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Losing Market Share, Ford Overhauls
The Christian Science Monitor ^ | September 9, 2006 | Mark Trumbull

Posted on 09/09/2006 1:55:01 PM PDT by Zakeet

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To: Zakeet
I think Ford's real problem is that the typical American buyer who got turned off to Ford for quality reasons is simply not in a position to experiment with another Ford to see if it really improved. Cars cost far too much today to buy anything other than a a vehicle reputed to be reliable. Ford has blown that image with their standard vehicles. Trucks may be a different matter but that's not what the mainstream buyer is looking for right now.

Ford needs to seriously rehab it's image for quality among former buyers and also expand into new markets immediately. I can say safely I'm pretty comfortable with Lexus in buying a vehicle I plan to keep many, many years. I probably won't buy a Ford again in my lifetime.

Again, new markets and rehab old image. I think they'll have to expand into those new markets fairly fast or die trying.

21 posted on 09/09/2006 3:23:22 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: KYGrandma
Thanks guys, for helping put us middle class workers out of business.

Try selling to Toyota, Nissan, or Honda instead of Ford or GM.

22 posted on 09/09/2006 3:27:46 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: anoldafvet
Their latest Ford Freestyle commercial with the divorced dad is what turns me off.

The first time my wife and I saw that ad we couldn't believe what we just saw.

Seemed to me like some kind of feminist empowerment play. Notice how the dad gets the honor of thanking his ex for the time with his own children.

I don't have a clue as to whom would buy a car from the company that chooses to advertise in such an offensive way.

23 posted on 09/09/2006 3:28:08 PM PDT by Last Dakotan
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To: expatpat

"Honda and Toyota are light-years ahead of the US manufacturers in terms of reliability."
*****

I have a '96 Buick Regal with 120,000 miles on it, and nothing ever goes wrong-just routine maintenance. It's now been discontinued. I guess it was too reliable...

I'm looking at the '07 Buicks. 100,000 mile/5 yr warranty
http://www.buick.com/


24 posted on 09/09/2006 3:31:15 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: Zakeet
The solution isn't really that difficult: build cars that consumers want. While I own both a Toyota & Honda, I'd be the first to admit that not everyone puts reliabilty/engineering at the top of their list.

GM/Ford made a fortune over the last decade selling 'tard cars; poorly made, fashionable cars that appeal to many people's innate sense of self. Whether it's a jacked-up truck, oversized SUV, spinning hubs, etc, many people's sense of identity/self-worth is tied up in what they drive.

GM/Ford just need to find that groove for the next decade. There's an awful lot of people who wouldn't get caught dead driving something as practical as a Toyota or Honda.

25 posted on 09/09/2006 3:33:54 PM PDT by Chuck Dent
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To: Youngman442002

Ford should have been part of the consortium that built the next-generation hybrid drive system (this is the one formed by GM, BMW and DaimlerChrysler). As such, we'll be seeing highly-advanced hybrid drive vehicles from GM, BMW, Chrysler/Dodge and Mercedes-Benz by 2009 first.


26 posted on 09/09/2006 3:36:25 PM PDT by RayChuang88
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To: expatpat

I have a 4-year old F-250 SD that is not exactly a gay car. It roars like a lion and doesn't need much. I put big BF Goodrich's on it. It just works for me. Most women are short and need to be helped by picking them up by the ass and transferring them to the seat. Even though there is a bail-out handle just above them. 100 MPH in overdrive across the desert without a sound.


27 posted on 09/09/2006 3:36:54 PM PDT by BobS
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To: Richard Kimball
Read an interesting article on MSN about how "green" CEOs almost invariably have a rotten track record.

I read it too on the FOX News website under the Junk Science tab. Turns out Bill Ford and the BP chairman weres a big supporters of left-wing envirowackoism. What's funny is that the envirowackos still denounced Ford and BP.

28 posted on 09/09/2006 3:43:30 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

The Buick Lucerne is a decent-looking car - one of the better-looking maodels GM has come out with lately. But the engines are rather weak for a car of that size, especially the V6. I'm sticking with Lexus for now, but all the US makers seem to be improving at long last.


29 posted on 09/09/2006 3:43:50 PM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: Chuck Dent

The worst part of owning a Toyota is having to deal with Toyota dealers.


30 posted on 09/09/2006 3:43:59 PM PDT by BW2221
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To: egfowler3

Y'know, I actively oppose the Homosexual agenda, but if Ford goes down it will be a MAJOR disaster for the US economy. The Auto industry is a critical part of our industrial base and essential for national security. God help us if we lose both GM and Ford. Thousands of real Americans, who work for both Ford and its suppliers, will be affected. Almost all of them have absolutely nothing to do with those decisions. Those consequence bother me much more than a few hundred $k given to homosexual groups. Your boycott will end up hurting the wrong people!


31 posted on 09/09/2006 4:57:59 PM PDT by rbg81 (1)
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To: Zakeet

If he is going to give Bubba Klintoon a free "Presidential" car, he is most likely liberal in his politics. There goes any possibility of dropping his company's support of homosexuals. Ford will continue to circle the bowl, perhaps eventually getting flushed.


32 posted on 09/09/2006 6:18:10 PM PDT by stm (Katherine Harris for US Senate!)
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To: ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton
With all due respect for Freeper Ford fans, I'd never buy a Ford because of the Ford Foundation which supports every leftist cause you can think of and some you've never even heard of....

With all due respect...The Ford Foundation is NOT controlled by the Ford company nor the Ford family. No members of the Ford family are associated with the Ford Foundation.

It is unfortunate that the Ford family set up the Ford Foundation to be independent, but that mistake was made a long time ago and there is nothing the current Ford family or company can do about it now.
33 posted on 09/09/2006 7:44:05 PM PDT by goldfinch
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To: Felis_irritable

The first, only, (and last) Ford I bought was a disaster.

By 65,000 miles I had replaced 1 short block and two transmissions.

Ford turns out junk and I will never buy one of their products again.

I will NOT pay my hard earned money for something that is worthless before it is paid for.

Both of my Toyotas are superbly engineered vehicles.

People can make up any excuses they want for why American auto makers are losing market share, but the bottom line is just plain lousy products.


34 posted on 09/09/2006 7:51:05 PM PDT by EEDUDE
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To: rbg81

" The Auto industry is a critical part of our industrial base and essential for national security."

So is electronics, but I don't hear anyone whining about the loss of that.

Basically, globalism is taking from us the very things that made it possible to win WW2.

But it doesn't matter, profits are UP!


35 posted on 09/09/2006 7:59:56 PM PDT by EEDUDE
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

"It's now been discontinued. I guess it was too reliable..."

LOL! I have no doubt you are correct!


36 posted on 09/09/2006 8:01:22 PM PDT by EEDUDE
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To: anoldafvet

They dont say that is a divorced dad.


37 posted on 09/09/2006 8:02:33 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: KYGrandma

Nobody is going to by a car out of guilt.


38 posted on 09/09/2006 8:08:07 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: Chuck Dent

If it wasn't for cheap gas and the SUV craze, Ford would have been a memory now...


39 posted on 09/09/2006 8:11:52 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: Chuck Dent

If it wasn't for cheap gas and the SUV craze, Ford would have been a memory by now...


40 posted on 09/09/2006 8:12:05 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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