Comments on: Ford to expand summer closure at three U.S. plants

By: Get Real

Get Real — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:11:14 +0000

Ugly front grill like that made sales fall.

By: driven

driven — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:53:06 +0000

I wonder how many UAW workers will use their 2-3 months of off time to look for other employment just in case they get let go in the near future? I’m guessing none of them will find other employment or plan for the good probability of losing their job. But I bet they will all cry foul when they loose their jobs.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:52:17 +0000

LOL brassmonkey. I doubt either served as Heather Locklear’s stunt double.

By: NoNameDenton1

NoNameDenton1 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:48:30 +0000

Ford needs to rush its in house diesels to ensure they can claim they have trucks that have good milage.

By: brassmonkey

brassmonkey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:23:01 +0000

johnny, nice refer to TJ Hooker. Did you know that show was named after noname’s and mayer’s mothers? I just googled it.

By: NoNameDenton1

NoNameDenton1 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:13:39 +0000

xyunya, up until recently they did not need to know it, they spent more money developing their trucks and SUVs, and left the car market to the imports, but now they need to change so now they are learning.

By: jayjc08

jayjc08 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:00:42 +0000

Hey, you can argue all your want, but the Big Three HAVE had nearly 20 years to develop factories capable of producing both trucks, and convey to smaller vehicles. All a few other plants have to do is switch out some of the machinery, and the rest is programming, and they can testify to that with the current production movement they’re experiencing. While Ford, GM and Chrysler are all loosing thousands of jobs due to low demand, they have no small cars to produce stateside, and no products to move into these facilities they’ve dumped millions of dollars into. So what, you complain it’s a bunch of idiots who are producing Toyotas and Honda’s, that their soul less? What in the American lineup really has soul? The Dodge Viper that barely exists anymore? Maybe your mistaking this “soul” for problems; because without problems, they don’t need a soul.

I’ve driven American cars all my life, but the few I do drive are ones that I can rely on, that I’ve done a lot of due diligence on. It’s ridiculous all the crap that comes out anymore from the Big Three. I’m not saying they don’t produce great cars, because they do and have, but it’s either make or break for their vehicles, either at the top or bottom. And that’s where the investments stop.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:26:57 +0000

I’m noticing a lot of Rangers on the road these days. Yes I know they’ve been building them since TJ Hooker was on the air, but I’m talking about shiny new ones. I’d like to give Ford credit though we all know it’s just blind luck. I’m surprised Ford doesn’t equip each one with a white tipped cane.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:18:42 +0000

Great trucks. Closed plants will produce how many of those?

By: wbent

wbent — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:11:55 +0000

Couldn’t be more wrong acura boy. Dodge is the one who rents out yards and pre builds spec. Ford has more options, trim levels and configurations than any other manufacture and has a far superior truck build response, it is why they are the bench mark. I am not sure how a flexible plant would help with truck manufacture, it would seem a difficult task going from a full frame to a unitized body. However I do agree that you never see stories of how bad the Titan, Ridgeline or Tundra are doing. The Ridgeline is only on track for 36,000 units but somehow makes T.O.Y. While the Tundra has improvement over last year it has disappointed greatly with sale projections, less than 85,000 while the Ranger is on track to match it, a 20 year old truck. JITI is the only solution however would it be incorrect to say the union has had issues with it?

By: xyunya

xyunya — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:48:42 +0000

Obviously, they did not learn shit. The formula of setting up multi functional plant have been in existence since early 80′s. It became very popular at the same time as JITI (just in time inventory). Most of industries today utilize the formula for about 20 years and Ford is planning to retool a factory or two in a few short years. I have to give it to them: it takes less time to complete high school in Florida and Poland.

By: NoNameDenton1

NoNameDenton1 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:28:15 +0000

Guess Ford learned the lesson xyunya since Ford did say recently that they would re-tool North American factories to make their small European cars, just takes time and money to do what they need to do.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:05:02 +0000

Good news for workers in Kentucky: Toyota plant is near by and they are expanding.

“japs” factories don’t have the same problems as domestic: the same plant is capable of manufacturing cars, trucks, vans and SUV’s. So Japanese owned “truck” plants in US are producing what public wants today: fuel efficient cars

By: acura_el2000

acura_el2000 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:29:06 +0000

They would AVOID these problems if they built the trucks to order, and didn’t stockpile massive yards full of them.

By: mayer_ray_nagin

mayer_ray_nagin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:18:18 +0000

They should use the closures to retool and make euro Focuses.

By: howsmydriving

howsmydriving — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:10:40 +0000

Who cares about trucks? Where’s our Camaro story du jour?

By: HemiRoadRunner

HemiRoadRunner — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:08:44 +0000

Why is LLN nothing more than an import humping splooge fest? Why don’t you write an article or two on nissan, toyota, or honda failing at the truck market?

By: NoNameDenton1

NoNameDenton1 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:02:44 +0000

Once again, the news is not suprising.