Some Ford news for SVT

[telcoman]

Goodby Fords, I won't miss you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06...mc=th

Telcoman

[rn79870]

When your taxes go up topay for the unemployed GM and Ford and Chrysler workers, and Ma Bell's profits go down as all those unemployed workers stop paying their phone bills - we're all going to start crying.

Ford will survive based if for no other reason than their new Focus and it's high mileage (I read that, I didn't make it up).

Hummer is either being sold or they are closing the door on the brand. Tough times ahead for all.

[telcoman]

When your taxes go up topay for the unemployed GM and Ford and Chrysler workers, and Ma Bell's profits go down as all those unemployed workers stop paying their phone bills - we're all going to start crying.

Ford will survive based if for no other reason than their new Focus and it's high mileage (I read that, I didn't make it up).

Hummer is either being sold or they are closing the door on the brand. Tough times ahead for all.

The unemployed GM, Ford, and Chrysler workers will most likely get rehired by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Its a shame that we have such highly paid executives and managers running our automobile companies into extinction.

[Slider4105]

Hummer isn't closing the door, they're coming up with a new vehicle line up. They killed the H1, they're "coming out" (lots of rumors and speculation) with an H4 which is like a little Jeep Wrangler sized car, they're killing off the I5 in favor of the direct injected 3.6 V6, they're using a diesel in Europe which will most likely be brought over here, and they're thinking and heavily trying to drop the hybrid powertrain from the full sized SUV's into the Hummers.

Ofcourse they have to do all that and still maintain the rugged off-roadedness of the Hummer brand. Who knows if it will work and for how long.

[rn79870]

According to the article I read, Hummer, whose May sales were down 61% over last May, may "be sold or have the doors closed." That per GM.

I hate to see any American car bite the dust unless it's due to quality, and that isn't the problem with Hummer. People just perceive them as fuel inefficient.

Its a shame that we have such highly paid executives and managers running our automobile companies into extinction.

That applies to just about every industry in America too!

[Slider4105]

Ah, the few things I read were a bunch of Auto writers and some "close insiders with Hummer". Guess you have to take them with a grain of salt huh?

[SVTCOBRA]

I have my Furd, don't anticapate getting a new one.I still think they make the best domestics.

[Sentientbydesign]

Goodby Fords, I won't miss you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06...mc=th

Telcoman

Can't wait for them to bite the dust.

Ford- CheckHummer-CheckHyundai-...die dammit...die!!!

Now if we can only get Subaru to build a pretty car... lol

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Gas is prices are making this country more efficent! That is all its going to do. Americans love to drive and i don't think 10 bux a gallon is going to change that! But the government should be drilling in alaska for the oil and the Gulf of Mexico! If they did that our gas would be 2 bux a gallon again and the dot heads would cut their prices too!

It is a shame to see ford and Gm making really big cuts. But they are crap anyway. I just wonder who is Nissan and Toyota going to compete with

I will be glad to see the unions gone! They have run the auto companies into the gound. You can't pay a man 30 dollars an hour to put a lugs on tires as they come down the line..

Oh but I do hope to keep the Rustangs on the road so I can have a car to beat with my G35

DJ

[smockers83]

Ford makes the best domestic cars. Its reality.

I don't see the point of this article. Sure truck and SUV prices have dropped and will continue to drop. But prices on efficient cars will rise as demand shifts. And not to turn this into a political debate, the article talks about a cap-and-trade system on carbon. It can't happen. The technology for it is not there. Plus the transportation industry releases the most CO2 than any other, so how does one issue permits to people like us? A system like that won't work and would be too large to manage.

Oh and the article says a difference in oil from other resources is that it is a scarce resource--all resources are scarce. If they weren't, they'd probably be free.

Overall, I give this article a failing grade, a waste of column space.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Overall, I give this article a failing grade, a waste of column space.

Thanks for you input but this isn't really necessary to say as Website Space is a free resource

DJ

[smockers83]

Thanks for you input but this isn't really necessary to say as Website Space is a free resource

DJ

True, assuming that it wasn't printed in today's paper. I'm assuming it was printed in today's...I have no idea, I don't have the NYT.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

True, assuming that it wasn't printed in today's paper. I'm assuming it was printed in today's...I have no idea, I don't have the NYT.

Im not shooting you down or anything like that! I Just like post that are about other things going on in the world and don't like negativity in the forms. This is my place to get away from the stress of the world and have fun.

Notice how we only have really cool chicks here... NO PMS and B*tching

DJ

[Sentientbydesign]

Im not shooting you down or anything like that! I Just like post that are about other things going on in the world and don't like negativity in the forms. This is my place to get away from the stress of the world and have fun.

Notice how we only have really cool chicks here... NO PMS and B*tching

DJ

Having fun playing mommy?

I disagree with what PB&J said, but I wouldn't reprimand him on his opinion.

Back on topic. Regardless if Furd builds the best domestics, they still build garbage. I see very little of the original vision Henry had. I still can't fathom why all the imports can optimize, but the domestics can't, or if they do they do it Mickey Mouse style.

[TeflonG35]

Am i the only person that likes GM cars?

[Sentientbydesign]

Am i the only person that likes GM cars?

Probably, not but I have a general disliking to them. Nissans have been in my family since before I was born and they've always performed very well. Toyotas seem ok, my wife's family swears by them. Mazdas... Hondas I'm on the fence about. The Korean cars can all go burn in flames!!!

I'm also kind of at a loss for Mitsubishi (SP). After seeing their interiors, and finding that they mix parts with Dodge (I think they own Dodge or the other way around), that didn't do much for my opinion of them. The EVO being a make on it's own gets high marks in my book, but I need to drive one to really make a determination.

Edit: Suby gets high marks!!! Great crash tests. Clean manufacturing. And some awesome performance. I just wish they'd build something with a sexy body.

[rn79870]

I drove a Mitsubishi Gallant (rented) for a few days not too long ago. It was really an entry level car, with less than nice quality. I'd never own a Mitsu after driving that rental car. Even the steering wheel felt like crap.

[TeflonG35]

Probably, not but I have a general disliking to them. Nissans have been in my family since before I was born and they've always performed very well. Toyotas seem ok, my wife's family swears by them. Mazdas... Hondas I'm on the fence about. The Korean cars can all go burn in flames!!!

I'm also kind of at a loss for Mitsubishi (SP). After seeing their interiors, and finding that they mix parts with Dodge (I think they own Dodge or the other way around), that didn't do much for my opinion of them. The EVO being a make on it's own gets high marks in my book, but I need to drive one to really make a determination.

Edit: Suby gets high marks!!! Great crash tests. Clean manufacturing. And some awesome performance. I just wish they'd build something with a sexy body.

I understand. If we are going on personal preferences. I hate hondas. I think toyotas are ugly. Korean cars are useless. German cars are overrated and over priced.

[telcoman]

I will be glad to see the unions gone! They have run the auto companies into the gound. You can't pay a man 30 dollars an hour to put a lugs on tires as they come down the line.. DJ

Tampa

Sorry, I do not agree with you on this one.

So its not ok to pay $30 an hour to an hourly worker, but its ok to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to executives, CEO's, managers, Board Members that make wrong decisions, destroy companys, cause millions of Americans to lose jobs, turn out wrong vehicle types in the marketplace, and fight innovation. GM, Ford, Chrysler, at one time refused to allow foreign cars in their parking lots while at the same time were refusing to produce quality cars. Then they forced the Japanese to build plants here in the US hoping it would be too costly for them to perhaps drive them out of business.Sorry Tampa. These American executives are a bunch of scumbags for destroying the American Automobile industry and it is certainly not the fault of the workers. My last American car was my 1953 Cadillac in 1964. It had a big back seat where I had many happy endings. Ahhh, the good old days.

Telcoman

[rn79870]

It had a big back seat where I had many happy endings. Ahhh, the good old days. Telcoman

Were you alone?

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Tampa

Sorry, I do not agree with you on this one.

So its not ok to pay $30 an hour to an hourly worker, but its ok to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to executives, CEO's, managers, Board Members that make wrong decisions, destroy companys, cause millions of Americans to lose jobs, turn out wrong vehicle types in the marketplace, and fight innovation. GM, Ford, Chrysler, at one time refused to allow foreign cars in their parking lots while at the same time were refusing to produce quality cars. Then they forced the Japanese to build plants here in the US hoping it would be too costly for them to perhaps drive them out of business.Sorry Tampa. These American executives are a bunch of scumbags for destroying the American Automobile industry and it is certainly not the fault of the workers. My last American car was my 1953 Cadillac in 1964. It had a big back seat where I had many happy endings. Ahhh, the good old days.

Telcoman

I don't think you saw where I was going with it... It has to start at the top of the chain with CEO's making 15 million a year... THey need to be paid 4-500k a year. A CEO is a big job and i think a pay check of 500k is reasonable. But They are not ever worth more than that unless they are making the comany millions and millions of dollars on their knowledge.

Also for a simple task, I don't think a man should be paid 38 dollars an hour. They could be paid 20 dollars an hour and save the county and their company a lot of money that could be used for other things like investing in new technology of fuel cell cars and a car that maybe ran on nuclear!

DJ

[SVTCOBRA]

I understand. If we are going on personal preferences. I hate hondas. I think toyotas are ugly. Korean cars are useless. German cars are overrated and over priced.

I agree with you on most of that, but I do like the feel of a honda. I also like old chevy muscle (camaro, chevelle) and corvettes!! Who wouldn't like an alum. 427 copo camaro?! How about a Yenko?Got to stop now, getting too excited for my checkbook!

Did I mention that I test drove a G8 GT this past Sunday?? It was black.

[Raylo]

Am i the only person that likes GM cars?

I'm a big GM fan. Love the big b bodies. Late 50's to late 60's. Camaros, Nova, impalas, chevelles in every option. 2dr/4dr/converts/hatchbacks and wagons. The options were endless!!! And then you had the Skylarks, Rivieras, GTO's, Bonnivilles, IT NEVER ENDS!!!! sigh, the good old days.

Even now GM (in my opinion) is the best domestic. Caddy has the cts, chevy has the new malibu, the corvette and their truck lineup, and buick is like the gravy train for the 60 + crowd.

But the bottom line is they all are playing catch up to the imports.

[Slider4105]

GM FTMFW!........

Man I loves me some Camaro all day long. Teflon, my Camaro had the 3800 series in it, what a reliable beast that thing was, couldn't break it if I tried. Tried to throw on the supercharger from your Buick and the Grand Am GTP, but would of had to cut into my cowl to fit it....or lower the motor.

And anyone who says they don't like GM, what about the Small Block Chevy? Every guy who needs a new motor for a domestic puts one in. You don't really hear too much about guys putting the 5.slow into a Camaro or Vette, but a lot of guys who build old style ford hot rods slap a 350 in it

GM builds some good quality cars now, Buick and Caddy are getting back into building nice upper scale cars, Pontiac is getting back into being the fun devision, and Chevy conquers all with the C6 Vette. Overall I think they're reinventing themselves pretty well, they just aren't on par with the Imports and need to play a little more catchup.

[heliochrome85]

too bad that S/C 3800 had a bad habit of catching fire....

[heliochrome85]

Im going to have to disagree with you there. I can not stand fords. All USDM Fords have interiors that would shame Kia. Why we put up with them is beyond me. The same applies to Chrysler, which has apparently forgotten what it is to make a car. GM, with Bob Lutz, is on its way back. The way back started in the early 2000s when they decided, Hey lets build a good car with a good interior! What a novel idea. I had a 1995 STS as my first car. It was a tank with a plasticky interior. My brother has a 2002 STS, and the quality improved significantly. My mom has a 2003 Escalade AWD and so far, after 71k, no problems. NONE. With the current lineup, i say GM has a couple BIG HITS on its hands ( im looking at you Solstice/sky, G8, CTS, Malibu, GMT900 series) My next car wont be GM, but I'm more than glad to see soemone there isn't listening to the bean counters that caused the malaise era of cars. If you build them, they will come.

[heliochrome85]

too bad suby's have horrific build quality. HORRIFIC.

[heliochrome85]

See they way I see it is that in general, the Japanese/Koreans have no soul and the Germans have no reliability. I desperately want a BMW or MB. I am just so currently in love with my current ride that it isnt worth pursuing right now...

[TeflonG35]

I love the 3800 series II motor. You can get that motor FAST.

[Sentientbydesign]

See they way I see it is that in general, the Japanese/Koreans have no soul and the Germans have no reliability. I desperately want a BMW or MB. I am just so currently in love with my current ride that it isnt worth pursuing right now...

German cars have as much personality as Captain Von Trapp from the sound of music after losing his first wife. I'll admit that BMWs have exquisit exteriors, but their interiors are disgusting and the ride is I'm still going to give one a test drive for the hell of it, to try to change my own opinion, but right now, they're in the dirt.

MB makes chubby, under powered, ugly boxes.