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So what you are saying is one plant's production of "Brand X" is about the same as all of North America's production of "Brand Y". Brand X being a more complex product. I mean, if you want a Tesla pickup, buy one.

I'll say this.... there are only a few manufacturers of truly synthetic oil sold in the U.S. Mobil 1, Amsoil.... I would have to research to find what others. In the early 90's, there was a lawsuit before the FTC, and the FTC rules that "synthetic" was a marketing term, not a technical term...

Power window switches are wired in series. So if there is a bad connection in one, neither will work (for that window). Try pressing HARD on the switch, a lot of times that will make a non working switch work. I had an auto repair business for years.... and people would neglect to tell me that...

See if the dealer will order an EB with the optional wheels, and swap them for you. Or maybe you can buy a set of takeoff wheels, it's pretty common for people to drive trucks home and have aftermarket wheels installed. Of course they wouldn't order anything but the standard wheels in that case...

I recently picked up an 05 Mercury mariner Hybrid. The way the transmission is set up, I don't know why they don't build all cars like this, with a smaller motor to "shift" the transmission and start the engine. Once volume was high enough, I have to think the per unit cost would be below what...

To me, a vehicle that you have to find somewhere to charge with high amperage electricity is way more complex than a gas vehicle with electric motor assist and regenerative braking. I'm not an engineer, but I always wanted to drive a train. (I also have worked with engineers, and had to explain...

Exactly. The tire has to be tight enough that it isn't loose when it looses some air..... so it does indent the sidewall some. Vehicles are built at the lowest cost possible, so there are some compromises. The spare tire - something that may be used a few times in a vehicle's lifetime, is a...

I'm fairly certain that running anything other than the absolute lowest octane available in an Atkinson cycle engine is an utter waste, and in fact, lowers economy. Atkinson cycle effectively lowers compression ratio by letting some of the air out at the beginning of the compression stroke...

Ricart is a HUGE dealer. They literally have streets and stop lights inside the dealership. So experiences may may vary by salesperson, and division. I bought a new truck from them when I was working for Ford in 02. My only complaint with them was how many times I had to say no to the extended...

Full synthetic should not be used in a new engine. It interferes with piston ring seating. While modern engines have VERY tight tolerances (I used to work on the engine line for Ford) there is still break in required. Ford's recommended oil is only a semi-synthetic, i.e. conventional oil with a...

I can tell you that when I bought a new F-350 XL in 2002, I ordered a cruise kit from a dealer. The truck was already "drive by wire" (which almost all are now). The kit consisted of a new steering wheel, and an additional brake pressure switch. The programming was already in the computer. I...

I'm confused at the belief that 22 orders that are not built will be cancelled. Unless a model is redesigned or discontinued, it is customary to roll it over to the next model year.

I recently bought an 06 Mercury Mariner hybrid (Mercury badged Escape), to get an idea of the hybrid experience. Now I bought the vehicle not running, so others would not be able to duplicate the price point ($1500). Normal pricing is $3000 - $5000, and most of those need work. It is recommended...

I was a third generation Ford worker. Pretty much any friendly Ford worker will get you a PIN, as long as you are going to actually use it. I bought a new truck when I was working for Ford in 02, the dealer was more than happy to sell on A plan - and I was 2 hours away from the nearest Ford...

Please cite the part of the law that states that modifications will not effect the warranty. I did a quick scan of the law, the only time I saw the word "modification" was in reference to modifying warranties to be limited. Now I'm sure people have won this in court..... judges tend to be more...

The law says you can "replace" parts with aftermarket parts...... i.e. brake pads, air filters etc etc. It does not say you can "modify" the vehicle and they have to cover it. Modifications rarely make a vehicle more reliable, or less likely to break under normal use. I'll take this further, and...

I want to add something for people that think Ford should "do more". I was a third generation Ford worker..... I started in 2000. I worked in the engine casting plant. We were working 7 days a week, 8 - 9 hours per shift, 2 shifts per day. One day our line was down (there were roughly 10+ lines...

Why would they? They already have trucks SOLD. Why would they purge thousands of orders that are already in place, just to enter new ones? As with any other model that is a carryover, any unbuilt orders will be changed to the next model year. Changing model years is just a cutoff date. I worked...

Years ago I was selling my 77 F-250, the guy wanted to "see if the 4wd worked". He drove it into a frozen, flooded construction site. All 4 wheels broke through the ice. I blew the front U joints, and broke the steering gearbox trying to get it out. Finally hooked to a sewer manhole, and winched...

Carvana is easily 10 grand over MSRP. But hey, they will "deliver it" to you for FREE. You can buy new from a dealer for way less...... but you certainly won't get it "today". I doubt there are any Mavericks actually for sale, that are physically on dealer lots. Well, not for more than a day or two.