There are some out there BTW. The F150 Max Payload is more of a half-ton+, and in some configurations doubles payload of a half-ton and exceeds some 3/4 tons. Dodge had a 1500 mega-cab built on the 2500 chassis, 8-lugs and all. Chevy had a 1500 HD, also built on a softer sprung 3/4-ton chassis. The Ford formula of…

First thing that came to my mind too. I stopped going for leaf piles after that incident.

By the time you squeeze enough batteries under the truck to have a reasonable range, you run out of payload. And you can’t just raise the payload, because once you cross 8500 pounds, you aren’t a class-1 or “half-ton” truck anymore. This is Nissan’s problem with the Titan XD. They did cross the line, so now shoppers…

CBs are good for truck to truck communication. They don’t work so well for dispatching. Both because of range, and the open channel nature of them.

The Fusions has been offering 1.5L (formerly 1.6L) and 2.0 turbo motors since 2012. There’s a lot of high mile Fusions out there. I’ve never seen a single one burning any oil, or ever smelled the slightest anything from one. I’ve seen 200,000+ mile 3.5L F150s that don’t burn the slightest amount of oil.

That’s good to hear. I didn’t even think about HAM since it’s not really used in transportation. Pre-digital, many trucking companies used 2-way radios (in addition to CB). Now, it’s rare. Some large local operators maybe, but mostly just EMS and towing companies.

One downside of the digital conversion is all analog systems have been abandoned. This includes 2-way radios, as the FCC stopped reneweing liscenses for analog frequencies. The digital radios require repeaters. The analog radios worked without repeaters, just at a much shorter range, but at least they worked. Plus,…

So seems like the Stinger is more Legacy sized? Rather than Imprezza sized? Do the still make the Legacy GT?

Don’t forget about the 1.0 EcoBoost! More fun than the 1.6, or any B-segment N/A motor, but gets mid to upper 40s for MPG on the highway.

It’s essentially a Hybrid Escape that hit the Botox too hard.

Except in reality,

When it’s a rental, you DGAF what it is, and drive the crap out of it no how bad it drives. PS - the Pacifica’s driving dynamics are infinitely better than the new Nissan Armada. Holy smokes that thing is under-sprung and under-damped.

4th gear

The newer truck fan clutches are pretty neat. They have the standard thermostatic valve for fan activation, but also electric activation so better cooling at idle. The electric activation is either a fan clutch, or heating element to trick the thermostatic valve into opening. As a side benefit, you can add manual…

Here’s Ford doing voluntary side impact tests. Since the Transit is over 8500 pounds, it falls outside side impact test requirements, and the competition does not do this test that i can find (maybe the EU spec Sprinter does?).

Water pump is is belt-driven. But there’s wiring for the fan clutch tucked in there.

That’s definitely a mopar spec part. In every other application, they don’t fail every 30-60,000 miles. Also the Cummins spec pump is larger.

Newer cars absolutely crash better in the real world, and there does seem to be some correlation with cars that fare well and cars that test well. Also, the overlap test is one of the most common real-world serious collision scenarios. (I used to run a wrecker doing both AAA and police dispatches).

Electricity demands have leveled and even dropped to the point utilities are reconsidering infrastructure projects.

It’s not bad anymore. But it’s also not great at the same time. It certainly looks better than the new Pilot, but there’s nothing compelling about the Acadia to choose it over an Explorer Sport or Platinum.