Please read what you typed that came from the article. 41 of 44 of Ford's vehicles scored "AVERAGE" or above. I don't want Average. I have never owned a Camry. I have owned 2 Accords and would buy another one in a heart beat. Toyota may have slipped, but still on a whole make a better overall product than the Big 3.

 

Consumer Reports is the group that got caught with their pants down, and Toyota doing work from behind. CR was putting Toyota models on their "recommended" list without ever even looking at the car. They are as biased as they come.

Furthermore, I did a comparison of every vehicle I have ever owned (2002 Ranger, 2005 F150, and 2006 Focus) and compared them to the comparative foriegn models which my GFs drove.

I had a 2002 Ranger Edge, GF had a brand new 2003 Double Cab Tacoma.

Mine had 1 leak in the AC hose that the mechanic said was because I never ran my AC (I never did, only put windows down) and after 3 years of not running it the hose dried up and had a small leak to the vacuum.

GF's Taco had 3 of 4 seals for the wheels well FALL OFF within 2 weeks of purchase, within 6 months numerous sections of interior paint had rubbed off, the doors were all squeaking like a haunted house, and it generally felt cheaper. She paid $6,000 more than I did.

I paid $18,900 OTD, sold it exactly 3 years later for $13,500.
She paid $24,xxx~ and sold it 2 years later for $16,000.
Some basic math says I got the better value there.

Moving to the Focus, my Focus was a 2006 bought brand new for $13,300 including a 5/60k warranty OTD with CA TTL.

GF has a 2005 Acura RSX for $24,000~ bought brand new as well.

She has had the car flat bedded twice because it randomly refuses to start. No known fix (Still). She has to smack her dash violently to make the dash lights work- they turn themselves of all the time. It rides like crap, doesn't handle well, isn't fun to drive, RATTLES LIKE NO OTHER EVERYWHERE, and only gets 24 MPG with 75%+ freeway driving.

I on the other hand have had my only issue be that if I rush and put the key in and try to start it too soon it won't turn over the first try (sometimes, 1 in 10 if I hurry it), but it starts the second time 100% of the time if that happens. (Hers leaves her stranded). My car rode softer, handles better, and I get 31 OR MORE MPG at all times with 50%/50% driving.

Some simple math and logic once again tells me that I got the better deal. She now wants to sell her car for a new Focus...

 

Why don't YOU read? "41 of 44 of Ford's vehicles scored "AVERAGE" or above."

****************OR ABOVE*****************

Good work there pro

I also love how you say that because you don't own a Camry that somehow invalidates the fact that they are POS's?

Also, since the first 3-4 posts apparently weren't enough, maybe you missed the part where Ford is tied with Toyota for quality AND CLIMBING, with Toyota FALLING.

 

That's all very scientific. You have changed my mind. Thank you.

 

I think you may be drinking as you type. If you notice my response also has "or above" in it. My point is the scale use Average as the starting point. What is average. Because reliability of a car has declined does not make it a POS. OK for argument sake lets take Toyota out of the equation. I've owned Nissan, Infiniti, Honda, and Acura vehicles... call me when Ford has passed all these as well!

 

Lol...keep on supporting Japan and over paying for your ugly vehicles

I'll enjoy my American Ford's that look better, last just as long, and cost a lot less.

 

 

it amazes me how people bash others for not owning an american auto. why is a car different from any other product? i have never got it....


i would love to see these "patriotic americans" homes.

where was your kitchen appliances made? your TV? your power tools in your garage? your computer? your furniture? your lawn mower? your toothbrush? your clothes? that chair your sitting in right now? i bet 90% of the crap in your home isnt american made. so why look down on someone else for what they drive?

 

So because YOU personally aren't educated enough to understand the gravity of the situation then it doesn't matter? Wow, that's a solid logic base if I have ever seen one

Go back to the link provided about the jobs related to the automotive industry. It is huge.

The automotive industry spends more money on research than any other production industry in America. American auto manufacturers spend 80% of their research here at home (Some is abroad because they are international companies, too).

The auto industry can be traced along side the ENTIRE US ECONOMY. When the Big 3 do well, America does well...and vice versa. There is SOOOO much that goes into the production, development, and sales of autos that it is a major factor in the economy. Your CD player is a hell of a lot less involved than your truck, don't you think?

As for your comment about looking at other possessions and where they come from, that again is not an apples and oranges comparison. There simply aren't competitive choices (if at all) with many electronics. With cars, there are.

If you want to turn your back on reality so you can sleep at night when you buy your foreign cars or trucks, so be it. But for some of us it means more than just satisfying our own selfish needs.

 

Fusion or Milan any day over the accord. And you can get all wheel drive in the ford products. They are rated very high. I don't go much on resale, you payed more for the accord in the first place.

 

I had a 2003 focus that was made in mexico.. when they were. I had ZERO problems with it. The mexicans build a fine car for Ford. If the unions didn't have such a strangle hold and have such high costs to employ them, The domestics could be more profitable. How is it fair toy can build cars here and not be unionized, while the domestics have that big wart on there ***?

 

so someone that doent own a ford, gm, or chrysler product is selfish and unamerican?

 

Buying an inferior product (to clarify - I ain't saying that cars from the big three are junk, just that in terms of small-to-midsize sedans, foreign manufacturers did it better than we did for quite a while) from anyone just based on patriotism is taking aspirin for a gunshot wound. When you buy product "A" instead of product "B," just because it's made in the US, you're telling the manufacturers of product "A" that it's just fine and dandy, when in reality it may not be. You're causing more harm to the manufacturer than you are helping them. They need to realize their mistakes, know that there are other, better options out there, take that knowledge, learn from it and build a newer, faster, smarter, stronger, nicer, better built product.

Competition improves the breed, and when you aren't shopping the competition, you're not improving the breed; you're telling the manufacturer to rest on their laurels, their product is good as it is, why fix something that ain't broken, when in reality it is broken. The second and third generation Taurus is a prime example of this - they was a solid, decent, well built, bland little car that gradually got overtaken by Japanese competition - namely the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The design, the powertrain, the electronics all got long in the tooth, and Ford didn't bother doing anything about it until they were against the ropes and the Camry took the sales lead from them in the mid '90s. The Escort was in the same boat. It's a lot easier to maintain a lead, than it is to fall behind and have to play catch up.

As far as Mexican built Fords, some of the cars that are coming out of there are some of the best the company has had in a long time, in terms of fit and finish. The Fusion/Milan/Zephyr/MKZ are great little cars that more than make up for the disaster earlier Ford sedans were, like the CDW27 cars and the jellybean third generation Sable and Taurus.

In the end, be American, and buy what you want. Just don't give me that crap that you're supporting the country by buying a Ford, GM or Chrysler product.

 

Well put Quintin...

 

In the future, I am going to try to buy whatever is good based upon thorough research.

Like the Nissan Frontier... I've yet to read any significantly bad reviews about it. Plus, it fufills my needs; 4x4, 6 speed manual, king cab, excellent towing... not to mention it hauls butt.

If I knew the new Frontier would've been this good, I would've bought one. Only because it fufilled my needs to a "T" and it had good word said about it, based upon the research.

And I'm not talking about consumer reports, msn autos, etc... but personal rapports about a certain vehicle that are usually embedded within forums, such as, F150online.com.

This site has changed my views on the F150, by a lot, throughout the time I've been on it.

Personally... Foreign VS American... I'd take either. Whichever one fufills my needs, and has a good rapport along with it.