Biggest Ford Reliability Disaster

[mustardjohn]

Here we go again.... I have had a number of foreign cars that died very ugly and expensive deaths, mostly German but one very notable Mazda. I stwitched from foreign cars to get away with much less expensive repairs. $600 bucks for a blown out plug is cheap. Try owning a Volvo when the turbo goes out at less than 100K. Thats expensive....

[mustardjohn]

The main reason I switched back to Ford was a Bronco I bought that had 160,000 on it and the odometer was broken. I kept it about 2.5 years with a 50 mile a day commute. Sold it to someone in the neighborhood who kept it another 2+ years. No one knows how many miles it had on it and there were no major repairs at least while I had it except for one major tune up and a starter. The tail gate was sort of rusted out and the drivers seat became real loose and had to be replaced but that is extemely cheap compared to the VW diesel minibus I had that left the contents of the engine in the middle of the fourlane on the way to work one morning with less than 50K on it. Rod went right through the crank case. You think VW cared?

I guess I was not lucky or smart enough to own a Honda or Toyota but everytime I go by the Toyota place the repair lot is full.

[Capri306]

Originally Posted by mustardjohn

I guess I was not lucky or smart enough to own a Honda or Toyota but everytime I go by the Toyota place the repair lot is full.

Maybe because they make some of the best-selling vehicles in America right now, and there are more of them on the road than most any other vehicle? Hmm......I was going to write more, but I had a brain fart. Oh well. BTW, my Accord just crossed the 172k mark, and is still running (almost) as good as new. I hope I live long enough to see Ford vehicles do the same on a regular basis.

PLEASE do not read this wrong! I'm not trying to knock Ford, I just wish they could invest a little more into the reliability and longevity of the cars and trucks they produce, instead of driving profit margins higher by raping their suppliers and letting bean counters run the show. My point is, they could be doing much better, for the benefit of all. Ford could be producing the next "Accord," or "Camry," but they refuse to change. I for one wish they would and hope they do.

One last thing, Ford and GM are setting up major operations in China as I type this. In fact, some Cadillac motors are made in China right now.

"We will win and you will lose. You cannot do anything because your failure is an internal disease. Your companies are based on Taylor’s principles. Worse, your heads are Taylorized too. You firmly believe that sound management means executives on the one side and workers on the other, on the one side men who think and on the other side men who only work."

Konusuke Matsushita, founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.

[mustardjohn]

Originally Posted by Capri306

I just wish they could invest a little more into the reliability and longevity of the cars and trucks they produce, instead of driving profit margins higher by raping their suppliers and letting bean counters run the show.

Agree, my point was I have owned both foreign and domestic and over all my experience is that domestics are not as well made but are less expensive to maintain. I have had good and bad experiences with both but overall domestic has been cheaper to own right from the sale through final disposition.

Cheapest car I've owned was a VW bug. No speed but it ran forever with absolutely no maintenance. Most fun cars are my Contour SVT and the 2003 Mustang. Also had a big Buick convertable with a 455 V8 that was a lot of fun.

I know I am off point here but a $600 repair bill is well within the norm for me and not a reason to switch. Dealer treament is almost always shoddy when you really need them no matter the make of car. They are only low margin, volume driven, finance middle men. I have had some decent experiences bypassing the dealer and going to the Manufacturer who will often pay for the parts if you pay the labor which takes the dealer out of it.