Why does Ford have a bad name?
 

Why is it that Ford always gets a bad rep with producing poor quality cars? I've never had a problem with the ford I'm driving now and it's 10 years old. My brother drives an Explorer and he has had few problems too.

I think if you take care of your car reguardless of the make you're going to drive it for a long time.

i take great care of my car and it has numerous problems ford cant fix or cant figure out...plus it only took a year for my paint to start peeling and they put up a fight to only repaint the peeling parts instead of the whole car....

granted it runs....but i wont say they sold me a perfect quality vehicle...

ford has had some bad cars in the past, the edsel for example, and those bad cars taint the average persons view of ford quality. the other thing is not just ford but all domestic automakers have the reputation of having problem cars. i once asked a person why he wouldnt buy an american ever again, and his reply was of the crappy way the cars are made and the problems he had with them. i asked him to give specifics, and he said he had a starter, alternator, ignition switch, and a couple of other items replaced in the first two years he owned his ford and he considered those to be major problems. when i asked what he problems he had with his toyota he said he had the alternator, starter, ignition switch and ac ouple of other items replaced in a two year period but he considered those minor problems. when i asked him what the difference was, he said the toyota was more reliable than the ford. no amount of debate could change his mind(what little of it there was). it just goes to show that people are stupid no matter how intelligent they seem to be.

People hate Mustangs because they know we are better and won't admit we are... Just like Ford is better then the bow-ties and ricers. :D (thats just my 2 cents).

Bottom line, doesn't matter what make you buy, they all have their little problems and if you take care of your car it will last a long time. You also have to consider if your car was made at 8:05am on Monday morning or 4:55pm Friday evening. That might be some of the problems...

I couldn't agree more with Cyber. I have worked at dealerships and the automotive business since high school. I first worked at a Subaru Mazda, Isuzu dealer. they have a ton of problems. Then I worked at a Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, dodge dealership and was service manager for each line. Nissan and honda are a pain in the *** cause the check engine light comes on nconstantley. I had customers screaming at me all the time cause they where sick of the check engine light always comming on. Honda also has water leak problems. mitsubishi is just a royal pain in the ***. break downs all the time. upset customers. And dodge. I would NEVER buy a dodge after seeing the problems they have. If you buy a dodge you had better buy allot of spare transmissions and ball joints. Point is every car line has its problems

i believe in maintainence......i have a low 10 second nova,that i drove to fla 2 times when no one said it would do it!my mustang is a heavily modded runner with 100k on it and the thing still never lets me down after 13 yrs.i just bought a rodeo s/e and the sun roof already broke,the 6 disk in dash broke,my rotors are warped already,and the bug shield broke also.with 18k on it,its all minor but still a pain in the a*s,and its new,i am the original owner!i have a 00 sephia that i bought at the auction for 400,needed a hood and fender with 26 k,car runs great.soo who knows...........i maintain all my cars totally anally,and they all look as good or better than they run,except the kia,that runs waaaaaaay better than it looks!

p.s mass stang and i worked at the same dealership.......he knows the rides,he is as bad as i am for maintainence! and his ride goes as well as it looks too.

I bought my Mustang used with 18k on it in 91. I drove it year round for 5 years through the tough New England winters. The car has now got 100k on it, and it has NEVER EVER let me down. The last fivie years its just a nice weather weekend sunny day driver. I put about 500 miles a year on it now. The car treated me good so I put some money into it and it is more straight, and clean than the day it rolled off the assembly line. I used to have a 86 Ranger I went EVERY WHERE with and never let me down.

I don't know about the newer Mustangs, but from my view the Fox bodies were the best cars they ever produced. We race them and run them on the street. We have a 90 coupe 5.0 with over 130K on it. Drivetrain is still like new. And of course the whole drag culture that started around these cars back in 85 or so has led to levels of performance that is truely amazing.

On the other hand though, I made the mistake of buying a 97 Taurus SHO to use as our family sedan. Out of the 20,000 made between 97-99, estimates are 2000 have blown engines. And I'm talking about complete wipe-outs. The cams spin free from the sprockets causing the valves to hit the pistons. Repairs run from $5K to $12K. Ford refuses to back up their product, which has led to a class action suit against them at this time. I can't even sell it off due to the bad rep it has now.

John

Ford always gets picked on because there is no use picking on second best.

hmmm
 

Agreed. Whenever i'm out on the street cruising on sat. nights or fri. nights. i always try to give ford a good name. I don't go around smack talking to chevy guys or the Imports, just go about my business and if happen to come across the enemy and beat them i always give them a thumbs up. Yes, even to the imports cause even though their cars are just plain ole jacked up economy cars some of them are actually nice people. When you get to know them, just a little messed up in the head.

if ford sux so bad, why is there no camaro, or bird any more, bwahaha, couldnt keep up, now they have to take a sport's car to compete, with the 03 cobra lol, rice, not worth mentioning lol. :rolleyes: :D :D :D :D :D :D

its the same people who think Honda and Mazda are Japanese,(both owned by North American Companies)

I have a VW friend who will not admit that parts are made in mexico and some in japan.

Those same people forget Yamaha has worked with Ford and Ford owns Mazda.

A new guy at work has a itech civic and keeps teling me he's going to walk the stang but even the other Ricers know and are trying to get him to go to the track with me.

on a side note he was telling me how cool Saleens are.

The guy I know the bashes onford the most drives a Mazda. He says Ford did not own Mazda in 1994. So I just smile.

I think that foreign cars were going very strong through the 70's, they were reliable with very good repair records, and I think that it took Detroit a long time to realize that people were putting alot more miles on there cars than they did in the 50's and because of that they needed to start to make their cars last longer. I have to say that since the 90's Ford has been making extremely well built cars that last long, and some very good engines. I'm not a fan of Dodge I think theyonly do enough to get the car off the dealer lot. And Chevy's don't seem bad, just real chinsey interiors and lack of character in most of their styling.

I think that since many foreign makes have been produced here, their quality has suffered. It seems that automakers are really on a pretty level playing field these days, where they all have some problems and that will NEVER change.

Who the hell keeps new cars these days anyway? You buy it and drive it 'til the lease is out or until your financing is back in the plus then you trade it in for the new body style and by that time you have no warranty left.

As far as new cars, buy whatever you feel like....and for used out-of-warranty cars, I buy american because the parts are cheap and I always fix it myself.

OH, I hate chrysler now, but the Pacifica and Crossfire are both German engineered cars and all new models from Chrysler will be, so watch out, they may make the best vehicles that money can buy pretty soon....because who will argue the quality and longevity of a Mercedes-Benz....not me, I had an old deisel for 2 1/2 years and I only ever changed the oil!


uh....sorry so long:rolleyes:

it appears that ford tends to not recall their cars until they are forced to deal with these problems (catching on fire, coming out of gear while parked, tires blowing out, etc).........things such as those that get into the news doesn't do much for reputation.......

and here's a story:

my dad bought a brand new 1977 ford f100, auto, 300 inline 6. at one point, it was recalled because those cars were coming out of gear while parked. my dad took it in to the dealership and expected some sort of part replaced or adjusted. they did nothing more than slap a sticker on the dash that read, "CAUTION! CAR MAY COME OUT OF GEAR WHILE PARKED. PLEASE USE EMERGENCY BRAKE."

Honda and Mazda are Japenese. Ford owns a controlling interest in Mazda. Mazda still has japenese engineers and japenese reputation for quaility.

Ford and Mazda share some parts on certain platforms (tribute/escape) but each also has cars that are independent of the others. My Protege has a Mazda engine, Mazda transmission, all mazda parts, was built in Japan, etc....

To say, for example, that a Mazda is the same quality as a Ford because Ford owns mazda is just ignorant.

Ford has a general bad reputation for quality that it earned in the time period when all american cars were garbage.

I noticed something very interesting and consistent over the last few years. I have talked with several people who claimed to be Chevy lovers and that Fords sucked. The good part was that not one of them actually drove a Chevy. They all had toyotas. So you have chevy lovers who swear by them, but wont buy them, talking down about Ford?

Its all bullshit. We know Fords kick ***, it doesnt matter what others think.

So what N/A company owns Honda?

IMO, Ford is just great. There like general electric, they do everything. Anyone remember the late 60's Le Mans series? Ferrari owning up until ford couldnt buy Ferrari so they did it their own way. The GT-40 was born and won 4 consecutive years. My 5.0 may have its problems like a broken speedo ect but replacing stuff isnt too bad and I can drive the hell of out the car day and night. Keeping my 302 block with new oil and no redlining its been good to me.

On another note its like how everyone makes fun of the president. Its easy to make fun of something thats in control of so much. Like Ford. It just has so many opinions and creations its easy to pick on it. But if you talked to any Henry Fords their argue with you :)

well i just drove my new/old 20 year old stang home today, lol, the body isnt even rusted out anywhere, has some ding's, ran just fine, even with the 289 - 351w heads - c-4 , rollin baby, keeping the miles off my 2k now. lol. ;) :D :D :D :D :p

I will say that because my Ford Mustang Has Mazda written on the engine and some other parts. Mazda has ford on it and ford has Mazda. Are they the same quality whose to say if my engine blows I can blame it on Mazda if my seats break I blame it on ford. People that do not know that they have a mazda engine and blow the engine in a Ford will blame it on ford when in reality they could have a mazda engine.

To make this short Ford rules!!!:D :D :D

I guess my point is that you could have a Mazda that is built with all Mazda parts, and if it was a piece of ****, to say that Ford sucks because Ford owns mazda would be stupid.

Or to say that Mazda's cant be better than Fords because Ford owns Mazda or vice versa would be stupid.

They can have management ties yet still produce different quality products.

Honda since its inseption in the USA has been an American company.Portrade as Japenese.What American company ownes Honda Well Honda.
If youve ever done Goverment B4 forms for Multie national companies it always seams funny to find out where and who started them.
Would you guys say that most of Hollywood studios are Japenese ?or Banff for Us in Alberta. Well they are owned by the Japenese. I cant remember wich one off hand and would have to do a search through work.

Look at the money where it started and goes.

Ford Gm are they still American Companies yes they will always be. even if they produce more vehicles overseas.


as far as mazda and ford having diffrent quality well i was thinking of the vehicles produced in the same factory on the same day that are badged diffrently like the ranger and b2000 were
the 323 and whatever ford called it./ what about the probe built by mazda labled by ford.

Thats ridiculous. Honda was started in Japan in 1946 and opened the American division in 1959. it is a jap company with a north american division.

As far as Ford and Mazda, yes they do share some vehicles with different name plates, interior and trim. But Ford obviously has vehicles that have nothing to do with mazda, as mazda aslo has vehicles that have nothing to do with Ford.

ok how about this a group af us businesmen intent on making money and helping out there ravenged ansestrial homeland decide to open a bussiness in their ansestors homeland.with money given to rebuild provided by the us goverment.

the company is incorperated and moves to Japan (From the US)

the company latter returns its headquarters to the US.

So if Some US companies open factories in Iraq and start producing good's and the management is Iraqy are they Iraqi factories ?

It might sound rediculios but hey who wants to admit that Bin Ladin was friends with the Bushes or that Bushes Family made money selling War material to the Germans.

If you were a US company after WWII would you want people knowing you were investing in Japan.


Is it ridiculous to think that not to long ago the US Supported Bin Ladin (against the Russians) Helped Sadam Hussain, or that g Bush senior was partialy responsible for Bin Ladins training through the CIA ???

dont mean to argue or sound stupid but hey somethings some people dont know.

Fords Reputation
 

I think the problem is dividing Ford into 2 distinct categories.

1) Ford when they care.

An example of Ford when they care is anything with the SVT label, Mustangs, and F-150's. All of these vehicles have long-running reliability records. I would even include early Ford Escorts.

2) Ford when they don't care.

This would include what they did to the T-bird in the 80's, the Mustang II, Middle-age Escorts, and especially the Taurus. These are the vehicles that give Ford the Bad rep, IMHO. Either they relied on Name power, or in some cases just went in on a wing and a prayer.


Of course, that's just my $0.02 , and you may feel I need to be given change. ;)

Say what? A group of Japenese americans started the business in Japan, but you say its an american company?

Ah, ok...whatever dude

Today cars are all made by different manufacturers and everything is contracted out, all a car company has to do is say "make this" and then assemble it. Most cars are "made" in Taiwan, China, Mexico and wherever else parts can be made at slave labor prices, whether it's a Honda, Ford, Mitsubishi, Chrysler or Volkswagen. Also major distributors like AC Delco, Motorcraft, Nippondenso, Bosch to name a few - design and make alot of the parts that go on cars and even domestics get import parts on them (Bosch oxygen sensors, Mass air sensors, etc.)

Most people who say "XXXX car company sucks" either have had a bad experience with one of that company's cars or are blindly brand loyal, don't maintain their cars, or don't know anything about cars in general. Some people are well educated, and may just be comfortable with that make of car and tend to overlook all the flaws of that make.
Also, any car is a POS if you don't maintain and beat on the thing, which is something that i've seen people do and then blame the car.

I stopped arguing with people along time ago, i just smile and nod and say "I like my POS".

Re: Fords Reputation
 

I agree. And I would buy all the cars in #1 and none of the cars in #2.

Re: Re: Fords Reputation
 

Whats wrong with the taurus? All I remember is hearing about how great of a car it was.

Re: Re: Re: Fords Reputation
 

My buddy has one with 178K on the clock. Loves it. He said it is one of the toughest cars he has ever owned. And he is tough on cars. He not big on maintenence.

Like any car company ford has had bad models and bad cars. The next time some one says something about a ford tell them you drive a ford because you can afford to.

I have owned various makes of cars. The Mustang I own has given me one problem which was a leaking shift modulator. I love my 73 VW Beetle but the engine dropped a valve and explode the engine about a year and a half ago and required a complete build of a new engine. My 79 Malibu has 195,000 on it and has never left me walking. My S-10 has broken 2 crankshafts but I wouldn't give the truck up. The worst car I owned was an 81 AMC Concord which I bought new and was in the dealer every week until the warranty ran out. The second worst was 79 Plymouth Champ (Mitsubishi), rod knock at 35k cracked head at 42k.

I have friends who have owned Ford Rangers and have had dozens of breakdowns. I guess the biggest thing is you never know what will go wrong with anything you buy. If it breaks, fix it. If it breaks again, hotrod it.

people keep knocking the mustang ll, but if it werent for the mll we wouldnt have amustang today. it was the right car for the right time. regarding the tbird, i had an 84 and i liked it untill the cfi system in it took a dump. i wish i had the money to keep that car, can you say 460 swap? the escorts are good cars, but i wouldnt own one mostly because i dont like small front drive cars, with a couple of exceptions. and as far as the taurus goes, the only ones with real problems were the 3.8 powered ones. the 3.0 cars were virtually bulletproof. my mom has had 2 sables(the mercury variant), an 87 and the current 97, and both have been extremely reliable. everyone wants the hotrods, but the pedestrian cars are what keep the automakers profitable.