Ford Meets Conditions; AFA Suspends Boycott

AFA Email Broadcast and Website ^ | March 10, 2008 | AFA

[RipSawyer]

I drive a 2004 Mercury Marquis and get 19 mpg around town and average 27 mpg on the road! I have pushed it to 31.4 mpg over 440 miles of mostly hills but I was drafting trucks to do that. I don’t see the point of paying a ton of money for a small car when I can buy size and luxury for less and get practically the same mileage. If I were six inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter I might be interested in a Fusion or Camry but it still wouldn’t make sense from a cost per mile standpoint.

[JamesP81]

If I were six inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter I might be interested in a Fusion or Camry but it still wouldn’t make sense from a cost per mile standpoint.

I see your point. I've been doing some car shopping, and I enjoy sporty vehicles. A 1999 Z28 will still get right at 30 mpg on the highway, even running the 5.7L V8. The vehicle in excellent condition with low miles blue book's at about $8500. An econo box of similar age will only get another 5 mpg, cost about $2k less, and not be nearly as fun to drive.

[Azzurri]

LOL.... Too late, I already bought a non-gay Tundra.

You sure about that?

GayWheels.com - Toyota Tundra

[Gator113]

Well, I paid 35K for mine. It cost more because I had all the gay options removed. ;>)

[Don W]

The overwhelming majority of extraordinarily horrid mileage is due to poor driving habits than anything about the vehicle’s design.

Jackrabbit starts, long hard acceleration runs, short hard stops, forgetting the parking brake, long idling, stop and go traffic, poor maintenance (tune ups are your friend!) low tire pressure, driving too fast, and many other things all cause poor mileage.

To blame the car without studying the driver’s habits is unproductive and misleading.

I usually get over 20mpg in town in my 18 year old crown vic. I can also get under 16 on the highway if I drive it “like I stole it”. Normally, however, I get around 27mpg on the interstate/major interprovincial hwy, at the speed limit with a load of 700 lbs or so.

[Don W]

I didn’t see your post until I had put mine up. Interesting that these big old luxo-barges are competitive with “econoboxes” when the playing field is level, huh?

As you said, why would I buy a little POS when I can drive down the road in my living room and arrive comfortably and alert, rather than all scrunched up and cramped from the aircraft seating in a Camry?

[RipSawyer]

I have had three Crown Vics, the last one a ‘96 police interceptor, it was burgandy and had not been a highway patrol car so it looked ordinary enough. We gave the interceptor to my stepson when we bought the Grand Marquis which is, of course, basically the same car. I liked them all, the Marquis is the most luxurious by far (Ultimate Edition) but the interceptor was just about my favorite car to drive, it cruised around the curves in the smoky mountains as if it were on rails. I think these cars are the only affordable choice for someone my size (6’4” and 270 pounds). And rear wheel drive too, I like front wheel drive in the snow and ice but otherwise I prefer the rear drive. All in all I think these old barges still have a lot to recommend them.

[Gondring]

Let’s see if they rebound now.

[Ken H]

Here are the 2006 and 2007 auto sales figures for GM and Ford:

The fall left GM with sales 8.7 percent lower in 2006 than the year before.

-snip-

Still the nation's No. 2 automaker [Ford] ended the year with sales of 2.9 million vehicles, off 7.9 percent from 2005 total.

--money.cnn.com/2007/01/03/news/companies/autosales/index.htm

_______________________________________________

Ford posted a 12.7% decrease.

--www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/by-the-numbers-2007/

_______________________________________________

Overall, GM sales were down 6% in 2007,

--puregreencars.com/news/2007-US-AutoSales-Toyota-Overtakes-Ford-GM-Still-Solid-No1.html

[Ken H]

During the 24 months the boycott was in effect, Ford sales dropped an average of 8% per month.

During the 24 months the boycott was in effect, Ford sales dropped an average of 8% per month about 10% per year.

(Repaired it)

[MississippiMan]

It isn’t a “christian mission” that I object to. It is calling the self-serving political hacks at AFA a “christian mission” that I object to. Their “moral standards” have been exposed time and time again as nothing but political maneuvers for their own good.

What do you base that on? What "political maneuvers for their own good" have been exposed "time and time again?" Again, I've been involved with the AFA for over fifteen years and aside from the occasional FReeperCritic like yourself (and the targets of AFA boycotts, of course), I've never heard one single claim levied against them that supports your characterization. Have you worked with the Wilemons? I have.

MM (in TX)

[Gondring]

In other words, a similar drop occurred with GM, without a boycott?

[Neoliberalnot]

My boycott remains in effect. Ford leadership has demonstrated its willingness to stoop too low in promoting deviant behavior.

[Dave Elias]

Just think, if the AFA had held out a little longer and Ford had declared bankruptcy, they could have claimed total victory.

[CSM]

“Several factors behind that, but I assure you that for the liberal execs to cave on the gay issue is solid evidence that the boycott was a significant element.”

Or it could just be a result of the executives being replaced over time by more conservative business leaders.

[SunkenCiv]

I love it when corporate nimrods violate their fiduciary responsibility in order to pursue some political agenda, get caught out on it (one way or another), and help destroy whatever is left of the market for the products made by those whose jobs will be forfeit as a result of the agenda.