Ford Expedition EL or Chevy Suburban? Ford’s late-starting expedition into the oversized SUV genre got lost on the way to the jungle. But when they finally arrived, Ford had their bearings straight. The Mack Daddy Expedition EL is way more ride for your money than the Suburban, no doubt. But the Suburban is the STAPLE of all STAPLES. And it’s the cooler whip. Thank President George. Bush’s patronage forever put the Suburban in the automotive walk of fame. W did for the Suburban what Obama did for the 300C, what Snoop did for the Deville, what little Puff Daddy did for the Range Rover, what Gilligan did for the Island, what Pam Anderson did for loose women worldwide . . . you get the point. Game over?
SUV sales may be way, way down, but school parking lots throughout this great country of ours continue to be stuffed with middle class moms driving Chevy Suburbans. The Expedition EL may have it all over the Chevy Suburban (it doesn’t), but it’s like Ford and Chevy said to each other “let’s step outside”—only to find themselves alone. Without an audience. And too weak too fight.
Once again, Ford brings the product, but fails to bring the noise. The Glass House Gang has more or less abandoned all their SUV advertising in favor of hard-to-find PC hybrids, crossovers, small cars, God knows what and (thank God) the F150. They might as well build the current Expedition (and most excellent Explorer) out of stealth material.
Meanwhile, Ford’s missing a golden opportunity. The Suburban is finally losing its stranglehold on middle America’s upper middle class; a position the Chevy SUV’s held since the modified trucks replaced the Buick Estate Wagon as the kiddie schlepper of choice. (The Jeep Grand Wagoneer was a serious early 80’s contender, but mechanical issues kept it from the crown.)
The heartland’s Yuppies (yes, there is such a thing) are not happy that GM’s gone bust. Folks, these people disown family members that go bankrupt. And times are tough. Down at the county club, ladies who lunch now have something called “a budget.” Lexus and Mercedes SUVs are [still] on their radar, but even further out of their price range. And hubby [almost] learned his lesson about buying a high-status lifestyle on what the Brits have the good sense to call the “never never.”
See the issue at hand? The Suburban fit a niche perfectly. Chevy’s XXL SUV refugess could go into crossovers or cars or cute utes. But NOW is the time for Expedition EL to go once more into the breach dear Horatio, and close up the wall with English dead (Range Rover LR3s?). With a little help (hello Ford marketing?) and gas prices remaining stable a bit longer (hello recession?), ex-Suburbanites could be eased into an Expedition EL.
Check the numbers. Yes, SUV sales are cellar dwellers. But last October, during the beginning of the post cash-for-clunkers hangover, sales of the Ford Expedition were down “only” 1275 units vs. the previous year’s October totals. Meanwhile, sales of the Suburban were up 999 units. Oh shit. Ginger, you ignorant slut.
Mary Ann. Unpretentious farm girl. Definitely a good time there. Ginger on the other hand is stuck up.
I’ll take Mary Ann for 200 Alex.
Ford builds these vehicles because it’s a full-line manufacturer. But obviously they are choosing a more Toyota-like marketing plan of advertising only the greener side of their product lines. It’s no longer smart to advertise the big, powerful and fuel thirsty products. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still build ’em.
Mary Ann, absolutely. Much lower maintenance than Ginger. Of course, that’s the choice for the long term ownership. If you’re talking a short-term lease, then Ginger is the winner.
Ahhhhh……MaryAnne.
Does anyone prefer Ginger? Maybe back at the time, but the look hasn’t aged well.
The Expedition is a strong engine away from victory. If and when it gets the new V8, it’ll be game over.
What do these two rather elegant women have to do with the obese breadvans-on-stilts StupidUglyVehicles?
Here are some far more appropriate choices:
1. Rosie O’ Donnell
2. That Former Soviet Union Janitor Chick in some 80s ads.. if any of you remember them
3. The 800 lb bedridden woman who recently died of obesity complications… sort of like recent large SUV sales did…
4. CNN correspondent Katie (?) Crawley (sp?)
5. Find some losers from “The Biggest Loser”. I never saw the gawd-awful reality BS, but if any of you had the misfortune to see it, please give us some material here!
Suburbans were insanely popular for a long time before Bush.
Mary Anne is the sweet girl next door who will cook for you, Ginger is the stuck up bitch who will sqaunder your money on expensive shoes. Not even my affinity for redheads would make me choose Ginger over Mary Anne.
I’m with Autosavant though, I fail to see what two lithe attractive young women have to do with massive outdated trucks.
The EL is way late to this party. Little wonder that the Burban became the soccar mom vehicle of choice when everyone else left them alone in the market.
The problem is that as the Burbans are getting replaced, it is not with other Burbana. My kids go to a parochial elementary school. Lots of families with 3 and 4 kids. 4 years ago, the parking lot at pickup time was LOADED with Suburbans (and Yukon XLs). We were the oddballs with the Ford Club Wagon. But now, Honda Odysseys and Toyota Siennas seem to be replacing those Suburbans in our school parking lot. There are still some Suburbans but I have seen not a single Expedition EL. There are, however, two Flexs.
If I had to guess about the top 10, they would be Odyssey, Sienna, Suburban/Tahoe, T&C/Caravan, Pilot, Highlander, Venture/Montana/Sillouhette, Windstar/Freestar, Accord, & Sequoia.
I agree that if Ford would promote the EL, it would do well. However, I hardley EVER see them.
With the 5.4 going the way of the dodo in F-series trucks, I imagine the Expedition will see some combination of the new 5.0, 6.2 or 3.5 ecoboost for MY 2011.
A refresh would help Ford advertise such an improvement.
Big SUVs aren’t outdated, the choice to drive them as a daily driver/soccer mom/99% of the time 1 person transportation device has grown outdated. For those that still need to take around more than four other passengers regularly and also need to tow large trailers/boats or throw in heavy payloads, the Expedition/Suburban are excellent choices. They have returned to their niche, not gone extinct.
I agree with Michael though, the Expedition has it all over the Suburban in just about every category except for engine power.
Mary Ann is the girl you bring home to Mom, marry and have 8 kids with. Ginger is your high maintenance but oh so good looking, sexy mistress type. The difference is in Maintenance. Mary Ann you only have to buy new tires, give her a nice waxing every year, vacuum the mouse-fur interior, and keep her oil changed. Ginger, you have to bring the bling. 22″ dubledubs with serious low profile tires, real Corinthian leather, power liftgate and at least 4 video screens. And like most high maintence girls, you don’t want to spend too much time with Ginger cause in the end, her looks aren’t timeless and high maintenance is not exactly redeeming.
@Autosavant:
What do these two rather elegant women have to do with the obese breadvans-on-stilts StupidUglyVehicles?
I am happy for you that your lifestyle allows you to enjoy your high-end sport sedan. However, there are many, many families out there that face an endless series of carpools, ballgames, field trips, cub scout campouts, all of which require the ability to carry 7+ passengers AND some stuff besides. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the above activities AND my big old Ford Club Wagon, 12 mpg and all.
My 3 kids are getting older, so the activites are changing, but if gas were still routinely under $2/gal, I would buy an Expedition EL in a heartbeat.
I can tell that you do not routinely put 5 people in your supposedly 5 psgr 7. If you had to spend more than 30 minutes with 3 kids in a modern skinny back seat, you would talk a lot nicer about Burbans and ELs.
No contest…’Burban!
The Chevy has a MUCH better interior, better engine, better exterior looks, better drivetrain, etc.
Ford can’t build anything as good as the ‘Burban.
What hurt these vehicles was irrational emotion. They were trucks built for truck purposes. They hauled a lot of kids and those kids’ huge carseats. Every child has a trunkload of safety products to haul into grandma’s. If you have three or more children, these vehicles are necessary. If you haul objects larger than a iPod, you need a vehicle of this size. So, what’s with all the love, and all the hate?
I had a Suburban. It needed repair before I drove it off the lot, so the dealer started ordering replacement parts for the poorly manufactured parts it showed up with. After five years, I had a six inch thick file of all the repairs done under the extended warranty I knew I would have to have if I bought the Suburban. You name it, it was replaced. I heavily waxed and garaged it during those years, yet it still rusted – under warranty. It had a new engine, a new gas tank, new instrument panel, new door gaskets, new tail gate, new driver’s seat, yet the hood always shimmied when I drove it and it went through brakes regularly. On the day the warranty expired, I traded it in and got top dollar for a Suburban that looked brand new – because it was not the same Suburban I bought five years ago. Over that time, GM pretty much rebuilt the entire vehicle on it’s own dime.
I’m tired of the hate, just as I was tired of the irrational love for these vehicles. I am truly disgusted by those who think they know better than the millions who drive these vehicles. These know-it-all usually don’t have large families with family needs. They do not realize that every newborn needs adult size seating due to the restrictive seating requirements for safe traveling. And I have multiples that make even a minivan too small for our needs, let alone other pre-schoolers. It is simple arrogance to condemn those of us with different and diverse driving needs.
I can get it all in a vehicle like this, and as long as we still live in a free market, we do have the right to drive what we can afford, right? I move six people, and kid cargo in a vehicle that gets 15 mpg, so how can I get flak from the holier-than-thous driving solo in a vehicle that gets 30?
When we start to think rationally, we can start to accept the fact that there are millions of different vehicles on the road for millions of different people. Condemning a group of vehicles for any reason is irrational and stupid.
Generally the comparo’s have put these to neck and neck. Chevys engine vs. the Ford’s better 3rd seat and an extra 10cuft of luggage (IRS has bennies beyond ride). Dimension source was CR’s data base.
But what about a wild card…the Sequoia.
What!?
Yup, the same packaging advantages of IRS give the Big Tree a better 3rd row and equal suit case room to the Burb in a shorter package.
And plenty of towing power.
Just as with some outdated “large” sedans the exterior size gives a false impression of the interior. A popular illusion is still an illusion.
Anyway, unless you really need the ground clearance or towing cap, buying any of these over a minivan is hard to defend on any rational basis (yes, I’m OK with buying one cuz you like it).
Oh, Mary Ann, no question. Even “back in the day” she was a far more appealing lady.
Bunter
5. Find some losers from “The Biggest Loser”. I never saw the gawd-awful reality BS, but if any of you had the misfortune to see it, please give us some material here!…
I’ll take the Jillian Michaels look in my woman and my car any day over either of these vehicles or Gilligan’s Island castawawys…
The Expedition will forever live (and fit) in the shadow of the Excursion.
jpcavanaugh Wrote,
I am happy for you that your lifestyle allows you to enjoy your high-end sport sedan. However, there are many, many families out there that face an endless series of carpools, ballgames, field trips, cub scout campouts, all of which require the ability to carry 7+ passengers AND some stuff besides. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the above activities AND my big old Ford Club Wagon, 12 mpg and all.
My 3 kids are getting older, so the activites are changing, but if gas were still routinely under $2/gal, I would buy an Expedition EL in a heartbeat.
I can tell that you do not routinely put 5 people in your supposedly 5 psgr 7. If you had to spend more than 30 minutes with 3 kids in a modern skinny back seat, you would talk a lot nicer about Burbans and ELs.
Where I live Suburbans and Excursions are used because most sedans and mini-vans are not stout enough to take the sort of roads we drive. People use the 4WD for more than a rainy day. They’re used by independent contractors who haul employees and tow trailers.
golden2husky: I’ll take the Jillian Michaels look in my woman and my car any day over either of these vehicles or Gilligan’s Island castawawys…
Jillian is hot, although I don’t see his point of taking a swipe at The Biggest Loser contestants who realize that they have a problem and are attempting to address it in a constructive way.
Anyway, I’d take the Expedition if I were in the market for one of these vehicles; fortunately, I’m not. The new engines will only further seal the deal for me in that regard.
Sorry…Ginger would drive a Porsche. Mary Ann would drive a Jeep Wrangler.
Next?
“W did for the Suburban what Obama did for the 300C”.
The Soft Drink did nothing for the 300C. He got rid of it during the election campaign and replaced it with a Ford Escape hybrid. What’s that about perception and reality?
Oh, and it’s Mary Ann of course. Brunettes have always made my heart flutter and fortunately I’m married to a really cute one!
Chevy has the Suburban 1500 and 2500 versions available. Can Ford be too far behind in sticking its diesel V8 in a heavy duty Expedition EL?
Had I been in the market for any of these behemoths (and heavy duty towing were an issue) the Ginger gets the nod (bigger jugs baby).
Then again, if Ford decides to stick the Ecoboost V6 into the Expedition, then hellloooooo MaryAnne (she just cooks better!).
“Author: jpcavanaugh
Comment:
@Autosavant:
What do these two rather elegant women have to do with the obese breadvans-on-stilts StupidUglyVehicles?
I am happy for you that your lifestyle allows you to enjoy your high-end sport sedan. ”
I do not own the 740iSport version, but the 740iL limo-like back seat extra-long sedan version. I bought it used, if I bought it new, I would probably get a much smaller, 6-speed 97-03 540i or even 528 i.
” However, there are many, many families out there that face an endless series of carpools, ballgames, field trips, cub scout campouts, all of which require the ability to carry 7+ passengers AND some stuff besides.”
Right, and for these families there was a revolution sometime aroung 1984, remember? the MINIVAN! Or does the soccer mom wife not believe it looks hip? In that case, I strongly recomend the KING of Minivans, the Honda Odyssey. In a few years, I may get one myself to carry wife, kids and stuff around. But with so many elephants large SUVs around, there is a small chance I may be forced to get a large SUV myself, and most likely it will be either the GL Diesel largest MErc Suv or the BMW X5 also diesel. But these are really expensive used, much more than their gas equivalents.
” I thoroughly enjoyed all of the above activities AND my big old Ford Club Wagon, 12 mpg and all. ”
ther Club wagon is not an SUV, and most that buy it use it as intended, and I have zero problem with that. We had one at work, and I drove it, but it drove terribly… it was so high, SUV owners were intimidated and let me pass first even when they had the right of way..
“My 3 kids are getting older, so the activites are changing, but if gas were still routinely under $2/gal, I would buy an Expedition EL in a heartbeat.”
Don’t count on it, US demand will never recover any time soon, but CHinese demand will drive prices higher.
“I can tell that you do not routinely put 5 people in your supposedly 5 psgr 7. ”
The 7 can carry FOUR GIANTS in great comfort. Some cars in its class even have polished wood separators to be strictly 4 passengers only. The rear seat has LIMO-Like room , far greater than the Lincoln Town cars I have used as taxis. Of course, I did not buy it for that, but it is nice once in a while to tak ethree adult grown up tall colleagues and my 6 1″ self and all stretch fully and to our heats’s content, which you can’t do on the primitive benches of any SUV dinosaur OSama Funder (no matter how many US flags it has on it!)
” If you had to spend more than 30 minutes with 3 kids in a modern skinny back seat, you would talk a lot nicer about Burbans and ELs.”
I already talk very nicely about the excellent Honda Odyssey, and even about its rival the Sienna. Unless you need to tow a big boat daily, that’s all you need.
I have tried and cannot do my life with less than seating for 7, and I often need to tow a small utility trailer. For me, a Caravan has worked perfectly (I have now had 5 of them). I drive it pretty easy and get mid-20’s for mileage, and spend less than most on repairs. I always push into +150K miles with good miles to the dollar.
The Sequoia is great – if you have the money. The BIG money. In our area, winter is a big deal, and I would love to have 4WD, but FWD does it for me or I stay home where I belong. However, for many of my friends, 4WD is not negotiable. It is snowing hard here right now and might not go away until May.
I was pre-pubescent when MaryAnne lit up our bangin’ Sylvania color television (the kind that looks like a wood cabinet and has a 25 square foot footprint) in 1980, but ooh mama, this young lad knew she was something he’d soon come to appreciate on a yet unknown level.
In other words, she piqued my curiosity even before the dingleberries were developed.
Oh, and the Suburban is waaay better than the Expedition, too.
^ You might want to look up the definition of dingleberries. Or maybe that’s what you meant. :/
these people disown family members that go bankrupt
I miss my sister and a couple cousins.
I can go days without seeing a (newer) Expedition. On average, I can’t drive a couple blocks without seeing a couple of newer Suburbans with an extra Tahoe thrown in for good measure.
^ I think he meant dangle, not dingle- I hope.
^ I think he meant dangle, not dingle- I hope.
^ I think he meant dangle, not dingle- I hope.
As a gay man who’s glad that jumbo SUV sales have rightfully returned to their niche market status, I got nothin’ here…
Well, I guess the Professor was pretty hunky…handsome and brainy, definitely the hottie on that island…but he didn’t have much of a sense of humor. Gilligan? Nice enough, but not ‘the brightest bulb in the chandelier’…The Captain was always barking orders and just needed to chill out, and maybe drop a few pounds. And at 40, I’m probably too old to be a toyboy for Thurston Howell, but I probably would have tried anyway…so what’s the conclusion?
The gay vote would be for the Professor’s looks and brains, Gilligan’s good humor, the Captain’s sense of responsibility, and Thurston’s fat bank account.
And the gays have to give it up for Ginger, it ain’t easy serving up all that glamour when all you packed for was ‘a three hour tour’…well played, honey.
Autosavant:
Unless you need to tow a big boat daily, that’s all you need.
For yourself and 3 friends, a Honda Fit is all YOU need. Your 7 is more than you need, but that’s ok because its your money and your choice.
Here is the thing. Minivans are great vehicles. The Ody is a great minivan. But a Suburban has more room, primarily in width. Personally, I prefer a full sized van, but not many agree with me and choose the Burban instead.
I have no doubt that your 7 is supremely comfy for 4 people. But frankly, a family of 4 has an embarrasment of riches when choosing a vehicle. I’m talking about a family of 5 or more. Squash a 3rd person in your back seat, and none of them will be very comfortable. Done it with a Crown Vic, done it with a Cadillac Brougham (the rear driver that everyone thinks is so big). The Expeditions and Suburbans (and Club Wagons) of the world carry the kind of width that those of us of a certain age remember as being normal in a large car. Trust me on this, 7 in an Odyssey is not the same thing as 7 in a Suburban. 7 in a Club Wagon is even better.
Here’s the other thing. Strange but true, there is a 2-3 mpg difference between an Ody and a Burban or an EL. EPA rates the Ody at 16-23, while the EL is 14-20. For the person who can use the extra room, or who likes the grunt of a nice V8, this is not much of a penalty. Also, load these two vehicles up and I suspect that the mileage gap decreases even more.
Some day all the kids will be gone, and I may have a Miata. Until then, a nice used EL (particularly a 2wd version) would be a great choice.
@dmrdano
“For me, a Caravan has worked perfectly (I have now had 5 of them).”
How do you define a vehicle as “working perfectly” if you have to replace it FOUR times??
In the meantime, my 1984 Volvo Diesel wagon gets 33mpg, seats 7, tows 3300lbs, and hasn’t been replaced ONCE.
Not everyone wants to drive the same car forever. After a while people get the itch and want the new bodystyle, or the new toys, or the new safety equipment, or just the new car smell again.
You seem happy with your ’84 wagon, so good for you, and I still see first generation Caravans on the road occasionally, so bully for them as well if that is what floats their boat. If it were me though, I’d certainly be tempted by a brand new van with things like a rear DVD system for the kids, airbags, tractions/stability control, bluetooth, etc.
We get plenty of customers trading in four or five year old Town Cars or Grand Marquis with less than 50K on the odometer for new 2010 models that don’t even offer a new bodystyle. The old ones still run and work perfectly, they just want a new car, and they have the money to buy it, so who says that’s wrong?
Personally, if I had to carry a lot of people regularly in my vee-hickle, and had about $40K to blow, I’d go for an Enclave or a Flex Ecoboost.
If I had to carry a lot of people and needed to tow something over 4500lbs regularly, I’d sell whatever it was I had that needed towing.
Eggsalad,
The first was an ’85, which is 24 years ago! I drove it for over 90K miles and sold it for $400 less than I paid for it. The next two I got as 100K hand-me-downs from my boss. One I drove to 170K and sold for $2,400; it is still driving around. The other I traded in. The fourth overlapped with the third, and we have now given to my mother who drives the old ladies around with pride. The fifth I still have. None were replaced because they had to be. My total cost of ownership compared to many friends has been satisfactory to me. By the way, when I say, “Worked perfectly,” I am talking about it meeting my family’s needs. If you are talking strictly mechanically, nothing works perfectly or I would be out of work.
My Volvo was a great car. I am glad you enjoy yours. I do not like to hold a car past 170K due to the fact that I do a lot of driving in Winter and get a little nervous. Thanks for your comments.
To the naysayers who don’t understand large long wheelbase SUVs. THEY’RE FOR TOWING!
They’re not for commuting or shuttling kids around
just towing
Trucks are good for towing as well but a Suburban can carry 7 people and a little stuff or 5 people and a lot of stuff.
Works well as the sales numbers have played out. (No huge drop like with smaller SUVs)
bunter- the Sequoia needs a longer wheelbase, it’s short more like the Tahoe/Expedition/Armada
Michael Karesh: “Does anyone prefer Ginger? Maybe back at the time, but the look hasn’t aged well.”True dat. The last pic I saw of Tina Louise she was looking a bit ragged. Quite aloof, too – she’s the only one of the original cast that absolutely refused to do any of the reunion shows or appearances.
Dawn Wells, OTOH, even though she’s put on some weight, looks okay for her age. Plus, she’s 420 friendly. Just ask Bob Denver.
Both these kind of behemoths have been caught between a rock and a hard place, as minivans vans have gotten larger, and crew cab full size trucks have evolved into supercrew versions, with lots more 2nd row space than even Suburbans, even higher tow ratings, almost unlimited cargo space, and cabins as luxurious as any SUV’s.
For 2nd row three abreast seating like jpcavanaugh speaks of, the trucks are now even larger, while for 2 in captain’s chairs in the second row, the vans have nicer and more practical “magic” 3rd row seats, while having as much luggage space behind the 3rd row as Explorers and 4runners have behind their 2nd row.
The vans also rides much nicer on road, and fits better in parking lots and garages. While the trucks rides just as nice as the Suburbans, and handle off road driving and towing even better. Not to mention the appeal of even a truncated bed to the kind of “active” lifestyles that would normally steer one away from a van and towards a Suburban.
There are still a heck of a lot of Expeditions here in Michigan. It’s something I didn’t miss when I was living in Illinois.
What is the Expedition anyway? Is it a F150 with IRS or a totally separate chassis? I know the Excursion was a F250 underneath all that avoirdupois.
interesting comments indeed. Sounds like this segment struck a chord on both the childhood libedo and primary driver fronts. We get on the radio every saturday morning with very similar topics as this site. You can stream the radio show from either http://wolferadio11.wordpress.com or http://www.johnclaywolfe.com just click the listen live button. I asked Farago to phone in this Saturday, he’s always a noteworthy guest on the Real Deal
JCFW
An Expedition is based off of the F150 the same way a Suburban is based off of the Silverado, a Sequoia is based off of the Tundra and an Armada is based off of the Titan. They are all body on frame SUVs, with the basic full size truck frame underneath, with certain interior tweaks and in the case of some, rear suspension tweaks as well to make them more fit for passenger and cargo carrying duty.
Ginger was OK all dolled up in that wierd way, it was obviously a strange costume and she was not a bitch character, just dizzy if I remember, but Mary Ann was always prettier anyway to my taste. And to tell truth Maryanne’s outfit is more a stripper costume than farm clothes.
Is article saying Chevy is the Glam Doll and Ford the girl next door? I don’t get it, neither are attractive at all, although they can carry loads.
Mary Anne was MUCH better in the sack and off road. Mary Anne and Ellie May both have huge spots in my heart, as do Burbs. I was a blazer, burb, tahoe whore my entire life. That’s all I knew, but I finally got over it. My two biggest car crushes are Cummins powered dodges and BMW M series. M1 could be the coolest car of all time. mid 80’s M6 is the absolute shit, and the late 80 early 90 M3 is the coolest mustang and camaro even built.
Small block Chev wins- hands down. Bankrupt or no bankrupt. I’ve tapped enough triton blown out spark plugs to last me a life time. And those new extra long motorcraft spark plugs, with the extended shank that snap on replacement anywhere near interval! Shesh. Thank you Mr Obama. Long live pushrods & Euro OHC. Death to ford V8 OHC. (Chrysler 4.7L, suprisingly not bad) New Hemi in right direction. Ford stick to flat heads. Rear IRS on a SUV, why! Grand Cherokee, please stay away. Bring live axle back, front & rear. Oh & leaf springs on the wrangler… & one more thing would you lazies please start demanding/buying manual transmissions! For the love of God!
Ion : I’m with Autosavant though, I fail to see what two lithe attractive young women have to do with massive outdated trucks.
And there lies the rub, the two actresses who played the parts of Mary Ann and Ginger are no longer lithe attractive young women.
True, just like the Suburban and Expedition EL they are classics who have aged well. They have taken care of the themselves and they still look good (for their age). They’re certainly not dead yet.
Tina Louise (who played the part of Ginger) is now 75 years old. Dawn Wells (who played the part of Mary Ann) just turned 71.
They had their days on one of the most popular and highest rated of all TV sitcoms and they’ve been replaced by a host of newer, younger sitcom stars. Still, the syndicated reruns will be around for about as long as an old well-maintained Suburban or Expedition EL, and we can imagine what it was like back in the “good old days.”
I agree with Michael though, the Expedition has it all over the Suburban in just about every category except for engine power.
I’m a Ford man. Yet, I’m superficial enough to admit the Suburban is far better looking.
I wrote earlier, suggesting you replace the two elegant women with “.. some losers from “The Biggest Loser”. I never saw the gawd-awful reality BS, but if any of you had the misfortune to see it, please give us some material here!”
Somebody took me to task for being too hard on those people, but I could not find his post right now. I think the above is just fine. I never saw an entire show, but my students told me about it, and once I caught a couple minutes of it (the max I could bear) while channel surfing, and it was indeed really, realy lame. These people, women as well as men, were crying in front of the camera, probably at the encouragement of the dispicable show producers, as if they had just survived the most lethal cancer, when there was no tragedy to cry about, only that their obvious gluttony (if they had a med condition, diet would not help) brought them to their previous morbid, dangerous obesity, and with a little diet and exercise they were able to feel good about themselves again.
I think if the author spent at least 5 years regularly towing 5K plus behind one of these he’d come away with a different view point. Really that is what these things are meant for and the only way they should be used. That said, Ford completely missed the mark with an IFS rear end and a weak motor. Funny thing is I’ll bet the Chevy will still give you better fuel economy.
For my eyes the interior and especially exterior styling of the Chevy is just soo much better and smarter than the Ford that I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.
Hmmm
First:
Mary Ann is the nice hot little slice = a S2000, NSX, Prelude. Good looking after how-ever-many-years and doesn’t have any of the issues that more expensive women / vehicles have.
Now
Maybe I’m in the minority here..
Maybe Im in the majority.
I spend an hr every day in the morning going to work. I also spend 90min every day GOING HOME from work.. everyday crossing state lines.. every single damn day.
AND…
The majority of shit I see on the road is Burbans, Tahoes, Expeditions of all sizes shapes and shades of DARK BLUE.
They are empty
They are carting around 1 person.
And they sit in the left lane.
They arent towing anything
And have plenty of soccer and kid stickers in the back windows.
Towing with one of thise fuckin things..
Is like buying a plane for the peanuts.
Ya could do better with less. MUCH LESS!
Have you seen the two that played Mary Ann and Ginger lately? Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) has aged much better, although she has a police record. Ginger (Tina Louise) has become addicted to plastic surgery and begs for free meals at fancy restaurants, trading in on her fame as Ginger Grant.