Sport Tracs everywhere, except on TV

[TomT]

I'm with you Bart. Here in Texas we are besieged by Ford truck commercials every 5 minutes, but I have yet to see an ad for a Sport Trac. Sure the F150 is Ford's gravy train but you would think they would push their other stuff also. Maybe they are not capable of producing anymore? That would be a question to ask for some of you going to Louiville next month.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Dreman,



I guess it depends what your definition of abuse or use is. Is putting 2300 LBS in the bed use or abuse? Is towing 8,000 lbs behind the Trac on a trailer use or abuse? Is accellerating it to redline on a regualr basis use or abuse? Is driving it 15 over the speed limit all the time use or abuse?



I could have hauled the dirt in two loads so not to exceed the weight limit. I could have hauled half the stuff on the trailer and not exceeded the towing limit. I can keep my RPM's under 4,000 RPM since there is no real need to run it that hard. I could also follow the sped limit since driving faster doesn't save any travel time on short highway trips.



I don't wash it, but maybe a few times a year.



I do keep the fluids fresh, though I could care less what brand of gas it gets.



I don't wreck it into other vehicles, but I don't cry when I get a rock chip on the hood.





Tom

 

[user 62394]

Caymen,



I need to correct you on the Vibe/Matrix comparison. They are NOT built along side each other. The vibe is built in California, the Matrix is built at a Toyota plant in Ontario. They are basically mechanically the same, but different companies are assembling them.



MTURocks

 

[Deleted deleted]

Thanks MTU... The Matrix is built next to the Lexus RX330.... not bad company

 

[Tom Schindler]

The reason why the Matrix is built in Canada is because the NUMMI plant in California does not have the production capacity. The NUMMI plant is a joint venture between GM and Toyota.



Thanks for the correction on the place of production, but the two cars still are identical.





Tom

 

[Dreman]

Tom,



If you can still get 10 years of use out of it driving it like that, I guess you have a good idea of the real limits of the vehicle. How you drive it when loaded can really change the mix from use to abuse. Carefully driven when overloaded can still be within the limits of use. Driving the Sport Trac to the redline once in a while is fun, since the engine is quite willing to do it. My GMC is a little too industrial/agricultural feeling for it to be much fun. Making sure the fluids are fresh is an excellent way to keep it going far longer than it ever should have.