I disagree. I live 8 miles from the Chicago/Hegewisch Ford Plant, which builds the Five-Hundred, my neighbor is in management and told me these are the shoddiest made cars out of the 60 year old plant. Earlier this year, 3,ooo were scrapped after production because of multiple quality problems.
The American consumer will buy quality and reliable cars at a good price, that is why Toyota, Honda and Nissan continuosly show profits.
Protectionism, as some posters are suggesting, would result in that same Ford plant charging 50% more for the same crappy car. I remember the 1970s and early 80s well, when AMC and Chrysler went out of business (Carter bailed out Chrysler, I never agreed with it).
I don't want to pay 30 grand for a 4 cylinder GM/Ford sedan that will be in the junk yard 5 years after I drive it off the lot, and neither do most consumers. Don't blame the consumer.
If GM and Ford can't compete, that's their fault, not mine.
Did your neighbor also tell you that most of the problems are in the foreign made parts? GM like all other car companies has been forced to outsource their parts to third world countries. Please note GM scrapped these cars- didn't try to sell them. Just a little info for you...Japan is also suffering serious quality problems because they too have been forced to begin manufacturing parts in third world countries. Go ahead and bash GM, buy your crappy foreign car but remember a sinking economy (especially for the middle class)will sink your family also- in time. Tell me-in what industry do you suggest your children work? Perhaps, they could work in IT-wait It is being outsourced to India and other countries. Let's see I know -how about steel? Wait cheap foreign made steel has destroyed the steel industry. I guess they will have to flip burgers or work for the government. Perhaps (like me) they could work for a foreign company-15 workers are employed and the profits are sent to company headquarters every two weeks-that would be in Europe- my friend- where they employ hundreds of people.
I've read this kind of hate-American workers and products crap for years.
I'm retired, wife's cut back on her hours. We own 1999 vans, a Honda and a Pontiac. We arm wrestle over who gets to drive the Pontiac.
It's a commonplace in manufacturing that unless the design-engineers work VERY closely with the manufacturing and production management/engineers, there WILL be problems with the product.
That may be the case with the FoMoCo 500.
Having said that, I've driven Chrysler, GM, and FoMoCo products WAY past 150K miles and 10 years--then the wear-parts start, ah, wearing.
Currently have 2 FoMoCo's--one 15 years old, one 5. Both over 85K on the clock. Replace only small wear-parts.
No other problems.