Will Toyota's troubles move you to Ford?

[boyari2]

Some good cars, don't you think?

[The Henchman]

I'd buy American based on price. You get more more car for less upfront money. I buy used so I look for models that depreciate. I buy 2 or 3 year old.

[Frank]

No. I had a lemon problem with Ford years ago and had to sue them and dealer. One experience like this is enough for a lifetime.

[Jules]

A whale in wolf's clothing...

[Eric in North TX]

use of the foot print due to layout. I'm not surprised at the throttle issues in the drive by wire cars, I'm more surprised it hasn't happened sooner & to more brands. That push button start is also a hazard, leaving you with no mechanical switch to turn off, and it is just glitz, it serves no practical purpose.

[Cindy Hamilton]

No. Where, exactly, will I put things like shrubs, bags of asphalt patch, and groceries?

Cindy Hamilton

[Jon Danniken]

It works great in airplanes, but then you've got double/triple redundancy, and every part comes with a full pedigree.

For automobiles, not so much.

Jon

[hallerb]

e by wire cars, I'm

toyota was aware of the problem for a long time and did its best to blame the owners for things like carpeting.

oh well bridgestone firestone did the exact same thing, and is still in business today:(

ANY COMPANY who has a major problem like this should be called before congress and asked lots of nosey questions under oath.

When did you find about about problem?, what did you do? attempted cover up?

Inform them in advance that if they are found to be lieing, its 5 years in supermax not club fed:(

This will make all products safer:)

Companies will be FORCED to fix safety issues when they first occur:) Rather than waiting till the death rate gets too high, just to save a buck.....

if toyota or any other big company did ignore a problem resulting in preventable deaths, andf the brand was destroyed and the company went out of business.

things like this will get fixed fast!

[salty]

When Ford Pintos started exploding when hit from behind due to a flaw in the gas tank mounts, Ford had an interesting response. The OFFICIAL position taken by Ford was that it was cheaper to settle the lawsuits from families of people killed and maimed, then it would be to fix the problem.

[terry]

Yup that and the Explorer roll-overs (whether due to under inflated tyre specs. or whatever!) The absolutely best and most economical vehicle that really served our purpose, that we ever owned was a fourth hand 1990 Nissan pickup. The only 'option' it had was a heater. No power steering, or radio, single speed wipers, four cylinder, five speed manual. Acquisition and major repairs including a paint job; it lasted with us some four/five years worked out at $80 per month. We threw it away at close to 300,000 kms. (200,000 miles) at age 12 years after the cab floor and chassis rusted. It took son to college for 3 years and we used it for small business as well. But FORD is the one that didn't need bailing out????????? We need better fiscal and bank regulation. Why are other countries recovering their economies so much faster?

[Lp1331 1p1331]

SaltyDog beat me to it:As I understand , it was the shock absorber bolts that punctured the gas tank on Pintos. How much could it have possibly cost to remedy that? Turn the bolts around so the head is facing the tank? Some sort of metal shield? I also saw a program (Bill Kurtis on A&E as I recall) about the POS Bronco II 's rolling over. They had one on a test track with what amounted to giant training wheels on it. The least little swerve and it would have flipped w/o the outriggers. Supposedly they suspended the tests for the safety of the test divers, them released the car to the public to test for themselves. In cases like these, the execs making thise decisions should be held personally liable.

[mike]

I didn't appreciate Ford attempting to stick their grubby paws in my pockets via a bailout. I'll pass. That goes double for those who actually pulled off the grand larceny.

[clare]

FADEC

[hibb]

Ahem. I think Ford was the one that turned down bailout money.

[mike]

Ahem. They were lobbying for it until they saw the coming backlash and reconsidered.

You sure have a short memory.

[hibb]

I probably won't go back to Ford for a while. I used to buy only Ford Vans and Trucks when I need one but after hitting a string of three in a row where I bought new Ford vehicles and the air conditioning compressor went out just after the warranty expired I swore off buying Ford products.

And remember when GM went through a stretch of bad Head Bolts. I had one of those and blew the head gasket right after warranty. They wouldn't help a bit even tho it was because one of those head bolts broke. I haven't owned a GM vehicle since.

[mike]

"The CEOs of the big three automakers flew to the nation's capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running out of cash and needs $25 billion in taxpayer money to avoid bankruptcy.

...Mulally [FORD] made his case Tuesday before the committee saying he's cut expenses, laid-off workers and closed 17 plants.

"We have also reduced our work force by 51,000 employees in the past three years," Mulally said."

*** He's just another thief who put his hacksaw down only after he noticed how many people were watching.

[h]

Nope. I buy 10 year old Subarus based on quality and price and keep them for

10 years. Works out to about $1,000/year vehicle cost including repairs and gas. Can't beat that with Ford, GM, etc.

[terry]

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

But capitalism and private enterprise is good? Isn't it?

It allows any, athlete, Hollywood or TV star, 'Kapitan' of industry or self made 'Madeoff' or scam-artiste, the possibility to make as much money a possible. Regardless of anybody else! Right?

And the moment that anyone starts talking about a national army, police forces instead of posses and vigilantes, public schools instead of private ones, publicly owned water and sewer services, city or state governemnt operated services and transportation, necessary organisations such the FAA, proper regulation of financial institutions etc. is suggested, or 'God Forbid' universal health care for everybody; the cry of 'No Socialism' or 'No Communism' goes up!

We know that those other extremes don't work either; so somewhere in between?

[mike]

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

What are you talking about? Are you off your meds? Attempted theft has nothing to do with capitalism. Theft, however, is synomous with socialism.