The New Big 3 Ad

[RadRidesByDan]

A friend of mine from the states sent this to me.........

Sorry I forgot about the language in the pic....Pic has been edited for language.

Edited December 12, 2008 by RadRidesByDan

[Zoom Zoom]

So true...so true. It's both funny and sad if you think about it.

BTW, don't be surprised if Gregg deletes it. He doesn't tolerate the language w/in that ad.

[RadRidesByDan]

So true...so true. It's both funny and sad if you think about it.

BTW, don't be surprised if Gregg deletes it. He doesn't tolerate the language w/in that ad.

I just edited the ad to conform...totally forgot about the ad language

MY BAD

[Harry P.]

That's better...

[Rob Hall]

It's going to be interesting to see what happens w/ the loans...and see how the big 3 fare in 2009. MY next new car will most likely be a 2010 Ford or GM product. I've had good luck w/ my Jeep, but most of the Chrysler products today (other than the GC and Challenger) don't appeal to me. The Japanese and Koreans have nothing that appeal to me, but I'd buy German again...loved my BMW.

[tim boyd]

That ad is blatantly false and completely insulting to anyone who makes their living in the domestic automobile industry. I work at Ford, Here are a few FACTS to think about.

First, Ford is not participating in the current loan approach (by the way, it is a loan, NOT a bailout).

Read any of the respected 2008 quality surveys and they will tell you Ford is essentially in a dead heat with Toyota for Quality.

Dan Neil, Automotive Critic of the Los Angeles Times, said this last week "The Ford F-150 pickup I drove last week flat-out humbles rivals from Toyota or Nissan"

Three weeks ago Ford announced a 2010 Fusion Hybrid that beats the Tyota Camry Hybrid by AT LEAST 5MPG and possibly more. The online automags have been posting articles in the last couple of days about their mileage during a LA test route on heavily congested streets there. More than a few have beaten the projected 39 mpg city rating.

Ford Motor Company just won more IIHS five star crash safety ratings than ANYBODY. ANYBODY. Honda Motor Company won second place, Toyota and Subura trailed back...

The new Ford Fiesta introduced in Europe will be here sometime in 2010. It flat blows away any comparable Japanese small car.

This is 2008 guys, not ten or twenty years ago.

Get your facts straight. This ad is an utter embarassment. Gregg it would be great if you take it down, and not because of the fowl language.

TIM BOYD

[tim boyd]

Intermountain Letter to the Editor- Elkins Fordland

Editor:

As I watch the coverage of the fate of the U.S. auto industry, one alarming and frustrating fact hits me right between the eyes. The fate of our

nation's economic survival is in the hands of some congressmen who are completely out of touch and act without knowledge of an industry that

affects almost every person in our nation. The same lack of knowledge is shared with many journalists whom are irresponsible when influencing the

opinion of millions of viewers.

Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has doomed the industry, calling it a dinosaur. No Mr. Shelby, you are the dinosaur, with ideas stuck in the '70s,

'80s and '90s. You and the uninformed journalist and senators that hold onto myths that are not relevant in today's world.

When you say that the Big Three build vehicles nobody wants to buy, you must have overlooked that GM outsold Toyota by about 1.2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Ford outsold Honda by 850,000 and Nissan by 1.2 million in the U.S. GM was the world's No. 1 automaker beating Toyota by 3,000 units.

When you claim inferior quality comes from the Big Three, did you realize that Chevy makes the Malibu and Ford makes the Fusion that were both rated over the Camry and Accord by J.D. Power independent survey on initial quality? Did you bother to read the Consumer Report that rated Ford on par with good Japanese automakers.

Did you realize Big Three's gas guzzlers include the 33 mpg Malibu that beats the Accord. And for '09 Ford introduces the Hybrid Fusion whose 39 mpg is the best midsize, beating the Camry Hybrid. Ford's Focus beats the Corolla and Chevy's Cobalt beats the Civic.

When you ask how many times are we going to bail them out you must be referring to 1980. The only Big Three bailout was Chrysler, who paid back $1 billion, plus interest. GM and Ford have never received government aid.

When you criticize the Big Three for building so many pickups, surely you've noticed the attempts Toyota and Nissan have made spending billions to try to get a piece of that pie. Perhaps it bothers you that for 31 straight years Ford's F-Series has been the best selling vehicle. Ford and GM have

dominated this market and when you see the new '09 F-150 you'll agree this won't change soon.

Did you realize that both GM and Ford offer more hybrid models than Nissan or Honda. Between 2005 and 2007, Ford alone has invested more than $22 billion in research and development of technologies such as Eco Boost, flex fuel, clean diesel, hybrids, plug in hybrids and hydrogen cars.

It's 2008 and the quality of the vehicles coming out of Detroit are once again the best in the world. Perhaps Sen. Shelby isn't really that blind. Maybe he realizes the quality shift to American. Maybe it's the fact that his state of Alabama has given so much to land factories from Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes Benz that he is more concerned about their continued growth than he is about the people of our country. Sen. Shelby's disdain for "government subsidies" is very hypocritical. In the early '90s he was the driving force behind a $253 million incentive package to Mercedes. Plus, Alabama agreed to purchase 2,500 vehicles from Mercedes. While the bridge loan the Big Three is requesting will be paid back, Alabama 's $180,000-plus per job was pure incentive. Sen. Shelby, not only are you out of touch, you are a self-serving hypocrite, who is prepared to ruin our nation because of lack of knowledge and lack of due diligence in making your opinions and decisions.

After 9/11, the Detroit Three and Harley Davidson gave $40 million-plus emergency vehicles to the recovery efforts. What was given to the 9/11

relief effort by the Asian and European Auto Manufactures? $0 Nada. Zip!

We live in a world of free trade, world economy and we have not been able to produce products as cost efficiently. While the governments of other auto producing nations subsidize their automakers, our government may be ready to force its demise. While our automakers have paid union wages, benefits and legacy debt, our Asian competitors employ cheap labor. We are at an extreme disadvantage in production cost. Although many UAW concessions begin in 2010, many lawmakers think it's not enough.

Some point the blame to corporate management. I would like to speak of Ford Motor Co. The company has streamlined by reducing our workforce by 51,000 since 2005, closing 17 plants and cutting expenses. Product and future product is excellent and the company is focused on one Ford. This is a

company poised for success. Ford product quality and corporate management have improved light years since the nightmare of Jacques Nasser. Thank you Alan Mulally and the best auto company management team in the business.

The financial collapse caused by the secondary mortgage fiasco and the greed of Wall Street has led to a $700 billion bailout of the industry that

created the problem. AIG spent nearly $1 million on three company excursions to lavish resorts and hunting destinations. Paulson is saying no to $250

billion foreclosure relief and the whole thing is a mess. So when the Big Three ask for 4 percent of that of the $700 billion, $25 billion to save the

country's largest industry, there is obviously oppositions. But does it make sense to reward the culprits of the problem with $700 billion unconditionally, and ignore the victims?

As a Ford dealer, I feel our portion of the $25 billion will never be touched and is not necessary. Ford currently has $29 billion of liquidity.

However, the effect of a bankruptcy by GM will hurt the suppliers we all do business with. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy by any manufacture would cost

retirees their health care and retirements. Chances are GM would recover from Chapter 11 with a better business plan with much less expense. So who

foots the bill if GM or all three go Chapter 11? All that extra health care, unemployment, loss of tax base and some forgiven debt goes back to the

taxpayer, us. With no chance of repayment, this would be much worse than a loan with the intent of repayment.

So while it is debatable whether a loan or Chapter 11 is better for the Big Three, a $25 billion loan is definitely better for the taxpayers and the

economy of our country.

So I'll end where I began on the quality of the products of Detroit . Before you, Mr. or Ms. Journalist continue to misinform the American public and

turn them against one of the great industries that helped build this nation, I must ask you one question. Before you, Mr. or Madam Congressman vote to end health care and retirement benefits for 1 million retirees, eliminate 2.5 million of our nation's jobs, lose the technology that will lead us in

the future and create an economic disaster including hundreds of billions of tax dollars lost, I ask this question not in the rhetorical sense. I ask it

in the sincere, literal way. Can you tell me, have you driven a Ford lately?

Jim Jackson

ELKINS FORDLAND, INC.

1211 Harrison Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241

[george 53]

I haven't said anything while all this U.S car manufactures bashing has been goin on, but this ad is a tasteless joke. I really bothers me the way it seems EVERYBODY is down on the U.S. carmakers.I'M ONE OF THEM!!!!!! and it bothers me to see how easily it was forgotten that ,if not for US there would BE NO BLUECOLLAR/MIDDLE-CLASS!!!If we go out of buisness, how long do you think the economy will last? WE are the ones who created the middle class and WE are the ones who spend our hard earned money at Target, Wal- mart and Sears and all the other places who NEED US to keep them in buisness!!!It's A LOAN PEOPLE!!! THAT MEANS IT'LL GET PAID BACK!!! WITH INTEREST!!! Go Buy your foreign cars and see how long our economy lasts without us.I don't care what happens to the Exec's but the guys on the line bust thier butts EVERYDAY to make a quality product an for the most part they are.So you got a crummy Dodge truck. But Dodge trucks have never been known for Quality, So get a Ford Truck, or a Chevy, but buy AMERICAN.Ok Maybe Lexus HAS won a J.D Power award, but who were they tryin to beat? CADILLAC thats who! The QUALITY STANDARD OF THE WORLD! Anyone can build a better car than Honda, but because its foreign people think its a better car. It's not better than ANY Chevy! Wait till this is over, and folks will see that AMERICAN cars are worth every penny cause they're built by AMERICAN AUTO WORKERS!!! If the American car companys go down, I can ASSURE you the WHOLE COUNTRY will SUFFER DEARLY!!! I can't beleive how many people would let us go down the tubes.Remember WE are the ones who gave the unions the power to make life here better for EVERYONE! If you have a good job, thank a Vet AND a union man, cause without unions NO ONE would be makin enough to feed their families and clothe their kids!Your so called bosses DON'T CARE about you or me, only how much they'll get paid, not you!The unions and those who stood behind them are the ones responsible for the decent wages we all got. I can't beleive what I'm seeing or reading.This just SUCKS.There, I'm done, and I will not lower myself to this level again,and bother with this subject anymore.

[Harry P.]

Looks like this one should be closed.