CarAndDriver

Ford needs to invest in building good passenger cars and crossovers while maintaining pickup truck strength.

rodrigo67

Ford is living on past glories.

What are they producing that makes people want thier cars. Even their mustang which sells fairly well, can be rented at any hertz or enterprise counter. There is no excitement about owning a ford.

The fusion is a decent car but at it's price you can get an accord or camry. The 500 is ok, but again, for the price you can get a better car, or if you don't mind a korean car, a better car AND a cheaper price. We won't even get into the ford 3/36K warranty, which almost everyone else is better.

Ford makes some decent cars that don't do anything special, that don't stick out in any catagory, and for that most people would rather have a honda or toyota, or even a hyundai which at least stands by thier product with a 10 years warranty.

Ford doesn't need a car that does everything, they just need a car that does one thing...good.

therm8

Well their warranty is now 60k miles on the powertrain. And non-powertrain warranties are inline with all other makes. The Japanese makes now have the worst warranties in the business. But Toyota and Honda have the inflated sense of reliability to offset that.

zoom44

all this means to me is - time to buy ford stock.

intreresting read from John Neff on Autoblog the otehr day-

What if Ford had made all the right moves

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/13/w...e-right-moves/

its pretty insightful and i think dead on what Ford should be working towards

Aseras

they should check the couch.. i find most of my lost money ends up there.. sometimes i even find a fry or a cheeto that i missed.

Keef

I hope Ford falls...

I hope the company fails...

And I wish only those that have a brain (pointing towards foreign car makers) reap the benefit of their intelligence...

It's obvious that I've never been a Ford fan, but the only thing I see them producing that's even worth talking about are the F-150's, everything else can be made better, cheaper, and more reliant with foreigners...

shaunv74

There were sharp gains for auto makers General Motors (GM), which rose 3.5%. and Ford Motor Inc. (F), up 3.3% at $8.16. Presidential advisor Karl Rove said President Bush will meet with Detroit auto makers next month. Detroit executives have said they simply have asked for an audience with Bush to discuss problems and not lobby for a bailout, but the government may find ways to help the companies cut costs. - Marketwatch - October 24, 2006 1:54 PM ET


^^ You know you're in deep doo doo when you turn to the government for cost cutting ideas...

mac11

iTrader: (1)

and bush of all people....

Japan8

Nice find zoom44! This is almost exactly what I have been saying that Ford should be doing... although I disagree about Lincoln.

For all of the issues why I'd never buy a Chrysler... I have to say that at least they have the ***** and insight to try to strike out and build an American car... not just attempt (and fail) to copy the Japanese. Wake up Ford!

saturn

I agree somewhat. I think everyone now knows that the 300 is a huge success, but I'm not sure I can blame Ford for not guessing that it would be. Also, I don't understand the whole diesel argument. Half the gas stations around here don't even offer diesel and most diesel cars developed today don't pass emissions here in the US. Besides, diesel just has a bad reputation what with all the stinky trucks.

CarAndDriver

Coulda woulda shoulda.

I think GM products are generally pretty awful, but compared to Ford, they are making some positive movies.

Clavius

I think Bush will suggest to Detroit exec's to goto war with the Japanese and German automakers. Everyone knows a Wartime economy is the strongers

DrDiaboloco

So you WANT the hundreds of thousands of people that depend upon the Ford Motor Company to be idled? You WANT to shutter more of our domestic manufacturing base? You WANT the foreign-owned companies to reap the benefits?

WTF?

You don't have to be a "fan" of Ford, but Jesus, why are you wishing for such a fiasco? It seems that you'd wish that Ford would do BETTER, not go out of business.

DrDiaboloco

I'm with ya on the GM thing, but Ford would still get my money in most cases if I had to choose between the two brands. GM seems to be finally coming around, and hopefully Ford will follow.

I wonder if Keef is praying for GM to fail, too. What a wonderful world it would be if we lost BOTH the remaining American car companies, right?

HeavyMetal699

If it wasn't for foreign pressures I think the american car industry would stagnate forever. My parents always bought ford cars, and I have had bad experiences. I used to own a 1990 mustang, I swear I will never own another mustang again. But I owned a silverado for 3 years and put almost 200,000 miles on it and never had a problem.

I think brand image is the problem. People who grew up around American cars in the 70's, 80's, and 90's have had countless bad experiences with them.

I think in the present though, all the major car brands are getting comparable in regards to reliability. For the naysayers you don't have to look far for this information. Go to ANY of the forums and people complain about this or that, including here.

As far as ford making cars people want to buy, I think ford tries to make cars that appeal to everyone and in the end don't appeal to anyone. At least not enough. The only exception is the mustang.

I would like to see the automotive industry balance itself out in the far future. I don't want to see american, japanese, korean, or european car companies to fail.

DrDiaboloco

I was a "Ford Guy" for most of my adult life... And I guess I still am to a certain extent. The problem with Ford cars is exactly what you said, they tried to be all things to all people and didn't succeed in making cars that are truly desirable.

Seemingly everyone touts the Mustang as the only car that Ford makes that is high on most people's list. To me, though, the Mustang is one of the last cars in the current lineup that I'd buy, because there are just too damned many of them around (there's a reason why I didn't even look at the Mustang before I bought the '8). Having come out of a Mazda6, I find a lot to like in the Fusion, but there is one major impediment to buying even THAT car... No manual. Ford lost me as a potential buyer in the midsize segment when they discontinued the 5spd SHO model, so basically they haven't offered something I'd buy in the segment over a decade. I had three completely trouble-free years in an '01 Focus, but they lost me in THAT segment, too, when they declined to bring over the 2nd-gen model. I don't want a truck, of ANY kind (crossover, SUV, pickup), so I don't want any of THOSE products. Aspire? 500? Too small and too large, respectively. Crown Vic? Please.

So... Ford doesn't presently sell anything that even this Ford fan WANTS, though the Fusion would do in a pinch. I don't count the GT, of course (and even THAT is already out of production). What a bummer... I have to go to a Ford subsidiary to find cars that really capture my interest (3, 6 and 8).

Renesis_8

Man.. thats pretty sad.
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sosonic

FORD = Honky Tonk Motor Company = Too TRUE.

Ford executives don't get it, bring in somebody to design and make "cool" cars that turn people's head and people want to be seen driving in. They need to get off the Honky Tonk bus, cause its about to go over a cliff and blow up (while Bobby Joe is playing the banjo and yelling "Hee Haw").

Clavius

Hehe.. I should bring this topic up with one of my friends fiance's. He's a Ford Certified Tech and he loves Ford period he just refuse's to buy anything else. Be interesting to get his side of the story. Well one day we can hope someone on their board wakes up and realize's everything we've mentioned.

Renesis_8

Haha... maybe he feels this way too, unless those vehicles really suit his needs. Gotta be logical at least! when you make a purchase.
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DrDiaboloco

Well, I went from a Ford ('88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe), to a "Ford" ('86 Sable), to a VW, to a Ford ('92 SHO), to a Ford ('01 Focus)... And then a Ford-ish Mazda (6), then a not-at-all-Ford-ish Mazda (8)... At this rate, guess what the next step will be?

I don't WANT it to be that way, but c'mon, Ford, make something compelling and I'll buy the bloody thing. Trust me.

Clavius

Well only one's he owned are Ford Trucks and he's thinking/deisreing a Shelby Mustang.

CarAndDriver

Well GM finally has some decent leadership that realizes their products have to improve.

Maybe Ford's new leadership will help revitalize the company. Now that they have a competitive V6 that should help. Now let's get going on redesigning these pedestrian and cheap interiors and bring out some performance cars to help with the halo effect.

The Ford Mustang GT/Shelby and Ford GT can't be the only sporty things in the stable.

Bring back the sporty Focus models in hatch and sedan, how about a Fusion GT, SVT or SHO? Create a V6 or turbo sports coupe like the lamented and missed Ford Probe?

Japan8

+1

How about a SVT Fusion... 3.5L S/C V6 300hp... AWD... sporty seats... sporty steering wheel (that four spoke thing is soooo out of date). Give it a lip spoiler on the trunk, big dual exhaust tips with a throaty note, and maybe do the grills up like the Caddie CTS-V. Price it around the MS6... starts under $30k. If the performance and handling is there... Ford would sell a bunch of these.

Renesis_8

They gotta really use that new V6 if they want to have a bite of the market share. I have great expectations of this engine. rumour has it that a turbo 3.5L with Direct Injection will make its way into the next mazdaspeed 6. Maybe Ford is again using Mazda to experiment with the engine just like the 2.3L DISI with the direct injection technology. So thats why they're putting this aggressive FI engine into a Mazda so soon. And yes, the Fusion does have some potential.
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