November 2007 Compact Car Sales

[RichardJensen]

It's our fault, blueblood, that nothing makes you happy?

 

[RichardJensen]

[Blueblood]

Oh, have you spoken to Mulally recently? I'm not sure he would agree. If I recall he loved the Focus, called it the best small car Ford ever produced.

 

I'm talking specifically about the comments he made about the state of Ford when he came in, it was a disaster, and he said so.

 

And what do you think he's going to say about the Focus? That it sucks? I agree with that statement in a way, the chassis, powertrain, and features like Sync probably do make it the best small car they've ever made, it's just a shame they wrapped it in such an ugly package. I like the interior, especially the new dash display and all the gizmos, if they had just wrapped it in the world Focus sheetmetal it would have been a winner, they didn't even need the C1, they could have just copied it's styling.

 

As for the rest of what you say, yeah, I take things personally, and think they are all fine....right. I do realize that things are getting better and progress is being made, something you seem to ignore. Ford is getting better, you along with a few others, just refuse to see it.

 

Really? Where did I ever say that? I think the Edge is one of their best products in almost a decade, a car done right, from the start. And it shows plenty of progress, the Flex even more so. I think the Flex is by far the best CUV thing in it's class, by leaps and bounds!! The Mustang and the F-150 are also vehicles done right. Just because I have issue's with Ford's powertrains in some vehicles doesn't mean I hate them, or think they are crap. With Mulally at the helm I think we'll see massive changes and improvements, some thatmay not go over very well with people here, unfortunately it will take a long time for everything to right itself since it takes 4-5 years to start everything from scratch again..

[RichardJensen]

Blueblood needs to smile more. Maybe this will help.

Edited December 5, 2007 by RichardJensen

[Blueblood]

Yeah, or some guy making a reference to fellating an entire corporation.

 

At least it was about Ford!

[Blueblood]

 

 

I love cats, I have ten of them, and they make me happy, I like dogs too, only have one of those, maybe I'll take them for a ride in a Ford Flex next year as it has plenty of legroom!

[RichardJensen]

I'm talking specifically about the comments he made about the state of Ford when he came in, it was a disaster, and he said so.

You can furnish a quote to that effect? Actually if I recall, his comments were that it was not well integrated.

Edited December 5, 2007 by RichardJensen

[RichardJensen]

I love cats, I have ten of them, and they make me happy, I like dogs too, only have one of those, maybe I'll take them for a ride in a Ford Flex next year as it has plenty of legroom!

You have TEN cats? Holy CRAP.

 

I knew a couple who had nine cats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a dog on Prozac.

 

Seriously.

[Blueblood]

You can furnish a quote to that effect? Actually if I recall, his comments were that it was not well integrated.

 

I don't remember exactly what he said, I think it might have been in one of the bold moves video's where he talked about the unproductive meetings.

[RichardJensen]

I don't remember exactly what he said, I think it might have been in one of the bold moves video's where he talked about the unproductive meetings.

IIRC, Mulally was hardly in the videos.

 

Unproductive meetings is one thing, saying the company is a disaster is another. Almost all Mulally's comments for press have been to the effect that Ford needs to integrate better, and to simplify.

 

I mean, if he really thought the company was a disaster, he wouldn't've taken the job.

Edited December 5, 2007 by RichardJensen

[Blueblood]

You have TEN cats? Holy CRAP.

 

I knew a couple who had nine cats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a dog on Prozac.

 

Seriously.

 

I had 12, but 2 of them died in the past year, all of them including the dog are strays, they used to love sleeping on the warm hood of my Mustang on cold nights, once I went outside and found 3 of them on the hood, I think they like Mustangs!

[RichardJensen]

I think cats have a way of recognizing pushovers too. I have two and have found that my stock around other cats is much higher than it was when I had no cats at all.

 

--

 

Oddest thing about the Focus, IMO, is how they seemingly tried to mimic/merge the Mondeo's styling on the side, with ---less than spectacular--- results.

 

 

They obviously needed to get rid of the previous iteration's cycle fenders and slab sides wouldn't cut it.....

[suv_guy_19]

I think cats have a way of recognizing pushovers too. I have two and have found that my stock around other cats is much higher than it was when I had no cats at all.

 

--

 

Oddest thing about the Focus, IMO, is how they seemingly tried to mimic/merge the Mondeo's styling on the side, with ---less than spectacular--- results.

 

 

They obviously needed to get rid of the previous iteration's cycle fenders and slab sides wouldn't cut it.....

 

 

Wow. I never realized how ugly the back of the Mondeo was.

[RichardJensen]

Wow. I never realized how ugly the back of the Mondeo was.

Yeah. It's where it most resembles the Focus

 

But seriously, those are some eye-brow arching bad taillights.

 

Edited December 5, 2007 by RichardJensen

[suv_guy_19]

Yeah. It's where it most resembles the Focus

 

But seriously, those are some eye-brow arching bad taillights.

 

 

 

lol, I actually like the focus, but the rear is what I still dislike.

[atomcat68]

After seeing the Focus at the N.E. auto show, I have to say it looks a lot better in person.

[SVT_MAN]

Ahh, it grows on you....Well....on me anyway.

 

So do warts.

 

Just because it grows on you doesn't mean it's pretty.

 

(Sorry, I had to .. )

Edited December 5, 2007 by SVT_MAN

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Well then, it's a good thing you don't live in the US and have to deal with them then. Go talk about some 15 year old Escorts racing through the desert or something.

If l lived in the US Nick l would drive a F-Series, Mustang or Escape. I don't like to put the Focus down Nick but its so dull boring and bland, British Leyland decided all the buyer needed was dull bland cars back in the 70s by the 80s it was all over for them the British buyer had jumped ship to Capris, Cortinas & Escorts.

Ford are doing the same with cars the same in the US at the moment dishing up bland dull shit like the new Focus, and the US buyers are jumping ship in to equally dull Camrys to punish Ford GM for producing bland generic shit. Escorts Porsche 911s are nearer to 40 years old Nick, the nearest you will get to a Focus racing through a desert in 40 year will be a recycled Focus baked bean can blowing through the tumbleweed. Given the choice of spending $6,000 as a deposit on a boring new Focus or watching Escorts racing through East Africa l would choose the latter every time. Given the choice of owning a boring bland Focus or Camry l would choose neither and just become an environmentalist very much like most folk are in Europe are at the moment, the old Escorts had heart and soul something the bland soulless Focus lack big time. Porsche 911 shape has not changed much in the last 40 years and it is the richest company in Europe and will soon buyout VW.

[silvrsvt]

1. That was Ford of North America's fault for letting the bean counters loose on them, the same Focus in Europe was the most reliable car on the continent.

 

You make the mistake of blaming the car, and not the idiots who screwed it up.

 

For people who own Focus, they are going to blame the car and Ford...doesnt matter who screwed it up to them

 

2. Only the 2000's and 01's had build quality problems, I have a 2002 and it's build quality is excellent, not one little thing has ever been off, wrong, or broken.

 

Using your logic, a 2,000 unit sales increase over last Novembers dreadful sales isn't quite an accomplishment..

 

Your example and my example are two different things:

 

Heres my list of stuff that went wrong with my 02 SVT Focus

 

Clutch gone at 50K miles (keep in mind all my other cars have been Sticks prior to this)

Leaking Clutch adjuster (prob contributed to the clutch going)

3x DSI controlers

2x Intakes

ABS sensor

White crap appearing on Blue inserts

5 spoke SVT Rims got damaged by just looking at them (the Euro wheels where much better)

I'm sure there is a bunch of other shit that I forgot about, but all that happened less then 4 years of ownership of the car.

 

As for the 00-04 quality, there wasn't a marked improvement till the 04 model when they got the issues sorted and it countined to into the 05-07 models.

[NickF1011]

If l lived in the US Nick l would drive a F-Series, Mustang or Escape. I don't like to put the Focus down Nick but its so dull boring and bland, British Leyland decided all the buyer needed was dull bland cars back in the 70s by the 80s it was all over for them the British buyer had jumped ship to Capris, Cortinas & Escorts.

Ford are doing the same with cars the same in the US at the moment dishing up bland dull shit like the new Focus, and the US buyers are jumping ship in to equally dull Camrys to punish Ford GM for producing bland generic shit. Escorts Porsche 911s are nearer to 40 years old Nick, the nearest you will get to a Focus racing through a desert in 40 year will be a recycled Focus baked bean can blowing through the tumbleweed. Given the choice of spending $6,000 as a deposit on a boring new Focus or watching Escorts racing through East Africa l would choose the latter every time. Given the choice of owning a boring bland Focus or Camry l would choose neither and just become an environmentalist very much like most folk are in Europe are at the moment, the old Escorts had heart and soul something the bland soulless Focus lack big time. Porsche 911 shape has not changed much in the last 40 years and it is the richest company in Europe and will soon buyout VW.

 

:blah:

 

The only thing "dull and boring" about the US Focus compared to the Euro version is the lack of an ST or RS variant, which would be nice to have, but is hardly a necessity in the class when it comes to US competition. Your base model Focus is as dull and uninspiring as ours.

[Michael Reynolds]

I think cats have a way of recognizing pushovers too. I have two and have found that my stock around other cats is much higher than it was when I had no cats at all.

 

--

 

Oddest thing about the Focus, IMO, is how they seemingly tried to mimic/merge the Mondeo's styling on the side, with ---less than spectacular--- results.

 

 

They obviously needed to get rid of the previous iteration's cycle fenders and slab sides wouldn't cut it.....

 

Up until it was posted I really hadn't noticed how similar those two cars are. The rear and side profiles are pretty much styled

 

And whoa you had 12 cats? I thought one high maint. dog was enough, sheesh! I love how her latest and greatest thing is not wanting to go for walks. Put the leash and collar on her and she lays there, and you litterally have to drag 115 lbs of fur out the door.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Michael Reynolds

[Edstock]

and you litterally have to drag 115 lbs of fur out the door.

 

Try casters.

[RichardJensen]

And whoa you had 12 cats?

No. Blueblood had 12, now has 10. I only have two.

[silvrsvt]

No. Blueblood had 12, now has 10. I only have two.

 

 

Since we are talking about Pussy.....cats, I have 3 and have a dog also, who thinks hes a cat at times and I have a cat that is like a dog at times!

[suv_guy_19]

Since we are talking about Pussy.....cats, I have 3 and have a dog also, who thinks hes a cat at times and I have a cat that is like a dog at times!

 

 

We have 3 dogs and 3 turtles. The smallest dog, a toy poodle, is the boss of the hound/lab and the german shepherd. It's actually quite funny. The shepherd is a wimp though so....he is afraid of everything. You would swear we beat him....maybe his first owners did.