Ford's Rejection, my rant

Pete, et al,

Ford's rejection of your Pony Drive Mustangers' request is an example of
what's wrong with our American car companies. Ford's lost ground
financially every month for almost the last year. GM is considering closing
yet another division, either Buick or Pontiac.

Alternatively, Toyota is operating under their 500-year business plan. I
kid you not, they have one. Ford probably has about a 6-year plan, which is
as much or more foresight as you typically find in domestic corporations.
And as you might expect from an organization taking a long-term outlook, T
Motors will likely overtake G Motors in overall sales in the next year or
so. Ford will struggle and probably be a takeover candidate just like
Chrysler. Sadly, the Daimler buyout is what saved Chrysler and now we're
seeing great products from the new company, and that bit of history may well
repeat itself with other car manufacturers in Detroit.

Everything changes when you take the long view in business or civic
management. I'm trying to get my little local city council to develop a
mere 100-year plan so that we can make some orderly improvements in our sign
ordinance (among other areas) that won't cause people to write off a year's
worth of net income because some jackbooted councillors don't like the way
businesses have legally invested in their signs for the last 50 years. A
25-year phase-in of the new requirements doesn't seem so long when put in a
100-yr perspective, and it becomes palatable to mom & pop operations when
planning for the write-off and re-investment.

I know this is a digression, sorry (not). It's just that nothing surprises
me anymore when I hear crap like this coming from Detroit. Had they been
thinking ahead back when they were turning out their abominable quality of
products 50 yrs ago they wouldn't be in this predicament, and it appears
that the loss of the entire industry still doesn't get the message thru to
them. Toyota owns the economy car segment with their incredibly hi-tech &
futuristic Prius, because of taking the long term approach. Look out Cessna
& Gulfstream when Toyota decides to sell the business aircraft that they've
already developed.

Quality. Customer care. Long term planning. This isn't rocket science.
Americans taught the principles to the Japanese in the late '40's, and now
their winning the economic war.

Ford could've easily run your transaction thru any number of your members
hometown dealers and everyone would've been happy. They're too short
sighted. I'm sure they won't do the bulk deal for us Shelby buyers either.
It's not even worth the call.

Apologies for the rant,

Roger
'67GT500


===================

It's from Roger and Jane!

There was no reason that Ford could not have made arrangements with the greater Detroit area Ford dealers to handle a few hundred cars. The cars could have been processed through the local dealers and the drive would have brought free publicity to Ford and the Mustang. It would not have been the same glamour as picking it up at the factory (like you could with a Chevrolet Corvette), but it would have achieved a publicity and customer benefit.
Lee 66 # 869

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger <rogerhol@willapabay.org>
To: shelbymustang@carmemories.com
Sent: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:12:37 -0800
Subject: Ford's Rejection, my rant


Pete, et al,

Ford's rejection of your Pony Drive Mustangers' request is an example of what's wrong with our American car companies. Ford's lost ground financially every month for almost the last year. GM is considering closing yet another division, either Buick or Pontiac.

Alternatively, Toyota is operating under their 500-year business plan. I kid you not, they have one. Ford probably has about a 6-year plan, which is as much or more foresight as you typically find in domestic corporations. And as you might expect from an organization taking a long-term outlook, T Motors will likely overtake G Motors in overall sales in the next year or so. Ford will struggle and probably be a takeover candidate just like Chrysler. Sadly, the Daimler buyout is what saved Chrysler and now we're seeing great products from the new company, and that bit of history may well repeat itself with other car manufacturers in Detroit.

Everything changes when you take the long view in business or civic management. I'm trying to get my little local city council to develop a mere 100-year plan so that we can make some orderly improvements in our sign ordinance (among other areas) that won't cause people to write off a year's worth of net income because some jackbooted councillors don't like the way businesses have legally invested in their signs for the last 50 years. A 25-year phase-in of the new requirements doesn't seem so long when put in a 100-yr perspective, and it becomes palatable to mom & pop operations when planning for the write-off and re-investment.

I know this is a digression, sorry (not). It's just that nothing surprises me anymore when I hear crap like this coming from Detroit. Had they been thinking ahead back when they were turning out their abominable quality of products 50 yrs ago they wouldn't be in this predicament, and it appears that the loss of the entire industry still doesn't get the message thru to them. Toyota owns the economy car segment with their incredibly hi-tech & futuristic Prius, because of taking the long term approach. Look out Cessna & Gulfstream when Toyota decides to sell the business aircraft that they've already developed.

Quality. Customer care. Long term planning. This isn't rocket science. Americans taught the principles to the Japanese in the late '40's, and now their winning the economic war.

Ford could've easily run your transaction thru any number of your members hometown dealers and everyone would've been happy. They're too short sighted. I'm sure they won't do the bulk deal for us Shelby buyers either. It's not even worth the call.

Apologies for the rant,

Roger
'67GT500

===================
It's from Roger and Jane!