Noah Harbinger Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 One reason Ford got away from [the "Quality is Job One"] campaign was that as J.D. Power & Associates' quality surveys began, Ford lagged its Asian rivals. The ad campaign was hard to sustain after that. But part of Ford's new ad effort is trumpeting the message that its quality is statistically equal to Toyota's, at least according to a study recently done by Bloomfield Hills (Mich.)-based RDA Group. CHANGING CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS RDA doesn't have the name recognition of J.D. Power, but its findings are consistent with those of Power's Initial Quality Study last year, which had the Ford brand lagging Toyota by only a few points. Power's new IQS rankings come out in June, and Ford says if the firm's findings are consistent with RDA's, it will promote those results, too. Consumer Reports last fall also gave Ford a boost, rating 41 of 44 vehicles average or better. Ford scored much better than either General Motors (GM) or Chrysler. And the senior editor of the magazine's auto testing center said that Ford was no longer competing with U.S. carmakers for quality, but with the Japanese leaders. Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Wonderful! So what happens if Ford passes Toyota? Does that make it the best in the nation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Wonderful! So what happens if Ford passes Toyota? Does that make it the best in the nation? Best in some ways. Perception will still lag for some time thereafter though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 What guarantees that Ford quality will remain stable, particularly now that it's product development is globalizing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 What guarantees that Ford quality will remain stable, particularly now that it's product development is globalizing? The only guarantee in anything in life is that change will come. In my opinion, the push for global development should only IMPROVE quality though, as there will be far more resources available to "get it right" the first time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 What guarantees that Ford quality will remain stable, particularly now that it's product development is globalizing? Quality is a result of processes. Fortunately, Ford's new head of global mfg., Joe Hinrichs, was instrumental in the turnaround in NA quality. Take care of the process, and the problems take care of themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 The only guarantee in anything in life is that change will come. In my opinion, the push for global development should only IMPROVE quality though, as there will be far more resources available to "get it right" the first time around. BORING cars....ford looks to cater only to the aging boomers...over 55 years in age...outside mustang (lets forget antiquated suspension) and the f150 what do they have....i say very little....they need exiting vehicles with modern styling (sans mustang) that will pull in the 20 somethings....at this point no ford car will be in my garage..im not young anymore but i am not going to drive a boring car that solidifies my age...over the years i have had terrible quality problems with ford....spent 3 hours one night on the then new f150 replacing interior screws..some just missing and some stripped out so the interior panels rattled....my new 1990 ranger was not bad..decent gas mileage but dash rattled terribly....my new 1984 exp was also decent for 50k miles..after that it was in the garage constantly (timing belts, starters, oil dripping from underneath the dash)...i gave up on ford and bought dodge ram truck..its not abused and well taken care of and as of yet no reason for me to trade off (110k miles)....im glad ford quality may be on the rise..my past experiences with ford vehicles other then trucks is however not good and they (ford) are going to have to have some sporty cars on the lot before i go back.....oh yea best of the bunch..my 1973 super bettle....bought it for a ditch hopper...ran great...easy to fix and was the absolute best car i ever had in the snow....had to watch cold weather though..gas line would freeze...2 cans of gas additive took care of that.....this is not a knock on ford..i love ford (chebby ripped me good in 1992 on a grand am-20% interest....ill never go back)...i want ford to be great again and produce high quality vehicles..my past experience are not all that good though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 (edited) BORING cars....ford looks to cater only to the aging boomers...over 55 years in age...outside mustang (lets forget antiquated suspension) and the f150 what do they have....i say very little....they need exiting vehicles with modern styling (sans mustang) that will pull in the 20 somethings.... Hmmm. Focus is doing quite well, and has been said that age demographic for their buyers has decreased significantly since the refresh. Fiesta will be out in another year or so. That's aimed squarely at youth. Fusion? One of the more boldly styled midsize sedans on the market. What automakers DO cater directly to the "youth market"? Toyota has Scion, which has hardly been a runaway success at capturing the "youth market". Honda has.....hmmm...pretty much the same lineup as Ford with the addition of a few quirky vehicles like the Element and Ridgeline which are both teetering on the brink of death. Chevy? They are pretty much mirrored by Ford in the showroom. What exactly are you asking for? A lineup of cheap sports cars? Sorry. There's no money to be made there. Edited April 15, 2008 by NickF1011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Hmmm. Focus is doing quite well, and has been said that age demographic for their buyers has decreased significantly since the refresh. Fiesta will be out in another year or so. That's aimed squarely at youth. Fusion? One of the more boldly styled midsize sedans on the market. What automakers DO cater directly to the "youth market"? Toyota has Scion, which has hardly been a runaway success at capturing the "youth market". Honda has.....hmmm...pretty much the same lineup as Ford with the addition of a few quirky vehicles like the Element and Ridgeline which are both teetering on the brink of death. Chevy? They are pretty much mirrored by Ford in the showroom. What exactly are you asking for? A lineup of cheap sports cars? Sorry. There's no money to be made there. i just dont see it..i see boring cars for aged boomers..most of the time i have the lot to myelf..i rarely see people on fords dealers lot..that tells me the cars are boring...of course in this economy i see very few car shoppig perod....we do still have a cougar in the family..my elderly mother loves it...of course they saw fit to discontinue the cougar...ford needs some exiting sporty cars...at least make a 2 door version of the sedans...i wont be caught dead in a sdan..its for old people..thats just how i see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dante hicks Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 at least make a 2 door version of the sedans...i wont be caught dead in a sdan..its for old people I don't know -- the only people I know buying coupes are empty nesters. I'm 28 -- before my son, I wanted a sedan so my friends could ride with me (which is what I bought after college). Do young people who have the means for a new car really want a coupe (or would they prefer a 3 door hatch). The only coupe market I see is the sports car and the midlife crisis market (which I realize is often the same). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 i just dont see it..i see boring cars for aged boomers..most of the time i have the lot to myelf..i rarely see people on fords dealers lot..that tells me the cars are boring...of course in this economy i see very few car shoppig perod....we do still have a cougar in the family..my elderly mother loves it...of course they saw fit to discontinue the cougar...ford needs some exiting sporty cars...at least make a 2 door version of the sedans...i wont be caught dead in a sdan..its for old people..thats just how i see it Boring cars. Yep. Boring Focus. Boring Fusion. Boring Edge. :rolleyes: You want to see boring? Look at the Corolla, Camry, and Highlander next to the three Fords I mentioned. If you don't see people at Ford dealers, you simply aren't paying attention. They are the 2nd best selling brand in the country through the first 3 months of the year. Obviously they are getting customers, and quite a few of them. If you find sedans to be boring, that really is just too bad. There are plenty of fun-to-drive sedans on the market. Coupes just don't sell well. It has been a fact of life in the auto industry for decades now. At least Ford offers TWO affordable coupes in the Mustang and Focus - which is more than several other large automakers offer. Chevy? Cobalt coupe. That's it...unless you define the Corvette as a coupe -- but that one doesn't really fit into the "youth market" approach you mentioned earlier. There's a few others if you throw in ALL of their divisions: Sky, Solstice, XLR, G5, G6. Toyota offers two coupes: the Scion tC and Lexus SC, the latter of which doesn't fit into a "youth market" approach either. Chrysler? They offer the Viper (no youth appeal there), Challenger, and Sebring convertible. Nissan has the 350Z and Altima coupe. No others. Mitsubishi has the Eclipse and only the Eclipse. Honda has a Civic coupe, Accord coupe, and S2000. I would exclude the S2000 as it is likely being discontinued soon and also really has no "youth appeal". So that leaves two coupes. Oh yeah -- just like Ford. Volkswagen's only "coupe" would be the Eos. I suppose you could also count the GTI, but that's technically a hatchback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I don't know -- the only people I know buying coupes are empty nesters. I'm 28 -- before my son, I wanted a sedan so my friends could ride with me (which is what I bought after college). Do young people who have the means for a new car really want a coupe (or would they prefer a 3 door hatch). The only coupe market I see is the sports car and the midlife crisis market (which I realize is often the same). Nothing quite screams "empty nest" like a 60-year-old in a Sebring or Solara convertible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Nothing quite screams "empty nest" like a 60-year-old in a Sebring or Solara convertible. fords status quo is obviously a failure..may be its time for ford to think outside the bun...i like coupes...wont be seen in a blue hair sedan...like i said...thats just how i see it.....i want a sporty and fun car to drive......just my preference...like herseheys with almonds..and yes i realize i am a marketing managers worst nightmare..vehicles paid off..no credit cards....pay cash for everything..not enough money in the bank the items stays on the shelf..you get the idea..of course i want the rest of you to buy buy buy...mortgage the dog for all i care..i want ford stock back at 30bux....may be retire early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 fords status quo is obviously a failure..may be its time for ford to think outside the bun...i like coupes...wont be seen in a blue hair sedan...like i said...thats just how i see it.....i want a sporty and fun car to drive......just my preference...like herseheys with almonds..and yes i realize i am a marketing managers worst nightmare..vehicles paid off..no credit cards....pay cash for everything..not enough money in the bank the items stays on the shelf..you get the idea..of course i want the rest of you to buy buy buy...mortgage the dog for all i care..i want ford stock back at 30bux....may be retire early What "status quo" are you talking about?!?! The status quo that led to their huge strides in quality? The status quo that led to them increasing market share in key segments like compact cars and SUV's? The status quo that is leading them to develop EcoBoost? The status quo that has them introducing diesels in their 1/2 ton pickups and fullsize SUV's before anybody else? The status quo of releasing hit vehicles like the Edge which instantly jumped to the head of the class in sales? The status quo of them thinking "outside the bun" on vehicles like the Flex and Fiesta? If you want a sporty car, I already pointed out the vast majority of those available from the other mainstream automakers. Judging by the list I provided, which automaker up there has that "sporty and fun to drive" thing down better than Ford? Please cite specific examples. And what is wrong with the Mustang that makes you not consider it? I can't think of an affordable coupe on the market that is MORE sporty or fun to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campbell53 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Obviously the gentleman in question isn't hanging around my Ford lot. My sales are up ytd 18%. I hope he stays away because his overly pessimistic attitude will scare away my buyers (and depress my staff!). We are making great headway with the Focus (a shock to me honestly). I have had to buy inventory from other dealers to keep up. The Egde, Focus and Escape are doing very well. And I am up 2 F-150's over last year as well. No complaining here under the circumstances. Looking forward to 2009 when the economy should settle back down and Ford will be rocking with new product! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_spaniard Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 (edited) I have faith perception will change. I saw something interesting in the last few days, the "Drive One" Ford commercials. They were very un-Ford commercials....they didn't suck. I wonder if they are from the new guy from Toyota. Ford FINALLY has some good, competitive product in the Edge, F150 (as always), Mustang, and Fusion. I can't understand the appeal of the current-gen Focus, but they are selling well. Even the Escape seems to be doing well and the Hybrids are a draw. The Flex and the Fiesta are on the horizon. Imagine what will happen if you have good, competitive products AND competent marketing? I dunno, it seems to me Ford is getting it's crap together. Yes, sales are down, but that is expected. For the first time since 2000, there is Ford product coming out I may actually want to buy. I'm very excited about the upcoming Fiesta, Focus redo, and Mustang. As far as Coupes go, I prefer them as well. There are those of us who have no interest in doing the family thing, and to be honest I probably wouldn't have bought my Civic it was only available as a 4-door. BUT I understand we are a pretty small niche, and right now Ford has bigger fish to fry. Now if they could just make a sports car once they are on their feet (Yeah I know that's an even smaller fish than a Coupe.) Edited April 15, 2008 by the_spaniard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I'm impressed that David Kiley spent more than 5 minutes writing this article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I'm impressed that David Kiley spent more than 5 minutes writing this article. You really don't like him! I like what Ford is doing - in hard times it would be so easy to clam up and keep doing what's been done the past 5 years. To go out and reinvent your business structure inside out and begin globalising main products - headdy stuff!! Anyone who thinks GM or Chrysler can hold a candle to Ford's changes are kidding themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Oakville is hiring, to boost Edge/MKX production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 (edited) Oakville is hiring, to boost Edge/MKX production. Excellent news!!! Anyone know if Hermosillo is running flat out or increased production needed? Edited April 15, 2008 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Consumer Reports last fall also gave Ford a boost, rating 41 of 44 vehicles average or better. Ford scored much better than either General Motors (GM) or Chrysler. And the senior editor of the magazine's auto testing center said that Ford was no longer competing with U.S. carmakers for quality, but with the Japanese leaders. Now that is great news! And worth repeating! Quality is not something the buff magazines talk much about but something everyone who buys a car cares about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray101988 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 i just dont see it..i see boring cars for aged boomers..most of the time i have the lot to myelf..i rarely see people on fords dealers lot..that tells me the cars are boring...of course in this economy i see very few car shoppig perod....we do still have a cougar in the family..my elderly mother loves it...of course they saw fit to discontinue the cougar...ford needs some exiting sporty cars...at least make a 2 door version of the sedans...i wont be caught dead in a sdan..its for old people..thats just how i see it Yeah....oookkk. lol. I'm 19 and the only coupe I would buy is a Mustang. Who wants to have a coupe? Theres no room for anyone else to sit. On top of that coupes don't have much storage room. Sporty Sedans (ie new fiesta, focus, fusion, taurus) are the way to go. You know...exactly the way Ford is going... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustangman9494 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 fords status quo is obviously a failure..may be its time for ford to think outside the bun...i like coupes...wont be seen in a blue hair sedan...like i said...thats just how i see it.....i want a sporty and fun car to drive......just my preference...like herseheys with almonds..and yes i realize i am a marketing managers worst nightmare..vehicles paid off..no credit cards....pay cash for everything..not enough money in the bank the items stays on the shelf..you get the idea..of course i want the rest of you to buy buy buy...mortgage the dog for all i care..i want ford stock back at 30bux....may be retire early right and lets put four hundred horsepower in every car they make right ? lets forget about the largest segment of car buyers out there and build cars just for you . people like you and car and driver got us into the mess were in right now . thinking out of the box gets you down the road to bankruptcy just look at your precious dodge company look what that got them doubtful if they can survive at all catering to the likes of people like yourself. just another put down artist voicing his or her opinion in a free press nothing more if you like chryslers so much you should buy one or two and keep them stored in your garage so you have something to look at when they go belly up talk about their great quality and turnaround on their website leave us poor pitiful ford fans alone!!!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclford Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 What guarantees that Ford quality will remain stable, particularly now that it's product development is globalizing? No, Death and Taxes are the only things that are guaranteed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96towncarcartier Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 You don't even KNOW what you're talking about..... From your own statements it's clear you never GO to a Ford lot...so therefore you aren't seeing people there....so then you have no idea what the cars offer.... So go sit in the corner and be quiet. Or else actually VISIT a Ford lot and DRIVE SOME CARS! i just dont see it..i see boring cars for aged boomers..most of the time i have the lot to myelf..i rarely see people on fords dealers lot..that tells me the cars are boring...of course in this economy i see very few car shoppig perod....we do still have a cougar in the family..my elderly mother loves it...of course they saw fit to discontinue the cougar...ford needs some exiting sporty cars...at least make a 2 door version of the sedans...i wont be caught dead in a sdan..its for old people..thats just how i see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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