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Joined: Jan 2005
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Well we just got back from Europe and it was awesome. Fords everywhere! Mondeos running out your ears, in fact got to take a new wagon out, fitted with the diesel, it was surprisingly smooth. Visited the Koln plant and let me tell you they are pretty proud of that Ford line over there in Germany.
Chad the "hoodie" was a big hit!
One piece of irony, I drove the new Opal (1.8L) during my week there and logged over 1200 KM on it. I was impressed, well built, handled well, comfortable and tops out at 200 KM/hr...this is the new platform that GM pumped the money into and then walked away from. Better than most of the cars they put out in the states IMO. What a poor business decision.
Good visit, great to be back home.
jkr2wld 
'97 LX
2.5 ATX
Vibrant White
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,854
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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there's a crapload of foreign models from the major us auto manufacturers that are leaps and bounds better than cars over here. And all companies are wondering why their sales are floundering. 
1999 Silver Frost SVT
#609 of 2760
Quaife, lightened SVT Flywheel, SPEC stage II clutch, removed resonator, k&n drop in - various other goodies too.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,777
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Originally posted by TGO:
there's a crapload of foreign models from the major us auto manufacturers that are leaps and bounds better than cars over here. And all companies are wondering why their sales are floundering.
can we forward this to them please?
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,467
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Originally posted by Horse:
Originally posted by TGO:
there's a crapload of foreign models from the major us auto manufacturers that are leaps and bounds better than cars over here. And all companies are wondering why their sales are floundering.
can we forward this to them please?
It is no use. The American car manufactures are way behind the curve and they may not be able to catch up. The interesting thing is that the same thing is happening to the German car companies in Germany.
Oh well, I would not give a damn if Ford or GM closed thier doors forever, anyway.
Now I hate America? That is a new one to me.
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,854
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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I would! I can't afford a bmw!! 
1999 Silver Frost SVT
#609 of 2760
Quaife, lightened SVT Flywheel, SPEC stage II clutch, removed resonator, k&n drop in - various other goodies too.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,431
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I had friends who went abroad this past year for school projects (unfortunately my major doesn't allow off-campus projects so I couldn't myself). One went to London and commented on the Mondys he saw there, due to my Contour obsession of course. Another went to Australia and took some pics of all three Falcon body styles for me (including the truck-like model) 
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 925
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Chad the Hoodie ??????????
(from a european)
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,119
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Yeah its a shame that there are alot of decent cars built in europe that will never reach our shores. Its funny cause like you said about the GM you drove. While they built a nice car like that, here in the states they wasted millions of dollars designing a economical Hummer (H3) which still only gets 17MPG....and still doesn't compare the original...(I still like the original military humvee)
At least the Contour did make it over from across the pond!
1998 SE Duratec V6 ATX
Ebay intake with K&N Filter
Trubendz Exhaust
Custom Hood
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 637
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Originally posted by steventrace:
Chad the Hoodie ??????????
(from a european)
Chad the Hoodie (CEG member, 2000-2003) did three years in San Quentin for embezzling the CEG treasury.
Originally posted by jkr2wld:
Chad the "hoodie" was a big hit!
I'm sorry to hear the bastid is out now. Maybe some of the others will fill you in on his colorful history. But not me. The less said about him, the better.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117
Hard-core CEG'er
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Originally posted by jkr2wld:
One piece of irony, I drove the new Opal (1.8L) during my week there and logged over 1200 KM on it. I was impressed, well built, handled well, comfortable and tops out at 200 KM/hr...this is the new platform that GM pumped the money into and then walked away from. Better than most of the cars they put out in the states IMO. What a poor business decision.
I'm beginning to think that all the domestic execs never drive their own products. If I was at the helm of one of those companies, I'd have all of them commuting in two year old models of their own brand every day. Every other Monday I'd line up rentals/loaners of the top competition and to size them up, have them take turns running them between a couple of assembly plants swap & head back. Everybody would get copies of the MSRP of the competition & I'd ask, "What can we do to build a better car for that price?". Feedback on the various platforms that they drive every day would be invaluable.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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