Ford QC gone down hill...

[flip]

You heard it here first, Flip for president!

Just kidding, I wouldn't do that to you. However, 100% correct. If they wanted to do better, Ford could.

I don't opine much on political matters but our city is doing a bunch of stupid shit, assessed property values going through the roof and now talking about instituting new income taxes. My city council rep won't bother acknowledging 2 emails I sent to him so it's about on.

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[tourproto]

I agree, I was a 32 year Ford guy since I was a kid and even before I could drive, my experience with my just traded in Bronco has turned me to the 4Runner, never before would I have ever thought to buy a Toyota, wanted to get one before the redesign and it's made 100% in the same factory in Japan as other really good Toyotas. Can't say that about any Ford. When my Bronco was in the the transmission repair, they gave me a 2023 F-150 loaner, sticker said content was 23% US and Canadian made, NOT EVEN A QUARTER OF THE GOOD OLD AMERICAN PICK UP TRUCK WAS MADE IN AMERICA!!!! Geez, that's nuts. Having said that I did a lot of checking at the Toyota dealer and honestly it's similar, lots of Toyotas are made everywhere too. But I will say being a car guy forever, it's hard to deny Toyota's overall quality. It's a shame though, I really liked my Bronco, it was an awesome vehicle, super fun with the manual, that I will miss the most. But I will not miss the recalls, TSB's and things that need TSB's and recalls and which Ford simply denies. It was a shaky company going into the pandemic and now the company is nothing short of a five alarm dumpster fire. Three straight years the recall King and working on their fourth. I hate to see it, but they know there are problems and they just don't care enough to fix them, so screw them.

Like Boeing is finding out, putting accountants and finance people in charge of production decisions is a race to the bottom.

There is a great book to read called "Car guys vs Bean counters" (https://www.amazon.com/Car-Guys-vs-Bean-Counters-ebook/dp/B004IYJEA6). it is both hilarious and sad and is a quick read. But it explains that car companies (GM in this case) looked at selling cars purely has a financial transaction. Basically they didn't care that they made a crappy product. I believe Ford and GM have gone that way (there isn't a "cold weather" package for the Bronco? You have to get the Lux package to get a heated steering wheel? WTF?). But as consumers, all we can do is vote with our wallet.

It's a little tougher avoiding Boeing airplanes when travelling though...

 

[MayhemMike]

In related news the employees of Webastco just signed off on their first Union contract. Pay increases of 51%. Imagine how much they would be getting if they actually manufactured quality MIC tops.

 

[FloridaBurgBronco]

There is a great book to read called "Car guys vs Bean counters" (https://www.amazon.com/Car-Guys-vs-Bean-Counters-ebook/dp/B004IYJEA6). it is both hilarious and sad and is a quick read. But it explains that car companies (GM in this case) looked at selling cars purely has a financial transaction. Basically they didn't care that they made a crappy product. I believe Ford and GM have gone that way (there isn't a "cold weather" package for the Bronco? You have to get the Lux package to get a heated steering wheel? WTF?). But as consumers, all we can do is vote with our wallet.

It's a little tougher avoiding Boeing airplanes when travelling though...

Man, I will check that out. Yeah, I hung out as a Ford fan forever, partly as a patriot being an American vehicle, but they aren't and like you said, they just don't care, there's no honor in what they produce anymore, no legacy to leave. Much of American business, at least large business has gone that way sadly. I'm hoping my "old" 4Runner, (generation started in 2010), will be fun AND reliable.

 

[Hemisfear]

Like a old wise mechanic once told me..."factories don't build lemons anymore, owners make them"! lol
Coming up to 3 years with my BadSquatch 2 Door and not a single issue, best vehicle I every purchased!

 

[Dude1967]

Ford bot?

 

[tourproto]

Man, I will check that out. Yeah, I hung out as a Ford fan forever, partly as a patriot being an American vehicle, but they aren't and like you said, they just don't care, there's no honor in what they produce anymore, no legacy to leave. Much of American business, at least large business has gone that way sadly. I'm hoping my "old" 4Runner, (generation started in 2010), will be fun AND reliable.

My two favorite stories from the book are the Christmas card and the "flat" paint. You won't believe they are true or that a company could be so f-ed up for either to happen.

 

[TLO]

Haven't touched the bolts. Came like that from assembly. Threads painted above indicate so.

I suspect that maybe QC had to adjust the hood for proper body gaps at final inspection?
But, you probably don't want to look at your door and tailgate hinges either, at this point lol

 

[DVULT57]

I suspect that maybe QC had to adjust the hood for proper body gaps at final inspection?
But, you probably don't want to look at your door and tailgate hinges either, at this point lol

After they adjusted the hood, they forgot to tighten the last bolt! So it wasn't the final inspection!!!

 

[KTP 30]

I said this before about Raptors. You are really buying a $35k truck with $65k in options. Build quality and materials are $35k truck level, even if you spend $100k.

Yep goes down the same build line.

 

[malpais]

This presupposes it was “uphill” at some point. I’ve owned many Ford products ranging in years from 1986 to now 2024. Same BS. My Bronco has areas with poor paint coverage, debris in the paint, areas where the metal had contaminants or poor finish, but was painted anyway. Some are in discrete places such as below the doors, but one is very obvious on the windshield pillar. The first “mod” I did was buy a paint pen from Ford to fix the areas that were exposed.

It’s about what I expected. However I bought this car to shuttle my dogs around so it makes me feel less bad about dirtying it up I suppose.

 

[Nickhick]

Maybe I'm getting to my cranky old man stage in life but I swear everything and everyone is it seems.

 

[XirallicBolts]

Three more UAW strikes, another $20/hour, and maybe the nuts will start getting tightened.

Unfortunately mistakes do happen. My 22 Silverado was leaking transmission fluid from the factory. You'd think the dealer would notice stains under a brand new car on their lot.

 

[Epiphany]

You'd think the dealer would notice stains under a brand new car on their lot.

They did. They just figure they'd fix it when somebody bought it. Too many other problems to deal with in the mean time.

 

[HP11]

Here's another unfortunate example from a Ford Mustang owner... just got this the other day.
Dark Horse delivered with incorrect taillights

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