Sorry for going off topic, but how much does this navigation/communication/entertainment technology add to the cost of a vehicle?
Just wondering.
Just wondering.
Ford ranked badly in 2012 Consumer Reports Survey
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You can solve any potential transmission problems by buying what most of the world buys by a wide margin. A manual transmission. The manual box in the Focus, Fiesta, and other most recent Ford cars are some of the best you can buy.
Many people do not realize that the Fiesta, Focus, and the most recent Fusion (Mondeo) were all mostly designed by Ford of Europe where the priority is on making a great manual transmission, very few Europeans buy slush boxes.
The side benefits of a manual box are lower purchase cost, lower service costs, and better reliability and longevity as well.
Many people do not realize that the Fiesta, Focus, and the most recent Fusion (Mondeo) were all mostly designed by Ford of Europe where the priority is on making a great manual transmission, very few Europeans buy slush boxes.
The side benefits of a manual box are lower purchase cost, lower service costs, and better reliability and longevity as well.
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^^^You're fighting a losing battle. While I love a nice manual trans and think it is especially important with smaller engines they simply do not sell here. They sit on the lot and need a big discount to move.
The fact remains even the mighty Ford has issues, this just gives us a data point...
The fact remains even the mighty Ford has issues, this just gives us a data point...
The fact that there are so many differing experiences on the infotainment systems in these indicates that there are issues. Some have problems and some don't; inconsistency like that is a problem. Ford has worked on their infotainment systems for years now. I hope they can get it right soon, or just drop it altogether.
The notion of being able to fix an automatic by buying a manual is moot. People want automatics. Ford is capable of building good automatic transmissions. They just don't seem to have the best ones in their cars right now. They will improve over time, but in the digital age where even small problems are amplified by the internet and big problems will bring you down quick, they better get a handle on the problems.
The notion of being able to fix an automatic by buying a manual is moot. People want automatics. Ford is capable of building good automatic transmissions. They just don't seem to have the best ones in their cars right now. They will improve over time, but in the digital age where even small problems are amplified by the internet and big problems will bring you down quick, they better get a handle on the problems.
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I wonder what the problems are with the Focus and Fiesta... I know people that have one of each, and so far are happy with them.
Probably just another MFT problem. Much the reason we don't need this garbage in vehicles. KISS applies for me.
Adding the latest and greatest gizmos is all the auto industry has. How else is one supposed to leg up on the competition if they're not adding some sort of electronic device that does something automatically? Instead of doing this they COULD be producing vehicles that get 100 MPG or run on renewable energy that are also practical. THAT might sell a few vehicles, but this is easier...
I wonder what the problems are with the Focus and Fiesta... I know people that have one of each, and so far are happy with them.
Probably just another MFT problem. Much the reason we don't need this garbage in vehicles. KISS applies for me.
Adding the latest and greatest gizmos is all the auto industry has. How else is one supposed to leg up on the competition if they're not adding some sort of electronic device that does something automatically? Instead of doing this they COULD be producing vehicles that get 100 MPG or run on renewable energy that are also practical. THAT might sell a few vehicles, but this is easier...
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Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I wonder what the problems are with the Focus and Fiesta... I know people that have one of each, and so far are happy with them.
Probably just another MFT problem. Much the reason we don't need this garbage in vehicles. KISS applies for me.
Adding the latest and greatest gizmos is all the auto industry has. How else is one supposed to leg up on the competition if they're not adding some sort of electronic device that does something automatically? Instead of doing this they COULD be producing vehicles that get 100 MPG or run on renewable energy that are also practical. THAT might sell a few vehicles, but this is easier...
Well it sucks...
Whenever I see these goofy new things I just wish I still had my old Saturns, or Neon, etc. That stuff was all not needed in vehicles for the last 100 years, what makes it needed now? Annoying.
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I wonder what the problems are with the Focus and Fiesta... I know people that have one of each, and so far are happy with them.
Probably just another MFT problem. Much the reason we don't need this garbage in vehicles. KISS applies for me.
Adding the latest and greatest gizmos is all the auto industry has. How else is one supposed to leg up on the competition if they're not adding some sort of electronic device that does something automatically? Instead of doing this they COULD be producing vehicles that get 100 MPG or run on renewable energy that are also practical. THAT might sell a few vehicles, but this is easier...
Well it sucks...
Whenever I see these goofy new things I just wish I still had my old Saturns, or Neon, etc. That stuff was all not needed in vehicles for the last 100 years, what makes it needed now? Annoying.
Consumer reports is always very ANTI-FORD.
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
You can solve any potential transmission problems by buying what most of the world buys by a wide margin. A manual transmission. The manual box in the Focus, Fiesta, and other most recent Ford cars are some of the best you can buy.
Many people do not realize that the Fiesta, Focus, and the most recent Fusion (Mondeo) were all mostly designed by Ford of Europe where the priority is on making a great manual transmission, very few Europeans buy slush boxes.
The side benefits of a manual box are lower purchase cost, lower service costs, and better reliability and longevity as well.
Except the 5 speeds in the Focus and Fiesta are the poorly geared MTX-75.
You can solve any potential transmission problems by buying what most of the world buys by a wide margin. A manual transmission. The manual box in the Focus, Fiesta, and other most recent Ford cars are some of the best you can buy.
Many people do not realize that the Fiesta, Focus, and the most recent Fusion (Mondeo) were all mostly designed by Ford of Europe where the priority is on making a great manual transmission, very few Europeans buy slush boxes.
The side benefits of a manual box are lower purchase cost, lower service costs, and better reliability and longevity as well.
Except the 5 speeds in the Focus and Fiesta are the poorly geared MTX-75.
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That seems to be standard operating procedure for Ford. They tend to do very well for a time and produce some outstanding products. Then when they really start to get it right they come out with a series of quality issues that starts to make buyers turn elsewhere. It's too bad, because if the quality were ever consistent over the long term they could dominate many of the other manufacturers.
It's probably been 15 years but I recall reading an article about how the most common owner complaints to Consumer Reports (or it might have been JD Power) were related to not understanding their stereos, brake dust/rotor rust, and a "stiff ride".
Most of it is people just aren't used to the new technology and that includes the DC transmissions.
My mother has a 2011 Fiesta. That transmission is awesome. Sure, it doesn't shift like an automatic because it isn't. It is a manual transmission and a clutch has a completely different feel than a torque converter. It isn't as smooth and I wouldn't want it to be. Yet everyone who has driven my mother's car, other than her and I, complain something is "wrong" with the car because of the way it shifts and they have never driven a manual before.
My mother has a 2011 Fiesta. That transmission is awesome. Sure, it doesn't shift like an automatic because it isn't. It is a manual transmission and a clutch has a completely different feel than a torque converter. It isn't as smooth and I wouldn't want it to be. Yet everyone who has driven my mother's car, other than her and I, complain something is "wrong" with the car because of the way it shifts and they have never driven a manual before.
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Most of it is people just aren't used to the new technology and that includes the DC transmissions.
My mother has a 2011 Fiesta. That transmission is awesome. Sure, it doesn't shift like an automatic because it isn't. It is a manual transmission and a clutch has a completely different feel than a torque converter. It isn't as smooth and I wouldn't want it to be. Yet everyone who has driven my mother's car, other than her and I, complain something is "wrong" with the car because of the way it shifts and they have never driven a manual before.
This is the argument Ford continues to use with people who complain about the DCT and it's wrong. Unless car shaking clutch chatter is something we unsophisticates just don't properly appreciate.
The DCT is great when it works as designed. The problem is it doesn't work as designed for too many owners.
Most of it is people just aren't used to the new technology and that includes the DC transmissions.
My mother has a 2011 Fiesta. That transmission is awesome. Sure, it doesn't shift like an automatic because it isn't. It is a manual transmission and a clutch has a completely different feel than a torque converter. It isn't as smooth and I wouldn't want it to be. Yet everyone who has driven my mother's car, other than her and I, complain something is "wrong" with the car because of the way it shifts and they have never driven a manual before.
This is the argument Ford continues to use with people who complain about the DCT and it's wrong. Unless car shaking clutch chatter is something we unsophisticates just don't properly appreciate.
The DCT is great when it works as designed. The problem is it doesn't work as designed for too many owners.
I liked the one I drove, but there were definitely some quirks.
I noticed a little "click ... click " when it was shifting gears. Nothing different than regular fork noise. Moving along slow in the grass parking lot where they had it parked, I confused the transmission. It was like dropping the clutch, then releasing it and letting it cost 20 feet, then dropping the clutch again.
First gear in it is ULTRA low so it can take off on hills, It shifts fast and a lot.
Going down the freeway, I had it bouncing off the rev limiter. I wasn't driving hard or fast, but every time it caught a gust of wind, it'd drop 2 or 3 gears and run at 6000RPM. That was a bit odd.
The low gearing and mechanical connection made it GREAT for heavy stoplight situations. For a 1.8L engine, it has much more pep than my 2.0. But it has a really low 1st gear.
I noticed a little "click ... click " when it was shifting gears. Nothing different than regular fork noise. Moving along slow in the grass parking lot where they had it parked, I confused the transmission. It was like dropping the clutch, then releasing it and letting it cost 20 feet, then dropping the clutch again.
First gear in it is ULTRA low so it can take off on hills, It shifts fast and a lot.
Going down the freeway, I had it bouncing off the rev limiter. I wasn't driving hard or fast, but every time it caught a gust of wind, it'd drop 2 or 3 gears and run at 6000RPM. That was a bit odd.
The low gearing and mechanical connection made it GREAT for heavy stoplight situations. For a 1.8L engine, it has much more pep than my 2.0. But it has a really low 1st gear.
More than a few quirks in the new Fords. The infotainment systems have been known to do crazy stuff completely by themselves. Even happened to one car rag in a test. Nothing could shut it off!
As to the new transmissions, that is purely a software issue. They are simply using the early adopters as guinea pigs and developing it as you drive!
As to the new transmissions, that is purely a software issue. They are simply using the early adopters as guinea pigs and developing it as you drive!
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