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Automotive News & Views What about the future of Ford Inc?? 
1858 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2006 at 6:25 AM
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Replying to: carguy58 (Oct 22, 2005 7:18 pm) Exactly. |
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When I bought my black 2000 Focus ZTS, I really wanted to believe in the quality of American cars. For a while I really had faith too, because the design of the Focus was outstanding both in terms of looks and performance. But 9 recalls and and equal number of other non-recall defects later I lost faith in the idea that the car might be reliable (it wasn't) and even began to wonder whether it was safe. That experience led me to say never again would I buy a new Ford (who knows if I'll live up to that, but that's what I said). Hundreds of thousands of people every year seem to have made the same choice I did, and Ford's share of the US market in the last 6 years has plunged from something like 24% down to 18%, with no end yet clearly in sight. In the meantime, they have come out with two cars I like, the 500 and the Fusion, but quality is still clearly as issue, as the following article reveals: http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0510/23/A01-358226.htm In spite of all their brave talk about quality, it is still a challenge to match Toyota or Honda as Ford outsources more of their parts, cuts costs, and shifts production to places like Mexico. I guess I'm still a little bitter about my Focus, but I think it's more American to buy an Accord built in Ohio than a Fusion built in Mexico. Sure the Accord costs more than the Fusion, but the quality and the feeling that you're supporting American workers is--to me--worth it. I hope Ford can pull up, but I don't hope it so much that I'd buy one of their cars again. Not yet, anyway.
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Replying to: benjaminh (Oct 23, 2005 9:48 am) From your article - "The biggest issues we've had for 2004 were the diesel engines," said Jerry Reynolds, whose Prestige Ford in Garland, Texas, is one of the nation's highest volume Ford dealers. "We were spending a lot of money trying to fix them." The Power Stroke diesel engine is made for Ford by Navistar. So was the 7.3L Power Stroke, which was a great engine. The 6.0L puts out more power, with less weight, size and fuel consumption - but it had a problem with the engine control system that really cost Ford a fortune. Ford is actively pursuing another diesel partner to make their Diesels in the future. Relations with Navistar have deteriorated significantly for Ford. I think you're painting the whole company unjustly - however, I don't blame you for being uncomfortable in chancing another Ford. But all their products aren't bad, all their launches aren't flawed - (the F-150 in 2004, the Mustang in 2005 for example) and every company has issues from time to time.
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Replying to: chuck1959 (Oct 21, 2005 6:55 am) I chalk it up to the median age of the average domestic buyer....they're just not at the point in their lives anymore where 2 doors make sense, other than for a fun weekend car. |
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Replying to: nvbanker (Oct 23, 2005 1:21 pm) But here's an interesting point to make. My younger brother used to be a salesman at Prestige in Garland a few years ago. And at the time they were the highest volume truck dealer in the country. I asked my brother once, "If you could sell only one vehicle, what would it be?" Without batting an eye he said "F-250." He said they had a waiting list of people who wanted them, and there was no such thing as keeping them in stock. The truck was literally selling itself and most people wanted the diesel engine. Whatever issues the truck may have, it was/is meeting the needs of consumers who need a "work" truck. I have a friend in Alabama who frames houses for a living. He waited more than 3 months to get his F-350 Crew Cab with an 8-foot box. The fact is these trucks will always have a market because some people gotta have a real truck. |
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saw the results over the weekend of one of those surveys done by Strategic Vision, and the least trusted brands in America right now are Chrysler and Hyundai! Top three were Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Honestly, I would expect to see either Ford or GM occupying one of these two low spots, not Chrysler. Things like the hiccups Ford has had in launching Fusion production in Mexico make me nervous in terms of how I view the brand. Ford has been scrambling to find a new supplier for something where the original supplier dropped the ball, and it caused initial production delays for Fusion. Now it is back on track, but I hate to think what they are using to patch up this supplier problem, or what resulted from this "scrambling". I don't want a car built from parts the manufacturer "scrambled" to find.  Focus is not the only model that launched with lots of problems, Escape did too. Balanced against that, it appears that the Five Hundred launched very smoothly. As did the revised Mustang and F-150. Are they getting it together?
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Replying to: nippononly (Oct 24, 2005 8:13 am) I agree with the Chrysler statement.. that suhrprises me.. although as a Ford fan I would rather see Gm there (I am actually surprised Hyundai is stil lthere with the years of excellent products they have been making... About the fusion start.. it is very unfortunate for Ford.I mean look attheir last starts: Mustang, F150, 500/Freestyle.. they were so smooth honda would be prowd to call them their own. And I think that is the big push in ford for starts like that one.. and should Fusion be hurt because one of the supliers went belly up is unfortunates especially because ford had nothing to do with this, and was a victim of someone elses problem... I hope whateverthey scrambled will not make Fusion go the Focus way. Igor |
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Ford certainly isn't done taking their lumps yet, but I agree that they're in a better position than GM and overall don't look too bad assuming they can get their costs under control. If you think about the types of vehicles all the people jumping out of large SUV's these days are going to buy, Ford is well positioned. I'll bet a majority of those people aren't going to go from a big SUV to a Prius; they're going to want something with the practicality of an SUV without the mileage overhead. The 500, Freestyle, Escape (hybrid) and Fusion are all good choices depending on what their needs are. All of those can carry a family around (depending on the size) and the 500, Escape and Freestyle have the AWD option, so they cover most of the bases that large SUV's cover. If you are a GM guy and want out of your SUV, you have some choices, but they are generally inferior to the Ford offerings, with no true crossover option like the Freestyle. I think we'll see Ford's fortunes start to pick up once Fusion sales are in full swing. I think there's pent up demand from people like me who would like to own an American make but aren't willing to buy something that's second rate just to wave the flag around. Ford seems to have their act together with their new products and I think they're going to earn back some of their lost market share over the next few years. |
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Chrysler is where it is on the list because they earned thier bad reputation. Sure they have some good looking vehicles and even if they are better in quality now than they used to be, they still have a long way to go.  They other side to it is anyone who has had to deal with thier service deptartments will be turned off to the brand. My bad experience was in the early 90's and the service was so bad (3 different dealers), I just will not consider them. Its kind of like the issue with the Durango's front end componants failing. Chrysler's stance was that it was not a major concern. Well nothing is a major concern to them! I want to like their cars but for now I will buy elsewhere. |
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Replying to: igor2 (Oct 24, 2005 10:30 am) Not saying I disagree NECESSARILY, but if Ford forces their suppliers into the impossible position of cutting every corner to meet the spec while reducing their prices, isn't something inevitably going to give? I understand that while Toyota uses a lot of outside suppliers like everyone else, it makes more of its parts in-house than most manufacturers, which to me seems really smart for stuff that is not universal (obviously for stuff like tires, batteries, etc yu look to outside suppliers). It reduces the type of problems you have with the parts, you can control costs better if you make it yourself, and the number of hiccups like the Fusion thing get reduced. Certainly when it comes to stuff like ENGINES, I fail to see why the manufacturer isn't making them themselves, especially if they are having a lot of problems with the outsourced ones, like Ford apparently is with the big diesels. I am sure someone will explain this to me... 
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