Powertrain Pimp

I understand that the IRS limits the amount of pre-tax dollars one can put in, but it would be NICE, if the company would allow one to defer taking payment until next year so that one could place this money into TESPHE. I can't tell you the amount of people I know who contribute little or nothing towards their retirement, either through a 401k or some other vehicle. If you're banking on a nice pension and social security to take care of you in your golden years, you may want to think again. Also, you are spot-on with your Roth IRA comment. It is a great vehicle to save money and NOT pay any tax on it when you cash it in. Unfortunately, I do not qualify for a Roth since I file married jointly and my AGI is too high. Filing married jointly is a requirement to participate in a Roth IRA. I knew that there was no limit on AFTER Tax dollars put into TESPHE, but I didn't know you could transfer money into your TESPHE from another financial insitution. I thought it had to be done through your employer sponsered plan only.

What about employees who have their TESPHE maxed out for the year? Will they be eligible to defer this years payment towards next year's TESPHE contributions? Albeit this is a small majority of the total hourly workforce, why should the savers be penalized for maxing out so early in the year?

I thought the 1850 hour cap was for employees on active military duty? You're saying its for ALL employees? We work on avg. 2080 year and we can only contribute 1850 (88%) of those hours? Please explain the cap thing. Is it like GM where you can only max out at 12B in one plan year? Thanks!

Does anyone out there know where one could locate the "new & simplified" profit sharing formula? I downloaded the white pages from uaw.org and its not in there, or I'm blind. There are a lot of rumours surrounding this new formualtion, and I would like to read what the new language says. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

I can't speak for all engine plants, but I know that Lima Engine does not fire the engine. They only cycle it through a cold test at the end of line. Hot Test, I've heard, is too costly (fuel prices/EPA Regs/ETC) and that is one of the reasons why they have gone away from it. I hope this helps.

Doesn't anyone at your plant drive a diesel? Does your plant accomodate them? I know some plants have power in the parking lots for diesel's to plug into in the winter to keep the glow plugs warm. I highly doubt, though, Ford will power up the parking lots to accomodate anyone who wishes to drive a hybrid electric vehicle.

Adrian Price has been promoted to Director, Global Ford Production System. He will directly report to John Fleming, Executive Vice-President, Manufacturing and Labor Affairs. Your guess is as good as mine as to who LEP's new plant manager will be.

I too, see the company going for more consolidation of trades and production classifications. The company wants to take the 3A Approach to employees: ANY employee on ANY job, At ANY time. Their dream would be to have just one classification: Worker.

I really hate that smug, little a**hole.

I agree with taking it to another dealer. I would also recommend talking to your Dealer Panel Rep in your plant. I have found that they can get dealerships motivated to help when the right phone calls are made. Good Luck with your issue!!

http://www.miseryindex.us/urbymonth.asp I don't know how you think that 9.8% unemployment is a record high. Under Reagan, from September of 1982 through June of '83 the unemployment level was over 10% Not spin doctor rhetoric, just the facts.....

GM is not saddled with nearly the amount of debt as Ford. So, this in turn gives them a better looking balance sheet. GM has a better gross cash to debt ratio than Ford. Filing for bankruptcy protection from their creditors did not forgive all sins, but it forgave a lot of them. One of my economic professors in college once told me to think of it this way: Imagine if you will GM is a funnel. Pour in good publicity for them in the top, i.e. Taxpayers are getting some ROI from the bailout, and out the bottom of the funnel comes a good stock price. Pour in some bad news at the top of the funnel, and a low stock price may come out of the bottom. Our time is coming, just be patient my friend.......

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100405/ap_on_bi_ge/us_toyota_recall Serves 'em right........

Hey.......at least we got one....that's a start........

Rumored to be in the '13 - '14 model year. Soooo, I would think an annoucement and install would be commencing soon...

That engine will be made in the USA. It is currently rumored to be built at the Lima Engine Plant. Which would be an obvious choice for Ford, based on Lima's reputation for superior quality, and union company relations. Also Lima has over 67% of empty floor space. The Duratec 2.7 will be a sister, or based on the same acrhitecture that Lima's current Duratec 3.5 is based on. I do not know about volume, but preliminary numbers indicate somewhere in the 325K per year range. Only time will tell. I hope this info was helpful for you....

Unofficially: LEP Passed contract by a slim margin. 246 For 233 Against.

Not sure how many hourly buy-outs there were. We have our NP Stores jobs back, and we will take our Incoming Quality (Rec. Inspection) back in August. Not sure about Dyno. There is a RUMOR that x-fers from the MI plants could return to their home plants, but nothing concrete yet. Just hang in there...

http://www.limaohio.com/news/wert-38363-company-county.html The engine that will power this new vehicle is supposed to be over 400 HP and get a whopping 110 MPG running E-85......What do you think?

DEARBORN, April 17, 2009 – Ford Motor Company, continuing its rapid quality improvement, surpassed Honda in initial vehicle quality for the first time and reached new levels of customer satisfaction with vehicle quality, a new survey shows. Ford is also statistically tied with Toyota at the top of the industry when it comes to initial vehicle quality, according to the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) survey conducted quarterly for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “This is truly a significant accomplishment for us,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford group vice president, Global Quality. “Honda and Toyota have claimed bragging rights for years, but now we are seeing our hard work pay off. It’s evident in study after study.” The latest GQRS survey measured 2009 model year vehicle initial quality in two categories: the number of “things gone wrong,” and customer satisfaction with vehicle quality in the first three months of ownership. In the first quarter of 2009, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles saw things gone wrong fall by 5 percent to 1,228 per 1,000 vehicles, significantly better than Honda’s 1,422 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles and statistically equal to Toyota’s 1,150. In addition, the survey shows that Ford Lincoln Mercury improved two percentage points to 79 percent in customer satisfaction with vehicle quality, which puts Ford’s domestic brands in a tie with Toyota and Honda for industry leadership. “Ford’s commitment to quality is really paying off as they continue to rival Honda and Toyota on both initial quality and customer satisfaction with the quality,” said Donald Pietrowski, president, RDA Group. The following models led their respective segments in the survey: Ford Mustang – initial quality and customer satisfaction for sports cars Ford Taurus – initial quality for large cars Ford Taurus X – initial quality for crossover utilities Mercury Milan – initial quality for midsize cars Ford Ranger – initial quality for compact pickups The new 2009 Ford F-150 recorded quality levels that equate to less than one problem per vehicle, as did the Taurus, Taurus X, Fusion, Milan, and Edge. “We are energized by the continuous improvement we are seeing on both initial vehicle quality and customer satisfaction,” said Fowler. “This survey validates the hard work and dedication to quality from Ford employees, suppliers and dealers. We will keep the momentum going as we strive to become the clear global quality leader.” The GQRS study is conducted on a quarterly basis with scores assessed from survey responses collected from owners of vehicles purchased within specific short-term time frames. New vehicle owners are asked to report any defects or issues as well as rate their satisfaction with vehicle quality on a scale of 1 to 10 across an array of vehicle systems and features.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Ford doesn't even own the property the former LAP sits on. I think they sold it a while ago. So, who cares what gets done with it. It just goes to show that the Japs planned poorly and they are feeling the economic pinch like we are. Let's just hope they feel it longer than we do....

Does he know how to use a pipe wrench any more? My god, its been soooo long. Was that lefty loosey righty tightey, or the other way around? Hmmm, better call for back-up.

Finally, someone hits the nail on the head with this issue!! Everyone and their brother knows how inefficient the Cleveland Complex is. The numbers do not lie. Although I wish no ill fortune on anyone, the days of political favors and such are over. We may live and work in the middle of nowhere, but at least we know how to work! We will be rewarded in the end.

I believe that there is/was a clause in the Bridge Loan that stated the money could NOT be used for buyout purposes. But, alas, you will never hear the end of it from the US public, and the news media will surely leave us high and dry.

Another bone headed move by Ford. Let's work some numbers shall we? Help me out if I make a mistake.... If diesel fuel is $5 a gallon and the Fiesta has a 15 gallon tank, it would take $75 to fill the tank every fill up. If gasoline is $4 a gallon and the Fiesta has a 15 gallon tank, it would take $60 to fill the tank every fill up. Driving 12,000 miles per year and using the HIGH fuel economy estimate, 65 MPG for Fiesta diesel and 30 MPG for gasoline, one would spend $984.00 per year in fuel costs for the Fiesta diesel. (12000miles/65 MPG*$5 per gallon diesel) The Fiesta gas would cost one $2840 per year in fuel costs. (12000miles/30 MPG*$4 per gallon gas). That's a SAVINGS of $1915 dollars per year in driving the diesel vs. gas. I know these are rough estimates but HELLO?!?!?! If the consumer can SAVE ANY money at all at the pump, don't you think they would be a little intrigued by this vehicle? Oh I forgot, when did we become a firm interested in doing what's right for the consumer in the long run, even if it means a narrower profit margin now? Just my 2 cents. Anyone agree/disagree?