Richard Smith

I have just taken delivery of a 2007 Fusion SE with 4 cyl and just Automatic. MSRP is $19705. The lease contract shows a Residual Value (The value of the vehicle at the end of the lease used in calculating your base payment) equal to $9458. Thats 48 % of MSRP. The Purchase Option at the end of the lease is $9958.40 or 51 % of MSRP. This is a 39 month/12000 mile lease. The dealer finance person told me the residual was 51% for 10500 miles and 50 % for 12000 miles. Is there an error in my contract? Who at Ford can give me an unbiased answer? I would like to know the correct figures before I approach the dealer. I am a Ford retiree living in Knoxville, Tn.

"Trade in Good faith" IMO is the key. The US car companies are providing a service to the Canadians and we are not trying to take over an existing car market and negatively affect the Canadians citizens. We have a free trade agreement with Canada and they look like us - generally like us - and generally speak the the same language. Our cultures are very much alike. And "They", the Canadians haven't bombed our peaceful A**es in the last 65 years. I support the American car companies, management, unions, military - with the problems they have.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send a message Vote NO! Don't compromise your principles!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imawhosure, I agree with you. I am a 14 year retired Salaried guy from Ford Livonia after 27 years of service. I have posted on the Retiree Network but haven't gotten much support, except from Hourly guys still working. With recent actions by Ford management toward Hourly and Salaried Employees and Retirees I am going to fight back. I am going to concentrate my efforts on protecting "our" benefits and not differentiate between Hourly and Salaried names. We are in this together - one difference is Hourly get to vote. My experience with Ford as a Company is that they will do whatever they can get away with! Be passive and they will walk all over for their advantage no matter how short sighted it is. Example: A few years back Ford discovered they had over paid my Pension Monthly by about $55./month for 12 YEARS. They demanded I pay back this $8000+ within 30 days or they would cut my Pension payment in half until the overage was paid back. The law indicated they were responsible for the error and should at least give me 12 YEARS to pay it back. To make a longer story short they agreed to cut my benefits by 25% along with the 4000 or so retirees they also screwed up. Attorney fees did not support a fight in court. End of story. Some points I would like to make: 1. Why is Ford paying $.40/share/year to stockholders with the current Financial Crisis! Save that money to rescue the company? That's $20 Million on the Ford Family Shares alone. 2. Why is the Ford Governmental Affairs Office under Group Vice President, Ziad Ojakli, Ford Corporate Affairs pursuing "Pension Reform Funding Flexibility and Plan Provisions" in Washington ( See Ford World Nov 2005). Z. Ojakli is a Corporate HACK(from Washington,DC) undermining our Pension Plans - and he's supposed to be on our side - being paid by our sacrifices? 3. Don't count on the Ford Board of Directors to do anything but "rubber stamp" Bill Ford's Proposals. 4. Lets pursue our Congress Representatives and Senators to lobby for a "Leveling of the Playing Field" for transplants. How blind can we be to let the Foreign Companies come here, with a tremendious cost advantage, and destroy our auto industry? Maybe a 50% tax on imports and transplant sales. 5. Sure Healthcare Costs are out of control - but how come the Millionaires in the "Glass House" give us a top down solution that has no impact on them or their families. What happened to "Working with the people on the floor" to work out a cooperative and workable solution? We are the ones spending the Healthcare Dollars. My guess is they DON'T really believe that stuff! (edited - sorry) I support America all the way!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Confucius says: Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it! The 60's brought the Mustang and it's still a profit maker. Profits are not a bad thing - they are what keeps a company viable and a secure employment environment. "Antiquated" is from the Latin "Antiquus" from 1596 meaning "From wisdom". J-150 - Where are you "from"?

WOW

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quickdraw, If you trust Ford and your Union and you provide a Fair days work your statement makes sense. The relationship must be based on mutual trust and respect. Ford and the UAW have provided well for you in the past. If you trust that Ford and the Union will treat you fairly or you believe you will get "screwed" at every turn you are probably correct.

96 pony, Be careful what you wish for - you might get it - it may not be what you expected! I invite you to read a POSTING on the Toyota - Kentucky Forum. Subject: Superior Maintenance - Sept 2005. http://www.uawtmmk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1180 I support America and American Workers, American Unions, American Companies, American Management, American Government, American Buyers, American Military! Love it or Leave it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No1Eman, You have done a great service to those of us that are on the BlueOval Forums. That link should be required reading for all who complain about the UAW and Management. Take a look at this specific POST on uawtmmk.com!!!! http://www.uawtmmk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1180

J-150,

And if buying a truck designed and manufactuered in the US (by American workers) makes me unAmerican because that plant is in Texas, not Michgan, then so be it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J-150, If the profits go off shore it is Unamerican to buy the car or truck. I hope for the good of the USA economy you come to your senses and buy from a American owned company. I wish you well in your pursuits but AMERICAN COMES FIRST!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J-150, You won't have to eat your hat because I do have stuff in my house that was made outside the USA. I do make a concsious attempt to BUY AMERICAN but many times I can't find what I want or need. I have made some bad choices in the past and I can see that it has resulted in hurting American businesses. I am sorry for that. I don't believe that Ford or any major Auto Manufacturer is producing "substandard products." So I don't buy your excuse to Buy a Jap Car. I think I hear you saying that if I recognize what I have been making a poor and stupid choice I should keep on doing it!! I am opposed to allowing the enemy to eat my lunch. That sounds insane to me. The nice thing about the truth is that it is always true (Wheither you believe it or not). ps: Those Ford Products you mentioned were all made in Ford Plants in Mexico, Canada and Germany so the Profits come back to America. To some extent we are exploiting the foreign labor but we are not trying to take over their market or economy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J-150, You obviously lack common sense and are truly an Unamerican traitor. I suggest you go live with the rice growers if you love them so much. Your attitude is disgraceful!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- butthead, If Wixom closes? I don't think Bill Ford is or would be a hypocrite. Wixom has always been called a "Luxury Car Plant". If we close our "luxury Car Plant where will we build.............hmmmmmm interesting question?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harry Bennet, I don't want any more foreign plants in the USA. They are like the plague - they will uncut wages and vehicle prices until US Companies go under. Remember when Standard Oil would setup a station across from the competition and give away gas until the competition was starved out of business. The Japs can't compete on a level playing field. They come in with no Healthcare or retiree legacy and hire young workers for less money and lower overall costs. How many times does this have happen before we learn our lesson. Try to find an American Built TV.