Interesting that Ford has finally admitted that the 6.0 PSD has been a problem. The admission is hillarious, because a few months ago Ford publicly stated that warranty costs on the 6.0 were less than on the 7.3.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...A01-358226.htm

 

Is there a way to make this thread automatically re-appear 1 year from today? It's just that I've heard these promises before ("we're on track for improved quality, we won't rest till we're #1, the problems have been fixed and it's all behind us now, blah, blah, blah..."), so it would be interesting to compare the article with what REALLY happens in the future.

 

If you read my post here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=416321

Then you would know that Ford is taking engineers off the SD and 6.4 PSD programs.

What about continued support for the 6.0 in 2007 after the 6.4 is out? Forgetaboutit.

 

It will be interesting to follow the new 6.4L in the future. I hope that Ford and its engineers have learned a HUGE lesson with the 6.0L. Just because you have the market share of the medium duty truck market, that does not mean that consumers will keep it that way if you keep producing a troubled product that costs $5100.

If a guy buys a diesel and it lets him down too often, that does not mean he will buy a V10 the next time instead. It more times than not, mean he will be driving a duramax.

 

There will be engineering support for the 6.0l up until it ceases to have warranty coverage (2009 for Ford, 2011 for International).
Admittedly their will be more focus on the 6.4l once it is released, but you will not be forgotten...

 

Well to be fair GM has lost a ton off money this an they have quality issues as well whichhas cost them big dollars as well. It would be interesting to see the comparison on warranty expenses between the two. An dont forget Dodge there not fool proof either. An how about GMs 6.5 diesel which was problematic an cost not the manufacturer but the consumers thousands off dollars after the warranty was up. Just want to make a counterpoint to this.

 

No, I don't think so. It will be cheaper for Ford to just replace prematurely worn parts and wait for the engines to go off warranty.

Do you think Ford has any engineers working on the 7.3 idle knock? Not now, and not for the last 3 years.

 

No, and do I sincerly think it is a problem that I would like engineers resources allocated to it? (my 7.3l had it)
No.

 

Of course, that is what GM says about piston slap too.

Sorry, but this is a matter of common sense to me.

1. Ford is loosing money by the bathtub.
2. Ford is laying off engineers by the gross to try and save money.
3. Ford has stated publicly that its R&D focus in the future will be on new powerplant technologies, specifically, hybrids.
4. Ford is downsizing in general to save money.
5. Ford is introducing a new diesel in 2007, and must devote engineering resources to support the new diesel.
6. Ford is discontinuing the 6.0 diesel.

Think about it. Just how much of the R&D pie is going to be left for 6.0 support? Maybe a little more then there is for 7.3 support.

It's not that Ford and the Ford engineeers don't want to support the 6.0, its more a matter of lack of time and resources. If the issue is big enough, yes, Ford will probably throw an engineer or two at the problem. Small programming glitches? They will get to when they get to it, if ever. Software V&V is extremely time consuming and expensive. Often, you have to write a separate new program to test the "fixes" in the old program.

 

So whats Ford supposed to do to survive as a company. Id like to here your views. What should be an not ne done. Im sure Ford would be interested in talking to you.

 

I can say this, without knowing GM's actual numbers- warranty dollars used to account for over 25% of the Service Dept's gross $$$'s. Now it's 17% and dropping. There was a time when the Service end of the biz could carry 40% of the dealerships overhead. Today, it's under 25%, and the trend is down, not up. We're actually on the high side because of the Corvette business- not because they need a lot of warranty work, but what they do need is expensive.

 

What has been selling?

1. Fuel economy (OK, this was a bit of a surprise); and
2. Edgy styling

Let's look at #2. Examples:

Cadillac
DCX 300, Magnum, Charger

The DCX cars are not particularly great cars, and are based on MB platforms that are at least 10 years old. So why do they sell? Sizzle. Somethign new and exciting.

Ditto the new Mustang.

When times are good, anyone can sell lots of Tauruses. When times are tough, you have to have "gottahave" cars.

You can't come up with new gottahave cars by gutting your engineering staff.

Ford delayed the Ranger redesign until "whenever" and look what Ranger sales have done in the last couple of years. Why buy a new Ranger when it walks, talks and looks almost exactly like your current 1997 Ranger? If your want something new, you go elsewhere.

I still have the same waffle iron that I was given as a wedding gift 21 years ago. Waffle iron technology has not really progressed much in that time, my old one still works fine (gets hot, what else is it supposed to do?) so I see little reason to upgrade to a 2006 model waffle iron.

You also do not maintain you dominance in HD diesel pickups by giving poor product support to your most loyal customers. HD diesels pickups are the one market segment where the Big 3 still enjoy exclusivity and huge profits. You don't starve that segment for new product. I'd be pouring money into SD R&D.

 

Speaking of the Ranger, I have an 01 SC 4x4 automatic with the SOHC 4.0. The timing chain tensioner issue has never been resolved, even as long as this has been a problem in the Explorer - they've known about it, but would rather put "band aids" on it until the warranty expires. They went so far as to pull the motor, and replace both timing assemblies (with the same problematic parts). When the noise persisted, they said it was just a characteristic of that motor - then why go to all of that trouble? I won't even go into the transmission problems I've had, because they seem to have finally been fixed. To me, "Quality Is Job #1" and "Built Ford Tough" have become nothing more than punch lines.

 

Well how about Fords new cars the 500, Fusion, Mercury milan. Zephyr those cars will sell well Im sure. The Fusion could be the next big hit for Ford like the Taurus was in the mid eighties. The last three cars just came out this month. Ford neglected its car business to many years an lost market share. But I see a lot of hope here. Theres only so much money to go around. Healthcare costs are eating at the profits off the Big 3 in a big way an high fuel prices have eaten away market share in one years time. Diesel is expensive. Bill Ford is making a lot off tough descisions right now. Hes in a tough spot. One years time the profitability off Ford has reversed. BTW did you know that one off the oil companies posted an 8 billion dollar profit this year. Thats the combined profit off three large corporations in the US. Something stinks in Denmark. Its easy to look on the outside an make comments. If your in Bill Fords chair you look at things differently. Remember Ford is a worldwide company an its just not what happens here its what happens in other countries as well. People have shunned the big SUVs which has hurt all auto companies. Trucks have sold well but at a huge discount with not as much profit made. To me it looks like GMs employee pricing idea looked good at the time but when you look a this months total sales it could be the worst thing they ever did. Now are used vehicles are taking a hit at trade in time.

 

Agreed. The Big 3 all but abandoned the car in the 90s. And who cared? All 3 had huge profits from trucks. Very short-sighted and at least Ford and GM are paying for it now.

I understand throwing some money at hybrids, right now, you almost have to.

But the last time that I looked, the HP wars were alive and well in the truck market. So why kill the Hurricane 6.2? If there is a consistent complaint that I have heard about the F-150, it's the 5,4L.