Reductive Design... from Ford CEO

[Uncle Gump]

I think this is great news. Today's new vehicles have way to much "Tech" for my liking. To get certain things you want... you have to typically pay for a few things you don't want.

I can't speculate on what this would entail... but I sure hope their strategy is in place by the time I'm ready to buy my New Bronco. Would be nice to have a pick list for making it my own.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett Says Car Prices Can't Keep Rising Forever

Ford CEO Jim Hackett says that new car prices can't just keep increasing and that he hopes that will stop soon, he didn't elaborate on when.

fordauthority.com

 

[Dirtman]

You can get a brand new chevy spark for 12 grand! My fiesta was 13,500. My ranger was 14 something in 09

Cheap cars exist... just no one wants them

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You can get a brand new chevy spark for 12 grand! My fiesta was 13,500. My ranger was 14 something in 09

Cheap cars exist... just no one wants them

Which is why they are cheap.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah… no use for any of those for myself.

Example... I would like keyless entry... but would prefer manual seats. In today's world... I would be hard pressed to get one without the other.

 

[Snoranger]

That’s all fine and dandy... until they get rid of something I use.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I just want 2 solid axles, a 7liter-ish OHV V8, manual trans, reg cab with an 8ft box, crank windows, manual transfer case/hubs and rubber floors for less then 30k.

Is that to much to ask?

 

[Dirtman]

I just want to drive to work cheaply... go go FIESTA power!

My ranger does all the truck stuff I need. And my mustang provides vroom vroom.

I wouldn't mind picking up a 4x4 suv but I wouldn't buy one made after 1993 because that was the last year of the mighty ramcharger

 

[Uncle Gump]

That's stretching it a bit to far rusty.

 

[Josh B]

I just want to drive to work cheaply... go go FIESTA power!

My ranger does all the truck stuff I need. And my mustang provides vroom vroom.

I wouldn't mind picking up a 4x4 suv but I wouldn't buy one made after 1993 because that was the last year of the mighty ramcharger

What's a ramcharger?

 

[Dirtman]

What's a ramcharger?

You go stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

Solid axle dana 44 front, 9.25 Auburn posi rear, manual shift Np241 super low transfer case, 360 v8 engine, 37 gallon fuel tank, 727 torqueflight transmission, twin batteries, hydraulic power accessories ports, 1/8" steel skid plates... the greatest and last of the dinosaur SUVs. Weighed over 1,000 pounds more than the bronco.

 

[Snoranger]

What's a ramcharger?

It was the 3rd most popular SUV when there were only 3 SUVs made. Cough*last place*Cough

 

[Dirtman]

A ramcharger could eat blazers and Broncos for breakfast. They didnt sell as well because they weighed 3 tons and got 6mpg. But they were idestructable armored tanks.

 

[19Walt93]

There were Ramchargers in NH once but the salt ate them. Compared to a Ramcharger a first generation Bronco didn't rust.
It would be nice to pick individual options instead of packages. When I ordered my 04 Ranger I wanted a silver one with chrome bumpers and grille, black face gauges, no fender flares, rubber floor mats, and a vinyl steering wheel. Nope. To get vinyl floor mats and a vinyl steering wheel without flares I had to order an Edge which came with painted bumpers and grille and white face gauges. I also couldn't get silver paint unless I bought a different trim level. I don't understand why the color restriction. A customer wanted a crew cab F250 with a 4.10 gear a few years ago to tow his camper. If he ordered a Supercab he could have 4.10's, to get a crew he had to accept 3.73's. ?? The heavier truck can't have the better gearing?? A Super Duty with 3.73 gears in NH is constantly downshifting to get up hills which drastically shortens transmission life. 3.73 x .67 overdrive = 2.49 final drive, then add tall tires, a camper on the back and hill terrain.

 

[Curious Hound]

What's a ramcharger?

You’ve never used a rotary dial telephone with actual wires attached to it and no touchscreen. Have you?

 

[Uncle Gump]

There were Ramchargers in NH once but the salt ate them. Compared to a Ramcharger a first generation Bronco didn't rust.
It would be nice to pick individual options instead of packages. When I ordered my 04 Ranger I wanted a silver one with chrome bumpers and grille, black face gauges, no fender flares, rubber floor mats, and a vinyl steering wheel. Nope. To get vinyl floor mats and a vinyl steering wheel without flares I had to order an Edge which came with painted bumpers and grille and white face gauges. I also couldn't get silver paint unless I bought a different trim level. I don't understand why the color restriction. A customer wanted a crew cab F250 with a 4.10 gear a few years ago to tow his camper. If he ordered a Supercab he could have 4.10's, to get a crew he had to accept 3.73's. ?? The heavier truck can't have the better gearing?? A Super Duty with 3.73 gears in NH is constantly downshifting to get up hills which drastically shortens transmission life. 3.73 x .67 overdrive = 2.49 final drive, then add tall tires, a camper on the back and hill terrain.

That kind of stuff baffles the mind Walt. Not sure how far the reductive design thing goes... but it sure would be nice to just create a build sheet and have them build it. I would be willing to pay a premium for exactly what I wanted.