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the woman had put the hot coffee

Hot coffee is seldom 180 degrees. 120-130 is more like it.

 

http://www.ur.umich.edu/0304/Apr19_04/18.shtml

 

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And the point was that EU buyers expect different things than buyers in the US as a general rule. And Toyota/Honda, unlike VW, recognized the difference between their home market and the US, and by adapting to those differences scored success. Ford would be foolish to ignore the lessons apparent from Honda/Toyota's success adapting to the US market, and VW's failure to adapt.

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From the infamous McDonald's Hot Coffee case

McDonalds' quality assurance manager testified that the company actively enforces a requirement that coffee be held in the pot at
185 degrees, plus or minus five degrees.

 

Thanks for clearing up the coffee case, although having any hot liquid between your legs (120 or 180 deg C) is not a good idea and there are plenty of frivilous law suits in the US.

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Hot coffee is seldom 180 degrees. 120-130 is more like it.

 

http://www.ur.umich.edu/0304/Apr19_04/18.shtml

 

---

 

And the point was that EU buyers expect different things than buyers in the US as a general rule. And Toyota/Honda, unlike VW, recognized the difference between their home market and the US, and by adapting to those differences scored success. Ford would be foolish to ignore the lessons apparent from Honda/Toyota's success adapting to the US market, and VW's failure to adapt.

 

You make a valid point about Honda/Toyota realising differences between the two regions. Some companies do make it work though. Mazda, Subaru, BMW and MB have essentially the same vehicles in both Europe and North America.

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Thanks for clearing up the coffee case, although having any hot liquid between your legs (120 or 180 deg C) is not a good idea and there are plenty of frivilous law suits in the US.

 

Some scientist discovered that when coffee cools, a chemical reaction makes it turn bitter. So McDonalds management set a rule to keep it hot. Despite this Canadians consider McDonald's to have the worse coffee on the market. This may partly be because of regional differences in taste, rather than quality?

 

Recently McDonalds has changed their coffee and it is now much better.

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You make a valid point about Honda/Toyota realising differences between the two regions. Some companies do make it work though. Mazda, Subaru, BMW and MB have essentially the same vehicles in both Europe and North America.

 

Well, the overal engineering is the same, but the powertrains can vary widely. You can get much smaller and thriftier engines on most of their vehicles in other markets, including diesels (though, I am NOT trying to re-open that can of worms, we all know why they aren't here). Also, with Mazda and Subaru, you can get much better equipped vehicles in other markets that can't be purchased here.

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You make a valid point about Honda/Toyota realising differences between the two regions. Some companies do make it work though. Mazda, Subaru, BMW and MB have essentially the same vehicles in both Europe and North America.

Consider market share: Mazda & Subaru have a fraction of Honda & Toyota's market share.

 

Consider also, that BMW & MB are not making entry level cars--they're making luxury cars, a market which moves according to its own dynamics

 

Finally consider that BMW & MB have created cars more or less for the US/NA market in a bid to increase sales.

Edited by RichardJensen
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Agreed. I can't believe Mustang fans of all people, are against cars that "are great for one person, but you sure as hell can't fit the wife and kids into them". And yes, don't even try to pretend everyone buys a Mustang "just for the weekends" and always travels alone.

 

The closest I ever came to using my Mustang as a "family car" of any sort was putting a baby seat in the back once or twice when I was friends with a gal who had a baby. I wouldn't damn my own children to the back seat of that thing in anything but an emergency.

 

I can't tell you the last time I had a rear seat passenger in there. 6....7 YEARS maybe?

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Thanks for clearing up the coffee case, although having any hot liquid between your legs (120 or 180 deg C) is not a good idea and there are plenty of frivilous law suits in the US.

 

There are a lot less frivolous lawsuits than you might think. Most personal injury cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. It the lawyer loses he gets nothing and loses the costs investment he has in the case. The increase in civil litigation over the past decade comes primarily from corporate litigation with corporations suing each other. Some of these suits are frivolous. The lawyers in those cases get paid by the hour so it makes less difference if they win or lose.

 

Cases are harder to win these days. Insurance companies are less willing to settle even strong cases with good liability and damages. The fact that a jury doesn't agree with the Plaintiff doesn't make the case frivolous. The Plaintiff carries the burden of proof.

 

I met the lawyer who tried the Stella Liebeck case. McDonalds' defense counsel tried to downplay the actual injury and treated her very disrespectfully on the stand. The jury heard the medical evidence of her burns and the skin grafts she required. The evidence proved that the coffee was served in a manner unfit (too hot) for consumption. They spanked McDonalds for its corporate arrogance and its poor choice of counsel.

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I met the lawyer who tried the Stella Liebeck case. McDonalds' defense counsel tried to downplay the actual injury and treated her very disrespectfully on the stand. The jury heard the medical evidence of her burns and the skin grafts she required. The evidence proved that the coffee was served in a manner unfit (too hot) for consumption. They spanked McDonalds for its corporate arrogance and its poor choice of counsel.

 

BON has got to be the only car forum you can log on to and learn the technical specifications for the correct temperatue at which coffee should be served.

 

To redirect to autos, what kind of car was the lady in? Was that vehicle equipped with devices called cupholders? Did she think "well this coffee is only 140 deg.F. I'll only get first or second degree burns so I don't have to be careful with it" If she had ever ordered it before then she knew how damn hot it was since we have learned all Mcdonalds resturants serve the coffee at the same temperature.

 

This kind of stupid shit is why manufacturers have to put stickers under the hood that state "FAN" don't stick your hand down there dummy. Or "HOT" don't grab the exhaust if the engine has been running. Of course that wasn't enough so if you cant read those 3-letter words they put little pictures of a hand with the universal bar/circle logo. Behind every dumb warning sticker there is a rich lawyer.

Why haven't lawyers attacked manufacturers for intentially designing high performance vehicles to be capable of speeds double or triple the legal limits?

Edited by F250
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BON has got to be the only car forum you can log on to and learn the technical specifications for the correct temperatue at which coffee should be served.

 

To redirect to autos, what kind of car was the lady in? Was that vehicle equipped with devices called cupholders? Did she think "well this coffee is only 140 deg.F. I'll only get first or second degree burns so I don't have to be careful with it" If she had ever ordered it before then she knew how damn hot it was since we have learned all Mcdonalds resturants serve the coffee at the same temperature.

 

IIRC, it was an early Ford Probe without cup holders. The point is that no one expects scalding hot coffee. You expect to be able to drink it. That is what made the coffee defective-unreasonably dangerous for its intended use. Once the product is defective. Strict Liability applies since the producer/seller is the guarantor of their product's safety.

 

This kind of stupid shit is why manufacturers have to put stickers under the hood that state "FAN" don't stick your hand down there dummy. Or "HOT" don't grab the exhaust if the engine has been running. Of course that wasn't enough so if you cant read those 3-letter words they put little pictures of a hand with the universal bar/circle logo. Behind every dumb warning sticker there is a rich lawyer.

Why haven't lawyers attacked manufacturers for intentially designing high performance vehicles to be capable of speeds double or triple the legal limits?

 

The stickers are there to warn of a danger that is inherent to the product. Engines need fans - exhausts are hot. Failure to warn is usually a part of a product liability case. Fault analysis dictates that you try to design the danger out of the product. If you can't do that you warn of the danger. The problem with you hypothetical on triple digit speed is that it is illegal to drive that fast outside of a racetrack. There would be no liability.

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The point is that no one expects scalding hot coffee.

Like I said chances are this was not the very first time she had Mcdonalds coffee therefore she knew first hand what temperature they served it at. And if they didn't serve it hot people would be complaining about that because it's a lot easier to let it cool down than reheat it in the car. Also the temperature at the dispenser is not the temperature in the cup 5-10 minutes after it is poured. No cupholders? Ok set it on the floor or console.

 

They won, now we have a stupid sign that says "caution, coffee is hot." It should be followed by "if you are old enough to be able to read this then you are old enough to know better."

 

Fault analysis dictates that you try to design the danger out of the product. If you can't do that you warn of the danger. The problem with you hypothetical on triple digit speed is that it is illegal to drive that fast outside of a racetrack. There would be no liability.

 

They are intentially designing performance cars to greatly excede the legal speed limit therefore they are not trying to design the danger out of the product. If they were all cars would have a mandatory 75mph speed limiter.

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