View Single Post
Old 12-23-2009, 01:27 PM   #37 (permalink)
shovel
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 593
Thanks: 106
Thanked 114 Times in 72 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by wdb View Post
Uhhh, selling cars. Even when they were building moving horror shows like the Pinto and (early) Explorer, selling cars was the motivation.
.
Having owned 2 pintos, I genuinely can't see what peoples' problem is with them. They were perfectly pleasant to drive, comfortable, useful little machines. And both of mine lasted >20 years without exploding once, even the one that died in a high speed collision. Just because Nader is in love with the sound of his own voice doesn't mean everything (or anything) he says has merit.
And the only explorers that don't suck are the early ones, that actually still had the flexible suspension and small exterior dimensions necessary to visit the great outdoors & fit between trees & other obstacles. Which is presumably why someone would own a 4x4 right? What kind of dipstick owns a 4x4 just to drive around town?

Oh, yeah, the kind of dipstick who blames their 4x4 for not being a good in-town car....

I do agree that the motivation of companies is to be profitable, and the 2 most significant ways to be profitable are sell more and spend less. Anyone who still believes that car companies are sitting on 200mpg magic carburetors or whatever has a very active imagination. Ford, and every other company, wants to sell you exactly the car you want - they're not holding back on anything cool unless it's a huge cost or a safety risk.
__________________
Work From Home mod has saved more fuel than everything else put together.

Last edited by shovel; 12-23-2009 at 01:33 PM..
  Reply With Quote