Ford Removing Features from New Cars

The problem is that the government keeps adding mandatory features. I can remember working at a VW and Lexus dealership having customers ask if they can opt out of tpms and pay less. Nope it's federally required in the usa.
Shame on them. If not for Federally mandated safety features we wouldn't have energy absorbing bumpers, collapsible steering columns, air bags, softer dash boards, safety glass, crumple zones, ABS, and back up cameras and as you mentioned-TPMS.

Yeah-we would be driving death boxes-when in realty vehicles are safer than they ever have been.

Of course-the drivers on this FORUM are so skilled (despite average age on here) many are not needed in their humble opinion.
 
The problem is that the government keeps adding mandatory features. I can remember working at a VW and Lexus dealership having customers ask if they can opt out of tpms and pay less. Nope it's federally required in the usa.
But the indirect tpm system does not require monitors that have to be replaced on each rim.
 
Shame on them. If not for Federally mandated safety features we wouldn't have energy absorbing bumpers, collapsible steering columns, air bags, softer dash boards, safety glass, crumple zones, ABS, and back up cameras and as you mentioned-TPMS.

Yeah-we would be driving death boxes-when in realty vehicles are safer than they ever have been.

Of course-the drivers on this FORUM are so skilled (despite average age on here) many are not needed in their humble opinion.
Yeah I agree, I mean some of you want manual steering, really?? I like early 2000s cars. Fuel injection, reliable enough, comfortable enough, and still safe enough to daily drive while being able to maintain most of it yourself. Not sure I'd want to daily drive a 60s or 70s car with a carburetor. I like a good compromise between some analog interaction with the car, and also not feel like I'm driving a video game.

My mom drives a 2011 Honda Fit. Perfect car for a 62 year old school teacher. No frills, simple, easy to drive, and stone reliable. Still comfortable enough to not be a total penalty box like some on here are suggesting. Let's not forget the Ford Rangers of the 90s, with 4 cylinder engines that were so slow they were dangerous to merge on the highway with.

My issue with Ford and other companies getting rid of features, is you know the price won't be any lower, you will instead have to pay a premium for the features you want. I mean BMW charging extra for heated seats on a luxury sport sedan is insane. Are they gonna charge for intermittent wipers next? Get real. The consumer always loses.
 
But the indirect tpm system does not require monitors that have to be replaced on each rim.
I coded my BMW to have the earlier ABS tire monitoring system the 2006 cars had instead of the TPMS sensors my 2009 came with, and it is far superior. Very easy to reset the system when changing over to snow tires, and it definitely is accurate enough to detect pressure loss, as it worked flawlessly when I had nails in 2 different tires. I also don't have to keep messing with sensors and batteries for two different sets of wheels.
 
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Car " magazine" writers call anything that can't get to 60 mph in 8 seconds or less a dog. A 1974 Datsun B-210 took 22.5 seconds. I guess freeways and on-ramps make it too difficult to go back. Having said that, maybe a 1200 cc turbo would be the ticket in a Corolla. The Chevy Malibu has embraced a 1.5 liter Turbo as its base engine that gets it 35 MPG on the highway if you keep your foot out of it. Better gas mileage helps to keep costs down as well as strippo cars.
 
The difference in quality of nearly everything between my 2000 and 2004 GM pickups was quite apparent. GM already knew that they were spiraling towards their 2009 bankruptcy... so they started cheapening everything that they could, while keeping the price up.

The 2004 was "missing" components that the 2000 had.... save $10 here... save $20 there. Radiator petcock, transmission drain plug, cabin air filter, fuel filter... All things that they had quietly removed for no other reason than to save $$$.
 
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Shame on them. If not for Federally mandated safety features we wouldn't have energy absorbing bumpers, collapsible steering columns, air bags, softer dash boards, safety glass, crumple zones, ABS, and back up cameras and as you mentioned-TPMS.

Yeah-we would be driving death boxes-when in realty vehicles are safer than they ever have been.
I made it to old age just fine without any of these features.
 
ditto on the small truck, fords maverick came close BUT too many doors + too short box, yes a "stripper" model for those just wanting a "work" truck!!! i look at Tacos BUT typical Toyota OVERPRICING!!!
 
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