The horrors of owning a Ford

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › The horrors of owning a Ford - my story

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6614 posts

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#1807414 27-Jun-2017 09:53

tdgeek:

I think the trend here is that whoever loathes one brand and wont buy again due to a bad experience is matched by another that will, as they had a good experience. Also applies to vacuums, hot water bottles, computers, and so on, ad infinitum

This is very true, How ever avoid dry clutch VW transmissions and turbo diesel VW engines. Also Ford Dual clutch transmissions.
That story above about the Holden blowing up at 150KMS will have more to it than that. Those things go for ever and their failure rate is quite low.

Smithy100

180 posts

Master Geek

#1807415 27-Jun-2017 09:54

Most of us recognise that any brand/vehicle can have issues, and all of them do.

The differential is often in how the brand and their representatives manage these issues and their interactions with customers. This relates to the product/s we buy, how we buy them, and the servicing and maintenance of these products.

I don't expect a new car (or house, vacuum cleaner, etc) to be perfect. But I do expect any faults or issues to be dealt with professionally, and I expect any associated costs to do so to be "reasonable". And if a service provider cannot explain to me, as a reasonably informed, and realistic, consumer - how and why these are reasonable then I, and they, will have a problem.

And life's too short for problems - especially those that can be avoided.

As someone once said (LV Martin?), "it's the putting right that counts."

tdgeek

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#1807427 27-Jun-2017 10:04

Smithy100:

Most of us recognise that any brand/vehicle can have issues, and all of them do.

The differential is often in how the brand and their representatives manage these issues and their interactions with customers. This relates to the product/s we buy, how we buy them, and the servicing and maintenance of these products.

I don't expect a new car (or house, vacuum cleaner, etc) to be perfect. But I do expect any faults or issues to be dealt with professionally, and I expect any associated costs to do so to be "reasonable". And if a service provider cannot explain to me, as a reasonably informed, and realistic, consumer - how and why these are reasonable then I, and they, will have a problem.

And life's too short for problems - especially those that can be avoided.

As someone once said (LV Martin?), "it's the putting right that counts."

Fully agree. There is also an onus on the buyer to look after whatever it is, maintain, and service the product

Wiggum

1199 posts

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#1807453 27-Jun-2017 10:55

TimA:

BMW E46 NZ New 325 or 330.

I'm a huge BMW fan, that car is great value for money.

But if I was buying right now, I would pay a little extra and get the E90. It just looks so much better, and IMO is probably the nicest looking 3 Series ever built. Specially the M3 version, it blows away any Holden or Ford from the lights, and does it with such class. I loaned one from a mate a while back, this car blew me away. I am forever a BMW fan.

plod

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1807529 27-Jun-2017 11:50

tdgeek:
I think the trend here is that whoever loathes one brand and wont buy again due to a bad experience is matched by another that will, as they had a good experience. Also applies to vacuums, hot water bottles, computers, and so on, ad infinitum

All brands have problems, and that's fine. It's how the brand deals with the problem that is the issue. LV Martin, it's the putting right that counts. Ford are notorious for bad service and admitting that there are issues. Ford kugas and there fire issues for example. And I think it was the pinto, where it was cheaper for them to fight law suits rather then recall them. many examples if you want to google

Coil

6614 posts

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#1807532 27-Jun-2017 11:56

Wiggum:

TimA:

BMW E46 NZ New 325 or 330.

I'm a huge BMW fan, that car is great value for money.

But if I was buying right now, I would pay a little extra and get the E90. It just looks so much better, and IMO is probably the nicest looking 3 Series ever built. Specially the M3 version, it blows away any Holden or Ford from the lights, and does it with such class. I loaned one from a mate a while back, this car blew me away. I am forever a BMW fan.

Yeah got to agree, The E90 4 door m3 would be my pick from that shape. Not a fan of a non motorsport variant. They are OK but seem to be dropping in value like rocks. E90 335I coupe can be a nice car, Here is my mates one. 400+HP at the wheels.

dejadeadnz

2394 posts

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#1807759 27-Jun-2017 16:05

tdgeek:

Fully agree. There is also an onus on the buyer to look after whatever it is, maintain, and service the product

Unless you have any actual evidence that anyone who's posted on here hasn't looked after their cars, maintained or serviced them, it's difficult to see what that last comment adds to the thread. Thanks for the lecture on common sense 101, by the way.

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dafman

3928 posts

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#1807762 27-Jun-2017 16:16

Coil:

That story above about the Holden blowing up at 150KMS will have more to it than that. Those things go for ever and their failure rate is quite low.

It was 2001 Holden Vectra (ok, technically an Opel).

About a year before it died, cam belt was replaced. I asked for water pump to be replaced at same time, only to be told when I collected the car that they didn't replace the water pump because mechanic said it looked fine.

(ok, I know I should have kicked up a fuss about now, but didn't. Having gifted several thousand dollars to the dealer several months earlier to change various faulty sensors, plus other work I reckon I had been overcharged on, I didn't like or trust the dealer, so just took the car).

When engine totally seized about a year later, I'm guessing it was the consequence of a dead water pump (but I'm no mechanic).

Water bucketing out the exhaust, I was totally over the car, so gave it to a wrecker for next to nothing and left it where it died.

Loving the Outback I replaced it with.

WyleECoyoteNZ

1049 posts

Uber Geek

#1807793 27-Jun-2017 17:05

As unfortunate as the Ops story has been, as others have said, the failure's aren't indicative of the range or brand.

More often than not now, the reason for a car becoming nothing more than a ton and a half of paper weight is going to be electrical, rather than mechanical.

As more and more technology in cars becomes mainstream (push button start, lane warning etc etc) the chances of a sensor\circuit failing are increased. And from personal experience, if a sensor\circuit\module fails, the vehicle becomes inoperable.

Case in point, we have a '12 Holden Cruze, brought second hand (widely disliked by many), and up to a month ago, with regular servicing by us and the previous owner, it had been faultless. On this occasion, It had been parked, and given no indication of what was to come. When returning to the vehicle, and trying to start (push button), it would not start, at all. When trying to start, the display said something to do with 'check steering column' and the engine light was lit on the dash.

The fault? A sensor module on the steering column had failed, and the ECU thought the steering was compromised so prevented the vehicle from being driven. No mechanical fault at all.

In this case, due to the youngish age and relatively low odometer (less than 50,000 km's) the dealer sort pricing relief from Holden NZ, which was granted, acknowledging that the failure shouldn't have happened, but did.

So maybe cars should have backup electric's so if one circuit fails, the backup kicks in and the vehicle is still operational. Why they don't ? I'd bet price. In doing this, your $35K Focus\Corolla or whatever becomes another $5K-$10K more expensive, and for what, covering something that might or might not happen.

Electrics\circuits fail, maybe they shouldn't, but they do and now that's a fact of life in everything, not just cars.

dejadeadnz

2394 posts

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#1807871 27-Jun-2017 20:06

WyleECoyoteNZ:

As unfortunate as the Ops story has been, as others have said, the failure's aren't indicative of the range or brand.

Again, you clearly haven't read the thread thoroughly before rushing to make a comment. My own experience of course shouldn't be used solely to judge a brand. But if you somehow think that:

(1) a huge number of people consistently experiencing issues with the horrible dual clutch Ford transmission in Fiestas and Focuses of a particular vintage (so much so that Ford has gone back to using what they previously described as retrograde conventional autos); and

(2) being left in the dark as to the extent to which Ford will/will not come to the party in terms of repairs; and

(3) being subjected to the 3-step routine where they are given "repaired" cars that immediately drive terribly, soon leading to clutch failure(s), and often requiring complete transmission replacement,

isn't a great indication that Ford has severe issues, then you are more optimistic than I ever will be. Oh and let's keep ignoring Ford's dismal reliability ratings in the likes of JD Power and US Consumer Reports and their releasing a two star-rated NCAP crapbox.

Coil

6614 posts

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#1807997 28-Jun-2017 07:41

dafman:

Coil:

That story above about the Holden blowing up at 150KMS will have more to it than that. Those things go for ever and their failure rate is quite low.

It was 2001 Holden Vectra (ok, technically an Opel).

About a year before it died, cam belt was replaced. I asked for water pump to be replaced at same time, only to be told when I collected the car that they didn't replace the water pump because mechanic said it looked fine.

(ok, I know I should have kicked up a fuss about now, but didn't. Having gifted several thousand dollars to the dealer several months earlier to change various faulty sensors, plus other work I reckon I had been overcharged on, I didn't like or trust the dealer, so just took the car).

When engine totally seized about a year later, I'm guessing it was the consequence of a dead water pump (but I'm no mechanic).

Water bucketing out the exhaust, I was totally over the car, so gave it to a wrecker for next to nothing and left it where it died.

Loving the Outback I replaced it with.

yeah lol i scrapped my opel astra at 168KMS after doing a brand new Coil, Plugs, service and tires. Was a 1.8 manual nz new in mint condition. ECU blew up due to the cam position sensor shorting out inside the head (Common manufacturing fault) . Was so cut. Thats not a Holden tho, just badged as one.
And yes, there was more to it!! :D

dafman

3928 posts

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#1808188 28-Jun-2017 13:05

Coil:

dafman:

Coil:

That story above about the Holden blowing up at 150KMS will have more to it than that. Those things go for ever and their failure rate is quite low.

It was 2001 Holden Vectra (ok, technically an Opel).

About a year before it died, cam belt was replaced. I asked for water pump to be replaced at same time, only to be told when I collected the car that they didn't replace the water pump because mechanic said it looked fine.

(ok, I know I should have kicked up a fuss about now, but didn't. Having gifted several thousand dollars to the dealer several months earlier to change various faulty sensors, plus other work I reckon I had been overcharged on, I didn't like or trust the dealer, so just took the car).

When engine totally seized about a year later, I'm guessing it was the consequence of a dead water pump (but I'm no mechanic).

Water bucketing out the exhaust, I was totally over the car, so gave it to a wrecker for next to nothing and left it where it died.

Loving the Outback I replaced it with.

yeah lol i scrapped my opel astra at 168KMS after doing a brand new Coil, Plugs, service and tires. Was a 1.8 manual nz new in mint condition. ECU blew up due to the cam position sensor shorting out inside the head (Common manufacturing fault) . Was so cut. Thats not a Holden tho, just badged as one.
And yes, there was more to it!! :D

Ah, the good 'ol cam position sensor. How many of those did I have to replace? More than one. At what cost? Into the thousands.

My grandfather and father owned Holden and I fiercely defended the brand as a kid - but, recently, I think they have only been bettered by Cadburys when it comes to brand destruction. The sooner Holden is finally consigned to the dustbin of history, the better. IMHO.

pctek

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#1808422 28-Jun-2017 18:39

Fords are really mazdas...engine....

tdgeek

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#1808432 28-Jun-2017 19:02

dejadeadnz:

tdgeek:

Fully agree. There is also an onus on the buyer to look after whatever it is, maintain, and service the product

Unless you have any actual evidence that anyone who's posted on here hasn't looked after their cars, maintained or serviced them, it's difficult to see what that last comment adds to the thread. Thanks for the lecture on common sense 101, by the way.

Get over it.

Or learn to read. Given your need to be important attitude, how about you give evidence as off course you are a lawyer, and we are well aware of your qualifications, as you keep repeating them over and over, that everyone acts on the common sense of maintaining their vehicle? I do believe, and no I dont have evidence or an affidavit, that many people do in fact not maintain their vehicle or heat pump , or mouse that well. I do not recall inferring that I am giving a lesson to the posters here.

chevrolux

4962 posts

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#1808458 28-Jun-2017 19:30

WyleECoyoteNZ:

As unfortunate as the Ops story has been, as others have said, the failure's aren't indicative of the range or brand.

More often than not now, the reason for a car becoming nothing more than a ton and a half of paper weight is going to be electrical, rather than mechanical.

As more and more technology in cars becomes mainstream (push button start, lane warning etc etc) the chances of a sensor\circuit failing are increased. And from personal experience, if a sensor\circuit\module fails, the vehicle becomes inoperable.

Had a Hilux with a 350 Chevy in it (hence my forum handle) and it was the only motor I've ever been able to work on. So simple! The only electrical thing involved was the distributor/coil and starter motor. I lift on the bonnet on our little Mazda 3 and promptly put it back down as there is just bloody plastic and wire everywhere!

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