Joe771476 Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) I read briefly in Automotive News that Ford is going to commit $11 billion to restructuring! Huh? They want to cut $14 billion in costs! Huh? They've been cutting costs every 5 years for the last 30 years! If there were more costs to cut, then why did they stop?! So I typed in my browser "Is Ford in trouble" and got a whole bunch of hits and info. One site was a depressing listing of all kinds of issues, class action lawsuits, and recalls. One particular one was lug nut defects! Huh??!! A lug nut!?? They should have a list of all the parts/numbers that have given customers no quality issues and have lasted for 10 years or longer and keep installing them. They should not be redesigning new ones that are unproven! Because guess what, they're going to be junk! I have 30 year old washing machines and dryers that when something goes wrong (usually just the belts), I repair them because the design is foolproof! Now these new appliances are designed to last only 5 to 10 years max and they want you to purchase a warranty policy that is only going to be good for 3 years anyway in which time they don't fail!!! Anyway, a company that has been in business since 1903 should be running like a precision timepiece by now! There should be no quality issues, no recalls...nothing! What is the problem? Start making these parts in the USA, not other countries. They're making junk! You say the costs are too much? What about the recalls and lost customer satisfaction/repeat biz? What are those costs? How can a company like VW spend tens of billions in dieselgate lawsuits and recalls/car replacements and still go on like it was nothing and even acquire a share of Navistar! And in all honesty, by now Ford should be much bigger than they are, but they are dwarfed by Mercedes, Toyota and VW globally! Here's a cost cutter: Maximum 4 speed wipers. You don't need 10 speeds! How many wheel designs do they have? Too many! Thousands of parts in smaller cars can be used in larger vehicles. Most of the wiper hardware should be the same. If it isn't, something is wrong! Even if you tell me the motor has to be a heavier duty unit (which I question), the levers and activators etc. should be identical! All I keep reading is they're retracting from Europe or South America. They should be expanding! They still should be selling farm tractors. They still should be selling class 8 trucks! Sorry, I had to get that dig in there!! But seriously, I'm becoming very disenchanted! Ford Motor Company is the heart and soul of America! Not GM and certainly not FCA. Ford is the best selling brand. And by the way, it shouldn't be that the F series makes that possible. Ford must survive and thrive! Does anybody care? Edited October 21, 2018 by Joe771476 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Don't worry Joe the Hatchet man is going to save the company. Just wait for all the electric vehicles that are coming. Ford will be back on top in no time. Nice thing about electric motors is they last a long long time with zero maintenance and have gobs of torque. Just wait and see, have faith my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Putting down the crack pipe for many can be difficult....going to be interesting watching the uaw contract discussion and if the uaw really cares about its emplyees...china will gladly sell us cars if those here are unwilling.... i think the biggest arrogant move which involves kiss my ass because i know best for you is the belief ford is moving upscale and we do not need those type of people who wont spend over $20k on a car or on a car with even less value like a stripper fiesta....never mind some buy these small cars for mpg or for just getting your butt to work as cheaply as possible....gotta just love the retro 1973 thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Putting down the crack pipe for many can be difficult....going to be interesting watching the uaw contract discussion and if the uaw really cares about its emplyees...china will gladly sell us cars if those here are unwilling.... i think the biggest arrogant move which involves kiss my ass because i know best for you is the belief ford is moving upscale and we do not need those type of people who wont spend over $20k on a car or on a car with even less value like a stripper fiesta....never mind some buy these small cars for mpg or for just getting your butt to work as cheaply as possible....gotta just love the retro 1973 thinking... So Ford should cancel some other potentially very profitable project like Model E or the hybrid Aviator and build a $15K econobox that either breaks even or loses money? If you had the choice of doing a 20 hour job for $200 or a different 20 hour job for $400 which one would you choose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Doom and gloom articles are what sells. If the so called journalists knew all that much about the internal workings of companies, the articles would be different. I do think Ford is at a turning point. They did get caught (Fields) waiting to see what direction the industry was going to go regarding Utility vehicles vs cars, and the BEV/hybrid movement. It would appear they may be on the right track. But it's going to take a couple of years to come to fruition. Look on the bright side. If they do fail, I'm sure VW will buy them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Holy wall of text, Batman! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 If you had the choice of doing a 20 hour job for $200 or a different 20 hour job for $400 which one would you choose? Is this a trick question? This feels like a trick question. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Cater to the rich I always say. Please Ford go up market and watch those profits increase. The hell with the hard working men and woman let the other manufactures take care of them. Please Ford build a $200K F150 for the rich they are just begging for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Cater to the rich I always say. Please Ford go up market and watch those profits increase. The hell with the hard working men and woman let the other manufactures take care of them. Please Ford build a $200K F150 for the rich they are just begging for it. I agree. I would love for it to be even harder to afford the cars and trucks I bust my ass every day 4 days a week 10 hours a day helping to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) They want to spend 11 billion in restructering to save 14 billion in costs?!! I have a better plan to save 14 billion. You can save 11 billion by not restructuring which leaves 3 billion to go, so I'm improve quality to save warranty costs and recalls and maybe update cars a little more often so the sales won't crater. And yes this is sarcasm, but jeez. Ford could ask themselves why they have the same problems over and over again. Edited October 22, 2018 by atomcat68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevensecondsuv Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 It does get old watching the same tragic story unfold on repeat about every 10 years. But at least we know Ford will bounce back. They always have in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Since when is an Ecosport or Focus Active or Ranger XL “catering to the rich”? I guess some people just have to overreact to everything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fgts Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) It does get old watching the same tragic story unfold on repeat about every 10 years. But at least we know Ford will bounce back. They always have in the past. Exactly, not necessary a Ford problem but an American way-of-business problem, you know " let's chase the quickest buck for the next quarter!!" instead of thinking things though. Edited October 22, 2018 by Fgts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Exactly, not necessary a Ford problem but an American way-of-business problem, you know " let's chase the quickest buck for the next quarter!!" instead of thinking things though. How are Autonomous Vehicles, Transportation as a Service, Battery Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Utilities “going for the quickest buck?” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Since when is an Ecosport or Focus Active or Ranger XL “catering to the rich”? I guess some people just have to overreact to everything. Who said that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 How are Autonomous Vehicles, Transportation as a Service, Battery Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Utilities “going for the quickest buck?” Tell us what exactly is Fords plan? They are running around like a chicken with their head cut off right now. Chasing after every new idea and seeing what sticks. This company is out of control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Tell us what exactly is Fords plan? They are running around like a chicken with their head cut off right now. Chasing after every new idea and seeing what sticks. This company is out of control. . No...the only ones running around like a chicken with their heads chopped off is all the "lost in the 50's" fans that want bigger V8's and 2 1/2 ton personal coupes with full frames... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevensecondsuv Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 How are Autonomous Vehicles, Transportation as a Service, Battery Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Utilities going for the quickest buck? Outside of hybrid utilities, there is very little proof that there is or will ever be a market for such things. It looks a lot more like a Wall Street pipe dream than an actual business opportunity. Now of course you have to keep Wall Street happy and you don't want to be left out of any emerging markets, but Ford is chasing this stuff directly at the expense of new traditional product that needed yesterday. It's the traditional product that will pay the bills for the foreseeable future and Ford just can't seem to stick to a plan to deliver any. Every three months they announce a new plan for product but they never seem to quite accomplish anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGR Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Well, no matter what one thinks of them, Tesla had 400K customers put down $1000 deposits to preorder Model 3s, and has been the best-selling American car for the last two months(and should stay there while they bring down that waiting list). So, apparently, there is a bit of a market for EVs, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fgts Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 How are Autonomous Vehicles, Transportation as a Service, Battery Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Utilities going for the quickest buck? Same if Toyota killed all it's lower selling cars and trucks during the peek of Prius sales back in the 00's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe3w Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 . No...the only ones running around like a chicken with their heads chopped off is all the "lost in the 50's" fans that want bigger V8's and 2 1/2 ton personal coupes with full frames... LOL. What they want is a economical car at a decent price that can get them from A to B. They don't want all the fancy gadgets and luxury BS that are thrown into packages that just raise the prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markfnc Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) I'd think you could get to this format: Platform small Car looking 4 door hatch SUV looking 4 door hatch Fiesta Eco Sport Platform A Car looking 4 door hatch SUV looking 4 door hatch Van Focus Escape Transit connect Platform B Wagon looking 4 door hatch Car looking 4 door hatch SUV looking 4 door hatch Fusion/Mondeo Edge/Taurus Explorer Platform C Truck SUV Ranger Bronco (off road /towing) Platform D Truck SUV Van F150 Expedition Transit Platform E Truck F250/350/450 Platform F Sport Premium car like 4 door hatch Mustang Flex/Taurus Edited October 22, 2018 by markfnc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gurgeh Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) Outside of hybrid utilities, there is very little proof that there is or will ever be a market for such things. It looks a lot more like a Wall Street pipe dream than an actual business opportunity. Now of course you have to keep Wall Street happy and you don't want to be left out of any emerging markets, but Ford is chasing this stuff directly at the expense of new traditional product that needed yesterday. It's the traditional product that will pay the bills for the foreseeable future and Ford just can't seem to stick to a plan to deliver any. Every three months they announce a new plan for product but they never seem to quite accomplish anything. BEV is a real thing. It is here now and is selling. It is fully viable today for many, especially as a family's second daily driver, and though it is still pricey without its government subsidy (which I think has outlived its reason for existence -- I am sick and tired of paying taxes to subsidize the car purchases of the wealthy) -- it will only get better. In the end I believe the greatest limiting factor will not be battery life or even long-haul charging stations but the fact that many people like me live in an apartment, condo or townhouse without overnight charging capability. I half agree on autonomous vehicles. While driver's assistance and crash avoidance/mitigation technology will continue to develop, I'm a huge skeptic that it will ever be feasible to have autonomous driving on most of the roads you and I use everyday (and share with motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles, and kids chasing balls). But new or repurposed distance roads used exclusively by commercial autonomous vehicles? Yeah I think that's coming and probably faster than one might think. Fortunately, unlike many other automakers this is a particular focus of Ford's autonomous vehicle development. But I also think Ford may be making some big mistakes. I say "may" because they still haven't explained their supposed new strategic vision. That uncertainty, more than anything else, is what is hammering Ford stock. And even once they clearly lay out their plan it will probably be a year or two before we'll really be able to see if it is working and maybe not even then as by then the business cycle may have turned and we'll find ourselves in a new recession, one that because of the vast build-up of debt by households, businesses and governments at all levels will be a truly awful. But we'll survive it, as I hope will Ford, and maybe we all will have learned a thing or two. That is the point when we'll really know if Ford dropped cars just before consumer preferences changed once again or if "mobility" is a term as vacuous as "plastics!" from The Graduate. Edited October 22, 2018 by Gurgeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Who said that? You did. I thought you were being sarcastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Same if Toyota killed all it's lower selling cars and trucks during the peek of Prius sales back in the 00's If the sedan market wasnt shrinking 20% year to date from last year...youd make more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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