Can't say I'll ever buy a Ford again, I found better value (even if they cost more) from Japanese brands. Value doesn't just equal the cost to buy. I get treated better in service and have a car I don't have to bring in for service every other week. I haven't owned a car long enough in the last 5 years, for it to be out of warranty, but I've never been to the dealer so much for warranty work with my other 5 cars in total than I was in for the SVTF.
In my opinion, Ford has the capability of building a great car, I loved my SVTF, but they just don't compete with the others that sell cars in the U.S.
See their problem seams to be 2 fold, there products need allot of warrantee work, and the dealer that is essentially the face of the company SUCKS.
I was not even THAT pissed about the recalls and small issues with my car…
The fact that in 2 and ½ years my focus was in the service department at for over TWO MONTHS is an issue. The focus I had before that was a year old, and THAT one spent about a month in service. The one before that was 1 week old and the transmission went.
ALL of my foci have had THOUSANDS of dollars in damage caused by the dealership. On the second one the dealer dented all the doors, the fenders, the rocker panels, both bumpers, the hood and scratched 2 windows. Oh and did I mention that dealer NEVER fixed any issue it went in for. The 2 doors that they “fixed” had the paint flaking off after less than a year because they didn’t strip off the original paint first! When I took my car to another ford dealer in the area they asked if I bought the car used.
On my second focus I have had the entire upper half of the interior destroyed when the tracks on my sunroof had to be replaced. And I me literally everything…
A, B , C pillars, head liner, grab handles, handle clips, sun visors, visor clips, seat belt adjusters, all screw caps, the steering wheel, the stereo bezel, sunroof motor cover and the dome lights. They also managed to damage the wiring for the dome lights, and since they replaced the steering wheel my cruise control wont work (problem was never fixed)
EACH time I brought the car in the said they “could fix it this time” and EACH time something else went wrong. I not ONCE raised my voice to them and they finally yelled at me “THAT’S IT WE ARE NOT FIXING ANYTHING ELSE AFTER THIS” and got pissed that I would not accept a ½ a**ed damaged interior. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to get my car back the way I left it?
Fords products AND service suck. The auto industry is one of THE most competitive, and if you can’t be one of THE best at something, you wont be in business for long.
Toyota and Honda makes good reliable cars
Nissan and Chrysler make “cool” cars
BMW, Mercedes, make enthusiast cars.
Hyunda/Kia makes economical cars…
WTF is ford or GM good at? With ALL there brands you would think they would have something targeting EVERY ONE of those categories, yet they have NOTHIG that competes in any of that…
The problem is that the American companies just focused on one category of vehicle, trucks, and didn’t go at attracting a type of buyer. If you want a reliable, car, truck, SUV you can go to Toyota…You want a “COOL” car, truck, SUV you buy a Nissan. You want something a cheep car, truck, SUV you buy a KIA.
You want a ford; you can get a truck, a truck, or a truck. When you need a second vehicle, there is nothing else to go to ford.
People that want solid reliability will want a solid reliable vehicle no matter what type of vehicle they need, why Toyota buyers are going to stick to Toyota. People that want solid trendy will want a trendy vehicles no matter what type of vehicle they need, why Nissan buyers are going to stick to Nissan. People that want something other than a truck, have no compelling reason to stick to ford, they excel in none of the mindsets consumers think in. Practical minded people are still going to be practical minded no matter WHAT type of vehicle they need.
I am done “bitching” and I am simply going to take my money elsewhere. I think the Audi A3 is looking mighty fine as of late. It’s allot nicer, and have more features, options, and safety in EVERY way over the focus (thus it has a higher price tag) I was also looking at the Mazda 3, but there is no stability controlled offered in the US, and I am not crazy about the styling of the hatch. The ONLY thing that I see as a negative is the fact that VW/ Audi don’t have very good reliability, but after dealing with ford, I don’t think I can do much worse.
I bought the focus because it was cool, and different. I liked the features in it, and I thought I was a nice car, (hid headlights, good stereo, nice look) If the dealer had a FULLY loaded SVT sedan in 2002 with HID headlights, the mach stereo system, auto tem control, stability control, and heated mirrors, I WOULD have bought it and paid $22k for it (not had a sticker price of $22k and then negotiated down, PAID) It is apparently possible for ford, since the ALMOST make the car I described now, the Mazda 3, and it sells for almost that price, its just missing the stability control. And it sells for right around that price. Like I said though, no stability control, no compromise from me, Audi sells an A3.
