Ford's success has GM and Chrysler ponying up

No one at Chrysler or General Motors is much interested in saying it on the record, but make no mistake: We would not be getting the 2008 Dodge Challenger or the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro had it not been for the ...

[they got me 2x]

Chrysler can go out of business for all I care. They built substandard cars that do not last and don't back them. When you go to trade them in, the value is nothing. I was a supporter and bought 2 of their cars and lost money both times. I actually got a better tradein at my Ford dealer than Chrysler would give me on another Chrysler! My Sebring had 37K miles and I had to dump it because the engine was sludged up despite my regular oil changes. Read about the horror stories on the internet about their sludge engines. They are a nice car when new but they cannot go the distance.

[Outatime]

they got me 2x wrote:

Chrysler can go out of business for all I care. They built substandard cars that do not last and don't back them. When you go to trade them in, the value is nothing. I was a supporter and bought 2 of their cars and lost money both times. I actually got a better tradein at my Ford dealer than Chrysler would give me on another Chrysler! My Sebring had 37K miles and I had to dump it because the engine was sludged up despite my regular oil changes. Read about the horror stories on the internet about their sludge engines. They are a nice car when new but they cannot go the distance.

Amen. I bought one and started having problems with it at 11,000 miles. By the time I had 30,000 miles on it, it was driving like a 10 year old car. I traded out of it and never bought a Chrysler product again. Detroit always seems to be a step or two behind. Do they not realize that if they came out with an affordable plug in, battery (lithium) operated vehicle that they would not be able to meet the demand? Tesla Corp. is making a lithium powered roadster that has all the power you could want and goes 250 miles per charge. Their initial model is going for 100k, but they have two more models coming out after that in the 40k range. Why can't Detroit do that? It would be the start to solve so many problems: dependency on foreign oil, greenhouse emissions, more jobs, much simpler maintenance on vehicles and much lower operating costs.

[fmm]

And people wonder why Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other foreign makes are making a profit while the "domestic brands" are going into the toilet.

When are they going to learn, they are a day late and a dollar short with these cars. By the time they hit the market, gas will be off the charts and nothing will sell, except to a few dreamers who owned these cars back in the days when gas was .30 cents per gallon.

Wise up bit three, this is why you are losing money by the bushel.

[L2Read]

Did you happen to notice guys, that Ford has caught Toyota in most of the respected quality surveys? At least one automaker in Detroit gets it!! Please don't shoehorn GM and especially Chrysler junk into their category.

[bousozoku]

they got me 2x wrote:

Chrysler can go out of business for all I care. They built substandard cars that do not last and don't back them. When you go to trade them in, the value is nothing. I was a supporter and bought 2 of their cars and lost money both times. I actually got a better tradein at my Ford dealer than Chrysler would give me on another Chrysler! My Sebring had 37K miles and I had to dump it because the engine was sludged up despite my regular oil changes. Read about the horror stories on the internet about their sludge engines. They are a nice car when new but they cannot go the distance.

That sounds like the Ford Mustang I used to have. On the other hand, my parents Plymouth Voyager minivan is doing nicely at about 60,000 miles with only minor issues here and there, just like an import.

I'll stick to my VWs and Mazdas.

GM doesn't seem to know how to change. They weren't selling Camaros and Firebirds so they stopped making them. Why make them again? Imitation (a second time) isn't success.

[Joe]

I've seen the new Camaro doing testing in Tampa. Even got some spy pics that were bought by a website!!!

Its nice, and I'd buy it if I didn't care about money. But since I'm not rich enough to buy premium gas, I want a Prius.

[Doug]

they got me 2x wrote:

Chrysler can go out of business for all I care. They built substandard cars that do not last and don't back them. When you go to trade them in, the value is nothing. I was a supporter and bought 2 of their cars and lost money both times. I actually got a better tradein at my Ford dealer than Chrysler would give me on another Chrysler! My Sebring had 37K miles and I had to dump it because the engine was sludged up despite my regular oil changes. Read about the horror stories on the internet about their sludge engines. They are a nice car when new but they cannot go the distance.

That engine is the 2.7L and was redesigned in 2002 (eliminating the sludge problem). My 97 Stratus went 220,000 miles with no problems. My PT Cruiser now has 104,000 and has been great. So realize your mileage may vary.

[espo19047]

L2Read wrote:

Did you happen to notice guys, that Ford has caught Toyota in most of the respected quality surveys? At least one automaker in Detroit gets it!! Please don't shoehorn GM and especially Chrysler junk into their category.

Have You heard of the Cadillac CTS Buick Enclave or The Chevy Malibu? They are hardly junk.

[Jennifer-Madison Wis]

I highly agree-the 1999 grayly colored Chrysler C&T Minivan behaved goodly at first but then the unexpected happened: Wednesday June 27 in 2007 (not long ago) steam began coming from the engine, leading to fire and I was scares that the minivan was gonna explode (although in reality vehicles do not really explode while engulfed in flames or on fire unless propane is involved)! Minivans and full sized passenger vans are very favorite to me, but it's Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda and Ford vans and minivans I should stick! Vehicles' fires frighten me (considering I am autistic AND have severe anxiety issues-GAD and autism)! Chrysler AND General Motors MUST be dissolved forever for building substandard vans, vehicles and cars (ANY kind)!

[Samantha from Milwaukee]

Yea-unfortunately General Motors and Chrysler are the ones building the substandard vehicles and fire-catching vehicles and selling those vehicles onto unsuspecting people, although Ford has histories for building gasoline tanks in parts where vehicles EASILY catch fire during car accidents! That is why Public Transportation beats driving cars and trucks hands down! But Mercury, Toyota, Volkswagen and Suzuki are my preference for car driving, van driving, etcetera! Chrysler and General Motors have TERRIBLE methods for building vehicles! Do you agree here?!!

[espo19047]

Samantha from Milwaukee wrote:

Yea-unfortunately General Motors and Chrysler are the ones building the substandard vehicles and fire-catching vehicles and selling those vehicles onto unsuspecting people, although Ford has histories for building gasoline tanks in parts where vehicles EASILY catch fire during car accidents! That is why Public Transportation beats driving cars and trucks hands down! But Mercury, Toyota, Volkswagen and Suzuki are my preference for car driving, van driving, etcetera! Chrysler and General Motors have TERRIBLE methods for building vehicles! Do you agree here?!!

Are you aware that Mercury is Ford? Are you aware Toyota recalled more vehicles then they built last year?
Where do your facts come from?

[UAW Means U Aint Workin]

espo19047 wrote:

<quoted text>Are you aware that Mercury is Ford? Are you aware Toyota recalled more vehicles then they built last year?
Where do your facts come from?

You sound like a Union apologist.

Nice 655K+ recall for Ford this week, by the way. Then again, it's only brakes, right?

Facie it UAW lackey, your side lost.

[espo19047]

UAW Means U Aint Workin wrote:

<quoted text>
You sound like a Union apologist.
Nice 655K+ recall for Ford this week, by the way. Then again, it's only brakes, right?
Facie it UAW lackey, your side lost.

Fair enough... Why dont you list the recall #'s from last year for Toyota? i may sound like a union apologist but I am not. I am however for manufacturing staying in the USA. The big three employ millions in the USA if they die there will be a big problem in the USA.

[espo19047]

Pay attention, Toyota drivers: a safety recall has been launched involving approximately 539,000 Corolla and Matrix vehicles in America.

The recall applies to ’03 and ’04 Corolla and Matrix models with power windows (manual window model owners are safe). Toyota says the driver and front passenger door glass bolts have been coming loose and coming off.

Notifications will be sent to owners in late April, and all repairs will be done at no cost to the owner.

[Ken-Middleton Wisconsin]

Samantha and Jennifer are EXTREMELY right-Chrysler, General Motors ARE building fire-catching vehicles, giving them to unsuspecting people and not telling those poor unknowing vehicle buyers about those safety hazards! Too many other hazards are prevalent from Chrysler, GM and Ford vehicles! And Jennifer has autism?! Vehicles fires frighten people with autism more than people WITHOUT autism! Somebody needs to prosecute General Motors Corp, Chrysler and Ford for selling vehicles KNOWING how substandard they are!

[Heather in Baltimore MD]

Chrysler, General Motors and Ford Motors have TERRIBLE ways of constructing vehicles-those vehicles are fire catching, stalling, have gas tanks in some older models mounted in wrong places and substandard cars getting bought by unknowing customers who buy cars! Dateline NBC featured pickup trucks way back in Autumn 1992 that caught fire during accidents because of gasoline tank positions in the wrong section of the vehicles! The same incidents happen for Crown Victoria, Lincolns and Mercury Grand Marquis-the morons who construct these vehicles should be prosecuted; those vehicle makers SHOULD get dissolved forever and NEVER heard about again!!!

[Samantha from Milwaukee]

espo19047 wrote:

<quoted text>Are you aware that Mercury is Ford? Are you aware Toyota recalled more vehicles then they built last year?
Where do your facts come from?

Listen here moron-Volkswagen, Toyota and Suzuki are EXCELLENT vehicles that drive quite well, though some mistakes do happen! No automobiles are perfect-autos perform mistakes as all HUMANS perform mistakes! Are YOU really aware regarding automobile facts?!! YOU should get facts straight Know it All!!!

[Gordon Shumway]

I drove Mopars Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge) from the time I was 16. Always thought they went the distance. They pretty much owned the Muscle Car era in the late 60's and early 70'. What made me stop is when the Krauts "acquired" Chrysler back in the late 90's. What was the first thing they did; dumped the Plymouth brand and then dumped a car that was almost demanded that it was built; the Prowler. Sure it wasn't practical, nor fast, but people wanted one bad. The suits at MB didn't want their new American Step-child showing them up in the R&D department so the Voila....
To say Chrysler and GM don't build fine cars is not fair. Maybe they aren't building cars & SUV's for the Yuppies of the world, although but I'm sure there are a lot of them driving Bowties and Blue Ovals. The one poster above really brought home a sentiment; I we lose the Big 3 to the foreigners we are really in deep fecal matter. If you don't think it matters, the next time you get the ear of a Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, BMW or Audi executive, ask him/her what the buily during World War II AND for WHOM???

[Samantha from Milwaukee]

Gas prices are accelerating at high speed-OPEC, Exxon, Shell and others happen making problems worse! The OPEC officials are gangsters; gasoline prices are exceeding levels set during 1970s and late 1980s-early 1990s! I prefer Public Transports rather than driving cause gas prices have SKYROCKETED out of control; politicians are refusing to take effective action and do ONE damn thing about it! We have children to establish, feed and care for, elderlies to help, careers for attending to, performing and working at! Listen through Darla Shine, Martha Stewart-they infect people under GOOD information folks and EDUCATIONAL at that!

[Shawn from Delaware]

I have said for years that Ford couldn't build a car right if their lives depended on it save for the mustang. With that said my opinion has changed in the last two years. Don't get me wrong, Ford has had some major issues to address and some issues that should never had happened in the first place... Gas tanks exploding in accidents, fire from cruse control, and spark plugs that fly out of the heads of motors, which they still won't admit to but are facing class action lawsuits in California and other states. But there is a new Ford that has been "reborn" in the last few years that focuses on building better cars with better designs that now go the distance with the likes of Toyota and other Asian imports. In fact Ford was recently awarded by J.D. Powers and Associates for having the most improved quality in 2007. Toyota had the most recalls for either 2006 or 2007... not sure which year.(Look it up) The new Ford Fusion is so tough that fire departments are having to upgrade life saving equipment such as the jaws of life. Its easy to knock Ford for past mistakes and others such as GM and Chrysler but instead lets look at the improvements that have been made and how they are passing Toyota and others in Quality.