I love this car.

[ClayW]

I work for a nationwide general contractor (Embree Group, Inc.) based in Georgetown, Texas. It so happens that I am one of only two guys that drive cars to the office instead of a big, manly truck or SUV. My little 2002 among these giants seems to me a lot like David versus Goliath. Where they have brute strength and 13 mpg, my 2002 has agility and efficiency, not to mention the old-school cool factor.

To my surprise, I get a lot of questions about the car; curiousities about little details, but mostly questions about why I don't get a bigger car. The most common question? How I drive such an old car every day. I always reply, "With a grin."

Aren't they great?

[Otis]

Great picture. Wasn't there a picture in Roundel a while back, of an 02 between two Hummer H2's? I think it was subtitled, "Bodyguards" or something like that (getting old, losing my memory).

[RandyMolson]

That's great. My work lot looks like a truck/SUV dealership too. I love mocking pickup truck drivers who hop out of their air conditioned rides wearing ties and don't haul anything except when friends/family buy furniture.

[jerry]

looks like a little matchbox car next to the tonka trucks...

[Biscuit3]

I'm sure your car has more balls than any of those dime a dozens. You know something, for all of those "more economical", penis envy losers out there, even if they had an 02er, they still couldn't buy class or style.

I had one of those big ass things driving behind me before Karl went into the shop 2 weeks ago. He wanted to tailgate me, so I decided to go slower because I thought I must have been going over the speed limit or something. Then he threaten to run my "little piece of shit" over. As I said before:

for all of those "more economical", penis envy losers out there, even if they had an 02er, they still couldn't buy class or style.

[robspeed]

I'm sure your car has more balls than any of those dime a dozens. You know something, for all of those "more economical", penis envy losers out there, even if they had an 02er, they still couldn't buy class or style.

I had one of those big ass things driving behind me before Karl went into the shop 2 weeks ago. He wanted to tailgate me, so I decided to go slower because I thought I must have been going over the speed limit or something. Then he threaten to run my "little piece of shit" over. As I said before:

for all of those "more economical", penis envy losers out there, even if they had an 02er, they still couldn't buy class or style.

i never hog the #1 lane, so if anyone tailgates me, my natural reaction is to lift (slow) and let the dumb fuckers just go around.. i hate tailgaters...

[Jim_75Sahara]

If you travel much, people will ask: why do Americans drive such huge trucks, vans, SUV's? It is just embarassing. I have seen tradesmen in the UK, Belgium, France, etc. using what we would call tiny putt-putt vehicles as their "truck" -- plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc. While here you have CPA's, secretaries and bankers driving gigantic macho beasts. You're a sad clone if you have the same-old-SUV as every other weanie.

[dubois]

it seems that everybody that drives a big SUV claims the need to haul a bunch of kids and their friends to their events, or big 4wd, because we go to the snow (once a year), or their annual vacation trip, etc. Maybe US is the only country that has all the above!

Great picture and story!

[ClayW]

Yeah, I guess I'll have to start smokin' Winstons and watching NASCAR.

...or maybe I'll just follow my own road.....in my 2002.

-Clay

[Benetton]

aren't these cars great. Its been a while since someones said something about my car but as i was driving home yesterday Down a 25mph road there were two young kids and a dad and the girl sitting on her bike as i drove by said "your car is cool". And today when i was getting on the freeway a guy in a subie outback went back and looked over with a big grin and and thumbs up and then mouthed i like your car. No one does that if you drive by in your 6.6 liter duromax diesel chebby truck. Then again it might be hypocritical as I'm about to buy a lifted 4 runner.

[AlCanuck]

Anyone who knows me, knows I am the anti-SUV guy. I've been in more flame wars about SUV's that I have about carpet!

That said, I spent the last 2 days in the presense of greatness. What is this greatness, you ask? A 2001 Ford Excursion turbo diesel 4x4 Limited. I'm pretty sure the only thing it is limited to, is how many houses it can pull down at once. What makes it so great?

Well, if you need to pull a 74 3.0cs out of a garage, up a grassy hill, onto a street, but you only have 2 guys, 2 flat tires, and did I mention the CS was smashed to hell, with wheels in different directions, the Excursion will quickly become your best friend. We had to do exactly that on Sunday afternoon. Once on the street, the CS still unable to easily roll, we then used the truck to push the CS on the trailer. Quite a site to see. Once loaded, we hauled it up the I5, and into Canada. The whole time with the Excursion, it got 13.4mpg. Didn't matter if I was hammering on it, babying it, towing, pushing, or dragging, the mileage never changed.

Ford Excursion is truly the great 10000lb Swiss Army knife ever built.

Al

[ClayW]

....I just can't justify driving one daily. Sure, whenever I need to move something big and heavy I beg my truck friends for help, but the occasional need is hardly met by the overall cost of owning and operating the behemoth.

I can say with much certainty that most of the guys in Texas don't need their trucks as much as they want them. Again, they have their advantages over 2002s in certain instances, but, overall, most of us drive on the road by ourselves, not hauling people or cargo. I'll take an 02 over a new Ford pickup any day. They're cheaper, too!

[SteveJ]

Clay,

You know you ~still~ are required by Texas law to have a rifle rack in your back window.

Al,

Ford Exdurshun...bwah. One word- Caterpillar.

One of these babies could have pulled the coupe up the grassy hill and the garage with it. Or, leveled out the grassy hill so it would have been a flat driveway.

[JOHNAHOF]

I don't care one way or the other about utility vehicles. To me trucks, SUV and vans are a means to an end. I have a cheap old Safari I bought to haul the M3 to the track, hardware runs... It was bought based on ability and it was cheap. I had a king cab Chevy 4x4 when I was hauling big stuff. I liked the truck but for daily use it was like dancing in pole climbing boots. So when the need for it was gone the for sale sign went in the window. In my opinion there are very few people that need a truck, they want one. And there is nothing wrong with wanting stuff. In truth most SUV are a fashion statement. They are just like many other trends the general consumer population will purchase. Don't tell them but the SUV is the modern equivalent to our parents stationwagon. You know the uncool wagons that family people used to drive and that most people my age ran from so they could look cool. It's the same thing. On the other side there are a few people that do actual need an SUV... But more of them could enjoy the ride much better in a cool stationwagon, all wheel drive or otherwise. And now they could look cool being the only hip people in a wagon. I'm sorry that I just went on a rant. But it felt pretty good at the time;)

John Hoffner

PS: Clay the 02 looks awesome. Stay the course.

[Jim_75Sahara]

Thanks for saying the dirty words: Station Wagon. Be honest & buy what you actually need. I needed to haul my 3 kids around & the occasional extra passenger and stuff. That led me to a wagon w/a 3rd row seat. (Taurus wagon) It is a means to an end. Not the coolness factor. I honestly don't need to pull stumps out or drive up mountains. The other daily car is smaller and hauls 1 or 2 people usually. Now what I REALLY want is some SUPER COOL BMW's for my everyday cars, like, I NEED them......!!