[Unit 5302]

I won't be buying another new Ford because of my piece of crap 2002 Mustang GT.

I've owned the following Ford vehicles:

1977 Mustang II V8 Fastback
1988 Mustang LX Hatch
1988 Mustang LX Hatch
1988 Mustang GT Hatch
1985 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1993 Escort GT
1987 Mustang GT
2001 Mustang GT
2002 Mustang GT

I've had an engine failure, 6 transmission failures including the 2002 GT which was babied for 17k until the 3rd gear syncronizer failed, and the entire transaxle exploding on the '93 Escort with only 90k on it. I've also become very aquainted with removing entire dashes to replace heater cores, but that's only happened 5 times.

On the 2001, I discovered the dealer had sold me a car that had been through a major accident and didn't disclose the information to me only a day after I bought it, when the power window motor failed and another dealer was looking at it. The new dealer found all the signs I had missed on the 12k car. The old dealer then tried to screw me on their money back guarantee/exchange policy and they attempted to avoid giving me the rebate on a new car which is why I purchased the 2002 off the new dealer's lot.

On the 2002, the power window motor failed, the transmission failed, the stereo failed, the engine had a random no-start condition related to some sort of bad connection in the transmission, the car would occationally start and chug for about 1min spewing heavy smoke. The 2002 still had the plastic on the seats when I bought it, and I took excellent care of it. I sold this heap of crap with 17k on it. By the way, when it was in the shop, the dealer's "rental car" was already being used so they couldn't offer one to me. Luckily, it wasn't supposed to rain, and I could ride my motorcycle everywhere I needed to go.

A side note, my sister's 2000 Ford Focus. The engine just blew up a couple months ago... with under 100k on it. This wonderful little vehicle has seen at least a 1/2 dozen recalls, and the recall work was often botched by the dealer resulting in the car going right back. The fuel pump failed 3x leaving her stranded and fighting for repair under warranty. She's now concerned that her transmission is failing.

You also might want to talk to Capri 306 about how GREAT Ford trucks and dealer service are. I can't remember if his family experienced the massive 5.4L crank failure problem or something else. The friggen CRANKSHAFT was failing. How do you not find that in proving grounds testing????? Maybe it was another cheapass move by Ford like the 1999 Cobra incident where they made a change to save $1 per unit at the last minute and didn't test it?

Why am I here? Because I would like to be able to bleed Ford blue again, and because I still love my old Mustangs. My 1987 and 1988 GT's were very reliable considering how I and their previous owners drove them. They had more problems than I would have expected from some soulless Toyota, but with a transmission that wasn't even rated to handle the engine produced in stock trim, failure was going to happen.

Don't give me the BS line that I should shove my head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend everything is a-okay. That's what got Ford into the trouble they're in now. Hopefully, if enough people that care about Ford finally start speaking up, Ford will be able to deal with these issues and start producing vehicles and dealerships that make Ford owners proud to have the blue oval in their driveway. If I didn't care, I wouldn't be here.