Garbage Journalism.......

[atomaro]

The bottom line is that we aren't getting a top-notch small car at the time the market appears to be swinging to more fuel-efficient models.

 

 

You are getting something better than last years offering. We'll see to how the buying market reacts to it and not the forum crowd.

Edited October 19, 2007 by atomaro

[ShockFX]

I recall someone having a complete bitchfest about the Expedition and F-150 sharing a lot of switchgear and interior pieces. That's the only reason I made mention of it.

 

Oh, and the HVAC controls in the Mazda3 is freaking awful too. Cheap, shiny plastic dials. Those at least were much better executed in the Mazda6, save for the overdone glowing rings on them.

 

I wish more Ford products were overdone instead of underdone.

[NickF1011]

I wish more Ford products were overdone instead of underdone.

 

Well, overdone stylistically, not functionally. You can go overboard. The orange glowing rings around the HVAC controls in the Mazda6 are a bit much. Would rather there be no illumination except for the lettering. A small complaint, but a complaint nonetheless.

[Hugh]

You are getting something better than last years offering. We'll see to how the buying market reacts to it and not the forum crowd.

Frankly, the 05-07 with GFX kit and the 08 interior would quiet a lot of complaints. Sure, the 05-07 is bland yet no more bland then it's competition. I am sure there'll be buyers, yet I'm not hopeful. BTW, The Lion man ad for the 08 is pretty cool.

[Blueblood]

This is how everybody outside of this website sees the 08, however, the people here are so insulated from reality they'll never comprehend it.

[P71_CrownVic]

...however, the people here are so insulated from reality they'll never comprehend it.

 

Understatement of the year!

[suv_guy_19]

Don't you both have something you'd rather be doing? It's obvious that neither of you have any objectivity, nor any care for Ford. I'm not sure why it is you keep coming back.

[P71_CrownVic]

Don't you both have something you'd rather be doing? It's obvious that neither of you have any objectivity, nor any care for Ford. I'm not sure why it is you keep coming back.

 

"neither of you have any objectivity", says the yes-man.

 

Hey, it's not my fault that Ford re-skinned the car the way they did. I mean come-on...the cars STRONGEST points are Sync and ambient lighting.

 

Yep, we have a winner here...

Edited October 20, 2007 by P71_CrownVic

[CarShark]

I have to agree with Mr. Farago and reiterate the statement I made on the site itself: I think the people that aren't really criticizing this car have lowered expectations. It should have been so much more, but people here are much more willing to settle. Igor and RJ are really off-base. RF has given plenty of positive reviews to domestic cars (including Fords), and his writing style is much more entertaining and informative than the PR-puff pieces you see from the auto rags and newspaper reviews. It just sounds like you two still suffer from ASS (Attack the Scribe Syndrome), and you're having a knee-jerk reaction to a bad review. Instead of analyzing his review carefully and holding Ford's feet to the fire when necessary, you choose to discredit him and assassinate his character and otherwise say his opinion is unworthy. Tiresome, yet typical.

Edited October 20, 2007 by CarShark

[suv_guy_19]

I have to agree with Mr. Farago and reiterate the statement I made on the site itself: I think the people that aren't really criticizing this car have lowered expectations. It should have been so much more, but people here are much more willing to settle. Igor and RJ are really off-base. RF has given plenty of positive reviews to domestic cars (including Fords), and his writing style is much more entertaining and informative than the PR-puff pieces you see from the auto rags and newspaper reviews. It just sounds like you two still suffer from ASS (Attack the Scribe Syndrome), and you're having a knee-jerk reaction to a bad review. Instead of analyzing his review carefully and holding Ford's feet to the fire when necessary, you choose to discredit him and assassinate his character and otherwise say his opinion is unworthy. Tiresome, yet typical.

 

 

What are you talking about? This car has had almost nothing but positive reviews. I think some of you don't know what it is that you want.

[Blueblood]

Don't you both have something you'd rather be doing? It's obvious that neither of you have any objectivity, nor any care for Ford. I'm not sure why it is you keep coming back.

 

Says the troll who drives a Dodge.

 

I actually am a Ford guy, which is why I hate it when they fuck up, a concept that your pea brain cannot comprehend as well.

 

You remind me of those idiots that consider any criticism of government as "anti-Americanism".

 

It's the same crap here, you get your panties in a bunch when anybody criticizes Ford, and accuse them of hating the company.

 

So spare us your BS, troll.

[Blueblood]

"neither of you have any objectivity", says the yes-man.

 

Hey, it's not my fault that Ford re-skinned the car the way they did. I mean come-on...the cars STRONGEST points are Sync and ambient lighting.

 

Yep, we have a winner here...

 

We must hate Ford, I mean, I've only bought Fords my entire life, and sold countless others through positive word of mouth.

 

Suv guy likes the 08 NA Focus, and he also hates the Flex coming out next year, I guess he really knows his stuff!!

 

Maybe he's half blind???

[suv_guy_19]

We must hate Ford, I mean, I've only bought Fords my entire life, and sold countless others through positive word of mouth.

 

Suv guy likes the 08 NA Focus, and he also hates the Flex coming out next year, I guess he really knows his stuff!!

 

Maybe he's half blind???

 

 

I have a different interpretation of style than you do. Something doesn't have to look good in your eyes o be successful. Stop writing things of based on your negativity. And FYI, I've never liked the box styling. It's why I think the G35 looks so good.

[MKII]

if you haven't figured it out, for the most part the internet just offers more opportunities for people be idiots...

 

In other words...talk is cheap

 

I see people bitch about the lack of a performance Focus, yet when the SVT Focus was out, nothing but excuses where heard by the same people and they didn't buy them.

 

I guess we'll see how sales are, but people will bitch that it didn't sell as well as a 00MY Focus or just come up with some other excuse as why the car is a failure, just because it doesn't fit Their needs

 

If your comment is correct then it seems idiots are numerous when on the subject of the 2008 redesign no matter what forum I have read with posters opinions on the 2008.

So were does the line form for you between non-idiotic opinions versus idiot opinions?

 

Your beef about the performance bitching , what has that got to do with the negative reactions of the car in general, and are you serious when you say people will bitch that that the 2008 didn't sell as well as a 00MY Focus or just come up with some other excuse as why the car is a failure, just because it doesn't fit .

 

So if the general consensus at this time is that many people posting their negative comments on the 2008 are idiots. And in 2 years the redesign does not appeal to the consumer and does not sell, the people with the negative remarks are bitches.

In your eyes Ford can do no wrong then, its all about the idiot and bitchy consumers yes?

Edited October 20, 2007 by MKII

[silvrsvt]

In your eyes Ford can do no wrong then, its all about the idiot and bitchy consumers yes?

 

 

You totally took my comments the wrong way...the point I was trying to make here is that people bitch and gripe about anything and everything under the sun on the Internet, but yet when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is, people don't for the most part.

 

Its like me saying that some 100K car is a POS just because it doesnt suit what I want in car...my option is pretty much moot since I can't even afford a car payment on it.

 

I never said that Ford could do no wrong, I'm not even that keen on the styling, but does my option of the car give me right to to say that Ford totally fucked it up (which they might have?), the only option that counts is how many are sold by Ford by people buying them or not, not what someone on a internet message board says is a success or not.

 

As for the performance Focus, i was speaking about the SVT Focus. I see over on FJ people bitching about the lack of a performance Focus, but yet when the SVT came out all the excuses in the world where used as why they didn't want to buy one.

 

Perhaps the most positive thing to come from this is this: we only have to deal with the current Focus for another 3-4 model years before People bitch that we are getting a watered down C2 vs the rest of world and this whole bather starts up again.

[macattak1]

Here it is...

 

Truth About Cars Review of Ford Focus

 

What is worse than tape in a car to hold together wiring? Not even being able to get out of the first paragraph before being lost in a big long incomplete broken sentence that by the time you get done reading it you don't even know what he is trying to say because you do not understand the gibberish of word salad that he lines up in a row with no completion of the idea that he is trying to get across so your just lost at the end trying to figure out where you lost what you thought he was trying to say...

 

 

"But it's nowhere near as disquieting as the overarching Scrooge You cynicism informing every nut and bolt and rock hard plastic panel of this po-faced makeover." Poor writer says what?

 

Peace and Blessings

[Noah Harbinger]

What is worse than tape in a car to hold together wiring? Not even being able to get out of the first paragraph before being lost in a big long incomplete broken sentence that by the time you get done reading it you don't even know what he is trying to say because you do not understand the gibberish of word salad that he lines up in a row with no completion of the idea that he is trying to get across so your just lost at the end trying to figure out where you lost what you thought he was trying to say...

 

Wow, I think I need like 10 beers before I can read and understand that sentence...

[macattak1]

Wow, I think I need like 10 beers before I can read and understand that sentence...

 

So, my analogy worked?

 

Peace and Blessings

[P71_CrownVic]

What is worse than tape in a car to hold together wiring? Not even being able to get out of the first paragraph before being lost in a big long incomplete broken sentence that by the time you get done reading it you don't even know what he is trying to say because you do not understand the gibberish of word salad that he lines up in a row with no completion of the idea that he is trying to get across so your just lost at the end trying to figure out where you lost what you thought he was trying to say...

"But it's nowhere near as disquieting as the overarching Scrooge You cynicism informing every nut and bolt and rock hard plastic panel of this po-faced makeover." Poor writer says what?

 

Peace and Blessings

[macattak1]

 

Too funny huh? I could not get further than that first paragraph. I mean, if you botch up a post here who cares. But that guy is a 'writer' for some reviewing entity? Many, give his papers to my wife and he will be in tears ripping out his hair after she gets done proofing his writing.

 

My writing is nothing great. But you should have seen it before I struggled through Eng. 1a and 1b and her correcting all my mistakes!

 

Peace and Blessings

[RichardJensen]

I am not exactly impressed with the '08 Focus.

 

But I'll say this much:

 

The '08 Focus is better executed than that ridiculously bad article.

 

The TTAC guy represents all that is bad about today's 'tell you what to think' journalists. Not content with simply reporting, too many journalists feel it is there duty to saturate articles with their own opinion on matters. Mr TTAC is merely on the fringe of a problem that exists throughout the business.

[P71_CrownVic]

I am not exactly impressed with the '08 Focus.

 

But I'll say this much:

 

The '08 Focus is better executed than that ridiculously bad article.

 

That is not saying much.

 

The TTAC guy represents all that is bad about today's 'tell you what to think' journalists. Not content with simply reporting, too many journalists feel it is there duty to saturate articles with their own opinion on matters. Mr TTAC is merely on the fringe of a problem that exists throughout the business.

 

Isn't that the point of a review? Someone's opinion on a given product?

[RichardJensen]

That is not saying much.

Isn't that the point of a review? Someone's opinion on a given product?

In fact, there are no cars on the road today that are as bad as that article.

 

It is a testimony 1) to the ease at which miserably bad writers can get audiences, and 2) our willingness to fill our minds with garbage even as we demand the utmost protection for our bodies and wallets.

 

And as to the 'isn't that the point of a review?' question, the answer is, "no."

 

A review is about the -product- not someone's -opinions-.

 

As in, "Compared to the Civic and Corolla, the Focus' steering felt more responsive. The exterior lacks the unity of design that the Civic and Mazda3 have. This could be a determining factor in sales, as small cars are becoming more and more of a destination and an image statement, and less of an entry point into a brand."

 

As opposed to, "The steering on the Focus is the only good thing about this otherwise drab and depressing piece of afterthought garbage spewed out by the worst hacks in Ford's less-than-stellar North American product design team--a team that can only just barely churn out moderately acceptable trucks, even as they foist unattractive uncompetitive unappealing car after miserable rotten disgusting car on an unwilling public. In the past Ford has needed thousands of dollars and thousands of rental car sales to move these unappealing forms of transportation at its lowest level, and I don't think that's going to change at all given the exceptionally low quality of this most recent offense against the small car segment, a segment increasingly vital to the success of any company in the North American market, and if Ford continues to perpetrate such vehicles on the American public, there is indeed little hope for them, UAW busting labor agreement aside."

 

See, one 'review' allows you to come to your own conclusions. The other review dictates your conclusions to you.

Edited October 22, 2007 by RichardJensen

[grbeck]

In fact, there are no cars on the road today that are as bad as that article.

 

It is a testimony 1) to the ease at which miserably bad writers can get audiences, and 2) our willingness to fill our minds with garbage even as we demand the utmost protection for our bodies and wallets.

 

And as to the 'isn't that the point of a review?' question, the answer is, "no."

 

A review is about the -product- not someone's -opinions-.

 

As in, "Compared to the Civic and Corolla, the Focus' steering felt more responsive. The exterior lacks the unity of design that the Civic and Mazda3 have. This could be a determining factor in sales, as small cars are becoming more and more of a destination and an image statement, and less of an entry point into a brand."

 

As opposed to, "The steering on the Focus is the only good thing about this otherwise drab and depressing piece of afterthought garbage spewed out by the worst hacks in Ford's less-than-stellar North American product design team--a team that can only just barely churn out moderately acceptable trucks, even as they foist unattractive uncompetitive unappealing car after miserable rotten disgusting car on an unwilling public. In the past Ford has needed thousands of dollars and thousands of rental car sales to move these unappealing forms of transportation at its lowest level, and I don't think that's going to change at all given the exceptionally low quality of this most recent offense against the small car segment, a segment increasingly vital to the success of any company in the North American market, and if Ford continues to perpetrate such vehicles on the American public, there is indeed little hope for them, UAW busting labor agreement aside."

 

See, one 'review' allows you to come to your own conclusions. The other review dictates your conclusions to you.

 

First, EVERY review reflects the writer's opinion, to some extent.

 

Second, in a crowded marketplace, writers are trying to stand out as much anybody else, and, like it or not, the first example isn't going to get noticed when people are bombarded with information from regular media and the internet.

 

Third, no one should rely on one review before buying a car, and if they do, it will most likely be Consumer Reports (another "favorite" on this site), not The Truth About Cars.

 

Fourth, reviews are designed to give you the WRITER'S conclusions, and then let you judge whether or not he or she knows what he is talking about. A review without the writer's conclusions is pablum, and displays the "everybody-gets-a-ribbon-for-showing-up" mentality. This is the car business, not a third-grade talent show.

 

Fifth, saying "no car is as bad as that article," is a whitewash, because the article's larger point is true. Namely, that Ford needed a solid entry to reverse losses and defection of customers, and this car is a p-ss-poor effort that will turn off many potential customers. And I say this as someone who has seen it in real life and has a 2005 Focus SE in the driveway. If we had to trade the Focus today, we would NOT buy this car.

 

Yes, I know that Mullaly is not responsible for this car, and neither is Fields, but customers don't care; they judge a company by what is on the showroom floor, and this car is a big fat disappointment. The only things that will save it are a general trend to smaller cars and the availability of Sync.

[RichardJensen]

First, EVERY review reflects the writer's opinion, to some extent.

 

Second, in a crowded marketplace, writers are trying to stand out as much anybody else, and, like it or not, the first example isn't going to get noticed when people are bombarded with information from regular media and the internet.

 

Third, no one should rely on one review before buying a car, and if they do, it will most likely be Consumer Reports (another "favorite" on this site), not The Truth About Cars.

 

Fourth, reviews are designed to give you the WRITER'S conclusions, and then let you judge whether or not he or she knows what he is talking about. A review without the writer's conclusions is pablum, and displays the "everybody-gets-a-ribbon-for-showing-up" mentality. This is the car business, not a third-grade talent show.

 

Fifth, saying "no car is as bad as that article," is a whitewash, because the article's larger point is true. Namely, that Ford needed a solid entry to reverse losses and defection of customers, and this car is a p-ss-poor effort that will turn off many potential customers. And I say this as someone who has seen it in real life and has a 2005 Focus SE in the driveway. If we had to trade the Focus today, we would NOT buy this car.

 

Yes, I know that Mullaly is not responsible for this car, and neither is Fields, but customers don't care; they judge a company by what is on the showroom floor, and this car is a big fat disappointment. The only things that will save it are a general trend to smaller cars and the availability of Sync.

On point 2: See previous comment about people's willingness to cram heads with garbage.

 

On point 4: The writer's conclusions should be both defensible and of such a nature as to permit differing opinions. Of course the writer is going to say something about the product reflecting his own tastes. What matters, though, is whether what's said is said in such a matter as to make it clear under what context the writer is judging the product. In other words, all criticisms should be well founded and explained in context. All praise should be similarly qualified.

 

On point 5: I wholeheartedly disagree that the relative quality of this Focus and that article is a 'whitewash', if someone has such a dearth of ability at his chosen profession, he is, IMO, not a fit judge of the execution of any other professional (or group of professionals) in any other field. He is, at best blind to the glaring deficiencies in his own ability, and at worst a hypocrite, holding other people up to standards that he takes a pass on.

 

Opinions of the Focus aside, this is, as the thread title points out, garbage journalism. Whether this were heaping praise on the Focus or dumping rancid chicken skins on it, the quality is the same--non-existent.

 

You can call this 'attacking the messenger', if you want. That's fine with me. This messenger composed the message himself and he did a lousy job at it.

Edited October 22, 2007 by RichardJensen