Now this is scary!

[PGDriver]

I was reading the news this morning and came across this article. I find this absolutely ludicrous that auto makes can get away with this kind of attitude/customer service.

Calgary man finds toughest part of owning 2009 Ford F-150 truck is finding replacement part - Business - CBC News
Cheers
Doug

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

I was reading the news this morning and came across this article. I find this absolutely ludicrous that auto makes can get away with this kind of attitude/customer service.

Calgary man finds toughest part of owning 2009 Ford F-150 truck is finding replacement part - Business - CBC News
Cheers
Doug

Holy cow.

Never owned a Ford, and this article pretty much ensures I never will.

[Iowa Dave]

Well I usually say you vote with your dollars. My daughter and son in law had a similar problem with a Ford Taurus wagon. The car would run but not right without the part they needed. They sold the car, they will never own another Ford nor will anyone else in our family. There are other better cars and trucks. If they cost more, so what. As long as they can be reasonably repaired. The old Jokes about what Ford stands for are apparently true. Found On the Road Dead is the softest one that comes to mind.
Dave

[Dave Walter]

It is scary.


Does highlight the truth of the old "squeaky wheel" concept though.

[PGDriver]

I just find the whole concept that manufacturers can get away with this disgusting.
Cheers
Doug

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

I just find the whole concept that manufacturers can get away with this disgusting.
Cheers
Doug

Hi: PGDriver... Sure is a nice looking truck... but we all know "Beauty is only sin deep" Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[bisonbill]

If everybody who has this problem complains to the regulators, Ford is going to end up with a messy recall.

[cpaharley2008]

I guess Canada cleaned up their junk yards, seems to me there are plenty of wrecked Fords in junk yards around here in the lower 48....

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I guess Canada cleaned up their junk yards, seems to me there are plenty of wrecked Fords in junk yards around here in the lower 48....

Hi: cpaharley2008... We didn't clean up our junk yards. Because the price of new vehicles in Canada is thousands of bucks more here than down south... we are forced to drive our junk!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

It is scary.


Does highlight the truth of the old "squeaky wheel" concept though.

Hi: ice-breaker... Also you can "Tar them all with the same brush" too. "Built in obsolescent's" also applies!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[C&G in FL]

If you read the entire article, then you read that Ford is going to make things right, to include paying for installation of the replacement part. I just wonder if any of the other auto makers would do so. I personally like my F150, having owned 3 Chryslers which were the 3 worst vehicles I ever owned, would never, ever purchase another Chrysler product. So the moral of the story is that many individuals have a bad experience with a given manufacturer. Best vehicle I ever owned was a 1973 Toyota Celica, but the last Toyota I owned was mediocre at best. But if F150s were so bad as some have portrayed them, they wouldn't be the best selling pickup for as many years as they have been.

[gbaglo]

Actually, if Ford sold the same truck under two different nameplates ( like Chevy and GMC ), then Ford would be second or third.

[PGDriver]

Hi Carl
Sorry I didn't mean to come across as attacking any specific model or individual manufacturer. It was the fact that they decided not to produce parts for a 7 year old vehicle that I found astounding.
I hope that this is something that our governments will take a look at and if needs be introduce legislation to eliminate this in the future. There are already enough disposable/un-repairable things in society today.
Unrelated my best vehicle I think was a toss up between my old Toyota 4x4 truck and my 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4, the northern British Columbia winters destroyed my 2007 Tacoma in just over 4 years. I only hope that my new GMC holds up as well.
Cheers
Doug

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Actually, if Ford sold the same truck under two different nameplates ( like Chevy and GMC ), then Ford would be second or third.

Ford does. Their trucks are also marketed under the Lincoln name.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

Hi Carl
Sorry I didn't mean to come across as attacking any specific model or individual manufacturer. It was the fact that they decided not to produce parts for a 7 year old vehicle that I found astounding.
I hope that this is something that our governments will take a look at and if needs be introduce legislation to eliminate this in the future. There are already enough disposable/un-repairable things in society today.
Unrelated my best vehicle I think was a toss up between my old Toyota 4x4 truck and my 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4, the northern British Columbia winters destroyed my 2007 Tacoma in just over 4 years. I only hope that my new GMC holds up as well.
Cheers
Doug

I didn't take it that way Doug. I just wanted to say that they all have their problems.......Ford is not without sin. I believe US law requires the manufacturers to supply parts for a minimum of 7 years after any particular model year is manufactured. I also believe a large part of the problem is module this and module that and we all know that modules mean electronics. I wonder how many of those old GMs and Fords would be running around the streets of Havana if they had all the electronics that today's vehicles have.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Ford does. Their trucks are also marketed under the Lincoln name.

Hi: C&G in FL... Love the double names games. A former neighbour of ours bought a Buick Regal, had mega issues with it so he traded it in for an Olds Cutlass
All this was after he blew up his Honda Accord. He didn't think the timing belt should need replacing so he didn't... SNAP CRACKLE POP!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

Hi Carl
Sorry I didn't mean to come across as attacking any specific model or individual manufacturer. It was the fact that they decided not to produce parts for a 7 year old vehicle that I found astounding.
I hope that this is something that our governments will take a look at and if needs be introduce legislation to eliminate this in the future. There are already enough disposable/un-repairable things in society today.
Unrelated my best vehicle I think was a toss up between my old Toyota 4x4 truck and my 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4, the northern British Columbia winters destroyed my 2007 Tacoma in just over 4 years. I only hope that my new GMC holds up as well.
Cheers
Doug

Hi: PGDriver... My brothers Taco PU was condemned by the dealer while on the hoist. Frame rotten!!! He took the settlement added 5 G's and bought a newer Taco. Living in the Capitol of Canada's rust belt... he just got a recall notice for a free frame inspection and oil undercoating. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Ford does. Their trucks are also marketed under the Lincoln name.

... and the total of one model under Lincoln plus Ford brands is generally less than the total of the corresponding model under GMC, Chevrolet, and Cadillac brands. Besides, the Lincoln version of the F-150 (Blackwood) was only sold for a couple of years, just after the turn of the century.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

... and the total of one model under Lincoln plus Ford brands is generally less than the total of the corresponding model under GMC, Chevrolet, and Cadillac brands. Besides, the Lincoln version of the F-150 (Blackwood) was only sold for a couple of years, just after the turn of the century.

They also sold the Lincoln Mark LT between 2006 and 2008 I believe.

[Brian B-P]

All of the major manufacturers have similar policies, which means discontinuing parts about a decade after those parts were last used in a production vehicle. In some cases this drives new vehicle sales, since older vehicles could run for decades if parts were available.

I have had two Fords, and have not had a problem getting most parts... one of which was a suspension part that should not have ever needed replacement but failed so frequently that local dealerships kept it in stock!

When the alternator died in my eight-year-old Focus I was on a trip, so I was stuck at the first Ford dealer that I could reach while it was replaced, and I ended up wandering around the new cars in the lot. A sales guy asked if he could be of assistance, and I responded no, because I had no intention of buying another Ford (reflecting my feelings of the moment). When I told him what I was driving and why I was there, he said that it was an old car so I should get a new one anyway; I told him that we Toyota owners think of eight years as "broken in" and ready for another decade, not broken down and needing replacement.

The attitude of the manufacturers, the dealers, and a substantial fraction of owners is that once a car is due for any service other than oil changes, it should be thrown away and replaced by a fresh one. If you trade cars at less than five years old, you are encouraging this philosophy, although I suppose you could just be saying that older isn't good enough for you, but it is for some poorer people out there. The subject F-150 is seven years old, and I'll bet that if a member of this forum asked whether their 2009 F-150 would be a suitable tow vehicle for an Escape, someone would express reservations that it is too old.

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I believe US law requires the manufacturers to supply parts for a minimum of 7 years after any particular model year is manufactured.

That would be approximately reasonable, because parts (at least emissions-related parts) would need to be available as long as the warranty on the emissions systems runs.