HoustonPerson

Basic Questions on 2008 Super Duty 4x4 Lariat: 1. On the 40/20/40 front seat will the center section of the dash be flat across, or will it be bowed out like the pictures show for the models with bucket seats? 2. Front Seat Construction: Will the "seat bottom" and "seat back" be attached together and move together as one piece like 2005-2007 Super Duty? OR will the seat bottom and seat back move separately like the current F150 series?

Mr. M knows FMC has got to get the people in place that know what customers want and willing to spend money for. He made the correct decision. It is well past due for the guy in charge (I forgot his name, was at the Dallas State Fair a couple of months ago) of the Super Duty's needs to go as well. Way too many "required" major items are missing from the 2008 Super Duty's to remain competitive, and believe me, a tail gate step is NOT it. The new tow mirrors may be good - I will know when I get my hands on them; but that is not "major" enough to remain competitive. With the current F150 now fading into the west Texas sunset; we all just hope Mr. M take immediate corrective action to make those major improvements for the SuperDuty now before it is gone too in just a few short years.

Well I read his Resume (the article link). Clearly FMC has no idea what they are doing. Neither him nor the number one lead guy in charge of Trucks is going to save the company - they have absolutely no clue what the customer wants. And if by some slim chance they did, the FMC corporate structure will not allow the company to survive.

Save Themselves (closely related to) Build Products People Want

Just a few of the 10,000 items (since some have asked): Ok, the Ford Media and public information is now “publicâ€. Many have asked me about those 10,000 items? If you take the time to read the media kits, you will see a significant number of deficiencies are addressed; at least in the press kit. Whether or not Ford can delivery on their promises remains to be seen. http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_di...&make_id=92 Even though most of these 10,000 items are global to all FMC vehicles, I will focus only on the Super Duties since this could well be the last chance Ford has to save itself (new CEO or not). Rear Suspension – 100 items: Ford claims in their press release that significant improvements have been made to the rear suspension (only 20 years past due). The current 2006/07 Super Duty has about 100 major short comings, and in the press release I can see about 50 items have been addressed: Much longer leaf springs, revised shock valving, all new bushings throughout, and many others; but did they get the other 50 changes that need to be made? Has correct and proper “rebound control†become a part of that change? Has the sub-standard rear shock upper cantilever bolt attachment been corrected? I do not know, I have not seen the truck. AC/Heat system – 500 items: Currently there are about 500 major short comings (compared to the competition). For all practical purposes FMC does not have an AC system on any vehicle – and has not for over 20 years. If you take the time to read all pages of the press release you can pick up on about 250 significant changes. Even one of those was mentioned on Toyota’s direct attack on Ford in regard to the Montana Coal Miners – and yet no one caught it? If you want go back to the Toyota web site it is still there! Ford promises 10 degrees lower temps on the AC system – yep it’s there in the press release. Best I can calculate that is still about 10-15 warmer than the competition. Currently Ford does not offer a “working†AC system on the 2007 F150 so it remains to be seen if one is now available for the 2008 Super Duties? But what about the other needed and required items to become competitive – like weather stripping – where is it? I know my 2006 $50,000 Lariat 4x4 does not have it – and what little it did have has crumbled and fallen off the truck in the first 10,000 miles. What about all the holes and leaks in the firewall and around the windshield. Even the best AC/Heat systems in the world can not overcome those deficiencies. The 2007 F150’s have those problems so is there “any†solid evidence that FMC can deliver on the 2008 Super Duty? Yes the window glass is now thicker on the sides to make it quieter; but does it include the Volvo tech stuff to eliminate the heat? Something standard on a Corolla at $40,000 less? FMC charges about $1,000 for the moon roof on the Super Duty – and I think they are great; but there is absolutely NO solar heat reducing properties to the panel. All stuff that is standard from Toyota and many other companies that provide moon roofs. It only cost Ford $5 to add the heat reducing properties to that $1,000 option. FMC needs to get this stuff correct on a $50,000 truck! In the press release for the 2008 Super Duties I can see FMC claims to have addressed a lot of items (about 1,000 of the 10,000 that I see); whether or not they have gotten more or less remains to be seen. The next issue is cost are they going to be competitive on cost – meaning value. Now is the time for FMC to step up to the plate – their game is almost over.

Kelly Blue book is one source; beginning retail about $32,000..........can be optioned to about $41,000

FMC is exceptionally fortunate that Mr. Mulally did not drive a FMC vehicle before he was “hired-onâ€. If he did, he would have run out of Detroit and realized the real job that lay ahead. The Lexus ES350 retails for about $39,000. Currently FMC can not build a competitive product at any price. The same car (called a Camry) often sells in the $25,000 range. The only way FMC can “just†begin to get some of this “stuff†right is to own and drive these vehicles and “always†“always†continue to refine the product. FMC can only survive, if the beats Toyota at their own game. Continuing to bury their head in the sand will not get it done. The major demographic “slide†in customer profile for FMC over the last 20 years will continue unabated, unless FMC is willing and capable to build credible products. FMC currently has a huge “cash cow†in the few loyal customers still buying Super Duty’s and F150. It is much much much easier to get the truck products fixed “now†while you still have customers to buy them. Why wait until they go to your competitors? Why do exactly the same thing you already did with the Taurus. FMC has a ton of so-called loyal customers who have bought $50,000 Lariat’s during the last two years. You can rest assured they will bail when better products arrive. Their wait will not be long. The article is dead-on.

1. I did not say "failures" - I said "short commings" 2. No has yet looked at the Toyota web site either.

Mr. Mulally has his work cut out for him. In FMC’s current state with only truck sales left, time is of the essence to save the company. He can definitely rally the troops; but his major short coming fully comprehending consumer demographics and how badly Ford has missed the market in the last 40 years can be a major stumbling block. Even in the last three years GM has made some significant changes (at least for GM), while FMC continues to evaporate. The DaimlerChrysler merger has given Chrysler a shot in the arm and it has been the “new†market understanding that has led them to a somewhat brighter picture. And the question of - 10,000 major deficiencies in product: You need only look at the Toyota Tundra web site, which has been “public†for over one year now, directly targets “one major†major item missing on every FMC vehicle. And if a FMC employee here on Blue Oval says it not true, then they are saying so strictly on a basis of denial. I have driven dozens of F150 and SuperDuty’s all over Texas and you guys are missing the mark in a big way. With no competitive power train improvement on the F150 this year it will go the way of the Taurus by the end of 2007. Mr. Mulally will need to save the company by getting the 60% of the 10,000 short comings corrected asap. The 6.4L diesel in the SuperDuty will not do it. If immediate corrections are not made to the trucks now, the cash hemorrhaging will continue unabated.

From a capital stand point this could been excellent in getting finances in order. The number one benefit is structuring the labor force to pattern after Toyota and Nissan. This would be a real win win for everyone; most importantly the workers, and then the consumer, and finally the shareholders. But going "private" is not the only solution available.

Lack of credible products? F150 A great start; but already failing in the market place. The biggest short comming against the competition is no engine or transmission and it's inability to tow any thing over 4,000 lbs. Mustang This could be a great "calling card" for Ford - again it is the lack of 10,000 items - 6,000 could be done at no cost to make the product worthy in the market place. Living off the past, does not make a product fit for today's world. Fusion Triplets Coming this Fall: Edge That's just the immediate picture. Why are you so focused on the Super Duty trucks? Ford is no longer in the car business, their only current choice is to at least attempt to get the Super Duties "half right" with the next release. The Dodge Cummins (2500/3500)with the new automatic for late summer 2007 will be the nail in the coffin for Ford Super Duty. Dodge has at least addressed 60% of the items needed to succeed in the 3/4 and 1 ton market. FMC continues to let the truck business go the way of the car business; meaning there is no FMC. P.S. I'm not in denial of Ford's problems, I just don't agree that there is nothing positive happening The "postive" is knowing what is wrong and fixing it. Company management has to address the problems, and engineers have to do their job - there has been no indication they are even attempting to do this.

Yep, sounds good to me, hide your head in the sand, do the ostrich thing; and the problems are sure to go away. FMC continued lack of creditable products for the market it is after is the number one problem. If they are unable to be successful with the upcoming F250/350 launch, and there is every indication they will not be; it would only be a couple of short years before they close their doors. FMC has two major under utilized assets; the work force and its dealers. Both management and engineering failures have been the key major element in addressing market requirements with products people are willing to buy. It will take a lot more to save the company than hoping Mr. Ghosn calls Bill back.

It appears that the 2008 F250/350 will be released in January 2007; with a new engine and a new interior. Those components would be a minor improvement (maybe) over the existing design. But it is way too little way too late. This will be the last major product launch that FMC will make before either bankruptcy is filed (Wall Street recommendation) or the company goes private (Bill’s recommendation). That last product launch (F250/350 MY 08/09)) has over 10,000 major short comings. At least 6,000 of those could be corrected before the launch at absolutely “no costâ€; but Ford will do nothing about it. Company management is absolutely determined to fail, and the world knows it. FMC = The world’s Dumbest Company

Does Ford management really read these posts? Who said they could read? It is unlikely, they would have to pass first grade, and everone on the management team failed that. And Bill got the lowest scores!