50 Worst Cars of All Time....Ford Excursion?
09-10-2007, 12:34 AM
#16
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Maybe it is vehicle-specific. I once rented one from Hertz and drove from Denver to Chicago. It was abysmal- hard to keep in a staight line, impacted by croswinds, slow. I have had suburbans with over 200,000 miles that were better. Sure, maybe my rental was beaten badly, but maybe some cars are just bad. The one I drove was. AS
09-10-2007, 08:25 AM
#17
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09-10-2007, 09:45 AM
#19
Shop Rat
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09-10-2007, 12:15 PM
#21
BTW: somebody was asking in another thread about MPG in it. While towing from New Jersey to Road America and back, I got slightly over 13 MPG.
09-10-2007, 01:16 PM
#23
Now here's a car that should've been on the list. Love the seats. 
He claims it's a 917 clone and promises Heads will turn. LOL!
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/418374504.html
He claims it's a 917 clone and promises Heads will turn. LOL!
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/418374504.html
09-10-2007, 01:28 PM
#24
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A pickup truck when properly optioned could do almost the same thing and would cost less. I won't be able to carry the same number of people, though.
A full size van could carry more people and could also tow if properly equipped. It would have a lot more interior capacity.
In most "work" situations it would be either a pickup or a full size van making it too costly to produce a limited number of Excursions. Which is exactly what happened. Ford was aiming at the Suburban and overshot it in size. Turned out the Suburban is as big as you want to go in that market.
I wouldn't rate the Excursion as one of the 50 worst cars of all time but it was a flop nonetheless.
09-10-2007, 01:53 PM
#25
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Maybe it is vehicle-specific. I once rented one from Hertz and drove from Denver to Chicago. It was abysmal- hard to keep in a staight line, impacted by croswinds, slow. I have had suburbans with over 200,000 miles that were better. Sure, maybe my rental was beaten badly, but maybe some cars are just bad. The one I drove was. AS
Now the Hummer is the one I never understood....
09-10-2007, 02:08 PM
#26
Race Director
+1 -- given the fact that the Ford Model T is also on his list just shows that the author has a lot of hot air shooting out of his, er, exhaust... Sounds to me like the author is a tree-hugging, hemp wearing, Prius driving metrosexual. (Not that there is anything wrong with wearing hemp clothing...)
Side note: the Ford Model T is one of the most significant cars in automobile history -- given the fact that it was one of the first cars to be put together on what evolved into the modern assembly line, the fact that it was the first car that was built purposely for the masses, the fact that it had some design features giving it flexibility in terms of application and looks... I could go on...
BTW: in the most recent issue of Automobile Magazine, the Ford Model T is listed as one of the top 25 cars of all time. (Along with the Porsche Carrera RS, btw).
My rather biased $0.42,
-Z-man.
Side note: the Ford Model T is one of the most significant cars in automobile history -- given the fact that it was one of the first cars to be put together on what evolved into the modern assembly line, the fact that it was the first car that was built purposely for the masses, the fact that it had some design features giving it flexibility in terms of application and looks... I could go on...
BTW: in the most recent issue of Automobile Magazine, the Ford Model T is listed as one of the top 25 cars of all time. (Along with the Porsche Carrera RS, btw).
My rather biased $0.42,
-Z-man.
09-10-2007, 07:52 PM
#27
Was it a diesel or a gas engine? I would suspect based on your description (except the cross winds) that it was a gas engine. I wouldn't touch an Excursion that wasn't diesel (or an F250/350 either). Drive one with the diesel and it suddenly all makes sense. I've never owned an excursion, but you can't find a vehicle that can tow more with 8 passengers and cargo inside. But, as someone else pointed out, those of us that might actually need that capability are a very limited market segment. Hence the death of the Excursion.
I think the death of it has little to do with the "limited market segment" for the car, but rather the stigma that comes with owning such a large vehicle. At one point, bigger was better (e.g. Hummer). Now, the latest rage is hybrid cars.
09-10-2007, 09:17 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
For the exact thing you would use it for it is probably a good vehicle. The problem is that there are not enough guys like you.
A pickup truck when properly optioned could do almost the same thing and would cost less. I won't be able to carry the same number of people, though.
A full size van could carry more people and could also tow if properly equipped. It would have a lot more interior capacity.
In most "work" situations it would be either a pickup or a full size van making it too costly to produce a limited number of Excursions. Which is exactly what happened. Ford was aiming at the Suburban and overshot it in size. Turned out the Suburban is as big as you want to go in that market.
I wouldn't rate the Excursion as one of the 50 worst cars of all time but it was a flop nonetheless.
A pickup truck when properly optioned could do almost the same thing and would cost less. I won't be able to carry the same number of people, though.
A full size van could carry more people and could also tow if properly equipped. It would have a lot more interior capacity.
In most "work" situations it would be either a pickup or a full size van making it too costly to produce a limited number of Excursions. Which is exactly what happened. Ford was aiming at the Suburban and overshot it in size. Turned out the Suburban is as big as you want to go in that market.
I wouldn't rate the Excursion as one of the 50 worst cars of all time but it was a flop nonetheless.
Can you really call the model a flop? It lasted, what 5 years?
09-10-2007, 09:18 PM
#29
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My daily driver is a Ford Hybrid Escape....the bride's is the 05 Excursion.....no, size doesn't matter.
09-10-2007, 10:01 PM
#30
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The only thing wrong with the Excursion is its name. By calling it an SUV and giving it an SUV name, Ford set it up for attacks by environmentalists, etc.
It is a great vehicle. It has the work and tow qualities of a real truck but for those of us who are better served by seats and enclosed space, it is much better than a pick up. They should have called it the F-250 'something'cab.
It is a great vehicle. It has the work and tow qualities of a real truck but for those of us who are better served by seats and enclosed space, it is much better than a pick up. They should have called it the F-250 'something'cab.
