Posted by jdemaris on December 28, 2010 at 14:36:23 from (67.142.130.38):
I just got reading about the latest big auto-reacall - at Ford.
The story as written in many newspapers is suspect - and that is what got me looking more into it.
Note, I'm not a big Ford fan, but am feeling a little bad for the ONLY auto-company left in the USA that is using their own money, and not tax-payer support dollars. Ford IS the only major self-owned, self-financed auto-maker in the US. It's bad enough all the Federal money that was wasted on GM and Chrysler, but even worse that the Feds basically gave Chrysler away . . . for FREE to Fiat of Italy- along with tons of USA support-cash to sweeten the deal.
Ford is now recalling over half-a-million Windstar minivans going back to 1998. Why? Federal pressure, law-suits, etc. Rear axles rusting out when driven a lot on roads covered with some sort of road-salt (calcium, sodium, magnesium, etc.).
I must admit, this whole deal peaks my interest on the subject of "fairness."
I've had many, many vehicles literally break in half due to road-salt. Did I blame anybody? Yeah, usually the State of NY for polluting the roads and rotting cars with their salt. Never thought of suing them, though. If I had a old car fail so bad and so fast, from rust that I near got killed, I'd blame myself for being an idiot and not checking it over well.
So, let me get this straight. Ford sells a van with a 5 year warranty against corrosion-perforation.
None of these Windstars failed during that warranty period.
I will also assume that anybody with half-a-brain, the drives on salty roads, knows things need to be checked - even the frames in heavy trucks.
In addition, many areas have mandatory motor vehicle inspection once or twice a year. I costs me over $20 a year, per vehicle, exept of my older diesels which are cheaper.
OK. You have a van that, after 100K miles, and 9 - 12 years of use, gets so rusty it's dangerous. It's happened to me many times with various cars and trucks. But now, if that vehicle is a Ford Windstar - it's Ford's fault?
We all pay for this sort of nonsense in the end. It was silly enough when SUV maker were getting sued becaues SUVs don't corner like sports-cars.
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