Ford – what happened to “Quality is #1″???

I borrowed the following quote from www.Ford.ca.

“Canada’s climate is colder, its population is smaller, and its economy is different compared with the United States. These and other factors have set the stage for some fascinating differences in Canadian cars over the last century. Even cars produced by the same manufacturer often digressed from the American pattern. And in some cases, Canadian Fords were more innovative than their American counterparts. What follows is a review of the uniqueness found in many vehicles produced by the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited during its long and illustrious history.”

Of course, one of the unique features they don’t tell you about is the fact that the front window of the F150 leaks water onto your electronics. I almost believed them in their statement that our cars in Canada are unique until I saw all the complaints in the United States regarding the leaky windows – complaints to the U.S. Department of Transport. But then, maybe the trucks were BUILT in Canada. Wonder what the UAW has to say about that but, then, the trucks are now all built in the U.S. Maybe they were tired of leaky windows from Canada.

A visit to www.ford.ca is interesting in that we no longer see “QUALITY IS NUMBER ONE”. Guess Ford has finally agreed that their trucks aren’t necessarily built with the care us consumers assumed they were. They still use “BUILT FORD TOUGH” but I’m not sure if that refers to our leaky window and “TOUGH TITTY”.

Speaking of consumers, if you’re troubled by a Ford, or any other vehicle, visit: www.camvap.ca.

“The CANADIAN MOTOR VEHICLE ARBITRATION PLAN is a program where disputes between consumers and vehicle manufacturers about alleged manufacturing defects or implementation of the manufacturers’ new vehicle warranty can be put before a neutral third party (arbitrator) for resolution.”

And the nice thing – it’s FREE. My thanks to Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star – a paper which refused to notify the pubic of the leaky window problem with Ford, while continually taking in advertising and promoting the new 2009 truck. At least Ellen is doing the proper job of a newspaper – informing the public of useful knowledge, not manufacturer’s propaganda.

Ford Scrooge – GM Santa

I recently read a letter to the editor in the Toronto Star and the person mentioned that they had a real lemon for a car – a GM car. At first they got nowhere but then management decided to personally look after his vehicle and he took it in and it was given quite the workover.

Nice move by GM just before Christmas and the bailout. Meanwhile, back at old Scrooge’s place, Ford still won’t do anything about the leaky windows and hasn’t even warned owners about it so that they can fix the window and thus avoid costly repairs to the electronics. I notice that although GM and Chrysler are asking for big buck bailouts, Ford is only requesting a STAND-BY status on the bailout funding.

Well,l it seems that GM is spending some of their pre-bailout money on fixing cars that have problems while Ford just ignores the problem. I guess that way, Ford is able to save money while shafting the consumer with repairs caused by a faulty front window. Even makes a profit selling the parts probably. Kind of thing you expect from a “ME” generation type of person. You know, the CEO who makes $34million while the company is going bankrupt. At Toyota, who is making money, the CEO only makes $1million. That guy I would take to dinner and thank.

So, all you big buck Ford executives with the large options, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (Happy Holidays for those who don’t believe). I’ll enjoy looking at all the neat Ford parts I have to buy to repair my truck due to the leaky window. Can you at least gift wrap them for the mechanic?

Ford going south? They’ve already bailed on consumer concerns

In the Sunday, December 14^th Toronto Star there was an article titled, “CAW warns plants could go south”.  Ken Lewenza, the CAW president is quoted as saying, ““If the Canadian government doesn’t do anything … you’ve got to believe that over time, our products would be moved,” Lewenza said yesterday in an interview. “We don’t want GM to pick up and say, it’s been nice doing business in Oshawa but sorry we’ve got a better deal in the United States. We want to ensure that when the Americans put their legislation together, it isn’t on the backs of Canadian jobs.”

Well Ken, at least we are in agreement on this, even though the CAW hasn’t seen fit to help out the poor consumers who got shafted by Ford.

Ford has shown itself to be very unethical in the past and not a true friend of the consumer so, I can agree with Ken that they will take the money and probably run once it is gone.  In the first three months of his employment (2007), Ford CEO Alan Mulally earned himself a cool $28.2million.  The Toyota CEO makes around  $1 million and his company is very successful.  When it comes to paying out compensation, I guess bullshit does baffle brains.

I just hope that the Canadian government gets an ironclad agreement from the Big 3 before making a deal.  Ford stuck it to the consumer in regards to the leaky window in the F150 without any thought.  For a few billion in payout from the Feds, they probably won’t even blink an eye.

QUALITY – not in the union vocabulary

In today’s Toronto Star, CAW President Ken Lewenza wrote an interesting article titled, “Only long-term strategy can save auto industry”.  He brought up some interesting points that are probably relevant to any long term strategy to save the Big Three in North America but, his description of the union workers read more like someone trying to bargain for their contracts.  I only saw points towards contracts staying the same and describing the workers earning wages “built on a foundation of high technology, high-productivity, high-skill work”.

 

What I found interesting in this whole article was a lack of the word, QUALITY.  Now, maybe I am old fashioned and not part of the THROWAWAY GENERATION but, I do like to buy my cars with a bit of quality built into them.  It is nice to know that once the warranty goes, the car doesn’t start costing me an arm and a leg right away with built in problems.

 

This is the whole point behind this blog.  We the consumers are sick and tired of auto manufacturers not owning up to their mistakes and costing us money after we have invested – yes, invested, in their product.  Ford built the F150 with a built in problem with the front window that allowed water infiltration to fry the electronics.  Since, the “high technology, high-productive and high-skill” worker made this vehicle, maybe we could see some work towards HIGH QUALITY.

 

Since the CAW doesn’t want to help out with the bailout, why should I the consumer support the bailout, considering I got the shaft with QUALITY?  The Big Three were arrogant when they went-a-begging in their luxury private jets and, Ford shows itself to be unethical when it comes to acknowledging that they have a built in problem that is potentially life threatening.  Hopefully no one dies to prove the point.

Photo of the crime scene

Discretion advised - violence shown - Scene of the fowl deed

For those interested in the more forensic aspects of this fowl deed, I give you a never before published photo of the crime scene. I was hoping that CSI would volunteer to take a DNA sample of the deceased perp and maybe we could identify the hen and thus crack the case when she squawks under a good roasting. If anyone can identify the perp from this photo, please let me know so I can at least charge them with a truck wash.

WordPress blogger egged – victim doing well, egg deceased.

About 16 hours ago I published, Lewenza – I hear they are hiring in Woodstock” and today I found I had been egged.  Yes, that old schoolboy trick we all have fond memories of.  Now, I did joke that I’d probably get a letter from the CAW president but …………….- don’t worry Ken, I’m not blaming you on this one.  Just seemed odd that’s all.  And I’m old enough to remember “Jimmy Hoffa”. 

I am now requesting WordPress to change the stats category and to show the number of eggings one might get from a blog.  Lets start a trend and at least support the egg industry.

I have narrowed down the suspects though.  I know a Ford employee would never stoop so low as to egg a Ford vehicle.   Mmmmmm, at least a few milliion suspects on this case.

Just for the record though, it was well placed, stuck with some tenacity and there was a good spread of goo around the box.  Nicely done.

Lewenza – I hear they are hiring in Woodstock

Well, I’m probably going to get a letter from CAW President Ken Lewenza on this but, I have, as he has stated in relation to helping with this economic downturn we are in: “suffered already.”  Tonight, there is some celebration in Woodstock, Ontario.  No, not “The Woodstock” but a small town in Ontario that lured Toyota to build a plant there.  For the entire story go to this link but suffice to say, Toyota has opened a $1.1 Billion plant, the first in Ontario in 20 years and it brought in 1200 NON UNION JOBS.  Meanwhile, back at Washington and Ottawa, the Big 3 and the CAW and UAW are working on sucking a few billiion out of the taxpayer and saying they need it to stay in business.  Hmmmmm.   While the CAW/UAW and Big 3 have been busy trying to rip each other off, the non-union bunch have been growing and building jobs for the taxpayer and, may I say, supplying a quality product to the consumer.  Instead of saying, like Ford, “you got no stinkin’ problems”, Toyota went out and fixed the rusting frame problem.  Ford – they just hide their heads like ostriches and say, ” I see no problem”.

No wonder consumers (and taxpayers) are going to firms other than the Big 3 and buying up cars.  Hey guys, instead of blaming the consumer and trying to get the taxpayer to pay into your bloated corpse, maybe you should get real and work out a battle plan that not only gives the consumer a quality car but, creates jobs.

The only threat to the non-union car makers is that the Big 3 will go out of business and cause a crash in the parts manufacturing industry.  This will reduce quality and quantity and thus impact on the prices.  Terrible to think that the only threat to non-union auto manufacturers is the impact that the  union run auto manufacturers will have if they fail.  Kind of ironic but then, Ken must be worried as well.  Hell, without union members, his vacation time will be extended permanently.

Ford Dealers – is it worthwhile to give them your business???

I guess some folks just don’t get it.  You’ll notice in the image that Kennedy Ford is informing me that they “try to provide our customers with the best possible service to ensure that they are completely satisfied with out dealership as well as their Ford vehicle“

Now, before I started this blog, I made Kennedy Ford aware of my problem but, they basically did nothing - not even helping me with Ford.  So, I informed they they could save money and not send me any more notices.  Well, they still keep doing it and the latest even informs me that going to them will help “reduce the risk of unwanted breakdown and costly repairs”.  Funny, but I seem to remember going to Kennedy Ford during my entire 80k km warranty period and having all my work done with them.   I actually kept going to them up to my 100k km check.  But, that didn’t seem to matter when all my electronics were fried from the leaky window.  No help whatsoever.  They did tell me to replace my ball joints.  Two mechanics since then say the ball joints are alright.  They did tell me to replace my tires but I got another 40k km out of them and they still had legal tread on them (I didn’t like the cracking though). 

I guess they really want my business, considering car sales are down but, I intend to go to my present mechanic as he only fixes what needs to be fixed and, since Ford doesn’t take responsibility to fix what they didn’t build right in the first place, why would I go to a Ford dealership and support them.  My local community mechanic can have my money, not some company who is shipping jobs out of North America and begging for government money.  And, if you have your FORD REQUIRED MAINTENANCE done by a qualified mechanic and use FORD REPLACEMENT PARTS, your warranty is still good, contrary to what the auto manufacturers want you to believe.  The dealer might not help you but then, they didn’t in my case.  All that maintenance really didn’t do anything but line someone’s pocket.  I think I’ll line the pocket of the local community mechanic – his kids can use the money more than the Ford CEO who earned over $30 million and his company is going bust while he flies in one of his company jets to beg for taxpayer’s money.

Ford – there are others that think the same way I do!!!

Sometimes, while writing the blog, you feel that maybe your the only one with the problem. Well, a search of the U.S. Department of Transport shows that I am not the only one affected with this problem. As well, I come across people who are knowledgeable in the industry who recognize the quality issue. Of course, any complaints and you are anti-union it seems. Instead of hiding behind the “your against unions” wall, maybe they should look at quality.

Here is one statement I gleaned from a comment made on the Big Three

After owning almost 35 cars, new and used….

Sorry guys, but the truth hurts! I was a CUPE 37 member for 10 years. I am not anti

union. Personally, after having owned Chevy Nova’s, Dodge W-150’s, a Z28, Jeep CJ5

and CJ7, and on and on, what do I buy these days? Toyota. After having owned

everything from a Landcruiser, Celica, Corona Wagon, SR5 pick-up, 5 Coroola’s, and

now a Prius, I’m keeping friends and family employed in Southern Ontario, building

what is, in my personal opinion, the most reliable vehicles. Every Japanese car I

have owned required oil changes and gas, period. High re-sale value. Sorry, but

generally, the public votes with their dollars. Great vehicles, no unions in the

plants, “happy” workers. The American (Canadian?) auto industry needs to wake-up.

There’s a reason you see so many Civics, Accords, Camrys,Corollas, Lexuses, etc. on

and on. Yep, the Malibu and Silverado are great, to name a few, but where were the

big 3 in ‘92 when Toyota was rolling out the first egg-shaped hybrid?

Submitted By The Hawk at 6:45 AM Saturday, November 29 2008

I recently received a comment on one of my previous blogs.  Just to show that there are others out there, here it is.  And, in answer to his remark on Transport Canada, I have submitted my complaint and have got nowhere.  But, maybe if more did the same, we might see something done.  Just hate to see the auto industry bailout without any accountability.

“folks at last I am not alone. I too have 2002 f-150 that had a leaking wind shield which has cost me $1700.in repairs.$109 was a diagnosis from ford to tell me I had a leaking windshield.Next Speedy Glass repaired the ureathane seal which was the original from Ford.Speedy claims in writing this is a safety issue.So a new fuse panel,a new gem module,anew ignition switch and repaired wiring all due to a faulty windshield instal,where do I go from here. I’m guessing Transport Canada.

Comment by Colin Moore — December 1, 2008 @ 12:09 am | Edit This“