. "Buy Something at a FORD Dealer Week"

[PNewitt]

I really believe that the Senate Republicans killed the bailout bill, because they want the GM and Chrysler bankrupcies to squash the UAW.

Congress "gave" over 110 Billion to Citibank, and no one peeped a word about it. Yet when car companies need 17 Billion, it's scrutinized like the Nuremburg Trials.

Regardless of party--this is a case of class warfare against the middle class. The affluent good-ol-boys get what they want (AIG, etc..), and the working people have to slug through this near-depression.

I applaud Ford for sticking through this, and this is why I brought up this idea. Of course, I'd encourage folks to buy from Ford all the time but a focused one-week event might make more sense.

In the case of restorers "wishing" that certain parts were still in stock, it's a matter of "hundreds care, thousands won't".

I also agree on how (IMO) Ford Licensing has dropped the ball on checking on repro quality for Mustang parts. I believe that the repro CS script by Drake, is made in China..and it's very inaccurate.

Thanks for setting us straight, Talan. More people should spend a week in the shoes of people in Michigan these days...

Paul N.

 

[Talan423]

Talan423, I don't disagree with ANYTHING you've said. You are informed and right on! But it will take all of those concessions, new contracts and above all - new understanding to plug the financial leaks that plague the auto makers who otherwise have no good reasons to be in such debt based precisely on what you say. Not simply all of us pouring in more business from other sources. That is the "good" I hope to see from this recession. I also want to thank you for your narrative!

Regarding the copyright suits - I'm indeed speaking as a Mustang lover, enthusiast and (emotional) consumer as only I can (not unlike many others). I simply don't see the way they attacked this as one of Ford's "better ideas". ....And it too, cost them.

Once again - thanks for your great comments!

Tim, I too believe that Ford could have gone about this (copyright suits) a completely different way as to not damage themselves and still get what they want. I don't believe they took the Mustang hobbyist opinions and feelings into consideration when they presented this and made themselves look like a typical greedy corporation! Ford has made some bad public relations decisions in the past and I believe this was one of them.

Hopefully Ford can recover from this and we can all get back to enjoying our hobby and have a positive outlook on the company that gave us such a great car and for many a way of life! I hope eveyone on this forum had a great Chistmas and has a Happy, Healthy 2009!!

 

[Mosesatm]

Tim, I too believe that Ford could have gone about this (copyright suits) a completely different way as to not damage themselves and still get what they want. I don't believe they took the Mustang hobbyist opinions and feelings into consideration when they presented this and made themselves look like a typical greedy corporation! Ford has made some bad public relations decisions in the past and I believe this was one of them.

Hopefully Ford can recover from this and we can all get back to enjoying our hobby and have a positive outlook on the company that gave us such a great car and for many a way of life! I hope eveyone on this forum had a great Chistmas and has a Happy, Healthy 2009!!

Looks like they aren't easing up either.
http://www.lonestarstangs.com/

Ford Goes After Online Communities For Trademark Infringemnt
Update: Please read the updates near the bottom. This has been resolved. Thanks to Scott Monty for his hard work at quickly clearing this up and providing a solution that both sides could agree too..... The first instance of an online community being threatened by Ford for trademark infringement has occurred. TheRangerStation.com has been told by Ford to pay them $5,000 and stop using their name by December 19th, 2008. Ford is claiming the use of Ranger in their domain violates their trademark. A week ago from today I wrote about how Ford pushed Kocky Products out of business for the use of the Mustang and Blue Oval on their t-shirts.

Kocky Products Pushed Out Of Business By Ford
Kocky Products, a company that produces Hot Rod themed shirts with various catchy phrases, has been pushed out of business by Ford due to their claim that they hold copyright to the images of the Ford Mustangs that are printed on various Ford t-shirts that they sell. The images of the Mustangs are images submitted by Mustang owners of their cars and not of official images released by Ford. The owner of Kocky Products, Keith Bishop, stated that when they started the business they sought legal advice and were told that Ford does not own the right to pictures of Mustangs taken by their owners. They went on this advice and up until now received no trouble from Ford. However, a collection firm, as he calls them, claiming to represent Ford is complaining that those images of the Mustangs that were submitted by customers violate their copyright because you can see various trademarks such as the running pony and blue oval on the cars.

 

[Midnight Special]

...So where will it end? Jon - Are you aware of this? (see link)

http://www.adrants.com/2008/01/ford-slaps-brand-enthusiasts-returns.php

I guess he'll just have to appoint Newitt to do our calendars from now on (which means you better send your money three years in advance)

Sarcasticly.....

So I ask again; What good does it do for us to support Ford?
This is "CS" (of another meaning) and deserves the opposite of our support!

 

[robert campbell]

Wow,
Where is this all going??

Simply there are a few facts to consider:

1. The car companies did not create this mess.
2. The last 2 decades of removal of checks and balances did.
3. No man, no President, no party is absent from blame.
4. No man, no President, no party is to blame.
5. The United States will be WORSE off if the big 3 folds.
6. The factory workers will lose.
7. The rest of us will lose to.

Yes the top-level people of these companies have driven us to the brink as they try to survive. Yes, they are idiots and have lost their way. Do we lose are faith in our bedrock companies and our country?

NO!

We attack the idiots. We keep the faith as all Americans have! We continue to fight the fight. We do stupid shit like “buy Ford” for a couple days. We do what we can at our level to shed light on the idiots making the decisions.

WE DO NOT GIVE UP!

Where would America be without Ford?? Where would we all be if the soldiers at Normandy said;“This is to tough”?

Henry Ford as a person was an asshole! Ever read his biography? He was a union buster and killed his son for all practical purposes. If that did not make you hate Ford, what does?

Henry Ford did right for America. He created the middle class. It nearly died in the 1930’s. As did the American dream.

My Dad lived through the depression and died on my birthday this year. If he was alive today he would not say, “I told you so”. He would say, “Did we not learn”? He was 89 years old…

Do not STOP supporting the companies and the middle class people that America was founded on and cannot be without! DO attack the idiots that run these companies and have lost their way.

If I were President for a day, I would dissolve NAFTA and force the big three and the rest of the companies that import cheap labor to STOP! To raise the wage of MINIMUM workers and create a new middle class. Make Americans proud to manufacture goods and compensate them enough to buy them. Make a factory worker a proud trade that can achieve the American dream.

WE, as the rest of the world, have turned into “stock market speculators” and gamblers. All is about the “profit” and the bottom line for stockholders.

What happened to the Ford (and the American) dream to pay a worker a fair wage so they can buy the goods they produce?

I love my Ford Mustang. I bleed Ford blue. I will continue to fight the idiots that run this company. I will continue to fight the idiots that run this country.

My son deserves it. And he could give a shit about the car I drive.

Rob

 

[PNewitt]

Wow, Rob.

I can see that this has stirred a lot of passion, both for and against Ford. I understand.

The world when our original GT/CSs were built was a lot different from today, although there was two assasinations, and an ugly war and protests, too.

I think that we should have vented these thoughts and feelings long ago within another topic, but I'm glad that it's coming out now.

As Mustang enthusiasts, I think that our enthusiasm has been stepped on in the past, and (in general) corporations are more interested in money than respect.

I personally think that our new (!!) elected government will have to undue a lot of mistakes that were put into place in the last eight years. We have thousands of (mostly young) Americans that are chomping on the bit to make a difference.

I think that our collective experience and drive as not only Mustangers, but as Americans will prove out in the coming months. I KNOW the Mustang experience first hand--at 450K miles of driving my GT/CS for over 30 years. This is what Ford needs to get crystal clear--that it's that power of love of Fords that they should tap into, to help keep the company alive.

Back to my original idea...if many Ford fans would do "something" to help Ford, we'd have some clout for the future with Ford. So far, they've seen the light (to pun the '68 ad campaign).

Thank you, Rob for your frankness and candor.

Paul N.

 

[rvrtrash]

Well I hate to get into politics but, as an independant that voted for Dem's, Repub's and a third party candidate this last election, feel I need to point something out, from a neutral perspective. Domestically, the Pres. presents a wish list and then approves or disapproves legislation from Congress---that's about all. The Dem's have been in charge of Congress for the last 2 years and, over the warnings of the Pres's office, allowed the mortgage crisis to develop, which started the stock market crisis, etc. Blaming the Pres. for everything is ok if you just want to rant politically, but you won't solve the problem if you don't know where the real blame lies. Economically, raising wages just leads to more inflation. That money has to come from somewhere, unless you're the government and can just print more with no concern about the value of it against foreign currencies (think 1 million Ruples for a loaf of bread). The reason companies go offshore is because other people will work for 10% of what we will. If we LOWERED our wages and brought down the cost of our goods, we'd be an economic powerhouse again and there'd be no reason to send work overseas. As to stockholders and profits, anyone that has a retirement account/401K/etc. is a stockholder that wants to see a profit. I don't know why everyone wants to cut corporate profits and then screams when their 401K doesn't increase in value. I don't care which side of the political spectrum you're on, but just ask that before you clamor for the next designer solution, you dig for the facts and look at the big picture. Now that I've offended everyone, I'll go away for a while.

Steve

 

[J.Bart]

i'm not offended,
it comes down to simply business, i try to operate my business as inexpensively as possible, if i don't i'll be bankrupt. and when things like the min. wage are increased like they are, and gas is high like it was, it makes things very difficult. big business, the so called "the evil bad guy" provides jobs and tax revenue, but if they can't make a profit in the usa, then they will go find somewhere else that has lower wages and taxes. it's simple math.
an employer is limited to how well it can pay its employees and how many benifits it can give. they do not have a money tree. they have a budget like everyone else. emloyees will flock to a good employer because it pays well and offers benifits, and a business that does'nt will not get the best emplyees. i have seen this exact senerio in a local business.
the cafe's that pay a little better get better help and it's where most people eat, the one's that don't, well the public know's where they get better food and better service.
if all ford dealerships are going to be like courtesy ford where i got my car, ford will be bankrupt in 09, but they aren't all like that. westland ford in ogden utah has taken VERY good care of me, they are the dealer i take my car to for anything over an oil change.
the more cost the goverment puts on a company the less profitable it will be, the less profit the company makes the less it's employee's will get. if i cannot make a good living with my business then why do i have it???? i have to make a profit to pay my bills just like the guy working for an employer. if children demanded money and benefits from their parents, and the goverment made the parents give it. how long would it be before the whole family was homeless and living on the street??????
and i'm not meaning to offend, but all things need to be considered

 

[robert campbell]

Steve,
I doubt you will ever offend me. I also vote independent. Did I vote for Bush twice?? Guilty! Did I vote for McCain this year? Nope. I won’t bore you with other voting choices in my past. Paul said undoing the last 8 years. It goes back a lot further than that. All the way back to Ron Reagan. And all the Senators and House since then. No man, no President, no party is solely responsible. We undid all that we did after the 1930’s. The decade after 1929 is a favorite of mine. I wanted to know why and how we got back out of it. I looked at this a long time ago to understand my parents better. Certainly WWII had a huge effect on it.

Notice in my response I said “minimum wage” should be augmented. I did not say Boeing or Ford line worker. Or tennis shoe assembler. Steve, you are correct. It is all about balance with the world. And as we have watched, balance happens. Japan was once the land of cheap labor. Now it has migrated to other third world countries. But Japan has instituted Government checks and balances to ensure its “economic engine” (manufacturing) remains viable. They must ensure this to keep their country alive. In the 80’s we “threw off the yoke” of checks and balances that controlled the market. People said it was stifling free enterprise, growth, and profits. True free trade would carry the day!! They were so WRONG. I have inserted two thoughts into this paragraph, but I feel they are related.

Just like in the 1930’s we will revert to printing more money to create jobs to repair our infrastructure. It will be a delicate balance. New jobs with workers who can then afford new goods. But, again about balance as Steve points out. Yes, the cost of a car must fit the world market. Will the Union line workers be forced to make concessions? Yes! But do not think for a minute that the Japan government does not subsidized the cost of its manufacturing. Across the board. Are tariffs on our end the answer? No. A huge economic puzzle for us to figure out. New jobs will provide the capital to ignite our middle class and small business. A domino effect the other way!!

Yes, I am speaking the “S” word. “Socialism”. Another grand experiment in just the right amount of checks and balances that allows free trade to prosper.

The road map back out of this mess is in our libraries and our history books. A huge problem will be defeating the notion to get back to where we were say five years ago. Rampant escalation in home values. An economic engine of flipping homes with adjustable rate mortgages. Stock Market roulette. WE MUST RESIST THAT URGE! It was a fairy tale and the bubble burst.

We must return to a more modest time. A time when America’s middle class ran this country. When companies existed solely to, and took pride in, providing a meaningful job and wage. Yes, they made profits. But at a much more prudent level. Will it look like the 1950’s when I was born? No. But there will be similarities. Day trading and all the stupidity that went with it will be a thing of the past.

I hope our current leaders have the stomach and the wisdom to turn this around. This administration has been saddled with a huge task! One of the first will be to sever the ties between big oil and Detroit. This cozy relationship has Detroit building gas-guzzlers instead of fuel-efficient cars. Want to take a draconian approach? Raise gas prices to $5 dollars a gallon. Take $2.50 of that and send it right back into funding our infrastructure.

Do I propose that? No. But think of the results as America screams for small fuel-efficient cars. America makes a huge shift to public transit. More of these options become available. I, at nearly 54 years, still use some public transit. Especially in the winter. All I have is one Ford Ranger and 2 toys!

When your mind explores the above huge shift, more palatable, smaller shifts are revealed.

Rob

 

[PNewitt]

This is going off-topic, but the reason we're in this stock market mess is because Bush's Republican cronies set up (in 2000) practices and open doors for the stock market (that were originally made illegal back in 1939). It amounts to "betting" on the outcome of stocks, and then it led to mortgages. This was on 60 Minutes. Almost a Trillion dollars driven by greed was "bet" like this.

We're going to hear a LOT more "stuff" about the departing admistration after Jan 20th.

More directly, the auto crisis hit a "perfect storm" of folks with no money, and failures to make house payments, and then the price of gas (another scam) hit. Those two things with lousy cars and overproduction by GM, creating this crash.

Ford's reputation is a mixed bag, and it's not out of the woods, yet. Evident by some of the comments here, and by the work I do with Mustangs, there are two groups: the enthusiasts, and the corporation. Neither fully understand the other. I TOTALLY understand the enthusiast side, and It's been my intention to let the corporate side fully know how we feel, and how our passions and interest is, and has been sincere for a very long time. We're the folks that tell our neighbors to go buy an F-150, or other Ford. We should get credit for our loyalties. Absolutely!!!

So--although it's just one idea...the effort of this "Buy Something...." is a way to make a point as enthusiasts with our buying power at a time then ANY amount of $$ will make an impact. WE ARE the ones that will help Ford out of this...and it will make a difference when it comes time to remind Ford of who we are.

This is my opinion, and it's what I intend to do--for all of you, I might add.

With great hopes and respect,
Paul N.

p.s. I think if we brought the (estate) tax rate for the wealthy back to the level it was during Reagan, it would help a lot....especially in California, where the budget has hit an impass, since the Republicans won't budge on taxing the rich. The number of Millionaires and Billionaires has increased to hundreds since 2000, due to the tax breaks and incentives by Bush. The divide between the "haves" and have nots" has increased...to where there is NO middle class left in this country. The rich actually control this country, and then make the rest of us think they're not through their control of the media.

and...I agree. NAFTA was a HUGE mistake.

 

[Midnight Special]

Well I hate to get into politics but, Now that I've offended everyone, I'll go away for a while.

Steve

...No way Steve!
We need to keep in mind that we're exchanging ideas and differences that flash across computer terminals and that each of us are (like) programmed by our individual education and environments. AINT NO WAY we're going to be on the same page about everything (or anything, short of love of our cars) Our "family" can and should remain together - no matter what!

Our world is already perfect as evidenced by the effect from cause. The excellence we strive for requires individual responsibility.

I for one would not stay in a codependent relationship with Ford (or anyone) anymore than I would encourage a battered wife to stay with an abusive husband ('cuz she thinks she needs him.) To me - it's just that simple. Bankruptcy often occurs in the heart before it gets to the wallets. Let their hardship (effect) do its part to bring about lasting change (renewed causes)...

 

[robert campbell]

Tim,
WELL SAID! Hard times make for hard choices. I hope the result of these hard times is a for renewed emphasis on what is important in our country.

Rob

 

[Midnight Special]

Tim,
WELL SAID! Hard times make for hard choices. I hope the result of these hard times is a for renewed emphasis on what is important in our country.

Rob

...Thanks and AMEN Rob! and Thanks for bein' "you" on and off of these boards!

 

[PNewitt]

Not sure what all of that was about.....<??>

I wanted to add that this idea will be mentioned in the next MCA newsletter, and the word has been spread through my friends in Dearborn and local dealers, too.

This is getting some traction!!

IF you are reading this, and belong to any other Ford website/message boards, please post the idea (at the begining of this thread) on those other sites, Ford or Mustang, etc...that you also subscribe to.

thanks to everyone!
Paul.