Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Ford Five Hundred shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Ford Five Hundred offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Ford Five Hundred at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Ford Five Hundred? Wrong! If the Ford Five Hundred is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Ford Five Hundred then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Ford Five Hundred? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Ford Five Hundred and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Ford Five Hundred wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Ford Five Hundred then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Ford Five Hundred site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Ford Five Hundred, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Ford Five Hundred, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Automobile|name=Ford Five Hundred|image=|manufacturer=Ford Motor Company|predecessor=[Ford Taurus|body_style=4-door [sedan, [front-wheel drive /
Four-wheel drive|related=[Volvo S60Volvo S80Volvo XC90
Ford FreestyleMercury Montego
[Pontiac Grand Prix
Toyota Avalon|engine=3.0 L [Ford Mondeo V6 engine#VVT V6/[ZF Friedrichshafen AG continuously variable transmission
6-speed
Aisin automatic transmission-->The
Ford Five Hundred (code name
D258) was a
full-size sedan produced by the Ford Motor Company during the 2005 to 2007 model years. The Five Hundred, along with the Ford Freestyle and the Mercury Montego, ended production at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant during the summer of 2007. In North America, the name evoked the classic
Ford Fairlane and
Ford Galaxie models of the 1950s through 1970s. The modern Five Hundred sedan slotted in size and class between the
Ford Taurus and the Ford Crown Victoria sedans in Ford's lineup. The Five Hundred was assembled at Ford's
Chicago Assembly plant, which previously produced the Taurus. The Five Hundred was introduced as production-ready at the 2004
North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and entered production that summer.
A facelifting redesign for the 2008 model year debuted during the 2007
North American International Auto Show, but the Five Hundred was rebranded as the 2008
Ford Taurus, which returns that name to the Ford retail lineup after a one-year absence. The previous Taurus -- which used a different chassis and was a smaller vehicle size -- was available in the 2007 model year for private fleet sale and in Canada, with no significant changes from the 2006 model year.
Design
The Five Hundred was classified as a large car. It is longer than its competitors (such as the
Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon) but still a foot shorter than the
Ford Crown Victoria. Interior room was emphasized in the Five Hundred's development, and interior materials include imitation carbon fiber as well as traditional woodgrain.
Available
powertrains consist of a 3.0 L
Ford Duratec engine#30 V6 engine, and the choice of a
continuously variable transmission or six-speed
automatic transmission. All Five Hundred models were equipped with Pirelli sports tires for better handling. The AWD (All Wheel Drive) system is taken from the
Volvo XC90. It is not a “full time” system; when as power is needed in the rear the AWD system activates.
The car was based on the
Ford D3 platform (also known as the
Volvo P2 platform), which also supports the Volvo S60,
Volvo S80, Volvo XC70, and Volvo XC90 SUVs. This platform was used on the similar (and also soon to be out of production)
Mercury Montego (which is not available in Canada), and is also the basis for the Ford Freestyle
crossover SUV.
The Five Hundred was designed to match the
large car interior volume, but at the same time still have manageable outside dimensions, while delivering a lower than average fuel use. Its design is also notably tall for a sedan, giving drivers an SUV or minivan-like command of the road. The Five Hundred's trunk was also larger than those of its competitors, so it can hold 8 full-sized loaded golf bags. Just like the Crown Victoria's, the trunk is 21 cubic feet. This is the largest trunk on any sedan sold in North America, and four cubic feet larger than the Taurus. Befitting its Volvo roots, the Five Hundred garnered class leading results in crash tests conducted by the
IIHS as well as NHTSA.
Production and sales
The Five Hundred began production on
July 12, 2004 in
Chicago, Illinois and became available to the public in September 2004. Criticized by the automotive press for its bland styling and weak 203 hp engine, the Five Hundred has received a lukewarm reception. August 2006 sales were down by half compared to 2005, with the Taurus outselling the Five Hundred by two to one. 2006 sales have been down month over month since its launch including 22% in 2006 over 2005 as a whole. (Note: 2006 Ford Taurus was produced and sold primarily for the fleet market.) Ford made a large production run before shutting down the Taurus production. The Atlanta plant produced its last Taurus in Fall 2006, after which the manufacturing facility is to be sold. Sales of the Five Hundred were very slow in Canada, with many Ford dealerships not even stocking the car on their lots.
Market, trim lines and features
Three trim lines were offered:
SE,
SEL, and
Limited. An all wheel drive system was available across the range. Base prices start at
USD22,795 (AUD28,883) (for a front-wheel drive
SE) and range to US$28,495 (AUD$36,106) (for an all-wheel drive
Limited).
2006
The 2006 Five Hundred was hardly changed at all, with minor improvements made. However, at this time, the Five Hundred now offered a Navigation Radio made by Pioneer for Ford and
Sirius Satellite Radio.
2007
The 2007 Five Hundred remained basically unchanged. There were no substantial styling changes and no new powertrain options, but the SE model was discontinued.
There is a new Chrome Package available, which includes 18-inch eight-spoke chrome wheels (Chromed over plastic spokes) and a chrome mesh grille. Also new for 2007 is a 5-year / 60,000–mile powertrain warranty, and arriving late 2007 are standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, as well as Ford's innovative Safety Canopy side air curtain system.
2008
Discontinuation of the Five Hundred
The restyled Five Hundred sedan, which was first shown at the 2007
Detroit Auto Show has been renamed as the Ford Taurus for the 2008 model year, signaling the return of that iconic nameplate. The rebadging announcement was made at the 2007
Chicago Auto Show, and Ford employees hastily removed the badging from a Five Hundred on a rotating stand, and replaced it with Taurus badging. The Ford Freestyle will also be discontinued, in favor of the 2008 Ford Taurus X, which is similar in size to the Freestyle. The updated Five Hundred / Taurus includes an upgraded 260 hp 3.5 L V6, replacing the 203 hp 3.0 L V6 for the 2008 model year, along with new front and rear styling. The Mercury Montego was renamed as the Mercury Sable as well.
Image:Ford500a.JPG|A black 2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited AWD (All-Wheel-Drive)Image:Ford500b.JPG|A view from the front of the Five HundredImage:Ford500C.JPG|The interior of the Five Hundred Limited (black leather with a wood trim)
External links
- MyFord500.com- Features news releases, links, photo galleries, and specifications.
- 2006 Ford Five Hundred
References
{{Infobox Automobile|name=Ford Five Hundred|image=|manufacturer=
Ford Motor Company|predecessor=[Ford Taurus|body_style=4-door [sedan, [front-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive|related=[Volvo S60
Volvo S80
Volvo XC90
Ford FreestyleMercury Montego
[Pontiac Grand PrixToyota Avalon|engine=3.0 L
[Ford Mondeo V6 engine#VVT V6/[ZF Friedrichshafen AG continuously variable transmission
6-speed Aisin automatic transmission-->The
Ford Five Hundred (code name
D258) was a
full-size sedan produced by the Ford Motor Company during the 2005 to 2007 model years. The Five Hundred, along with the Ford Freestyle and the Mercury Montego, ended production at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant during the summer of 2007. In North America, the name evoked the classic Ford Fairlane and
Ford Galaxie models of the 1950s through 1970s. The modern Five Hundred sedan slotted in size and class between the Ford Taurus and the Ford Crown Victoria sedans in Ford's lineup. The Five Hundred was assembled at Ford's Chicago Assembly plant, which previously produced the Taurus. The Five Hundred was introduced as production-ready at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in
Detroit, and entered production that summer.
A facelifting redesign for the 2008 model year debuted during the 2007
North American International Auto Show, but the Five Hundred was rebranded as the 2008 Ford Taurus, which returns that name to the Ford retail lineup after a one-year absence. The previous Taurus -- which used a different chassis and was a smaller vehicle size -- was available in the 2007 model year for private fleet sale and in Canada, with no significant changes from the 2006 model year.
Design
The Five Hundred was classified as a large car. It is longer than its competitors (such as the
Chevrolet Impala and
Toyota Avalon) but still a foot shorter than the Ford Crown Victoria. Interior room was emphasized in the Five Hundred's development, and interior materials include imitation carbon fiber as well as traditional woodgrain.
Available
powertrains consist of a 3.0 L Ford Duratec engine#30 V6 engine, and the choice of a
continuously variable transmission or six-speed automatic transmission. All Five Hundred models were equipped with Pirelli sports tires for better handling. The AWD (
All Wheel Drive) system is taken from the Volvo XC90. It is not a “full time” system; when as power is needed in the rear the AWD system activates.
The car was based on the
Ford D3 platform (also known as the Volvo P2 platform), which also supports the
Volvo S60, Volvo S80, Volvo XC70, and Volvo XC90 SUVs. This platform was used on the similar (and also soon to be out of production)
Mercury Montego (which is not available in Canada), and is also the basis for the Ford Freestyle
crossover SUV.
The Five Hundred was designed to match the
large car interior volume, but at the same time still have manageable outside dimensions, while delivering a lower than average fuel use. Its design is also notably tall for a sedan, giving drivers an SUV or minivan-like command of the road. The Five Hundred's trunk was also larger than those of its competitors, so it can hold 8 full-sized loaded golf bags. Just like the Crown Victoria's, the trunk is 21 cubic feet. This is the largest trunk on any sedan sold in North America, and four cubic feet larger than the Taurus. Befitting its Volvo roots, the Five Hundred garnered class leading results in crash tests conducted by the
IIHS as well as
NHTSA.
Production and sales
The Five Hundred began production on
July 12, 2004 in Chicago, Illinois and became available to the public in September 2004. Criticized by the automotive press for its bland styling and weak 203 hp engine, the Five Hundred has received a lukewarm reception. August 2006 sales were down by half compared to 2005, with the Taurus outselling the Five Hundred by two to one. 2006 sales have been down month over month since its launch including 22% in 2006 over 2005 as a whole. (Note: 2006 Ford Taurus was produced and sold primarily for the fleet market.) Ford made a large production run before shutting down the Taurus production. The Atlanta plant produced its last Taurus in Fall 2006, after which the manufacturing facility is to be sold. Sales of the Five Hundred were very slow in Canada, with many Ford dealerships not even stocking the car on their lots.
Market, trim lines and features
Three trim lines were offered:
SE,
SEL, and
Limited. An all wheel drive system was available across the range. Base prices start at USD22,795 (AUD28,883) (for a front-wheel drive
SE) and range to US$28,495 (AUD$36,106) (for an all-wheel drive
Limited).
2006
The 2006 Five Hundred was hardly changed at all, with minor improvements made. However, at this time, the Five Hundred now offered a Navigation Radio made by Pioneer for Ford and
Sirius Satellite Radio.
2007
The 2007 Five Hundred remained basically unchanged. There were no substantial styling changes and no new powertrain options, but the SE model was discontinued.
There is a new Chrome Package available, which includes 18-inch eight-spoke chrome wheels (Chromed over plastic spokes) and a chrome mesh grille. Also new for 2007 is a 5-year / 60,000–mile powertrain warranty, and arriving late 2007 are standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, as well as Ford's innovative Safety Canopy side air curtain system.
2008
Discontinuation of the Five Hundred
The restyled Five Hundred sedan, which was first shown at the 2007
Detroit Auto Show has been renamed as the Ford Taurus for the 2008 model year, signaling the return of that iconic nameplate. The rebadging announcement was made at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, and Ford employees hastily removed the badging from a Five Hundred on a rotating stand, and replaced it with Taurus badging. The Ford Freestyle will also be discontinued, in favor of the 2008 Ford Taurus X, which is similar in size to the Freestyle. The updated Five Hundred / Taurus includes an upgraded 260 hp 3.5 L V6, replacing the 203 hp 3.0 L V6 for the 2008 model year, along with new front and rear styling. The
Mercury Montego was renamed as the Mercury Sable as well.
Image:Ford500a.JPG|A black 2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited AWD (All-Wheel-Drive)Image:Ford500b.JPG|A view from the front of the Five HundredImage:Ford500C.JPG|The interior of the Five Hundred Limited (black leather with a wood trim)
External links
- MyFord500.com- Features news releases, links, photo galleries, and specifications.
- 2006 Ford Five Hundred
References
