Oh Dear ! Ford

limerickman

I see Ford announced a loss of $1.2 billion (and that's prior to the recent hike
in oil prices) for the period Jan-March 2006.

Motor industry is going through a lot of pain.
Peugeot in Britain announced the closure of it's 2,300 people facility this week too.

Scary times.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Wurm

Indeed. But if Ford & GM would make cars that weren't so shitty, they'd maybe keep a bigger hunk of their market share.

Nissan, Honda, Toyota seems to be where it's at right now.

The US maker's have also concentrated on SUV/land yachts for too long.

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"Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense."

- John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon)

The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

mopar

Nissan?, Honda?, Toyota? Screw them rice boxes. Toyota is the 4th largest manufacturer in the world and STILL can't produce anything with over 4 cylinders in it. Ford, no one NEEDS a Ford, Found-On-Road-Dead. For-Only-Retarded-Drivers. Come on guys, Chevy, losing money? Please, the biggest in the world (owning an empire of other car companies, so does Ford, but everything THEY own out ranks them), most popular sports car that IS affordable, the Corvette C6R can drive for 24 hours STRAIGHT, at over 170 average mph, and only have one or two problems. Tell me that won't have people buying GM. Caddy, wins the Speed GT, in a CTS-V. I find this thread offending, do any of you guys know ANYTHING about cars?

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The-tried-a-backflip-and-didn't-land-it-kid.

Wurm

Yeah mopar, I know a few things about cars - like I wish I still had my '69 Satellite and '74 Barracuda, and that's about the last time when Murka made actually decent cars IMO. But even then they were engineered to break down on a regular basis to keep the parts dealers and garages in biz.

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__________________
"Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense."

- John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon)

The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

DiabloScott

Ford's problem is a lot deeper than their product quality. Their whole business model is unworkable in modern times. Mr. Ford himself wrote that in a letter to the employees and stockholders.

GM's isn't that much different - saddled with 20th century philosophies and union problems.

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http://diabloscott.blogspot.com

Wurm

And that would be Mr. Ford's opinion on the matter, which may or may not be the way the rank & file see things. Stop blaming this on the unions/workers. I'm sure Ford's managers have been compensated very handsomely over the years, much better than the rank & file.

The simple fact is that because of NAFTA, GATT, and "free" trade, US companies are in a race to the bottom - a la Wal-Mart - and US workers consequently are getting focked. The propagandists call it "globalization". It started with Clinton and has been reinforced by Bu$hCo and the GOP Congresses.

__________________
"Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense."

- John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon)

The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

DiabloScott

I'm not exactly blaming the unions for anything they're doing now - the problem is that Ford and the unions signed agreements years ago that obligate them to do things far into the future that they no longer can do. Neither Ford executives nor the unions nor any of their subs will benefit from Ford going under. The only benefactors will be car manufacturers who can compete in the labor market and consumer environment that we have now - because they'll have less competition.

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http://diabloscott.blogspot.com

mopar

I'm more of a sports car fan, but my family has been Mopar fans forever...Great cars!

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The-tried-a-backflip-and-didn't-land-it-kid.

Eldrack

Mehh, Ford going bust/downsizing might force people to to buy good cars from Germnay/Japan.

mopar

Did you say GOOD car from Japan? Just kidding, they can be pretty good sometimes. Mazda, they have the only win for Japan at LeMans. Subaru, just look at the WRX, it looks like it has some serious muscle for a four cylinder, the same with the Lancer Evolutions. But all cars that come out of Germany are good. Not the best, but acceptionally good, THAT'S why I want a good quality Porsche sooo bad.

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The-tried-a-backflip-and-didn't-land-it-kid.

davidmc

Our country not supplying health insurance and the auto-companies being liable for that & pensions is what is breaking their backs. Once those items are deducted from the revenue, there is scant left for capital investment

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US comedian and actor (1937 - )

mopar

Yeah, but my favorite car comes from Italy. "Pagani Zonda!"

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The-tried-a-backflip-and-didn't-land-it-kid.

Wurm

Zactly.

__________________
"Bush is the first President to admit to an impeachable offense."

- John Dean, former Counsel to the President (Nixon)

The aim of big corporations is to separate fools from their money all of the time and ordinary folks from their money most of the time. The rest of us must fend for ourselves.

mopar

Sorry guys...I guess you do know something about cars...but for you that don't GO AWAY!!!!!

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The-tried-a-backflip-and-didn't-land-it-kid.