Skip to comments.
Adieu, Mercury. Which brand’s next? (Ford shutting down Mercury after 71 years)
MSNBC Online ^
| Paul A. Eisenstein
Posted on 06/03/2010 6:31:08 AM PDT by AAABEST
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-49 next last
To: Texas resident
How may new lincolns have been seen running around? You see alot in New York, but they are all owned by car services.
21
posted on
06/03/2010 6:48:38 AM PDT
by
Clemenza
(Remember our Korean War Veterans)
To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra
My favorite is the version by David Lindley and El Rayo X.
22
posted on
06/03/2010 6:49:35 AM PDT
by
Rummyfan
(Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
To: PhilosopherStone1000
Very true. I used to wonder, what was the point? I once asked a dealer why not import European Fords(Mercur) instead of repackaged Fords.They did do that with one model(XR4) in the 80’sk
23
posted on
06/03/2010 6:49:40 AM PDT
by
hecht
(NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM)
To: AAABEST
We had a 1963 Mercury Monterey when I was a kid. It had the powered back window that slid down at the touch of a button on the dash (actually a little lever). With the back window down (or even partially down), you could keep the windows rolled up and open the underdash vents, and you got a huge amount of air flowing through the car. The car was very heavy and was a dog as far as acceleration, even with a 390 cubic inch V8. Once it got rolling it was very quiet and comfortable and really ate up the miles on the interstate.
To: Fletcher J
I wish we could claim her, but Jill Wagner is from North Carolina.
25
posted on
06/03/2010 6:50:10 AM PDT
by
nhoward14
(A mind is a terrible thing to waste. That is why Obama gave his away.)
To: AAABEST
The Grand Marquis is not the coolest thing but it’s no POS.
26
posted on
06/03/2010 6:50:17 AM PDT
by
Tribune7
(It is immoral to claim the tea parties to be racist)
To: Eric in the Ozarks
some designer at lincoln like the melted marshmello look. BIG mistake.
The towncar has not changed or improved in over a decade.
27
posted on
06/03/2010 6:51:16 AM PDT
by
longtermmemmory
(VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
To: Tribune7
28
posted on
06/03/2010 6:51:39 AM PDT
by
longtermmemmory
(VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
To: GonzoGOP
But you need to have a big quality difference between the mid level and premium brand. Assuming that you are building your premium brand as well as you can build a car, that means that you are intentionally building your budget line at a lower quality. One some things quality costs (more metal, tighter specs with more parts thrown out), but other things cost nothing or so little it doesn't matter. GM was the worst because then had to make a Cadillac better than an Oldsmobile, which was better than a Buick, which was better than a Pontiac, which was better than a Chevy. Throw in Hummer, Saturn and a few other brands in that stack and you either don't have room for differentiation or you have to make your Chevy really, really crappy.
My bet on the next car line to disappear is GMC. Its sole reason for existance was to allow Cadillac, Olds, Buick and Pontiac dealers to sell rebanded Chevy trucks. Just dump GMC and make all the trucks Chevies (or dump Chevy trucks and make them all GMC).
29
posted on
06/03/2010 6:56:15 AM PDT
by
KarlInOhio
(I am so immune to satire that I ate three Irish children after reading Swift's "A Modest Proposal")
To: woodbutcher1963
You should check it out. Wipeout is pretty low-brow humor, but I’m a simple man, I guess. heh It’s one of the few belly-laugh shows I’ve seen in a long time.
I’d love to try my luck at the Wipeout course - it looks like fun!
To: nhoward14
Ah, I remembered wrong then. From now on, I’ll just say she’s a conservative southern gal... Then we can all take credit for her! :)
Fletcher J
To: Red Badger
To: Vigilanteman
The Scourge of Demolition Derbies, everywhere!
33
posted on
06/03/2010 7:06:17 AM PDT
by
Cletus.D.Yokel
(FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
To: longtermmemmory
I don't know why they feel it smart to get rid of a well-established brand.
Merging the division with Ford or Lincoln would make sense but why not keep building the cars for which niches exist and giving them the Mercury label?
That a song -- even if it hasn't been played for 30 years -- actually has been written about your product should be marketing gold but I guess that's why I don't run a car company.
34
posted on
06/03/2010 7:07:49 AM PDT
by
Tribune7
(It is immoral to claim the tea parties to be racist)
To: hecht
Don't forget the Merkur Scorpio
35
posted on
06/03/2010 7:09:04 AM PDT
by
Responsibility2nd
(PALIN/MCCAIN IN 2012 - barf alert? sarc tag? -- can't decide)
To: KarlInOhio
Assuming that you are building your premium brand as well as you can build a car, that means that you are intentionally building your budget line at a lower quality.
Not always. Things like wood and leather trim, premium sound systems, uprated engines, and sat nav systems as standard features rather than add ons. This does not mean that the mid range brand is poorly built. It just doesn't have all the gingerbread.
Last year when I was looking for a car I seriously looked at the Fords and Mercurys. There simply was no difference in the option packages, trim or fit and finish. Ended up going with the Mazda (Ford engine frame and drive train but with a better styled, and several hundred pounds lighter) body.
36
posted on
06/03/2010 7:12:46 AM PDT
by
GonzoGOP
(There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
To: Texas resident
When Maobama took over GM and Chrysler they didnt go after Ford. That didnt make sense. Ford should be very wary of this bunch.
Ford cleaned up its own house a few years before the crisis hit. While it got beat up pretty badly, it wasn't about to go bankrupt like GM was about to. It didn't have to take the Gub'mint $$$ to stay in business, therefore didn't have to sell its soul.
The upside to this is that Ford didn't have the "Government Motors" stigma attached to it. Yes, GM is still in business, but there are a LOT of folks who will NEVER buy another GM vehicle just on principle.
To: kosciusko51
FYI, Mercury Blues was written in 1949 by K. C. Douglas and Robert Geddins.
Wow! I thought it was written for Alan Jackson. Where do guys like you come up with this stuff? I love Free Republic.
Thanks.
38
posted on
06/03/2010 7:17:53 AM PDT
by
olereporter
(Today's media should be held accountable for journalistic malfeasance and First Amendment abuse.)
To: kosciusko51
Well, at least I still have my Hot Rod Lincoln.
To: AAABEST
Driving an ‘05 Montego and have had zero issues with it. I’ve had warranty work done to the braking system and replaced the throttle body, but the car ran fine. I’ve owner Mercs in the past and had zero problems outside of what’s standard with most Fords: cooling system failures.
I’m very sad to see Mercury go. A comparably equipped Ford (i.e. Sable vs. Taurus) is much more expensive than a mid-range Merc. This leaves us with Lincoln as a higher-end standby, but most Lincolns I’ve priced are higher than what I would want to pay. Love the MKZ though!
40
posted on
06/03/2010 7:32:44 AM PDT
by
rarestia
(It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-49 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson