Just drove a Ford Five Hundred

[mitaiwan82]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
The Mercury version looks really slick actually.

it is looking good

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: mitaiwan82

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
The Mercury version looks really slick actually.

it is looking good

It sure does... doesn't it?

 

[0roo0roo]

it just doesn't look right. not verygood esp when the new camry actually looks pretty decent, and has a very nice hybrid version too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Aimster
nice car review

you should go into the car review business.

Im not being sarcastic.

Thanks, that would actually be my dream job but I don't really see that happening anytime soon.

I would have preferred to review the Ford Fusion but they didn't have any. Maybe I'll go drive one at the dealer in the next couple months.

 

[RagingBITCH]

So is it better than the 300 you reviewed a few months ago that you had as a rental?

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Aimster
nice car review

you should go into the car review business.

Im not being sarcastic.

Thanks, that would actually be my dream job but I don't really see that happening anytime soon.

I would have preferred to review the Ford Fusion but they didn't have any. Maybe I'll go drive one at the dealer in the next couple months.

Now the Fusion is a really nice looking car especially in black. The 500 is kind of bland.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
So is it better than the 300 you reviewed a few months ago that you had as a rental?

Not much different really. I think I was a little more critical of the 300 but that was probably because of the horrible outward view (to the rear) and the mediocre handling.

Also, it was well over a year ago.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i think the Ford 500 is a great alternative for all those people buying 4 cylinder accords / camry's. it's not that much more money and WAY more car.

the high end camry's and accords are obviously out of the 500's class.

ford needs to offer a higher end engine to compete with that class.

the cvt is interesting but not a great idea.

i test drove one about a year ago but wasn't ready to replace my olds intrigue with it.

the ford is larger and should be of similar kit levels to the expensive camry and honda, only thing ford is lacking is the 3.5 liter motor that is coming later this year. so i don't really see how the 500 is out of the camry and accord's class.

the duratec engine in this car was first introduced as a 2.5 liter engine in the mondeo and contour in 1994, and was on the 10 best engines list for 1995 and 1996. the 3 liter version was introduced in 1996 for the taurus. they were thoroughly modern and competent engines at the time. and versions for jaguar and lincoln are making 232 horsepower. but they're not keeping up in the horsepower wars with bigger engines from other makers, so ford is replacing it with the cyclone 35.

the 20 year old engine is the vulcan, which was bulletproof and wasn't bad as a daily driver (due to plenty of torque). it was introduced in 1986.

 

[Stifko]

I like the Five Hundred too but did not drive it yet. The exterior design reminds me a lot of the VW Passat (current gen).

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i think the Ford 500 is a great alternative for all those people buying 4 cylinder accords / camry's. it's not that much more money and WAY more car.

the high end camry's and accords are obviously out of the 500's class.

ford needs to offer a higher end engine to compete with that class.

the cvt is interesting but not a great idea.

i test drove one about a year ago but wasn't ready to replace my olds intrigue with it.

the ford is larger and should be of similar kit levels to the expensive camry and honda, only thing ford is lacking is the 3.5 liter motor that is coming later this year. so i don't really see how the 500 is out of the camry and accord's class.

the duratec engine in this car was first introduced as a 2.5 liter engine in the mondeo and contour in 1994, and was on the 10 best engines list for 1995 and 1996. the 3 liter version was introduced in 1996 for the taurus. they were thoroughly modern and competent engines at the time. and versions for jaguar and lincoln are making 232 horsepower. but they're not keeping up in the horsepower wars with bigger engines from other makers, so ford is replacing it with the cyclone 35.

the 20 year old engine is the vulcan, which was bulletproof and wasn't bad as a daily driver (due to plenty of torque). it was introduced in 1986.

i think you misread my post. also, i'm a huge ford fan so don't take it the wrong way.

but with just the 3.0 liter offering the highend 500's just don't match up with the camry's and accords with their larger engines. on the low end the 500 is probably the best in it's class.

when the 3.5 comes out and if they ever do a SHO version of this, it will definitely be in the class of the camry's and accord's. i would never buy a camry or accord myself so i'm the wrong person to chastise on that account.

 

[cross6]

The six speed is much better than the CVT. The 500 will be getting the new 3.5 Duratec next year.


I still don't understand why the fusion's 3.0 Duratec got Variable valve timing and the 500's didn't.

 

[nateholtrop]

More power is always a good addition to any car.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i think the Ford 500 is a great alternative for all those people buying 4 cylinder accords / camry's. it's not that much more money and WAY more car.

the high end camry's and accords are obviously out of the 500's class.

ford needs to offer a higher end engine to compete with that class.

the cvt is interesting but not a great idea.

i test drove one about a year ago but wasn't ready to replace my olds intrigue with it.

The 3.5l 250hp + engine will be coming.

how much better can it be

the current one is a v6 right? 0-60 in 8.9 seconds! 19/26hw mpg
a freakin camry hybrid does 0-60 in 7.3 seconds! (road and track figure) 43 city/37 highway mpg 37mpg average(road and track) american falling behind

 

[JDrake]

my contour's seats are fine
sorta like a torus

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

Originally posted by: Horus

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i think the Ford 500 is a great alternative for all those people buying 4 cylinder accords / camry's. it's not that much more money and WAY more car.

the high end camry's and accords are obviously out of the 500's class.

ford needs to offer a higher end engine to compete with that class.

the cvt is interesting but not a great idea.

i test drove one about a year ago but wasn't ready to replace my olds intrigue with it.

They need to update the freaking engine. The one in there right now (The one that was in the Taurus) is almost 20 years old, and needs to be CHANGED.

The 3.0l Duratec is a pretty new engine, too lazy to look up the exact date. You're probably thinking of the really old 3.0l vulcan which wasn't the most powerfull thing in the world but was extremely reliable.

The Duratec came out with the Ford Contour all the way back in 1994. It's a good engine, though... my Mercury Cougar had one. Probably one of the few parts in that car that didn't give me any problems

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
yes, as i have said before, Rentals are the BEST way to judge a car.

I completely disagree. You can get a pretty good idea about a car by renting one. I worked in the car rental industry for a few years and developed my strong bias against American cars as a result of this experience (certainly against GM cars anyway...they were the worst of the lot).

You absolutely can and should judge a car by how well they stand up to the beatings they get as a rental.

Oh, and I would NEVER EVER buy a previous rental. Not as long as I live will I ever consider buying one.

Your opinion of GM cars is outdated

 

[Stumps]

The Ford 500 is nothing more than a yank made piss poor attempt at copying the Aussie Ford Falcon...main difference, the Falcon comes standard with a 190kw inline six and is RWD.....and looks ten times better...lets not forget the 245kw turbo six and 260kw and 290kw V8 options

 

[whalen]

Originally posted by: blodhi74
They just closed the plant that makes Ford 500 here in IL.

No, they did not close the plant...they are trimming production.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Stumps
The Ford 500 is nothing more than a yank made piss poor attempt at copying the Aussie Ford Falcon...main difference, the Falcon comes standard with a 190kw inline six and is RWD.....and looks ten times better...lets not forget the 245kw turbo six and 260kw and 290kw V8 options

You Aussies sure have your choice of electrics.

 

[Stumps]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Stumps
The Ford 500 is nothing more than a yank made piss poor attempt at copying the Aussie Ford Falcon...main difference, the Falcon comes standard with a 190kw inline six and is RWD.....and looks ten times better...lets not forget the 245kw turbo six and 260kw and 290kw V8 options

You Aussies sure have your choice of electrics.

you're an idiot!