> >>Not an answer to your question, but rather a question to you. Why do
> >>you (or anyone else for that matter) want a Sport Track. I can't for
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> around back there? The closed cargo area of a regular explorer is
> infinitely better for that purpose.
> Bzzzzt! Wrong...
>
> Bullshit! Spoken like a true "soccer mom", it is obvious you have never had
> the need of a real truck or had a real dog for that matter. Sounds like
> your perfect vehicle would be a minivan.
Ouch. Nice language and an excellent example of gratuitous name
calling. I hope it made you feel better.
Do I have the need for a "real truck"? No, not presently or I would
probably buy one and ditch my current Explorer XLT. It sure would not
be an explorer sport track, so what's your point? When we lived in the
woods in Maine we had the need then to plow the 1/4 mile driveway and we
had a nice old International 3/4 ton 4x4 for the job.
I do currently have a dog, a 3 year old Lab. We have always had dogs.
We had 3 dogs at one time, but last year 2 died (of old age). We
transport them in the back of the XLT with a barrier or in crates.
For the record, I'm a 47 y/o male, and our kids are grown and long past
soccer playing age so I guess I'm not a "soccer mom".
We have (and will likely) never own a "mini-van" because they are of
limited use in my opinion. The only thing that they excel at is people
carrying and I very rarely have a need to carry more than 5 people.
> No I'm Not kidding about the Sport Track being an *economical* commuter
> vehicle! Beats the hell out of my current 6800 pound 460 powered single
> person commuting vehicle!!!
Yeah, right. Because a lot of people commute in F-450s right?
I don't get it? You already own the "real" truck, why would *you* of
all people have a need for a sport track as a commuter vehicle? Ever
hear of something called a car?
> Yes I would put my dogs in the open bed of my truck, attached, as is
> required by state law. I do so quite often.
Obviously I was referring to those that do not attach them, as is often
the case. Not all states have the same laws you know, and even in
states that do, it is not a priority for the police to enforce it.
I have no problem with putting dogs in the open back if they are
restrained or in crates.
> Every time they swim in the ocean and get soaked and covered with sand, or
> in a river and get soaked and covered with sand or mud. Obviously you
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> would be trying to figure out how to get the wet sand and mud out of your
> defroster vents on your dash and everywhere else in the vehicle.
So you couldn't do that in your "real" truck?
Ironic. You denigrate my Explorer as a "cute little explorer" but you
want to buy an Explorer Sport Track? I'm not following your logic here.
Does it somehow become more masculine and acceptable when the rear
cargo area is uncovered?
> You may not believe this, but before all of this "legislation to protect
> idiots from themselves", when I was growing up there were no seatbelt or
> helmet laws, and people and kids most often rode unbelted, and often rode in
> the back of open pickup trucks, and lived complete, long, intact lives as
> well.
I am not a proponent of laws trying to protect people from themselves.
Far from it. I'm actually a closet libertarian. In fact, I generally
do not even favor the current crop of seatbelt laws because they are an
infringement on personal liberties... except when it comes to young
kids (and perhaps dogs?) who cannot makes these decisions for
themselves. Other than that, I believe the "Darwin factor" takes
precedence.
> Get off your high horse about you perception of how I transport my
> dogs, you discount the use of an outdoor area on a vehicle with a silly
> argument, just because you don't care for a style of vehicle. That little
> outside space offered by the Sport Track just might be more then enough
> outside bed space for a lot of folks...
You apparently misunderstood my post. My thinking actually is that *if*
you really need the outdoor space (as you seem to), then a 4 foot bed
would *not* be enough. Essentially the same vehicle (with a bigger bed)
is already available as a quad cab Ranger. That was the crux of my
question about the Sport Track.
> Damn, If you don't really want to hear others opinions, why are you asking
> for them?
I did (do) want to hear other people's opinions, but not egotistical
diatribes about how manly they are and about how their dog is bigger and
gets dirtier then my dog.
Personally, I do not waste my money burning gas in my V8 Explorer to
transport myself back and forth to work. There are cars in my driveway
that do that far more economically, safer and more enjoyably.
I'm sorry that you can't discuss these things without becoming so
emotional about it. I guess it was the thing about transporting the
dogs in the open back that set you of. It was probably my fault for not
being clear enough. I should have said "*loose* in the open back".
-Fred W