zipnzap Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 http://www.autonews.com/article/20150130/BLOG06/150139987/fords-new-f-150-and-transit-face-tough-scrutiny-from-pundits "-gate" I apologize in advance. :punched: I'm wondering exactly how much traction this story has gotten around the newsphere. (And yeah, Ford probably might need to take a return swipe at Ram with that van thing. I'm still not sure how much of a market there is for a full-size FWD van) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) The video, shot this week, shows a Transit van and a ProMaster van in Houghton, Mich., driving up a snowy hill with a 20 percent incline. Um. Wow. Snowy 20% grades. I'm certainly going give up 1,500lbs of payload and up to 80cu. ft. of cargo space in order to climb a 20% incline in snow. And we'll all be here when GM and FCA end up following Ford's lead again. Edited January 31, 2015 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 You knew FCA would eventually get around to some sort of van traction demonstration. What is to stop Ford from bringing over one of the FWD Transits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Limited interest would be my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnV Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (And yeah, Ford probably might need to take a return swipe at Ram with that van thing. I'm still not sure how much of a market there is for a full-size FWD van) This made me laugh: The ProMaster easily climbs the hill, while the Transit fails the test and rolls back down the hill, the driver raising his hands in frustration. Yes, the driver of the Ford in the Fiat Chrysler promo clip shows frustration. I think it would have been more effective if he got out of the van, threw up in the snow and fell down in a whimpering clump of despair over the failure. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) I would love to see that test repeated with a payload in the rear of the vehicle then sit back and watch as the Promaster flails about trying to get up that same grade.... PS: Transits are sooooo bad, that FCA bought one for their commercial...I wonder how many Ford will be buying for theirs... Edited January 31, 2015 by twintornados 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I would love to see that test repeated with a payload in the rear of the vehicle then sit back and watch as the Promaster flails about trying to get up that same grade.... PS: Transits are sooooo bad, that FCA bought one for their commercial...I wonder how many Ford will be buying for theirs... Exactly. Repeat the test with both vans loaded to capacity and rear wheel drive wins. Or load both vans to the Ford's capacity and watch the Ram break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Are some of those comments from there Matt? He is copying quotes from here and keeps calling the new F-150 a beer can... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Regarding the Aluminum F-150 clip this quote shines some light in the deception: Ford CEO Mark Fields took notice of the Edmunds stunt and, during the automaker’s earnings call this week said the company has 750 dealerships that are certified to repair aluminum. The dealership that Edmunds took the truck to was not one of them, and the charge was double what it should be. It took twice as long and cost twice as much because the dealership Edmunds selected (unintentionally I'm sure) was not qualified or even capable of doing the repair. The dealership should have referred them to a qualified shop but probably just sublet the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Are some of those comments from there Matt? He is copying quotes from here and keeps calling the new F-150 a beer can... Because aluminum is plenty strong enough for a 40' extension ladder, an engine block and heads, wheels and hood but not for the cab and bed. edit: sarcasm Edited January 31, 2015 by F250 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 If Ford is the benchmark to which all others are compared, they must be doing something right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordtech1 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 When you are on top you are the biggest target for those below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Edmunds has exposed an insurance SCAM from those dealerships trying to cash in on the unknowns of aluminum body repairs....they charge twice the hourly rate AND claim it takes longer for repairs. My question is simple:Technician "A" is working on a 2015 F150, since the shop charges double the hourly rate, does his pay per hour likewise go up?Technician "A" then begins work on a 2014 F150, does his hourly pay rate drop down since the dealership is charging less per hour to work on the vehicle?There will be some pause while dealerships scramble to cover the expose' that Edmunds uncovered... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Exactly. Repeat the test with both vans loaded to capacity and rear wheel drive wins. Or load both vans to the Ford's capacity and watch the Ram break. Right on the nose...because in RAM country...nothing spells work more than an empty van. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Edmunds has exposed an insurance SCAM from those dealerships trying to cash in on the unknowns of aluminum body repairs....they charge twice the hourly rate AND claim it takes longer for repairs. My question is simple: Technician "A" is working on a 2015 F150, since the shop charges double the hourly rate, does his pay per hour likewise go up? Technician "A" then begins work on a 2014 F150, does his hourly pay rate drop down since the dealership is charging less per hour to work on the vehicle? There will be some pause while dealerships scramble to cover the expose' that Edmunds uncovered... Possibly. For example many dealerships charge a higher hourly labor rate for diesel engine repair than gas engines. And yes certified diesel techs get paid more. The biggest expense is the body shop must have a separate area for aluminum vehicle repairs and of course training and special tools. My dealership purchased a smaller separate body shop, actually a vacant former Lincoln/Mercury dealer's shop to be upgraded and used for aluminum only. In the end insurance companies will determine acceptable rates and hours charged for collision repair. Edited January 31, 2015 by F250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Possibly. For example many dealerships charge a higher hourly labor rate for diesel engine repair than gas engines. And yes certified diesel techs get paid more. But only if that tech is working on a diesel....does he get the higher rate if he has no diesels to work on and is doing a brake job on a 7 year old Focus since there is no diesels in the shop needing repair that day?...I agree that the tech is more valuable due to his (or her) training, but if the tech has the training to earn him or her more money, do they get it when they are not working on a vehicle that is in their training area?? If he or she is getting paid an hourly rate, it is all the time or only when they are working on a specific vehicle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Tech gets paid the same per hour no matter what job he/she is assigned. The higher the skill level and certification the higher the hourly pay. Obviously the dispatcher tries to assign simple maintenance jobs to lower cost per hour techs. Edited January 31, 2015 by F250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Tech gets paid the same per hour no matter what job he/she is assigned. The higher the skill level and certification the higher the hourly pay. Obviously the dispatcher tries to assign simple maintenance jobs to lower cost per hour techs. Exactly! They aren't going to make the diesel tech changing oil, if the service writer can help it. Likewise the aluminum tech will focus primarily on aluminum repairs, whenever possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Watch, as the Transit driver veers off into the ditch and his vehicle bursts into flames in this video prepared by Fiat in order to demonstrate the danger of owning a Transit. -- I remember when Ford went OHC for truck engines--and how that wasn't going to work. And then how Ford was going to regret going with turbo engines, etc. Instead, Ford's going to have the only CAFE positive truck lineup in the world this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Tech gets paid the same per hour no matter what job he/she is assigned. The higher the skill level and certification the higher the hourly pay. Obviously the dispatcher tries to assign simple maintenance jobs to lower cost per hour techs. So, the shop makes more money and not the tech.....my point exactly. If the shop is profitable at a $60 an hour rate, doesn't it raise eyebrows when they double the rate because the truck is made from aluminum? Sure they had expenditures to become certified in aluminum repairs, but that should be part of the profit/loss account...not rob those that have chosen to purchase an aluminum paneled truck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipnzap Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 This is what the Ram Trucks channel says underneath the video: This video test was conducted while the vans were empty on a 20 percent grade, the same test when conducted at half payload capacity yields the same results. So, why didn't they show us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 The same test performed on perfectly dry pavement yielded the same results. Our ringer. I mean, driver, driver. DRIVER was unable to climb the hill in a Transit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2005Explorer Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Are some of those comments from there Matt? He is copying quotes from here and keeps calling the new F-150 a beer can... Don't worry once his beloved Government Motors introduces their aluminum Chevy he will call it a "game changer" and a wonderful idea! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Are some of those comments from there Matt? He is copying quotes from here and keeps calling the new F-150 a beer can... I don't know. Matt is keeping his "Richard Jensen" Disqus avatar going, but those comments seem like him too. I think he's keeping the "Richard Jensen" avatar going because LLN hasn't banned that one yet, and he's using that other account everywhere else. To paraphrase James Mason (and Alfred Hitchcock): 'we really got under your skin, didn't we, Matt?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probowler Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Don't worry once his beloved Government Motors introduces their aluminum Chevy he will call it a "game changer" and a wonderful idea! And "They were smart for taking their time and perfecting it, unlike Ford who rushed it out with no planning or thought" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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