Ford not to continue Excursion...

[SledZep]

An article in the NY times (need a FREE ID to view)

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/31/business/31AUTO.html

Basically it says the 04 year will be the last...
Due to slow sales....
There goes one of our points on getting a Duramax Burb!
Also mentioned this...
"Ford recently announced it was dropping the Lincoln Blackwood luxury pickup truck, which it sold for less than nine months."

If you can stand being Found On Road Dead they might even be collectable one day...

Does anyone have any knowledge on how well Caddy's
upscale truck is doing??

Chevy Suburban "Like A Rock... that sells"

[DmaxMaverick]

Too bad about the competition. Probably the only hope for a Duramax 'Burb. Or maybe it'll work in reverse? From what I understand, the engine type had nothing to do with it. Most excursions were gassers (notice the "were"). Suburban sales shouldn't take a hit either way.

I guess it takes more than a couple extra inches to compete (with the 'Burb).

I've never seen any of those Caddy/Lincoln pick ups, on the lots or on the road. Seen 'em on TV, though. There may be one or two parked on Rodeo Drive, but I don't go there.

Competitive marketing sure isn't what it used to be.

[stretch]

I don't know how well they sell since I have never seen one on the road, but there are a ton of them (Lincolns and Caddy's) on the dealer lots just rotting away. I think they are just too hard to justify the price tag, even for the more frivolous spenders.

[SledZep]

I was sure the Ledzeppelin would bring in the aging yuppies in droves... I'm a huge fan... not of the aging yuppies necessarily. :D

[hdmax(mike)]

From what I`ve read, The Cadillac Escalade is the number one selling Cadillac. Now I don`t know if that includes the EXT or just The regular Escalade. But They both are selling like gang busters. and Cadillac has come out with the Suburban size Escalade. I have seen one. But not sure if they are for sell yet.

As for the Escalade EXT. They are selling very well. I see them on the road fairly often. I looked at one a week or so ago. It had a sticker of just under $60,000. I decided to wait.
;)

[Disney Campers]

i'v seen more than a few of the Escalade truck version here in Florida, never seen a blackwood except at the auto show.

[hoot]

Caddilac is really putting out some pretty flashy stuff lately. It looks like GM is all but taking over the truck/suv luxo market.

[GMC D-Max]

I've seen ONE Stincoln Blackhead on the road, and it was FUGLY! No wonder they couldn't sell them. I heard somewhere that FoMoCo projected sales of 10,000 units a year, yet for the first 1-1/2 quarters of 2002 they had sold less than 500. I think another boneheaded maneuver on their part is that it wasn't available with 4-wheel drive.

Caddies are EVERYwhere! Escalades and EXT's are the hottest SUV's on the road right now. I'll take mine in pearl white, thanks!

It doesn't appear that the Suburban/Yukon XL is in any sort of danger. It will be a shame if GM opts not to put a Duramax in it, but it's still a great rig just the same.

[SledZep]

I have senn a few of the caddy's too. Although I didn't notice if there were the Escalade or EXT. I did notice that every one seems to put 20 or 22 inch wheels on them. Some look very good.

I hope Fords truck division catches a severe case of Duramaxitus... It would make my day if the Chevy Silverado could be the #1 selling vehicle one or more years like the F150 has been forever!
I believe "GM" sells more trucks than Ford (read it here) but we need it to be in one division to take that claim away from Ford.

[conradv]

If GM ever merged GMC and Chevy I would hope to God that they wouldn't use that Avalanche front end over the GMC front.... They would probably never catch Ford.

[Tough Guy]

The Expedition is the Ford "suburban" now... I wouldn't be surprised to see the G2 PSD inside the engine compartment later on....

[SledZep]

Tough Guy, when is that due out? Do you think they will still put it in for the limited amount of excursion's there will be between when it comes out and the end of the 04 model year??

[woundedbear]

Last I read, the Expedition is slated to be mated to a 4.5L version of the G2 PSD in '04 model year and get 25-26 MPG.

[txguppy]

Those Caddy Escalade EXT's are everywhere down here in TX. Along w/ the Avalanches. The reason why IMHO is that the EXT costs about $5K less than the regular Escalade. :confused: :confused: Also, IMHO if you want a Caddy buy the car, if you want a truck buy a DMAX !! Anyway that's what I've done. :D :D

txguppy

[SledZep]

I think our biggest problem is that people really like the "idea" of what the Avalanche is and overlook it's ugly duckling status. I know I was looking for a Ford Super Crew but with the Heavy duty look, not an f150. I glanced at an AV... and quickly averted my eyes as to not show every one near me my lunch. I liked all of the utility built into it. I was afraid of the midgate and any possible leaks. But I could never get around the looks! I know GM is happy with the way they are selling... but I think they would sell even more if it had the traditional front end... And please what is whith the "round wheel in a square hole??"
Without those lights and square fenders ( I like plastic...) I would have bought one of those...

Luckily I plan on keeping my 02 for enough years for GM to come back around and make something that looks as good as mine does. That, or I will get so accustomed to the new look I will be able to purchase a new one by then. Plus I have now become a member of the diesel club which I am really enjoying.

[Chris N5CWM]

I believe GM would sell 10 TIMES more Avalanche
trucks if they had the '01-'02 front end on them!

I might have even bought one, but bought a GMC
Yukon XL (Suburban) instead.

http://n5cwm.dynip.com/yukon-xl-2k1-70.jpg

Maybe GM will realize this and soften the sharp
lines of the Avalanche and '03 Chevy trucks when
they realize the sales aren't what they expected.

[ 08-04-2002: Message edited by: Chris N5CWM ]</p>