Overview & Reviews
For more than 100 years now, Ford Motor Company has been selling mass-produced automobiles in the United States and around the globe. Known as one of the Big Three American manufacturers, Ford has attracted millions of loyal customers with a wide range of vehicles that offer considerable value. The automaker's trucks and SUVs have been especially popular. For decades, Ford's F-Series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in America.
The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford dreamed of building a car for the masses, and that's precisely what he did, most notably with the immortal Model T of 1908-'27. The latter was bought by 16.5 million Americans during its 20-year lifespan and was affordable enough for Ford's own factory workers to purchase. Ford's early years were also distinguished by its introduction of the moving assembly line. It was the first to utilize this more cost-effective method of production, and its innovation became a mainstay of the manufacturing process.
Ford expanded into the luxury-car market with its purchase of Lincoln Motor Company in 1925. Over the next few years, the company broadened its focus even further by creating the Mercury division to produce mid-priced cars. By the late '30s, Ford had unveiled the stylish Lincoln Zephyr, introduced a low-priced V8 engine and built more than 25 million vehicles.
The 1950s saw the introduction of the legendary Thunderbird. Offering sleek styling and spirited performance wedded to available luxury features like power windows and a signal-seeking radio, the car was a huge hit. Another model of that decade, the Edsel, met with a somewhat less enthusiastic reception. In the wake of abysmal sales, the Edsel was discontinued just a few months into its third model year.
Ford regained its footing in the early 1960s with the introduction of the compact Falcon, a model that was warmly received by the public. By the middle of the decade the automaker had given enthusiasts something to cheer about with the launch of the sporty Mustang, a car that went on to become one of the biggest sellers of its day. Buyers adored the Mustang's low price, available powerful V8 engines and sporty styling. The Mustang even created a brand-new vehicle category: the pony car.
By the 1970s, Ford, like other domestic automakers, was starting to suffer the effects of changing consumer tastes and new government regulations. Many of its cars became shadows of their former selves. But the seeds of rebirth were planted in this decade. In 1979, the company acquired a stake in Mazda; this move would later aid Ford significantly in co-development projects. The company also emerged with a new mindset of global competitiveness.
By the mid-to-late '80s, Ford was showing new strength with its popular Escort and Taurus models while further expanding its empire with the purchase of the Aston Martin and Jaguar brands. Meanwhile, its full-size LTD sedan (later renamed the Crown Victoria) remained a staple of taxi companies and police forces throughout America.
Ford rode a wave of popularity in the 1990s, thanks in part to the huge success of its Explorer midsize SUV. The truck played a huge role in ushering in the era of the SUV. In 1999, Ford expanded its family yet again with the purchase of Volvo's car division, and, in 2000, it acquired Land Rover. For awhile, there was talk of Ford even taking General Motors' spot as the No. 1 automaker in the world.
But the new millennium initially saw a downturn for Ford. Increased competition, a continuing operating loss for Jaguar, legacy costs and a reliance on SUVs for profit took their toll. To compensate, the company sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo and introduced a wave of successful new products. Models like the F-150, Fusion, Fiesta, Focus, Flex and Mustang have allowed Ford to regain its health and standing as a very competitive manufacturer.
User Reviews:
Showing 4331 through 4340 of 30,482.00-
A tough little truck - 2003 Ford Ranger
By Engineer - February 28 - 8:10 pmMy Ranger with the 3.0 V6 Auto trans now has 240,000 miles. I follow the 3k oil changes and keep it serviced. It is as tough as nails. It averages 19MPG. It lacks on tow ability but will tow a 4x8 box trailer without any issues. The heater cores are prone to leak, mine has been replaced twice. I have also had to replace the radiator. If youre tall, the cab is a bit cramped. But for the money...you cant go wrong. These are tough trucks. It has never leaked any oil nor has it ever knocked. FYI... these little motors run hot, if you buy one with miles on it, be sure to replace belts and plug wires as they heat crack quickly and this is often overlooked.
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eh - 2002 Ford Mustang
By Ed - February 28 - 12:29 pmFirst off, I overpaid for the car by about $2-3k. Which wouldnt be a problem because I love the design of the car, and the constant attention it gets. But the car loses value at an unacceptable rate. Its honestly sickening, its been sitting in my garage for 4 months and its lost over $2k in value!
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Great Car - 2007 Ford Expedition
By mm57553 - February 27 - 1:05 pmI traded in my Explorer for the new Expedition. So far it has proven to be a great car. The improvements made to the 07 are great, but there could be more. The adjustable foot pedals are nice, but I wish it had a telescoping steering wheel. It doesnt help me to reach the pedals if I cant reach the steering wheel. I can also not figure out why a cargo net is still not available. I have opened the liftgate several times only to have groceries roll out. Yes, you can open just the top, but it is nearly impossible to reach anything in the cargo area that way. I would highly recommend the power liftgate and convenience package, which includes reverse sensors.
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Overall Good Truck - 1999 Ford Ranger
By Phil - February 26 - 11:23 pmThis is my first Ranger. I wanted a full size Chevy but this was cheaper. I bought it used for less than $5000 in 2002. I put 110k miles on it and it now has 175k. It has been a good truck overall, however I have had to replace the engine and transmission. It has the 4 cylinder and auto. They both went out, the transmission first and then the engine. In all fairness I pulled a boat with it which may have caused it. I think it should get better mileage for a 4 cylinder. It only gets 20-22mpg no matter highway or city. Other than that maintenance has been very minimal, Ive done the brakes a couple of times and replaced the tires and a some light bulbs.
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Awesome Car - 2004 Ford Mustang
By Othreemstang - February 25 - 2:00 amMy car is a tropic green metallic mustang Gt. It is one awesome car. The car is fast when you want it to be, but it also gets good fuel economy on the highway when you are just crusing in fifth gear (overdrive).
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Finally got my mustang - 2002 Ford Mustang
By mysts99 - February 24 - 10:00 amThough I have only had my new mustang for a couple of weeks I am enjoying it immensly. It has just the right amount of get up and go and is good on gas. I purchased a stock coupe with an automatic and it has everything I need. Its a real pleasure.
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Highway rollin - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
By Joel Dillon - February 23 - 8:08 pmThe Thunderbird is a true American made car. The engine sounds great when accelerating, which is why adding 2 Flowmaster mufflers was easy to do. The Thunderbird is not like anything on the road today. The car is sharp around corners and when you put your foot to the floor, watch out.
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Not bad for the price. - 2007 Ford Ranger
By Ben - February 23 - 12:27 pmI got the 2 door SuperCab XL about three months ago. The Ranger is really not that bad a truck for the price. My biggest complaint would be that something has come loose between the headliner and the trim on the right side of the truck, and it makes a buzzing sound right in my left ear. Im gonna have the dealership take a look at this. I think the interior could use some more attention to detail, too. This truck has SEVEN different intermittent settings for the windshield wipers, but has exposed bolts holding the radio/fan control console onto the dash. Do we really need seven different wiper speeds? That aside, the truck really runs well and the gas mileage is great.
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Watch for Defects - 2005 Ford Freestyle
By Not Satisfied - February 23 - 10:37 amFord came up with an awesome design but they dont have the reliability to support it. I loved my Freestyle initially but after struggling with a number of issues including the door locks (finally fixed under recall), my heated seat going out (no longer under warranty - they wanted $500 to fix it), transmission problems (surging that would not go away and Ford service could never find on the computer) and leaking front seals I finally traded it off for a Buick. I took a beating financially but the transmission was a real concern so I wanted to get rid of it before I had to do major repair work. Bottom line? Great car but I think I got one of the lemons. Not worth $30K!
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My toy - 1990 Ford Mustang
By Gene - February 22 - 8:27 pmBought new and kept that way with less than 35,000 miles on Jan 1 2007. Expect to maintain new status at least 15 more years. Driven by a now age- challenged man, never wrecked nor even scratched. Style lines very much reminiscent of 66 / 67 Mustang. Elegant and functional. Next outing Easter, then the July 4 parade (as usual). I fight off the offers for the car. After all its not broken in good - yet. All its original parts still produce the Mustang sound. They hear me coming!
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