The Failed Ford Business Model

[ThomWV]

I put a lot of mile on the old pickup today. All day long and four states: one audio book and all the NPR or jazz stations I could find.

During what now passes for a newscast on NPR the sad situation at Ford was discussed. Buyouts and layoffs, millions lost, maybe a billion, no good news anywhere. Someone was interviewed - I didn't catch the name -and he was good enough to inform us that the old business model that had served Ford in North America for so long had failed. It was wrong for these new times.

As I recall a great part of old fascist Henry's business model was in paying his employees a wage such that they could afford to buy the cars they built.

I suspect the new model includes no such provision.

[Redstone]

1. If they'd only import some vehicles from Ford of Australia...

You'll have to do your own Google search to know what I'm talking about, but I'd buy a Falcon ute in a heartbeat if they sold them here.

Redstone

[AndyTiedye]

4. If you Want a Ford "Ute", Look at the Escape Hybrid

I didn't see any Falcon from Ford Australia that I'd describe as a "ute",
just a sedan and a station wagon, both of which seemed to get ony 21-22 MPG.
They do have an LP-powered version, not much info on the web site about it.

If by "ute" you meant SUV, we can get the Escape Hybrid here, which gets between 29 and 36 MPG.
They don't sell the Escape Hybrid (or any other hybrid as far as I could tell) in Australia.


I am a satisfied owner.

[focusfan]

9. I like those they could call it a Ranchero here

I like the LTD and Fairlane also

[Demeter]

2. If Ford Doesn't Publicize the DeVos Supported Boycott of Ford Products

then Bill deserves everything coming to him if DeVos steals the governorship. Although it looks like the voters aren't buying DeVos==wonder why?

[knowbody0]

3. classic example of failed capitalism

[1932]

5. White collar ford workers get screwed, if you ask me.

Many are temps and don't get the benefits of full-employment.

At least the people in the factories have unions.

[notadmblnd]

7. They are going to do the same thing as GM has done.

cut or offer buyouts to the white collar employees, then hire contractors (who they pay no benefits to)as replacements. My sister just started working at GM doing data entry for 18.00 an hour. Of course she has to pay her own medical out of that, but it's the most money she's ever made in her entire life (she's almost 50).

[1932]

10. White collar workers need unions.

[DainBramaged]

6. They don't understand the world business model

Most of their customers have already bought their last cars and trucks from them, not because they don't like them, but they are older and will never need another vehicle. They let the 18-54 market slip away to the imports (Mustang non withstanding) and now hey are lost.

[focusfan]

11. The real reason I don`t buy a new car

They are just plainly too expensive and can`t afford it,but also my 95 Mustang GT only has 176,000 trouble free miles and my 93 Ford Aeromax has 1,067,000 miles on it and pays my bills and feeds my family,I guess I will keep it till I get too old to work.

[focusfan]

12. If repugs get their way we will have no more labor unions

Almost there know

[focusfan]

8. Ford made record proffits from1993-2000 as did GM

They also lost money from 1980-1992 and from 1968-1976 do we see a trend here?Chrysler had to bailed out in the 80`s or it have been no more,remember all the farm forecloseures in the 80`s I wonder why that was Raygun and his cohorts said the economy was booming.