Ford tops in quality survey

**East Detroit** · July-21-09, 08:52 PM

Ford Motor Co.'s newest automobiles had fewer problems than any other manufacturer -- including Toyota Motor Corp. -- according to a new survey of initial quality, details of which were obtained by The Detroit News.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...-survey/?imw=Y

Celebrate it!

Detroit on top!

**mjs** · July-21-09, 11:57 PM

Sweet and their Focus and Fusion should keep the good numbers coming. Then in 2011 the Focus EV comes out to start taking some sales from Prius.

**detmsp** · July-22-09, 01:09 AM

not that ford hasn't been doing a good job upping their quality... but there's a couple of things that need to be noted.

first is that initial quality doesn't tell you a whole lot... it tells you how likely it is that your cup holder will break in the first 30 days you own it, not how long your transmission will last.

second, this study was conducted by a firm hired by Ford. I think the JD Power rankings would be a bit more honest. Lexus took the #1 spot for 2009 in the JD Power rankings. Ford did pretty well though, placing just behind Toyota. Mercury was right near the industry average, but Lincoln was near the bottom [[45 more problems per 100 vehicles than Lexus).

**1KielsonDrive** · July-22-09, 01:17 AM

Great, I can go back to buying Fords. The Focus was the one I wanted, back about 2004. It was a piece of crap. CR said it was terrible and my friends who worked for Ford said the same. I bought a vehicle from a competitor and few months later CR and my friends agreed Ford got the bugs worked out and quality had improved. Too bad, too late. Maybe I'll buy in a year or so.

**PeachLaser** · July-22-09, 05:40 AM

This is great news. I had the opportunity to attend my first Detroit Auto Show this year and I was most impressed with Ford. I have a bunch of pix and have been building a web page on which I am honoring Ford. Glad to see this back up my impressions. Go Ford!

**kryptonite** · July-22-09, 10:13 AM

That's good news. I'm thinking about replacing my Grand Prix later this year, which has been a wonderful car. I would like another Pontiac but have never owned a Ford and maybe it's time?

A friend recently replaced her Honda Accord with a Ford Fusion and so far she is very happy with it.

**skyl4rk** · July-25-09, 10:04 PM

I would like to reward Ford for not going the government handout route. I was hoping to hold out until the 2011 Focus but had to buy something since my crappy Toyota was dying. Not real thrilled with my Versa, but it does get me to work. Usually I drive em till they fall apart but I will probably be trading in the Versa for a Ford in a few years.

The sad thing is that today there is no decent small car to be had from either domestic or foreign automaker. I would buy another 84 Chevy Sprint or 94 Ford Escort in a minute. But the stuff Chevy is pushing today reminds me too much of the Chevy Chevette. The current Focus did not thrill me. But maybe the Euro version will be the car to have.

Detroit_ExPat · July-26-09, 07:07 AM

I would like to reward Ford for not going the government handout route.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,6144344.story

Ford gets $5.9 Billion in U.S. aid, Tesla $465 million to boost car mileage

Bloomberg News
June 24, 2009

Ford Motor Co., the only U.S. automaker not receiving emergency federal loans, will get $5.9 billion in government financing to accelerate production of fuel-efficient cars.....

**East Detroit** · July-26-09, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit_ExPat

I would like to reward Ford for not going the government handout route.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,6144344.story

Ford gets $5.9 Billion in U.S. aid, Tesla $465 million to boost car mileage

Bloomberg News
June 24, 2009

Ford Motor Co., the only U.S. automaker not receiving emergency federal loans, will get $5.9 billion in government financing to accelerate production of fuel-efficient cars.....

That is NOT a government bailout.

In fact, they are getting a special loan to support and promote fuel efficiency here because they are doing well and showed a plan to do so. It is NOT to support current operations as with the failed automakers.

Detroit_ExPat · July-26-09, 09:58 AM

That is NOT a government bailout.

What is your definition of a government bailout, then? Why didn't/couldn't Ford obtain necessary financing in the private market?

The notion of GM and Chrysler = Evil while Ford = Good breaks down pretty clearly with a little bit of fact checking.

**mwilbert** · July-26-09, 11:21 AM

These loans are incentives rather than bailouts--the difference is fairly clear. One reason that they can't get the money from the private market is that they are doing this to make the government happy, not the market.

**Switchmanjim** · July-26-09, 02:26 PM

Ford is finally getting it right. The new Taurus is one fine vehicle.

If any of my friends here are thinking of buying a Ford product and would like the "X" plan pricing, I have a couple remaining that you can use.

**softailrider** · July-26-09, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

not that ford hasn't been doing a good job upping their quality... but there's a couple of things that need to be noted.

first is that initial quality doesn't tell you a whole lot... it tells you how likely it is that your cup holder will break in the first 30 days you own it, not how long your transmission will last.

second, this study was conducted by a firm hired by Ford. I think the JD Power rankings would be a bit more honest. Lexus took the #1 spot for 2009 in the JD Power rankings. Ford did pretty well though, placing just behind Toyota. Mercury was right near the industry average, but Lincoln was near the bottom [[45 more problems per 100 vehicles than Lexus).

I couldn't agree more, most vehicles work very well when they're new. It's what's running the best 10 years and 200000 miles later that's important.

**Patrick** · July-26-09, 04:26 PM

Why didn't/couldn't Ford obtain necessary financing in the private market?

Ask Nissan and homeboy Tesla the same question...

**East Detroit** · July-26-09, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit_ExPat

That is NOT a government bailout.

What is your definition of a government bailout, then? Why didn't/couldn't Ford obtain necessary financing in the private market?

The notion of GM and Chrysler = Evil while Ford = Good breaks down pretty clearly with a little bit of fact checking.

My definition of government bailout: A company is going bankrupt and belly up unless [[and in these cases even when) the government steps in with some cash. AKA the company NEEDS the money to survive.

My definition of incentive financing: A company is granted well termed financing to invest in future technologies that the government sees as beneficial to the country. AKA the company does NOT NEED the money to survive. Japan does this for Toyota on a continual basis. The USA did this for Ford, Nissan and Tesla.

**East Detroit** · July-26-09, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

not that ford hasn't been doing a good job upping their quality... but there's a couple of things that need to be noted.

first is that initial quality doesn't tell you a whole lot... it tells you how likely it is that your cup holder will break in the first 30 days you own it, not how long your transmission will last.

second, this study was conducted by a firm hired by Ford. I think the JD Power rankings would be a bit more honest. Lexus took the #1 spot for 2009 in the JD Power rankings. Ford did pretty well though, placing just behind Toyota. Mercury was right near the industry average, but Lincoln was near the bottom [[45 more problems per 100 vehicles than Lexus).

First, initial quality is very important. Most of the things that will go seriously wrong will go wrong in the short term. Initial quality is an excellent representation of quality in general.

Second, the company also conducts research for other companies, including Asian ones. And in fact the company has been conducting this research for years. Ford didn't just hire them to give a great report... they've been not on the top of the report but gaining ground for quite some time. To insinuate that Ford is on the top of the report because Ford paid them is baseless and ridiculous.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · July-27-09, 04:14 AM

I checked out the new Taurus SHO and all though it's nice it listed for $43,000.00 dollars, which is way too much. I think the new Buick LaCrosse looks better though. That Taurus is up there with the Lincoln MKS in price.

rvtwitty · July-27-09, 06:54 AM

People I work with that buy Ford products like the 2009 models, are waiting to see some of the 2010's. I know some are out already. They have told me the current products much better than what was put out 10 years ago. Whenever a Detroit company is making progress , I am all for it. Surveys though can be made to order. How many people involved or polled? How many questions? Was the survey skewed towards Ford? Who paid for it? It is good publicity.

**East Detroit** · August-04-09, 03:24 PM

The new Ford Fusion Hybrid is now the top-rated domestic sedan by Consumer Reports and is essentially tied with the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the magazine reported in its tests.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/0...er-reports.htm

**ndavies** · August-04-09, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

I checked out the new Taurus SHO and all though it's nice it listed for $43,000.00 dollars, which is way too much. I think the new Buick LaCrosse looks better though. That Taurus is up there with the Lincoln MKS in price.

The SHO is a limited production Halo car. Of course it costs as much as an MKS. It's not meant to be a volume product.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-04-09, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

The SHO is a limited production Halo car. Of course it costs as much as an MKS. It's not meant to be a volume product.

I didn't say that it was a volume product, I was merely saying that's too much for a Taurus.A loaded Limited model is almost as much , At those prices, Ford won't be selling a lot of those. If you're going to pay that much, I'd rather have the Lincoln.