Looking at Things from the Other Side - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Aussie Pete · 05-26-2003, 20:44

With all the speculation, comments, criticisms, name calling etc going on with respect to Ford and what seems like a dumb idea to us as customers I thought I'd try something.

I registered on some forums related to airplanes and lo and behold you've got all these experts on there saying how this is dumb, why did they do that, some dumbo made it this way and so on

What got me going was being on the other side and knowing what they were saying was based on limited info, misinformation, and in some cases blatantly rubbish. Yet in many cases these people are supposedly airplane mchanics, pilots and so on.

So, it's given me a new perspective with the people at Ford. Like I've been saying to many of you the people who run Ford, make decisions, do tasks etc are not dumb. they are smart people constrained by any number of factors and in many cases they can't give us what we want. Sometimes, it can't be predicted and it isn't their fault - they're doing what they can with what they've been given. And of course what will work within the law.

I suggest some of you go looking for forums related to your line of work and see what people are saying about you and your workmates. Then put yourself in the shoes of the people at Ford/FPV who I reckon are doing a damn good job given where they are today.

No they're not perfect. But neither am I. Just look back a few years and tell me we ain't lucky being Ford fans today.

AP hops off rant chair.....

subsbligh35 · 05-26-2003, 20:58

AP,

Lets all take a step back and just wait a second here....June last year, there was NO TS50 (correct me if i'm wrong), there was no BA, there was was no Xr6 turbo as well as a distinct and awful place void of our present king the GT.

In the past year we have been absolutley blessed with the amount of cool cars coming out of Ford and some fans are just being spoilt with choice. This is a golden age at Ford, regardless of people's opinions of the apparent flaws in the higher spec models (I myself am often quilty of such hate crimes)

Just think how lucky we are to have come this far....anything more is a blessing from ford if you ask me.:oo1:

Aussie Pete · 05-26-2003, 21:02

What was I saying then? I guess we're in agreement?

ianmcginley · 05-26-2003, 21:40

I think you two are in agreement, and yes i've joined the club recently.

Look at the glass 1/2 full and getting fuller, rather than the glass 1/2 empty but slowing getting fuller.

Did my extrapolation on the 1/2 full 1/2 empty work? unlikely

mygt · 05-26-2003, 22:23

the biggest failure in large companies: is some of the guys in the monkey suits always take the safe option what ever happened to no guts no glory theory, one must be passionate take the left turn in life and go for it, in hind site the percentage of great people who have made it in this world did not listen to there accountants or there peers they had a very good feeling on what they where about to embark on and believe in and did it...
passion is the
most important ingrediant to success...
source and termanate the monkeys riding on the back!!!

Aussie Pete · 05-26-2003, 23:21

And that's why companies like Boeing will never take the gamble they did on the 747 and probably why they are in such big trouble today.

Unfortunately shareholders expect risk management which is why one wonders how AMP got to where it is today.....

Full Noise · 05-27-2003, 00:11

Well put AP, sometimes we need to step back and have a look at the big picture.
However consumers are a lot smarter these days and generally don�t like being fed BS.
Maybe if FPV were a little more open with customers instead of leaving the excuses to sometimes ill informed salespeople we may well have a better understanding, even sympathy.

I for one know that the people at FPV work damn hard under somewhat difficult circumstances.

I also know what it is like to have people criticise you when they may not have intricate knowledge of your industry.

FalKeen · 05-27-2003, 01:13

Quote:

Originally posted by mygt
the biggest failure in large companies: is some of the guys in the monkey suits always take the safe option what ever happened to no guts no glory theory, one must be passionate take the left turn in life and go for it, in hind site the percentage of great people who have made it in this world did not listen to there accountants or there peers they had a very good feeling on what they where about to embark on and believe in and did it...
passion is the
most important ingrediant to success...
source and termanate the monkeys riding on the back!!!

you remember the AU do you?
ford oz took a big risk (styling wise) and in turn got their balls put in a vice
great car but unfortunately the australian public werent willing to take the same risks when purchasing a car, hence the more "safer" designed commodore succeeded and why the BA is succeeding now (plus the other advancements the new model has made - specifically im refering to the more "safer" styling of the BA model)

i might like to add at the end here that i have no idea what im talking about...

mygt · 05-27-2003, 01:43

Statistically to go with ones gut is very successful
Life has no guarantees, I know with my own successful business, I wouldn�t have it any other way, "don�t sit on the side lines and play it safe what a boring world it would be if that happened"
buzz adrian( apollo mission to the moon 1969)

Night_Lurker · 05-27-2003, 01:58

If Ford didn't build the AU what would we have now? The AU was and still is a great car (nearly bought one but the ride in the BA sold me). The AU was too advanced for its time. Sure it had styling that no other company in OZ had but Ford would never have known what the buying public would have thought it they never did it. The dynamics of it were great and have been further developed into the BA. I'm lucky at work 90% of the people there are car freaks (and mostly holden lovers) and recognise the ride quality the Falcons have always had over the commodores. Maybe Ford need to market this, show what they have acheived, show what is GOOD about the car. Explain how they are getting rave reviews for the chassis, handling, braking and engines. The AU was not a disaster as many would think, i think it was more a developement for their future products without them even knowing it.