Cars like the Fusion/Milan are well built, but Ford doesn’t offer powertrains and options that compete well with the foreign brands. I know that I can buy a well built Fusion for less than an Accord or Camry, but what are we to do when we want the options on those cars? Ford/Mercury (and to some extent Lincoln) just don’t offer the right product.

GM is getting better but still falls a little short. Chrysler… what’s going on with them these days? No focus. ess

Lastly, my experience at foriegn brand dealers has always been better than at a domestic. They’re better informed about their products and the competition, the showrooms are better maintained and the service staff just seems more organized. The only domestic brand that seems to offer a decent overall buying experience is Cadillac.

It’s not just the parts… it’s the sum of the whole.

Believe it or not, we agree. I also find it obtuse to make an uninformed decision based purely on nameplate. I drive an Accord, but didn’t buy it until I found that I much preferred it over the contemporary competition – and yes, that included the Chevy Malibu, Dodge Avenger and Ford Fusion (actually, that’s a bit of a stretch – I previously owned a Mazda6, which was horrible, and since it’s mechanically identical to the Fusion, I honestly didn’t even give it a chance). The Camry, being a Japanese Buick for all intents and purposes was uninteresting to me – same thing for the German products, although I have to admit some bias against them based purely on my experience working on them.

Anyway, my main point is that so many of the models out there are such a crossbreed of domestic and foreign products, that it shouldn’t really matter what the nameplate is – and that goes both ways.

But, with regard to the subject at hand, the only real complaint I have is with an American that refuses to buy American simply because it’s American. If I were a German or Japanese I would feel the same about my home countries products. It’s just something I can’t figure out. Maybe because it doesn’t happen as often in places like Japan.

So fine, buy a Toyota, it’s a free country. But to not even test drive or consider a domestic seems a little strange to me. In 1986 I could maybe understand, but anyone that feels the quality gap is still equal to that of 1986 is either extremely delusional or just maybe trying to get laid at the Friday night Fast and the Furious meet down at the Kmart parking lot. Come on, technically that’s not name calling, is it?!?!?!

“Not just Japan, how about South Korea? Germany? If not for us, the only products those counties would sell would be Russian products, so a little f*cking respect would be nice from those inconsiderate pr*cks and the lackeys who drive their “amazing” products. Do any of you ever wonder why the three countries that supposedly build the finest automobiles all have been protected by America for many many decades??? All I expect as an answer is… “America sucks!” Spoken like a true stoner idiot who slept through every history class they were ever forced to take.”

You make some excellent points, but completely belittle them by reducing yourself to name calling to get your point across.

BTW, I do remember JD Power saying something similar last quarter…

What does that tell you about Ford?

I can afford a new Rolls, but my next sedan will very likely be a Mazda 6.

For those of you rambling on about buying a “foreign” car over an American car – which is more American? A Ford built in Mexico, a GM built in Canada, or a Honda built in Ohio? Not only that, but in many cases, the parts are produced by local suppliers. These companies (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and others) also employ thousands of American workers.

So before you lash out at those of us driving “some Asian piece of crap”, keep in mind that there is no longer such a thing as a purely American car.

You bring up somegood points, but nobody buys an “american” car just because it’s american. people are more likely to buy japanese just because it’s NOT “american,” but the fact of the matter is, you can get a good car from America or Japan.

Frylock: Domestic beer sucks for the most part,but I do enjoy a good rolling rock.

I think it’s important for GM and Ford to build automobiles in Canada (and to a lesser extent Mexico) since they are our greatest trade partner and they also buy many U.S. products. Besides, anything that helps our neighbors directly is fine by me and is good for America; especially if it employs a Mexican worker and entices him to stay with his family… in Mexico. Now, how many cars do the Japanese buy that are built in America, one of their greatest trade partners and a country who has protected their little island for 60 years?

Not just Japan, how about South Korea? Germany? If not for us, the only products those counties would sell would be Russian products, so a little f*cking respect would be nice from those inconsiderate pr*cks and the lackeys who drive their “amazing” products. Do any of you ever wonder why the three countries that supposedly build the finest automobiles all have been protected by America for many many decades??? All I expect as an answer is… “America sucks!” Spoken like a true stoner idiot who slept through every history class they were ever forced to take.

I work as a software engineer and love it when during happy hour all my co-workers sit around and bitch about how their jobs are being shipped overseas or they’re being replaced by workers from India. Then they finish drinking their Heineken, jump in their Lexus/BMW, and drive away unaware of their hypocrisy. You stay classy.
Comment by dmbpearl”

EXCELLENT POST!

My Janesville UAW built Suburban is more American than any riceburner will ever be. When Toyota moves their corporate headquarters here and is traded on our stock exchange and hires union employees I’ll accept them as American. Until then, GTFO.

“The Mondeo has long proved to be tough and durable; for a car built in huge numbers down to a price, it’s very well put together and finished to a good standard. Most of its components have already been tried and tested in other models such as the Galaxy and S-Max, as well as the closely related new Volvos, and it should prove dependable. Some of its electronic control systems are new, though. Ford has also paid attention to details such as improving the paint quality, and has fitted nicer plastics and materials in the cabins, where there’s been a general upgrade. ”

But Evo’s spot on about the Mondeo:

“And will anyone care? Probably not, because yer average disinterested punter will still lust after something German with a posher badge even though this car is almost certainly nicer to drive than pretty much any Audi bar the RS4. Instead the Mondeo will carry on doing what it’s always done, pleasing people who aren’t badge snobs and those who don’t have a choice. In a world of Little Chefs, it’s a secret slice of haute cuisine.”

Actually, what really has me clusterf*****ed is that 13 model years after Dodge brings out a 2.0l with 150 horse Ford’s still puts out 10 less.

But that Focus. My G_D, what were they thinking? Of the exterior isnt bad enough the interior is enough to make me projectile vomit.
Why couldnt they keep the old chassis but just do the exterior and interior exactly like the Euro Focus? I just don’t get it.

So before you lash out at those of us driving “some Asian piece of crap”, keep in mind that there is no longer such a thing as a purely American car.

How? 1986 Ford Escort 2 door. I loved that car until 55,000 miles. Less than 10,000 miles later too many things went wrong with it and I spent almost 50% of what the car cost me and it was worth about $300.

The following is not an exhaustive list but things that started going bad just after 55,000 miles.

“C-clip” broken on transaxle at freeway speed. It ripped up the front end. No I didn’t go through a pot hole and I pulled off as quickly as I reasonably could.

Blown head gasket and “Thrown valves”. I didn’t know before this that you could “throw a valve.” Their words, in writing.

Note: I asked what specifically I had done to do this to the car. I was not accusing them but myself. What could I do differently in the future? Their answer? I was obviously not hard on the car. There was nothing I could have done differently.

1990 Ford Ranger – I sold the truck at 63,000 miles when the head gasket blew and the Ford dealer told me the throttle body fuel injection system needed to be rebuilt.

My wife and I bought a 1990 Toyota Camry and then a 1994 Toyota 4×4 pickup (the year before the “Tacoma”).

The only replacement on the Camry was the alternator which was replaced under warrantee. We sold it with 186,000 miles on it after it was stolen (amazingly for the first time and only time) and bought a Prius which has much better door locks.

Note: So far we are getting at worst 45 mpg during the winter. During the summer we are getting almost 53mpg when the engine doesn’t take as long to warm up and the same with the inside of the car.

Note: So far I don’t know if any Ford car that gets that kind of gas mileage let alone one that I would trust.

For all you of you that are completely ignorant about Prius’, start flaming me. This car, unless in an accident, will be around long after every Ford of this year with comparable yearly mileage is long gone.

The Toyota pickup had around 60,000 miles on it when we sold it to our neighbor. We wanted more room and mistakenly fell in love with a Jeep Grand Cherokee while on vacation and bought one of those. We won’t be making that mistake again. WAY too much maintenance compared to all wheel drive Toyotas. It mostly sits now. At least it will have low milage when we sell it.

Do you think the next vehicle we buy with be a Ford or Chrysler?

I would think that things have changed with Ford since then. Based on friends of mine that have bought Fords in the last five years it sure doesn’t seem like it. They don’t appear to be holding up any better than ours did.

That isn’t based on ignorant information or possibly biased studies but on first and second hand experience of mine and close friends. Friends I hang out with often and don’t abuse their vehicles. Our friends with Toyotas don’t have any problems either.

I think FoMoCo’s quality is much better than any of the Asian junk, especially their trucks. Ford just needs to let their European and Austrailan divisions do the design work.

They only started revamping the new Taurus, or announced plans of it about a month ago. Once again, what do you want?

I love different editions at low prices, what’s not to love about it? Please, tell. That means mine won’t look the same as the guys next to me, and I won’t have to pay an extra few thousand in mods for some simple differences.

Don’t forget the Taurus X in that list. I agree with you on that one, they’re trying to create a “sub-line” of SUV’s (crossovers and wagons) to their “real” SUV line. There pretty much covering the whole market. I also agree with the “Way Forward” plan and Mercury not getting off the tracks, or on it.

I work as a software engineer and love it when during happy hour all my co-workers sit around and bitch about how their jobs are being shipped overseas or they’re being replaced by workers from India. Then they finish drinking their Heineken, jump in their Lexus/BMW, and drive away unaware of their hypocrisy. You stay classy.

MikeFX: your list of problems is dead-on, but particularly “Too many special edition Mustangs”

Commodore: sometimes, you know something is true, so you pay someone else to look at it, because that’s the best way, you figure, to get the news out there.

1115: “Everyone on here wants to talk about how the cars look but a car that doesn’t run is a car that can’t be driven and seen.” That makes sense, but what’s your point.
bwilliams: “I think the new Focus isn’t a looker but its better than the Yaris the Fit and the Versa.” Actually the focus is a compact, and it doesn’t compete with those. But it is better than the Civic, Sentra and Corolla.