mustang84

Just sent to news outlets in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

There is a huge difference between a local fruit farm and a multinational corporation like Toyota. The fruit farmers have the choice to leave and find jobs elsewhere. Toyota workers in Burma have been held hostage by having their passports stolen from them. There is no comparison. Toyota's reputation should suffer severely for this.

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28526 No way to sugarcoat this...June was a horrible month for Ford. The only vehicles that saw increases were the Fusion, Milan, C70, and V70. FORD MOTOR COMPANY JUNE 2008 U.S. SALES --------------------------------------- June % Year-To-Date % ---- ------------ 2008 2007 Change 2008 2007 Change ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ Sales By Brand Ford 145,715 204,303 -28.7 979,571 1,125,016 -12.9 Lincoln 9,718 12,494 -22.2 56,894 73,333 -22.4 Mercury 11,657 15,660 -25.6 72,595 95,192 -23.7 ------ ------ ------ ------ Total Ford, Lincoln and Mercury 167,090 232,457 -28.1 1,109,060 1,293,541 -14.3 Volvo 7,001 9,572 -26.9 46,181 53,808 -14.2 ----- ----- ------ ------ Total Ford Motor Company 174,091 242,029 -28.1 1,155,241 1,347,349 -14.3 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Sales By Type Cars 65,109 74,096 -12.1 400,445 426,915 -6.2 Crossover Utility Vehicles 33,906 41,262 -17.8 213,057 207,298 2.8 Sport Utility Vehicles 12,664 27,946 -54.7 98,708 150,564 -34.4 Trucks and Vans 55,411 89,153 -37.8 396,850 508,764 -22.0 ------ ------ ------- ------- Total Trucks 101,981 158,361 -35.6 708,615 866,626 -18.2 ------- ------- ------- ------- Total Vehicles 167,090 232,457 -28.1 1,109,060 1,293,541 -14.3 FORD BRAND JUNE 2008 U.S. SALES ------------------------------- June % Year-To-Date % ---- ------------ 2008 2007 Change 2008 2007 Change ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ Crown Victoria 3,929 5,575 -29.5 27,440 36,211 -24.2 Taurus 4,099 8,865 -53.8 31,916 36,270 -12.0 Fusion 14,726 12,435 18.4 87,923 78,695 11.7 Focus 17,950 19,000 -5.5 123,449 96,732 27.6 Mustang 10,893 12,781 -14.8 55,053 77,341 -28.8 GT 0 0 NA 0 231 -100.0 - - - --- Ford Cars 51,597 58,656 -12.0 325,781 325,480 0.1 Flex 1,379 0 NA 1,379 0 NA Edge 9,993 12,470 -19.9 68,727 58,783 16.9 Escape 15,099 19,147 -21.1 92,065 92,205 -0.2 Taurus X 2,217 2,457 -9.8 14,769 19,778 -25.3 ----- ----- ------ ------ Ford Crossover Utility Vehicles 28,688 34,074 -15.8 176,940 170,766 3.6 Expedition 3,605 8,972 -59.8 32,291 50,334 -35.8 Explorer 6,819 14,204 -52.0 49,935 74,704 -33.2 ----- ------ ------ ------ Ford Sport Utility Vehicles 10,424 23,176 -55.0 82,226 125,038 -34.2 F-Series 38,789 65,156 -40.5 274,713 355,438 -22.7 Ranger 4,882 7,372 -33.8 41,303 42,970 -3.9 Econoline/Club Wagon 10,706 14,194 -24.6 74,575 94,835 -21.4 Freestar 0 0 NA 0 2,390 -100.0 Low Cab Forward 120 491 -75.6 554 1,627 -65.9 Heavy Trucks 509 1,184 -57.0 3,479 6,472 -46.2 --- ----- ----- ----- Ford Trucks and Vans 55,006 88,397 -37.8 394,624 503,732 -21.7 ------ ------ ------- ------- Ford Brand 145,715 204,303 -28.7 979,571 1,125,016 -12.9 LINCOLN BRAND JUNE 2008 U.S. SALES ---------------------------------- June % Year-To-Date % ---- ------------ 2008 2007 Change 2008 2007 Change ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ MKS 385 0 NA 385 0 NA MKZ 2,622 3,123 -16.0 18,647 17,053 9.3 Town Car 2,863 3,170 -9.7 9,039 23,035 -60.8 MKX 2,243 3,400 -34.0 17,563 16,854 4.2 Navigator 1,200 2,045 -41.3 9,034 12,059 -25.1 Mark LT 405 756 -46.4 2,226 4,332 -48.6 --- --- ----- ----- Lincoln Brand 9,718 12,494 -22.2 56,894 73,333 -22.4 MERCURY BRAND JUNE 2008 U.S. SALES ---------------------------------- June % Year-To-Date % ---- ------------ 2008 2007 Change 2008 2007 Change ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ Grand Marquis 2,548 3,936 -35.3 16,741 31,263 -46.5 Sable 2,121 2,447 -13.3 9,426 10,238 -7.9 Milan 2,973 2,764 7.6 20,426 19,846 2.9 Mariner 2,975 3,788 -21.5 18,554 19,678 -5.7 Mountaineer 1,040 2,725 -61.8 7,448 13,467 -44.7 Monterey 0 0 NA 0 700 -100.0 - - - --- Mercury Brand 11,657 15,660 -25.6 72,595 95,192 -23.7 VOLVO BRAND JUNE 2008 U.S. SALES -------------------------------- June % Year-To-Date % ---- ------------ 2008 2007 Change 2008 2007 Change ---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ S40 560 1,528 -63.4 6,772 10,512 -35.6 V50 209 254 -17.7 1,031 1,517 -32.0 S60 732 1,937 -62.2 6,311 9,445 -33.2 S80 1,033 1,099 -6.0 6,912 6,162 12.2 V70 863 322 168.0 2,102 1,714 22.6 XC70 922 1,131 -18.5 5,634 6,200 -9.1 XC90 1,511 2,860 -47.2 11,465 15,762 -27.3 C70 724 441 64.2 3,604 2,496 44.4 C30 447 0 NA 2,350 0 NA --- - ----- - Volvo Brand 7,001 9,572 -26.9 46,181 53,808 -14.2 SOURCE Ford Motor Company

Good stuff, even the SE looks hot. I really like the full-width taillight bar across the back...more manufacturers need to bring that element back.

Haha, you're right....I thought it looked a little too clean!

Some interesting old vids 1965 Riverside 500 1956? Darlington 500 pt. 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EehuwA7l5zE...feature=related pt. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfyPvYOFW5M...feature=related 1963 Riverside 500 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bbsY-ftcyc

Throw the Wall Street hacks out onto the curb. They serve no other purpose than to destroy what is left of the middle and working class in this country.

1. No 2. Not within the next two years...maybe further down the road

No and No

1. 0 2. I like the Lucerne, but I doubt I would be able to purchase new within the next couple years.

1. 0 2. The G8 would be on my list if I could afford it. If Pontiac builds a RWD Alpha coupe in the next couple years, I will be very interested.

1. None bought new, although I've owned/drive two used Chevrolets. 2. Possibly, I'm looking at the '08 Malibu. The Turbo Cobalt SS has also peaked my interest.

1. 0 2. No. Pontiac or Buick would get my money first.

1984 Pontiac Phoenix

...if only I didn't have to get up at 6:30 every morning...speaking of which...

Last night, one or more people broke into two cars in the small parking lot next to my apartment. This area has been notorious over the years for having cars broken into due to how secluded and dark it is at night (in a semi-wooded area). No windows from the apartment face this parking lot, so the thugs think it's a free-for-all and have hit some people twice even. I was third in line parked next to a newish Chevy TrailBlazer and a late 90s Pontiac Sunfire (the Pontiac was closest to the parking lot entrance). The guy that drives the TB is moving out next week to Michigan where his wife will be attending grad school. My car had a pretty new mini-fridge in the backseat on the driver's side that I was going to bring to work this morning so we could have a place to keep our drinks cold while we're at our temporary office. The TB was parked on the passenger side of my Lumina and the Sunfire was next to the TB. What we think these low-lifes did was hit the Sunfire first (grabbed a CD player and some other items), then smashed the driver's window of the TrailBlazer which set the alarm off. They high-tailed it out of there before they got to my car and the $60 fridge in the backseat (probably never even saw it). I can't believe how lucky I am...if I had parked on the other side, I would have surely been hit and missing a fridge. What really pisses me off is that right as things are returning to normal around here after a hellish couple weeks, these bastards are back at it. The girl that drives the Sunfire just moved here on Sunday morning...talking about a warm welcoming. When this place was first built in the early 80s, doctors and lawyers lived here. Now it's mostly young professionals just starting out with a new job and little money...we can't afford to be fixing broken windows and replacing stolen items. So many people have complained to management and have demanded that they install security cameras, but nothing has been done. The police patrol has increased, but what's the likelyhood of them actually catching them in the act? It's not like this is a high crime area either...it's actually pretty quiet around here. But these same clowns have been hitting this parking lot for years and nothing has been done about it. It makes me nervous to even consider buying a new car, at least until I find somewhere to live. Management better do something unless they want this place to really turn into a low-rent dive and drive all the 8-5ers away like some of the other complexes in this town.

We can send our rain your way. I don't think we'll be needing any more for the rest of the year!

Actually, that was the F5 that hit Parkersburg, IA, about 3 hours to the east near Waterloo. They're saying it's the most devastating tornado to ever hit the state.

Neither am I. It's hard living in a city swarming with Iowa fans when you're an Iowa State grad.

I lived on energy drinks the last few semesters of school. Go about 30 hours without sleep fueled with energy drinks and the crash that happens afterward is swift and brutal. I'd come home from a review and as soon as my head hit the pillow I'd be out for 15 hours straight. Even worse is when your hands are shaking so badly from caffeiene / lack of sleep and you're trying to build a model with delicate little pieces of bass wood and super glue.........bad combo. I haven't touched an energy drink since I've been out of school (knock on wood).

Remember when you warned me about getting that same one for my sister? Well, it burned out about 2 months after she started using it...$20 p.o.s.

Yep, all too well. Speaking of which, the building my office is in got flooded out (we were fortunate to be on the 2nd floor, but 10% of the drawings we had to leave behind in the basement are gone), so we are now in a temporary warehouse in the 'burbs until they can decontaminate the area. Card tables and folding chairs for the next couple months.

Is there some reason they chose not to go with the mid-engine layout the NSX has traditionally had? Cost?

I hope it was washable and not a Sharpie...?