What has happened to ford
Discussion
scherzkeks said:
Centurion07 said:
Any V8 is considered old school in these times of small-capacity turbocharged and hybrid cars.
Not sure what the chassis has to do with it?
Because the chassis is capable and benefits from not having a boat anchor up front.Not sure what the chassis has to do with it?
jamieduff1981 said:
My company Ranger is my first Ford experience for a while. The interior seems about the same as other Fords. The carpet is quite cheap (but for a pickup that's fine) and the dash is plastic. It has blue mood lighting which is quite nice and all the switch gear feels functional. I dislike switches or buttons which make an obvious click, and the only one which does is the seat heater switches (unlike some highly regarded premium brands which feel like a soft feel plastic cover on a 29p switch from Maplin). The other buttons are a soft action. The seats are quite a stiff leather (again fine for a truck) and a good supportive shape.
It's not soft feel, but it feels robust. Nothing wiggles that shouldn't. It just feels like it's all fit for its intended purpose.
THe chassis is that of a pickup, but in my humble opinion it's the best driving pickup on the UK market. It has a double wishbone front and leaf sprung live axle rear. The steering feel is poor but the front end itself is composed and consistent. In line with most live axles, the rear is quite easy to break out - but it's normally a RWD truck with LSD in the rear axle and it has quite a healthy torque output so it's not surprising. You can drive along rural roads with direction changes and usually the thing governing your speed is a hatchback in front braking before every application of steering.
It absolutely spanks the L200, the Hilux and the Navara as a pickup for mostly road use, but it's more expensive than all of those. Only the Amarok is more expensive still, and it drives worse and has an inferior engine (in the context of pickup trucks). The Amarok has a Passat engine which is relatively low capacity, highly boosted produces a modest 170bhp/300lb.ft - against the Ranger's 3.2litre inline 5 producing 197bhp/347lb.ft making the Ranger far better at actually towing its 6 tonne train weight or just being more usable on the road normally - i.e. able to overtake smartly on rural single carriageways.
It's not my only vehicle, but I'm very happy with my Ford.
You're right, the Ranger is far better vehicle to drive than its competitors, the L200 and Toyota are extremely poor inside and are very agricultural to drive. It's not soft feel, but it feels robust. Nothing wiggles that shouldn't. It just feels like it's all fit for its intended purpose.
THe chassis is that of a pickup, but in my humble opinion it's the best driving pickup on the UK market. It has a double wishbone front and leaf sprung live axle rear. The steering feel is poor but the front end itself is composed and consistent. In line with most live axles, the rear is quite easy to break out - but it's normally a RWD truck with LSD in the rear axle and it has quite a healthy torque output so it's not surprising. You can drive along rural roads with direction changes and usually the thing governing your speed is a hatchback in front braking before every application of steering.
It absolutely spanks the L200, the Hilux and the Navara as a pickup for mostly road use, but it's more expensive than all of those. Only the Amarok is more expensive still, and it drives worse and has an inferior engine (in the context of pickup trucks). The Amarok has a Passat engine which is relatively low capacity, highly boosted produces a modest 170bhp/300lb.ft - against the Ranger's 3.2litre inline 5 producing 197bhp/347lb.ft making the Ranger far better at actually towing its 6 tonne train weight or just being more usable on the road normally - i.e. able to overtake smartly on rural single carriageways.
It's not my only vehicle, but I'm very happy with my Ford.
Edited by jamieduff1981 on Friday 9th October 11:04
rehab71 said:
jamieduff1981 said:
My company Ranger is my first Ford experience for a while. The interior seems about the same as other Fords. The carpet is quite cheap (but for a pickup that's fine) and the dash is plastic. It has blue mood lighting which is quite nice and all the switch gear feels functional. I dislike switches or buttons which make an obvious click, and the only one which does is the seat heater switches (unlike some highly regarded premium brands which feel like a soft feel plastic cover on a 29p switch from Maplin). The other buttons are a soft action. The seats are quite a stiff leather (again fine for a truck) and a good supportive shape.
It's not soft feel, but it feels robust. Nothing wiggles that shouldn't. It just feels like it's all fit for its intended purpose.
THe chassis is that of a pickup, but in my humble opinion it's the best driving pickup on the UK market. It has a double wishbone front and leaf sprung live axle rear. The steering feel is poor but the front end itself is composed and consistent. In line with most live axles, the rear is quite easy to break out - but it's normally a RWD truck with LSD in the rear axle and it has quite a healthy torque output so it's not surprising. You can drive along rural roads with direction changes and usually the thing governing your speed is a hatchback in front braking before every application of steering.
It absolutely spanks the L200, the Hilux and the Navara as a pickup for mostly road use, but it's more expensive than all of those. Only the Amarok is more expensive still, and it drives worse and has an inferior engine (in the context of pickup trucks). The Amarok has a Passat engine which is relatively low capacity, highly boosted produces a modest 170bhp/300lb.ft - against the Ranger's 3.2litre inline 5 producing 197bhp/347lb.ft making the Ranger far better at actually towing its 6 tonne train weight or just being more usable on the road normally - i.e. able to overtake smartly on rural single carriageways.
It's not my only vehicle, but I'm very happy with my Ford.
You're right, the Ranger is far better vehicle to drive than its competitors, the L200 and Toyota are extremely poor inside and are very agricultural to drive. It's not soft feel, but it feels robust. Nothing wiggles that shouldn't. It just feels like it's all fit for its intended purpose.
THe chassis is that of a pickup, but in my humble opinion it's the best driving pickup on the UK market. It has a double wishbone front and leaf sprung live axle rear. The steering feel is poor but the front end itself is composed and consistent. In line with most live axles, the rear is quite easy to break out - but it's normally a RWD truck with LSD in the rear axle and it has quite a healthy torque output so it's not surprising. You can drive along rural roads with direction changes and usually the thing governing your speed is a hatchback in front braking before every application of steering.
It absolutely spanks the L200, the Hilux and the Navara as a pickup for mostly road use, but it's more expensive than all of those. Only the Amarok is more expensive still, and it drives worse and has an inferior engine (in the context of pickup trucks). The Amarok has a Passat engine which is relatively low capacity, highly boosted produces a modest 170bhp/300lb.ft - against the Ranger's 3.2litre inline 5 producing 197bhp/347lb.ft making the Ranger far better at actually towing its 6 tonne train weight or just being more usable on the road normally - i.e. able to overtake smartly on rural single carriageways.
It's not my only vehicle, but I'm very happy with my Ford.
Edited by jamieduff1981 on Friday 9th October 11:04
Ranger is surprisingly good to throw down a country lane, the front end is quite sharp for a pick up with enough feedback for it not to feel dangerous. Mines only "Limited" 2.2 but it's great for a works car.
Centurion07 said:
Fair point. Even if the Ecoboost was putting out the same power as the V8 though it doesn't mean it should be in a Mustang. A Mustang IS A V8 for many; it's part of what gives a Mustang it's character.
Perhaps in the UK where it's viewed as an exotic car. In the US V6 Mustangs are everywhere and I seem no reason to believe the Ecoboost wont be popular too. 
Rammy76 said:
Roger Irrelevant said:
Whereas if you get a VAG everything feels solid, but it may well break! Slightly tongue in cheek, but the impression I get is that people generally think Fords aren't as good as they really are, and think that VAGs are better than they really are.
Whatever, I agree with the op - I've never owned a Ford before but right now they make two of the three cars I would actually buy new (and which I have a realistic chance of owning). I'm going to get myself a new car as a prezzie on an upcoming significant birthday, and the blue oval is looking very likely to get the cash.
Sums it up fairly.Whatever, I agree with the op - I've never owned a Ford before but right now they make two of the three cars I would actually buy new (and which I have a realistic chance of owning). I'm going to get myself a new car as a prezzie on an upcoming significant birthday, and the blue oval is looking very likely to get the cash.
I had a Passat after falling for the VAG soft touch plastics and would rather have a Ford with slightly less posh plastics any day!
I covered 100000 miles in my Focus with nothing inside breaking or falling off, it didn't even have any rattles. It was a 100% reliable car.
After 90000 miles in the Passat I had windows that would go down but not back up, central locking that only locked doors when it felt like it, interior plastics falling to bits such as the glovebox handle breaking off, knackered cd multi changer....the list goes on.
This was on top of corrosion I didn't think was possible in this day and age, and a blown turbo, and a duff gearbox. You can keep your soft touch plastics and perceived quality!
I think over recent years though Ford have really upped their game, a new Fiesta is just as well put together as a Polo or Fabia. I may be a little bias as I do sell Fords for a living or though I'm bloody glad I wasn't during the mid 90's to early 2000's!
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