So long Mercury?

[wx4caster]

Hate to say it but I saw this coming a long time ago::alone:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100527/OEM/100529851/1255

[N40GL]

I guess that means we can join the Orphaned Car Club in 10 years (along with Nash, Hudson, Packard, Rambler, Plymouth, ...

[Vostok]

Would have been cool if they mentioned in there somewhere that the Marauder was the greatest Mercury ever made :D

[guspech750]

Now I will have to get another car I guess.:alone:

[Got_1]

hate to see it happen but i gotta agree its time to go. why make the same vehicle with 2 different logos on the front?

[LeoVampire]

Mercury has been a main stay brand with me for most of my life.

My first one was a 1977 Grand Marquies, I had a 1979 Mercury Monarch 2door and a 1993 Grand Marquies and now my 2004 Marauder.


:bigcry:

[Odinson]

Wow NYC will look completely different. This place is flooded with Lincoln Town Cars and Crown Vic Taxis.

[Crown Vicman]

I have to admit I never cared for any mercury until the marauder came out so no hard feelings from me.

[Egon Spengler]

Great... Now it will be impossible to get any marauder specific parts... My marauder is for sale now! haha... Everything is for sale for the right price!

[ntd]

This is not good new for those of us that work at Lincoln and Mercury dealerships:(.

[Phrog_gunner]

Great... Now it will be impossible to get any marauder specific parts... My marauder is for sale now! haha... Everything is for sale for the right price!

I'll give you tree-fiddy.

[visionmercury]

this blows i hate to say saw it coming but we did , i pretty much only own mercurys now besides my wifes lincoln. my grandfather (rip) use to say that mercurys were perfect , ford was cheap and lincoln was overpriced and overrated , that was all he drove that i can remember , i have his 87 grandmarquis

[TAKEDOWN]

I tell ya it's a shame and I'm not surprised at all. I prepared myself a couple of years ago when I heard all this crazy talk of ending Mercury, but I was hoping Ford was doing so well that in fact it was just that, crazy talk! It happened to Pontiac and now...

[Ladyhawke]

Unfortunate and sad but not surprising.

[jerrym3]

My first "car crush" was over a 1950 black Merc convertble in the early 50's. Turned me into a car nut.

In 1957, I couldn't take my eyes off a new 1957 Mercury Montclair.

I loved the 1968/69 Cyclone fastback and Cyclone Spoiler years.

Olds and Pontiac hurt. Plymouth, not so much, although I did learn how to drive using my dad's 1950 Plymouth wagon (three on the tree) in 1958.

Growing up, Mercury was my favorite car.

Montclair, Sun Valley, Colony Park, Cougar, Cyclone, Caliente, S-55, Spoiler, Grand Marquis, Marauder, etc.

Damn shame.

[rauder775]

Unfortuate to say the least. But it is also interesting to see that the "defunct" brands are a pretty stellar set in their own right when you think about it (Oldsmobile is in that list too)...still hurts though.

My first car infatuation was a 1968 Cougar XR7...admittedly, because of the sequential turn signals...still cool today. I still have a 68 Cougar on my "want list". Finally, this article punctuates the fact that we all own the LAST high performance RWD sedan ever produced by Mercury!

[Ralph Sr.]

thats a shame.. ford said on world news tonght , to many brands.!! ?. my brother tom and i bought two new ones in 2004 with all options.. his was silver, mine black, he still has his.. are you guys having trouble getting new parts ? guess its going to get worst ,and the prices.?. ralph sr./rkvette

[Vortex]

I blame Ford for letting Mercury die on the vine but we all knew it was coming. Anyway, they never will really die as long as we own em.

[J D]

I blame Ford for letting Mercury die on the vine but we all knew it was coming. Anyway, they never will really die as long as we own em.

Above all else, this is my sentiment.

[sanco]

if you look at the new models though, there really is no difference between the ford and mercury lineup. they are essentially exactly the same cars with a little difference here and there. (well, that was the case before) BUT at these times, i think it will benefit FOMOCO to trim a line that isn't contributing a whole lot to the mix. i cant remember the last time i saw a newer model merq on the road

[twin03]

I am glad to say that I own a Mercury Marauder...

[derik]

Anybody not see this coming?

http://www.freep.com/article/20100528/BUSINESS01/5280475/1322/Mercury-may-be-on-last-legs

[Egon Spengler]

Yeah I saw it coming in this thread below!!!:P

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=63190&highlight=end+of+mercury

[LIGHTNIN1]

I plan on keeping my Marauder for a long time and may buy a last year Grand Marquis. Hate to see them go but with the way things are going lately I guess we will be seeing a lot of 4 cylinder cars.:(

[Joe Walsh]

Not surprising at all....Ford has ignored Mercury for years and that has guaranteed Mercury's demise.
No new models, nothing exciting...no new Cougar or Capri or Merkur or Marauder!
I think a good example is all the marketing and promotions they did for the Marauder....:rolleyes:
I see more Toyota commercials in 5 minutes of watching TV than I ever saw for a Marauder.

OOPS!....can the mods combine the two threads?

[Krytin]

Not surprising at all....Ford has ignored Mercury for years and that has guaranteed Mercury's demise.
No new models, nothing exciting...no new Cougar or Capri or Merkur or Marauder!
I think a good example is all the marketing and promotions they did for the Marauder....:rolleyes:
I see more Toyota commercials in 5 minutes of watching TV than I ever saw for a Marauder.

OOPS!....can the mods combine the two threads?

You hit it on the head Joe!
Ford had promo spots for the Marauder (at least I saw what was left of them on TV in NY) - they had video of the Marauder driving on the road. It would appear from behind a model they were giving details about then the audio would mute and the spot would finish w/out saying a word about the Marauder!!:mad2::mad:


Ford has no one to blame but themselves for the failure of Mercury. Mercury was originally created as a step up from Ford, leading buyers eventually to Lincoln. There used to be quality/performance improvements going from Ford to Mercury - in the begining the Mercury crankshafts were the hot upgrade for the Ford flathead V8's. The Mercury V8's had a longer stroke and the early hotrodders would swap out the cranks for an easy increase in displacement! Over the decades Ford lost sight of this concept leading to simple rebadging of the same platform/drivetrains. You can't blame the public for poor marketing!

[cougar9150]

Writing has been on the wall for awhile, still sucks. I always preferred the Mercury brand and have never actually owned a Ford. I always like the Cougar looks and luxury over the Tbird and the Mark VIII was to expensive when I was younger. Same with the GM vs the CV or TC. Always thought of Mercury as affordable luxury for the working class :(. I grew up with my dad (who is a classic car head) always telling me that Mercury had the best Hot rods when he was a kid.

Guess I will need to buy a 2011 GM just top get one of the last Mercs

[Ralph Sr.]

ford sold off jaguar,volvo,land rover,aston martin in the last 3 years..gm sold or closed 8 brands...mercury said average older owners like 70...sales down 74% since 2000 ,only 1.9 % of sales.. mercury will be in past like these cars-nash,hudson,packard,rambler,pl ymouth,olds,pontiac-now mercury, thats sad.. i did enjoy my mm.!!!!.ralph sr./rkvette

[Mercury93]

Mercury will be greatly missed by me. I had my first experience with Mercury with my ex-1993 Grand Marquis. That was a great car. Wish I still had it, but it was getting too tired for the amount of driving I have to do. I'm kind of bummed that I'll never get to buy a new one.

[Mr. Man]

I see a bump for Mercedes in this as older buyers who don't want a Ford and don't see the reason to pay buku $$$'s for a Lincoln and get nothing special for their money.

[FordNut]

If only I could afford it...

I'd get a brand new 2011 black Grand Marquis.
Easily converted to a Marauder clone appearance-wise: Grille, lights, taillight trim, bumper covers (since the repop rear bumper doesn't have lettering it would be ok because you wouldn't be calling it a Marauder), wheels, console, gauges, floor shifter, bucket seats, steering column, door panels.
Improve the performance by converting to a new 5.0 Coyote engine, better gears, positraction, dual exhaust (with some nice tips).

[nexstar7]

is it true Fords dumping Mercury?

[SpartaPerformance]

Yea 2014 I believe is the end! See what you did Ralph, you dumped your Mercury so Ford is dumping Mercury too. Bastard!!! :shake:

[MENINBLK]

Ford has been trying to dump Mercury for years.
They can say what they want but in the end they still need Mercury.....

[Windsor58]

Consider, though, that Mercury outsold Lincoln by something like 10k cars...

[knine]

Heard this today, sucks if it happens. Like it says above, Ford needs Mercury.

[nexstar7]

Yea 2014 I believe is the end! See what you did Ralph, you dumped your Mercury so Ford is dumping Mercury too. Bastard!!! :shake:

my bad. :o

[Egon Spengler]

This is the third thread I have seen in two days on this subject...

[MM03MOK]

This is the third thread I have seen in two days on this subject...
And all three threads have been merged.

:bunny:

[Egon Spengler]

And all three threads have been merged.

:bunny:
Thanks Bunneh! :bunny2:
http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/6/30/ijustwantsum128593078705617857 .jpg

[MM03MOK]

Thanks Bunneh! :bunny2:
http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/6/30/ijustwantsum128593078705617857 .jpg
oooooo I love that picture!!!

:bunny:

[boatmangc]

My 1st Merc was a 67 390 Cyclone.
My wife still misses that car.
It is a shame but not unexpected.

[jerrym3]

Watched an old movie today, the original "The Fly".

A few minutes into the movie, the head police investigator pulls up in a 57 Mercury.

This one's really going to hurt.

[Motorhead350]

Great. Something else in my life is about to die out.

[nexstar7]

that was on yesturday also. nice special costumes. i'll never forget the scream the fly made before the spider jumped him. haunted me for a while when i was pup

[SideshowBob]

I guess the tipoff should have been when the success of the 2005 retro-Mustang never even generated a concept for a retro-Cougar. Mercury's problem all along was that every time Mercury got something cool (example: Cougar as an upscale Mustang) The Ford boys had to try and match it (remember the Mustang Grande?). Edsel Ford must be spinning in his grave.

[MENINBLK]

And all three threads have been merged.

:bunny:

Have you merged them into the fold... er... I mean... Collective ???

[ledzilla]

What gets me about all this is the crazy-ass numbers of new and recent GMs I see all over the place around here, and only half of them that I see are piloted by those in their elder years. Mercury definitely had its place as a middle ground between Ford and Lincoln, and it bothered me to see the distinction between them erode away. I always liked the styling on the Mercury counterparts more than the Fords. It saddens me to see Mercury joins the ranks with Olds, Plymouth, and Pontiac (and too bad about Saturn, too, considering they just started getting to be really nice - the Sky was just a really neat and great looking roadster). On the day Ford kills off the Mercury brand, are we going to need a 21-horn salute?

[SideshowBob]

What gets me about all this is the crazy-ass numbers of new and recent GMs I see all over the place around here, and only half of them that I see are piloted by those in their elder years.


I think the problem there is that USED GMs are popular with the younger, "pimp my ride" crowd, but they weren't buying them new. The manufacturers aren't interested in who buys used vehicles, only new.

[Mr. Man]

So Mercury may die and knowing what we know of corporate ineptitude I wonder how long it will be til Ford sends Lincoln out to sea because no one whats to buy a rebadged Ford Fusion sold as a Lincoln MK????? for $60K with the major distinction being an analog clock.

[Peter]

So Mercury may die and knowing what we know of corporate ineptitude I wonder how long it will be til Ford sends Lincoln out to sea because no one whats to buy a rebadged Ford Fusion sold as a Lincoln MK????? for $60K with the major distinction being an analog clock.
Think that price is bad???
http://www.inventory.fordvehicles.com/services/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=5LMJJ3J5 8AEJ04746&refid=DC&hash=6331cbe324b749d8462b1a0d5 c66d4a&pacode=A1096&modelid=170

[Mr. Man]

Think that price is bad???
http://www.inventory.fordvehicles.com/services/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=5LMJJ3J5 8AEJ04746&refid=DC&hash=6331cbe324b749d8462b1a0d5 c66d4a&pacode=A1096&modelid=170
This is what I mean. You can get most of that stuff on the Ford Expedition for 25K less. For 82K the Navigator should come with a chauffeur!

[GreekGod]

"Saving money by not advertising is like stopping the clock to save time"

============================== =

[de minimus]

So Mercury may die and knowing what we know of corporate ineptitude I wonder how long it will be til Ford sends Lincoln out to sea because no one whats to buy a rebadged Ford Fusion sold as a Lincoln MK????? for $60K with the major distinction being an analog clock.

a little hyperbole....the MKZ, which is the Lincoln equivalent to the Fusion was ( ayear ago when I bought mine) about $8k more - similarly equipped. I bought the Lincoln because it had the larger , more HP engine, a much nicer interior, it's quieter and a smoother ride. And no where near 60k. The Fusion also had the analog clock.

[Mr. Man]

a little hyperbole....the MKZ, which is the Lincoln equivalent to the Fusion was ( a year ago when I bought mine) about $8k more - similarly equipped. I bought the Lincoln because it had the larger , more HP engine, a much nicer interior, it's quieter and a smoother ride. And no where near 60k. The Fusion also had the analog clock.
My original quote was an attempt at sarcastic retort. I drew upon my experience with my wife's Aviator. While a nice SUV it certainly isn't in my opinion worth the extra coin it cost over a top of the line Explorer(thank God we didn't buy it new). Yes it has a V-8, stiffer chassis and other extra goodies and it came with an analog clock.
It's my opinion that if Ford is to have only two major brands then they can create cars that look nothing like their siblings. Perhaps shared platforms but no sheet metal or interior sharing and if Lincoln is to be the premium then it should be represented as such.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your MKZ and it gives you years of driving pleasure. My wife enjoys her Aviator and I guess in the long run that's what counts but I hate it when people say " How do you like the Explorer".:)

[jerrym3]

Has Ford decided to drop the Lincoln brand a notch below the Caddy and compete with Buick instead?

Mercury, in the old days, was the Pontiac, Olds, Buick competitor which, if you think about it, was a big spread for one brand. They tried to fill in the lower niche with the Edsel, but we all know how that ended.

But, Merc did have years where there was a big distinction between different full size Marc.

(Medalist (1956), Montereys, Montclairs, ParK Lanes, X-100s)

[Black Dynamite]

This is what I mean. You can get most of that stuff on the Ford Expedition for 25K less. For 82K the Navigator should come with a chauffeur!


For $82k US it should, but thems Cananadadian dollars!

[20Marauder04]

Im a tech at a Ford - Lincoln - Mercury dealership and we just had a meeting Friday about this talk . They said not to be too worried this has been in discussion for years and just hit the media big now. They said there will most likely be another 4 years of Mercury making new cars. And Lincoln is going to start to produce a vehicle equivalant to the mercury mariner and so on and so forth.

[dakslim]

Im a tech at a Ford - Lincoln - Mercury dealership and we just had a meeting Friday about this talk . They said not to be too worried this has been in discussion for years and just hit the media big now. They said there will most likely be another 4 years of Mercury making new cars. And Lincoln is going to start to produce a vehicle equivalant to the mercury mariner and so on and so forth.

Yeah, and when I worked for Kimberly-Clark they kept telling us that they were NOT going to shut down the Fem Care dept. right up to the day they shut it down.:(

[Peter]

For $82k US it should, but thems Cananadadian dollars!
$82,000 CAD=$78846.88 USD

:eek:

[Black Dynamite]

$82,000 CAD=$78846.88 USD

:eek:

Wow, really? I guess I hadn't realised the two currencies had closed in on each other that much. :alone:

[LeoVampire]

According to my dealership the Lincoln line is going to be expanded once Mercury is out of the picture.

The dealerships that are doing good will also be carrying the Ford line as well along with the Lincolns but the whole process is going to take time to get done and they are figuring about 5 years to phase out Mercury all together.

No longer will Lincoln and Ford cars be like each other in anyway shape or form so that it will truly stand out in the whole sceam of things once it is all in play.

[mercury_1988]

Ford May Be Sounding Mercury's Death Knell



We don't have anything in stone yet, but Bloomberg is reporting that Ford executives may be planning to shut down its little-known and flailing Mercury brand. The closure would mark the end of almost 71 years in the business for Edsel Ford's Mercury brand.
The move makes good business sense, however, as Mercury's sales have been in the tank for a full decade now, and with little to no new product in sight outside of a "small car" promised for 2011 (http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1042168_ford-confirms-mercury-small-car-for-2011)--itself little more than a derivative of the upcoming Focus sedan, but pegged to get the Tracer tag.
Beyond the oft-delayed Tracer, however, the product landscape for Mercury is essentially a desert. Heavily badge-engineered vehicles have proven over the last 10 years that they're not going to work, and investing in substantially new cars for the small-volume, low-equity brand isn't a justifiable position.
That leaves Ford with the decision to limp it along as it has for the past several years or finally tail it off and cut its losses. And that's apparently exactly what CEO Alan Mulally is planning to do, according to Bloomberg. The sources are unnamed people "familiar with the plan."
We'll keep you up to date on the latest happenings as Mercury nears the chopping block, and you can get even more detail on the situation over at TheCarConnection (http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1045578_report-ford-to-shut-down-mercury-brand).


http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1045579_ford-may-be-sounding-mercurys-death-knell

[DOOM]

Very sad indeed.

[SpartaPerformance]

From what I've read 2014 will be the end.

[FastMerc]

I heard from a insider that it is not a deffinate yet!

[Mr. Man]

According to my dealership the Lincoln line is going to be expanded once Mercury is out of the picture.

The dealerships that are doing good will also be carrying the Ford line as well along with the Lincolns but the whole process is going to take time to get done and they are figuring about 5 years to phase out Mercury all together.

No longer will Lincoln and Ford cars be like each other in anyway shape or form so that it will truly stand out in the whole scheme of things once it is all in play.
Believe it when I see it. If they're saying that now it's because the accounting department hasn't been invited to sit in on the future plans at Ford.

[TAKEDOWN]

The fact that they're thinking about it... simply scares me! Hell, life goes on.

[SpartaPerformance]

I heard from a insider that it is not a deffinate yet!

I think it is, that's why they didn't make a Sable for 2010.

[GreekGod]

I think it is, that's why they didn't make a Sable for 2010.

I think it is, that's why they didn't make a Marauder for 2005.

============================== ========================

[LeoVampire]

I think it is, that's why they didn't make a Marauder for 2005.

============================== ========================


Na it died due to lack of interest no one wanted another full size muscle car that didn't have great numbers in HP.

2 were bought @ my dealership by older men and were turned back in for another car with in months of the sale. Not enough younger guys were interested in them like the Mustang and the car was not advertised enough like most Mercury's.

It was a last ditch effert to see if Mercury could stay in the field or branch out and it failed due to poor planning and lack of push from Ford on the idea's.

[CRC]

Official!!!!!!
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/officially-official-ford-kills-mercury-to-expand-lincoln-lineup/

[stryker]

:shake: Shame on you ford's executives you're a bunch of idiots, your lack of imagination is notably Iam sure that because of that emty brains is why the Marauder was discontinued and you're now have plans to do the same with the Crownvictoria/Police Interceptor and the Grand Marquis ! Heeyy! get out of there and put people with more brains than you, that's why the Japanesse,coreans,Europeans are covering here and in P.R. just because you don't have imagination to make this cars better than now. :mad::confused::bs::censor::do wn::fire::loco:

[ntd]

It official our dealership heard from Ford today Mercury is gone after this model year:(, but Lincoln is going to expand with @ 6 new models filling the gap also Lincoln will have power trains Ford models will not have (ecoboost:cool4:).

[Black Dynamite]

Ya know, I always liked Oldsmobile's. When GM mishandled and eventually killed Olds I said I'd never buy another GM product. So I switched to my second favorite, Mercury. Now that Ford has mishandled Mercury and killed it Im done with Ford too. So what am I supposed to do now? I can't buy anything Chrysler makes and I don't like any of the foreign cars besides high-end stuff I can't afford.

[Big Black Beast]

This is not good new for those of us that work at Lincoln and Mercury dealerships:(.

You now work at Ford/Lincoln dealerships.
Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

[Big Black Beast]

It official our dealership heard from Ford today Mercury is gone after this model year:(, but Lincoln is going to expand with @ 6 new models filling the gap also Lincoln will have power trains Ford models will not have (ecoboost:cool4:).

Yeah, but realistically, who's gonna buy a $40k Lincoln Focus based economy car w/ leather seats?! There's no in-between now. Mercury was the perfect brand to bring in some of the european vehicles to the U.S. market and would have given the name some unique products. Plus, who cares if the models just have a different front and rear? It's nice to have a choice. Now you have to buy the exact same Focus or Fusion everybody else has, or pay twice as much for the Lincoln version of the same car. I think some people within the company have just had a bug up their butt to get rid of it, and finally saw the chance with the end of the Panther line.:mad::(:depress:

[ntd]

Yeah, but realistically, who's gonna buy a $40k Lincoln Focus based economy car w/ leather seats?! There's no in-between now. Mercury was the perfect brand to bring in some of the european vehicles to the U.S. market and would have given the name some unique products. Plus, who cares if the models just have a different front and rear? It's nice to have a choice. Now you have to buy the exact same Focus or Fusion everybody else has, or pay twice as much for the Lincoln version of the same car. I think some people within the company have just had a bug up their butt to get rid of it, and finally saw the chance with the end of the Panther line.:mad::(:depress:

Your concerns were the same I had but talking to our owner and local Ford rep we were told Ford's pricing in the Lincoln brand will be wider than it has ever been. Base price will be the same as the Mercury brand but you will be able to pick and choose your options. Basically Ford just removed the middle brand and has made the luxury brand more affordable but you want the turbo engine and all the other goodies just pick that options. I really think this is going to be a good move for Ford

[GreekGod]

Na it died due to lack of interest no one wanted another full size muscle car that didn't have great numbers in HP...
...It was a last ditch effert to see if Mercury could stay in the field or branch out and it failed due to poor planning and lack of push from Ford on the idea's.

The '05 Marauder was to be supercharged, but Elena Ford killed it. Their "last ditch effort" was still-born, due to poor management, and management's future plans to kill Mercury. Proof is their lack of promotion & advertising.

Our successful, but small, L-M dealer (Pfeiffer), is less than 1 1/2 miles from a large Ford car & truck dealer (Fox), on the main south belt retail road in the metro area. Not a good situation for the little guy.

======================

[jerrym3]

Seems like they're bringing Lincoln down a notch.

[Mr. Man]

Seems like they're bringing Lincoln down a notch.
Was thinking the same thing. If there is to be a wide price point for Lincoln it dilutes its echelons.

[1 Bad Merc]

My first car was a 1977 Mercury Monarch Ghia edition. I loved that car and I put it through hell and it kept running! I only got rid of it because I ended up wrecking it and the insurance company totaled it out.

I really believe that Ford is making a mistake here by getting rid of Mercury. They have not promoted or done anything for the Mercury line for years and they wonder why they dont sell alot of them.....I really thought a new retro look Cougar would have done really well if they had tried it.

Ford's accountants and cost cutting teams basically took over the company and almost destroyed it. Now their scrambling around like chickens trying to figure out what to do. They have a golden opportunity here (with GM and Chrysler falling down) to make a large impact and take a ton of marketshare and they are blowing it! I think they are way over-pricing the Lincoln out of the market for current economic times and expect them to think they can share the same platforms with the current Fords. I believe that will not work and they are in for a rude awakening.

God I really wish a car guy would take over the company! With Toyota falling on their sword you could make a really big dent right now.

[Maraudermike1]

Ford is going to discontinue the Mercury brand at the end of 2010. What will this mean for our cars?

[J.bo]

Means take care of it.

[tomd]

I sure hope the value goes way up! :thinker:

[jerrym3]

In 50 years of driving, my 68 Cyclone GT is in my top seven.

But, my 66 Comet Cyclone convert is on my least liked list. (Just a very unexciting car all around.)

[Egon Spengler]

Here is the FOURTH thread on this subject!

[FordNut]

Here is the FOURTH thread on this subject!

Maybe each member should start their own thread on the subject.

[Egon Spengler]

Ahhhhh.... four threads in one... much better!

[Big Black Beast]

Seems like they're bringing Lincoln down a notch.

Yeah. Lincoln is supposed to be a "luxury" brand. Now, it's the "New Mercury". Let's just call it "Mercoln".

[Big Black Beast]

I sure hope the value goes way up! :thinker:

Actually, value often goes DOWN as there's a perception that parts will be difficult to find. But they already quit making our cars anyway, so it doesn't matter. Besides everything's just Ford stuff anyway.:)

[Leadfoot281]

This is exceptionally lame news.

I still don't understand how pulling the plug on Mercury is going to save Ford a dime. I mean, if they built 200,000 of one model, why not continue to rebadge half of them and have two models?

Rebadging can't cost that much. They sure didn't spend much on advertising. Again, instead of showing two Ford commercials, they could show one of each. Where is the money savings?

Now we have less choice and that's never good.

It's the old 'spinach Vs carrots trick' I used to pull on my ex's kids. Before dinner I'd give 'em the option of either spinach or carrots. They'd pick carrots and think they pulled a fast one on me.

Apparently some genius at Ford thinks everyone is just gonna line up for spinach or else. It just doesn't work that way. People will leave and go someplace else.

[CBT]

Think that price is bad???
http://www.inventory.fordvehicles.com/services/inventory/WindowSticker.pdf?vin=5LMJJ3J5 8AEJ04746&refid=DC&hash=6331cbe324b749d8462b1a0d5 c66d4a&pacode=A1096&modelid=170
Holy crap, it only gets 1 mile per gallon?!?!

[sconut1]

It really sucks to see Mercury go. It's a brand with a long history that produced some fantastic cars over the years. It's especially painfull to me as I have two Mercurys (Mercuries?) in my Garage as I type this.

Everyone here has made some good points on the discussion, but with this news, I'm reminded of two things. A members signature here (can't remember his name): "Hungry.... eat your asian import", the other is a late 1980's UAW slogan in my own signature "Like your Japanese car? Please park it in Tokyo"

Despite the fact that several asian manufacturers are building vehicle in North America, they are forigen companies and the profits head overseas. I guess we as North Americans need to decide if we want to continue have North American manufactured goods by North American corporations, or not.

[ntd]

It really sucks to see Mercury go. It's a brand with a long history that produced some fantastic cars over the years. It's especially painfull to me as I have two Mercurys (Mercuries?) in my Garage as I type this.

Everyone here has made some good points on the discussion, but with this news, I'm reminded of two things. A members signature here (can't remember his name): "Hungry.... eat your asian import", the other is a late 1980's UAW slogan in my own signature "Like your Japanese car? Please park it in Tokyo"

Despite the fact that several asian manufacturers are building vehicle in North America, they are forigen companies and the profits head overseas. I guess we as North Americans need to decide if we want to continue have North American manufactured goods by North American corporations, or not.

I love the quote,"Like your Japanese car? Please park it in Tokyo" I have many friends that if you have a Jap car you will not park in there driveway. Sucks to see Mercury go but Ford and Lincoln will live on. As a Ford Employe If I have to follow any automobile manufacture in these hard times it would be Ford:beer:

[CBT]

I'm not really seeing the cost savings being passed onto us by having cars and trucks built in Mexico. New Lincolns should cost about 83 bucks and come with a trunk full of weed.

[JimmyXR7]

[QUOTE=Joe Walsh;918003]Not surprising at all....Ford has ignored Mercury for years and that has guaranteed Mercury's demise.
No new models, nothing exciting...no new Cougar or Capri or Merkur or Marauder!
I think a good example is all the marketing and promotions they did for the Marauder....:rolleyes:
I see more Toyota commercials in 5 minutes of watching TV than I ever saw for a Marauder. . . QUOTE]

Samuel Adams beer is only 0.9 percent of the beer market and Mercury is 0.9 percent of the US auto market. Samuel Adams is doing good with many commercials and different blends of beer.

I thought when FORD sold Jaguar, that they would reintroduce the cougar XR7. With the cougar based on the Mustang frame/drive train. But of course with custom Mercury type items.

Maybe different front fenders and grille with different rear lights. Marauder type wheels. And like the first cougars, different custom color interiors.

I realize that I have always been a Mercury Man as I want something custom from the mainstream. I have looked at the new Mustangs a bunch of times but do not have the same urge to buy as when I looked at my Marauder or my Harley. Besides the mainstream “blue collar” beer I drink, I do buy Sam when I want to treat myself. If FORD drops the Mercury nameplate they will lose the custom brand.

Boston Beer mass produces custom beers under the Samuel Adams brand. Jim

[JimmyXR7]

I think the problem there is that USED GMs are popular with the younger, "pimp my ride" crowd, but they weren't buying them new. The manufacturers aren't interested in who buys used vehicles, only new.

I agree and that is why Detroit misses the mark.

Harley Davidson has surprised the financial people. Why? Because used vehicle values have a link to new vehicle values. Harley has even stated that in the financial press.

If the "pimp my ride" crowd buys the used vehicles, it will help to support the prices. It also shows the vehicle is basically good platform. The "pimp my ride" crowd just customizes differently than I care for. As I said in my previous response, I like my factory customs.

Jim

[JimmyXR7]

[QUOTE=boatmangc;918483]My 1st Merc was a 67 390 Cyclone.
My wife still misses that car.
QUOTE]

Why?

I never sold my first car. A 68 Cougar XR7 with the 390. Great car and now it is a classic.

The cougar is sitting next to my Marauder and the cars in-between are gone, including a 82 Toyota Corolla- sold in 92 (Wife was happy to get rid of it).

Jim

[Big Black Beast]

[QUOTE=JimmyXR7;921578][QUOTE=Joe Walsh;918003]Not surprising at all....Ford has ignored Mercury for years and that has guaranteed Mercury's demise.
No new models, nothing exciting...no new Cougar or Capri or Merkur or Marauder!
I think a good example is all the marketing and promotions they did for the Marauder....:rolleyes:
I see more Toyota commercials in 5 minutes of watching TV than I ever saw for a Marauder. . . QUOTE]

Apparently, somebody at Ford has wanted to get rid of it for some time. That's what bugs me. It's like not watering a plant you don't like so you can get rid of it when it finally dies. Now that Ford has some money, It wouldn't be that hard to re-vitalize the brand, but instead they axe it to put money intoi Lincioln, which I don't see ever becoming a high volume brand (and if it does, it loses it's luxery identity).

[Peter]

Mercury hasn't been in Canada for nearly a decade. Both the Grand Marquis and the Marauder were "marketed" (I use that word very loosely) as Fords. When Mercury closed in Canada, a lot of Lincoln- Mercury dealers closed down. Some had opted to become Ford-Lincoln dealers, but lost many Mercury customers.

Lincoln isn't the same class and prestige it used to be. The Town Car is a very good looking car but needs to be updated. Rather than updating it they kill the Town Car. Lincoln's current crop of cars are overpriced, infact, Fords are overpriced. For example, the MKS Ecoboost here, is $63,444. A SHO Taurus is $59,444. Even the Marauder was overpriced here in Canada. They had a MSRP of $46,xxx.

Ford should revive the Continental brand, as a step above the Lincoln brand.

[JamesTLester]

sucks. I'm a ford man, and anything to keep ford profitable and above water.... still a shame though....

[Ozark Marauder]

Ford Motor Co. (F) Chief Executive Alan Mulally said improvements to the Ford brand of vehicles in recent years made the Mercury brand expendable.
The auto maker plans to phase out Mercury at the end of the year, leaving the company with its Ford and Lincoln brands. Mulally predicted the company will be able to retain Mercury customers with upgrades to an expanded lineup of Ford vehicles.
"The entire Ford line has moved up," Mulally said during remarks at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's annual membership meeting. "That family of vehicles serves 100% of the market world-wide. We have the vehicles that customers want."
Mercury has traditionally been positioned between the lower-cost Ford brand and the luxury Mercury line. But Mercury sales have been declining for years, as Ford failed to significantly distinguish the Mercury brand from Ford models.

[FordNut]

Unfortunately Ford starved the brand to death. Killing the Panther chassis was pretty much the end of the line since the Grand Marquis was Mercury's most notable offering.

[jerrym3]

Save the Mercury name. Too much great history.

Ford needs to fill in the gap between Ford and Lincoln anyway, so call the upper end Ford the Ford Mercury. (For decades, that's what it became anyway. Unlike the good old days, Merc was an up-level Ford.)

Ford Fusion, Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer, Ford Mercury

Then, who knows, if times improve, the name could be spun off again as a separate model.

[Vortex]

All the more reason for all of us to stay active as a club; Im in for the long haul myself.

[LSp8]

A bad sign of the times, what's next to go Buick? I'm gettin sick and tired of seeing Great American companies that been around since my grandad was in diapers lose to the imports who only been around for 2 decades or less. I guess it's all about giving up on what you got and forgetting your roots is where it's at nowadays. I never thought I would see the day when Ford can't make a RWD V8 sedan but "Hyundai" can......and it sells

[jerrym3]

I read something the other day that stated all eyes are on China, because that's where the big auto sales are going to come from.

Auto manufacturers are now designing cars for the Chinese likes and dislikes, not the American buyer's.

[Krytin]

I read something the other day that stated all eyes are on China, because that's where the big auto sales are going to come from.

Auto manufacturers are now designing cars for the Cinese likes and dislikes, not the Americn buyer's.
That's true - 4 door Porsche & Astin Martin models are the direct result of this market shift. Welcome to the new world order!
Learn to speak Mandarin.

[FastMerc]

All the more reason for all of us to stay active as a club; Im in for the long haul myself.
Well said and I agree with you...

[jerrym3]

Hitting home now.

Latest car mags previewing the 2011 models either have Mercury MIA or have a statement saying that there will be no 2011 models.

I received an email from my local L&M dealer asking me to join them in a petiton to get a Ford franchise (along with Lincoln). I concurred, because they've been OK with maintenance, but since a Ford dealer went out of business just a half mile away, and there's another Ford/Lincoln dealer only 2-3 miles away, I think they probably have had it.

Too bad. I can still remember buying my 89 TownCar from them.

I'm not looking forward to dealing with the local remaining dealer. I don't trust them at all.

[GreekGod]

Anyone know the last day/dates of production for the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, and/or Town Car?

=================

[nexstar7]

A bad sign of the times, what's next to go Buick? I'm gettin sick and tired of seeing Great American companies that been around since my grandad was in diapers lose to the imports who only been around for 2 decades or less. I guess it's all about giving up on what you got and forgetting your roots is where it's at nowadays. I never thought I would see the day when Ford can't make a RWD V8 sedan but "Hyundai" can......and it sells

isnt buick owned by bmw

[FordNut]

isnt buick owned by bmw

No, it's owned by Government Motors

[scruff]

Anyone know the last day/dates of production for the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, and/or Town Car?

=================
i think the plant is slated to close Aug/11

[wx4caster]

i think the plant is slated to close Aug/11
According to Ford's latest operating plan, St Thomas will produce CV, GM and TC at least until the first week of November.

[tomd]

According to Ford's latest operating plan, St Thomas will produce CV, GM and TC at least until the first week of November.

What is the plant going to produce after the CV, GM, AND TC?

[GreekGod]

According to Ford's latest operating plan, St Thomas will produce CV, GM and TC at least until the first week of November.
Cool!...that gives me a few days to order...if I come into some money.

============================== ==========

[jerrym3]

It's been a number of years, but I still miss seeing new Mercury models when the car mags show the new cars.

(Also, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, and Plymouths.)

The good news, there are plenty of new BMW's, Audi's, Kia's, and Hyundai's.

On a serious note, the upcoming Chevy SuperSport looks interesting; also, the new Impala.

[Rockettman]

What is the plant going to produce after the CV, GM, AND TC?

Dust. :alone:

[GreekGod]

It's been a number of years, but I still miss seeing new Mercury models when the car mags show the new cars.

(Also, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, and Plymouths.)

The good news, there are plenty of new BMW's, Audi's, Kia's, and Hyundai's.

On a serious note, the upcoming Chevy SuperSport looks interesting; also, the new Impala.

"Everyone knows that Ford is the original automobile, and all that followed are polluted half-breeded step children"

re: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE_vpDCE600&feature=my_favorites&list=FLkz-QU9wfTAofs0ng4tu9ig

[Krytin]

That was wrong on soooo many levels - coffee came out my nose!!!!