On Monday 13 August 2001 07:53 pm, Frank Clarici wrote:
> > Eddie Sheffield wrote:
> > > my family has sworn off Fords forever.
>
> But what are your options?
> Dodge? My sister just got rid of her 2000 Dodge Lemon
> My cousin can't get rid of her PT looser
> Dodge trucks...Ram tough, I don't "ram" my truck so I'll never know if a
> Ford is ram tough but at least the doors don't sag.
Well, yeah, Dodge is fine with me. I have a '91 Dakota and '92 Grand Caravan.
Haven't been perfect, but at least they waited a lot longer than my Dad's
Fords before they needed anything. But the main turn off was the terrible
customer service. The local dealer was exceedingly rude from purchase time
one - Dad always regreted not just walking out from the start. The thing had
a cracked tailight lens off the lot - took weeks to get a replacement. High
end radio went out two days after buying the thing too - took a couple of
months or more to get that fixed. Then the engine started knocking - they
swore there was nothing wrong. Even a report on CNN about engine problems and
that Ford was going to replace the problem engines. After several rounds with
dealer called Ford customer service to complain about dealer and ask about
the replacement engines we had heard about on CNN - guy told my mother
"you're crazy if you think your getting a new engine." That was probably the
nail in the coffin. Finally found one mechanic at a different branch of the
same dealership who really worked on it. Took the engine apart and found
cracked pistons. HE gets mad at Ford because he calls to get a replacement
engine and was told he wasn't authorized to take the engine apart! A Ford
mechanic at a Ford dealership isn't authorized to take a Ford engine
apart?!?! I think my grandfather (a lawyer who brought several suits against
this dealership at various times) finally got into the act and a new engine
was finally installed. Less than a month later the thing was traded in on a
new Plymouth Voyager. Since then they've had almost only Chrysler products
with rare exceptions (my sister's Honda - ok but bland). Same thing with my
uncle. Me too. Between us we've had around 17 Chrysler vehicles since 1987
and only 3 major problems I can remember - 2 transmission problems and a
blown head gasket. One trans and the gasket were on 100000+ vehicles and the
other trans was at 85000 or so. My Dakota even has a Lucas turn signal
switch. :-)
As for GM, I don't really have anything against them. Just don't have a lot
of experience with them and they haven't really done anything much that's
impressed me. But the one car I've owned that I regret getting rid of more
than any is a 1970 Monte Carlo. HUGE car - I've read a couple of places that
it had the longest hood Chevy ever put on a car. I believe it - there were
hills I'd go up that I would loose all sight of the road near the top. Kinda
scary! ;-)
But at least Ford has found some good design lately. The new T-bird is SHARP,
and I like the look of the Forty-nine they showed. I wouldn't pass up an
early Mustang either. Glad Fords work for you, Chevys for Ed, and Dodge for
me.
And MGs for us all! That's what's important!
Eddie
1971 Midget
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