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Comments
Target marketing is effective. Ford is certainly doing nothing wrong by going after a market that traditionally has higher than average education and disposable income, and is often a consumer of trendy products. I am sure Ford has weighed the damage AFA can do vs the damage caused if they submit to the blackmail. And hey, a gay guy I know at work has a new XC90, so there's something to it.
Hey did you not see the movie "Brokeback Mountain". You know its about Gay Cowboys who drive Ford Trucks. So there you go, there is a market for Ford trucks in the Gay community. Besides, what do you think sounds more masculine, Ford POWER STROKE or Dodge RAM? I think POWER STROKE just sounds more gay :P
No drunk, gambler, serial killer, glutton, or potato couch marches in a parade crying “Free to be me!”
So why give a pass to the non celebate homosexual?
Ford is to rethink their support of such groups.
I remember when the Grand Marquis LS was a very nice luxury car, and people use to say, "Why get a Town Car, the Grand Marquis is just as nice". They wouldn't say that anymore. If they do, then the Town Car would be equally pathetic.
I don't know how much money they're saving by doing this, but it would stop me from buying a Ford, if the cabin isn't quality feeling.
Let's get back to the future of Ford please.
File Chapter 11, dump the UAW contract, rehire only those who want to work and run it like the Japanese companies do in the South, and put the savings into nicer interiors...
A friend bought a new Camry, XLS I believe, and sitting in it the interior seemed much better...you'd think we could match that...
But what do I know, I am only a consumer...
Ford has no reason but to taunt the AFA. Let them bring it on. Let's see how bad a psycho fundie fringe group can make America look.
And on the Ford note, my sister just rolled over 40K in her 04 ZX5. She has had nary a problem, the car hasn't been back to the dealer for anything but servicing. It's a shame the early models were so awful...the current ones seem to be amazingly solid. Of course, Ford doesn't seem to be touting the car anymore either.
Please lets get back to talking about cars.
AFA succeeds when people talk about them.
Mark.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Good point. I should have seen it that way. I'm guilty of falling for the hype.
Funny thing, a few years before the Focus she had a Contour that disintegrated before her eyes. I think every electrical part failed, as well as the transmission. Nice.
Yep, same thing in that was in my wife's '02 Explorer XLT. That stuff was cheap, and needed to be replaced (even after using the leather care products) in only 2 1/2 years. And the rear two seats didn't even get used that much.
Someone should tell Ford- " YOU CAN TELL YOUR COST CUTTING!!!"
YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAND IT OVER TO THE ASIAN AUTO MAKERS!!!
Yesterday an older couple drove up in a new, metallic grey Lincoln Zephyr (soon to be MKZ) at the local ice cream store. Sorry, but that car doesn't exactly shout "entry level luxury." The Fusion roots show through all to clearly, except that the Fusion is much more attractive (I love the Fusion front).
If the Zephyr is an indication of what we can expect from Lincoln, I look for the marque to be gone by 2012.
My wife has a 2005 Focus SE four-door. So far it has been a great car (24,000 trouble-free miles), but if we had to replace it tomorrow, it wouldn't be with another Focus (we'd probably go with the Civic) unless Ford either seriously updates the car, or brings over the C1 Focus.
What exactly is happening in Dearborn...?
I tell ya, we're DONE FOR in the auto business in this country. It's over.
But then again, city traffic is horrendous in this area, and a Ford Focus doesn't get nearly the mileage of a base Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, or Scion. Or the smooth engine performance of those cars.
Yes please. Then we'd all get a better car!
I've been entering Mustang shows for over a decade & have yet to encounter that problem. What are the college professors teaching students about these days anyway? I have no idea of what "they" drive, but past articles suggest Jaguar S Class and a Bimmer perhaps. Maybe Fintail knows what is being driven these days on Capital Hill, Seattle.
With that in mind...
Is "flex fuel" going to be a significant factor in Ford's future?
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=18785
GM, Ford Introduce New Ethanol-Powered Vehicles
General Motors and Ford Motor Company have begun selling new "flex-fuel" ethanol vehicles that run on 85 percent ethyl alcohol. The new generation of vehicles has led to renewed interest in, and renewed debate over, the asserted benefits of ethanol-blend gasoline.
does a lot better than Ford, is toot their horn, even when they're lying. At least they do something. Ford, pulls advertising dollars first.
Mark.
And E85 still will not take off, because it is too hard to find to fill up. But GM will "toot this horn" because it is late to the hybrid game, not because it sincerely believes the future of green car power lies with ethanol.
Honda is ready (judging by its latest report) to put a fuel cell car in production in 2010, the next-gen to the car they currently have running around L.A. with that family from Redondo Beach. GM has to stall because it is not ready to put fuel cells out there that quickly, so bingo! Huge E85 advertising campaign.
I think Ford shoud put out ads setting the record straight - they have been doing flex-fuel longer than anyone.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I had three Contours with the 24V Duratec. Those motors could "rev" all day long. I heard the motor was co-developed with Porsche. I don't know if that is true or not. The Ford European Mondeo on which the Contours were based, were a top-seller in Europe for many years running!
Ford is given no credit for its success in the 90s. Ford saw the emerging trend in SUVs and trucks as lifestyle vehicles.
The Explorer and the 96 F-150 changed the world.
Look at it this way, why compete with the Japanese in the passenger car business where margins are thin when we can focus on large segments of the market where the Japanese are not even present?
That was the 90s.
Unfortunately, Ford failed to realize that you can't be a one or two product company. Ford doesn't need to build the BEST, the just need to be competitive and distinctive. The Fusion may not be the best mid-sized sedan on the market but for the peeps who already own an F-150 here is a reason NOT to leave Ford too look for that family car.
For me, Ford needs to continue to accelerate their product to market and they need to have the balls to tweak things once the product is out there to keep it competitive.
Ford realized they missed the boat a little with the too conservative Ford Five Hundred. Ford already shook things up by changing the side profile on these cars to make them look much more upscale and at very little cost.
As for the weight all cars are gaining, its largely a function of safety structure requirements.
Mark.
2006 Ford Fusion SEL V6 3,280.0
2006 Honda Accord EX V6 3,437.0
2006 Hyundai Sonata LX V6 3,458.0
2007 Toyota Camry XLE V6 3,495.0
Spouting off generalizations does not make them true.
If Hyundai can come from throw away car to safe and dependable in 15 years. I think there is much hope for Ford Yet.
Mark.
Rocky
I think we're (Ford, GM) done for frankly - there is no way to survive in our current configuration.
Rocky
Well I hate to agree with you, but I will. The new Hyundai Sonata, while perhaps not quite up to th Camry and Accord, is close enough when you take into considerations it's price point.
In addition, I believe the new '07 Camry and the new full size Tundra, will be right on the mark. The only thing that will save the Ford F150, is the limited production capabilities of Toyota's in the state of the art truck manufacturing plant in Texas.
It's not getting any better for the Domestics, that is for sure!!
The book CAR tells the story of how the 96 Taurus was developed from soup to nuts. It's a fascinating tale, well documented from the inside, of how the goal was to best the Camry - but it became more and more evident as they went along, they simply could not afford at American prices, to build the car to the Camry standards of excellence at the same price point. So, we got the Oval as it was, not as good as the Camry, and never held up as long either.
That's why I'm pessimistic. I believe Ford could make as good a car as Toyota - the yankee ingenuity still lives. It's economics that stops it. Ergo, Bill builds the Fusion in Mexico now, along with the Focus. Is it as good as the Camry? Frankly, I doubt it.
You know, I bleed Ford Blue. But, when I go from car to car at the Auction, and I start up an 05 Hyundai Accent or Elantra, then I start up a Focus - or a Cobalt, the feel, sound and confidence is so different feeling. Let alone a Toyota get into the contest. You pay much much more for the Yota there as you will for the other three. But the Hyundai is at least as good as the Focus, has a better warranty, and frankly, is still cheaper. It's the value. So why buy and try to sell the Focus??? It's not even that cute.
Having said that, I really want us to make a world class car, and somewhere, deep down, I want to believe we can... if Hyundai can build a new assembly plant for 1-2 billion, why can't we???...why do we have to use worn out tooling that is 20 years old, and then make excuses when the product does not have closer specs for tolerance???...do GM and Ford think that if they tell a lie big enough and long enough that we will just believe it???
Why can't we make a midsize car that runs and lasts like an Avalon???...why can't we make a competitor to the BMW 3 and 5 series for less than they do???...while I do believe in capitalism and profits, why do we have to dqueeze every last penny out of old designs instead of making superior profits with improved designs???...why do we have to be also-rans in the auto markets???
I say this as one who owns a Ram and Crown Vic, so I have put my money where my mouth is...they are good vehicles, but something about foreign quality, fit and finish, just impresses me...altho you could argue that the Dodge may have German influence in it...
Just my random thoughts...on a random Saturday...and, no, this is no April Fool...
To tell truth American companies try to be bottom feeders. German chose another way – to go upscale and it works better. They also you know have to compete with Asians.
In the old days, Ford could get a car out way faster than GM did, and GM used to wonder how the heck they did it. Mustang is a good example. But, there was less in the Fords generally. They were simpler. Used old tried and true engines, transmissions, and other components. Platform sharing was a way of life at Ford. GM even back in the 80's had about 300 different AC oil filters in their line. Ford had 2. The FL-1A, and the smaller one, can't remember the number. GMC trucks, and Chevy Trucks had different bolt patterns on the identical trucks! Then there was the 4 different 350 engines, with the same plans, but Buick put more metal in the blocks than Chevy did, etc. Ford never claimed much in the way of specialty engines, most of them were corporate engines.
Ford was accidentally ahead of their time with these innovations, but didn't know how to leverage it. GM has had to come down by necessity to the level Ford always lived at.
How fast they get the new car out doesn't matter as much today, as how good the car is, and what they can sell it for.
The Focus line is now 100% in Michigan at the Wayne assembly plant.
As for the new Tundra. I don't think those plastic bumpers are going to cut it.
Real truck buyers are going to look at the Toyota the same way the looked at the Titan and not be impressed. Titan hasn't come close to its sales goals.
The F-150 is so good because Ford did not have to worry so much about cost at the price level the F-150 sells at.
I just had a bad experience in a brand spanking new Mustang. One sun visor was mounted wrong and it practically came off in my hand. That kind of cost cutting really isn't present in the F-150. The visors are attached with clips! Very cheap design.
Now that the Hurricane is back on track for production, I am feeling better than ever about F-150 prospects for the Future. The all new Super Duty will be out by 08. Expect the bar to be substantially raised again.
Mark.
It's interesting to note that Toyota has not released horsepower numbers for the new Tundra. I have a feeling they are going to "one up" the competition in this regards.
While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, your "singing the same song" that was sung when the Taurus was king!"
TIME WILL TELL!!
And do you suppose that the new Tundra will do as badly as the Titan in first-year reliability? I give it small odds. If they weren't already on their toes at Toyota (which they were), the Nissan experience will have really put them on alert. They face exactly the same potential pitfalls as Nissan did - building a brand new model in a brand new factory in an area where it was very difficult finding a workforce with the minimum qualifications.
I think they will bring to bear every QC procedure in the book, maybe even add a few, and every QC inspector within a 10,000 mile radius.
And in ten years? I think you will see Ford and GM losing 10-20% of their large pick-up sales annually to Nissan and Toyota. And what will they do? Probably continue to squabble with each other, with new and better pricing wars, cutting further into the profits they are already losing because of reduced sales.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Mark.