Argue every point you can every different way about cost of ownership, ergonomics, quality, the price of tea in China, etc., but we ALL are slitting our own throats and our neighbors' by buying foreign-period. This fifty year experiment with our markets being completely open with only limited reciprocation has been a dismal failure and the rest of the world is laughing at us behind our backs while politely exploiting our markets. Don't cry to me if you lost money in the meltdown and drive an import. Don't cry to me that the American economy can longer provide you with the income needed to carry a fat mortgage when you have a three car garage filled with imports. There was once a day when one in ten jobs in America where related to the auto industry. Guess what? A chunk of American wealth was funneled overseas when you purchased that import and is simply gone out the economy-poof! Jobs? Gone! Health care and legacy costs for retired employees? Gone! Small businesses that are are were once a part of the vast fabric of the automotive supply network? Gone! Research and development that not only benefited domestic producers but also trickled down into the American lifestyle? Look for it in Asia now. Detroit was once heralded as the Arsenal of Democracy. God help us all if we should ever need that arsenal in it's present state. Oh, the import dealer makes a handsome profit and might put in a new swimming pool built by illegal immigrants next year, but that chunk of American wealth used to purchase that car is now transferred to some other country, and Japan/China/Indonesia/just about every other trading "partner" we have ain't interested in trading fairly in return.

Hasn't anyone noticed all of the suffering and economic calamity these past two years? Did it ever occur to anybody that funneling such massive amounts of wealth for cheap and not so cheap imported cars, energy, contaminated food, toxic toys, etc. might not be in our best interests? Don't get me wrong, I do NOT advocate protectionism. That only has backlashes against our efforts to export. It is time we start protecting ourselves by spending our hard earned money where it will do the most good-here. And make no mistake about it, your money is going to come a lot harder in the years to come. Japan, for instance, has favorable trade policies with us, at least on paper. But there is shame on the average Japanese citizen's part for him to buy an American product, unless it is an American "icon" product.

Argue all you want that an American producer (automotive or other) doesn't produce the exact product you want. Maybe you don't need it. What good is your 200,000 mile car with some resale value left if the whole American economy is collapsed? Costs a lot to ship it over to Asia or the Middle East for resale if no American can afford it. If 10% of your neighbors are jobless and homeless, is that worth an extra cupholder or the prestige of owning a "premium" marque? We had the world by the tail and messed it up. Our currency value has fallen below that of Canada. No offense Canadians, just a comparison. Guess where it drops to next? Hello Mexico!

Bottom line is that Ford is doing the right thing and this has nothing to do with "mojo", it has to do with substance. Ford made it through the meltdown without government (read-taxpayer) assistance. It has nothing to do with better, that is all perception. How do you like your Toyota now? Is it really better to purchase a product that you percieve as better when it steals bread from your neighbor's table? And you can all reply with protectionist rants against me but ask yourself this- if suddenly what I do for a living was outsourced to foreign soil how would I feel? Let's all start spending our money where we make it, right here!

 

To this point I've only driven American. However, look at the North American parts content of the F-150. It's lower than the Tundra. The Fusion, Transit Connect and the Fiesta are all foreign made. I'm not certain of the Focus.

A fellow on the superduty forum recently bought a 2010 F-250 and posted a picture of his radiator, it had a stamp on it that said "made in China". Our government and the large corporations will have us all to believe that petroleum, automobiles, textiles and food are all traded on a global scale and contribute to the global economy. Unfortunately that's true.

I am a Ford man, have always been and probably always will be. But when you buy Ford, GM or Chrysler, you could very well be buying less American than the Honda or Toyota guy.

Loyalty should go both ways. People have to be as selfish with their hard earned money as big business is. If the Honda is a better car and is proven to be over the years then why should a person feel guilty for buying a lower quality car?

It's incumbent on the US industry to lure our business back to them. We shouldn't be made to feel guilty otherwise.

 

John and Betty consumer are ill equipped to know if they are buying a product from America or Canada or China because the manufacturers re-brand other products as their own all the time.

The worlds biggest retailer is an American Company called WalMart that sells Billions of dollars of low wage Country products.

This is not a simple problem we have here there is no clear direction for someone to point and say it's their fault and if we just do this everything will be Sunshine and Apple Pie because the Apple Pie like the Pickles probably came from China.

 

I guess maybe I am just hard headed. I really do not understand how it got to this point for our country. I was very proud that Ford did not take the bail out, but to my way of thinking, this should never have been an issue. I understand people want all the bang they can get for their buck, especially when it comes to a major durable purchase like a car or truck. However, sometimes you have to look at what is best for our country and our workers, and make an effort to purchase American.

I do agree with the post above, sometimes the average person doesn't realize what is American and what is not. I went and bought a Craftsman angle grinder the other day, just assuming that if was from Sears, then by God it has to be American, right? I mean it is a Craftsman after all. No such luck. When I got home and took it out of the box, there it was, "Made in China".

They do not have to defeat us militarily, they already own us. We sold ourselves to them willingly and gleefully. The only way we can come out of this is for the consumer to realize that we do make good products, at least what little we do make is decent. The problem is, we just don't make that much anymore. Until the corporations come to the realization that the outsourcing of our jobs and manufacturing capability is a losing game for everyone in the long run, eventually we will not have a choice anymore, but will have to drive a foreign car, because that will be all there is left.

 

Management at all levels are bonus driven so basically today's profit is all that matters what happens tomorrow will be the next managers problem if you don't believe me check out the severance package the departing CEO of GM got after bringing the company to bankruptcy.

I would bet my last dollar that all these large companies that plan years and decades ahead new 20 or 30 years ago todays problems were going to occur or were at least a possibility.

Do you not think that when GM and Ford and Chrysler were negotiating in the 50's and 60's that they wouldn't know there would be huge pension liabilities in the 80's 90's and beyond.

But all the management from those years are either retired or dead and have no accountability.

The one good thing Ford did that the other two didn't was see the growing problem and then acted to correct it, they took a lot of heat for it at the time but I believe it's what saved Ford as a company and GM and Chrysler will live with the shame much like a person getting a divorce in the 40's or 50's for their bail out.

Just as an aside as far as America goes I believe I read somewhere that 9 of the top ten icon brands are American, Coke, Pepsi,MicroSoft, and so on.

So you're not quite in the poor house yet.

 

In regards to trucks only, I think Ford should put the F-150 on a massive diet and bring the weight back to pre 1997. Then go back to the drawing board and redefine the "true" capabilities of a half ton truck. If she can safely tow 7-8K, then good. But no more. Make this truck as fuel efficient as possible as it seems to have become a family hauler anyway. That doesn't make it wimpy, just more realistic. Pre 1997 F-150's are still on the road doing their duty every day. With today's drive train technology in a lighter truck, they could be more powerful and easier at the pump.

Scrap any and all ideas of a separate F-100. The Ranger should and could fill that billet.

Then if a person needs or wants the extra capabilities, it should be a known fact that the SD is the way to go.

It seems that Dodge has already started to head in this direction. They will never outsell Ford so we'll never know if it worked.

 

i'll state it simply:

stand behind your vehicles no matter how old!

Got a 93 F150 right now that is being a royal pain in the ****. battery cables are pretty well shot, and yet so hopelessly unique to it that it's a pain to get them!

calling the dealership/poking around online gets "not made anymore!" now everytime I see one on the road, I seriously wonder how it still drives....

It's a very strange cable, even a 93 explorer has a similar/same cable (using that as a donor for the F150) bet the 93 ranger we used to own did also, etc.

I find it insulting that they no longer make the part. Why is it the dealership here would happily purchase spark plugs for a 1918 Model A or T for me, but not a positive battery cable for a 93 F150!

Come on, it's a reflection on them. It does annoy me, but I would own a new ford still..... just have come to realize I might as well build a collection of parts such as battery cables that are going to be difficult to find 18? years after ford no longer builds it so it can keep running!

 

That's not the only that's hard to find. Try finding parts for a wire controlled heat / ac system on an '88 F-150. Thank god for JB Weld is all I can say on this matter.

 

what breaks exactly with that? plastic parts I assume?

 

There is a plastic like block that acts as a pivot point or focal point for the wires and the handles that control the wires. Mine broke in a couple of places taking the leverage off the cables and handles and the doors wouldn't open and close all the way until I made the repair.

 

yikes. a 93 or so f150 heater/ac system couldn't easily be retrofitted to a 88? just more curious if it could be done or too much work.

not that it's probably any better, then one in the f150 i'm prepping for sale has issues with the door not opening, if you pretty much set it to operate at halfway or higher (fan speed) you get a "vroom errr" noise (think the doors are failing to open in it) does it with the a/c and heater. blows cold or hot decently even if you set it to full blast, but I wonder how restricted it is with that issue

 

I really couldn't answer your question sir. I'm selling this old beast anyhow and getting a brand new 2011 F-??? next year.

 

There - fixed it for ya!