A Modern Parable

[rockbilly]

 Chew on this one for a while...................


      A Japanese company ( Toyota ) and an American
 company (General Motors) decided to have a canoe
race on the Missouri River .  Both teams practiced
 long and hard to reach their peak performance before
 the race.

      On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

      The Americans, very discouraged and depressed,
 decided to investigate the reason for the crushing
 defeat. A management team made up of senior
 management was formed to investigate and recommend
 appropriate action. Their conclusion was the
 Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering,
 while the American team had 8 people steering and 1
 person rowing.

      Feeling a deeper study was in order, American
 management hired a consulting company and paid them
a large amount of money for a second opinion. They
 advised, of course, that too many people were
steering the boat, while not enough people were
 rowing.

      Not sure of how to utilize that information,
 but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese,
 the rowing team's management structure was totally
 reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering
 superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent
 steering manager.

      They also implemented a new performance system
 that would give the 1 person rowing the boat greater
 incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing
 Team Quality First Program,' with meetings, dinners
 and free pens for the rower. There was discussion of
 getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment,
extra vacation days for practices and bonuses.

      The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

      Humiliated, the American management laid off
 the rower for poor performance, halted development
of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all
 capital investments for new equipment. The money saved
 was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses
 and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to
 India

      Sadly, The End.

Sad, but oh so true! Here's something else to
 think about: Ford has spent the last thirty years
 moving all its factories out of the US, claiming they
 can't make money paying American wages. Toyota has
 spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen
 plants inside the US

 The last quarter's results: Toyota makes 4 billion in
 profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses.
 Ford folks are still scratching their heads.

 IF THIS WASN'T SO SAD IT MIGHT BE FUNNY !
 

[victorcharlie]

My Ford, or rather Mercury, has a plastic intake manifold.....one of Fords better idea's of course......

It's been replaced twice now.......

I can't tell  you how many times this car has been in the shop for various reason.

Ford's loosing money because guys like me will never buy another one.......

[magooch]

Yeah, it's getting to where, if you want to buy a vehicle built in America, you've got to buy a Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, or something with a furren name.  That's why I don't feel a bit guilty for buying a new Tacoma, which was built in Kalifornica.  That and it just happens to be the best dang truck in the world.  Hey--at least they didn't call it a Tokyo.

[rockbilly]

Victorcharlie. Believe it or not, but a recent survey showed Ford over Toyota in customer satisfaction.  I worked for Toyota for a shot period after retiring from the military.  When I started, my wife drove a Cadillac, I was driving a Ford F-250.  After working there for awhile my wife wanted a Toyota so we sold her car and bought her a Cressida.  A business decision made me sell the Ford and purchase a Toyota 4x4 pickup (the 4x4 had just come out, we were selling them as fast as they arrived, so I bought one to use as a demonstrator, then wrote the purchase price off my taxes).  We drove Toyota products for many years, then eventually I wanted a larger pickup to tow with.  I bought a Ford ,F-250, Crew Cab, 4x4 with the 6.0 diesel engine.  I have had two problems with the Ford, both related to the turbo, other than that, I have been much better pleased with it than the last Toyota.  What is truly amazing, the Toyota, a extended cab 4x4 with the v-6 engine got about 13 MPG in town, and 18-19 on the highway, never any better.  With the Ford, I average around 15mpg in town, and get 23 on the highway (if I keep my foot out of it, and drive at 2000rpm, or about 69 mph, it drops quick if I run faster)  towing my 36 foot  Montana fifth wheel trailer, I get about 11 mpg.

Based on conversation with other people that drive the larger Ford trucks, all are pleased, and would buy another one.  I am currently looking at the F-450 with the 6.4 diesel for two reasons, first I need the larger truck to two trailers, second, I am just hardheaded enough to  believe it helps to buy American products.

[papajohn428]

I get tired of the people who rag on me for buying a foreign car.......It's a Nissan, and was built in Tennessee by Americans.  It's also the best car I've ever owned, and I've owned Plymouths, Fords, and Chevys.   The factory warranty was three times what the US-made stuff offered, and when I had a problem long after the warranty was up, they still fixed it for free.  I'd love to buy from an American company, but I'm tired of being screwed over, after buying inferior products!

Papajohn

[williamlayton]

I don't think Ford is an inferior product.
I like Ford's customer service.
I have owned nothing but Fords for the past 25 years with the exception of one Oldsmobile.
Blessings