No 150Ford, I despise Toyata, not worship them. I'll NEVER buy a non -American vehicle, NEVER. But, many will if Ford continues to play the sort of shenanigans they have in the past.

 

I also wasn't critizing the recalls, just the fact theat the issues were initially covered up, then lied about before they became recalls. I actually consider recalls to be somewhat admirable. The behavior leading up the inevitable recall was actually what I was referring to.

 

This has made for a great discussion topic. Did Ford or GM really need to cut as many jobs or close as many plants? I'd have to say no. While doing a bit of research on this matter for a business paper. What we usually hear from Corporations or our Goverment is a bunch of spin and most of us buy into it. While researching this paper I came across a few statements from a couple of CEO's. " The purpose of a company is to earn shareholder returns. It is not to improve the lot of the people". This is Ford and GM, these companies make plenty of money but with these plant closings and buyouts it creating a senerio where they can put more money it their shareholders pockets. One CEO stated that if it cost a company $14.00 to produce a product using it's staff members who enjoy good wages and pension benefits, while outsourcing reduced the cost to $7.00 because those workers in Mexico, Asia and India etc. don't have pensions, the corporation owed it to shareholders to go with the latter. "If you don't, you're keeping those people who are willing to do it for $7.00 out of a job. Now ask yourself are they concerned about any American worker? I don't think so. It's all about the shareholder! If they can ship it overseas, gut the middle class and make extra money by doing so, consider it a done deal. So let's discuss Patriotism, they don't have any!

 

Maybe, maybe not. It's really dis-heartening to see new parts bought over the parts counter labeled "Made in Canada."

Just before I retired...it got worse.

"Hecho en Mexico."

 

The Pinto gas tank fix: A longer filler tube; a curved plastic plate that was attached in front of the two tack welded halves of the gas tank. The tanks were being propelled into the rear end, where the two sections of the tank would then split open.

Did Ford learn from the Pinto tanks?

NO!

The Crown Vics have the same issues, the fix is about the same.

Ford used to send out letters to dealers called campaigns...this was before any recalls were planned or announced. The first one I recall was in 1966, shortly after the Bronco was introduced. It seems the driveshafts were falling out! Ford asked their dealers to order several shafts, to replace the bad ones. Guess what, they were bad too.

Another one was in 1990 or so. Faulty draglinks on Bronco II's and Rangers were a real problem. The service parts were also defective.

One possible victim was Willie Shoemaker, the jockey...he was driving home drunk, he flipped his Bronco II, he was paralysed for life. He was paid an undisclosed sum by Ford...why I don't know, as the settlement was never announced.

But in 1997, a lawyer placed an ad in a national magazine asking for people to come forth over the draglink issues. He was filing a class action lawsuit against Ford. In the text of the letter, he mentioned Shoemaker and his settlement.

***

The day will come when GM, Ford and DC will tell the UAW to get lost when contracts come due. As far as I can tell...moving assembly plants out of the US is in the plans for all the Big 3. Meanwhile Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Honda, etc. are building new plants here.

Sad...really sad.

 

SWEET BABY JESUS!!!!


Mr. Jackson, I've been saying/asking the same thing for years(?) now....I never get an honest response.....the Ford zeolots and xenophobes can't grasp your simple statement.

I honestly don't fault Ford for doing this.........but by the same token, I don't feel any more/less patriotic because I buy a Ford (of which I have many).

Ford (and every other major publicly owned business) cares about the bottom $$$$........not the American worker.

 

EXACTLY!!!!........Another point I've tried and tried to get across!!!


BTW, I was working at the 6th largest Ford dealership in the country (2nd largest in SoCal) during the Shoemaker fiasco. I THINK(?) we gave the Bronco II to Shoemaker.....the owner at the time was huge into horseracing and also gave a lot cars to celebs. (Tommy Lasorda and his son, Pete Rose, etc..)

 

LOL!!!..........I don't remember if it was this thread a while ago but the remark was made that the Camry will be the ONLY U.S. made car in NASCAR next year!!!


(it was this thread....post #30)

 

So the Mexican part would count toward "North American content"; correct?

 

Yes, prolly...it was called "American" content in my day.

Did you know it takes a Mexican worker a year to save up enough money to buy the washing machine he makes?

And did'ja ever wonder why NAFTA does not apply to individual US citizens travelling into Canada and Mexico?

We can only purchase $800.00 total (except books), without paying a tax.