This is Ford?

[Ohio XB]

Some interesting points from news about Ford's latest quarter and year to date....

While the hybrid car industry has declined in sales 14% this year in the US, Ford has increased hybrid sales by 73%. Sixty percent of Ford Fusion Hybrid buyers were not previously Ford car owners.

In September Taurus sales were up 60% from a year ago.

In the third quarter of 2009, Ford had the lowest TGW (Things Gone Wrong/1,000 vehicles) among all full line auto makers inculding Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Chrysler, and GM (highest initial quality).

Ford improved "Customer Satisfaction" 3% to 80%, trailing only Honda (82%), and Toyota (81%). This 3% year over year improvement is unrivaled by any full line manufacturer.

Ford's TGW's have dropped for 5 consecutive years from 1,960/1,000 in 2004 to 1,206/1,000 in 2009.

Milan, Sable, Taurus X, Super Duty, and Mountaineer are all segment leaders for TGW's. (You may remember in another thread I pointed out how a journalist singled out the Fusion as being a "best" car but is built in Mexico rather than in the US by the UAW. Well, all these vehicles, except for the Milan, are built in UAW plants in the US. I told you that journalist cleverly left them out.)

Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKT earned "Top Safety Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Ford continues to have more "Top Safety Pick" ratings than any other auto maker.

As of the end of September, Ford reduced Automotive Structural Costs by $4.6 billion, exceding the calendar year goal of $4 billion and is expected to total $5 billion by year's end.



Here's a good video with spokesman Mike Rowe, of the TV show "Dirty Jobs" (where he goes and performs someone's "dirty job" for a day getting filthy, like regular hard working people do), touring the Chicago Assembly plant where the Taurus is built. It highlights one particular aspect of assembly I've been wanting to tell you about that REALLY is responsible for a lot of the improvement in quality, yet it is only ONE of the many many changes. It is technology and thinking.....and making quality happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52VyZ...layer_embedded



Steve

[Wretched]

Thank you for that very interesting info.
I am very much liking the direction Ford US is taking in terms of business process re-engineering. Hopefully they can keep this up and possibly could make the turnaround of the century.

EDIT: Sorry, do you have a source for the stats?

[Luke Plaizier]

Not much of a step from 'Girl tightens a bolt monitored by a computer' to 'computer controlled robot tightens a bolt'.


Lukeyson

[XR6_190]

Great stuff, seems like Ford (at least in the US) are doing really well with quality of late, what's going to come of all of the "poorly built American car" jokes?

[buggerlugs]

Great post, keep them coming...........

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by XR6_190

Great stuff, seems like Ford (at least in the US) are doing really well with quality of late, what's going to come of all of the "poorly built American car" jokes?

GM's still building cars!!

[zetec]

Originally Posted by Gaz

GM's still building cars!!

Joke of the Year!!!

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Great post, keep them coming...........

Plus One.

[Falc'man]

Plus 2.

Having the lowest TGW is a major win and I'm sure they can use this as a powerful marketing tool.
Steve, what is Ford's marketing like over there? Are clips like this used as ads at all?

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

Not much of a step from 'Girl tightens a bolt monitored by a computer' to 'computer controlled robot tightens a bolt'.


Lukeyson

Actually, yes it is. Jobs that can be automated already have been. Jobs that cannot have been set-up to produce the same accuracy and quality as an automated job. Humans are only human you know.


Steve

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by XR6_190

Great stuff, seems like Ford (at least in the US) are doing really well with quality of late, what's going to come of all of the "poorly built American car" jokes?

There are so many of them it will still take a while to sweep them all up from the floor.


Steve

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by Wretched

Thank you for that very interesting info.
I am very much liking the direction Ford US is taking in terms of business process re-engineering. Hopefully they can keep this up and possibly could make the turnaround of the century.

EDIT: Sorry, do you have a source for the stats?

I typed this stuff from information I received in email at Ford. When I get home from work I will find the info online for you. Know problem.


Steve

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Plus 2.

Having the lowest TGW is a major win and I'm sure they can use this as a powerful marketing tool.
Steve, what is Ford's marketing like over there? Are clips like this used as ads at all?

Ford is putting this kind of info into their ads without brow-beating the public with it. Gotta keep cool heads and not look desperate. I feel they are taking more of a "Oh yes, and we are kicking everyone's *** as we work towards improving ourselves, but we are still working on it" kind of attitude. :


Steve

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Ohio XB

I typed this stuff from information I received in email at Ford. When I get home from work I will find the info online for you. Know problem.


Steve

If it's from an email that's fine don't worry, I just thought there was an online link. Thanks anyway

[mik]

good qaulity = repeat customers : good to see.

[csv8]

Will this flow onto Ford Australia ?

[Ohio XB]

I can't believe I typed "know" instead of "no". I had only been a awake a little bit and was going to work, so that's my excuse.


This is the report where some of the above info came from. It's too huge to copy and paste..

FORD POSTS THIRD QUARTER 2009 NET INCOME OF $1 BILLION; CASH FLOW TURNS POSITIVE; NORTH AMERICA PROFITABLE+

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=31244


Here's another tidbit. Consumer Reports magazine does their own studies. In the latest one about vehicle reliability (over 3 years) the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan have better reliability than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

http://pressroom.consumerreports.org...liable-ca.html


An exerpt:

Release Date: 10/27/2009

Consumer Reports' 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Ford Secures Place Among World's Most Reliable Carmakers
Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan Reliability Tops Honda Accord and Toyota Camry

Ford has secured its position as the only Detroit automaker with world-class reliability. About 90 percent (46 of 51) of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln products were found to have average or better reliability, according to Consumer Reports’ 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey. The results were announced today at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit.

Ford’s sustained production of vehicles that are as dependable—or better than—some of the industry’s best dispels the notion that only Japanese manufacturers make reliable cars. Other than the Toyota Prius, the reliability of the 4-cylinder Fusion and Milan ranks higher than that of any other family sedan. Both of those Ford Motor Company products continue to beat the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, while the upscale Lincoln MKZ tops its rivals, the Acura TL and Lexus ES.

“It's rare for Consumer Reports to see family sedans from domestic carmakers continue to beat the reliability scores of such highly regarded Japanese models as the Camry and Accord,” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Automotive Test Center. The last domestic sedan that had better reliability than the Camry and Accord was the Buick Regal in 2004, he noted.

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Ohio XB

I can't believe I typed "know" instead of "no". I had only been a awake a little bit and was going to work, so that's my excuse.


This is the report where some of the above info came from. It's too huge to copy and paste..

FORD POSTS THIRD QUARTER 2009 NET INCOME OF $1 BILLION; CASH FLOW TURNS POSITIVE; NORTH AMERICA PROFITABLE+

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=31244


Here's another tidbit. Consumer Reports magazine does their own studies. In the latest one about vehicle reliability (over 3 years) the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan have better reliability than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

http://pressroom.consumerreports.org...liable-ca.html


An exerpt:

thank's the info as usual steve. Much appreciated RE the insight into FoMoCo esp. the NA division. When you think that NA was holding the company back (plus the PAG now mostly sold off) i think Ford is looking good RE future sustainability business wise too. Oh and they are making better product, which aint' bad niether.....

[UKXR8]

Awesome, its great to see Ford performing in the States.
I was out there a few years back and had a Ford Focus hire car, was shocked at how poor it was compared to what we get over here..

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by UKXR8

Awesome, its great to see Ford performing in the States.
I was out there a few years back and had a Ford Focus hire car, was shocked at how poor it was compared to what we get over here..

LOL, our Focus a few years back was the old Euro Focus "Americanized" from 2000!! Even the current Focus is based on the ooolllld Euro Focus, but the body was restlyed a lot and many chassis issues fixed. We will get the latest and greatest Focus in 2011, thank god!!!


Steve

[Ohio XB]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

thank's the info as usual steve. Much appreciated RE the insight into FoMoCo esp. the NA division. When you think that NA was holding the company back (plus the PAG now mostly sold off) i think Ford is looking good RE future sustainability business wise too. Oh and they are making better product, which aint' bad niether.....

A MUCH better product. In the third quarter (see the above link) Ford reported a profit in every market around the world (Asia/Pacific/Africa, South America, North America, Europe). That was a great relief to me to see that and not see "...except in the US where Ford had a loss of...".

Ford also gained market share in the US in 12 of the last 13 months.

Ford is not out of the water yet, of course, but they are on their way out.


Steve

[buggerlugs]

They are not doing to bad considering they didn't take any handouts. I read where that is also helping their sales with the American public because of not wanting any assistance from the Government...........

[Ohio XB]

Yes, Ford has received a lot of input and reports that not taking any bailout money has made a lot of people feel good about Ford. There's been many customers whom have told the salesmen that this is a big reason why they are in the showroom today.


Steve

[CADSKY]

thats great news. well done to Ford. i think ford is really starting to turn around and the lead the industriy in many departments instead of taking the back seat. even here in Aus, one huge change i have noticed of late is their marketing, they really have been pushing alot harder to promote how good their product is compared the "the other" local products.

[EgoFalcon]

Thats great news for ford, I think reason is because american public didnt want gm or chrysler because they gone bankrupt, who wants to buy from a company thats going bankrupt?

And obviously came to there senses that fords are better!

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by csv8

Will this flow onto Ford Australia ?

I can tell you a lot of the quality improvement steps that Ford US have taken are being implimented by Ford Australia. Falcon TGW is down something like 30% since FG, and customer satisfaction ratings are the highest ever.

It will take time before things improve to the US levels but its all positive.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I can tell you a lot of the quality improvement steps that Ford US have taken are being implimented by Ford Australia. Falcon TGW is down something like 30% since FG, and customer satisfaction ratings are the highest ever.

It will take time before things improve to the US levels but its all positive.

And how is it to work there?

Standing on the outside, and looking in, it seems that Ford are slowly gaining some recognition for the quality of the cars that they are manufacturing. Falcon is finally gaining market share, Fiesta is in very short supply, and Territory is at its limit.

All that Ford need to do is take a gamble early next year, and increase the line rate, and Falcon might just become the number one sedan again.

[Murph-51]

Is the V6 Falcon going ahead next year or not? or is there going to be a mark 2 FG next year?

[Bossxr8]

Seems like its always the same , different day. At least its not all doom and gloom like it was.

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by -X-F-iles

Is the V6 Falcon going ahead next year or not? or is there going to be a mark 2 FG next year?

Mate you know that if the falcon gets a v6 then its a front wheel drive, so it will be a falcon camry. Which means it will then join the large list of useless front wheel drives of Australia club.