FordExcursions.com Forums
Greg Rusiecki
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• Macomb Township, MI, USA |
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• Registered on 10/25/2001 |
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• 18 posts |
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 Posted:10/29/2003 11:24 |
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The detroit news paper had an atricle about FOrd not X'ing the X yet. Anyone else read it?
http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0310/28/a01-309936.htm
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Excursion may get extended lease on life
By Ed Garsten / The Detroit News
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Bashed as a gargantuan gas hog, dubbed the "Ford Valdez" by environmentalists and derided as a menace to motorists driving anything smaller than a semi-truck, the Ford Excursion SUV was condemned to the scrap heap at the end of 2004 model year.
But thanks to sales incentives, a more fuel-efficient diesel engine and a core of loyal customers, Ford Motor Co. may be ready to offer the Excursion a temporary reprieve.
"Since there continues to be a viable market for the product, we are taking a second look at its production schedule," Ford spokeswoman Susan Krusel said.
It's likely Ford will continue to build the Excursion -- launched in 2000 -- for the 2005 and 2006 model year and then introduce a longer version of the current Expedition SUV.
Local Ford dealers say the Excursion is a niche vehicle with a loyal following. Don Sparks, 45, a Shelby Township electrical contractor, bought his second Excursion, a 2004, for its combination of brawn and, ironically, fuel economy.
"With the new diesel, I get close to 18 miles a gallon pulling a trailer," Sparks said. The Sierra Club's Daniel Becker isn't sold on the improvements in fuel economy and emissions a diesel-powered Excursion offers.
"A diesel version of the Valdez is a bad sequel to a bad movie," Becker said.
  
95 Bronco XLT 5.8 E4OD 32" BF AT's, Skyler soft-top, smitty steps and front bumper, billet grille, Pioneer CD player, Kenwood amp, 2 10" Kenwoods, small lift
http://www.superford.org/registry/index.php?vID=240&profile=1
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RS-TX
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• Little River, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 11/22/2002 |
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• 298 posts |
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Posted:10/29/2003 15:25 |
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Man, this is GREAT news. I hope they keep the X around. I would love to have a 6.0 PSD, but can't afford one right now. Not to mention I'd rather wait a few model years for them to get the engine just right.
Does anyone know if we can email FoMoCo and lobby them to keep the X?
Rick
2004 VW Jetta TDI |
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jbondox
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• cleveland area, OH, USA |
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• Registered on 10/12/2003 |
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• 58 posts |
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Posted:10/30/2003 23:00 |
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this is exerpts from and about the idiot becker
| Quote: | American environmentalists remain highly critical. "Diesel is the
> quick and dirty way to increase fuel economy," said Daniel Becker,
> the director of energy and global warming policy at the Sierra Club.
> "As long as we have other technologies that are clean, I don't see
> the point in producing carcinogenic soot |
and...
| Quote: | Several weeks ago I spoke with Daniel Becker at the Sierra Club's
"corporate" office in Washington, DC. The topic of discourse was a recently
posted article to "biofuels" where Mr. Becker relegated biodiesel to status
of no better than low sulfur diesel and an alternative fuel which the Sierra
Club could not endorse, as it might prove only to become a substitute for
"clean burning" natural gas.
The technical data which Mr. Becker used to support such liberal claims
against biodiesel were actually derived from B-20 emissions studies, not
B-100 (true biodiesel). When this was pointed out, along with the fact that
the stated position of the Sierra Club grossly mis-represented the truth to
millions of the club's members and the public at large, Mr. Becker stood pat
with his response.
The following topics were broached in conversation, all to no avail; the
concept of carbon neutral (biodiesel is and natural gas is not), comparative
inefficient fuel economy of natural gas, unparalleled capital infusion to
renovate fueling infrastructure to deliver natural gas (read "decades to
implement"), massive renovation or manufacture of transportation vehicles to
utilize natural gas (read "enormous consumer dis-benefit"), sky rocketing
cost of natural gas (read again "consumer dis-benefit"), year in and year
out delays in implementation as lobbying groups fight such change and the
inevitable loss of lives annually until such an infrastructure exists.
Apparently Mr. Becker's opinion holds some sway with news reporting
agencies, as his comments continue to emerge in articles on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, these news agencies tend to roll Mr. Becker, Sierra Club,
their membership and all other environmentally inclined individuals into the
same "environmentalists" burrito.
I submit to this list and or anyone that Mr. Becker does not speak for those
who truly understand energy, infrastructure and or health issues, and that
his and Sierra's stated position discounting biodiesel in the effort to pave
the way for the transportation sector's conversion to natural gas is at best
going to perpetuate the erosion of human health for the next quarter
century, culminating in untold loss of human life - unintentionally or not.
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and my favorite...
| Quote: | The Sierra Club today (February 25, 1999) awarded the "Exxon Valdez Award" for environmental destruction to Ford Motor Company in recognition of Ford's newest sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the Excursion. To be christened February 28, the Excursion is a four-ton "super duty" sport utility vehicle that guzzles enough gas to make Saddam Hussein smile. At a time of mounting concern over global warming, air pollution, and oil exploration in fragile wilderness areas, the gas-guzzling SUV is a rolling monument to environmental destruction.
The nine-passenger Excursion is a suburban supertanker, stretching over 19 feet in length and slurping one gallon of gasoline for every 12 miles it travels. This "suburban assault vehicle" spews as much global warming pollution into the air as two average cars.
"The Excursion guzzles gas and pollutes the air," said Daniel Becker, Director of the Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program. "It's basically a garbage truck that dumps its pollution into the sky."
The Excursion is so large that it won't be classified as a "light vehicle," the category for normal-sized cars, trucks and SUVs. The Sierra Club is urging the Clinton Administration to strengthen clean-air laws so the Excursion and other SUVs will be allowed to pollute no more than cars.
"The Ford Excursion is a rolling ad for improving auto pollution standards," Becker said. "The Clinton Administration is deciding how much to restrict pollution from SUVs, and their proposal has a loophole big enough to drive a Ford Excursion through. Ford has cost-effective technology sitting on the shelf that would improve gas mileage and cut pollution. That technology would more than pay for itself for consumers in lower gasoline costs."
Last year the Sierra Club held a tongue-in-cheek contest on the Internet to "Name That Gas Guzzler." Web surfers who visited the site offered humorous names and slogans for Ford's then-unnamed behemoth.
The Sierra Club's winning name for Ford's new road hog was "The Ford Valdez -- Have You Driven a Tanker Lately?" Ford Motor Company has apparently decided not to use the Sierra Club's suggestion.
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this quote in the above statement | Quote: | | The nine-passenger Excursion is a suburban supertanker |
makes me want to go out and buy a fleet of them....
i bet you the guy goes home and chains himself to the tree. it's a good thing that the sierra club was there for all the people in the san diego area years ago when the logging companies wanted to thin the area out....
 jbx |
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RS-TX
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• Little River, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 11/22/2002 |
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• 298 posts |
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Posted:10/31/2003 07:58 |
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I don't have any real experience with the Sierra Club, or any "environmental" group for that matter, animal rights groups (ie. PETA), save-the-fill in the blank whatever groups, but I imagine that it (the Sierra Club) started out with good intentions. Hey, I would love to get 50 mpg from my Exc. and have nothing but water coming out of the exhaust. I want rainforests to thrive and I have no problem with whales being free. But somewhere along the way, most and maybe all of these groups got on a crusade which they can't let go of and now they are WAY off base. Maybe it was bad leadership or a small faction that led them astray. I don't know. I just wish they were living in the real world and not never-never land. They could probably do a lot of good with gentle and intelligent, informed information. You can catch more flies with honey...
Now, back on topic, I LOVE my Excursion and would rather take a beating than get rid of it. 
LONG LIVE THE EXCURSION!!! 
Rick
2004 VW Jetta TDI |
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JohnBoy
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• DFW, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 9/3/2002 |
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• 972 posts |
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Posted:4/17/2004 22:37 |
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What I want to know, is what THEY drive when they have a group going somewhere ?!?!?
I actually went on a Sierra Club outing years ago,,, and they rented diesel motocoaches !!!
And guess what, they ALL drove to the pick up point...
and IIRC the vehicles they were in probably got 1/2 the fuelage my Ex does !!!
2005 6.0L 4x4 Eddie Bauer Ex
2003 6.0L 4x4 Limited Ex - traded in (BooHoo )
"The Republicans should back off and let men marry men, women marry women, and legalize abortion. In three generations there would be no Democrats." |
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Dave Sullivan
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• Kitchener, XX, Canada |
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• Registered on 2/27/2003 |
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• 199 posts |
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Posted:4/19/2004 14:55 |
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Greenpeace got a wollop on the nose when they made an issue out of northern natives hunting and trapping. Oddly enough, thats how these people make their living. Enter Greenpeace into the real world.  |
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Brian Barnett
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• San Antonio, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 9/6/2004 |
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• 103 posts |
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Posted:12/6/2004 17:03 |
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thats funny stuff, I love the statement and the names they call my truck,, what they missed it that my ex gets 16 - 17 mpg and its a great family vehicle, I know theres vans out there that dont get that and I know that the chevy trucks dont get that, so why do they pick on a vehicle that costs 40K and is going to be sold to people that have the money and pay the taxas for a vehicle of this size.
It really is all about size!!!!!! |
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Gen-X
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• Toronto, XX, Canada |
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• Registered on 1/19/2004 |
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• 344 posts |
• 1
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Posted:12/6/2004 17:41 |
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I hear ya, most smaller SUV and MiniVan drink more gas then the X. Same goes for all V8 sport sedans . Any one drive the Hemi from Dodge...nice sounding truck but they should sell it with your own personal gas pump. It's BAD!
I love my X, nothing like it , one of the worlds best kept secrets.
Cheers
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Brian Barnett
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• San Antonio, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 9/6/2004 |
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• 103 posts |
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Posted:12/7/2004 12:28 |
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yeah and what about the Hummer H2, at 7mpg thats a real gas hog, even the diesel is the s hog, I dont know the milege but I heard that they have to give you stock in shell oil company just to get you to buy that beast! and I think the Ex is a better truck/SUV 
It really is all about size!!!!!! |
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