Bronco production update 8/3: More downtime expected weeks of 8/16 and/or 8/23

[MN_OuterBanks]

Maybe the sky isn't falling after all... glad to see the line is running - thanks to everyone at MAP who is doing their level best!

I can honestly say, no one here should be upset with ANYONE working the line at MAP. They are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, building as many as they can as well as they can. They were handed a pile of shit and asked to make a great masterpiece out of it. I applaud the line workers at MAP doing what they can everyday to get us all what we want. A BRONCO!

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[GameWarden]

Shame on all of us for acting surprised at any of this. When the geniuses picked OJ’s birthday for the original roll out they set the tone and nothing else should really surprise us. I am beginning to think that was not a coincidence either the way this team has handled itself.

 

[Jdyount]

I guess not being upset is upsetting to some people?

Despite your assumption, I have a lot of empathy for folks upset not to have their car, we Americans have become entirely dependent on our purchasing power and instant gratification.

But it's just a car (and I say that as a HUGE car person who tends to spend hundreds of hours working on every car i've owned).

And I find a massive lack of empathy towards Ford. Covid has absolutely destroyed the just-in-time globally-sourced mass-manufacturing business model. As if somehow the customer needs a huge dose of empathy, but the manufacturer has engineered this entire situation simply to piss off John and Jane Doe from Shiboigan Ill because their Bronco is delayed 6-8 months? Seems to be a self fulfilling one-sided argument for the most part on here.

I don't think anyone thinks Ford is doing this intentionally to piss customers off. I also don't think Ford can keep leaning on the Covid excuse. They had plenty of time to account for that and given the amount of orders should have been stock-piling parts way ahead of time instead of worrying so much about Lean manufacturing.

I think this should be a big lesson for Ford that the just-in-time manufacturing model doesn't work super well when you have tens of thousands of orders for something but you can't get your suppliers to supply quality product.

I do have some empathy for Ford. I get that every second MAP is not running is thousands of dollars they're not producing and money out out of their pocket. I do hope they get better from all of this. Still doesn't mean I can't be upset at them for it all...

 

[mpeugeot]

I can honestly say, no one here is upset with ANYONE working the line at MAP. They are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, building as many as they can as well as they can. They were handed a pile of shit and asked to make a great masterpiece out of it. I applaud the line workers at MAP doing what they can everyday to get us all what we want. A BRONCO!

Absolutely, this is a higher level management fail.

 

[ICUGAZN]

I caved too, and I got a sticker for my trouble.

It did change my priority code from 19 to 15, but I don’t think that means anything.

Mine when from 19 to 10. I think it has to do with dealer priorities with their allocations. So it may have moved us up the list with the dealer. So i'm hoping it pays off with a September build date.

 

[bigtexyahoocom]

I guess not being upset is upsetting to some people?

Despite your assumption, I have a lot of empathy for folks upset not to have their car, we Americans have become entirely dependent on our purchasing power and instant gratification.

But it's just a car (and I say that as a HUGE car person who tends to spend hundreds of hours working on every car i've owned).

And I find a massive lack of empathy towards Ford. Covid has absolutely destroyed the just-in-time globally-sourced mass-manufacturing business model. As if somehow the customer needs a huge dose of empathy, but the manufacturer has engineered this entire situation simply to piss off John and Jane Doe from Shiboigan Ill because their Bronco is delayed 6-8 months? Seems to be a self fulfilling one-sided argument for the most part on here.

You’re not supposed to deep throat the boot. Plenty of other manufacturers have been just fine, and Ford has comically screwed up multiple launches in recent history before COVID. They just aren’t good at this right now. Please feel free to blame the COVID supply chain for an Explorer that leaks exhaust fumes into the cockpit, or a Focus RS with incorrect head gaskets, or a Fiesta that forces its owner on his fourth transmission to drive home in reverse because the dealer won’t honor the warranty anymore. You’re damn right I don’t have any empathy for a management structure that would allow the DCT they produced, an idiotic dry clutch design, to go to production and absolutely screw primarily the poor.

 

[ATLColonial]

Anyone else thinking all of the setbacks might kill the bronco? That would really suck

Hell no, Ford's problem with this car right now is that there are too many people trying to buy it. Ones that hit the lots are going for $60k-100k. Manufacturing issues aside, this ain't going anywhere.

 

[Jnic815]

What is your bottom line.. bronco or Jeep ?

BRONCO

The body roll and steering slop in the Wrangler were almost unsettling after driving the Bronco on the same 10 minute test drive.

For what it’s worth, this Bronco is for my wife. In the 8 years we have known each other, the only vehicle she has wanted was another wrangler. I talked her into reserving a bronco last July, when we were shopping for a wrangler. We went to the dealer last weekend to buy this rubicon, or wait for our bronco. She is all in now and chose to wait for the Bronco.

2dr Sasquatch Outerbanks we drove

And the rubicon that has sold since Saturday

 

[WuNgUn]

I don't think anyone thinks Ford is doing this intentionally to piss customers off. I also don't think Ford can keep leaning on the Covid excuse. They had plenty of time to account for that and given the amount of orders should have been stock-piling parts way ahead of time instead of worrying so much about Lean manufacturing.

I think this should be a big lesson for Ford that the just-in-time manufacturing model doesn't work super well when you have tens of thousands of orders for something but you can't get your suppliers to supply quality product.

I do have some empathy for Ford. I get that every second MAP is not running is thousands of dollars they're not producing and money out out of their pocket. I do hope they get better from all of this. Still doesn't mean I can't be upset at them for it all...

Nor Ford or ANY other car manufacturer stocks piles or will want to stock pile parts. It's all about lean manufacturing. Floor space is $$$. The Japanese invented JIT and they're the only ones who can seemingly pull it off...
If Ford wants Webasto to bank ahead parts, Ford will have to pay Webasto to do so... And likely are.

 

[Jdyount]

Nor Ford or ANY other car manufacturer stocks piles or will want to stock pile parts. It's all about lean manufacturing. Floor space is $$$. The Japanese invented JIT and they're the only ones who can seemingly pull it off...
If Ford wants Webasto to bank ahead parts, Ford will have to pay Webasto to do so... And likely are.

Webasto can't keep up with even demand let alone stockpile parts. I understand JIT and where it came from, but everything has to be perfect for it to work. With Covid Ford should have known there would be supply issues and worked through them.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Webasto can't keep up with even demand let alone stockpile parts. I understand JIT and where it came from, but everything has to be perfect for it to work. With Covid Ford should have known there would be supply issues and worked through them.

How exactly would one do that? You obviously don't understand the complexities of manufacturing, especially during a global pandemic where not
only could you not get raw materials or components or labor or shipping from Asia... etc etc

 

[SpringTXOR]

BRONCO

The body roll and steering slop in the Wrangler were almost unsettling after driving the Bronco on the same 10 minute test drive.

For what it’s worth, this Bronco is for my wife. In the 8 years we have known each other, the only vehicle she has wanted was another wrangler. I talked her into reserving a bronco last July, when we were shopping for a wrangler. We went to the dealer last weekend to buy this rubicon, or wait for our bronco. She is all in now and chose to wait for the Bronco.

2dr Sasquatch Outerbanks we drove

And the rubicon that has sold since Saturday

That's my dealership I'm working with that won't respond to me.

 

[Brewdaddy]

@1975U15 Well…..here is my updated build based on the latest news…..Hearse Bronco.

 

[annieVonBebop]

The train may be officially coming off the tracks. Looks like there will be more downtime the week of 8/16 and/or 8/23. In the spirit of tempering expectations, I'd anticipate some of the August production scheule getting blown up.

Plant brass meeting this morning.

Starting to think there was more to the wording of this post than meets the eye. What if it's not actually related to more commodity shortages for the Bronco but having to slot additional non-Bronco vehicles into MAP'S schedule due to that train derailment that just happened?

I too get the frustration but this would in fact be something out of Ford's control - obviously still sucks tho

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Well my sales rep and GM were both off work today, so I'll try calling them tomorrow morning to check.

There's a build whiteboard posted on Reddit:

At 59% MIC, I am guess this WAS the plan…

(Edit): either that or the management discussion this morning was where do we quarantine another 1594 “bad MIC” units.

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