison to my Yaris. That VW was spartan.)
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 190
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ja' People's Car!
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 146
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:15 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you and I do not totally disagree with you. I agree that the design of crumple zones, different airbag setups and definitely seatbelts(If you know how to drive using non anti lock brakes I don't think that is a factor of safety) are also very big factors. But that crumple zone is a lot more cushion on my vehicle than on the smaller cars. Having a 9 month old my priority is safety and keeping him away from a possible point of impact and also not being close to the ground where something can end up over the top of the frame or higher. I do not live in fear of it but I do want to take any precautions that I can should it happen. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 147
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Why are no one attacking the guys driving the old caprices or oldsmobiles? Those I think are the definition of land yachts!! Should be in the dictionary.
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 194
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ride a bike to work!!!!
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Kid_dynamite
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Username: Kid_dynamite

Post Number: 113
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:19 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Civil..I love my big SUV and I hope to get a bigger one. I will pay gas prices when they go to $7/gallon. It's worth every penny.
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 196
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

LOL......someone has some issues!!! SPS is all I am saying...figure out what it means.
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Fury13
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Username: Fury13

Post Number: 1888
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:31 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mattric... I know what you mean. I had a '74 Chrysler New Yorker back in the day. What a land yacht! I doubt it was very safe. And that thing would get 8 mpg, no matter what the driving conditions were!

Land yacht
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Beatsworking
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Username: Beatsworking

Post Number: 78
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:37 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Civil... do you think that consumers (people like Kid_d who loves his big fella) are as responsible as the automakers for the continued development of these big cars?

(Message edited by beatsworking on July 12, 2007)
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 200
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:39 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You want a 78 cadillac...with whale skin hubcaps & baby seal eyes for headlights...and your going to drive down the road sucking on McD's quarter pounders with cheese in the old non-biodegradeable styrofoam containers, getting 8mpg....if your lucky. All that car needs is a tank turrent and you'll complete the picture.
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 148
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 11:04 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ouch 8mpg That would hurt these days. I agree don't think they were any safer. If you hit a brick wall you would probably feel like a tuning fork like in the cartoons. lol I just wonder why people attack all the SUV owners when cars like this are still on the road. Polluting and dropping parts on the roads daily. They are the same if not worse. But I do feel that an excursion or a cadilac escalade ESV even a hummer are not very practical. But if that's what you like then knock yourself out.
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Nainrouge
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Username: Nainrouge

Post Number: 232
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 11:37 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you are worried about safety, you should get a car with ESC, not necessarily a larger car. Electronic Stability Control is as big an innovation in safety as the air bag was. See http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/ testing/ncap/pages/ESC-Equippe dVehicles-2007.html for a list of cars that are equipped with ESC.
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 155
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 11:53 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you are talking to me;How would ESC help me if a semi were to plow into my vehicle? If you are talking about the people referring to roll overs then eeeeegh it may help a bit but of course again if you drive like an idiot ESC probably still will not help.
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 203
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Most people in SUV's drive like idiots. They think their invincible in there status ugly vehicle. I get it all the time when driving to & from work. I like it when they get real close & then I slam on my brakes when they are riding my bumper & they can barely control there vehicle. People are stupid.
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 156
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

LOL Civil people do that in any car. I have had people in multiple kinds of cars, bigger or smaller than my car do that to me. To tell you the truth I believe it is mostly from smaller cars. I agree people are stupid but you can't decide that by the car they drive. Stupid people drive a vast array of cars. But they are definitely out there.
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 206
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In the immortal words of Forrest Gump..stupid is, as stupid does.
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 157
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Exactly
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Courtney
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Username: Courtney

Post Number: 152
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ditto mattric. Those who are constantly bitching about SUVs (and not just the idiots that cannot/should not drive them) yet are fine with old cars/sports cars/luxury cars that get far worse mileage need a few basic math lessons.

Two years ago I was t-boned by a Dodge Ram 3500 - in my Chevrolet Tahoe (their fault, not that it made it better at the time). My then two year old was in the passenger side seat - where the truck hit. The force pushed us into the oncoming southbound lane of Groesbeck and only because of the car heading at me was paying attention did I avoid getting hit head on as well.

I was sore the next day where the seatbelt was, my kid, not a single bruise thanks to his Britax Marathon. My Tahoe wasn't so lucky - it was in the shop for 3 months (between the sheer number of parts damaged and frame damage, it's amazing they got it back to what it is now) and Allstate ended up paying over $12k for repairs.

I have no doubt that had we been in my old Chevrolet Prizm, we'd both had died.

Even if we didn't have the need for towing and cargo space nearly weekly or were getting a second vehicle, I'd have to think a long time before getting a smaller car. Hopefully another wreck will never happen, but I'm either too realistic or too pessimistic.

(Message edited by courtney on July 12, 2007)
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Mattric43
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Username: Mattric43

Post Number: 158
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow Courtney I'm glad that you guys are ok. I didn't even think to touch on that subject; What about those people in there little sports cars that fly in and out of traffic thinking they are invincable and own the road because they are so manueverable. They feel oh I can fit in there and if I can't those big SUV owners better get out of my way because they know they don't want to kill me cause I will sue them. I think that is the worst kid of drivers.
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Rfban
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Username: Rfban

Post Number: 138
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It all depends I guess, Small cars can be surprisingly safe. I was in an accident in a car about the same size (a tad bigger) as my current car (pictured below) and walked away unhurt. I understand there are many variables that affect an accident but I was hit by a very large Buick from the 80’s and it was almost dead on. I was going 30 and she was going 30--the car was destroyed but I was safe. It depends greatly on how much impact both objects can absorb. I don’t know if those extra wide, extra long and extra heavy vehicles of the 1970’s were very safe. They had very ridged frames, which makes me think I wouldn’t want to be in them.


(Message edited by rfban on July 12, 2007)
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Burnsie
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Username: Burnsie

Post Number: 1068
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 12:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This thread has seemed to evolve into a general discussion about cars, so I'll add my two cents-- what GM, Ford, DCX currently assemble in Mich.:

General Motors
---------------
Flint: Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevy TopKick & GMC Kodiak medium-duty trucks
Hamtramck: Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS
Pontiac: Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra
Orion Twp.: Pontiac G6
Lansing: Cadillac CTS, STS, SRX
Delta Twp.: Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

Ford
--------------
Rouge: F-150
Wayne (car): Focus
Wayne (truck): Expedition, Lincoln Navigator
Flat Rock: Mustang

Chrysler
-----------
Jefferson Ave.: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander
Conner Ave.: Dodge Viper
Sterling Heights: Sebring convertible & sedan, Dodge Avenger
Warren: Dodge Ram, Dodge Dakota
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Detroithabitater
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Username: Detroithabitater

Post Number: 22
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 2:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

feel free for Ford to include

Dearborn Engine
Windsor Engine
Romeo Engine
Wayne Stamping
Dearborn Stamping
Woodhaven Stamping
Vandyke Trans
Livonia Trans
Dearborn Frame
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Ray1936
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Username: Ray1936

Post Number: 1642
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 4:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

When I was a kid, my uncle worked at Chevrolet Gear and Axle. I always pictured him back then as taking a round piece of metal and a file and cutting teeth into the metal to make a gear. Really believed that, I did.
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Angry_dad
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Username: Angry_dad

Post Number: 156
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 6:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.tennessean.com/apps /pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2005111 6/BUSINESS01/511160428

You problem isn't the corporation that makes the cars.

It's the idiots in elected offices that don't know a fricking thing about how the lying bastards from Japanese car companies will take bribes from them on the taxpayers dime.

If any idiot wants to but a shitbox Yaris, so be it, but that the rest of us have to subsidize it, well it's pure insanity. If there was the same style governement here that there is every where else, those lousy Scions would cost almost twice as much but the fact is, the car companies here could build and sell the cars that get the great mileage.

Even though Toyota lies at every turn what is most amazing is they still can't put GM and Ford out of business.

Screw the assholes that buy Toyotas, tax the shit out of these traitors.
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Nainrouge
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Username: Nainrouge

Post Number: 237
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 6:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

If you are talking to me;How would ESC help me if a semi were to plow into my vehicle? If you are talking about the people referring to roll overs then eeeeegh it may help a bit but of course again if you drive like an idiot ESC probably still will not help



ESC would help you control the car and not get plowed into by the semi.

From the national highway safety admin:

The proposed rule, announced today, would require all manufacturers to begin equipping passenger vehicles under 10,000 pounds with ESC starting with the 2009 model year and to have the feature available as standard equipment on all vehicles by the 2012 model year (September 2011).

ESC systems use automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help the driver maintain control in situations where a vehicle without ESC would skid out of control and likely leave the road. Nearly all rollover crashes occur after a vehicle leaves the road. A 2004 study by NHTSA estimated that ESC reduced fatalities in single-vehicle crashes by 30 percent for passenger cars and 63 percent for SUVs.

NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason called electronic stability control for cars “the greatest life saving improvement since the safety belt.”

The agency estimates that ESC will save between 5,300 and 10,300 lives annually and prevent between 168,000 and 252,000 injuries. ESC will prevent between 4,200 and 5,400 of the more than 10,000 deaths that occur each year as a result of rollover crashes.
Source: http://www.nhtsa.gov/

Sounds pretty good to me. Unfortunately, they haven't invented Electronic Stupidity Control yet, but at least ESC will help good drivers steer away from the idiots.
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Burnsie
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Username: Burnsie

Post Number: 1069
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 6:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Detroithabitater-- My list was strictly vehicle assembly plants, to help forumers if they want to buy a Michigan-made vehicle. That's why I didn't include all the other factories.
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Nainrouge
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Username: Nainrouge

Post Number: 238
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 7:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Angry Dad,

Wow, you seem to have some issues there. First of all the article you posted was about Nissan, not Toyota. Can you explain why a sweetheart deal for Nissan should mean that we should "tax the shit" out of Toyota?

Do you understand that Toyota and Nissan are separate and competing companies, or are they all "damn Japs" in your little mind?

Secondly, why would Nissan not take the incentives that they were offered? How does that make them liars?

Thirdly, this is about a plant in Tennessee. If you do not live in Tennessee, how is it that you think that you are subsidizing the Yaris?

Oh, and Yaris and Scion are TOYOTA brands, not Nissan (see above)

I do agree however, that we should outlaw this sort of tax incentive. It is corporate welfare and only helps one state at the expense of another. The net result is a loss for the United States as a whole even if it is a benefit to the local area. I am not sure how you COULD outlaw that though given that the States have control over their taxation and no one state would agree to stop corporate welfare unless all states did the same.

(Message edited by nainrouge on July 12, 2007)
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Sknutson
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Username: Sknutson

Post Number: 938
Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 2:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My Escape Hybrid is rated at 30 mpg highway and 34 mpg city. In spite of the fact that you are not supposed to get as much as rated, after 10 weeks of driving I am getting a combined 34.4 mpg.

Of course, I consciously drive in an effort to squeeze every drop of mileage that I can.
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Kslice
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Username: Kslice

Post Number: 156
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 3:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good for you. I haven'y seen too many of those Escape hybrids on the road and figured they weren't selling.

Seems like a good way to save gass that doesn't make you look like a puss (prius).
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Sstashmoo
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Username: Sstashmoo

Post Number: 410
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 4:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Angry dad..LOL
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Abracadabra
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Username: Abracadabra

Post Number: 75
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 6:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Cars and light trucks built in Michigan in 2006 - 2,281,417
Cars and light trucks built in Ontario in 2006 - 2,557,294

What's up with that?

And nobody mentioned the Mazda 6, assembled in Flat Rock. By UAW, no less.
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Fury13
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Username: Fury13

Post Number: 2384
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 6:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Seems like a good way to save gass that doesn't make you look like a puss (prius)."

One's identity or value has nothing to do with the kind of car he or she drives.

It's transportation, hopefully low-cost transportation, and that's it.

Glad you like your Escape Hybrid, Sknutson. Looks like a good vehicle to me (except for the price on the sticker).
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Fury13
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Username: Fury13

Post Number: 2385
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 6:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh, and Angry Dad: tough s**t.
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Lefty2
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Username: Lefty2

Post Number: 173
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 7:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I remember going up north sitting on top of luggage in the back of a Ford wagon, fold out seats, doing 75 the whole way. 9 of us, no seat belts, we delt with it, if anyone whined one of the children would smack the other to shut up.
I think my dad was getting out of the D during the riots to go to the cottage.

F all the wimpy bitches who whine about Big cars, did you ever hear a family might have 5 or 7 kids.
And another thing: F all the environmentalist sissy's who don't want to frill for oil, there is so much oil in th ground to last for at least 1,000 years. Let them drill, explore and get more oil. In the back of my mind, I think that oil companies are sponsoring these environmentalist whackos to make oil more expensive.
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Jimaz
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Username: Jimaz

Post Number: 3309
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 7:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I nominate "sissy's who don't want to frill for oil" for the annual typo award.
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Jeduncan
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Username: Jeduncan

Post Number: 140
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 8:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Has it occurred to anyone that the new taurus looks like an '87 tempo?
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Cabasse
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Username: Cabasse

Post Number: 60
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 12:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

my girlfriend is extremely satisfied with her new '07 focus zx5 lease.

it's not a stick (which my current USED '96 altima is, and what i prefer) but damn does it handle. averages 30 mpg too, and a hell of a lot less fugly than the yaris. (i've driven a scion xB - man that thing rode like SHIT, talk about a cheap interior as well.)

i'm not anti-import but toyotas are so fucking ugly... come on, at least drive a honda or mazda.
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Sknutson
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Username: Sknutson

Post Number: 952
Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 12:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I feel like I am in such good company with my 08 Escape hybrid:

quote:

At least five presidential candidates, all Democrats, own a Ford hybrid. Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and former Sen. John Edwards own Ford Escape Hybrids. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton uses a Mercury Mariner Hybrid that was acquired by her protective detail in September 2006 in an arrangement with Ford. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has a Ford Escape Hybrid in the governor's fleet and a flex-fuel Chevy Tahoe, but owns a Jeep Wrangler, his office said.
Both Dodd and his campaign own an Escape; he previously owned a Mustang.



http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20070926/AUTO0 1/709260397/1148
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Kslice
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Username: Kslice

Post Number: 165
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 3:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Escape Hybrids are good because they let you get the gas mileage without looking like a puss.

*ahem*toyota*ahem*
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Sknutson
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Username: Sknutson

Post Number: 1168
Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 1:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Just an update here. My Escape Hybrid is now 11 months old; I just had the 10,000 mile service performed this week. How many issues have I had with the vehicle? One - and that was just a squeaky driver's side window, which only required something to be lubricated a bit.

Oh, BTW, I drive very conservatively, especially with $4.55 regular gas, and am averaging more than the estimated 30 hwy - 34 city mpg.