Big_Mack

As a performance engineer for one the competitors (definitely won't say who), I have to say that I am shocked by their results. I was recently on an evaluation drive of all of these vehicles, and our feelings were MUCH different. The thing that leads me to believe that this competition is complete bullsh*t is the Traverse in 2nd place. That was far and away the worst vehicle of the bunch...not to mention downright scary when you're driving it like a sports car on winding roads with the rest of the pack. It's ridiculously heavy, has no steering feel, average NVH qualities at best, late 90's interior styling and finish, and just a complete bore to drive. I believe one of the comments at the end of our evaluation was, "only a diehard GM buyer would choose this vehicle after driving any of the competitors." The Explorer is not the best dynamically, but it's solid overall. Better than last place FOR SURE.

A lot is being made of this, and for good reason. Trust me though, over at Honda WE KNOW. This isn't being taken lightly.

From what my former Ford employee co-worker said, the 4.4L project is dead. He worked in the diesel powertrain group at Ford, so I trust his statement.

I was just asking a former Ford employee of the last couple years about the new Boss...sure enough it's on its way very soon...gonna be good too

Honestly one of the worst car reviews I've ever read. He wasn't reviewing this car for the base model V6 Mustang that it is, which for 70% of the buyers will be a car to look good in and say "Hey I have a new Mustang". He reviewed it like it was part of some super car/muscle car shootout, for which we have a 412hp car to win those shootouts. Did he even mention the interior, styling, features, or anything pertinent to a real car review? I think this is just another worthless car tester, that sees how good a car is for its purpose, yet he wants to write an edgy review to be different from everyone else. It's this kinda shit that makes me hate reading new car reviews from anyone but experienced car magazine writers, even if most of them are Euro car biased anyways.

To everyone with the good luck wishes, thank you! I've had my resume on mycareer.ford.com for about 3 years now, and I just recently updated some info on there for this summer's positions. StapRoboSitter, I've come to terms with the fact that I am about 10 years too late for the job I would love to have within Ford. One of the guys I work with at Volvo was a graduate back in the late 90's, and by just constantly bugging the Ford HR department he somehow managed to get flown out to Dearborn for an interview. He was then hired shortly after and worked as a combustion engineer under none other than John Colletti in the SVT group. Another guy I knew who was recently laid off from Ford was hired after graduation and worked in SVT as well..... Man I wish I was out of college back then... I also know that a lot of auto industry work is being outsourced right now as well, we're moving to a lot of that at Volvo too, but luckily we still need performance engineers such as myself. Which leads me to believe that while a lot of Ford jobs are gone now, they do still need some young engineers in there as well. I have a great thing going at Volvo right now...my bosses like me and give me a lot of different projects that normal interns or co-ops never see...and the employment chance after graduation looks very good for me... BUT... I still want to try and get to Ford. It might sound crazy to a lot of people who are current or former employees, but for an optimistic engineering student with a lot of auto industry experience, I have to try.. With that being said, does anyone know any engineers at all within Ford???? Anyone at all that I could contact?

Well I posted in here with hopes that a current employee would possibly want to drop me a contact. And trust me, I've worked in the auto industry so I know the dark sides...trust me. One of my coworkers at Volvo was also a former Ford engineer, so I've heard a lot of the usual Ford horror stories. Honestly though, I don't care what bad things people say. I know that I have to at least get a shot in Ford, no matter how bad it could turn out, even though I think it would be great.

I've created this topic because I need some help from someone...anyone...who works for Ford. To make a long story short, I'm a mechanical engineering major with a life long dream of working for Ford Motor Company just like my grandfather. Now before some of you classify me as some "wet behind the ears" college boy who thinks he's somethin, just hear me out. I've been a Ford fanatic all my life, with dreams of working for Ford since I was about 5 years old. I used to design cars with Ford badges on them and list specs for them, hoping that one day it would be my real job. Since then I've progressed to becoming a mechanical engineering major at West Virginia University. Along with my school studies, I've been working for Volvo Powertrain North America. I've done everything from work upstairs in the project team, to running EPA testing by myself in a multi-million dollar test cell, with a $40,000 prototype engine...as an intern nonetheless. In my spare time I'm building a Ford 5.0 racing engine for a Mustang drag car too. Basically, the auto industry is my life. I'm one of the few car guys it seems like anymore, who gets into this field for passion of the job and a goal of making a difference. I've done all of the online application stuff for the last 3 years. I just haven't gotten anywhere, and I know a lot of getting jobs is about who you know. All I ask is for someone to help me get a contact within Ford engineering. I don't care what type of engineering, from product development to manufacturing, I just want a chance to get my foot in the door. I don't care if I get a chance to work in powertrain, or I'm asked to sweep the floors in a factory, I'll do it better than anyone else if only to prove to them what a passionate young engineering student can do. I'm still a year away from graduation, but I want to develop any kind of relations within Ford that I can. I thank everyone who read this for taking the time to do so, and I hope to hear from you all. Thanks- Cody

Lookin at the picture of those two laptops, they're using ATI Vision to monitor/tune those ECUs... Same thing we use for our engines...good to know...

Wow...thats horrible....a Corvette as a clunker?! What moron traded that thing in.. Like someone already said,you could EASILY sell any running Vette for more than $4500....idiots... I wonder how many V8 so called "clunkers" us muscle/sports car guys are gonna lose because of this program....I'm starting to really not like this..

Austin, How the heck do I get a shot at working for Ford?!?! Ever since I was about 6 years old I started designing cars and putting Ford badges on them. Eventually I evolved to the engineering side, and I am currently a mechanical engineering major at West Virginia University hoping to be at FoMoCo someday! I have a 3.2GPA, i'm involved with the SAE Baja competition, and also associated partly with the new "EcoCar" competition. I have all of my experience in the auto field. I started off doing work with a small manufacturing company building diesel locomotive engine components. Everything from time process study all the way to production fixture design. I am currently continuing a co-op with Volvo Powertrain North America, aka. Mack Trucks Inc. around here. Last year I did 8 months with the Project team, which included coordinating small build projects, and then even developing ways of aftertreatment system testing. This year I am working with the Performance Group for our 11L and 13L engines. I do everything from running ATI vision on the engines in the cells, to analyzing the data afterwards... How do I get into Ford?!? I've tried for 2 years now, and have gotten nowhere. I had a contact in the SVT group that was going to try and help me,but he got laid off... My only other option in that respect is contacting Brian Wolfe through a co-worker who was very close to him while he was at Ford... Do you have any advice? Trust me, I'm not your average "green" engineering student...I've been around the block a bit when it comes to cars.

I'll take a look at Buick when they show a concept reincarnation of the 1970 GSX....until then, its a car company for the retired crowd...

I.....have no words for that thing.... For a car company known so much for their supercars and exclusivity, why would you water that down with a 4-door sedan/whatever it is?....

Blocking anything that has to do with Danica Patrick is an EXTREME party foul!! Even worse that it involves blocking a 70's Mustang!! Shame on Lexus/Toyota!! From this day on I will never buy any of their products....o wait...I was never going to anyway lol.

As a huge Mustang fanatic and owner of 2 different models over the past 5 years, I am honestly very surprised to see them on the "Best" list. It seems as though the vast majority of the GT and Cobra models have been beaten to shit by teens/moron drivers, and the V6 models have just been neglected. I mean I guess they are fairly reliable, I've always been very meticulous about how I keep mine, but I don't know how other Mustangs have held up over the years.... Most of the ones I see around don't look that great.