GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

A quick death like the Pontiac would seem to be better than a 4 year phase out. Gonna miss Jill Wagner in those commercials. NEWS: Ford revealed yesterday that it will ask its board to approve a mercy killing of Mercury, a brand so forgotten that, according to an analyst quoted in Business Week: "Many Americans probably already think it has been discontinued." If approved, the plan would halve the number of Mercury models for sale next year. Within four years, all sales would cease.It's an ignominious end for a once-luxurious brand. Conceived by Edsel Ford seven decades ago, Mercury ultimately eroded into an "overpriced twin" to its brother brand, Ford. If you were in the market for an Escort, for a few thousand dollars more could have bought you a Mercury Tracer. If you liked the Ford Escape, you'd love the Mercury Mariner, and similarly with the Taurus/Sable equation ...Problem was, few customers did love Mercury. And those who did had one foot in the, lets say, aftermarket already. One Mercury model has the unhappy distinction of being the car with the single oldest customer demographic in America. The average Grand Marquis owner's age: 70.

I certainly wont miss Mercury lol. The coolest cars Mercury made was the Cougar 1967 - 1970 & the Maurader 2003 - 2004 ( Love that car ). For the most part thier cars were usually pretty bland.

Hmm...yeah, Mercury nowadays doesn't really bring anything special to the car market. I can't imagine that they would be sorely missed, and it would save Ford a bit of money to let them go.

It's probably been best to get Mercury out of their misery for a long time. Ford always seemed to take minimal effort to differentiate a Mercury from its platform-mate... Takes more than a new grille and tail lights sometimes, ya know? They weren't as bad as Plymouth was at the end where the only difference was an emblem, but still...So many nameplates that once were great have met their demise thanks to mediocrity.

Mercury's been gone from Canada since 1999... Honestly I never even knew they left! Mediocrity indeed!!!

Actually if I were looking for an Escape, Mountaineer, or Fusion, I actually would prefer the Mercury versions!

RIP

Quote, originally posted by Bastranz »Mercury nowadays doesn't really bring anything special to the car market. Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic » So many nameplates that once were great have met their demise thanks to mediocrity. Those two statements about say it all.But looking back....I was always more Chevy than Ford, but i do have a lot of respect for the classics.Quote, originally posted by TONY TAT2 » RIPAh, Freddie. He was one of my favorites. RIP indeed, Freddie.

I remember seeing a picture, I believe in Car and Driver, back in the late 70s, seems a car came out of the factory that was mistakenly trimmed out as a Ford Granada in front and a Mercury Monarch in back (or vice versa). That's when Mercury pretty much jumped the shark.

Mercury: It was something to aspire to. For die-hard Ford fans, when you started out in your adult life, you bought a Ford. When you moved up in the world a couple of notches, you bought a Mercury. When you became company president, you bought a Lincoln.George Barris raised the 'car culture' profile of Mercury with his awesome chopped-top 1949-1951 Mercury coupes of the 1950'shttp://www.barris.com/gallery_....htmlFor GM fans, there were alternate tracks:Chevy - first step Pontiac - more performance (1960's) Buick - more luxury Oldsmobile - performance WITH luxury Cadillac - I made it and I'm showing everybody Can Lincoln dealers stand alone without Mercury? Will they become Ford-Lincoln dealers, or did Ford just effectively kill Lincoln too?While pondering this information, I recommend listening to "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Asleep at the Wheel and, "Mercury Blues" by Alan JacksonAnd of course, if you enter the song titles into a popular search engine and you can listen to the whole song without purchasing it.

Ford Motor Co. now says that they will end Mercury production in the 4th quarter and have special incentives starting this summer to clear out inventories of Mercury models. They ought to send us stockholders a generous transferable special rebate deal to help compensate for our losses of stock value and no dividends.

Wow I am the "kiss of death" to the manufacturer when it comes to pickin a car. First was my Oldsmobile-2 years later they are out, the 04 Pontiac Vibe that I just sold and purchased a MERCURY Milan.BTW my beloved little Vibe was totaled the very first day the new owner had it. Anyone want a brand to go out of business?...just let me know and I will make the necessary purchase.

Not a good track record there. Congrats on the new Merc, I think those do look a little better than the Fusion. Sorry to hear about the Vibe.Quote, originally posted by JohnC »Anyone want a brand to go out of business?...just let me know and I will make the necessary purchase. If you wouldn't mind, go gas up at BP.

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »If you wouldn't mind, go gas up at BP. hahah i passed a bp two days ago and they were seven cents higher compared to everyone elsemy dad owns a Mercury

Quote, originally posted by waveresponder »hahah i passed a bp two days ago and they were seven cents higher compared to everyone elsemy dad owns a MercuryI live about half way between 2 BP stations. The one was 2.43.9. The other which is a mile closer to a Walmart was 2.36.9. Nothing like a little competition.It really does no good to boycott BP - the market for gasoline is what is known as "fungible". It will be sold somewhere. All you do is hurt the independent business person that has the BP franchise.Because I believe some of their hype, and I think they do not use ethanol, I like to stick with Shell but if I run low there is nothing close by other than BP and Speedway.

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »The average Grand Marquis owner's age: 70.Isnt' that the same on the Vibe? At least it seems to be around me... that's the only people I see driving them!

Quote, originally posted by jake75 » Gonna miss Jill Wagner in those commercials.

Quote, originally posted by jimincalif »...a car came out of the factory that was mistakenly trimmed out as a Ford Granada in front and a Mercury Monarch in back (or vice versa). That's when Mercury pretty much jumped the shark.Happened to GM also. I knew someone that bought a new 1967 Malibu and it came badged as an El Camino on the hood. Uh oh, I'm showing my age.

I loved my Grand Marquis GS. I traded a 1996 Marquis in on my '09 Vibe during the cash for Clunkers deal.That Marquis had 165,000 miles, carried six people in comfort, rode great, and got an average of 18 mpg in mixed driving. Unfortunately the book value was less than $1,000 but Uncle Sam gave me $4,500 for the car, I guess it is scrap metal now.

the mercury milan actually had a suspension upgrade that was better than the fusion. But with the fords becoming so much nicer, they are cutting into mercury space and the Lincoln is getting bumped up more. With mercury just being rebadged I can see why they are cutting it. Mercury Marauder = BAD ***!!!!!

Quote, originally posted by Toasted7 »Isnt' that the same on the Vibe? LOL!!! Yes... that is TRUE!.. I haven't hardly seen anyone under the age of 55 driving a Vibe where I live..

I want to wave at other vibe owners, but they are all at least 60 and never even look at me when I pass by

Quote, originally posted by Blanco_Diablo »I want to wave at other vibe owners, but they are all at least 60 and never even look at me when I pass by I feel the same way!... and then sometimes it actually is someone younger.. and I miss 'em!.. DARN!

Quote, originally posted by 09vGT »I feel the same way!... and then sometimes it actually is someone younger.. and I miss 'em!.. DARN! Maybe that was me - I am 67 but don't look a day older than 59-1/2!

Quote, originally posted by 09vGT »LOL!!! I haven't hardly seen anyone under the age of 55 driving a Vibe where I live.. I just turned 53 last month? And my wife will be 53 in Aug. We're still younger than 55.... for a while.Quote, originally posted by Blanco_Diablo »I want to wave at other vibe owners, but they are all at least 60 and never even look at me when I pass by Quote, originally posted by 09vGT »I feel the same way!... and then sometimes it actually is someone younger.. and I miss 'em!.. DARN! You two!! e.g. There's a rather large Mazda3 community as it's currently Mazda's bread 'n' butter car and most "3" driver's I see that pass me aren't paying any attention either. Most of them are younger than I, and my car is obviously not stock. It's not just age, or the vehicle. It's how most owners feel about their automotive community. Most couldn't care less as long as the car starts and gets them to where they want to go and back again. Quote, originally posted by jake75 »Maybe that was me - I am 67 but don't look a day older than 59-1/2! Congrats, Jake!!