Blueblood Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 This is not whether you like the vehicle or not, this is about how Ford treats their product, and the fact is, as it is clearly evident that the 08 focus and escape are the last vehicles to come out under the old Ford managment. You can like the vehicle, fine, but it isn't a Job Well Done, even Ford knows it isn't. I guess we can use that mentality, just like people can have an opinion that getting an F in a class is doing well, but it ultimately doesn't matter, The japanese will be selling their compacts at premiums and selling everyone they can make, all while ford bargain bins price their junk of a "job well done" with sales after the first couple months treading even at best in a ballooning segment. Another segment where Ford won't exist in, hell they already don't exist in the compact segment, the focus is a wash now, Sales are a joke, the incentives are high, fleet numbers are high. Retail customers don't even have the focus on their shopping list anymore, and if anyone considers the 08 focus a "job well done" as a means to fix Fords current pathetic market value in the compact segment, then you have no standards, no any desire to see Ford competitive and turn around. suv guy troll thinks only his opinion matters... :boring: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCK Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 (edited) Lighten up. The 08 Focus is a transition product. As such, it's a very good job. NVH problems have been fixed, and the sled is competitive. Too bad the 2.5 and a 6-speed aren't ready, but it isn't a perfect world. Considering the new Fusion, Mustang, MK S, Flex and B-car are coming out over the next 12-18 months or so, this Focus is fine. "Fine".......is that the new "good enough",Yeah, the focus is a transition product, but can you honestly say it is "very good job" I mean, it is pathetic, for a vehicle that has been on the market for almost a decade, at the very least ford could have given it a new cohesive design, instead they didn't even feel the need to change the blocky, cut-off dated looking greenhouse. The coupe looks embarassing to be called a coupe, the profile isn't sleek. All this "why spend money on an orphaned platform" is bullshit. Why the fuck does ford even sell the car then? I mean, either compete or don't, INstead Ford wishes to slowly die, by the time the new focus comes, the focus will have such a terrible market value, it will really hurt ford, but no, they'd rather be penny wise and dollar dumb, if there ever was a poster child for that cliche no one would fit it better than Ford North America. But that is okay, there are plenty of lemmings here who will praise them while the focus dies into oblivion because "why spend money on an orphaned platform" Edited October 21, 2007 by DCK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Lighten up. The 08 Focus is a transition product. As such, it's a very good job. NVH problems have been fixed, and the sled is competitive. Too bad the 2.5 and a 6-speed aren't ready, but it isn't a perfect world. Considering the new Fusion, Mustang, MK S, Flex and B-car are coming out over the next 12-18 months or so, this Focus is fine. No matter what the reason is that the car was re-skinned, Ford should be "designing" (and I use that term loosely in regards to the Focus) EVERY car, truck, SUV, CUV, POS like it has the potential to save the company. Ford DESPERATELY needs a 1986 Taurus right about now, and turds like the '08 Focus aren't going to cut it. Neither is changing the name of cars for no reason, or putting a razor on the front of every model. Ford needs to do exactly what Canon does with their cameras. No matter what model of Canon you buy, you get the same level of quality. No matter if you are spending $150.00 or $3500.00 you get the same level of quality. Is anyone so diluted to think that the '08 Focus can save Ford Motor Company? Sure it's possible, just like I have a chance of winning the lottery, getting struck by lightning, being bitten by a shark, and ending the war on terror all at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Is anyone so diluted to think that the '08 Focus can save Ford Motor Company? What a stupid comment. One more time, for the hard-of-thinking: The 08 Focus is a transitional model. From reviews, its NVH is competitive and the interior has been improved. A new powertrain, engine and transmission is needed, and they're coming. For now, the improvements in build quality and NVH improvements will have to suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCK Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 will have to suffice. Umm................................What? Ford doesn't tell the consumer what will have to suffice, the consumer tells Ford. And so far the consumer has told Ford what they produce does not suffice, The Focus should have been more, this "transitional model" and "orphaned platform" crap is bullshit, excuse to put out shit, the market isn't going to accept it, and Ford has no market value in the compact segment, this "effort" won't give them any, and the market place doesnt care about excuses, they care about product, it is pathetic that someone would have the nerve to give an excuse for a bad product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 suv guy troll thinks only his opinion matters... :boring: Actually I think everyones opinion matters, I just think unless they are based on fact, there is no reason to think one is any better than the other. I accept that you and DCK think that it sucks. I also accept that others have a different opinion. This tells me that your interpretation is not the only one, and not necessarily the correct one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 What a stupid comment. One more time, for the hard-of-thinking: The 08 Focus is a transitional model. From reviews, its NVH is competitive and the interior has been improved. A new powertrain, engine and transmission is needed, and they're coming. For now, the improvements in build quality and NVH improvements will have to suffice. Then why bother. It's like the old saying, if your not going to do it right, don't do it at all. Why spend the time and money re-skinning an 8 year old car, when you are going to have a whole new car 2 years or so later? This is the time when they should be designing a new car that will absolutely blow the segment away when it hits the streets. The money spent on this re-skin should have gone to the 2010-2012 Focus. The '08, '09 should have stayed exactly as the '07s were. And now, it is not getting very positive reviews and that is going to reflect poorly on FMC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 And now, it is not getting very positive reviews and that is going to reflect poorly on FMC. Your entitled to your opinion. Most of the dozen or so reviews I have read have been positive. The market will let us know, soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smok Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Your entitled to your opinion. Most of the dozen or so reviews I have read have been positive. The market will let us know, soon. The focus is up for a reward: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=5841 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 The focus is up for a reward: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=5841 Another TTAC story not worth the allocation units it takes up on a server (I guess that's the 21st century equivalent of "not worth the paper it's printed on"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 The focus is up for a reward: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=5841 It better take any it can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I just priced one out. $19,000 for one equipped how I like them. Ouch. Good thing I get A plan. Only 4 exterior colors on the SES model? Are you kidding me? And, what happened to the liquid gray color? That was the best one Ford offered besides yellow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I just priced one out. $19,000 for one equipped how I like them. Ouch. Good thing I get A plan. It's not the 1990's anymore. That's still quite a bit less than a lot of its competition. And good for Ford for actually offering some content worth paying for. I hope the days of stripped $11,900 Foci are gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I just priced one out. $19,000 for one equipped how I like them. Ouch. Good thing I get A plan. You fail to mention thats loaded... Its not a bad price considering how much a Fusion goes for... And like Nick said, this isn't the 1990's any more and to believe that Ford can charge cheaper price on a product that already loses $3K for everyone sold and make money yet is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 It's not the 1990's anymore. That's still quite a bit less than a lot of its competition. And good for Ford for actually offering some content worth paying for. I hope the days of stripped $11,900 Foci are gone. Another thing I noticed. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record with this subject, but how come I can get color keyed skullcaps for the mirrors, but can't get a color keyed grille? Pretty bad when you have to take a new vehicle straight to the body shop to have some cheap chrome painted over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Another thing I noticed. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record with this subject, but how come I can get color keyed skullcaps for the mirrors, but can't get a color keyed grille? Pretty bad when you have to take a new vehicle straight to the body shop to have some cheap chrome painted over. You can't get a color-keyed grille because Ford didn't want to offer it. I haven't seen a single new Ford chrome grille in person that has been painted over, so apparently it's not that big a deal to most buyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I just priced one out. $19,000 for one equipped how I like them. Ouch. Good thing I get A plan. Only 4 exterior colors on the SES model? Are you kidding me? And, what happened to the liquid gray color? That was the best one Ford offered besides yellow. they finally getting it, they simplifying the product mix. something Honda has been doing for decades. please stop complaining about price, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 they finally getting it, they simplifying the product mix. something Honda has been doing for decades. i think limiting a car to 4 colors is stupid, It should be 6, It gives you the basics: White, Black, blue, Red then add in Silver and some other odd ball color if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 i think limiting a car to 4 colors is stupid, It should be 6, It gives you the basics: White, Black, blue, Red then add in Silver and some other odd ball color if you want. It's not exactly difficult to add more colors later....and they usually do. It's not too bad an idea to do the initial launch with the basic color palette to get a feel for where most of the production volume is going to be. They will expand the palette later accordingly if demand for that trim line warrants it. Ford got away with only offering a few colors per year on Mustang Cobras and nobody really complained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSFan00 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened? That’s what I’d like to know. They also spent a lot of money in IT supply chain infrastructure and I *thought* it would translate into a stronger push for even more Contour/Mondeo, Cougar/Cougar and Focus/Focus connections between Dearborn and Ford Europe. I was under the delusion that Ford 2000 would save money on world cars and make region-specific vehicles (Panthers, Trucks, Kas, Mustangs, etc) on a smaller scale. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I don’t buy Ford’s argument that it would cost more to bring the latest Euro design to the US. Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened? There is no way it is cheaper to redesign the old platform for the US than it would have been to simply make the new platform salable worldwide. I also don’t believe the Ford Europe was allowed to raise the manufacturing cost of their Focus by $1-2k per vehicle with a redesign. What kind of a modern automotive company raises the cost of production with each new generation of vehicle? Honda and Toyota surely don’t do so, and Toyota at least is suffering some quality problems as a result of it’s relentless cost reductions. I will bet my last dollar that the real reason for the US-only Out-Of-Focus is that the US small car fiefdom was allowed to have it’s way against the best interests of both the company and it’s customers. This kind of screwed up internal political culture is what also turned Motorola from an electronics industry powerhouse into an also-ran. This is an obvious manifestation that a team with an influential political boss was able to keep their jobs/development $$$ to redesign the crappy NA product into an even crappier one. Money spent, project on target, people are now moving along into a new project no doubt. Their job performance review, and it's impact on Ford profitability and sales, do not correlate at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened? That’s what I’d like to know. They also spent a lot of money in IT supply chain infrastructure and I *thought* it would translate into a stronger push for even more Contour/Mondeo, Cougar/Cougar and Focus/Focus connections between Dearborn and Ford Europe. I was under the delusion that Ford 2000 would save money on world cars and make region-specific vehicles (Panthers, Trucks, Kas, Mustangs, etc) on a smaller scale. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I don’t buy Ford’s argument that it would cost more to bring the latest Euro design to the US. Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened? There is no way it is cheaper to redesign the old platform for the US than it would have been to simply make the new platform salable worldwide. I also don’t believe the Ford Europe was allowed to raise the manufacturing cost of their Focus by $1-2k per vehicle with a redesign. What kind of a modern automotive company raises the cost of production with each new generation of vehicle? Honda and Toyota surely don’t do so, and Toyota at least is suffering some quality problems as a result of it’s relentless cost reductions. I will bet my last dollar that the real reason for the US-only Out-Of-Focus is that the US small car fiefdom was allowed to have it’s way against the best interests of both the company and it’s customers. This kind of screwed up internal political culture is what also turned Motorola from an electronics industry powerhouse into an also-ran. This is an obvious manifestation that a team with an influential political boss was able to keep their jobs/development $$$ to redesign the crappy NA product into an even crappier one. Money spent, project on target, people are now moving along into a new project no doubt. Their job performance review, and it's impact on Ford profitability and sales, do not correlate at all. Not to mention that it is stupid to dump loads of cash into a re-skin when the car is going to be replaced, possibly in 3 years. That cash should have gone into a complete segement buster taht hit the streets on 2011 or so. The cash spent on this re-skin was completely wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Ford got away with only offering a few colors per year on Mustang Cobras and nobody really complained. SVT products where always Black,red,white or Silver...the odd balls being Sonic Blue, the Mystic and Mystic Chrome and yellow colors... Hmmm a Mystic colored 05+ Mustang sounds bad ass! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Not to mention that it is stupid to dump loads of cash into a re-skin when the car is going to be replaced, possibly in 3 years. That cash should have gone into a complete segement buster taht hit the streets on 2011 or so. The cash spent on this re-skin was completely wasted. What was the alternative at this point? Leave the car unchanged for another 3 years? Riiiiiight. We see how well that has worked for the Panthers. The reskin was needed. And you nor I have any idea how much it actually cost to do. I seriously doubt it was enough to adversely effect any development going toward C2. The costs for the reskin were likely calculated and accounted for long before the plans for C2 were even set in stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Not to mention that it is stupid to dump loads of cash into a re-skin when the car is going to be replaced, possibly in 3 years. That cash should have gone into a complete segement buster taht hit the streets on 2011 or so. The cash spent on this re-skin was completely wasted. Well there are a quite a few problems with this, First off, what are you supposed to do till 2011 when the new car comes out? Let a 6 old design without any refreshes rot on the lots? The money for the 08 redesign was done back in 2004, when the 2005 Models where coming out....the horse was out of the barn already...and from what has been said prior to the C2 coming here, that the production run was going to last till 2012 or so, not 2010 like it is now. Its a mistake, but you can't go back in time or just shit out something different on a turn of a dime to correct it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 SVT products where always Black,red,white or Silver...the odd balls being Sonic Blue, the Mystic and Mystic Chrome and yellow colors... Hmmm a Mystic colored 05+ Mustang sounds bad ass! :D The Mystichrome unfortunately never made it to production. It was originally planned for the ill-fated 2000 Cobra (it was shown on a '99 in concept form) and didn't make it to the '01 production. There weren't any silver Cobras to my recollection either...unless they were Terminators. '93 Cobras were only Black, Red, or Teal. '94-95 I believe were only Black, White, or Red (Rio in 95, Laser in 94) '96 offered Black, White, Laser Red, and Mystic. '97 was Black, White, Rio Red, and Pacific Green. '98 was I believe the first year that offered more than 4 colors with Atlantic Blue and Canary Yellow both offered above the standard Black, White, and Red. Beyond that I get a little shady...although I do recall the Electric Green on either the '99's or '01's that was absolutely hideous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.